AMA Nats: CL Aerobatics
THE BATTLE to determine the best Control Line Stunt fliers in the United States for the year 1988 is history. Characteristically, the story of this year's Nats isn't just one of winners and losers. It is more a story of people and places and the things they choose to do to add a spice of individuality to their common avocation, flying Stunt airplanes. It's the story of an invasion of friendly foreigners, intent on carving themselves a slice of American Stunt history. Of an individual pilot, one of the best ever, who chose to do it his way, even though at first "his way" appeared to be a novelty footnote to the competition . . . and then nearly ran away with the whole ball game!
Control Line: Aerobatics
"HELP!" That was the nature of the phone call I received from a Stunt flier the other day. He was seeking help on one of Precision Aerobatic's most vexing problems. His Stunt ship, which was "perfect in most every way," had an apparently incurable tendency to hunt. Now this type of hunting has nothing to do with red hats, cold feet, and antlers above the fireplace mantel. No, when a Stunter goes hunting you're more apt to want to shoot the plane! Hunting is the frustrating condition wherein the ship cannot be made to settle into a nice, flat groove in level flight. It is always climbing just a little or diving just a little. This condition usually deteriorates in the wind, and (if severe enough) may make level flight a very exciting maneuver indeed!
Control Line: Aerobatics
HOWDY, guys and gals. Welcome back to yet another few doses of Stunt stuff. I've had a number of interesting items come across the desk lately, and now might be a good time to pass them on to you. I guess the first thing to do is list some new products that promise to be very helpful. First, Craftsman Models, Inc., 1311 E. 161st. Street, Westfield, IN 46074, sent me an example of a really great device for simplifying the task of handling that cumbersome Stunter while under construction. This is what is commonly referred to as a "third hand." It is a finely crafted device of threaded steel and aluminum which can be bolted directly to your building bench or, better yet, to a movable stand.
Control Line: Aerobatics
HI, GANG. You'll recall that a few months back I did a series of columns discussing my modification of the Sig Twister. I've received several positive letters from fliers indicating their desire to see more of that type of article. This is evidence that the majority of my readers are neither rank beginners nor top-five Nats fliers. Rather, they are competent pilots who are looking for information and projects with which they can improve their existing skills and enhance their competitive standing amongst their peers. To do this they are in search of good-flying, attractive aircraft-ones which don't require a year to build (and/or repair), yet provide better performance than the available commercial kits.
Control Line: Aerobatics
NO SURPRISE: Anyone who has tried to be a Control Line Stunt flier during the past 10 or 15 years will know that most traditional modeling suppliers no longer consider us a viable market. With the bright and shining exception of the people at Sig-and to a lesser, but still appreciated extent, at Sterling, Carl Goldberg, and Top Flite-the industry folk feel there aren't enough of us spending enough bucks to justify continued development of products for our segment of the hobby. Yes, building CL Stunt ships has become an even more specialized pursuit due to the limited resources available to those who wish to pursue the hobby. Were it not for a handful of small specialty suppliers, Stunt might well have gone the way of the dinosaurs. We owe a great debt of thanks to those enterprising individuals who make it possible for us to obtain the kits, engines, and hardware necessary to continue to enjoy Stunt flying.
