Flying for Fun
909 North Maize Road, Townhouse 734, Wichita, KS 76212
Flying Buddy
FLYING BUDDY John Riggs—who will fly in anything short of a hurricane or blizzard—invariably calls once or twice every winter to invite me to go fly with a bunch of guys using skis on the snow. My response is always, "John, I can't see any way to fly off snow without standing in it. Call me back in April."
Winter
Like some of you, I despise that season between fall and spring. The only possible positive aspect of winter is that it provides concentrated model-building and maintenance time to prepare for flying weather. (Of course, this doesn't apply to those fortunate souls who live in the sunbelt.)
I've spent the last several months drawing, building, and checking over last year's models. This is a great time for that, and as usual, I've discovered some wear and tear:
- structural cracks
- glue breakdowns
- worn fuel lines
- loose nuts and bolts
- worn hinges
- loose covering
- a frayed wire on a connector
A few hours of preventive maintenance certainly beats the daylight out of repairing—or rebuilding—the crashes that would have otherwise been inevitable. This repair-rather-than-rebuild approach applies to any sort of model aircraft, whether it be a rubber-powered Peanut or a Control Line Stunt model. (This is not a bad philosophy to apply to our personal health, either.)
Battery Maintenance
Battery maintenance is likely to be the number-one preventive measure RC fliers should follow fanatically. To keep tabs on battery cycling, I like to mark dates on a calendar that hangs in the shop.
Building Season
On the building side of the winter season, I cannot recall there ever being so many interesting, well-thought-out kits and magazine and plan-service designs available. The problem is not finding something interesting to build, but finding time to build what is interesting. This is truly the "golden age" of modeling.
With the Program?
In the MA December 1993 "Safety Comes First" column, Gary Shaw mentioned the potential danger of attempting to fly a model with the wrong program in place when using computer radios.
Let me second that! As a matter of sound procedure, I'm sure we all wiggle the surfaces as a precaution whenever we turn on a transmitter and receiver, then recheck just before we taxi out. This standard procedure does not guarantee your transmitter is set on the right program.
It is entirely possible that two separate programs can move the surfaces in the correct directions but vary widely in deflections, not to mention trim settings. Consider the aileron throw difference between your sport high-wing and your hot-dog model; it could make for some mind-boggling moments if not corrected before takeoff!
I recall one very well-known modeler who got his model into the air, rolled inverted on takeoff, then discovered the elevator was in low rate. Programmable transmitters don't lend themselves to programming in flight, no matter how high the model has climbed.
As illustrated in the photo of one of my Bingo! 40s, I like to indicate frequency and program in an easily visible area on my models—just in case. This particular unit is on Channel 17 and the program is number five on my Micro-pro. The letters are simple die-cut vinyl units purchased at a local department store. A coat of clear Super Poxy keeps them in place. An added benefit is a quick reference at home to avoid the classic "I brought the wrong transmitter" scenario.
Cap'n Eddy Pilot Busts
For some reason it is not well-known that Cap'n Eddy pilot busts are available prepainted. Some ladies in Higginsville who are into ceramics paint them up very attractively, and it's a cinch that for only $5 extra I'm not going to paint them.
Organized?
As I've mentioned previously, one of the neatest aspects of TMAA fly-ins is the presence of wives. Joyce Wiggers accompanies husband Mel and adds grace, style, and a delightful sense of humor to the proceedings.
In the fashion of some females, Joyce has been appalled at the typical male chaos of our toolboxes. Some of us just sort of toss everything somewhere in a toolbox and perform a "where-is-it" when we need something.
The Wiggers have the most organized parts box I've ever seen. Starting with the really compact and easily-hauled size you see in the photo, the RolyKit rolls out into an incredible bunch of compartments. I must admit, however, that if some order weren't established, there would just be that many more compartments to search through for that elusive part.
Joyce ordered theirs from a Home Shoppers ad on the cable, but I would think that a note to the manufacturer would reveal a local source. RolyKit S-14 is from Arma Products, Inc., 975D Long Island Ave., Deer Park, NY 11729. It's neat.
Rack 'em Up
One of the design features of the Big Bingo! that has proven popular is the two-piece wing. While many who fly large models also drive big vans or mobile homes, some builders simply don't have vehicles large enough to accommodate a seven-foot wing and the other necessaries that go along on a trip to the flying field.
Ed Noulan of Kansas City has developed a really utilitarian rack to both cradle and protect his Big Bingo! wing halves when they are in transit—or, for that matter, stored in his shop. This simple-to-build unit is made up of 1/2-inch PVC pipe, costs less than $25, and can easily be sized to fit most any wing or wings.
It features a swing-open top retainer, air conditioner pipe insulation at strategic points to protect against rubbing, and is both lightweight and strong.
Since space doesn't permit a detailed drawing or construction details, Ed has agreed to allow me to send those materials to anyone who will send a SASE (business-size #10 envelope).
More Ford Flivver
The response to my request for information on the two-cylinder Ford Flivver has been truly delightful, and I thank you all. I've received some good leads from modelers I've never met (but admired for many years), and have enough information in hand to proceed with the project.
The most interesting information of all was from Cedric Galloway and Dick Gibbs: the Florida Aviation Historical Society is currently conducting taxi tests on a full-sized reproduction. I'll share photos and further information on that exciting development as we go along.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
