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SkyWriter
Chartered Club #970
Skymasters R/C Club Newsletter
- August 2000
See Skymasters on the Web at www.geocities.com/~skymasters
President's Message
Hello and greetings,
At the risk of using a pun I'll say that
the summer is really flying by! Here we are in August already, but we still
have several flying events ahead. Remember to read the Skywriter
for all of the details, but a few dates to put on your calendar include
August 12th for our annual Multi-event. If your plane has multiple engines,
wings, fuselages, or all three (wow, I can't even picture all three) bring
it to the Multi Event. Also, August 20th is our annual Corn Roast and Top
Gun Contest. Enjoy corn on the cob picked just hours earlier. The flying
is quite a treat as well. This year will also include a slot for Great
Planes Slow Pokes. Don't miss the fun.
Our big event of the year, the 10th
Annual Mid-West Regional Float-Fly is also just around the corner on September
9 and 10. Once again SKS Video Productions will be covering the action.
Of course this enormous event requires lots and lots of volunteers. There
are many jobs before, during and after the flying. If you can help out
at all, Carl Long is coordinating this year's effort, please contact him
and be a part of our decade celebration.
If you have never flown from the water
before it is best to seek advice from a more skilled club member first.
Last year was my first year of participation as a flyer and I am looking
forward to more fun this year. Flying from the water requires some unique
considerations beyond the design and attachment of floats. One is the fact
that you must use a non-wooden propeller. The prop striking the water spray
will instantly chew up a wooden prop. Once you master the water flying
skills, the picturesque flying sites are quite rewarding. (There is
an excellent article by Chuck Cunningham in an old RCModeler on setting
up planes on floats… Let us know if you need a copy, or talk to other club
members that have flown on floats before. Ed.)
Just in case giant scale isn't quite large
enough, friend and Skymaster Grey Lane introduced me to ultralight flying.
We attended a recent ultralight fly-in near Flint and I got the thrill
of my life when it was my turn to take a ride with an instructor in a two-place
ultralight trainer. Prior to take-off I was a little concerned about the
absence of any solid structure around me. This was truly a motorcycle with
wings. However, once airborne and with the control stick in my hand I was
immersed in the pure joy of flying. Once back on the ground I checked out
the many variations of this branch of aviation. In many respects it is
much like our hobby. Most pilots built their own planes from kits and personalized
them. There was a tremendous emphasis on safety both on the ground and
in the air. Engine reliability was the most emphasized. With dual ignition,
dual carburetors and engine instrumentation this is where the priority
was placed. This is a good lesson for us R/Cers, too. Engine failures probably
cause more damage to R/C planes than any other type of failure. How many
of us are flying with worn out glow plugs, dirty fuel filters or no fuel
filter? We can all be safer pilots if we take the extra time to ensure
that we have reliable engine set-ups.
Lastly, just a reminder to join in on the
fun we are having on Wednesday student nights. Bring a plane, something
for the grill and a dish to share. We usually eat around 6. Enjoy the flying
and camaraderie of your club.
That's all for this month. Fly safe and
happy landings.
Gary Weaks
From the Editor…
Welcome to the August 2000 issue of Skywriter!
Running late this month, but a lot of information on our events to share!
I am running out of time this month, so
no pictures this time… I'll try to get some on the web by mid-month.
Several successful events again in July
- dodging the rain showers - see more details inside - and Student nights
continue including our annual Fish Fry on August 16!. Some great turnouts
recently! August is also the home of our Multi Engine / Multi Wing Event
and our annual Corn Roast / Top Gun event with a Slow Gun event this year
as well. Look for more info inside!
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…
Events of the Last Month
Fun Fly
Mark Smith
The Day was far from perfect, then it
started to rain. A plane was sacrificed to the tree gods but still no break
in the weather. (a tough loss Carl) I guess we can't always have calm winds
and sunshine. The gusty wind gave everyone problems, although the wind
did pop more balloons than the planes did. The events were stopped because
of a thunder storm moving in. When all was said and done we completed only
2 of the 4 events planned for the day. We did get to try the carrier landing
after the rain stopped, Cardillo and Lange will have a step on the Competition
next year!
A total of 19 pilots braved the wind and
rain; at the end Greg Cardillo & Ross Hardy took the honors in the
expert class, Dave Lange & Ross Jones aced the Intermediate class and
Michael Fleming in the student class with Greg Cardillo as his Instructor.
The slowpoke class was cancelled because of high winds.
Jerry Blumenthal and his score keeping
wizards did an excellent job of keeping track of the events. There were
reports of money changing hands; an investigation is underway! Carl Long
did a great job keeping everyone fed along with his kitchen helpers Josh
Hardy and Andy Smith. The field crew Bob Donohue and Paul Zabawa kept the
balloons set-up and things moving along. I want to thank everyone who helped
to make this a fun event! I hope everyone had as much fun flying as I did
planning this event. Start building those fun fly ships now - next year
will be sunny?!!(please)
(Thanks Mark for coordinating the event!
