Nats Notes
Dick Nutting Nats Publicity and Promotion
The changes in workload and attitude since the first "Nats Notes" have been striking. In the last month we have gone from congratulating ourselves for overcoming a mountain of obstacles to get the Nats off the ground, to going at it for four or five hours every night and all weekend to get things organized down to the gnat's heel. With a break from the gasoline stations, we feel this will be the biggest Nats ever.
On to rumor time. It is already being noised around the country that there are no motels or hotels anywhere near the Nats. Wrong. The town of Wilmington has only a few... but Interstates 75 and 71 are just a few minutes away, with plenty in all price ranges.
Put your souls at ease, there will be room at the inn. At Toledo, and thereafter, we will have a flier prepared with details of the family recreation opportunities on one side and details of accommodations on the other. They will be available from AMA Headquarters as well.
One suggestion up front: the area of Clinton County, OH, is supplied with a number of fine campgrounds, both private and state run. If you haven't done it before, why not plan to get a group together, or a couple of families, and rent a motor home or travel trailer? You can save dough and take advantage of the low rates and scenic settings at the campgrounds. Make your plans now... it'll be a great trip.
Another note on a place to lay your head: the dorm and on-site housing, particularly at Wilmington, is better and cheaper than at any time in recent years. Give it some serious thought.
The AMA Nats Executive Committee gave us some great ideas on the Control Line and Radio Control site layout. All you pattern fliers will be happy to know that we will have a central concrete parking area, plenty of room on nice green grass to pitch your tents, and one central scoreboard and control area. Continuous shuttles will connect with the outer two flying circles. The Control Line events will be nearby—it's that great old Nats feeling again, with all of us able to share each other's events in comfort.
Early in the month we in the Western Ohio Radio Kontrol Society had a little get-together with the Wilmington city officials and Chamber of Commerce. Dave Brown, District III VP, and John Worth honored us with their presence (ask John about his trip from Washington). We got a great reception from everyone, from the mayor right on through. The local RCers showed up in force, and they will be pitching in.
You free flighters don't know how good you have it. With all the organizing we are doing for the other events, Homer Smith just looked at the site, pronounced it good and smiled. Everything under control, as it were.
An update on free flight retrieving: Wright-Patterson officials have indicated that "small" motorcycles can be used for retrieving on the base. We are assuming that means 90 cc or less. We will have an exact definition next month.
Latest additions to the big adventure in Ohio are apparently SAM (Society of Antique Modelers) Nats and the Flying Aces Nats. They are going to stage their big events on weekends adjacent to the AMA Nats. It's going to be one big aviation adventure.
In recent weeks I have been getting calls here in Cincinnati about the Nats. That's great—no arguments. But, guys, try not to call here at Channel 5 after 5:00 pm EST. That six o'clock news deadline can get pretty exciting. It's the only time of day that the Nats has to take second place.
In closing, start making your plans. We are preparing the biggest and best Nats ever... but it won't mean a thing without you. As I write this we are preparing for Toledo—hope we saw you there. If not, get your entry blank from AMA and get rolling. See you in Ohio this August. It's a new decade and a new Nats.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 8-10.
As revised, the Nats indoor schedule looks like this:
- Sunday, August 10: AMA Stick, Cabin, Paper Stick and FAI Stick (by rounds) — all 9:00 am–9:00 pm.
- Monday, August 11: HL Glider, Pennyplane, Easy B, AMA Scale and Peanut Scale.
- HL Glider: 9:00 am–2:00 pm.
- Easy B: 2:00 pm–9:00 pm.
- AMA Scale and Peanut Scale: 4:00 pm–9:00 pm.
Scale B.O.M. Rule Ratified
Allowing time for general response to a new Builder of Model rule specifically applying to Scale models (January 1980 MA, page 84) and initially approved by the Scale Contest Board by vote of 8 to 1, the board now has voted 7 to 3 to ratify the new rule, meaning that it will continue in full force until/unless modified by later action.
Voting to ratify the Scale B.O.M. rule were Districts II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and IX; opposed were Districts VIII, X and XI; no response from District I.
