Letters to the Editor
Send your Letters to the Editor to: Model Aviation, 5151 East Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302
A Snafu in our Acronyms Article?
You're right. An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a name, but AMA, NAA, FAI, CASI, and CIAM are not words formed from the initial letters of a name. They are initials only.
Bet you get some mail on that boo-boo!
Mark Scurrah Indian River Kontrol Society (IRKS! Now that's an acronym!)
Actually, Mark, yours is the only note we received on that "boo-boo." Then again, your club changed the spelling of "control," just to make an acronym.
Correction: Charge Cord Graphic
Please note corrections to the Charge Cord graphic on page 61 of the October RC Electrics column: The reference to diode D1 should read D1 = 1N914; the anode of this diode (+ or arrow end) should go to the third printed circuit land from the right, not the second, as shown. The schematic and photo are correct.
Bob Kopcsik
It Flies Great
Enclosed is a picture of my recently completed Spacewalker II. The plane is shown with my wife Nancy, who is very supportive of me and my hobby.
The first flight of this model was the morning of June 6. With two clicks of right aileron and three clicks of down elevator, it was flying straight and level.
Construction of this model started just before Christmas of last year with completion in the first week of June.
Specifics:
- Sig 1/4-scale Spacewalker II (84-inch wingspan)
- Ready-to-fly weight: 14 pounds
- Power: Saito 1.50 (four-cycle)
- Covered with 21st Century fabric; paint scheme is the original full-scale design of Hazel Sig
- Functional navigation lights; functional strobe on top of rudder; functional landing lights on left wing
- Padded vinyl seat backs; scale female pilot with real hair, flight suit, and scarf
- Radio: JR Max 6 FM; ailerons, rudder, and elevator moved with Hi-Tech helical-gear, dual ball-bearing servos
If anyone would like more information regarding the model, please contact me. It flies great. It will perform any maneuver the pilot is capable of.
Carl J. Brusky Appleton, Wisconsin
More CC-1 Comments
Thanks for that letter from Col. Joseph Dudzik from Norman, Oklahoma in the August Model Aviation. He is right about the different wing sweep between plans and photos. That photo was a copy of my original model design from May 1942, when the "correct" sweep was from the trailing edge forward. It works either way.
The CC-1 looks like a kid's sport flier. Do not be fooled. In its first contest last year at the MMM meet in Denver, it took first in Catapult Glider, plus it won first in Shootout against all glider types. Because it gets almost twice the altitude of most catapult gliders, you can't help but pick up thermals.
Larry Conover Longmont, Colorado
The Microhenrys Debate Rages On
The August "Letters" contained a letter from reader Stephen Scotto that was critical of the cartoon feature "The Microhenrys" and AMA's Society of Aircraft Demolishers patch. It has stirred a hornet's nest of reaction.
Eric Loos San Diego, California
At an AMA-sanctioned flying field, we have had to learn to fly radio-control models without the benefit of an instructor. Although most of our flights ended in disaster at first, we can now safely take off, fly, and land without having to utilize our airplane "body bags."
Most of our flying was done from a cane field without spectators (as we really didn't want any witnesses) and no one was injured (other than their pride) as we practiced safety as the number one consideration.
We laughed and joked at just about every one of our crashes and even marked the number of flights each airplane had survived. So contrary to the opinion of the article in the August issue ("As long as we keep on treating crashes as jokes, we will not improve the safety record"), experience has shown us that statement is in error.
We made fun of every crash, but learned something from it—what not to do next time—and needless to say, our safety record has soared and our number of crashes has declined. I honestly do not believe that our joking "undercut the efforts of those who are trying to create a safer hobby."
As far as the Microhenrys are concerned, they serve as a reminder to some of us not to repeat the same mistakes in the future, and I don't believe that these little faceless wonders undermine the seriousness of model aviation; on the contrary, they remind us of what not to do.
Richard Pontin Waianae, Hawaii
I will concede that Ed Henry may be a prince among men, but... Mr. Henry's cartoons show feeble humor, and worse yet, no imagination.
Charles V. O'Donnell Eugene, Oregon
To imply that the Microhenrys or the display of particular AMA patches would somehow lead someone to disregard safety and deliberately cause a crash is ridiculous. I've never met a modeler who has ever viewed safety as optional, no matter what size aircraft they may fly. The demonstration of recklessness has never been tolerated at our flying field.
I personally have related more than once to the Microhenrys' crashes with great humor, and have considered purchasing a Crasher patch for myself.
Thanks, AMA, for having a sense of humor and for being there when we need you.
Dave Bors Girard, Pennsylvania
My husband is a novice and he has not successfully flown any of his planes—at least three! It's either laugh, pick up the parts and go on, or cry and quit!
I wish someone could show him how to fly the darn things—it's getting expensive and discouraging.