That Carrier Landing is going to be a tough one next year… Ed.)
'Big H' Four Stroke
Greg Cardillo
In between the rain storms, we had about
a 3 1/2 hour window from 10-1:30 to get our event in! The flight line was
full as four strokes of many varieties took to the air. The event is named
in memory of Harold 'Big H' Maseles. This year his wife Violet called me
the morning of the event to thank us for continuing to remember him, and
letting us know she wouldn't be able to make it out this year. Sorry we
missed you! We got quite a bit of flying in, and then gave out gift certificates
to some lucky flyers, and got the kitchen taken down before the rain. My
thanks to Bob Donohue for coordinating the kitchen and the Devine's for
their help (and anyone else that pitched in!) A few of us stayed through
the rain and flew after the event - including a flight on Joe Rubinstein's
new UltraStick by yours truly powered by a Saito 1.80 - the largest 4-Stroke
of the day. What a combination! With 4 aileron servos and a computer radio,
there are a lot of configurations to try. From an unlimited vertical climb
out from takeoff, to a full 'crow' flap vertical descent into a hover and
a slow pass down the field, the plane is impressive! Keep those 4-Strokes
flying!
Skymasters Events
Every Wednesday Through August 30th
- Student Night! – Scripps
Road Field
Flying starts at 10am weather permitting.
Dinner
at 6pm regardless of weather! Flying till 8pm. For those new to
the club, this is a great chance for students to meet and fly with different
instructors. Then make arrangements to get together other days as well.
Dinner is a potluck. Families welcome. We ask that you bring something
for the grill - at least enough for your family - and a dish to pass.
You will not leave hungry! This potluck is supported by those attending.
We will have a sign up each week with needed staples (charcoal, plates,
ketchup, etc…). If you would like to bring these instead of a dish, you
can contribute that way as well.
Come on out; bring the family, and enjoy.
Remember, "We always eat, we sometimes fly!"
August 12, 2000 Multi Engine / Multi
Wing (Saturday!)– Scripps Road
Field, 10:00 AM
More than one engine and/or more than one
wing to fly today. Usually a unique combination of airplanes.
August 16, 2000 Fish Fry!!! (Wednesday!)–
Scripps Road Field, 10:00 AM
Take a normal student night and add some
deep fryers and you get the Skymasters Fish Fry! Come join us for a night
of food and fun (and maybe even some flying!) Bob Burns is taking a
collection to help buy the fish - we've gotten too big to catch it
all ourselves. See Bob at any of our Student Nights or other club events.
Over 100 people came out on a rainy night last year! (The grill will be
available for those that would like other choices.) Bring a dish to pass,
and come enjoy.
August 20, 2000 Corn Roast / Top
Gun / Slow Gun – Scripps Road
Field, 10:00 AM
Our annual Corn Roast for members, their
families, and the neighbors to our field. The club provides all the fixins
for this one - no charge for food/drink. Come on out and enjoy the corn,
and whatever else our President chooses! Open flying all day. Also the
chance to compete for Top Gun honors; the Slow Poke Static competition;
and the Slow Gun honors.
What is Top Gun?? Those who choose get
3 minutes of flying to impress the rest of us. Pilots not competing vote
on the winner who gets custody of the perpetual trophy, a hat, and bragging
rights for the year.
The Slow Poke Static competition is voting
on our club kit bash contest. You've seen some of them at our meetings
and at the field - now see them all at once, and pick the winner.
Slow Gun is the same as Top Gun - with
one twist - you must fly a Slow Poke!
September 9-10, 2000 Midwest Regional
Float Fly – Island Lake State
Park, 9:30 AM
Our 10th Annual of this event
- hopefully the largest ever. Get those planes on floats and come enjoy
the fun. Two full days of flying, a great dinner Saturday night, lots of
prizes for pilots, and our Super Raffle for the Top Flight Stinson - built,
covered, radio, engine, Ready to Fly!; and second prize of a Great Planes
Spacewalker - assembled - just add radio and engine and go flying!
We have had about 100 pilots and 140 planes
the last two years. See August 2000 RCM for a write-up on last years event!
SKS videos will be back this year to make another video tape!
Carl Long is running the event this year
- and help is needed. Contact Carl if you can help out!
See signup sheets in this issue!
September Float Fly "Administrative
Staff"
HELP!!!
