Radio Control: Helicopters
I'VE always thought we had pretty good flying weather here in North Carolina, at least until this year. We've just wrapped up 14 weeks of lousy weekend weather, and as I'm writing this June column, I'm looking forward to flying my new American R/C Commander helicopter, without getting cold and wet in the process. I first reported about the Commander after seeing the prototype at the 1978 Nats. The Commanders, like the weather, have changed considerably since then. The production Commander retains the rugged Revolution II framework but adds the components necessary to change the fixed-pitch Revolution II to a collective-pitch aerobatic helicopter. And with the addition of the most recent modification kit, the Commanders have autorotation potential. Since the basic Revolution II configuration is retained, modification of existing Revolution II and Revolution II Rigid Rotor helicopters is a fairly simple operation, although not as simple as I may have led you to believe in the December column.
Radio Control: Helicopters
I WANT to thank all the fellows who've written or called me during the past months. I think I've answered all the letters, but occasionally I lose some in the shop and find them weeks later. I'm getting better though, so if you haven't gotten a reply from me, write again. This month the weather is better, and I've decided to do more flying and less writing. I hope these few ramblings will hold your interest while I recoup a few flying skills. First, for those of us who break helicopters, Lloyd Wheeler of S.C. Modelers called me a few months ago and told me of a method for straightening bent flybars. Lloyd says main rotor shafts may be straightened similarly, but I haven't tried a shaft yet. A pair of pliers or vise, an electric hand drill, and a block of wood are all that are needed to transform a flybar from a lazy "S" to a reasonably straight unit.
Radio Control: Helicopters
AS PROMISED last month the following is the R/C Helicopter Judges Guide prepared by the chairman of the R/C Helicopter Advisory Committee. Since this guide and the rules on Page 50 of the AMA's Official Model Aircraft Regulations of 1978/79 are provisional, the Advisory Committee is asking for your inputs so that appropriate changes may be made through the AMA Contest Board. Judge's Guide Maneuver Descriptions GROUP ONE NOVICE 1. 15-Second Hover. Helicopter lifts off smoothly from main helipad (#1) and remains over same while climbing in hover attitude to 3- to 6-foot altitude. Helicopter should be in stationary hover for 15 seconds minimum.
Radio Control: Helicopters
GOOD news for RC Helicopter fliers. John Tucker is back to writing the Choppers column for R/C Model Builder. If, like me, you grab at the latest issues of every model mag looking for helicopter articles, look again at R/C Model Builder. Welcome back, John. Over the past few months some of the more proficient helicopter pilots have, no doubt, been thinking about helicopter autorotations. Some are now routinely shutting down their engines and autorotating down to soft landings. Quite a change from the early days of stop-and-go approaches to landings-remember? The engine stopped and the helicopter went all to pieces. Well, autorotations might not have been new when American R/C Helicopters introduced their Commander Helicopter with autorotation modification, but the excitement sure is. If you're excited about trying autorotations, Mike Mas has some suggestions. I have condensed his writing for this column.
Radio Control: Helicopters
ONE of the advantages of flying RC Helicopters is that of being able to demonstrate RC flying in confined areas. Dale Willoughby reports on one such demonstration in the paragraphs below. Of course, as Dale reports, not only Helicopters but also small fixed-wing models participated, and to round out Dale's report I've included photos of those machines as well. To use Dale's final words in a different way, "After all, both activities are recreation." Dale's story of RC demonstration flying at White Sox Park, Chicago, follows. "Nearly 25,000 avid baseball fans were treated to something different the last Sunday in April. In former years model flying demonstrations were limited to Control Line due to space and tricky wind conditions. This year Frank Garcher, genial prexy of Midwest Products, put together a fast-paced, exciting RC flying demonstration between double-header games of the White Sox and Anaheim Angels.
