Control Line: Aerobatics
It's the middle of winter here in Southern Texas, which means that it's been raining for over a week. Probably more appropriate to be thinking of an ark than my next plane, but I'm not. As I was pondering how to go about the process of design and construction, I recalled all the methods I have tried before-from "in the air" to the best jigs devised. Then I thought about which planes flew the best and most consistently. There were some that I simply had to get done, and they turned out okay. But they were usually a bit heavier, took longer to trim, and were not what I was looking for.
Control Line: Aerobatics
EVERYONE who reads this column regularly is familiar with the Vintage Stunt Championships held every spring in Tucson, Arizona. This contest has really provided the impetus for the growth of Nostalgia and Old-Time Stunt in recent years. Tucson is quite a distance from the eastern seaboard, so there has been much talk of another Vintage contest. The rumors are finally coming to fruition with the formal announcement of the Eastern States Vintage Stunt Championships.
Control Line: Aerobatics
LAST MONTH, I discussed fuselage jigs for semiscale models. Those techniques are certainly applicable to other aircraft as well. In that column, I also promised to comment on the more conventional crutch-and-block approach. Just to reiterate: Taking the time to do proper alignment pays big dividends on all your building. If you compare the amount of time necessary for accurate alignment with the total time necessary for the entire building project, you can easily see why you really don't have any alternative. To ensure a good-flying plane every time, you should use an appropriate jig to align all the assemblies. It's not all that difficult-it really is nothing more than developing the mindset and getting on with it.
Control Line: Aerobatics
ANOTHER Vintage Stunt Championships has come and gone. Every year the character of the event changes, more new and old faces appear, and the number of contestants increases. Marvelous new airplanes and older resurrected ones magically appeared from all manner of vehicles as the weekend approached. With the really bad storms in the East, many took advantage of the good weather in Tucson and came early to fly and sightsee. In general, conditions remained excellent throughout the week, as they usually are this time of year in Tucson.
Control Line: Aerobatics
ONE LAST REMINDER to make plans for the third edition of the Vintage Champs, to be held again in Tucson, AZ on March 23 and 24. Old-Timer will be flown on Saturday and Nostalgia on Sunday, with two rounds for each event. Come early and enjoy the great weather and an excellent flying site. Contact Mike Keville at 6109 East Ivyglen, Mesa, AZ 85205; tel. 1-602/985-3363. Just finished watching another of Windy Urtnowski's videos. Called "Advanced Trimming Techniques," it's the second in his trimming series. I'm going to get the first one and the planned follow-ons. Surveying many of the significant developments in trimming over the last few years, the tape begins with tips on flying the pattern, giving details on each maneuver, and continues with a discussion of airplane trim changes for various situations. At $14.95 (plus $3.00 shipping and handling) this tape is a bargain that will repay you many times over. I thoroughly recommend it.
