CONTROL LINE NAVY CARRIER
Dick Perry 31010 East Sunset Dr. North, Redlands, CA 92373-7453
Abstract: This month's column covers Carrier events at the National Championships, upcoming California Carrier activities, information on electronic control systems, and a new .36 engine.
I’ve talked with Chip Smith, AMA’s Nationals General Manager, and with Bev Wisniewski, Nationals Control Line Category Manager, about Navy Carrier competition at the Lawrenceville, Illinois, National Aeromodeling Championships. There is plenty of time before Nationals week, and plans can change, but as I write this in early February, plans for Carrier look good.
You who have been to a Lawrenceville Nationals are familiar with the Carrier location from prior championships. Once again, the event will be located near the Headquarters tent, on the route to the RC pylon, pattern, and scale flight areas. There should be plenty of spectators to observe our Carrier activities.
Unlike prior years, CL speed and racing events will probably take place on another part of a resurfaced ramp that will better accommodate takeoff and landing requirements. Slow flight should be a real pleasure without a Jet Speed model or a couple of Rat Racers in the background!
According to the Nationals schedule, CL activities will be expanded for 1993. Control line will be flown over an eight-day span this year, with Carrier occupying the traditional period. Profile Carrier will be flown on Thursday, July 22; Class II will fly on Friday, July 23. Processing for the official Carrier events is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on the evening before each event.
The challenge of running Carrier this year has been accepted by Roy Fellows. Roy is no stranger to Nationals competitors or to anyone who has been flying Carrier in the Midwest. He is scrambling for people to assist in running the events:
- timers
- judges
- pull-test personnel
- tabulation
Anyone interested in helping with the Carrier events (or in setting up prior to actual carrier competition) should call or write Roy Fellows, 122 East Clark, Augusta, KS 67010. Tel.: (316) 775-3143.
Saturday will be reserved for unofficial Navy Carrier events. So that contestants and officials may attend the Navy Carrier Society’s (NCS) annual meeting and awards banquet on Friday night, processing for the unofficial events is scheduled for the morning of the event.
The Navy Carrier Society again will sponsor the Sportsman Profile Carrier event for modelers not competing in the official carrier events on preceding days. Also on Saturday the Dallas Model Aircraft Association will sponsor .15 Carrier. An array of awards will be presented at the banquet. The Eugene Ely award is given to the CL Navy Carrier contestant who amasses the largest total score in the three official Carrier events. NCS will also honor the rookie of the year with a special award for the first-time Nationals contestant demonstrating outstanding spirit, performance, and sportsmanship.
Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron
I just spent an enjoyable evening with the Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron (AMA charter #1413), headquartered in Burbank, California. It is a large, active, and diverse group of modelers with interests spanning the world of flying models: indoor, free flight, control line, scale, and R/C all are represented in the Black Sheep membership.
The group’s activities include everything from a Toys-for-Tots fun-fly to the three-day, no-holds-barred Black Sheep Free Flight Championships held over Memorial Day weekend at Taft, California. One of the highlights of the 1993 Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron activities—from this modeler’s viewpoint—is a Navy Carrier revival to be held in June at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, east of Los Angeles.
Planned events include:
- a full range of Navy Carrier activities from .15 to Class II
- events covering the simplest to the most complex models
- a specific Nostalgia event for older-style models and more realistic flying styles, to bring out vintage hardware or current reproductions
The objective is to rekindle the extensive Navy Carrier interest that existed in southern California in years past. By the time you read this column, the planning will have been completed, sanction granted, and contest publicity in the mail. If you’d like to learn more about the revival, drop me a line and I’ll send you a copy of the publicity flyer.
This is definitely a contest you’ll want to attend. Rather than wait until the December issue of Model Aviation to find out what you missed, come to Whittier Narrows and experience it firsthand. I’ll see you there!
Electronic controls
Electronic control systems for operating everything from throttles to a full range of auxiliary functions on CL scale models have been described in past Bill Boss columns. As modelers have become more experienced with the systems, the availability of equipment and information has improved. Reliability also has increased considerably as more knowledge has been gained.
For Navy Carrier flying, the prospect of reducing line drag slightly is an added benefit, provided the lines can be adequately isolated electrically without adding thick insulation that would negate the advantage. The prospect of maintaining throttle control regardless of line tension might appeal to those who have touched the ground with a momentary loss of line tension during slow flight in the wind.
Others might take the next logical step, adding electronic elevator control for complete independence from the usual line-tension requirements. A single-channel control system—i.e., throttle only—can be very light, requiring only a small battery and a miniature servo with no other airborne electronics.
Whatever your motivation, even if it’s only curiosity, there is a very good source of information on reliable electronic control systems—both single-channel and multichannel. Fred Cronenwett, Grant Heistand, and Merle Mohning have pooled their experience with electronic control systems to produce a videotape and a comprehensive how-to pamphlet. Contact Fred Cronenwett, 7352 Independence, #201, Canoga Park, CA 91303. Tel.: (818) 719-0167 for more information.
Magnum Pro .36 engine
The latest advertisements of Hobby Shack, 18480 Bandolier Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92728-8610, list a new .36 displacement, front-intake, ABC Schunler engine from Taiwan. The Magnum Pro .36 R/C comes in two variants—a standard R/C engine and one designed for helicopter use. It seems to be a good candidate for our Profile Carrier event. I am trying to get one for review. More in a later column.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
