Free Flight: Duration
Harry Murphy 3824 Oakwood Blvd. Anderson, IN 46011
Labor Day weekend — Free Flight weekend '92
Labor Day weekend will be Free Flight weekend '92. The two largest Free Flight gatherings of the year are scheduled to take place simultaneously but at widely separated sites.
USFFC and NFFS Nostalgia Gas Nationals
- Event: 22nd annual United States Free Flight Championships (USFFC)
- Dates: September 5–7, 1992
- Location: Lost Hills, California (USFFC moved from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend to take advantage of better weather at the Lost Hills facility)
- Note: The 1992 NFFS Nostalgia Gas National Championships will be held in conjunction with USFFC.
- Contact: Send a #10 SASE to Bob Beecroft, 1014 Daisy Court, Carlsbad, CA 92009-4846 for a contest packet.
USOC — United States Outdoor Championships (Muncie)
- Event: 3rd USOC (United States Outdoor Championships)
- Dates: September 4–7, 1992
- Location: AMA’s new Muncie flying site (the first formal Free Flight activity at the new thousand‑acre "flying farm")
- Contacts for contest packets and segments:
- USOC packet: Send a #10 SASE to USOC, P.O. Box 35268, Richmond, VA 23285.
- Old‑Timer Free Flight and RC‑Assist (sponsored by SAM 57): Don Sachtjen, RR #5 Box 56B, Bloomfield, IN 47424. Send SASE.
- Rubber‑powered Flying Scale (sponsored by the Flying Aces Club): Lin Reichel, 3301 Cindy Lane, Erie, PA 16506. Send SASE.
- Other notes: Two feedbags are planned — a kickoff bean feed on the evening of September 3 and the annual NFFS Symposium the following evening. Plan your vacation accordingly and send for contest packets early.
Other 1992 NFFS events
- U.S. Indoor Championships (USIC)
- Dates: June 4–7, 1992
- Location: East Tennessee State University Mini‑Dome, Johnson City, Tennessee
- Contact: Send a #10 SASE to Charles Slusarczyk, 4200 Royalton Road, Brecksville, OH 44141 for information.
Indoor News & Views
Plenny Bates has become editor of Indoor News & Views, the voice of the National Indoor Model Airplane Society.
- Subscription: $8 per year for four issues (each issue about nine pages of indoor news, contest results, tips, hints, and plans).
- Plenny will control content and welcomes contributions.
- Contact / Mailing list: Plenny S. Bates, INAV, 2505 White Eagle Trail SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403. Current subscribers will continue to receive their issues.
SAM Champs and Canadian Nationals
- SAM Champs (1992)
- Dates: July 5–10, 1992 (Nostalgia Gas events July 5–6)
- Location: Mid‑American Air Center, near Lawrenceville, Illinois
- Contact: Send a large SASE to Don Sachtjen, RR #5 Box 56B, Bloomfield, IN 47424.
- Canadian Nationals (1992)
- Location: Huron Park, Ontario, Canada
- Contact: Jim Moseley, Apt. #406, 2000 Sheppard Ave. West, Downsview, Ontario M3N 1A2, Canada. (Remember: postage to Canada is 40 cents.)
Obviously you must make choices this summer, but go somewhere and support Free Flight!
Texas Timer — dual‑function timer and remote fuel cutoff
A new source for remote engine‑mounted fuel shutoff mechanisms is available. Jim Summersett offers a dual‑function Texas Timer designed to:
- Actuate a remote engine lug‑mounted fuel cutoff, and
- Trigger a VIT arrangement or a quick dethermalizer setup for test‑flying situations.
Details:
- Device: 16‑gram timer with a faceplate about 1" x 2".
- Run time: Approximately 30 seconds when cranked.
- Advantages: Remote engine‑mounted fuel cutoffs are less messy than flood‑off systems and avoid dumping excess glow fuel onto people or vehicles (glow fuel can damage auto paint).
- Price / ordering: Texas Timer $27.50; remote cutoff $4.50; add $2 for shipping. Texas residents add 6.75% state tax.
- Contact: Jim Summersett, Rt. #4 Box 36SK, Canyon Lake, TX 78133‑4028 (mail order only).
Tiny timer faceplate screws (Hank Nystrom)
Hank Nystrom located the tiny screws used to hold the faceplate on Tatone and KSB timers. After trying common watch‑repair sizes without success, he identified the correct microscopic thread as 1.4 mm x 2 mm with 0.3 mm pitch.
Supplier:
- Northwest Short Line, Box 423, Seattle, WA 98111‑0423.
- Part number: 21142‑5 (eight black screws with a cross‑recessed pan head cost $0.95, plus $1 shipping).
- A 3 mm‑length nickel‑plated screw is also available (Part #1143‑5).
Book update — Making Scale Model Airplanes Fly
Bill McCombs advises that his book Making Scale Model Airplanes Fly is being revised and updated. The new appendix covers all types of dihedral (including V‑tails) and includes a section on handling problems in turning and banking flight for both Scale and Duration Free Flight models.
- Update price: $3.95 postpaid for updates to owners of the original publication.
- For information on the complete new publication: Aircraft Data, P.O. Box 763576, Dallas, TX 75224.
Promoting Free Flight — contest format ideas
Communication is essential when problems arise. A few years ago our area faced declining contest attendance. After examining options, we doubled the available contest time by splitting the normal single‑Sunday card into a two‑day format (Saturday and Sunday). Results:
- Contestants had more time to fly and could enter more events.
- Event entries increased; bills were paid and awards improved.
- Because contests became two‑day weekend affairs, more contestants drove longer distances to attend, and attendance rose.
- Some contests later added short Saturday‑evening sessions (about two hours) for experimental or sport‑type events, ROG events, and other special competitions.
The idea is more flying and more fun—and better finances. If your area faces similar problems or you want to expand participation, this format may help. If you have a gimmick or idea that produced positive results, share it — we're all ears.
See you downwind!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
