Free Flight: Indoor
DIFFERENT STROKES. Sometimes we get all wound up in our regular competition events to the neglect of the unorthodox events (Helicopter, Ornithopter and Autogyro) and some of the offbeat non-AMA events such as Grapenut Scale, A-6, and Towline Glider. While there is nothing wrong with concentrating on competition events, we do miss out on the change of pace and the different challenge of these other events. Well, one thing I have learned by reading club newsletters is that several clubs around the country have included one or more special events in their contest and Fun-Fly schedules, often with good success.
Free Flight: Indoor
LOOK SHARP! That applies two ways to the Rubber Speed event; first, it often is run for short periods on a fixed time schedule, so you have to be sure not to miss it. Second, the flight judges need to watch carefully to be sure a model hasn't "cut" a pylon. What's he mumbling about? Well, a new event on the scene at a few contests is called Rubber Speed or Circle Speed or Peanut Speed-but the event is a challenge, whatever you call it. The rules call for two pylons to be 20 ft. apart, and the model is required to take off and make two complete circles around the pylons. The score is based on the elapsed time required for the model to complete two full laps-the faster the model, the lower the time and the better the score.
Free Flight: Indoor
MAKE READY! This is the time of the year that Indoor fliers begin to think about the upcoming contest season. Don't do like I do-put off looking at the models until the night before the contest. I usually find out that there are warps in the paper-covered models, holes in the microfilm models, and the only rubber I have stripped is for the model that was destroyed last spring while trying to balloon it down from the rafters! Besides all that, I used the last of the patching film last spring, and there isn't a single sheet of film in storage. Wise up!
Free Flight: Indoor
GOOD NEWS FIRST! The last column told a tale of woe-how the New York City area fliers were looking gloomily toward the loss of two of their regular sites. Although they have not replaced the Nassau County Arena in Long Beach, the latest word is that they have reestablished contacts to allow flying in the Low Library Rotunda at Columbia University. Then, in Florida, John Martin's MIAMA club has again been able to schedule activity in the Goodyear Hangar at Opa Locka Airport in Miami.
Free Flight: Indoor
MORE GLOOM AND DOOM. The previous column (March 1984) carried glad tidings of business as usual at West Baden. We had to publish a disclaimer on that in the April 1984 "Competition Newsletter," since the traditional type of Indoor Week will no longer be possible at the Atrium. I'm sorry about this release of bad information, but we all just knew that the site would be available again! Unfortunately, the new owner of the Atrium is remarkably insensitive to the needs of Indoor fliers! The process of renovation to produce a new resort hotel out of the building may include a swimming pool and other amenities in the Atrium incompatible with Indoor flying. So passes a marvelous site which holds happy memories for many of us.
