Radio Control: Scale
REPORT FROM PARIS. A drastic change has been made in the FAI RC and CL Scale rules, as the result of a vote at last December's CIAM meeting, to scuttle Precision Scale, which had become a victim of a worldwide decline in participation. Stand-off Scale becomes the only international RC and CL event after January 1984. The change will reduce static judging time considerably, as there will be no measurements taken (the scale ruler has been eliminated). Our current AMA rule book stipulates that RC Precision Scale is to use the FAI rules, except for higher weight limit and greater engine displacement. This means that we will now have two kinds of Stand-off Scale rules in our book. Actually, the only reason to perpetuate AMA Precision Scale is to have a basis for team selection, since there are so few contests that include the event. Selecting a team now becomes a problem, particularly if there is to be a series of eliminations leading to a final event. FAI rules would need to be used throughout the process to assure sending qualified airplanes and pilots to the next World Championship (in France for 1984, and to Norway of South Africa for 1986).
Radio Control: Scale
Metalworking. Anyone having a complete metalworking shop may find the following descriptions boring. However, those of us with minimum equipment are always looking for methods of producing quality models without great expense. Never having built a complete model from aluminum raw material, we aren't qualified to describe that type of work. We are, however, seeing an increase in the number of metal components on quality Scale models, and the degree of realism that is possible with metal can't be ignored.
Radio Control: Scale
NEW RC FREQUENCIES. At a recent local RC meeting, our District VII Frequency Coordinator, Pete Waters, was present with his charts of our area, showing the location of industrial transmitters that posed a threat to flying RC models. It was disclosed that a local telephone company had built a transmitter on one of the commonly-used RC frequencies, 75.64 MHz, a few miles distant from our club flying field. Without Pete's help, we would have gone on using 75.64 until someone was shot down. Even the loss of a trainer built in a few weeks is lamentable, but the model could also have been a Scale type, with 2,000 hours of building time.
Radio Control: Scale
SCRATCH-BUILDING. The term, "from scratch," differs in meaning among modelers, depending upon the degree of originality required to complete the project. To some, extensive modification of a kit qualifies as scratch-building. On the other end of the scale, a modeler may go to extremes in originating drawings by measurement from a prototype before designing and building the model. In between the two types of builders are most of us, who build from drawings supplied by plans services and magazines. Kit builders who are ready to venture into scratch-building for the first time need a bit of encouragement. Building from plans can lead to a modeler's desire to develop his own plans, and by this route our hobby acquires new designers.
Radio Control: Scale
TOLEDO, AGAIN. Each year we come to the same conclusion; that the Toledo Sports Center can't hold more people, and yet the Weak Signals Conference and Exposition attracts ever-increasing numbers of visitors. Our recommendation to avoid the pressing crowds is to visit the show after 3:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday-or attend on Sunday. At these times, it is actually possible to get near the vendors' exhibits and speak with representatives. This suggestion isn't without drawbacks. For example, the swap shop is half-empty on Sunday, and many exhibitors' stocks of hand-out literature may be depleted.
