RC CLUB FLYERS
By Ray Ihlenburg
Photo 1964.jpg – by Wayne Nelson, Caption: Maiden dawn patrol in the logbook.
Photo 1824.jpg – by Ray Ihlenburg, Caption: Slow to abort landing in gusty cross wind.
Our Club is always looking for opportunities to support our community. This month we had 40 members sign up for the CPR/AED Training at the Circle Square Cultural Center on April 3rd. This not only prepared our members for emergencies at the flying field, but also throughout our communities.
On April 6th the On Top of the World R/C Flyers will be having their annual Spring Fly In. Club members along with members from nearby clubs will be displaying their planes and flying skills. The planes will range in size up to 100” wingspans. During our lunch break, the Club will stage a WW I and WW II Warbird Gaggle (or swarm) of amazing models such as Pups, Mustangs, Jugs, Lightnings, Zeros, Me-109s. They will all be flying at the same time. Spectators can imagine being somewhere in Europe or the Pacific as era models fly overhead. The models are very scale-like and have large engines that really roar. Come experience the flying over the field and a strafing run or two down the runway.
There is no admission and the event starts at 9AM. Plenty of parking for carts and cars and a fabulous cookout is planned. Bring out a folding chair and sun screen and enjoy the show.
The next ‘show’ will be for the On Top of the World sales force. We want them to have first-hand knowledge of our Club and our operation, therefore, on April 25th (time to be announced) our pilots will discuss and demonstrate the models and our operations with representatives of the Sales Office. This is a great way to introduce potential buyers that are RC pilots to our Club.
On February 2nd there was a bit of a gusty crosswind. Most everyone at the field that morning was treated to a great show when this writer waited too long to abort a landing and just as the power way being poured on a gust from the north got under the port wing and sent the good old Alpha into the fence. So, after at least 200 flights; RIP or Re-kitted In Pieces.
Several days later, on the 16th, the writer maidened his Balsa USA 1/6 scale Sopwith PUP. The airframe was beautifully constructed by Wayne Nelson. He said it wasn’t going to be fast enough for him, so Ray Ihlenburg completed and covered the model. It weighs 7.5 pounds with a Cobra 4120/14 710 Kv motor. A 4S 5000mA LiPo slides in from the cockpit. Test flight was tail heavy as the CG is difficult to find for a biplane with staggered wings, but Wayne kept the model under control with a bunch of down trim. Additional weight was added and the plane flies very realistically behind the 15x4E propeller.
As a Public Safety Announcement for all visitors: For SAFETY reasons, there are signs posted that direct spectators to leash their dogs and remain behind the spectator fence. In addition, never walk at the east or west end of the runway.