GREETINGS, aNd
welcome to the RC
helicopter corner of
MA. Anyone with
rotary interests had to
love our last issue. It
was chock-full of text
and pictures of the
machines that we
desire. Thanks, MA,
for highlighting the
fastest-growing genre
of RC. That was a
great way to end the
fabulous season.
Certain years in our hobby are fondly remembered, just as great
wines have distinct vintages that connoisseurs relish. One of those
years for me was 2009. The International Radio Controlled Helicopter
Association (IRCHA) Jamboree fun-fly broke all attendance records
for any event, and MA had more helicopter coverage than ever before.
As we move into the next decade, have you thought about what
ways you will be involved in the hobby? Generally, helicopter pilots
become more obsessed with their aircraft than most. Will you attend
events in 2010? Do you want to try a competition?
Personal progress brings much fulfillment to whatever you do. This
hobby can be rewarding, whether it involves mastering that next
maneuver or building an even better Scale model.
It can help to write down what your goals are for 2010. Then at the
end of the year, look to see if you have accomplished them. Most
things do not happen by themselves. If you have a well-laid-out plan
and stick to it, you might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
One of the best parts about flying model helicopters is the constant
challenge it provides. No matter what level you reach, there is always
something new to learn and perfect.
It is good to exercise your mind. Most helicopter pilots can attest
that flying is a great mental workout. As you get older, it is even more
important to keep your mind working. (Even if you can’t remember the
name of the helicopter you are flying, keep flying!)
I hope it does not get that bad, but you never know. I am already
calling my kids by my dog’s name and vice versa. Please e-mail me
and let me know your flying stories. I will nearly always include them
in a future helicopter column.
Winter Indoor Flying: If you live where it is cold, I hope you have an
indoor facility available in which to fly. There are several in my area
that are open nearly every weekend during the winter season. It sure is
nice when you can keep flying through the winter.
The tight quarters of most indoor flying sites make a pilot work to
stay off the walls and ceilings. Flying in these restricted conditions can
help improve your skills dramatically in one winter season.
2009 was a great helicopter year
[MDKJA@aol.com]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Indoor-flying minds want to
know
• E-Fest has room for everyone
• What it’s like to spin Radix
blades
The E-flite Blade CX3, an upgrade to the CX2, is one of the
easiest models to fly and is perfect for beginners.
Curtis Youngblood demonstrates the solid inverted hovering
capabilities of the Next-D Rave 450 at E-Fest 2009.
Michael Lising flew this AH-1 Cobra decorated in scale US
Forestry markings in the Scale competition at E-Fest 2009.
Frank Noll (L) proclaims Kyle Stacy E-Fest 2009’s indoor electric
3-D Grand Master in the Smackdown contest.
January 2010 119
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Chicago resident Mitch Maroza’s flying improved greatly this fall;
look for him to become a name in our hobby soon.
Jamie (L) and Jim Robertson credit Radix blades with helping
them win the 2009 XFC and the $5,000 winner’s check.
Most of the top pilots are good at flying indoors as well as outside.
They will tell you that it takes much more skill to do their routines
inside a building.
Smaller models are much more capable today. Bert Kammerer flew
a T-Rex 250 at the E-Fest 3-D competition last year. Most of us don’t
have Bert’s skills, but he did everything with the little 250 that the
larger models were doing.
Finding a local indoor area to fly in is seldom difficult. There
are plenty of buildings used for winter youth sports in most
towns. Even a basketball gym is sufficient for small models. Ask
around and you might be surprised to find some low-rent facilities
available nearby.
E-Fest Announcement: The largest indoor fun-fly, E-Fest, will take
place in Champaign, Illinois, January 30-31. If you can attend only one
event during the winter, make plans to be at this one. Great Planes has
been running E-Fest for several years and it has grown into an
immense gathering.
The event is held inside the University of Illinois Track and Field
Armory—a huge building with a 100-foot-high ceiling. It is so big that
dozens of helicopters and airplanes can fly simultaneously.
Last year more than 300 pilots attended E-Fest. It is a good place to
catch up with friends whom you might see only a few times a year. I
look forward to seeing you there. Get the latest information and
register online.
Radix Review: Curtis Youngblood, a world-renowned helicopter
pilot, has been selling his new Radix blades for sometime. Curtis
Youngblood Enterprises (CYE) formulated a new design of main and
tail-rotor blades that have excellent flight characteristics. I got to try
them for myself this year, and I am impressed.
The 690mm blades I chose for my Miniature Aircraft Stratus came
nicely packaged in a decorative protective box. Curtis has thought of
everything. Small pieces of clear, sticky strips are packed between the
two blades so they don’t mar each other during shipping.
To make a good main rotor blade for our helicopters, many
qualities have to be considered. Beyond that, it is important to
make a blade that will work well on a variety of helicopters.
For hard 3-D flying, the blade has to be stiff with minimal
flexing during flight. Another important aspect is the chordwise
CG. If the CG is too far forward, the blade will be unresponsive,
making aerobatics more difficult. If the CG is too far aft, the
blade will want to pitch up or down too much and be unstable.
All of Curtis’s years of experience enabled him to make
excellent compromises in all the important areas of rotor-blade
dynamics. The result is a stable yet aerobatic blade that can
handle the high-G punishment of today’s top pilots.
CYE also provides tail blades and Stubz flybar paddles, for a
complete rotary-wing package that is suitable for any level pilot.
A full range of blade sizes is offered for 450-size electrics all the
way up to 90-size nitros.
You can order various weight versions of the blades to tailor
them to your personal flying style. Check them out online.
That is all I have for this month. I hope all of you had a great
holiday season and are ready to have a great time in 2010.
I’ll be back with you next month. MA
Sources:
IRCHA
www.ircha.org
Great Planes E-Fest
www.gpe-fest.com
CYE
(979) 779-2172
www.curtisyoungblood.com
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