AMA Nats: FF Indoor Scale
INDOOR SCALE had a slightly different feel to it this year due to a rule imposed by AMA specifically for this Nationals. The rule simply states, "The same model cannot be entered into more than one event, except in Free Flight Indoor and Outdoor Peanut Scale events." The net effect of the rule was to eliminate what has been the common practice of entering a single aircraft (ordinarily a Lacey or Fike, for some reason) in four events: Indoor Scale, Outdoor Scale, Indoor Peanut Scale, and Outdoor Peanut Scale. Whether it is a good rule or not remains to be seen, but it did relieve the judges of the monotony of judging numerous versions of the same aircraft up to four times, which can be a mind-numbing experience. It also eliminated the rather opportunistic "trophy collecting" practices evident in past contests by a select few individuals. It may also have had another effect (which I'll address later).
FF Outdoor Rubber
OUTDOOR RUBBER flying began auspiciously enough with Wakefield on Monday, the second day of Outdoor competition, as lessening winds and a decided warming trend gave everyone hope that the full potential of the Badger Mountain site would be realized as the week went on. Wakefield: Those who believe that bloodlines tell a story will love the outcome of Wakefield. Some 53 years ago Charles Tracy, then of Cleveland, OH, won a spot on the 1936 U.S. Wakefield team. This year his son, Dan Tracy of Maple Valley, WA, won the 1989 version of the event. Not only that, but Charles' grandson, Adam, finished in sixth place as the best Senior, pushing everyone, including his dad, for the top spot. Prior to his Nats achievement, Adam had represented the U.S. in Poland, competing in Wakefield as part of the 1988 FAI Junior FF World Championships. Veteran Hank Cole finished second to Dan Tracy in Wake as young Blake Jensen came within 31 seconds of Hank for third place.
FF Indoor Scale
THE KIBBIE DOME at the University of Idaho (Moscow, ID) was every bit as good as advertised as far as Indoor Scale flying was concerned at this year's Nats. Even though only half of the floor area was allocated to Scale for a five-hour period (and that was shared with an unofficial Bostonian event), it couldn't have been better. I don't recall a single flight flirting with disaster on the walls, seats, or ceiling. Drift was so marginal that many of the planes that ROG'd from the four plywood sheets placed over the center of the carpeted (yes, carpeted!) floor landed back on the plywood, much to the delight and applause of the spectators.
FF Power
ONE of the largest bones of contention to plague recent Nationals contests has been the question of an acceptable site for flying Outdoor Free Flight events. The critical nature of that site selection decision has been pivotal to the point that last year's National's Free Flight Duration events were canceled when the preselected site was found to be unavailable at contest time. Given the immediate past history of Free Flight site problems in Virginia and before that in Nebraska, special care was taken by the AMA site-selection committee to find a location that would suit the needs of the Free Flight community.
Kansas Wakefield Champ
OVER A HALF-CENTURY ago, Ernie Linn's first attempt at a Wakefield design ultimately evolved into the Kansas Wakefield Champ of 1938 and 1939. Although the design was never formally published as a construction article at that time, sufficient photographic evidence and drawings existed for the plane to be certified legal by John Pond for today's SAM contests. The story of how this contest-winning airplane came into being is an interesting trip down nostalgia lane in itself, and for those who flew during that era it's bound to stir up memories. Here is Ernie's account of those events and times:
