Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
FROSTY. Those of you who read about the freezing temperatures here in the South around Christmas might not have been too sympathetic, because it was probably even colder where you were. However the cold temperatures really hit us hard, since we aren't used to it. It got down to 13º where I live, and the little bayou in back of my house froze over. You should have seen the local seagulls and ducks trying to land on the ice! There were a few hardy souls who went flying, but they were mostly transplanted Northerners who knew the cold weather tricks of keeping their engines warm in their cars or in the car exhaust and squirting lighter fluid into the engines to start them. I don't think anyone went so far as to put hand warmers in with the receiver battery packs, but it really wasn't cold enough to warrant that. It makes us appreciate the warmer weather that we have most of the year.
Radio Control: Sport/Aerobatics
RETROSPECTION. I've been involved in RC for nearly 30 years, and like most experienced modelers, I tend to overlook the problems that many newcomers have. Occasionally, I get brought up short when a beginner's question makes me realize that not everyone understands things that a lot of us take for granted. Such was the case when a mature individual-but a novice modeler-asked me if it made any difference whether he had a 1/8-in. gap between the horizontal tail and the elevator. At that point, I realized a discussion on the aerodynamics of controls was due.
Radio Control: Sport & Aerobatics
BEING a former club newsletter editor, I enjoy getting the newsletters from RC-oriented clubs which the AMA HQ people pass on to me. By the way, nearly all of them bear the red-penned initials CW (Carl Wheeley, Model Aviation's publisher) and JW (John Worth, AMA's Executive Director) on them. Some have as many as six initials from AMA and Model Aviation staff members. So, your club newsletters do get wide exposure. Keep those newsletters coming to AMA HQ!
Radio Control: Sport Aerobatics
I WAS READING the column by Ted Fancher (Model Aviation's new Control Line Aerobatics columnist) in the May issue, in which it was announced that he was taking over from Wynn Paul, who had written the column continuously since the first issue of Model Aviation in 1975. Then I checked to see who else was still around from the original crew of Contributing Editors. If my research is accurate, only George Myers, Bob Meuser, Bud Tenny, and I remain from the first group of columnists. I don't know how those others feel, but it doesn't really feel like that long, to me.
Radio Control: Sport Aerobatics
WINDS ALOFT. A long time ago, I mentioned the effects of wind on the flight of an airplane-and the resulting controversy took an interminable time to die out. Consequently, I've hesitated to say much on the subject since then. It seems to bring out the worst of the weirdos on both sides of the issue. All of them write letters with lots of exclamation points, and they invariably follow a set pattern: they establish their credentials; state their position; mention irrefutable supporters of their position; and challenge anyone to disagree with them. There's usually a grain of truth in their positions, but it is often stretched too far. Beginners-and even experienced modelers-have a tough time deciding if their story is true, or if it's not, where the truth leaves off. Besides, if they are challenged, the resulting tirade will be sure to spoil anyone's afternoon.
