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
MY report on the 1989 Toledo show mentioned that Gorham Model Products was working on a new Helicopter featuring noncollective, Hiller-only steering aimed at the novice Helicopter pilot market. The Rebel now being shipped (August 1989) to GMP dealers has undergone considerable evolution from the prototype shown at Toledo. I know that a lot of you are going to be leery of reverting back to ancient technology, but while it's simple, the Rebel is very easy to build and fly. By looking backward towards simplicity with the experience we have today, GMP has been able to achieve a classic mix of old and new and has succeeded in its quest for producing a low-cost, high-quality, rugged airframe suitable for training. A particular goal was to satisfy the aircraft modeler who already has a .40-size engine and a spare four-channel radio available.
Radio Control: Helicopters
IMAGINE a beautifully maintained athletic field, warm sunny temperatures, a well-organized radio impound, and over 200 people who feel the same way about RC Helicopters that you do. That's what I found last September 23-24 as the Merced County RC Club again hosted its annual Helicopter fly-in. This has become the major Helicopter fun fly in the U.S. with more than 100 registered pilots and over 250 RC Helis in attendance this year. I've never seen so much enthusiasm-at most times there were at least seven Helicopters in the air, and at one point Saturday afternoon I counted over 13 of them in the air at one time!
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!
Radio Control: Helicopters
REVIEWING GMP'S Legend: Welcome back. This month we're going to take a look at John Gorham's latest effort, the new GMP Legend. Instead of going into the standard, "the kit arrived in a well-packed, colorful box" routine, let's skip that for a few minutes and get right to the heart of the Legend. The machine features a flybarless rotor and is, straight from the box, without a doubt the best all-around Helicopter I have ever flown. In the hands of an average chopper pilot, the Legend is capable of incredible aerobatic flights. In the hands of an expert like Robert Gorham, the Legend gives demos that will leave others envious.
