Letters to the Editor
What Handicap?
I read with interest about the two deaf guys in Texas being successful RC pilots in your article "What Handicap?" in the January 1996 issue.
Because I am deaf myself and strictly a Free Flighter at an advanced level (AMA Competition Gas and some Nostalgia), it is nice to know that there are other serious deaf flyers out there. I am sure there must be more of them somewhere across the continent who may be members of AMA, too.
When I returned to flying models in 1988 after 48 dormant years, I thought I'd meet one or more deaf Free Flighters with whom I could enjoy sharing, but I found out there were none until 1992 when I met one (a deaf man in his 40s) at a party. I discovered he was an expert RC pilot himself.
Surprisingly, when told of my interest in Free Flight, he said he never heard of nor knew what Free Flight meant—even AMA membership! After one trip to the field to show him how my model performed, he instantly fell in love and has been building and flying a lot ever since. He is now a member of AMA and NFFS (National Free Flight Society). However, he still flies his RC models on his own once in a while and he is very good at it.
Speaking of the two deaf Texans in your article, I was not aware of how they were trained and whether they must be accompanied by safety observers for every flight. I know one other pilot who is totally deaf that I met at an RC club contest not long ago. He was flying aerobatics, I think, but I did not notice if he had a safety observer standing by. That's something I will find out when I see him again.
Quite a few of my fellows, who know of my being profoundly deaf, asked how I could tell when my hot engines of .049 to .45 peak before launching my FF models each time. That was a good question!
By nature, all deaf people (from birth, or hearing-affecting illness at early ages) have to develop a sharper feeling of outside vibrations through the hands or whole bodies to compensate for lack of hearing. That's what I am endowed with, and I seem to have no trouble determining when my engines peak by knowing and feeling each engine's characteristic vibration.
Charles Corey Rancho Cordova, California
Trio
So you think that a Sig Kadet Senior with two .40s is something to brag about? How about this: a Sig Senior with three Saito .45 four-strokes for power?
All that has been done to my plane was to extend the wing to 80 inches and build nacelles into the wing. The wing is still held on by rubber bands, has the same dihedral, and no ailerons. So it is a standard three-channel (or should I say four-channel—I have two throttles). One servo works the engines on the wing and the other servo works the engine on the nose.
This plane flies just like a Kadet, except that being heavier it doesn't glide too well. I can do loops and even roll it or fly it inverted. It really has a nice sound with all three engines running at about half throttle—almost like a full-size plane going over.
This is the 33rd Kadet that I have built and only one was built with ailerons and less dihedral. Of these, only three were for me—two with three engines and one right out of the box to use to train new pilots. Out of all the three-engined ones, 24 others are still flying. The one with ailerons didn't last very long as I think the guy wanted something on this wonderful Sig Kadet Senior that he didn't need.
George Fryer Fayetteville, North Carolina
Opposing Views?
The June 1996 issue contained two articles, "Where Are the Juniors?" and "The OFFC Movement," which you seemed to think were in contention and were presented as "opposing views." You have it all wrong! These are not opposite sides of the coin; they are merely two of many facets of the gem that is model aviation. I fully support Stephen Kanyusik's efforts to get juniors more involved, just as I support the OFFC movement.
Keith R. Smith, Jr. Agoura Hills, California
The two articles presented different ways to get newcomers involved in model aviation: one stressed youth; the other, older beginners.
I read with interest the article on the OFFC. While I agree with the view that our hobby is attracting fewer young people, I don't necessarily agree with the reasons why.
I think there are many factors involved in the decline of younger people entering model aviation.
Recently, our club hosted a mall show in St. Joseph, Missouri. We had around 130 models on display, from stick-and-tissue to full-blown Giant Scale. I was approached many times by families with wide-eyed children and all the oohs and ahs you could ever want to hear. Not one person was turned off until we got to the particulars of the time and expense involved in assembling a plane and learning to fly it.
The same people who would think nothing of shelling out a small fortune for a video-game system almost winced at the idea of putting out a comparable amount or less to help an inquisitive child learn RC. I think the main reason is that a video game only needs to be plugged in and the child can be left to his or her own devices. In other words, an "electronic babysitter."
On the other hand, model aviation is about taking the time to help, to teach, and to really learn. These days, few parents have the time to sit down with their kids to even talk, let alone work together on a project.
