Tournament & Great Race VI
GREAT RACE VI . . . Easter parades, county fairs, and the grand prix circuits aren't always guaranteed sunny weekends, and for the first time in six years the Great Race can be added to that list. But as the alibi goes, you should have been here the week before-and after, for that matter. Sixteen teams entered this one-the largest field ever-with the roster including Canada and South Africa. This was to be the year of the superships-those designed strictly for cross-country racing. A month before the event, Stan Watson flew the complete course in a practice run-the second to accomplish this feat. During the week before the contest, Gary Ittner and Alex Bower of California logged 14 miles one day and 20 on another. On the official practice day before the race, Watson set out to establish an AMA Thermal Duration record and logged a 3-hr. 10-min. flight.
Radio Control: Soaring
ON PAGE 99 of the November 1981 issue of Model Aviation is the list of National AMA records. The list is current through September 3, 1981. Among the list is the most current record, dated 8-16-81. It simply states: RC Soaring-Thermal Duration, Category-Unlimited, Open class-held by Gary Ittner. And in fine print, which really should command a two-page banner spread, it simply states 8::05:13. That, dear reader, reads eight hours, five minutes and 13 seconds; and that isn't for a slope flight but for thermal duration!
Radio Control: Soaring
TOLEDO. This year, the Toledo Weak Signals celebrated their 28th year of hosting RC Conferences. It's kind of tough for some old salts to admit that this has been going on for quite a few years before some of the present modelers were even born! But, it is a great place to meet old friends and-with the exception of the AMA Nationals-no other annual modeling event brings so many friends together. Reminiscing is always a part of this annual bash, and the cost of RC through the years is always a topic. Inflation has made its mark on a lot of RC items, but the cost of radios not only has held steady over the years, but the radios have improved in technical advances and reliability.
Radio Control: Soaring
IF YOU'VE BEEN keeping score, you might like to know there were six gents who met their LSF Level V achievements in 1981. Keith Kindrick from California was the first, followed by Gerry Zeigenfuse, then Don Goughnour, both from Pennsylvania, Don Clark from Maryland, Jim Porter from Iowa, and Don Patterson from Michigan. The honor of being the first in 1982 goes to Bill Meleske of Baldwin, NY. Needing only the 10-kilometer Goal and Return-a task which has postponed those same honors for many over the years-Bill stopped fighting the odds and did it his way.
Radio Control: Soaring
BACK IN the May 1981 issue of Model Aviation, there were plans for one of the cutest little Sailplanes ever published-or designed, for that matter. I don't usually describe Sailplanes as cute, but this one was. It was Bob Owens' Zephyr. Spanning all of 52 in. and weighing five oz. without radio, it was designed primarily for mini hi-starts, hand chucking, and flying in darn near any space larger than its wingspan. If small flies well then big must fly better, so Bob now has a larger version with a 99-in. wingspan. Just like the original, the "99" uses an Eppler 387 airfoil section and has a high strength-to-weight ratio. The open framework weighs 21 ounces. There's a good chance you'll see plans for this one in the near future.
