Control Line: Aerobatics
The Dance It is with but a touch that you come alive. I run to seek your control so that you can lift to be where you belong with me. I raise my hand to show we're ready; We are one, to do what we are destined to do. With the accuracy of a machine and the grace of weightless snow, we perform the beauty only we can know. Together we climb to the stars and attack the ending ground. Then turn away and laugh with joy at the shouting of the crowd. We dance the circles and leap away to another part of time.
Control Line: Aerobatics
NO SURPRISE: Anyone who has tried to be a Control Line Stunt flier during the past 10 or 15 years will know that most traditional modeling suppliers no longer consider us a viable market. With the bright and shining exception of the people at Sig-and to a lesser, but still appreciated extent, at Sterling, Carl Goldberg, and Top Flite-the industry folk feel there aren't enough of us spending enough bucks to justify continued development of products for our segment of the hobby. Yes, building CL Stunt ships has become an even more specialized pursuit due to the limited resources available to those who wish to pursue the hobby. Were it not for a handful of small specialty suppliers, Stunt might well have gone the way of the dinosaurs. We owe a great debt of thanks to those enterprising individuals who make it possible for us to obtain the kits, engines, and hardware necessary to continue to enjoy Stunt flying.
Control Line: Aerobatics
FIRST order of business for this month is to make an honest man of "Henri." You will recall that the subject of the last two months' columns was an exchange of letters between myself and a European flier whom I christened "Henri." I did this because the subject of our letters was the attitudes and expectations of American fliers in international competition. Henri (as I called him) had some fairly outspoken opinions on the subject, and I took it upon myself to disguise his identity. Well, "Henri" wrote back and made it quite clear that he had no need or desire for anonymity and would very happily stand behind his words as written, thank you very much.
Control Line: Aerobatics
I THOUGHT we'd spend our time together this month talking about a couple of engine problems. I received a letter a few months back from Charly Pate of Nashville, TN. Along with a few nice words about the column and the Nats, Charly asked me the following question: "What determines where the fuel tank should be placed? All fuel tank heights are referred to in relationship to the needle valve; i.e., `Set the center of the fuel tank even with the needle valve,' etc. Often the tank's location is not even shown on plans. I remember that Al Rabe once made a fixture which allowed him to raise and lower the needle valve, hoping, of course, to fine tune his engine without shimming the tank. It was a failure. Sure would like to see some comments on this."
Control Line: Aerobatics
HI, GANG. You'll recall that a few months back I did a series of columns discussing my modification of the Sig Twister. I've received several positive letters from fliers indicating their desire to see more of that type of article. This is evidence that the majority of my readers are neither rank beginners nor top-five Nats fliers. Rather, they are competent pilots who are looking for information and projects with which they can improve their existing skills and enhance their competitive standing amongst their peers. To do this they are in search of good-flying, attractive aircraft-ones which don't require a year to build (and/or repair), yet provide better performance than the available commercial kits.
