Radio Control: Electrics
SOME Electric meets for 1987 have been announced. First, the Houston SPARKS (Silent Propelled Aircraft Radio Kontrol Society) will hold their Third Annual Spring Electric Fun-Fly on April 10-11 at Cullen-Barker Park on the Dick Scobee Memorial Flying Field. Several events are planned and will be conducted in accordance with the Electric rules proposals published in the February 1987 Model Aviation ("Competition Newsletter" section). SPARKS President Ken Martin tells me that the new Dick Scobee field ". . . is most likely the top one in the country . . .," having a main hard-surfaced runway measuring 80 ft. by 320 ft. with a grass cross-runway measuring 80 ft. by 240 ft. It has many other features including 120-volt outlets, water fountains, rest rooms, paved parking, etc. For more information, please contact Contest Director Eddie Thomas, 1427 Ashwood Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77478. His telephone number is (713) 491-3375. You can also contact Ken Martin at (713) 933-1688.
Radio Control: Electrics
EARLY reader reaction to the April column has been swift, sure, and voluminous. This month's column is being written just a few days after the April 1987 issue of MA has begun to appear across the country (not everyone has received their subscription copy, yet), and reader response is coming in at record levels. Never before has one of my columns brought such strong initial reaction! (Electric suppliers, take note!) What's all the fuss about? Well, the April column offered my thoughts on establishing meaningful Electric model motor specification standards, and evidently this offering "hit home" with lots of readers. Large numbers of you have made it very clear that you, too, want more meaningful motor descriptions/specifications/standards, and absolutely no one has written to the contrary!
Radio Control: Electrics
MORE Electric meets have been announced, and I'm very happy to be able to pass along this information here. First, the Fifth Annual Boeing Hawks Electric Fly-In is scheduled for the weekend of June (27-28) at the Hawks' Kent field. This will be a low-key, fun-fly format as in years past, and for more information you can write to Bernard Cawley, 29838 48th Avenue South, Auburn, WA 98001. Next, the Polk County Soaring Eagles of Lakeland, FL have announced their Second Annual Electric Fun-Fly for August 1-2. Several competitive events are planned, and the Electric rules proposed for the 1988-89 AMA rules cycle will be used. (See the February 1987 issue of MA, page 129). More information can be had from the CD: Bill Futch, 530 West Lake Wales Rd. N., Lake Wales, FL 33853; telephone (813) 676-6740.
Radio Control: Electrics
BAD NEWS is going to open this month's column (but we will close on the brighter side). I've recently learned (by trying to buy some) that Astro has discontinued the venerable Part No. 2102 "05/075" economy can-motor that has made so many new Electric fliers quite happy. To me, this is indeed very unfortunate. While Astro continues (and expands) the high-quality and higher-cost line of its famous cobalts, it has nothing to offer the many folks who just want to give Electric a try with a minimal initial investment. (The word I get is that the Goldberg Electra/motor combination is being received on the market very well. This tends to support what I've just said here and what I said in the recent past regarding the commonplace problem of, "Which motor, which plane?") So, while there is no question that the cobalts are top performers, not everyone starts out with a Cadillac.
Radio Control: Electrics
RECEIVER POWER. Strange title, right? Usually, one would expect to see words like "motor power" in this column. Well, what I'm talking about is really more like "powering the receiver." For some reason I've been getting a lot of reader mail lately with questions about powering the receiver off the motor battery, so I thought I'd share some thoughts on this subject with everyone. Yes-I have done this in the past, and yes, there have been (or are some) products that allow this to be done. Personally, I've discontinued this practice because I did have some bad experiences with it. In my judgement, the "savings" are questionable.
