Edition: Model Aviation - 1982/08
Page Numbers: 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104
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Competition Newsletter

500-Engine Rule for RC Pylon Racing Authorized

The AMA president, in support of a recommendation from NMPRA, has approved the interim authorization of a 500-engine rule replacing the previous 1,000-engine rule for RC Pylon Racing for the remainder of 1982. He has directed that this interim rule change be effective immediately and remain in force only through December 1982.

In his letter to the RC Contest Board he directed that this rule change be considered for emergency action by the Board.

The NMPRA recommendation noted that times have changed since the original rule was written; reducing the engine requirement to 500 will eliminate an unfair burden on manufacturers and importers and will probably increase participation in the event.

Rules Proposal Time!

Remember that it is now the season for proposing new AMA competition rules—or for proposing amendments to existing ones. Competition Newsletter published an in-depth report in the June issue on Contest Board procedures (the "how-tos" of submitting rules change proposals), so we will not repeat those details here.

Rule Book Corrections

Despite superhuman efforts to assure 100% accuracy in the new rule book, a few typographical errors remain. Please note these corrections in your personal copy of the 1982–83 AMA Rule Book:

  • Page 13; Section 19 — FF Indoor Rubber, paragraph 3, second paragraph (Rise-Off-The-Ground Stick Model). The correct value for the projected surface area should be 0.30 square inches.
  • Page 59; Section 42 — RC Pylon Racing — Quarter Midget, paragraph 2 (General). Delete the sentence beginning on the fifth line which reads: "The contestant shall be allowed an unlimited . . . model."
  • Page 80; Section 52A — CL Precision Scale, paragraph 11 (Official Score). In the second sentence, the maximum possible points for a single Flight Score should be 225 points.

1982 Nats Week: August 1–8

Nats Entry Forms

Want to enter the '82 Nats? The advance (mail) entry deadline is July 7. Entry forms have already been mailed to current AMA members who were contestants at the '81 Nats, to all members who had previously requested forms, to all AMA VPs and AVPs, and to a small group of other members. If you hurry, you can still get a free entry form from AMA HQ and mail it in by the deadline.

Entry after July 7 must be done at the Nats—with a $15 late entry penalty for Open contestants. Otherwise, there was no increase in Nats entry fees this year.

Improved Nats RC Site

The RC site at the 1979 Nats was too close to the active runway at Lincoln airport. For the '82 Nats this problem has been alleviated by relocating the RC site much further from the runway and closer to the Nats AMA HQ area.

As in '79, Pattern, Pylon Racing, and Scale will be flown at the airport, while Soaring and Helicopter events will be flown at the sod-farm site used in '79, located about eight miles south of Lincoln airport.

Nats Swap Shop

There will be a first-ever swap shop at the Nats. Highlights:

  • The swap-shop area will be outdoors, near AMA Nats HQ, open Wednesday through Saturday afternoons.
  • Space is available to individuals and clubs only (no manufacturers or other commercial interests).
  • Daily spaces: 3-ft by 6-ft tables cost $25 (with $10 refundable when the table is turned in).
  • Tables can be reserved in advance (through July 7) by mail from AMA HQ, payable in advance.
  • Tables will also be available at the Nats on a first-come, first-served basis.

New Nats Special Awards

Two new Special Awards have been announced, plus changes in procedures for another award.

#### Sid Axelrod Memorial Scholarship

The winning Junior- or Senior-age contestant will receive a cash-value donation to the college of his or her choice, to be used to assist with college expenses.

#### Matty Sullivan Memorial Award

  • Eligibility: Junior-age contestants who utilize the services of an adult helper or mechanic in any official Nats events with a Junior category. The adult assistant of the winning Junior will receive a certificate.
  • Scoring: Points are awarded based on the number of entrants in the Junior-age category for each official Nats event the Junior enters. Sullivan Award points are awarded as a proportion of the team’s position-placing:
  • If the team wins the event, it receives points equal to the number of Junior entrants in the event.
  • If the team places last, it receives one point.
  • Juniors may enter any number of official Nats events; Sullivan Award points accumulate from all events entered.
  • Prize: Cash award plus a certificate to the winner.

#### Sig Memorial Award (Procedure Changed)

  • The winner will be chosen based on the Junior- or Senior-age contestant's best performance in any one Nats official event that is not a combined-age-group event (i.e., Juniors compete against Juniors; Seniors against Seniors).
  • Scoring: Modelers seeking the Sig Award are awarded points based on the percentage of their score compared to the highest performance in that event, regardless of age. For example, if an Open contestant has the best performance in an event, the Junior's or Senior's score will be compared to that Open score to compute Sig Award points.
  • A contestant may enter any number or type of official Nats events; the one event yielding the greatest number of Sig Award points will determine the winner.
  • Prize: Cash award and certificate; winner's name inscribed on the perpetual award displayed at AMA HQ.

