Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
FOR THE PAST several issues, most of each monthly article was taken up by a single subject. For a change of pace, this month I'll cover several different subjects. There's no particular reason for it, except that a bunch of ideas popped into my head while reviewing a packet of club newsletters that AMA sent to me. Before moving on to the various subjects, I'd like to share a gem which was included in the Cape Ann RC Model Club newsletter, edited by Lowell A. Warren; "Linguistic Item-Difference netween a Glitch and a Glinch: A Glitch is a momentary signal of radio interference affecting control of the plane. A Glinch is the priceless momentary expression on the pilot's face during and slightly after the Glitch." (So that's what it's called!)
Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
WHAT is Dow Corning Q fuel foaming reducer? Beats me. Besides, I really don't care what it is, if it's possible to get some. If you're confused, you'll still be less confused than I was when a baffling problem struck my Pattern airplane. My Supertigre G-60 Bluehead-equipped Phoenix 8 has periodically been plagued with apparently lean runs, which I attributed variously to too lean a needle valve setting, loose carburetor, faulty fuel pump, leaky fuel line or tank, loose back plate, bad glow plug, spinner rubbing on nose cowl, clogged fuel filter, and bad fuel. However, when the problem persisted through different engines with and without fuel pumps, I remembered what Don Lower said during a visit to our club meeting a month ago. He was describing a situation (which sounded much like mine) that ended in the discovery of foaming of the fuel as the culprit. He was able to solve his problem by using a softer mounting setup of his tank. My tank installation was not as easy to change as his, so I had to resort to other solutions.
'81 AMA Texas Nats: RC Pattern
JUST IMAGINE the opening scene of the movie Lawrence of Arabia. Remeber the man on the camel coming across the heat-shimmering desert sand? Now take away the man on the camel and replace the sand with tall dry grass and a runaway and you have the 1981 RC Pattern Nats site. It wasn't hot, it was hot! Nevertheless, we all survived in our own various ways, and most of the competitors came away from Seguin, TX very pleased with the competition. The 1981 Nats Master class champion was Tony Bonetti, who led from the first through the sixth round despite challenges from a host of
Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
SEVERAL TIMES, I have recommended that new Pattern fliers start out with reliable, unsophisticated Pattern airplanes and avoid things like tuned pipes, mixture controls and retractable landing gear. I even went so far as to say that success in the Novice and Advanced classes did not depend on having all the "gadgets and lights." Several letters and personal confrontations involving counter viewpoints have convinced me to clarify and modify my opinions. However, if you expect me to retract all of what I wrote, don't hold your breath.
Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
RECENTLY, I received a copy of a new book about radio control from the Kalmbach Publishing Company. It's called Getting the Most from Radio Control Systems; the author is Fred Marks. Does Fred Marks' name ring a bell with you? If not, how about the Ace Silver Seven? Fred is the guiding force behind the Silver Seven and most of the electronic products that Ace sells. Fred's book is quite different from most books on RC which treat the transmitter, receiver and servos as "black boxes" that make things work in mysterious and wonderful ways. Fred explains how the basic system components work in a manner that most people can understand. His approach is not the same as an electronics engineer would use, simply because Fred is an aeronautical engineer by trade! He developed his expertise in RC because of his interest in the hobby, and he's been very successful.
