Hello all!

When you start planning for the Toledo R/C Exposition you know that flying season can't be that far behind! As long as it avoids Easter, the show known simply as Toledo usually happens on the first full weekend of April. That puts this years show on April 7th through 9th. I've already put in for vacation for that Friday! (Me too! Ed.) If you have ever been to this trade show of trade shows then you understand why it is called 'Model Mecca'. In addition to many fellow Skymasters, you will meet modelers from almost every state and around the world. A very large swap meet accompanies the manufacturers' trade show. Meet the people responsible for designing everything R/C from your favorite kit, to the hardware to build and fly it. Even with the recent rise in the price of gas, this one is worth the trip. You can visit on-line first at www.toledoshow.com.

As I was saying, flying season is just around the corner. In preparation for a busy summer we have some events scheduled that will help everything come together easier and get us into the air faster. Mark your calendars; Our flying site rent (or you can think of it that way) is Bald Mountain Involvement Day. This is the one day of the year that the Skymasters come out in force to help the State Park prepare for the busy upcoming season. Bald Mountain involvement day this year is scheduled for April 15th. Just remember Tax Day is our day to pay our "usage tax" to the park. There is everything from painting to clearing trees to building bridges. Watch the Skywriter and our web site for more details to come. Our only Larson School general meeting in April will be Wednesday, April 12th. We encourage all new members, student pilots, and instructors to attend this meeting as we are planning a ground school and going over field rules. What would normally be our last Larson School meeting of the season will be a meeting/work party at our field. Mark May 26th for this one on your calendars. It will be a chance to blow the dust off of the grill and spruce up our own corner of the park. Vice president Bill Wood will be coordinating this day so again , watch the Skywriter for details.

While we are still in the heart of building season make sure you make some progress on your Slow Pokes. We have over fifty kits out there, but I've only seen a few come to show and tell so far at the Larson School meetings. However, the ones we have seen are giving us a glimpse of the fun and creativity that will make our Slow Poke events so much fun, such as our Slow Poke Derby we are planning for the end of September. I am planning to go 'squint scale' with mine. I down-loaded some pictures of the Ford Flivver from the internet that I am going to use as a decorating guide. The Ford Flivver can be seen at the Henry Ford Museum and it is the closest thing to a Slow Poke look-a-like that I can think of . Much like concept cars of today, the Flivver was actually a 30's concept airplane when Ford envisioned airplanes as popular personnel transportation. So get those creative juices flowing and lets see some Slow Pokes!

All for now. Fly safely and happy landings!

Gary Weaks

Welcome to the March 2000 issue of Skywriter!

By the time you read this, our Swap Shop will have past... Thanks again to Gary Walling for coordinating all of the swap shop activities prior to the big day. Thanks to all those that helped out as well. I had to stick to my 20^th cutoff this month, so the report and pictures will be in next months Skywriter.

Congratu-baby-lations to Gary and Linda Walling on the birth of their second son - Jonathan Dale Walling - born February 15 (a week earlier than planned)! He was 8lbs 11oz and 10" long. Mom, Dad, baby, and big brother Ben are doing well.

Our 2000 Event Schedule is now set. It is included in this issue, and is on our Web site. Check out the dates. The full AMRCC schedule (all area clubs) will be in the next issue, and also on our web site in the next 2 weeks.

Correction from last month - the F7F review should appear in the April 2000 issue of RCM when it comes out. I had said March last month.

Remember, it is the time of the year when Mother Nature may affect our meetings. If weather is questionable, please watch the local news. If Troy schools cancel after school activities (or are closed), we are cancelled as well! Hopefully this can save many last minute phone calls!

Please send me any input you may have for the newsletter. Please send mail to GMCardillo@att.net, or to my address on the back cover...

