COMPETITION NEWSLETTER
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS 1810 Samuel Morse Drive Reston, VA 22090
A Note From the Technical Director
Bob Underwood
The following information and pictures were sent to me following an EAA Air Academy held in Frederick, MD on January 28, 1989. I have told you about this wonderful program in this column. A special article detailing the first pilot program in the series can be found in the July 1988 issue of Model Aviation. Please consider this program for a club activity. Either Chuck Larsen of the EAA in Oshkosh or I can provide information.
LTC Robert J. Swanson of the Civil Air Patrol recounts the experiences of the Virginia Wing members below.
Virginia Wing Members Attend EAA Air Academy, Burke, VA
Four cadets and two seniors of the Old Dominion Composite Squadron of the Virginia Wing attended the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Air Academy on January 28, 1989, in Frederick, MD. They spent the day accomplishing four supervised aircraft-building projects.
Cadets Capt. Jean Parmiter, Lt. Greg Pickette, A1C Heather Nick, and A1C Lori Ragsdall were accompanied by LTC Robert J. Swanson and 1st Lt. Sheila Swanson to the Frederick Municipal Airport. The EAA, Frederick Community College, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) jointly sponsored the 0830-to-1700-hours Saturday program.
During the academy, videotapes explaining the interests and activities of the EAA and AMA were shown. Aircraft-building projects were supervised while each attendee individually built:
- a full-size working turn-and-slip indicator,
- a 30-inch balsa wing rib,
- a 10-inch sample styrofoam wing, and
- an extensively sanded, superglue-bonded lightweight flying glider.
Cleanliness of the cut edge on the plastic tubing used to hold the mineral oil in the turn-and-slip indicator either determined the leak-fastness of the instrument or resulted in a spreading oil slick around the cadet's uniform pocket when a less-than-leakproof instrument was tucked away in a pocket for the trip home.
High winds at the airport at glider-launch time produced record-setting flights in two dimensions. For the less-than-aeronautically-balanced aircraft, flights were extremely short, landings extra hard, and damage nearly beyond repair. For the balanced high fliers, success was tempered by the frustration of seeing the gliders sail up to hangar rooftop level and float just out of reach.
National Records
No new National Records have been processed during the month of February 1989.
"Competition Newsletter" is edited by Ross B. McMullen, AMA 78181.
AMA RC Transmitter Checks for 1989
Modelers may have their RC transmitters examined in the AMA's frequency-checking program at the 1989 Nats and the following trade shows and other events in 1989:
- April 7–9 — 35th Annual Toledo Expo, Toledo, OH
- April 28–30 — IMS (South), Atlanta, GA
- June 3–4 — MARC Show, Baltimore, MD
- July 15–23 — AMA Nats, Tri-Cities, WA
- October (date TBA) — Chicago Model Hobby Show, Chicago, IL (RCHTA)
Two U.S. FAI Team Finals Coming to Dayton: Scale and Helicopter
Helicopter
The U.S. FAI RC Helicopter team finals will be held in Dayton, OH, June 3–4, 1989 (June 5 rain date). The site is Deweese Park. Entry fee is $50 payable to AMA HQ and must be postmarked no later than May 3, 1989. After that date, it will be possible to enter at the site up to one hour before the advertised starting time by paying the Contest Director a late entry fee of $100. Mark Wilson is scheduled to be the Contest Director (phone: (513) 299-2384). Refund requests will not be considered after June 9, 1989.
All entrants must have current AMA licenses, must have satisfied the qualifying criteria, and must have the 1989 FAI Competition Stamp (available from AMA HQ for $10).
Scale
The U.S. FAI Scale team selection event (for both RC and CL) will be held August 17–19, 1989, at the City of Dayton Model Airplane Flying Field, Dayton, OH. Entry fee is $50 per event payable to AMA. The postmark deadline for advance entry is July 15, 1989. After that date it will be possible to enter at the site, but the late entry fee will be $75. Every participant must have a 1989 AMA license and an FAI Competition Stamp (available from AMA for $10). No refund requests will be considered after August 25, 1989.