Tom's 62—can a person be too old to coordinate with the controls, etc., if they are just learning? He's retiring and really builds a beautiful plane.
Genie Brown Miramar, Florida
The loss of an aircraft, be it a $100 trainer or a $3,000 Giant Scale with as many hours building it as dollars invested in it, is no fun. It is, however, a fact of life that must be dealt with one way or another. Humor is a simple, harmless, and effective analgesic.
I don't know how long Steve's been with this hobby, but if he's with a charter AMA club, he can probably count on his index finger the number of crashes caused by violations of AMA Safety Code. I've known of few crashes that were under the pilot's knowledge and control!
I don't believe John Q. Public judges us on our ability to refrain from unscheduled landings, but might well judge us on our ability to strictly adhere to the codes that keep us and them safely out of harm's way in the event of a mishap!
Steve, you sound like a great guy, but do yourself a favor: Keep on flying safe and smart, but once in a while, remember why you started modeling and joined us in AMA—to have fun! Safely!
Dave Millard Schaghticoke, New York
I'm a disabled R/C modeler, and I look forward to the Microhenrys every month. My new wife especially likes it. It cracks me up and helps give her a lighthearted perspective on the hobby, which only the Microhenrys provide.
Anyone in the hobby knows that crashes are just part of the game... especially for newcomers, designers of more interesting ships, and those of us who are disabled and relearning how to fly. (Lumpy landings, ground loops, etc. are my specialty.)
Microhenrys provide essential humor and perspective on ourselves and our hobby. It also helps spousal relations immensely. To your detractors, I say "phooey"!
The long safety record of AMA members speaks for itself. The vast majority of us love Microhenrys and the wonderful humor.
R. Bruce McCreary Snowflake, Arizona
I am writing to let everyone at Model Aviation know how I feel about the Microhenrys. I love it! I am a 25-year-old woman. I myself do not fly model airplanes, but my boyfriend does. He flies control line and taught me two years ago.
I have a lot of respect for safety in flying. But crashes are a fact and reality of the hobby; that doesn't mean every time a model airplane is flown, there will be a crash!
I understand you received a letter from Stephen Scotto of Bronxville, New York complaining of the crashes in the Microhenrys. I suggest he lighten up and get a sense of humor.
Jessica L. Eckman Lancaster, Pennsylvania
He [Scotto] states that the public will not tolerate an activity whose participants demonstrate unconcern or recklessness for the safety of those around them. Excuse me! Who is he talking about?
Our club has very rigid rules concerning use of winches, rules regarding flight patterns, separate areas for flying and watching, frequency controls, and a safety officer on duty. Is there some crisis of maiming and death that I don't know about?
Our crashes are usually the result of a particular hungry tree or gorilla launches with the winch. In both cases, the planes are never within the range of the public. And I have certainly never heard the public use modeling and safety recklessness in the same sentence.
Mr. Scotto refers to those who are trying to create a safer hobby. The Microhenrys are, in his view, undercutting their efforts. How? He believes that the reliability of equipment alone can eliminate crashes. What about our plane-loving tree? What about severe wind gusts? What about beginning pilots? What about experimental designs and materials? What about bad eyesight? What about simple human failure? Get real!
Mr. Scotto's view represents another example of claptrap put forward by do-gooders who simply do not have an understanding of reality. It's bad enough to believe that all bad things in life can be eliminated if we only try hard enough; it is ludicrous to blame crashes on a cartoon.
K. G. Schmidt Oceanside, California
I would like to remind your reader that Model Aviation is intended for all ages of model airplane fliers. I am 9 1/2 years old, and I have been building models for about one year. My favorite feature of Model Aviation, and the column I always read first, is the Microhenrys.
My grandpa said I was right; when he was a kid the magazines were all written for kids and there weren't many cartoons. He said that in 1936 model airplane building was all very serious business. When you cracked up your plane you were taught to rebuild it yourself. As a kid he learned to laugh it off and accept crackups as part of modeling. If you didn't, you didn't last very long in modeling.
Thanks for a very cool magazine; it is very nice.
Stephen Knizek Santa Ana, California
Farewell and Thanks
This letter is intended not only to be a farewell to my good friend Larry Miller, who was an inspiration to me personally and to the entire south Texas modeling community, but also a tribute and thanks to all of the Larry Millers everywhere.
They may not be nationally or internationally known, but they are the people who unselfishly give of themselves and their expertise so that we may better enjoy the wonderfulness of aeromodeling and life.
If you know someone like Larry, treasure him or her. Turns out life really is too short to do otherwise.
Pete Kerezman Kingsville, Texas
Right to the Point
Great covers for July and August 1993. It's about time!
Jim Bocckinfuso Moneta, Virginia
Jim is primarily a free-flight modeler, so his comments are understandable. It is our intent to balance cover subjects to cover all major modeling disciplines, and future issues will reflect that.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
