Radio Control: Helicopters
Larry Jolly
West Coast Radio Control Helicopter Fly-In (Merced, CA)
The first annual West Coast Radio Control Helicopter Fly-In was held October 22–23 in Merced, CA. This was one of the best chopper get-togethers I've attended. On Saturday an open fun-fly was scheduled; on Sunday manufacturers and their representatives demonstrated their individual machines. By any measure the Fly-In was a winner. Chuck Winter served as CD, and members of the Merced County Radio Control Club kept everything running smoothly. There have been no large helicopter contests in California for several years — the WCRCHFI could be the start of a great annual regional contest and fun-fly.
Event attendance and atmosphere
I was surprised to find over 60 registered fliers on Saturday with nearly 100 machines on the field. Spectators were everywhere. What impressed me most was that prospective RC chopper pilots could watch the machines fly, then go to the manufacturers' tables and discuss the models firsthand. I'm sure many new folks will visit Chuck and his crew as a result of this festive occasion.
Ewald Heim demonstration
One of the most exciting exhibitions was European helicopter champion Ewald Heim. I've read about Mr. Heim for years in European publications; he has done very well at the Euro-cups (mini–World Championships). Ewald has won four consecutive Euro-cups with his own design, the Star-Ranger. This was his first visit to the United States, and I was glad to see him fly. Ewald can do things with the Star-Ranger I wouldn't have thought possible: vertical rolling dives with perfectly radiused pullouts to level flight. He is a true master, and I hope to see him fly again.
Manufacturers and products
American RC Helicopters
Jack Simone, George Crocker, and Curtis Crocker were on hand showing America's Super Mantis. From discussions with American RC, you will soon be able to set your Mantis up with a flexible-shaft tail rotor drive instead of the standard drive belt. I'm not sure why they made the change, as the Mantis seems to operate well with the belt drive. Not shown—but soon available—were Blue Thunder fuselages, just like the ships John Simone flew in the movie. Contact American RC for further details.
California Model Imports
Dave and Sandra Robertson showed their Kobe Kiko (KK) line of RC helicopters. Dave flew the Hughes 300 gas and glow machines as well as the new Robinson R‑22. The R‑22 is a one-fifth-scale model of the popular light helicopter. The KK R‑22 has a scale, flybarless rotor head of very interesting configuration. I hope to spotlight the R‑22 in a future column.
Gorham Model Products (GMP)
John and Robert Gorham (U.S. National Champ), Ewald Heim, Bob Hamilton, and Bill Curtis flew the GMP fleet. Joining John's extensive line is the Heim Star-Ranger — watch for an in-depth report next month. The GMP pilots were in the air constantly, right-side-up or inverted, performing all the Expert maneuvers.
Robert Gorham's and Bob Hamilton's autorotations to the helipad were the best I have ever seen. In an impromptu autorotation contest toward the end of the fly-in, Robert and Bob each put three consecutive autorotation landings on a three-foot-diameter helipad — in a word: incredible!
Also shown (but not flown) was the new GMP Cobra. This ball of fire is a scaled-down Competitor for .40–.50 engines. All-up weight is about 6.5 lb. I haven't had a chance to fly the Cobra yet, but I'm anxious to try this cute little skyrocket. When I asked Bob Hamilton how the Cobra handled, he smiled and said, "You'll like it." Expect the Cobra on dealer shelves just after the first of the year.
Miniature Aircraft Supply
Walt Schoonard and Ernie Huber demonstrated the Schluter line, especially their newest release, the Superior. I had a chance to fly one at Merced and was very impressed. I think the Superior will prove itself a very positive factor in the RC helicopter scene. Walt also showed the Super Boy, which is a Heliboy with a Superior head and tail rotor. The combination looks very good and should be a popular retrofit for many Heliboys around the country. For further information, contact Miniature Aircraft Supply.
Questions from the audience
Keep those questions and photos coming! If your question has general interest, I will publish it in the column. If you'd like a picture of your model in the column, please send glossy black-and-white photos, as they usually reproduce better than color prints. Do not send slides.
Until next month, remember: if you're flying with a 500 mAh flight pack, keep it down to six flights per charge, and never run the gyro off the same pack as the radio! BCNU.
Larry Jolly 5501 W. Como Santa Ana, CA 92703
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
