Radio Control: Aerobatics
Ron Van Putte 111 Sleepy Oaks Rd. Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548
Rule-change snafu — Sportsman maneuver schedule
Last month I wrote about the rule-change snafu involving the Sportsman maneuver schedule. As I write this, the situation has not yet been resolved. The chairman of the R/C Aerobatics Contest Board has stonewalled efforts to fix the situation, even though it appears the rule-change vote was improperly administered. Sportsman-class fliers should be sure to read the Focus on Competition section for late-breaking developments; the lead time there is half that of regular columns, and the contest season is upon us.
NSRCA Pan American Aerobatic Championships (N‑PAC / N‑PAAC)
Plans for the NSRCA Pan American Aerobatic Championships are firming up. The latest issue of the K‑Factor has additional details. Current plans include:
- Entry fee: $65.
- Judging school: two days (Saturday and Sunday), July 18–19.
- Transmitter processing: Sunday.
- Competition: Monday through Friday, with all-day flying expected.
- Legal frequencies are expected to be available; split-by-class and the morning/afternoon schedule are still being worked out by NSRCA vice president Paul Verger and his committee.
Stay tuned for further details.
Stall turn and double stall turn — rule changes
Pattern fliers who perform stall turns and double stall turns should pay close attention to the stall-turn maneuver description in the new rule book. It now specifies, in part: "The model starts from straight and level flight and noses up to a vertical track, stalls ..." Previously many fliers did not demonstrate a vertical track because the rules did not require it. The new wording does require demonstration of a vertical track before the stall, so it will take practice to overcome old habits. The double stall turn is affected similarly because it is two stall turns back-to-back.
Suggested downgrades and the FAI 15° rule
I also noticed that entries that should have been deleted from the Suggested Downgrades were not removed. With adoption of the FAI one-point downgrade per 15° of error, some guideline downgrades in the rule book are no longer consistent:
- The rule book currently says a flop in a stall turn should earn a three- or four-point downgrade. Under the 15° rule, a 180° roll error (a flop) would be a zero score.
- The rule book says a flop in Figure M should be a two- or three-point downgrade; under the 15° rule it should be zero.
- The book also says that performing two or four loops or rolls instead of three should earn a three- or four-point downgrade; again, under the 15° rule these indiscretions may warrant a zero.
I plan to use the 15° rule.
Senior Pattern Association (SPA)
Interest in the Senior Pattern Association is really taking off. I receive inquiries nearly every day. Let me defuse a few misconceptions: the SPA is not a group trying to escape Turnaround competition or to oppose today’s airplanes and engines. Everyone I’ve talked to is excited because SPA airplanes are simpler and evoke a strong nostalgic feeling. The SPA advocates having fun with pre‑1970 airplanes and vintage maneuver schedules only — it is not trying to do away with modern competition airplanes or engines.
When I started looking for SPA-eligible airplanes, finding old kits was difficult. I located a Taurus kit and had leads on a few others before deciding to build an A‑6 Intruder. I expect many people will face the same situation when they look for something to build, so here are some sources for plans and kits.
Sources for SPA-eligible kits, plans and mufflers
- Bill LaRue — Classic Air Models Co.
P.O. Box 784, Fruitland Park, FL 34731 Tel: 904/787-7475
- Sells reproductions or original kits and plans (with permission of the originators). RC list includes Citron, Daddy Rabbit, El Gringo, Stormer, Float Top Stormer, Sweet Tater, Taurus, Tiger Tail, Kwik‑Fli, Candy, Phoenix, Thunderstorm and A‑6 Intruder pattern airplanes. Kit prices vary (approximately $9.95 to $24.95). Bill can also produce a kit from a customer’s plans for airplanes not on his list.
- Tom Dixon
P.O. Box 671166, Marietta, GA 30066
- Offers plans for many old-time R/C airplanes. Pattern airplanes he lists include Taunus, Orion, Perigee, Beachcomber, Sultan, Pegasus, Stormer, Flat Top Stormer and Kwik‑Fli III. Plans cost about $10–$15. If there is enough interest, he may kit some simpler designs (Kwik‑Fli, Stormers); tape-covered-wing designs are harder to produce in small quantities.
- Tom also mentioned a muffler he markets for about $29 that can be adapted to many engines.
- Aero Products (Bolly C/F after-muffler)
1880 Scenic Highway, Snellville, GA 30278
- The Bolly C/F after-muffler, available for about $30, is reported to reduce noise significantly.
- Fran Paszkiewicz
23 Marlee Drive, Tonawanda, NY 14150
- Offers plans for old-time deBolt designs (Viscount, Sonic Cruiser, Acrobat). Plans cost $2.75–$7.00.
- Ed Hartley
221 Oran Road, Knoxville, TN 37922 Tel: 615/966-2445
- Has plans for the latest version of Jim Whitley’s Daddy Rabbit and sent a set. Dennis Hunt (formerly of Zimpro Marketing) will be selling a partial Daddy Rabbit kit through Tennessee Models (Oak Ridge, TN). Options will include: wing and stab cores for center-joined wings; built-up wing and stab for center-joined wings; or built-up wing and stab for plug-in wings; all options include a set of plans. Contact Dennis at Tennessee Models, Tel: 615/482-6188.
Nationals practice fields — Pioneer Valley update
Tom Tenerowicz (president of the Pioneer Valley R/C Club, host club for the 1992 Nationals) called in response to my March comment about the lack of practice fields in the Chicopee area. A consortium of local clubs is compiling a list of practice fields for Pattern, Scale, Helicopter and Racing pilots. Most sites are within ten miles of Westover AFB. The list will be made available to the Nationals planning committee and should be obtainable via AMA mail or at the contest site pickup area. Tom’s phone numbers: 413/732-9713 (home) and 413/747-2506 (work). My earlier information was more than six years old; many potential practice sites were unavailable in 1985 but are now included.
Closing
My mail has included many requests for SPA-eligible plans and kits, and the sources above should help anyone looking to build a suitable airplane. Please enclose an SASE with correspondence if you’d like a reply.
Happy, quiet electric landings, everyone.
Ron Van Putte 111 Sleepy Oaks Rd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
