Helicopters
Walt Schoonard
I RECENTLY received an MRC Schluter Heli-Baby training stand for evaluation. Not only is the training stand well designed with typical Schluter high quality, but the way that it works is phenomenal! The kit contains all the necessary parts for quick and easy assembly and step-by-step instructions and also detailed trimming and flying hints! Properly set up, the stand makes it possible to completely trim out a new Heli-Baby or a newly-repaired one so perfectly that it will fly hands off! The stand's functions can be locked one by one, permitting separate attention to roll, pitch, and yaw. It can be used for flight training by a rank novice or by an experienced flier to sharpen up on a particular part of his flying skill.
One of the hardest points of helicopter flying is to hover nose-on to the pilot. Oh, I know that there are a few people who can do this effortlessly, but most cannot, and those who try usually end up breaking their helicopters. This stand permits tankful after tankful of nose-on hovering, and no matter how badly you foul up, no damage will be done to your machine.
Every place that I have shown this stand it has amazed everyone with its versatility and simplicity. It has unlimited possibilities as a public relations tool. One Sunday at a helicopter demonstration session, I offered to let anyone who wanted to fly my Heli-Baby on the stand. An instant line formed and even to my own amazement, everyone who tried to fly it did so successfully. Some were RC fliers, some were kids, and others were just spectators. None of them had ever had their hands on a single-stick transmitter, but even this did not deter any of them! The line kept getting longer, and my fuel and batteries were getting low, so I had to pack it up. Everyone expressed how much they enjoyed the chance to fly the Heli-Baby on the stand.
The possibilities for this stand are endless. Hobby shops can sell them or, better still, rent them out. Clubs can get one to loan or rent to their members. A couple of fliers can go together on buying one and critique each other's flying. No one will ever get mine away from me. It has increased my pleasure a hundred times over! All this adds up to the fact that this training stand does all that it claims and more. Dieter Schluter, the father of RC helicopters, introduced the world to one of the finest small helicopters (the Heli-Baby) and now the Heli-Training stand.
Gyros: I have never had any problem controlling the tail rotor on my helicopters, but after all the fuss that was raised at the Nats about gyros, I got one. I sent it and a servo to Ron Wiensch of 7318 Cosner Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45424, to have them matched up. He modifies the Kavan Gyro so that it needs no extra power supply and works by plugging it into the receiver supply. He also improves the pot wipers and removes slop and end-play that can affect gyro operation. He does a really fine job and the gyros are well worth $20 plus charges installed. The Alouette really needed some help with the tail rotor, I must say; it works so well I can completely forget the tail because it stays put. In crosswind the gyro senses quick power changes and wind gusts. So having tail problems? A gyro will help.
Next month's column will cover Super Baby—some great mods. Jet Ranger head makes flying smoother than you can believe.
Walt Schoonard 2080 Sharon Rd Winter Park, FL 32789
Radio Control: Helicopters
was still in Dayton! Still dominated by the Southeastern fliers but won by Ronnie Easman of Houston, Tex., with basically stock equipment and superb pit stops. The rest of the Texas Rat fliers? Well, we looked as bad this year as we did last year!
FAI Team Race is getting better all the time. This year saw 25 teams entered with 20 teams actually processing to fly! This has to be the best turn out at the Nats in a long time! Times were not super great, at least by European standards, but there were several teams in the mid-four-minute range in the qualifying, and the event was won by none other than the U.S. team of Larry Jolly and Jed Kusik in a good time at the 8:30 mark. I actually flew my first-ever competition in TR! Did get a qualifying time, not a great time for sure, but nevertheless, I did finish a race. I'll relate the story of my efforts during the Nats week in TR at a later time.
I found the guys in Team Race, as a whole, to be very open and friendly, always willing to help a beginner, make suggestions, come up with needed pieces to help out the newcomer. I want to thank a lot of people who helped me out but, if I started naming names, I'd forget someone. So, to all, thanks.
One final note on the Nats: If it is ever held at, or near, Wright-Patt, don't miss it at any cost. And if you get there, don't miss the Air Force Museum. Plan on the better part of one day to spend there, and even with that much time, plan on missing a lot. You have to see a B-36 up close to really understand how big that thing really is.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
