Radio Control: Pylon Racing

Author: B. Hager

Edition: Model Aviation - 1989/02
Page Numbers: 51, 163, 164

Radio Control: Pylon Racing

Bill Hager 4 Holly Springs Dr. Conroe, TX 77302

NMPRA Q500 Championship — North Lake/Dallas, October 8–9, 1988

The following report was supplied by Bob Greer, who was the Contest Director for the 1988 races.

Summer's end usually means Championship Race time for most pylon racers. Our latest event—Q500—has really taken off, and of course we have a Championship Race for that event.

This year's National NMPRA Q500 Championship was held at North Lake/Dallas on October 8–9. We had a good turnout, with fliers coming from Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, California, and Texas. Donna Bartle came all the way from California to be the starter. She did her usual great job. The week before the race she hurt her arm, so she had Marc Greer do the actual flagging. He did a great job for his first race as starter.

After getting things organized, racing started. The rain was so bad you could hardly see the airplanes on the course. In retrospect we should have stopped the heat. Bill Gates won the first heat, but his radio later failed from water damage. We're all thankful that there was no loss of equipment. The weather continued to deteriorate with temperatures falling into the 50s. The race was postponed until 2:00 p.m. in hopes that the rain would stop. Everyone took the opportunity to get lunch, run home, and get some warmer clothes. The clouds broke about 1:00 p.m., and eventually the temperature got up to 70°.

The first round started out fast. There were five times below 1:22, with Henry Bartle turning a 1:19.93. After five rounds we called it a day so everybody would have time to clean up for the banquet at my house. Henry dropped a point in round five to Paul Benezra in one of the closest races of the day. Not counting zeroes, Paul had the fastest average time of the contest at 1:21.75.

At the end of five rounds Jim Allen had the only perfect score, followed by Bartle and Gates down one point. Yours truly, CD, had been handing out raffle tickets and forgot to fuel up for heat three — big zero. Mike Darnell was working on best crash, having crashed, rebuilt, and crashed again. However, Howell stuffed his plane coming around the number three pylon on the last heat of the day, and the workers voted it best crash of the day.

All workers and pilots were invited for hamburgers, beer, and pylon movies. Unfortunately, somebody had taped two hours of MTV over our best tapes the night before. My kids blamed it on the dog, but Jim Allen saved the day. He brought tapes of the new jet they'd put together in Phoenix, and everybody enjoyed them. Everybody ate and drank their fill and seemed to have a good time.

The weather looked much better Sunday morning. There was light fog, but it looked like it would burn off. The wind had also moved to the north, so we moved the course. It continued to be warm and turned out to be a beautiful day in the mid-seventies.

Paul Benezra started out round six with a double on number two and dropped to put him down six points. The times started out much slower in round six, with fast time being Bartle at 1:25.05. In heat four of round nine, Eide and I got into a close wing-tip-to-wing-tip race. About the fifth lap, Eide center-punched a pylon to about six inches down from the top. That's flying tight! It knocked him down three points, but he was guaranteed the best crash trophy.

The sponsors were very kind for this race. Trophies were sponsored by Bob Greer, Rich Tobin, Club Jet, Mike's Hobby Hanger, and the NMPRA. Airtronics was the premier sponsor and supplied two 1991 Module radios. Futaba also donated two Conquest radios. Other sponsors included Bold Hobbies, Master Airscrew, Tru-Turn, Ace R/C, Performance Specialties, and Bob Greer (airplane).

Prizes and raffle results:

Jim Allen received one of the Airtronics radios for first place.
Henry Bartle won a Futaba radio for third place.
Vickory Richardson won the other Airtronics module in the raffle.
Marc Greer won the Futaba Conquest in the raffle.
Rich's Hobbies of Houston supplied gift certificates for the raffle and provided Ritch's Brew for the race.

Each worker received six raffle tickets for each day's work. Each pilot received one ticket for racing. All in all, everyone seemed to have a great time. A special thanks to all the workers who made it such a great race. If you missed this one you missed a good one. There is always next year.

TOP 10 FINISHERS

NMPRA Q500 Championship Race

Jim Allen — Plane: V-Tail; Engine: Rossi; Points: 30; Best Time: 1:21.41
Henry Bartle — Plane: U-Tail; Engine: Rossi; Points: 28; Best Time: 1:19.93
Bill Gates — Plane: Scat Cat; Engine: Rossi; Points: 25; Best Time: 1:22.08
Paul Benezra — Plane: V-Tail; Engine: Rossi; Points: 24; Best Time: 1:29.56
Eide — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 23; Best Time: 1:21.72
Johnson — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 22; Best Time: 1:27.52
Greer — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 21; Best Time: 1:20.01
Klein — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 20; Best Time: 1:27.70
Demay — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 19; Best Time: 1:20.73
Cranfill — Plane: Q500; Engine: Rossi; Points: 18; Best Time: 1:30.64

Engines: R = Rossi, W = Webra

Safety: Methyl Alcohol

We all know that many of the materials we use to build our models can be toxic, and we try to be careful when handling them. There are, however, a few things we may miss. Methyl alcohol is one such substance commonly used for cleaning engines or wiping down a plane before painting.

Joe Sullivan at La-Lee Co., Dallas, TX, brought the following toxicology information to my attention:

Methyl alcohol possesses distinct narcotic properties and is a slight irritant to mucous membranes.
Its main toxic effect is on the nervous system, particularly the optic nerve and possibly the retina. The eye effects have been attributed to methyl formic, followed by atrophy of the optic nerve.
Once absorbed, methyl alcohol is very slowly eliminated; coma from massive exposures may last two to four days.
In the body, methyl alcohol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid, both toxic.
Because it is eliminated slowly, methyl alcohol should be regarded as a cumulative poison. Single exposures to fumes may cause no harmful effect, but daily exposure can lead to accumulation and illness.
Severe exposures may cause dizziness, unconsciousness, depressed respiration, cardiac depression, and death.
Less severe exposure can produce blurring of vision, photophobia, conjunctivitis, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, and a feeling of intoxication. Visual symptoms may clear temporarily and recur later, progressing to blindness. Irritation of the throat and respiratory tract, peripheral neuritis, and other neurological symptoms have been reported.
The skin may become dry and cracked due to the solvent action of methyl alcohol.

We can't be too careful. Pay attention to the chemicals you use in the hobby and take appropriate precautions.

Rules Proposals and Contest Boards

There are a lot of new rules proposals up for vote by your district Contest Board members. Let these people know how you feel — your input will influence them. Their job is to support what you, the AMA member, wants — not just what they personally feel. Communicate!

(Editor's note: Next month's "Competition Newsletter" should list the rules proposals which have survived the initial vote of the Contest Boards. There is one last vote the boards must make before the rules proposals are accepted for 1990/91, the Final Vote. That vote is done by May 1, so if you want to influence your district Contest Board member, you have to do it before then. — REM)