Sponsors

Running the Nats is a big and expensive job. The dollars contributed by Nats Sponsors make the event not only the world's biggest model airplane contest, but also one of the best. Without sponsor support the number and quality of trophies and official services would be greatly reduced. Our thanks to the Nats Sponsors:

  • Ace R/C, Inc.
  • Addis Elmore
  • Airtronics
  • Baltek Corporation
  • Bavarian Precision Products Co. (HB-Engines)
  • Carl Goldberg Models
  • Du-Bro Products, Inc.
  • Fox Manufacturing Co.
  • Grish Brothers
  • Indy R/C Sales, Inc.
  • Jeten Models
  • K&B Manufacturing Co.
  • Kraft Systems
  • McDaniel R/C Service (Mfg. of Ni-Starters)
  • Model Aeronautic Publications
  • Nico Engraving
  • Peck-Polymers
  • Satellite City (Hot Stuff adhesives)
  • Sig Manufacturing Co.
  • Sullivan Products, Inc.
  • The Sailplane Factory
  • Top-Fitt Models
  • Williams Brothers
  • World Engines

New additions this month:

  • Astro-Flight
  • Mid-Am Distributors
  • Toledo Weak Signals

AMA Contest Activity: 1981

In 1981, a total of 1,653 meets of various types received AMA sanctions. Of these, 1,411 returned contest report forms, which reveal the following statistics:

  • Total entrants: 30,584
  • Class A meets: 801 contests (631 were RC)
  • Total RC meets: 873 meets with 19,907 contestants
  • Free Flight: 201 meets with 4,297 contestants
  • Indoor: 30 meets with 671 contestants
  • Control Line: 154 contests with 3,214 entrants
  • Various-combination events: 17 contests with a total of 1,095 contestants
  • Record trials: 25 trials with 222 participants
  • RC sailplane record trials: 24 held (in addition to the 25 trials above)
  • Static displays/mall shows sanctioned: 24
  • Demonstrations: 27 with a total of 442 participants
  • Team selection meets: 36 contests with 322 entrants
  • Two AAA meets were held: U.S. FF Championships at Taft, CA; U.S. CL Championships in Winston-Salem, NC

The general trend was a slight increase in the number of contestants compared to 1980, with a slight decrease in the number of meet sanctions.

'83 RC Soaring Team Program Activity

The team selection program (outlined in the July Competition Newsletter) uses Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and one Final to select members of the 1983 U.S. RC Soaring team. Quarter-Finals are complete; Semi-Finals are next. At press time the following Semi-Finals had been sanctioned:

  • July 3–4, Orlando, FL (contact James R. Smith, 4125 Summerview Ave., Orlando, FL 32806)
  • July 3–4, Chappaqua, VA (contact R. P. Pierce, 1828 Pitchkettle Rd., Suffolk, VA 23434)
  • July 10–11, Farmington, MN (contact Bob Sealy, 3200 Diamond Edge Terrace, No. 302, Minneapolis, MN 55421)

Submitting an FAI Rules Proposal?

Modelers wishing to submit a rules proposal for the international FAI competition rules ("Sporting Code") are reminded that, under the newly announced AMA procedure (see "AMA President Sets FAI Rules Proposal Procedures" in the July 1982 Competition Newsletter), any such proposal must first be sent to AMA HQ, attention Micheline Madison, and must be received by August 2, 1982.

There is no official AMA or FAI form for submitting such a proposal; however, any proposal submission must refer to the appropriate sections of the Sporting Code using the Code's section-numbering system and must briefly state the reason for the proposed change.

Rules Proposal (continued)

  • All rules proposals must be submitted on the official AMA form (a photocopy of the one printed in the June issue, page 15, is acceptable; copies can be requested from AMA HQ free—send a SASE to Micheline Madison).
  • Forms must bear the signatures of three adult members of the AMA, one of whom must be a Contest Director.
  • All rules change proposals for the 1984–85 rule book must be mailed to AMA HQ and postmarked no later than September 1, 1982.

Competition News (Commentary and Call for Organization)

Competition News will periodically present constructive and thought-provoking ideas or criticisms of AMA rules and policies affecting competition. When an issue has two sides, CN will endeavor to print submitted viewpoints within limits of space, uniqueness, constructiveness, timeliness, and good taste. Determination of appropriateness for publication rests with the publisher.

The thoughts expressed are those of the author and should not necessarily be construed as those of AMA HQ, AMA officers, or the publisher. Publication here of a rule-change or policy-change idea does not necessarily mean the AMA has taken action or presented the item to the Contest Board, Executive Council, or appropriate committee; obtaining official action is the responsibility of the author or any other interested party.

Currently, several courageous but uncoordinated efforts are underway to change and improve our international F1D rules. The question is whether individuals, however dedicated and expert, can solve our sport's problems via occasional published dissertations.

If two heads are better than one, and twelve better than two, the answer seems obvious—we need a better way to work together. We need a statement of objectives, an organized working structure, a schedule, procedures of operation, five or six Study Indoor Problem/Opportunity (SIPO) teams, monthly SIPO Team telephone conferencing, and selected SIPO Team mailings for in-depth inquiries and reporting.

In short, we need to get our act together.

Equally important is support from a highly placed Executive Council. If the AMA can set aside funds for Nats overflow, scholarships, and frequency committee work, the Executive Council should consider approving low-cost administrative telephone conferencing for the indoor community.

As an experiment in a geographically dispersed working organization (using the F1D rule proposals as the project), it is suggested that Micheline Madison, with necessary approval, act as organizing agent for one- or two-person teams of those most interested in F1D affairs who volunteer to work toward a unified American position.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.