Letters to the Editor
Special Relationship
The enclosed essay was written by Eric Falletta, who is not quite 12 years old. Eric is quickly becoming a model aeronautics enthusiast, greatly in part to his Uncle Rick Socarras, who flies out of Boca Raton, Florida and is considered by most to be an expert pilot. On a typical Saturday morning you can hear the children ooh and aah as they watch Uncle Rick do incredible stunts.
Eric attends sixth grade in Seminole, Florida and recently was requested by his language arts teacher to write an essay on a very special person. Uncle Rick has made an everlasting impression on him with his fleet of model airplanes. He received an A+ and it was something that we would like to share with your publication and all the millions of children out there who have a love for this special hobby.
Flying Uncle Rick by Eric Falletta
RRRRRR!!!
Would you ever think your favorite relative could make remote-control airplanes? My Uncle Rick actually flies different varieties of awesome planes. Well, I got to fly my Uncle Rick's remote-control airplanes in the winter of 1996.
It all started out when my Uncle Rick and Aunt Jeanne came over to visit from Boca Raton, Florida to watch the Super Bowl with our family. After the Super Bowl ended, my uncle said, "I have a surprise for you." Swinging me in the air like a doll, I rushed out the door like greased lightning. In the trunk of his shiny Toyota there sat the coolest remote-control airplanes I had ever seen!
"Wow!" I gasped, as my eyes twinkled like stars. "Do you work for Toys 'R' Us?" "No, Eric, I build these airplanes for a hobby," said Uncle Rick. He seemed very proud of his airplanes, with a gigantic smile, his teeth shining like white pearls. "We will go out tomorrow morning and I will teach you how to fly them."
The next morning we ate a huge breakfast and left for the field. It took us about a half hour to reach the Pinellas Park field. When we arrived at the airplane field, my Uncle Rick asked me which airplane I would like to fly. I told him I would like to fly the blue-and-yellow airplane. The plane sparkled with bright yellow streaks and a bright blue background.
Uncle Rick filled up the tank with gasoline and set it down on the runway. He handed me the controls, and as he started the engine the propeller began to rapidly spin. Now my lesson began. The plane slowly taxied down the runway, the engine roared, and off the plane went higher, higher. Uncle Rick switched the controls over; about to crash, he took back control.
This was a day I will always remember.
The week before Thanksgiving each year, my Uncle Rick competes in the "Turkey Flying Shootout" which is sponsored by the flying club. Last year he won first place and this year he is bound to win a turkey again because he is the best remote-control flier in the world!
The Falletta & Socarras Families Largo, Florida
Female RC Newcomer
This letter is long overdue, but I still feel it is important for me to write. I am responding to two articles in your magazine dated October 1996: "Women in RC Flying" and the "Newcomers" article on flight instructors.
I am an older female, joining the RC field two years ago at the age of 46.
My father has always been an avid RCer, but in my younger days he had the responsibility of working and supporting his family, so he did not have time to spend on this hobby. Two years ago Dad (now retired) had surgery and I stayed with him over a week while he recovered. During that quality time we talked a lot about RC flying, which seriously sparked an interest in me. We were able to fly two times during his recovery, which gave me the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. (Unfortunately, he lives in Texas and I live in New Mexico.)
When I returned home, I visited one of our local hobby shops and got the names of one of our local RC clubs; now I'm "on a roll." I joined ARCC (Albuquerque Radio Control Club) in early 1995 and joined the AMA the following month. With the assistance of other club members and the hobby shop, I bought my first trainer, built it, and am now learning to fly.
I have to agree with Vivian Price's (Walsenburg, CO) comments regarding women in RC. The ARCC has welcomed me regardless of gender or age. They are more than helpful with anything to do with RC flying. My husband attends all the meetings with me as support. I try to participate in the meetings and at all events that ARCC sponsors. I may not be flying solo yet, but I can certainly man a cage and call a cut.
My flight instructor (Pat Tritle) is great and I feel he needs more recognition for it! He always stresses safety rules out on the field; he is extremely knowledgeable of aerodynamic terms and flight characteristics; he is also extremely knowledgeable and practices good building techniques (he also is a professional builder). I have seen him out at the airpark with four or five students at one time, and he consistently treats us fair with time and patience, instructions and verbal directions/commands.
He is a saint when it comes to patience. I am sure of that because I know I have tested him with some of my "oops." Pat is more than willing to take time with me and other students and share his knowledge regarding flying, building, etc. He always uses a calm, reassuring, measured tone while instructing. His attitude is perfect for this responsibility. When he starts with a new student, he analyzes us individually and mentally customizes his "instruction plan" to suit our specific needs, which has also helped him be successful.
Right now I am trying to learn how to land. Ha! I hope Pat will live through this experience.
Sandy Uhl Albuquerque, New Mexico
Flying in Spotsylvania
Enclosed is a photo of Marta Segarra and friend Ed Jakovich, both residents of Spotsylvania, Virginia. Marta purchased this Hangar 9 Piper Cub (ARF) as one of her beginner aircraft. After careful assembly she was ready for the maiden flight in less than a week. Powered by an "old" but "very faithful" O.S. FS 61, the model rolled down the grass runway and took off with authentic realism. We also found that the model flew as stable and true as a model could come. Quality of the kit was superb! She is pictured here after the maiden flight along with myself adjacent to the grass strip.
