AMA NATS: RC Helicopters
The site
The Nats Planning Committee initially picked a site at Tidewater, VA that proved unsuitable for RC helicopters. Modern helicopters do more than bounce around on training gear—intermediate and FAI pilots perform aerobatics, and sport fliers need room to accelerate and set up maneuvers. The original site had uneven terrain and a centrally located light pole with overhead wires—conditions that would have discouraged many pilots.
A Florida contingent arrived early, inspected the site, and rejected it. A second site was located on ground slated for future industrial use; construction had not yet begun, so a quick grass cut converted it into the 1988 Nats helicopter site.
Given this experience, it seems sensible that the RC Helicopter Contest Board, which has a member in every AMA district, should have the district representative inspect proposed Nats sites so helicopter fliers can weigh in on suitability.
Organization and running of the contest
Contest Director Dwayne Stevens did a commendable job organizing the event. Four rounds were run over four days. The contest ran smoothly—flying was generally finished by mid‑afternoon—and as soon as a contestant finished a flight the scoresheets were tabulated and a printout was available. The volunteers and staff deserve a big hand for making the contest efficient and successful.
Entries
This year there were 78 entries:
- 33 Novice
- 22 Intermediate
- 19 FAI
- 3 Scale
The level of competition and the quality of machines impressed many; Novice skill levels were notably higher than in past years.
Novice
Novice flew first, allowing a good look at the new pilots. The standout was Chad O'Leary of Indiana. Chad had finished his GMP Legend only weeks before the competition and showed considerable potential despite a lower final round. He won Novice flying the GMP Legend.
Other Novice placings:
- 2nd: Yasunobu Muraki (X-Cell)
- 3rd: Barry Wehrung (Champion)
Intermediate
I didn’t see much of Intermediate because I was watching FAI, but several strong Intermediate flights were observed. The top finishers came from a well‑prepared Florida contingent:
- 1st: Wes Suggs (X-Cell Quick Silver)
- 2nd: Jim Himes (X-Cell Quick Silver)
- 3rd (tie): Fred Schneider (GMP King Cobra) and Lance Murphy (GMP Legend) — Fred was ultimately awarded sole possession of third place.
FAI
The FAI class had the deepest competition. Cliff Hiatt, former Nats champion and U.S. helicopter team member, dominated the event. Cliff had clearly been practicing and flew an immaculate X-Cell 60 equipped with a JMW gyro and an OS 60 FSR Special Edition engine. The machine was exceptionally clean and well prepared, and Cliff easily won FAI.
Top FAI finishers:
- 1st: Cliff Hiatt (X-Cell 60)
- 2nd: Ted Schoonard (X-Cell Quick Silver)
- 3rd: Tim Schoonard (X-Cell Quick Silver)
- 4th: Curtis Youngblood (Competitor Long Ranger) — Curtis looked good but lacked consistency and suffered a zero in the first round after blowing a glow plug.
- 5th: Dave Youngblood (Competitor)
- 6th: Robert Gorham (GMP Legend) — Robert showed good maneuvers like the rolling‑stall turn and autorotations but had an inconsistent round and zeroed his fourth round.
The top FAI fliers were so closely matched that small errors made little difference in final placements.
Scale
Three contestants competed in Scale:
- Don Chapman — Hughes 500C
- Mike Robbins — Mil 24D Hind D
- Weldon Fredman — Bell 222 UT
Scale activity was surprisingly light given the available technology. Don Chapman’s Hughes 500C placed last in static judging due mainly to inadequate scale documentation, but he won overall because of excellent flyability—an important lesson: build a beautiful model, and spend time making it fly well.
Mike Robbins’ Hind D was superb visually, but the flying did not match the static appearance. Weldon Fredman’s Bell 222 UT scored highest in static judging and placed third.
Machines and manufacturers
The predominant machines seen at the flight line were GMP, Schoonard, and Sebluter models—good to see well‑built helicopters in quantity. The X-Cell and Quick Silver series proved to be strong competitors, especially in FAI and Intermediate classes.
Conclusion
Despite the initial site problem, the 1988 Nats at Tidewater, VA was a successful contest thanks to quick action on the site change and excellent organization. The contest showcased rising talent in Novice, a deep field in FAI, and solid performances across Intermediate and Scale classes.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
