Radio Control: Helicopters
LET'S LOOK at Kalt's latest offering-the exciting, electric-powered Whisper. Many of you who have read this column over the years know that I have a great personal interest in electric-powered models, particularly Helicopters. Before the Whisper, electric-powered Helis were limited to either disappointingly short flights of two minutes or less using an on-board Ni-Cd pack, or longer flights tethered to a 12-volt motorcycle battery. The Whisper is the first of a new generation of Electric Helicopters which are the real thing. These new RC Electric Helis are not held back by the fact that they must carry a battery pack. Kalt's Whisper features an ultralightweight chasis, toothed-belt tail drive, collective pitch, and a Bell-Hiller rotor head utilizing a fiberglass flexplate for rotor dampening.
Larry's Emmy
IF YOU read my story about making and flying a model Boeing 737-200 for the CBS-TV movie on the Aloha Air disaster ("Miracle Landing," November 1990 Model Aviation), you'll understand my thrill when the Larry Jolly Model Products team, along with the experts at Introvision Studios, won an Emmy Award for Special Visual Effects. After the string of misadventures that had bedeviled our first days of filming-followed by the glorious catharsis of our model's own perfect "miracle landing"-it was especially gratifying to be honored in this way.
Radio Control: Helicopters
WELCOME BACK. It is with the greatest of sadness that I report the passing of Walt Schoonard on November 17, 1990. Walt was most famous for founding Miniature Aircraft Supply and producing the X-Cell series of Helicopters. What many of you may not know is that Walt spent the better part of his last 20 years promoting RC Helicopters, serving at various times as columnist (He was MA's first "RC Helicopters" columnist.-RMcM), Contest Director, and of course, importer. Walt loved RC Helicopters. Many of us had not seen Walt these last few years-this was because of his declining health due to the ravages of diabetes. Our thoughts now are of the Schoonard family who run Miniature Aircraft Supply. Tim and Ted are now officially in charge and have vowed to keep MAS at the forefront of Helicopter technology.
Radio Control: Helicopters
I'M SORRY I missed you last month, but I've recently started work on a new major film project-and what can I say? There are only so many hours in a day. I will try to stay current and help keep you informed with what's new in our world of rotary-winged models. Toledo has passed, and now we know what we can expect to find in the hobby shops in 1991: Airtronics will have the Infinity 1000 RC system late this year. I saw some prototypes recently and will fill you in next month. Suffice to say the Infinity will be an incredible system.
Radio Control: Helicopters
Sandown Exposition 1991. Sandown is to England what Toledo is to the U.S. Radio Control market. Basically, it's a large trade show with a well organized flying display held just south of London on the first weekend in June. I've recently heard from Dan Melnik who has flown at Sandown for the last two years as a guest of J. Perkins, the English Distributor for Kalt Helicopters. Thanks to Dan we have the following mini-report. Dan's first love is Kalt Helicopters (sorry Laura), and as a result I got a lot of information on the Kalt line.
