Letters to the Editor
Send your Letters to the Editor to: Model Aviation, 5151 East Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302
Uncommon Experience?
There seem to be a lot of people who write to your magazine about the treatment they received when they attempted to learn how to fly miniature aircraft. Your standard replies usually sound something like this: "Let's hope this was an isolated incident. The vast majority of modelers are more than willing to help when properly approached." It gives the impression that the person seeking help must be some kind of moron who doesn't know how to approach someone for help.
Several years ago I purchased a kit, built it, and even took it back to the hobby shop to have them check it to be sure that it was properly assembled and ready to fly. Then came the nightmare of trying to find a place to fly, and someone to teach me. The local club that I was referred to was only interested in collecting dues and didn't seem to have any interest in teaching newcomers. I found that the people were rude. I am thick-skinned and it takes a lot to make me feel unwelcome, but that is exactly the way they made me feel. Needless to say, I found other hobbies to occupy my time and spend my money.
Recently someone moved into the house next door who has been flying and teaching people to fly RC airplanes for many years. So I cleaned the dust off the airplane and bought a new radio (because the old one was obsolete), and we found an abandoned airport and proceeded to teach me how to fly. To my dismay, just a few days later the club that was mentioned earlier lost their flying field and moved right in and set up at the flying field. Being the easygoing person that I am, I figured that maybe the club had changed, or that it was "just an isolated incident."
The vast majority of the membership of this club that we have encountered has been very unfriendly. With this being the only club and place to fly in this valley, I can understand why all of the local hobby shops have had to close their doors. It is understandable why there is concern for the future of this hobby if this is common across the country.
Steve Mason Fontana, California
Editor: This situation simply should not happen. It certainly does not reflect the attitude of the vast majority of clubs and modelers I have seen. Most are truly willing, and even eager, to help newcomers learn.
Good Apples
I wrote this letter just to say that there are still a few good apples in the tremendous orchard of model plane pilots.
About four months ago we moved to where we are now. The airfield at my old house was a little nicer in some aspects than the new one, but how nice the people are here makes up the difference by far.
Every person I have personally met over here (that number is around 10) has offered to help me in any way possible. I've had models about four years, but only recently have I tried airplanes.
As you probably already know, any advice when you are new to a sport is helpful. With the help I receive over here, I will definitely stay in the hobby for a long time to come.
Brandon Hebert Lafayette, Louisiana
Kudos
Wow! Don Typond's letter in one issue and mine in the next! You used the best of both letters and presented very perceptive commentary. By the way, my letter did have the AMA membership right but I must have gotten lost in the fax process.
The idea that few people fly free flight for fun is probably correct. However, at Galeville there is always a group which simply comes to fly, regardless of what sort of competition may be going on. They fly Old-Timers, Nostalgia-era ships, and very recently a new AMA competition design, but they don't enter. Their flying days are one long, continuous testing session with a smile in every flight.
Galeville, by the way, is a wonderful spot for Eastern modelers, and the work that goes into it is well described in John Grigg's column. We owe AMA a big thanks for the contribution towards the mowing.
Your mention of my 30-years-ago Nats winner was apropos—the plans are on the bench right now, getting a 1990s update. Hope to fly GO-GO TOO next spring.
With "The Haught Corner," you have begun the process of giving Model Aviation a real personality. Please keep it up!
Michael L. Cook Wayne, New Jersey
After reading your article on the Swordfish (November 1995), it gave no mention about the Swordfish flying in Canada for the past 3½ years after a 20-year restoration by Mr. Bob Spence and his crew.
The scene is a fly-in and air show that takes place on Labour Day weekend in September at Muirkirk, Ontario, where the aircraft is stationed and restored. This year (1995) they were taking up passengers (for a fee). The airfield is on the Spence Farm (dirt), only 1½ hours from Detroit on the 401 highway.
Basil Thompson St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Album
My name is Michael DeMita. I have been in the hobby and an AMA member for 12+ years, am 38 years old and an executive with the finance arm of AT&T. I am writing for the first time to let you know how much I appreciate what you're doing for this sport/hobby. We need to both encourage new ideas and youthful membership in this field, as well as protect our rights to the radio spectrum and the environment we fly in. Your efforts in both areas need to continue to be a major focus of your activity, financial and otherwise, especially at the regional level. Keep up the good work and spend my money wisely.
