Radio Control: Helicopters
EVEN THOUGH this is the February 1989 "RC Helicopter" column, I'm writing it in November of 1988. So remembering that lead time, it is not too much of a surprise that I'll be talking about October 15-16 as if it were recent history. And what about October 15-16? Well, those were the dates of the 1988 Chicago Model and Hobby Show, and (as you've probably figured out) I'm going to talk about some of the new products on display there. Before we march into what's new in RC Helicopters, I'd like to tell you what I was doing at the show. It seems that the AMA and RCHTA got together and decided that it would be great public relations to get together a crew of recognized RC pilots and have them meet the modelers visiting the show. So the AMA had a line of booths with people on display.
Radio Control: Helicopters
DIE HARD. That's the name of my latest movie project, and I'd like to pass along some ideas and experiences I've gained while working on it. Die Hard is a new Fox production starring Bruce Willis. There is some spectacular full-size helicopter flying done in the film: flying close to buildings-and at night, to boot. I was pretty thrilled when offered the chance to do the film, as it meant building some UH-1s, and I would be working for Boss Films (which is fast becoming the premier special effects house in Hollywood). There were two major shots requiring miniatures. The first was to be a crane shot looking down on top of a building while a miniature flew through a giant fireball. The second shot was a crash sequence off the top of a building, ending with the tail boom totally separating from the Huey in flight.
Radio Control: Helicopters
ONE of the biggest Helicopter fly-ins ever! That's how I would have to describe the 6th Annual West Coast Radio Control Helicopter Fly-In which took place October 1-2, 1988 in Merced, CA. Imagine a flight line over a quarter-mile long. Over 250 machines were present, with over 120 pilots registered. We had people flying in from all over the U.S. as well as Canada, Hawaii, and Japan. I was amazed at both the numbers of participants and the quality of the machines, but I was especially amazed with the overall enthusiasm. Helicopters were in the air from early morning to sunset, and boy! Can you guys fly!
AMA Nats: RC Helicopters
THE SITE that the Nats Planning Committee picked for RC Helicopters at the Tidewater (VA) Nats was not suitable. You know I don't like to pick on the Nats organizers, but let's face it: If you promote a contest and expect people from all over the country to attend, you should at least have a usable site. Modern Helicopters do more than bounce around on the ground on training gear. Intermediate and FAI Pilots are flying around and performing aerobatics. Helicopters, just like conventional airplanes, need some room to accelerate and set up for each maneuver. The original site came complete with uneven ground terrain, not to mention a light pole that was centrally located and equipped with Helicopter-crashing wires overhead. I doubt that guys looking for a place to sport fly would have even considered the original site.
Radio Control: Helicopters
JUST BEFORE the Toledo Show John Gorham called and wanted to know if I'd like to visit him at Calabassas and check our the new GMP machine, the Legend. I knew John had been working on a new Helicopter design with emphasis on aggressive aerobatics, but I didn't think he would be ready for a Toledo debut in April. We agreed to meet on Saturday morning. I met John and his son, Robert, at the familiar GMP testing ground, where Robert already had the new machine airborne. Even though Robert is truly an outstanding pilot, I immediately noticed how nicely the Legend was skating across the sky. I saw consecutive loops, rolls, great Belgiums, and groovy straight flight between the maneuvers.