The text of the Scale Builder of Model rule:
"The Contest Director shall make every reasonable effort to assure himself that each flier has completely 'constructed' the model(s) he uses in competition, including the covering where used, with 'construct' to be interpreted as the action required to complete a model starting with no more prefabrication than the amount used in the usual kit. Kits containing a large amount of prefabrication are permissible as long as the final assembly of the parts and covering and/or painting are done by the builder. Models which are completely prefabricated and require only a few minutes of unskilled effort for their completion shall be excluded from competition."
RC Giant Scale Limit 3.7 c.i. Under Study
Acting in accordance with the Contest Board Procedures for Interpretations, Safety and/or Emergency Proposals, AMA President Earl Witt and Scale Contest Board Chairman Claude McCullough have put before the Scale Contest Board a proposal for quicker-than-normal consideration of increasing the Giant Scale displacement limit from 3.66 to 3.7 cu. in.
Under these circumstances the proposal and the reasons for it will be published (this article), and within a month to a month and a half after publication the Scale Contest Board will vote on whether the proposal should be accepted for immediate enforcement (as of publication of the voting results). Any AMA member wishing to affect the outcome of this vote, pro or con, should communicate with the district Scale Contest Board member no later than June 1, 1980.
The following information, extracted from a March 15 memo by Claude McCullough to the Scale Contest Board, provides background on the proposal:
"Donald Harris of Auburn, CA, has petitioned the Scale Board, asking that we reconsider our original displacement limit of 3.66 and raise it slightly to 3.7 to accommodate the new Roper 3.7 which is just about to become available. . . . The Roper is about the same physical size as the Quadra, and the corrected brake horsepower is 3.2 at about 7,500 rpm. Harris commented that many chain saw motors are not adaptable to model use, but this one is ideal.
"I telephoned Gene Horner, the operator of Horner's Sales of Beechwood, IL, who is currently advertising the engine in the magazines. Harris has no connection with them and made the request to the Scale Board on his own. Gene says that they have experimented with a de-stroking kit for the engine that will bring it down to 3.66 cu. in. if there is a need for it. The de-stroking kit will of necessity be fairly expensive.
"The history of the 3.66 cu. in. figure begins back a couple of years at the start of the last rules cycle. It was the highest displacement mentioned in the proposals for a Giant Scale event, and it survived through the Contest Proposals and the Final Vote. I don't believe any original proposer had any particular engine in mind; it is just the equivalent of 60 cm3, so in effect it was plucked from mid air. We now have 40-lb. models, and if heavy Giants are to be safe they must have adequate power. The Roper engine was the type we had in mind when we went to the top limit proposed—a relatively slow-revving, high-torque, gasoline-powered conversion. As far as I know there is no other engine in this size class and adaptation to current engines is not contemplated. This seems to me to be a sensible and reasonable proposal that will be approved by Giant Scale fliers. I don't think the argument about the rule making this rigid is an exception that can't be made when the situation calls for it, and the Contest Board Procedures recognize this.
"So I am in favor of passing this request for the following reasons:
- No engine of this size was available when we settled on a theoretical figure of 3.66 cu. in.
- For all practical purposes, this engine, equipped with a de-stroking kit to lower it to 3.66 cu. in., is the same engine as the straight 3.7 version.
- The only thing we will accomplish if we turn down this request to raise the limit is that modelers wanting to use it in competition will have to buy a costly revision kit."
Latest RC Soaring Program Site List
The current list of contests for the RC Soaring Team Selection Program, provided by Ray Marvin, chairman, is as follows. He indicates that more contests are being set up, and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
Quarter-Final Contests
- Milwaukee, WI, May 3-4. CD: Gregg Seydel.
- Dallas, TX, May 4. CD: Stu Moore.
- Albuquerque, NM, May 10. CD: Tom Gist.
- Denver, CO, May 17-18. CD: Ray Marvin.
- Suffolk, VA, May 24-25. CD: R. P. Pierce.
- San Francisco, CA, date to be announced. CD: Ed Holder.
- South Lyon, MI, date to be announced. CD: Gordon Pearson.