Blame it on government, business, or whatever you want, but sadly it's a fact of life these days. I think we all lose a lot in this environment.
As a single parent, I too have these same issues to deal with. I made a commitment to my sons long ago to never fall into the trap of not taking the time. My sons, who are eleven and fourteen, and I are involved in one degree or another in many aspects of model aviation, including free flight, control line, RC, and model rocketry.
In the winter I will go and get a bunch of balsa and we all design our own airplanes and have "contests" flying them through the house. I have learned just as much from them as they have from me. They have no concept of "can't" or "won't" and some of their designs are very unique. We do a lot of experimentation, which I have even adopted on some of my larger RC planes!
My oldest son is an honor-roll student who has so far built one plane that was entered in the state fair. My youngest has not found his "niche" yet and although not as academically inclined, he has the same thirst for knowledge.
Both of my boys never get into trouble and are very responsible citizens. While we don't live in an especially wonderful house and Dad doesn't drive the newest car, we have a lot of fun together.
In closing, I would like to say that it's a matter of priorities. Having a Rolex watch or the latest technical marvel from Detroit won't bring real happiness. But helping your child learn and grow will. In the end we'll all benefit.
I know this is probably much too long to print but I felt it needed saying anyway. May the skies for you be clear, the winds calm, and all your flights be good ones!
Randall Huston Bolckow, Missouri
Kudos
The June 1996 issue of Model Aviation is the best issue I've read in my 50-plus years as a modeler and 36 years in the AMA. Maybe this is an overstatement, but this is the way I feel.
We need more youth in our hobby! I have a two-year-old granddaughter, a one-month-old granddaughter, and a one-month-old grandson. If I have anything to do with it, all three plus my others that come along will be modelers. I hope I will be around long enough to make it happen.
William G. Mitch Hebron, Indiana
Looking at the June 1996 issue—1/2A engines by Cox—I'm sure happy to see this, only wishing I could see Part II. I have Cox engines and have used them in U-control, free flight, and RC; they start with just a few flips and run well. Your article reminds me to order up some parts—I've written to Cox on a couple of occasions and gotten prompt answers.
I first saw Cox products in the early '60s at Disneyland. If you can fly a Cox airplane, it's just fun to watch people make circles—being from the Pittsburgh, PA area, I enjoy seeing someone make even one complete circle when they've never flown before.
Mike Zelsnack Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Congratulations for the cover picture on the March issue of the magazine. The simplest, most elegant cover I have seen on a model aviation magazine in 50 years of modeling. Thanks to The Printer for producing such a fine shot! Thanks, Doug!
Merv Buckmaster Airborne magazine
P.S. Jim, I'm not superstitious! But I do feel silly saying to fly models in the rain, or when it's so windy—usually at contests.
We have received a number of compliments on this cover; the subject was Jerry Fitch, reigning FIB world champion. The "Doug" referred to in Merv's letter is Doug Galbreath, noted FIC flier and founder of The Printer, a California printing company. Steve Galbreath was the photographer.
Language
I am writing in reference to the language used in the article "Safety Comes First" by Gary A. Shaw in the February 1996 Model Aviation. I feel that any article in our magazine will have nothing added to its purpose by using slang or profane words, nor by using our Lord's name disrespectfully as it was used in this article about lightning.
I respectfully request that our AMA adopt a policy to prohibit the use of these kinds of expressions in future articles.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank AMA and its members for all of the hard work done over the years to advance our hobby. Please continue to publish an excellent magazine that we can recommend to all people, young and old, without the need to apologize for the language used in it.
Robert N. Gilliland Kosciusko, Mississippi
Wrong Way?
Referring to the "Flying for Fun" department, MA May '96: The description of Douglas Corrigan's Curtiss Robin as "an ancient (and nearly derelict)" may well be the image Mr. Corrigan was trying to convey, but not true. In any case the flight was a successful publicity event.
His Robin was nine years old when he made the flight to Ireland. He had a transport pilot license and an aircraft mechanic's license. He overhauled the airframe, installed a Wright J-6, added fuel tanks in the cabin, and flew non-stop LAX to NYC. A few weeks later he was famous.
Robert A. Morris Phoenix, Arizona
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
