May 2015 - Edwin Warner Model Aviators

the
FLIGHTstuff
E D W I N W A R N E R M O D E L AV I A T O R S
M AY 2 0 1 5
Learning to Fly: A Better Direction
by C. L. “Red” Scholefield
Member of AMA (#951) since 1958 ~ modelaircraft.org/files/ScholefieldRed.pdf
W
hen it comes to how some people are
accepting electric powered flight, I am
reminded of the comments of the father of W.W.
Greener, author of the classic work, The Gun and
Its Development written in 1910. Greener Sr., the
gun expert of the day, wrote in 1858: “There is no
possibility of a breech loader ever shooting as
equally to a well constructed muzzle loader. The
gun is unsafe and becomes more and more unsafe
from the first time it is used. Also, it is a costly
affair, both in regard to the weapon and the
ammunition.”
Sound familiar? It would appear that in every
instance of technical advancement there are those
who don’t share the enthusiasm. I recall when
glow plugs first came out — same story. Likewise,
when MonoKote was introduced to the hobby it
had its share of those who would never touch it,
much less give it a try. I will give them their due
however, as there is nothing nicer than a good silkand-dope finish.
I guess it is the nature of some to resist change at
all cost. I suppose every club has at least one or
two individuals who are bent on keeping the status
quo. All I can say is that if you haven’t tried it, you
might be missing out on a good thing. For instance,
there are many good reasons to try electrics.
It’s no surprise that newcomers to the hobby who
have been led down the gas- or glow-engine road
become so easily frustrated. Some people seem to
have forgotten that running these engines is a
science learned over a period of years. Back when
people actually built models from scratch, engines
were the only practical power system we had
available after we graduated from rubber bands.
Modeling back then was certainly more of a steep
learning curve. Nearly every aspect of the hobby
took patience to get it right: basic construction,
covering, finishing, trimming. Afterwards, if you
got that far, actually flying it and getting it
trimmed out was a further challenge. Then along
came radio control. Most of us involved at that
time had to build the equipment, which was
another tedious learning experience.
Passing engine information to a new modeler takes
time and much patience on the part of both the
mentor and the newcomer. Wouldn’t we be doing
the hobby a service if we directed new modelers
toward electrics? Let him or her learn the aspects
of flying before loading that person down with the
burden of the caring and feeding of a glow/gas
engine. It’s less expensive and safer too!
What’s Up
S
ome residents of Morning Pointe in Brentwood will be visiting
the airfield after the May 12th club meeting (around 10 or 10:30).
Facebook hopes to test its solar-powered Wi-Fi airplanes (not drones
— the company gets angry when you call them drones, and you don’t
want Facebook angry) by the end of the year. If successful, within
five years these planes could provide free Wi-Fi to the two-thirds of
the world’s population that currently live without it. The planes will
be about the size of a Boeing 747 and are meant to fly for months or
years. A picture of one is in the masthead of this newsletter — looks
like one of our models!
Now there’s a better option in polarized power plugs: the Star Plug.
It’s an alternative that’s easier to grip and pull apart than other plugs,
yet holds tight even in the most extreme situations. Its unique design
makes for neater installations, because there’s no need for heat shrink
tubing. It’s also compatible with the most common polarized plug in
R/C and ready to set a new standard in high-efficiency power plugs.
Here are some further specs:
• Tapered shape and grip strips for fast and easy separation.
• Rear caps include a center isolator to prevent terminals shorting.
• Gold-plated male terminals for excellent conductivity and nickelplated female terminals for wear resistance and longer life.
• Stainless spring for tight connections even after hundreds of uses.
Bryce Custer is trying to make friends outside of Facebook while
using the same principles. So every day he walks down the street and
tells people what he ate, how he feels, what he did and will do next.
He also listens to the conversations of others and tells them “Like!”
He even pokes them—and it works! Already he has three people
following him: a policeman, a psychiatrist, and a psychologist!
Our newest member, Joseph Elbon, is home schooled, so he got to
attend the April meeting. Jim Aldendifer, Doc Bradford, and Bob
Patterson had some good show and tell. For a first time, the COMA
was given to a pair of members. The “lucky” duo were Richard
Leverone and Dudley Pitts for their impressive mid-air display.
GoPro is developing its own line of consumer drones to expand from
its core business of making wearable video cameras popular with
surfers and other sports enthusiasts. The company intends to start
selling multi-rotor helicopters equipped with high-definition cameras
late this year, aiming for a price tag between $500 and $1,000.
NOTE: There will be no flying on May 7th and 8th so that fencing
can be erected to protect our tarmac during the Iroquois Steeplechase.
ewmaclub.org
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R/C C
May 9 - 16
32nd Annual Joe Nall Week
Woodruff, SC
tripletreeaerodrome.com/joe-nall
May 12
Second Tuesday Club Meeting
Breakfast at The Egg and I, 8:30
May 23
WTRCF Fly-In
Jackson, TN
wtrcf.org
May 25
EWMA Memorial Day Picnic
This annual event is free for all club
members and their families. BBQ,
baked beans, potato salad, cole
slaw, and desserts are the fare. We’ll
eat around 11:30.
June 6 - 7
CAF All Electric Fly-In
Tullahoma, TN
coffeeairfoilers.com
June 9
Second Tuesday Club Meeting
Breakfast at The Egg and I, 8:30
June 13 - 14
“Taking Flight for Charity” Fly-In
to Benefit the Wounded Warrior
Project
Paducah Aero Modelers
paducahaeromodelers.com