Radio Control: Pylon Racing
ABOUT THIS TIME of the year, most of you are putting the finishing touches on new racers. Most of us also start checking on this year's contest calendar about now. A little checking will probably tell you that some of the races that you have gone to in the past are not in the lineup this year. Why? Let's do a little checking into this. You will probably find out that some of the clubs are just tired of racing. This happens, and usually there is another club (or two) that is just getting started, so it kind of balances out. But the most disturbing possibility is that a club has lost or is losing its flying field.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
WITH SPRING ALMOST HERE, most of you are getting ready to go out and test that new Pylon Racer that you built when it was too cold to do anything else. Some of you have not flown since last fall. I have found that while you don't forget how to fly, you are more apt to make a few dumb mistakes that first time. Whoever you are, it sometimes pays to be a little careful. What about your radio gear? Have you kept your batteries charged up all winter? There are several devices on the market that will cycle your batteries automatically and tell you what shape they are in. Believe me, it is well worth the investment. It took me about six years and the loss of one of my best Formula I planes (due to battery failure) for me to realize just how good an investment it is.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
A FEW MONTHS AGO, I reported that O.S. had come out with a new Pylon Racing .40 for Formula One. The engine looks and runs great. I think this will be the answer to those of you who are just getting started, since this engine runs so well right out of the box. That's right-no modifications are needed to be competitive. I will try to have a complete rundown for you when I have had more time to figure out what prop and pipe combinations work best. While we are on the subject of new engines, let's talk about the engine rule, 41.4.1 in the AMA 1982-83 rule book, third sentence. Engines and parts must have been produced in quantities greater than 1,000, and must all be available through normal retail outlets in the U.S.A. The 1,000 limit seemed to be OK when it was first put into effect. But now, with the more limited group of Formula One fliers, 1,000 engines is too much.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, I receive many inquiries about Club 500 racing. Rather than replying to each person. I will try to answer some of the most frequently-asked questions in this month's column. First place in this category is the question: "What rules do everyone use in regard to the airplane and engines?" This is a tough one. It seems as though every area that is having racing now has its own set of rules-and they are all different! Club 500-type racing was started as a low-key, low-cost Racing event. The idea was to keep it simple for those who did not want to go "all the way," let's say, into Formula I, or for those who were just getting started in Racing who could use this event for a stepping stone.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
WHILE MY INTENTION is to not have just a lot of contest reports in this column, we've had an usual start to this year's racing season-and I think that it is worth passing on. As you might recall, in last month's column I did a write-up on the Bakersfield Air Races where Dave Shadel set a new Formula One record of 1:07.76. (For 10 rounds Dave's slowest time was 1:13:32!)) While most of us thought (myself included) that Dave's performance meant that we had reached our limit, it looks as though we were wrong! "Well, who is going to beat that?" you say. One month later at San Luis Obispo, CA (May 15-16) we were in for another surprise. Here's how it went, as reported by Gary McPike.