- Ft. Wayne, IN, date to be announced. CD: Jerry Kay.
- Van Nuys, CA, date to be announced. CD: Mike Reagan.
- Cody, WY, date to be announced. CD: Porter Dalton.
Semi-Finals
- Ft. Lee, VA, July 12-13. CD: R. P. Pierce.
- Ft. Worth, TX, July 12-13. CD: Cecil Haga.
- Denver, CO, July 12-13. CD: Ray Marvin.
1981 U.S. FF Team Selection Program
The April issue reported acceptance of the "Selected Contest" plan whereby up to 10 fliers in each event (Wakefield Rubber, A-2 Towline, FAI Power) could qualify for the Team Finals which have been set for Taft, CA, August 30–September 1, 1980. These 10 are in addition to those already qualified through the regular program Qualifying Trials and Semi-Finals. However, the April issue report had a mix-up concerning the number of rounds required in Selected Contests and also the number of contestants necessary for advancement. The full text of the Selected Contest plan follows.
A. Eligibility and Entry Fee
- Any AMA member who has entered the 1981 FAI FF Program and who has previously paid:
a. Qualification fee. b. Semi-Final fee.
Selected Contest fee will be $10.00 and will allow the participant to fly in all the Selected Contests for a one-time fee.
- Any AMA member may enter upon mailing the following fees to AMA HQ:
a. $5.00 Qualification fee, plus b. $20.00 Semi-Final fee, plus c. $10.00 Selected Contest fee. d. Must have an FAI stamp to qualify for above.
B. Participants to Advance to the Finals
- Only the 1st place winner in an event at a Selected Contest will be advanced.
- No alternates from this type selection. If the winner of a Selected Contest has qualified from the Semi-Finals by being advanced by being a present team member, no alternate will be advanced.
- The prospective Finals entrant must forward his entry form signed by the Contest CD of the Selected Contest to AMA HQ, to be postmarked within seven days after the contest.
C. Travel Reimbursement to the U.S. Finals
Participants qualifying via the Selected FAI Contest format will not be included in the present U.S. Finals Travel Reimbursement Fund.
D. Selected Contest Criteria
- Maximum number of selected contests to be ten.
- Selected Contests to be run the same as the Semi-Finals program format:
a. Minimum of seven rounds. b. 180-sec. (3 min.) flights. Note: If the contest is the type that is split over a two-day period and meets the minimum round requirement, this is acceptable. c. Forms will be issued to the participant from AMA HQ upon receipt of his fees. It will be the responsibility of the participant to assure that forms are signed by the CD, and participant is to forward the forms to AMA HQ.
- Selected Contests are to have a minimum of five contestants in an event in order for the winner to advance to the Finals in that event.
- Selected Contests/geographic areas are to be reviewed by the FAI FF Committee at each program cycle. Guidelines:
a. Past and future participant numbers in an area versus other areas; b. Past Selected Contest participation; c. Geographical representation.
E. 1981 FAI FF Program Selected Contests
- Max Men FAI, Taft, CA, Feb. 16-17, 1980.
- Max Men Annual, Taft, CA, April 19-20, 1980.
- Contest in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, May–July, 1980.
- Toronto FAI Spring Contest, Ontario, Canada.
- U.S. FF Championships, Taft, CA, May 24-26, 1980.
- Fiesta of 5 Flags, Pensacola, FL, June 1980.
- Bong FAI Invitational, Bong, WI, July 1980.
- AMA Nationals, Wilmington, OH, August 10-17, 1980.
- FAI Challenge, Harts Lake Prairie, WA, June 28-29, 1980.
- MM FAI Annual, Denver, CO, July 5-6, 1980.
F. Rationale
Selection of the major contests known to support FAI-type contests. The locations are spread in all geographical locations. There are three contests in the California area, but they have a large number of entrants, and they are getting entrants from other geographical areas.
The maximum increase of Finals contestants in each event could be as many as 10, making a total increase at the Finals of up to 30 contestants.
This proposal and selected contest sites will be applicable to this program only, and to be reconsidered in any future programs.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