We have had many compliments about how
smoothly our event is administered. To make this happen took a lot of time
by several people. It is much better if people who are not planning
on flying can take care of the administrative duties. As you can see from
the "job descriptions" listed below, no special skills are required to
do any of these jobs. This is a very large event that is fun to be around
even if you are not flying. It is an opportunity for some of you new pilots
who don't feel like you are up to floats yet, to join in on the fun (in
fact some of the non-flying guys wives are planning on working, joining
the activities and staying at the hotel). You will note that some positions
have "shifts," if you are willing to work more than one shift either on
the same job or on a different assignment please let us know.
Carl Long is coordinating the administrative
staff, so please call or e-mail him to let him know what you can help with.
810-254-0048
– cclong@tir.com
Please sign up for one of more of the
positions listed below:
Flight-line Coordinator: (7 people
each day)
Duties: You are given a clipboard with
a list of the names and frequencies of all of the pilots assigned to your
flight line. You simply check off as each pilot flies and notify the next
pilot in your flight line that he is "on deck". Try to keep everyone in
your flight line at an equal numbers of turns.
Saturday 8:30am - 4:00pm Sunday 8:30am
- 4:00pm
( 7 Volunteers) ( 7 Volunteers)
Transmitter Impound Monitor: (2
people each day)
Duties: All transmitters are placed in
the impound. You control the frequency board to make sure that no transmitter
is given to a pilot unless his frequency is open.
Saturday 8:00am - 4:00pm Sunday 8:00am
- 4:00pm
( 2 Volunteers) ( 2 Volunteers)
Beach Wader: (4 people each day)
Duties: Wear wading boots (or swim suit
if you prefer) and retrieve aircraft which stop within wading depth along
the flight line. Wade out to take airplanes from the retrieval boats as
they get in to where the water is too shallow for the motor.
Saturday 9:00am - 12:30pm ( 2 Volunteers)
12:30pm - 4:00pm ( 2 Volunteers)
Sunday 9:00am - 12:00 ( 2 Volunteers)
12:00 - 3:00pm ( 2 Volunteers)
Retrieval Boat Operator: (4
people each day - boats are provided)
Duties: Operate motor (approx. 10 hp
outboard) and pilot the boat to retrieve airplanes which are beyond the
"beach wader's" range.
Saturday 9:00am - 12:30pm ( 2 Volunteers)
12:30pm - 4:00pm ( 2 Volunteers)
Sunday 9:00am - 12:00 ( 2 Volunteers)
9:00am - 3:00pm ( 2 Volunteers)
Retrieval Boat Assistant: (4
people each day)
Duties: Ride in the bow of the retrieval
boat to pick up airplanes.
(Same schedule as the boat "operators"
listed above.)
Kitchen "Servers": (6 people
each day)
(Note: Carl will have the
appropriate amounts of soda, food, supplies, etc. in place. We need people
to "work the counter" and cook. We particularly need extra people during
the heavy luncheon traffic periods.
Duties: Cook and sell food and soda.
(Note: Shift overlap during lunch.)
Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm ( 3 Volunteers)
11:00am - 3:00pm ( 3 Volunteers)
Sunday 9:00am - 1:00pm ( 3 Volunteers)
11:00am - 3:00pm ( 3 Volunteers)
Registration: (4 people each
day)
Duties: Sign in participants - hand them
their "packet" which will be completed from their pre-registration.
Saturday 7:45am - noon ( 4 Volunteers)
Sunday 8:00am - 10:00am ( 2 Volunteers)
Prize Coordinator: (1 person
-no solicitation, the prizes are already here.)
Duties: Pick up prizes [9/6 or 7] and
deliver to the flying site at 7:30am on Saturday 9/11.
Set Up Crew: (3 people)
Duties: Assist in setting up tent, pennants,
etc.
Friday (9/10) 1:00pm - 5:00pm (
5 Volunteers)
Tear Down Crew: (3 people)
Duties: Assist in taking down and loading
tent, pennants, etc.
Sunday 3:00pm - 5:00pm ( 5 Volunteers)
Flying Site Security: (1 or
2 persons)
Duties: Camp at the flying site overnight
to prevent vandalism of our tent and setup. Obviously, you would need camping
equipment - tent, camper, or motorhome. Restrooms, showers and drinking
water are available at the site.
Friday (9/10) 5:00pm until 7:00am Saturday
(9/11) ( 1 Camper)
Saturday (9/11) 5:00pm until 7:am Sunday
(9/12) ( 1 Camper)
Sunday (9/12)-4:00pm until Mon. when big
tent is picked up __( 1 Camper)_
Nurse or Doctor: Does anyone have
a spouse or acquaintance who would be on site each day?
We are in need of a medical professional
- a nurse, paramedic, or similar to be onsite for the event. We like to
have someone available to help out in the (hopefully rare) case of prop
meets fingers or such.
