RC Helicopters
IF YOU missed the 1980 Nationals, you missed the best Helicopter contest of the year. In the past, it has amazed this author that there are so few Helicopter fliers willing to travel for a contest. Perhaps the higher number of entries at this Nationals indicates a healthy change for the better. This year, the contest was held at Wright Field, approximately a half mile from the U.S. Air Force Museum. The site was on grass and with plenty of room-ideal in anyone's book. The meet was professionally run by veteran CD Dwayne Stephens and his able crew of helpers and judges. I would like to thank Dwayne on behalf of all the fliers; he did a great job.
RC Electric Grand Championships
ON JANUARY 9, 1982 a revolution began. There were no shots fired, no explosions, no riots; quite to the contrary. This revolution was quiet, the only sounds being a gentle whirr as the majestic Electric-Powered Sailplanes raced to altitude. Back in August 1981 Roland Boucher started planning the most prestigious Electric contest yet held. He wanted to encourage modelers to try Electric flight, and reasoned that if a large sum of money was offered as a prize people would sit up and take notice. He knew that once the modelers tried Electric flying, they would like it, and the chance to win $1,000 should be enough to excite anyone.
Two-Meter World Cup
THIS YEAR'S Two-Meter World Cup competition was held February 6 and 7 in Las Vegas, NV. The contest is the brainchild of the San Fernando Valley Silent Flyers, who also happen to be the event's perennial hosts. This year, the SFVSF gang, anxious to try the Las Vegas site, co-hosted the competition with the South Nevada Soaring Society.
RC Helicopters at the MAC Show
AS I WRITE this report on RC Helicopters at the MAC Show, I think of all the great machines available to the hobbyist and just how very far model Helicopters have evolved in their 13 years of existence. There was a time (it wasn't all that long ago) when it took a lot of tinkering to get a chopper into the air. With all the high-quality proven mechanics available today, the average modeler has a real chance of success.
RC Helicopters at the MAC Show
Top-of-the-line machines in the RC Helicopter exhibit booths are what caught our reporter's eyes this year. But there are many excellent beginner, sport, and Scale types as well. This is a good year to be involved with RC model Helicopters. I am very excited and optimistic that the new machines I saw at this year's Model and Craft (MAC) Show will be the best that have ever been available. There were no major breakthroughs as in years past; however, all the major manufacturers have been busy refining their top-of-the-line machines to the current world class level. Most manufacturers have gone to a robust rotor head of Bell-Hiller configuration with adjustable dampening. Collective pitch is standard. All the new super ships are designed around .60-size engines and feature extensive use of ball bearing-supported mechanisms throughout.