Currently I fly with a Bartow County, GA club (BCMA) which, in my opinion, is one of the best groups of savvy modelers in the country. I have one heli and five fixed-wing models and, in hopes that you will be able to publish a picture in the magazine, have enclosed photos of my most recently completed project: a Smith Miniplane, from the Sig kit.
The 41-inch-span biplane took more than a year of precious weekend time to build, and was completed September 1995. Power is an O.S. .40FSR ABC engine with a Tatone muffler. Covered and painted with Super Coverite fabric and paints.
Performance has improved dramatically, subsequent to plan-bashing 2° negative incidence into the top wing. Good stall characteristics and low-speed handling.
My next project is the Proctor Nieuport 11. Looking forward to sending you pictures of that in two or so years of weekends.
Mike DeMita Marietta, Georgia
Enclosed is a photo of a split-level flying saucer — sort of a cross between a flying saucer and a staggering Beech, if that can be imagined.
I designed it split-level for the purpose of achieving more effective control than is possible with the usual saucer shape, i.e., half the turbulence before the air reaches a control surface.
In plan view it is four feet in diameter. The horizontal stabilizer, rudders, pylons and elevator are 3/16" foam-core poster board. The wing is built-up of balsa ribs, sheeting, and a laminated strip leading edge.
Its weight is 9½ pounds and it is driven with an Irvine 61. The ailerons are conventional and extend from the pylons outboard. The wing provides 904 sq. in. area.
So far I’ve done loops, rolls, and Cuban eights. Stalls are a bit unconventional — it does a back flip instead of dropping the nose. It has to be flown-on because full-stall landings are too exciting. Next is inverted flight.
I’m an AMA member in District X and a member of Central Arizona Modelers (CAM) for 2½ years. I’m a retired aerospace engineer (Rockwell Orbiter Div.). This is my first design attempt and I have enjoyed it thoroughly.
Glynn D. Mount Jr. Cornville, Arizona
The Dynaflite Drifter is modeled with my son, Darryl, and is a big help as a retriever. I am a member of AMA Chapter 0960, Tyler, TX.
James F. Crenshaw Lindale, Texas
Your readers might be interested in the picture enclosed.
I scratch-built this airplane from my plans. The object was to build an airplane that would be capable of flying, landing, and taking off while inverted, and one that would fly equally well right-side-up.
I lucked out. The airplane shown in the pictures is capable of taking off inverted, flying, and landing inverted. This airplane flies inverted hands-off and is equally flyable right-side-up. It will do inside and outside loops and gain altitude while doing the same.
As shown in the picture, it has a tri-landing-gear assembly on the top side of the airplane and landing gear on the wing and a tail-dragger set while the airplane is right-side-up.
The airplane is powered with a K&B .61 engine, and has a 71-inch wingspan.
Mack Stevens Kingman, Arizona
Cub
This picture was taken at our "Little Hole In The Desert" flying field and I thought it was such a good one that I told Gary it was worth a try to get it printed.
This beautiful nine-foot-span J-3 Cub from Balsa USA was built by Gary Ellingson of Tucson, AZ, and his wife Doris completes the picture. Power plant is a G-38 Zenoah.
John Epley Tucson, Arizona
Hospitality
There have been several letters recently about good and bad impressions of RC model clubs. I would like to report a most pleasant and helpful reception at the Brazos Valley RC Modelers in Bryan, Texas. I have visited their field several times to watch and everyone has always been very friendly.
This November I had models with me, and they welcomed me to fly, as long as I was an AMA member and demonstrated that I could fly my models successfully. Especially friendly and helpful with a new Goldberg Cub, O.S. .91 Surpass, and radio by JR were Bill Bennett at Keyser's Hobby Shop and Bob Buckbee at the field on the maiden flight.
My thanks to all, and I hope we can do the same at our club.
Dick Erratt Midland MI RC Modelers
Editor: Despite occasional letters to the contrary, this helpful attitude is by far the dominant one in our hobby. We need all the support (and new blood) we can get! It's a shame that a few misguided souls seem to think they were born with a transmitter in their hands and have forgotten what it was like to be a struggling newcomer.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
