Radio Control: Pylon Racing
Dave Lane
I had the good fortune to be invited to Colorado Springs the first weekend in October for a tour of the Air Force Academy. While I was there, F. Tuxworth hauled me down to Pueblo for the Q.M. race on Sunday.
The Sky Corral R.C. Club of Pueblo really put on a show for one day of racing. They have a beautiful place to fly with not one, but three, 500-foot, paved runways. The runways are laid out in the classic triangle to afford landings and takeoffs into the wind, no matter which direction it is blowing.
There were 13 entries with Jack Stafford coming all the way from Culver City, California, four from Colorado Springs, one from Aspen and the rest from Pueblo. There were four rounds of racing and a fly-off between D. Pisciotta and B. Pachak for second place. B. Pachak was faster, but D. Pisciotta won the flyoff for second by not cutting while Pachak had one cut.
B. Pachak has the fast time of the meet with a 1:53. I am told that was a new fast time for the Colorado area.
After the contest racing was over, and Jack Aycock of Colorado Springs had won the bash, several of the guys had a grudge race. Everybody put two dollars apiece in the pot and went at it. Aycock won that too. Some guys just don't know when to quit.
Then Jack Aycock and Jack Stafford decided to have a match race. Stafford won easily and lapped Aycock. Sorry about that Aycock!
If you ever get a chance to attend one of the Sky Corral's contests, do it. Their hospitality is outstanding and they are ready and willing to help all they can.
I wish to personally thank the Sky Corral for a very pleasant weekend, and also Jack Aycock and his lovely wife for their hospitality during my stop in Colorado Springs.
No, I am not going to the Air Force Academy. Jack Stafford's son, John, is considering the Academy, so I flew John over in my Piper Arrow for the weekend. Jack met us there and Aycock squired us around the rest of the weekend. Thanks again!
An Unlimited Q.M. Race was held on the last weekend of October at the basin in Van Nuys, California. Unfortunately, only 17 fliers showed. This race was for tuned pipes and anything goes in the propeller department. I don't know if it was due to lack of advertisement, or if the Q.M. boys are not interested in a superfast Q.M. event. From what I have heard since the Nats, I would believe that most of the guys want to stay with the rules as they are written in the AMA rule book, with the exception of hard hats for the fliers.
I also understand that Bob Violett turned a 1:17.0 for 11 laps at the Formula One Championships in Florida. That means he would have turned a 1:10.5 or 25 for ten laps. He was turning his K&B 24,500 rpm's on the line and it was staying together. Not bad! Bob also commented
Radio Control: Pylon Racing
that it was very difficult to keep up with the airplane at that speed.
I wonder where it will end? I firmly believe that the majority of the Formula One pilots are not capable of handling a Formula One ship at these speeds. If you guys will think about it, how many times have you seen a guy with a very fast plane get into trouble because he could not stay ahead of it?
Maybe we should consider milder fuel and stock props as a method of keeping the speed down to allow a little more margin for safety, so we don't lose the event.
I expect I will get a blast from the few diehards who believe only in all-out speed, and I can appreciate their feelings. But I am looking at the preservation of the event so that more people will participate.
Think about it, and let me know what your ideas are on the issue of slowing down Formula One, and keeping Q.M. as stated in the 1976-1977 AMA Rule Book.
Dave Lane, 4477 W. 136th St., Hawthorne, CA 90250.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
