RC Flying Today: Get Your Own Flying Site!
THIS STORY started in 1985, when the last model flying site within the boundaries of Teaneck, New Jersey and surrounding towns was closed. Joe Beshar (198 Merritt Drive, Oradell, New Jersey 07649) decided that the time had come to buy some land in Bergen County, New Jersey for use as a flying site. Who could afford it? Joe made an official presentation to the Bergen County Freeholders (county government) on the subject of an official model airport. The theme of the presentation had four parts:
RC Flying Today
PILOT and airplane, chugging along "fat, dumb and happy." Problems . . . frantic action . . . doubt. Flying is hours of boring through the sky, punctuated by moments of stark terror. The pilot survives, or doesn't, and the writer explains how he got into trouble in the first place. "I Learned About Flying from That" was my favorite column in Flying magazine. So it was for many pilots. Since this column is scheduled for the dead of winter, you might enjoy an introduction to others of my favorite books. After reading them, the best thing you can do is to give them to someone under the age of 15.
RC Flying Today: A New Midwest Flying Field
LYLE STOLFUS, RR#1, Fredericksburg, IA [tel.: (319) 237-5807] called in response to my article, "Where can I fly?" in the October '91 issue of MA. Lyle wants us to know that he has converted four acres of his farm into a model airport (MAPT). He has named it the North Four Flying Field. There is a 650 × 65-ft. sod runway, aligned north/south to suit the prevailing winds; parking for 100 cars; plus big spool-type tables with tie-downs for models and electric lights for packing up after dark. There are no problems, except for bugs in season.
RC Flying Today: Rib Stitching and Gluing
HOW OFTEN have you heard someone say, "This iron-on covering doesn't stick to ribs?" Then you take a look at the wing and, sure enough, the covering is stuck only to the leading and trailing edges. We can be reasonably certain that the covering did stick to the ribs when the plane was built, or the person wouldn't be complaining. So, the real question is, "Why (or how) did the covering get loose?" When an airplane flies, the air rushing over the upper surface sucks on the covering. Air pressure varies from greater than atmospheric at the leading edge, to less than atmospheric over the curved surface, and back to greater than atmospheric at the trailing edge.
RC Flying Today: Wideband RC Systems
COMING SOON: I write this in April 1992 to remind you that it is now illegal to import or manufacture wideband RC transmitters. Report & Order FCC 91-103 mandates that wideband RC transmitters may be sold until 1 March 1993 and used until 1 March 1998. After those dates, sale and use, respectively, must end. If you are harboring any wideband equipment and have ideas about selling it, you should get it narrow-banded now. AMA got you 50 exclusive 72 MHz RC channels and has taught that you must "use them or lose them." Hanging onto "even channels only" to prolong the use of wideband equipment is one way to lose them.
