RADIO CONTROL SCALE AEROBATICS
Michael Hurley, 500 Naughright Rd., Long Valley NJ 07853; E-mail: [email protected]
IN THE EARLY days of full-scale aviation, innovative and daring young pilots modified their aircraft in search of ever-better flight characteristics and more control response. Early air-show pilots used modified versions of almost anything that would hold together under the extremes to which they were subjected.
Airplanes designed specifically for Precision Aerobatics are fairly new. It has only been in the last 30 years or so that aircraft designed solely for competition aerobatics have been generally available. From those early days, continued innovation and change have been key in the pursuit of the elusive perfect airplane.
With the focus of this column on such an evolving environment, change is inevitable here too. As the new Radio Control (RC) Scale Aerobatics columnist, I've been handed the stick and I will do my best to pilot us through this transitional maneuver.
Paul Kopp, the previous columnist, has done a great job outlining the core principles behind what defines Scale Aerobatics (SA), some of the equipment, airplanes, and engines we use, and the International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) Special Interest Group (SIG). I hope to continue that momentum, and share my ideas for this column and how you can be a part of it. Following is a little about me and my views on SA as a whole.
Most SA pilots start out as general sport fliers who want to move to a scale-looking airplane that performs slightly better than what they've flown in the past. This standard category of SA pilot flies a .40, .60, or even 1.20-size model, and is content with that. It's safe to say that these fliers make up the majority of our numbers.
A small percentage of these pilots will start to collect a few more airplanes, and begin to yearn for something a little bigger. Soon, a contest or two is under their belts, they're looking at gas engines, and they always have something new on the building table. Does that sound familiar?
I'll call them "SA enthusiasts." I've leaped right past "enthusiast," to land squarely as an "SA fanatic!"
All the airplanes I own are SA. I have a house full of 40% aircraft, my vacations are spent at flying events across the country, and, besides flying designs from some of the leading companies, I scratch-build my own models. During the flying season I try to get out to fly at least three times a week.
I'll admit to being an SA fanatic, but not a purist! As did the early aviators who may have put a bigger motor in a Gipsy Moth or chopped and welded an old Chipmunk, I believe that change and innovation should be central to Scale modeling.
I'm a big fan of 3-D Freestyle flying, even though it's not officially recognized in the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) catalog. Some people think 3-D doesn't have a place in RC Aerobatics. It's crazy to think that we should place restrictions in the RC Scale world simply because full-scale airplanes can't execute some of these maneuvers—yet. A few on-the-edge full-scale air-show pilots are starting to follow what we've shown them is possible.
The Extra company in Germany has started offering enlarged control surfaces as an option on their competition aircraft, and I downloaded a movie off the Internet that showed a full-scale Sukhoi doing a Torque Roll. Another picture showed one in a 3-D maneuver we commonly call the "wall" (he called it a Cobra), and many of us have seen Sean Tucker hover his biplane.
After all, there's nothing magic about bigger control surfaces and a higher power-to-weight ratio. When we fly our models in high-alpha maneuvers, we're doing what full-scale aviators would be doing if their equipment had the performance numbers that ours do!
Although I'm a fanatic about these high-performance airplanes, I'm not a big competitor. Yes, competition is a big part of what SA is all about, but there are many more fliers out there who just want to push their skills and have some fun. I've competed before and have done pretty well, but I doubt that Chip Hyde has anything to worry about.
Since these airplanes are specifically designed and intended for competition, that's what people are bound to do with them.
Venues and organizations
There are many venues of competition available to the SA pilot. IMAC is the biggest and most well-known organization focused on Precision Aerobatics utilizing SA aircraft. Please don't confuse IMAC with IMAA; IMAC has no aircraft size limitations and focuses on competition, and IMAA does have a minimum size requirement and does not compete.
The two most prestigious SA events, the Tournament of Champions (TOC) and the Masters, have no official connection to IMAC; each has its own set of rules and flying schedules.
- The TOC in Las Vegas, NV is invitation only, and is considered by many to be the world's most prestigious flying competition. With a purse of more than $180,000, it pays more than any full-scale aerobatic competition.
- The Masters, in Greenville, South Carolina, requires qualification. Last year the Masters offered IMAC Unlimited pilots a chance to prequalify. The top-placing pilot in each district was offered a chance to fly in the Masters, foregoing the qualifying rounds.
Other organizations that focus on SA competition are beginning to pop up across the country.
- The Southern California Aerobatic Team (SCAT) has branched off from IMAC into its own organization, and it offers another version of SA competition with different pilot classifications.
- The TOC of Maryland is very popular, with its own rules and ideas.
- On the East Coast, the Extended Flight Envelope (EFE) group has been put together to meld precision with 3-D in a judged format. This summer will be the EFE's first series of events. You can learn more about the group at www.gsals.org. The EFE events sound promising. I wish them luck.
This column — vision and participation
My vision for this column in the coming months is to discuss aspects of Scale Aerobatics, from competition to 3-D Freestyle, from products and services to the latest in building and set-up, from events across the country to safety in your own club.
I need help from all of you. What would you like to see in this column? If you have something to say, write to me. If I think it's of interest to the majority of the readers, I'll put it in as a guest letter.
I need photos and information about events and activities in your area. I'd like to report on the latest trends from around the globe, so tell me what's going on in your part of the world.
If you have a building tip or special setup, I'd like to see it. New airplanes, new ideas, and new construction methods—this can be your forum to discuss them.
I also welcome manufacturer's product announcements that pertain to SA. I'll do mini-product reviews when I receive a particularly useful or interesting item.
From month to month I plan to make this column completely free-form, while at the same time keeping you as informed and up-to-date as possible on issues pertaining to SA. Besides being my voice, I'd like it to be your voice too.
JMA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