Date: January 26^th, 2000

Location: Larson Middle School

• Dan Olah from Cloud Busters R/C Club
• Jack Lemmon, President of Cloud Busters R/C Club

• Gary Walling will not attend the Swap Shop on February 23^rd. Greg Cardillo will be filling in for him while Gary attends to his wife during her pregnancy delivery.
• Bill Dezur usually runs the kitchen during the Skymasters Swap Shop. Bill will not be able to attend, so Carl Long will be filling in for him.
• Please note that we need help from all Skymasters members for the annual Swap Shop. Help is needed for 30-minute work sessions from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Please sign up to help out in any of these time frames.
• Skymasters jackets are currently available. Order forms will be available in the next Skywriter. XXL will run $80.00.
• Reminder to members to bring in an engine to the February 9^th Larsen Middle School meeting.
• Reminder that if Troy schools are closed due to the weather, the Skymasters meeting will also be cancelled.
• The next Bull Session is February 5^th.
• Reminder to all members - if you have not already done so, now is the time to purchase your 2000 State Park sticker. See Greg Cardillo
• Pete Foss won the 50/50 raffle during the January 26^th meeting.
• Check the February SkyWriter for the Oakland Yard Aviation Club summer 2000 schedule.

• Indoor R/C and Free Flight with Dave George. Dave produces the Breezy line of indoor flyers. Dave provided an excellent Q & A informational session to the general membership. He introduced us to his Breezy and Breezy Ultra indoor R/C planes.

• Joe Hoss brought in a Positron with a speed 400 motor running on eight cells. It is a $20.00 kit, which weighs in at 14.6 ounces.
• Wade Wiley shared a Miss Bohemia (ARF).
• Grey Lane brought in his Slowpoke in the bones. Grey Lane won the Show-and-Tell prize.

• None

Motion to adjourn and second

Date: February 9^th, 2000

Location: Larson Middle School

• Brett Hartley

• Please note that we will be reinforcing our bylaws, which states "an applicant for initial membership must be approved by 2/3 of the membership present at a regularly scheduled club meeting". This will allow current members to meet and vote on future members.
• Gary Walling is still in need of volunteers for the Skymasters Swap Shop, which will be held February 23^rd at Larson Middle School in Troy. Please sign up by calling Gary at (248) 299-4654.

• Art and Dave gave an interactive presentation/demonstration on dismantling and restoring model airplane engines.

• Bob Burns and the retiree work crew brought in a Great Planes Spacewalker ARF. It will be one of the raffle prizes for the Midwest Regional Float Fly and is IMAA legal with a 79" wingspan. It weighs in at approximately 8 pounds.
• Greg Brausa brought in a CAP 232 Hanger Nine. It is powered by a YS 120 AC and weighs in at 13 lbs.
• Joe Finkelstine brought in a Troy Built Staudacher 300. It is powered by a SAITO 300, which should produce 24 to 28 pounds of thrust and weighs between 15.5 and 16 pounds.
• Harold Reuter brought in an Aqua Star.
• Jim Held brought in a cartoon scaled Slow Poke "GB."
• Joe Rubinstein brought in a Femto. It weighs 11 ounces and is powered by a 300 CAN motor running five to six cells with a 4:1 gear box.
• Engine 60 size 4 stroke

50/50 Raffle Winner: Brett Hartley

Show and Tell Winner: Greg Brausa

• None

March 6 and 20, 2000 Skymasters Retirees and Wanna Bees Breakfast - Denny's Rochester

714 Main Street at north end of Rochester. Join us for breakfast the 1^st and 3^rd Monday of each month starting November 1^st! Throw a plane in the car if the weathers nice, the group has been known to migrate to the field after breakfast. Contact Bob Burns for more info at 248-628-4666.

March 4 and 18, 2000 Skymasters Bull Sessions - Steve Fredericks' shop 9:00 AM

Come talk R/C, eat donuts and drink coffee with other Skymasters and families!

March 8, 2000 Skymasters Meeting - Larson Middle School, 7:30 PM

R/C Electronics with Pete Waters. Pete is the owner of Kraft Midwest, and our AMA District Frequency Coordinator. Pete always has a interesting topic to talk about, and can help answer any R/C Electronics questions you may have.

March 22, 2000 Skymasters Meeting - Larson Middle School, 7:30 PM

Hayden Harris joins us to talk about IAC Flying (the full size!) Hayden is a full scale Pitts pilot, and will share his experiences of flying 'in the box'.

