Radio Control: Pylon Racing
LAST month we discussed the subject of safety for the workers on the pylon course. I think we should take a look at the safety of the aircraft. Obviously, the airframe should be sound and straight. After a few races the airframe begins to get a little "war weary." A thorough inspection of the basic airframe should be performed before each heat. Some of the more critical areas to inspect are all control surface hinges, wing center section, stabilizer attach point, and firewall security. A loose firewall can cause severe vibration of the airframe and literally shake the airframe apart in the air. Loose hinges can cause flutter at high speed and destroy the attached surface in seconds. Particular attention should be paid to the installation of the radio equipment. The battery pack should be wrapped in foam and a plastic baggie to protect it from vibration and fuel. The receiver should also be wrapped in foam and plastic as well. Fifty to 70% nitro can destroy the battery and receiver rather quickly if the fuel tank springs a leak.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
BY THE time you read this it will be the start of the '79 racing season. I think we all should take a good long look at the safety aspect of our various racing events. I had a long conversation with a fellow magazine writer about this subject and he voiced concern about the lack of safety at some of the racing events during the '78 season. A look at the AMA rule book establishes the minimum space required for the 1/4 Midget and Formula One classes. Any other form of pylon racing using the Q.M. or F-1 courses obviously would require the same amount of space. The Flying Forks of Lancaster, Ohio put it very neatly in their newsletter. "If something bad happens at our field, insurance or not, the pilot is going to feel terrible! The pound of cure won't help that much. The ounce of prevention is the only proper solution. And you owe it to the rest of the club to assume the responsibility to exercise safe flying. Safe flying means never having to say you're sorry."
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
I HOPE all you racers survived the New Year's Eve parties and enjoyed a Merry Christmas. Now get busy and put the finishing touches on that new bird for the '79 racing season! Bob Violett Models is marketing a new pair of racing wheels for Quickie 500 and Formula One. The hubs are molded nylon in halves and are held together with four flat-head machine screws. An "O" ring tire is stretched over the assembly so that the completed wheel looks like the machined aluminum wheels, but are lighter. They sell for $6.95 per pair. Check with Bob Violett Models or your local hobby shop. I worked the California National Air Races at Mojave, in October. Ray Cote turned a 253.5-mph lap during practice and averaged 245 mph for five laps in the IXL Heat Race.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
I WAS fortunate enough to attend the Reno Air Races this year as Pylon Captain on #3 Pylon of the IXL and AT-6 race course. This is the three-mile course, using six pylons plus the home pylon at the start/finish line. It is very similar to judging an RC pylon race as far as keeping track of the cuts, the major difference being the number of people required on the pylons at a full-scale air race. Besides the Pylon Captain, there are at least two Pylon Judges and a Pylon Spotter. The captain verifies any cuts and must submit a written description of the cut. This description includes how many feet inside the pylon, whether the pilot was forced to cut because of traffic, or if the pilot was just plain flying too close. One of the judges records on a race form each aircraft on each lap by race number, whether that aircraft was OK or cut the pylon.
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
IT SEEMS as if I wrote about the Bakersfield Races just a few months ago but here it is a year later and the BARKS of Bakersfield put on another outstanding Formula One Race. The weather was typical Californian, warm and clear with light breezes from the North. The total entries were down this year from 115 to 80 because the folks from Japan and Mexico didn't make it. We were sorry that they couldn't attend but with the reduced field there were nine rounds of racing and five fly-off heats. Everyone seemed to have enough racing for the weekend. When the dust had cleared, Mr. Rankin, from British Columbia, Canada, walked off with first place in Standard, and Tom Christopher from California was first in Expert.
