Radio Control: Helicopters
I GUESS if things didn't go wrong occasionally, we'd all get bored stiff. Maybe that's the enjoyment of flying radio-control aircraft. No, not when things go wrong, but when we have taken the time to correct the errors and are rewarded with the improvement. Those setbacks are opportunities. The opportunity to continue practicing toward flight perfection, to learn more about the workings of our machinery, to experiment with new and improved (?) equipment. The fun must be in searching for improvements, not in arriving at perfection. Anyway, that's the rationalism that has gotten me through some major rebuilding projects.
Radio Control: Helicopters
The November column by Tim Peters treated us to the Nats coverage and a photo of a Heliboy rotor head modification. Tim wrote the modification, based on an idea by Bo Hinch and developed by Peyton Enloe, to eliminate the problems with the collective pitch arms which occasionally work loose from the blade axles after crashes. Since the arms are peened to the blade axles, they will change adjustment if abused. Eventually, the standard pitch arm/blade axle assemblies must be replaced.
Radio Control: Helicopters
WELL, I'm not quite ready to report on Ray Hostetler's Jet Ranger modification this month, but his letter prompted some thoughts about the Jet Ranger and other scale and semi-scale RC helicopters. For many months this column has referred primarily to the erector-set-style helicopter. Machines like the Schlueter Heliboy, American Commander and Revolution 40, and Du-Bro Shark are not the only choices available to the helicopter enthusiast. In fact, there are many kit helicopters of both erector-set-style and scale types that, as far as I know, have never been advertised in American magazines. Pick up a copy of a Japanese RC magazine sometime and look at the variety of choppers those guys fly.
Radio Control: Helicopters
IMPROVING the flight performance of the Kavan Jet Ranger will be the subject this month. Ray Hostetler has won several contests over the past years flying these helicopters. Those of us who have read Ray's articles in RCM have likely concluded that Ray considers the Kavan JR to be an excellent machine and well worth the effort of construction and set-up. But, like many of us, Ray also looks for ways to improve his helicopter's flight performance. He shares ones of his improvement "secrets" with us in the following article.
Radio Control: Helicopters
A BIG "Sorry about that" goes to Uhli Baudrexel of Germany regarding my report in the February issue of MA that Mike Mas was the first in the world to fly an RC helicopter in sustained inverted flight. Not long after that issue was circulated. I was informed that the first recorded demonstration of sustained inverted flight took place in Europe mid-summer of 1979, and that Ernie Huber had also succeeded in flying inverted as well. And so, my congratulations got to the three (or more) who have pioneered inverted flight. Now for those of you wanting to try your hand at inverted flying, Mike Mas sent along some background and advice that I'll pass along. And check out the photos. Looks easy, right? Well, here's Mike's story.