U.S. FAI RC Aerobatics Team Selection Finals Set
The 1989 Masters Tournament site has been set at a Navy landing field just north of Gulf Shores, FL (34 miles from Pensacola, FL) on June 15–18, 1989. The host club is the Northwest Florida Radio Control Modelers. The field has two paved runways 4,000 ft long. A small contingent of U.S. Navy personnel live on the installation, which will enable contestants and officials to park motor homes overnight at the facility. Many practice fields are available in both Gulf Shores and Pensacola.
Finals competitors must send the $100 entry fee to AMA HQ no later than May 31, 1989. On-site entries will not be accepted. All contestants must have current AMA licenses and FAI competition stamps (available from AMA HQ for $10). No refund requests will be accepted after June 23, 1989.
1990 U.S. FAI CL Aerobatics Team Selection Program
Any current AMA member who has purchased a 1989 FAI competition stamp is eligible to enter the team finals selection meet. The entry fee is $100 per entrant, payable to AMA HQ (Attn: Competition Department) prior to August 1, 1989. A late entry fee totaling $125 may be accepted at the finals site prior to processing the first flight requests. Refunds must be submitted prior to September 30, 1989. The finals site is still undetermined, but the dates are September 2–3, 1989 (with September 4 as a rain date). It is hoped that a club in the Midwest area will submit a proposal to host the meet (see notice in the April 1988 "Competition Newsletter," page 123).
Three competitors will be selected at finals to represent the U.S. at the 1990 CL World Championships. FAI rules in effect during the 1988 World Championships will be used, with the exception that the AMA scoring technique (10–40 points per maneuver plus Pattern points) will be employed. Competitors will fly multiple flights as determined at finals; detailed flight scheduling will be announced by the contest officials.
Clubs — Attention: Free Awards and Radios Available
Airtronics, Inc. is offering free awards to club contests and competitions during 1989. Simply write to Airtronics, Inc. (address details as provided by Airtronics) and request Lee Renaud Memorial Awards. Include a description of your event and the date. You will receive Olympic-type medals for first through third places at no charge. These may be awarded as a set or in combination with other prizes. Upon completion of the event, send the name, address, and home telephone number of the winner to Airtronics, Inc., and the winner will be entered in a sweepstakes drawing with the opportunity to win a complete Airtronics radio (donated in memory of Lee Renaud, founder of Airtronics, Inc.).
Experimental RC Aircraft Inspectors
A joint AMA/IMAA program to qualify large models (55–100 lb.) for demonstration flights at AMA-sanctioned events involves inspectors who oversee aircraft qualifications and approve/certify them as complying with safe practices.
As of this date, the following persons have applied and been selected by the Academy as inspectors:
- District III
- Richard C. Garmhausen, 2715 Maple Ave. N.E., Canton, OH 44714
- District V
- Derryl Edwards, 5711 7th Ave. N.W., Bradenton, FL 34209
- Burris R. Fields, Jr., Strickland Rd., P.O. Box 1063, Interlachen, FL 32048
- District VII
- Albert H. Doerr, Rt. 1, Box 3039, Baldwin, MI 49304
- Charles Ecklund, 4520 S. Camrose Ave., New Berlin, WI 53151
- Roger D. Smith, 4525 Hillview Shores Dr., Clarkston, MI 48016
- District IX
- James M. Carter, Jr., 102-2 Sunset Loop, Minot AFB, ND 58704
- District X
- Harry A. Poirier, 27704 Saddle Rd., Rolling Hills, CA 90274
- Budd Crane, 453 Maple St., Livermore, CA 94550 (phone: (415) 447-2538)
- John C. Fletchett, 109 Aegean Way, Vacaville, CA 95687 (phone: (707) 448-4659)
- John E. Rapillo, 3603 S. Ocean Crest, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Additional information concerning this program may be obtained by contacting Technical Director Bob Underwood at AMA HQ.
Competition Newsletter
Edited by Ross B. McMullen, AMA 78181.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
