Free Flight: Indoor
1995 NATS/USIC: The 1966 Indoor Nats will be combined with the USIC at the ETSC MiniDome in Johnson City, Tennessee. May 28, 1996 is a full day of practice, followed by four days of competition. Bob Champine, formerly Chief Test Pilot at Langley Field, is the keynote speaker at the banquet. The contests will run concurrently, with Dave Thomson running USIC and Abram Van Dover as CD of the Nats. Volunteers are needed for almost all events: event directors, processors, and timers. Volunteer your services to Abram Van Dover, 112 Tillerson Dr., Newport News VA 23602; Tel.: (804) 877-2830. Big Show at Kibbie Dome? As of this writing, there is a strong possibility that the 1996 WC will be held in the Kibbie Dome. If this comes true, the schedule will be: August 1-3, Standard Kibbie Dome schedule, with HLG and Catapult Glider events running from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each day, followed by duration events until 8 p.m. Aug. 4: International EZB event, with classes for both AMA and FIL (1.2g EZB). Flights will be made in six rounds in each event. Aug. 5-8: 1996 World Championships (subject to CIAM approval). Aug. 5: Sign-in and practice 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 6: Practice 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 7: Three rounds of three hours each. Aug. 8: Three rounds of three hours each.
Free Flight: Indoor
One hour officially? Not Yet! Two weeks after his 63:58 unofficial flight, Steve Brown posted 58+ with both AMA and World Record sanctions in place. The air was cold and drafty; a second attempt hit the side and damaged the model. Two sessions later, the air was drifting during the morning with outside temperature about 72 with sunny sky. About 2 p.m. or so Steve was getting more than 33 minutes on his half-motors. He began winding and Warren Williams and Hermann Andersen were all ready to time him. Steve attached the wound motor to his front hook on the model. Then as he put the knotted end over the rear hook, it happened. The motor came forward, shattering the motorstick and breaking the propeller. Steve calmly looked up and said, "I guess we wouldn't be doing this today." He wasn't sure if the knot pulled out or the motor broke; the result was the same. Later in the afternoon Bob Randolph tried to set a record, but the model came down at 52 minutes plus.
Free Flight: Indoor
ONE HOUR! A phone call from Ken Johnson passed on the astounding news that Steve Brown, flying a model with 320-square-inch wing and 116-square-inch stab, posted a 63:54 flight at the 9/1/96 unsanctioned session at Santa Ana. The model weighed .042 ounce and used an 18-inch loop of .069 Tan II, weighing .065 ounce. The flight went off with 2480 turns and deadsticked somewhere above 30 feet. At about 30 feet, the motor came off the prop and dangled from the rear hook, causing the model to settle straight down. Steve admits that there was very good air, which he realized when the model was still climbing slowly just above the catwalks, 45 minutes into the flight! Not Homolgated Yet, But. . .At a Tillamook hangar session held following the WCh activity, Andy Tagliafico's record-holding MiniStick model posted 14:28. Trivia! In what recent contest would two 45-minute flights put you in only ninth place, and two 48-minute flights be only third place? Answer: 1996 Indoor WCh. While such fierce competition was the hallmark of this meet, what didn't happen is also noteworthy.
Free Flight: Indoor
CLIPPINGS WANTED! John Martin needs clippings that report instances where Goodyear has sponsored model airplane activity since 1920, when they first began. Current Goodyear officials have no such knowledge, and these clippings may help the MIAMA club (and perhaps other clubs) gain access to Goodyear facilities. Legal Eagle Update: Just over a year ago, the Legal Eagle event was launched. By now, times in the MIAMA contests held at MacDill AFB have reached almost nine minutes. Competition is also keen; the March '96 meet showed less than four minutes' spread between first and ninth place.
Free Flight: Indoor
FLYING OPPORTUNITIES: This information is available via E-Mail request ([email protected]) and by browsing a special Indoor Web Page maintained by Del Ogren. The URL for that web page is http:/www.interaccess.com/uncle-del/indoor/ Del's page has links to several other pages - two Indoor sites (one in the US and one in Sweden); a site for beginning rubber-model fliers; an ornithopter site; one called "Flying Contraptions," and a Flying Aces site. It also has extensive contest and flying-session listings and a list of clubs. The Indoor Group now has more than 50 members. If you haven't heard, members register with me at [email protected]. They then receive contest announcements (see above) and late-breaking news such as outstanding flights and other items of interest. All clubs holding Indoor events can send announcements of these events to me via E-Mail or snail mail (Box 830545, Richardson TX 75083) for prompt posting to members of the Indoor Group and on Del's web page. Come join us!