April 12, 2000 Skymasters Meeting - Larson Middle School, 7:30 PM

Annual safety meeting required for our Gold Leader Club status. Ground School for all new pilots. Review of AMA Safety Code and Field Rules. Open discussion on safety and related issues.

Preparation and signup for Bald Mountain Involvement Day activities.

April 15, 2000 Skymasters Bald Mountain Involvement Day - Park Headquarters, 9:00 AM

This is a day we give to the park. Whether you can give an hour or two, or more, your time is appreciated. There are tasks for all! From sign painting to construction. Our activities have helped the park tremendously over the years. We had over 70 Skymasters (and families!) participate last year. We would like to top that number this year! This is our most important event of the year!

Sunday, March 12* Taste of Troy to benefit the Boys and Girls Club, Joe Hass

Sunday, March 19* Ribcrackers Swap Meet, Livonia, Vince Blasky 248-624-9442

Saturday, March 25* Michigan Pattern Assoc, Pattern Forum, WCCC

Saturday, April 1 & 15 Oakland Yard, Indoor Electric Fly 9pm-1am, Dave 248-673-0100

Sat-Sun, April 15,16 IMAC Judging, Flying Seminar, Wright Patterson, Dayton, Tony Falconio 519-736-4815

Saturday, April 29 Oakland Yard, Indoor Electric Fly 7pm-11pm, Dave 248-673-0100

*See additional information for these events in this issue of Skywriter!

Flying Pilgrims Swap Shop

Taste of Troy

Ribcrackers Swap Shop

Michigan Pattern Assoc. Pattern Forum

Toledo RC Expo

An R/C Exhibition from the Smithsonian is coming to Detroit. The display is in Saginaw thru March 19^th, and will be coming to the Detroit Historical Museum (Woodward, North of Warren) from April 8^th thru June 24^th. The display includes about 25 scale planes from the National Air and Space Museums collection of 3000 planes. Some help is being requested of local clubs. The museum will be staffing the exhibit, but they are looking for some 'experts' to answer questions. Help is needed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays during the exhibit from 10am - 3pm (with lunch break.)

The museum will also be holding a building day on Saturday, Jun 17 - they will provide the kits, but again help is needed. A flying demonstration at Fort Wayne and an outdoor static display is also possible - though plans are not finalized. Any planes displayed will be insured by the Smithsonian. Contact a member of the BOD if you are interested in helping out!

AMA is coordinating the involvement from all the area clubs.

Troy Built Models was recently purchased by club member Gene Payson. He is continuing to manufacture the two planes which Troy Crowe was making: the 27% One Design (72" wingspan), and the 31% Staudacher (78.5" wingspan). He is

Craig White has a XXL club jacket for sale - Jacket is new and is the 'Sport' style. Logo is embroidered on front and back. Available immediately (allow one week if you want your name on it.) For sale for $90. Contact Craig at 248-435-5235 or 248-388-3564 (Nextel).

Skymasters field is located within the Bald Mountain State Park (see map). State Park Permits are required and can be obtained from the Park Headquarters located on Greenshield Road or at club events. Flying is permitted from 10 AM to 8 PM. The noise limit for 2000 is 94dBa at 10 feet - this noise rule is strictly enforced.

Wednesday evenings during the summer is Student Night and there are usually instructors around all afternoon. Student night is also 'pot luck' buffet night so that you can fly-n-feed (though not usually at the same time). Students are encouraged on other days and weekends. It is a great idea to come on Wednesday, meet the Instructors and arrange for more instruction time together. Our Chief Flight Instructor is Greg Brausa.

From June to August, Club Meetings are held at the field on the first Saturday of the month at 12 Noon - a great chance to fly and gossip too! Winter meetings (September to May) are held at Larson Middle School (on Long Lake just east of John R - see map) on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:30 PM. Show and Tell, coffee and donuts, and model-speak are the order of the evening. Come along - they are fun.

The Skywriter newsletter is sent to all members, local hobby shops and other local R/C clubs. Any and all contributions are welcome, please pass any articles to the Editor. If you know of anyone who may be interested in our hobby (friend, relative, neighbor, colleague or acquaintance) - please give them a copy of this newsletter or a copy of an AMA magazine - it may spark their interest and get them into our hobby!