New USSMA venues like indoor electric and electric park activities

[Guy Fawcett]

Hi

This topic was mentioned in the Jan-Mar newsletter.

What exactly is being contemplated in these areas?  Is there some thought to creating competitive events or are they just being considered as recruiting grounds?

Guy

Flying
1/8 Scale Morane Saulnier type G

On the building board 
1/6 Scale Fokker D VIII
1/6 Scale Yak 9D
1/8 Scale Fokker Dr 1

[bwboland]

Hello guy,

Yes to both of your questions. Let me tell you a story, I flew a electric foam FW190 ARF out of the box at the Gunsmoke qualifier in Mesa AZ in Fun and finished 2nd place. I did this to prove a point that the new electric (I call them park flyers) ARF's fly well enough for a contest format to be justified around them. We have in the works a scale starter format for one day contests that fits theses plane great. I personally hope to see it grow to the indoor electric world as well.

Electric RC ARF now make up better than 50% of the planes I see at the normal flying field here in AZ.

As to the direction, we need to flush this out. I see it as a very fun area for the scale master to grow.

Your thoughts?

Best regards,

Bernie Boland

[Guy Fawcett]

Hi Bernie

Smaller sized ARFs competing in a flying event is a great idea but I have always wanted to see an expert style event with BOM, static judging, flight judging and an upper size limit for smaller models. Not every modeller has the desire or space for building, storing and transporting the size of model now being flown on the contest circuit.

There are a lot of talented scale modellers building smaller models you just have to peruse a site like AerodromeRC http://www.aerodromerc.com and look at the kit offerings and cruise the forum to view some amazing builds.

Guy

[Scale Dail]

Bigger and BIGGER! When will it stop? I would like to see a scale format for the size models that got me into this hobby, not the ones pushing me out! If I want to see BIG airplanes I'll go to the airport. These are models right? Of course, I am alone with this opinion.

[Guy Fawcett]

Hi Scale Dail

A kindred spirit, 

My start in scale was the period when the 60 engine was king.  Airplanes fit into car trunks and the few airplanes over 70" were floaters like a piper cub or a motor gilder.

What would be the upper limit on size though, wingspan + fuselage length = to less then an upper size limit or weight?

Are there a lot of modellers that would go for this sort of Retro Scale Event?

Guy
(who is not convinced in continuous growth in model size being sustainable at the grassroots level)

[Guy Fawcett]

After thinking about a Retro Scale event probably the best way to present it would be to limit the motive power.

Any 2 stroke IC motor up to 0.65 cu. in.
any 4 stroke IC motor up to 0.91 cu. in.
any electric motor using 20 or less NiCad or NiMH in series (parallel allowed)
any electric motor using 7 or less LiFe in series (parallel allowed)
any electric motor using 6 or less LiPo in series (parallel allowed)

Guy

[Scale Dail]

In my club a few years back I tried a scale fly in called "Mid-Scale" for airplanes with less than 80" span. It had some intrest. I ran that event two years in a row and it had about 30 entries the second year growing.
These days there is a great fear of glow fuel. I would not try that event again. The IMAA has brainwashed just about everyone with "BIGGER is better" Soon even a 120" warbird will be just a little tinkertoy! OK I am done, I'll crawl back into my corner!

[j_whitney]

I tend to agree with you guys, but am playing both sides.  I have a few of the smaller (< 50") electrics and not that long ago I picked up and old Top Flight P51B and fitted it out with a Kraft engine.  The tail wheel steering turned out to be a joke so repairs (and recovering/repainting) are the order of the day before it flies.

I am repairing a VK Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter which is a good sized biplane, and have in the works an 84" Buffalo - so if a "mid-scale" event were offered I would probably attend.  And at some point I will probably talk myself into hosting one at my field to get the ARFnuts interested in competition.