Author: B. Tenny
Edition: Model Aviation - 1983/04
Page Numbers: 60, 138, 139
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Free Flight: Indoor

Bud Tenny

Bad News Replay

In the last column I related the demise of Pirelli and implied that there was no more of their rubber available to buy. However, most dealers have some supplies that will carry our needs for a while. Although this does not solve the power problem, it is held at bay momentarily. Nevertheless, we should use our present supplies sparingly as suppliers try to find some other good rubber for us to use.

Indoor Week (June 12–19, 1983)

The Second United States Indoor Championships, sponsored by the National Free Flight Society (NFFS) and the National Indoor Model Airplane Society (NIMAS), will be held the first four days of Indoor Week in the atrium of Northwood Institute at West Baden, IN.

Schedule:

  • Sunday, June 12
  • Practice flying: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
  • Easy B and Paper Stick events: 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.
  • FAI Indoor practice: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Monday, June 13
  • Hand Launched Gliders: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
  • Four two-hour rounds of FAI Team Qualification trials follow
  • Tuesday, June 14
  • Manhattan Cabin and Bostonian Cabin: 7:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
  • Pennyplane and Novice Pennyplane: 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Last two rounds of FAI Qualification trials: 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Indoor Cabin models to be flown concurrently with FAI models
  • Wednesday, June 15
  • Final competition session of the U.S. Indoor Champs: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • All Indoor Scale events during this time: AMA Scale, Peanut Scale (using AMA rule 51-A), Circular Speed, and Kit-Plane Scale

The official banquet is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on June 14. All banquets at West Baden are excellent.

What rules?

  • All AMA events flown at the U.S. Champs will use AMA rules.
  • Special rules apply to other events; a copy will be furnished with the entry blank.
  • Entry blanks are available from:
  • A. J. Italiano, 1655 Revere Dr., Brookfield, WI 53005
  • Please send a business-sized SASE with requests for an entry blank.
  • Entries postmarked later than June 1, 1982 will be assessed a $5 late-entry fee.
  • Rules for Manhattan and Bostonian Cabin events will be presented in the next column.

Unlimited Rubber Speed

  1. Models must be rubber-powered and propeller-driven.
  2. Models must start from an unassisted ROG (rise-off-ground) launch from a three-point sitting position.
  3. Models to be timed for two complete laps around two pylons set 20 ft. apart.
  4. Flights will be disqualified if the model touches either pylon or the ground after crossing the starting line.
  5. The timer will stand in line with the two pylons. Timing starts when the model crosses the line determined by the two pylons and ends when it crosses the line after completing two laps.
  6. Timepieces must be able to time to 1/100 of a second.
  7. Shortest time for two complete laps determines the winner.
  8. There will be no limit to the number of models or launches.

Peanut Speed

  • The rules for Unlimited Rubber Speed shall apply, except:
  1. Models are limited to Peanut Scale models.
  2. The models' scores will be the time in seconds for the models to fly two laps.
  3. The lowest time will determine the winner.

Kit-Plan Scale

  1. Scale, rubber-powered models built from kits and/or published plans.
  2. The prop and/or rubber may be changed to allow a better prop-power combination.
  3. The nose block and thrust button may be altered to facilitate winding of the motor, but the nose block must retain the shape and size of the original.
  4. The tissue and color may be changed, but all pertinent markings must be on the plane (i.e., door lines, hinge lines, cowl bumps, etc.). The color and trim should be appropriate for the era of the aircraft being modeled. No condenser paper or film coverings will be allowed. All flying surfaces must be double-covered.
  5. Static judging competition will be used on published plans only. Structure, craftsmanship, and fidelity of construction to the plan are the basis for the model's score. Photographs and three-views are not needed or required.
  6. Registration for Kit-Plan Scale is to be made at the Calumet Aircraft Modelers' table on the day of the meet. For additional details, contact Martin Varney, 1020 N. Wood, Griffith, IN 46319.

The final score will be the total of the static and flight scores, which are as follows:

  • A. Static Score: 60 points max. for fidelity of construction to the plan; 40 points max. for craftsmanship.
  • B. Flight points: The time of flight in seconds; the maximum flight time cannot exceed the total of the static score for that model. Total flight score will be the best of 5 official flights. An official flight will be any flight of 15 seconds or longer in the air. Model launching will be ROG (or at the discretion of the contest director).

What's Next?

  • Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on June 15 and running for 24 hours is the Fourth Peanut World Grand Prix.
  • For details and entry of proxy Peanut Scale models, write to:
  • Mike Arak, 10900 SW 61 Ct., Miami, FL 33156
  • Following the Grand Prix will be the normal NIMAS events running until sometime Saturday, June 18, 1983. More details will be provided in the next column.

The site solution

Many indoor groups suffer from temporary or chronic lack of practice sites. One critical aspect is access to a site that will rent for needed practice times. The site solution is to entice a local company to allow use of their building.

  • The Miami Indoor Aircraft Model Association (MIAMA) has practiced three nights a week with cooperation from management of a Giant Food store.
  • One mostly-regular site has been a high school gym. There was some griping when a very successful Category I Record Trials was held in a boxing gymnasium (complete with boxing ring). To quote Doc Martin from his newsletter, The Hangar Pilot: "Sure it's a lousy site. There is a boxing ring right in the middle of the floor. It's drafty. It's full of boxes. There are a lot of bleachers, and seats all around... but who said Category I is easy? Why do you think Category I times are less than the others? Quit complaining and fly! You guys are a bunch of prima donnas! Great atmosphere!"
  • Despite a seemingly dismal site, MIAMA members set four records there: two Junior records and two Open records. MIAMA's spirit and leadership have made it a very successful club with nearly year-round indoor activity.

The 35 cm models

From time to time we have mentioned 35 cm models—an experimental/fun class indoor microfilm model. The only rule seems to be a 35 cm maximum span. While simple in concept, they are developing into a challenging class. Contests at Lakehurst Naval Air Station and in the Rotunda of the Low Library of Columbia University have yielded 14+ minute flights in the 98-ft Rotunda, and 25 minutes in the Lakehurst hangars. Great times by old-timer Bill Tyler!

More gadgets

  • A simple winding stooge for Peanut, Scale, and Manhattan models by Walt Everts (MIAMA) uses a popsicle stick that slides down to allow the wires to spread. Hook the wires over the rubber peg in the rear, raise the popsicle stick, and wind it up.
  • Another familiar gadget is the balsa strength-tester by Richard Doigs. This version uses a metal "T" that slides in brass tubing to clamp the balsa against a similar bar; the fixture's weight holds the balsa securely.

Bud Tenny, P.O. Box 545, Richardson, TX 75080.

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