** Another way to volunteer is simply
to tell Carl what hours you would be available on which
day and he will assign positions as needed. Please volunteer now so
this does not have to become a last minute telephoning campaign.
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!
Inventory Clearance Sale!
Randy MacInness is having an inventory
clearance sale of his workshop! Selling some to make room for more…
Contact Randy at 248-394-0414
Kits:
OV-10 Bronco - Hobby Hangar; 52"
Wing; .20-.25 engines; wing built - $75
1/2A Fighter - Tony with Paw .06 Diesel
included - $110
Topaz - Pegasus; 124" Wing Sail Plane
- $85
Slow Poke - Great Planes - $35
Smith Miniplane - Sig; 44" Wing Biplane
- $75
Piper J3 Cub - Sig; 71" Wing - $45
Ringmaster Bipe - Sterling; 20 3/4" Wing;
.049 - $8
Stinson 125 1/2A - Micro X; 38 1/2" Wing
- $20
Skybolt - Sig; 51" Wing Biplane - $45
Hog Bipe = Sig - $75
Stinger .10 - Lanier - $25
Sukhoi 60 - Byron; 60" Wing; Supertigre
.90 and Smoke System Included - $350
Valley Flyer Midwing - Dave Gunning -
$65
Engines:
Saito .91 New - $160
Thunder Tiger Pro .46 New - $80
K&B .20 Used - $15
ASP .46 Used - $25
Thunder Tiger Pro .61 New - $120
OS .40 Control Line New - $45
PAW .49 Diesel Used - $65 (2 available)
Paw .08 Diesel Used - $15
Planes:
Stinger .40 - Needs Wing - $25
Small 1/2A Bipe - $35
Cap 232 - needs work - Free
Smith Miniplane - $75
Spitfire - $75
Spectra Glider - 2 wings; Futaba Radio/battery
- $100
Green (unknown) Glider - nice; Spoilers;
Servos - $100
Upcoming Programs/Events
Skymasters events listed elsewhere
in this issue!
Sat-Sun, Aug 12-13 LIFT Northern Michigan
Soaring Champs, Troy Lawicki 231-929-3816
Sunday, Aug 13 Chesaning R/C Big Bird Fly-In
IMAA, Greg Brausa 248-373-8949
Wed-Thur, Aug 16-17 Weak Signals SAM 40
Old Time, Phil Smith 734-429-4707
Sat-Sun, Aug 19-20 DAM Giant Size Air Show/Fun
Fly IMAA, Stan Spiewak 313-534-3300
Sat-Sun, Aug 19-20 RCCD 10th
Annual Great Lakes Scale, Bob Chapman 248-524-0092
Sat-Sun, Aug 19-20 PMAC IMAC Pontiac Grand
Prix, Tom Wheeler 248-334-7693
Sunday, Aug 20 MISS Summer Soar In Sailplane,
Al Sorensen 313-274-8712
Saturday, Aug 26 Bits & Pieces Big
Bird Fly-In, Adrian, Larry Dalrymple 734-722-2489
Sat-Sun, Aug 26-27 Hobby Stop "Silver Cup"
Pylon Race, Wayne Yeager 517-547-4430
Sunday, Aug 27 Midwest R/C DeBolt Fun Fly,
Pete Waters 248-486-4800
Sat-Sun, Sep 9-10 GDSHS Sailpane - Addison
Oaks, Steve Martinez
Sat-Sun, Sep 9-10 Milan Flyers Precision
Aerobatics, Tom Weedon 734-697-0875
Sat-Sun, Sep 9-10 Midwest R/C Open Air
Show, Craig Moehler
Sunday, Sep 10 Michigan Whirlybirds Heli
Fun Fly, Paul Giles 810-790-5952
Sat-Sun, Sep 16-17 Flying Pilgrims Fall
Phase Out - Big Bird IMAA, Andy Pesonen 734-422-6389
Sat-Sun, Sep 16-17 RCCD 2nd
Annual Motor City Classic IMAC, Sam Monteleone 810-469-4594
Sunday, Sep 17 Chessaning R/C Sport Scale
Fly In (any size), Greg Brausa 248-373-8949
Sunday, Sep 24 Jackson R/C 3rd
Outdoor Swap Meet, Ed Prahl 517-784-1448
Sat-Sun, Sep 30-Oct 1 Flying Tigers NMPRA
District 5 Pylon Championship, Pete Bergstrom 313-928-8260
*See additional information for these
events in this issue of Skywriter!
Event info from mailings received,
AMRCC, and Michigan RC Flying Times
Other Area Events
Reminders…
Please be sure your name is on your transmitter!
We have had several left at the field recently with no identification…
Remember field maintenance has priority
over flying activity! If the field is being mowed, please wait for the
work to finish - then enjoy flying on a newly cut runway!
Skymasters Information
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!
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