She continues to fly to this date on her own, and unfortunately has experienced a few nicks and dents as she sharpens her flying skills. But she still continues to strive on.
Edward K. Jakovich III Spotsylvania, Virginia
World Champs/Team Selections
I rarely take the time to write to the editor of a magazine as I assume that they are usually busy enough trying to get the next month's magazine out while the next one is coming down the pike right behind it, even though a three-month lead time may be the norm.
However, the coverage of the World Control Line Championships has left much to be desired.
The Team Race event and the Combat event seem to have received the most coverage. Now I realize with Rich von Lopez doing the reporting he would have a tendency to report those events with more detail, probably because he was more involved in that end of the competition.
Looking at the February issue of Model Aviation I see two photographs each of the F2A Speed event and the F2B Aerobatics event. The write-ups accompanying the article are short on detail as are some of the photo descriptions.
I would have liked to have had a little more information on some of the foreign entries and perhaps a little input as to the reason for Chairman Mao's face on the Chinese model, although that may be Chinese Communist pride and needs no explanation, but then who would know if they did not ask.
We sent twenty people to this affair, at a certain great expense; it would seem to this reader that someone of that gang could have put together a little more information on the Speed and Aerobatics events.
Fran Ptaszkiewicz Tonawanda, New York
Points System — FAI Free Flight Team Selection
I am extremely disturbed by a proposal that is being evaluated for the FAI Free Flight Team Selection Program. I am aware that all the details have not yet been worked out. However, the basic nature and effects of the proposed program concern me greatly.
The proposal is a "points system." The points system would select the team based on the results of approximately 14 regional contests over an estimated one-and-a-half-year period. Many details of this proposal remain to be resolved.
A points system will not, in my opinion, improve our team selection in any way. In fact it will likely cause irreparable harm. I believe that the points system should be summarily rejected as ill-conceived and unacceptable. Consider the following:
- Significantly more time, travel, and money will be required to mount a serious effort to make the team. For example, to compete in six regional contests from Denver (one local, five away) would require an investment of approximately $3,000 for travel and lodging alone. Compare this to expenses less than $1,000 to compete in the last Finals at Lost Hills.
- If you do not achieve the results you desire after six contests you can spend more money to attend more contests to attempt to improve your standing. This means the chance to earn a spot on the team will be based on dollars and free time instead of on the ability to fly Free Flight models.
- Participation in the team selection process will diminish as the cycle proceeds as more competitors realize they no longer have a realistic chance to earn a place on the team. By the second program cycle with a points system the active participants in the program will likely be reduced to the rich and retired.
- The likelihood of attracting new participants to the program (unless they are rich and/or retired) is significantly reduced from what it is today. Program participation from District IX will likely go to zero almost instantaneously. What about your district?
- Each regional contest must have "Finals caliber" organization, site, and execution. How many clubs can, or will, host such a contest? How soon we forget how much we abuse our Finals hosts and organizers.
- There are significant pressures within the AMA to further reduce the funding of FAI World Champs programs. Reducing the income from the Team Selection Program due to a significant loss of participants will almost guarantee further reductions in AMA's financial support for our World Champs teams.
The goal of our team selection program should be to select a team with the best possible chance for success at the World Champs. A points system will not contribute to meeting this goal. Many other countries currently employ points systems for selecting their teams. Most of these countries consistently place lower than the United States at the World Champs.
To maintain the viability of our FAI F/F Team Selection Program I urge you to reject the points system proposal and tell your Team Selection Committee Representative that the points system should be eliminated from further consideration.
Kenneth A. Phair Team Selection Program Participant, 1968–1996 F1C Team Member, 1985, 1989, 1991 Assistant Team Manager, 1987 Denver, Colorado
Wrong Approach?
I'm writing this letter in correspondence with the recent efforts in promoting model aviation in schools.
I am a junior member and have been so for about a year. Being only 13, I have successfully built two RC models from kits. I did a fantastic job on my Electra, and an OK job on my Kadet Senior. I have also been building several models from plans, and plan to design my first model later this year.
I believe the approach to teaching youngsters is all wrong. Starting with Delta Darts is all wrong. Children of any reasonable age can build a full-blown RC model, from a kit, if they are just given the materials to do so. The recent article in Model Aviation of students building gliders is such proof.
I currently belong to a club of modelers whose only purpose, it seems, is to promote the hobby and recruit newcomers. They do a fantastic job and I am honored to be part of this. The credit for this success is the collaboration of a nearby hobby store. They also have a day set aside for just such a purpose as to train newcomers. This club has really grown in the past year and will continue to grow in size over the years.
I am, however, sad to report that there are only two juniors who regularly fly in the course of the week. But this number has grown and maybe will keep growing with the increase of easily built models coming on the market.
Jimmy Taylor Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania
Corrections
On page 8 of the April Model Aviation there is a photo of Garland Hamilton's winning Navy TV-2, which is mistakenly identified as a T-33.
Edward J. Toner Jr. Brick, New Jersey
In my last "FF Sport & Scale" column, I mentioned the price of that miracle covering material, Polyspan, as $15/yd. This should have read $1.50/yd (which consists of a little over two yards) and is available from Starline International, 6146 E. Cactus Wren Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85253.
Bill Warner Porterville, California
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
