Radio Control: Soaring
CLUB OF THE MONTH. Paul Bell, newsletter editor for the Long Island Silent Flyers, sent the photos plus this writeup on his club: "As the name implies, our club is located on Long Island, NY. We have about 70 members, of which more than half are active fliers. The club field is in Stillwell Park (Syosset, NY). We hold eight club contests yearly which draw 25 to 30 steady entrants. We fly Two-Meter and Unlimited, and this year we are trying three classes (levels) of fliers.
RC Sailplanes At Toledo
Top: The usual "zoo" at Toledo. The helium balloon is being flown by designer/builder George Steiner. Its two tiny electric motors pivot to move the balloon in any direction. Left: Designer Mike Pratt proudly holds his new Sig Riser 100. It is the Standard Class version of the 2-meter Riser and is well suited as a Soaring trainer. Right: Rol Klingberg holds his flying wing. Gary Anderson of American Sailplane Designs looks on.
Radio Control: Soaring
NEW from Control Systems Laboratories: ATRCS. The Airtronics Module SP is a good RC system and is very popular with Sailplane fliers. What would you think if someone told you they could transform your SP into the equal of the most sophisticated radio in the world-for $300? I think a lot of people would jump at the chance. Granted, rudder-steered polyhedral planes don't need a high-tech set, but for fliers with planes having ailerons and flaps, the ability to do all kinds of "tricks" at a reasonable price will be welcomed by many. The people at Control Systems Laboratories who will performs these miracles are Eugene Engelau and Thomas Mroz. They formed CSL to manufacture and install retrofit computer electronics that will turn your old pumpkin into a Rolls Royce. Their first PC boards are for the SP radio, but mods for other radios will be added shortly.
Radio Control: Soaring
THE ULTIMATE in the Sailplaner's art is felt by many to be a craft made with modern all-glass technology and completely formed in molds. Fiberglass fuselages have long been made in this manner, but an all-glass ship has molded wings and tail surfaces as well. The top F3B planes such as those built and flown by World Champions Rolf Decker and Reinhard Liese are made this way. Some commercially made Sailplanes like Rowing's Impuls, Fiberglasflugel's Albatross and some big Scale Sailplanes like the Roke DG-202 are made in molded glass. Not too surprisingly all the planes named are made in Germany. The Europeans have been the leaders in this technology-both in full-size Sailplanes and in models.
Radio Control: Soaring
THE FIRST ANNUAL Mid-Columbia Slope Scale Fun-Fly and Soaring Social was the first organized Slope Scale event like this to be held in the U.S., and it turned out to be a much bigger success than anyone envisioned. On the 1988 Memorial Day weekend, 58 fliers showed up at Richland in southeastern Washington state, bringing over 100 Scale planes-both Sailplanes and Power Scale ships. The Saturday evening banquet was attended by 124 people! Quite a few came just to spectate and learn more about Slope Scale flying. Needless to say, there was a lot of Scale hangar flying going on! The Fun-Fly was hosted by the Tri-City Soarers and CDed by Wil Byers, who sent a report to let everyone know how tickled he was with the way it went:
