WINGS SKAGIT R/C CLUB

AMA CHAPTER NO. 1810

December 2007 Volume 2 Issue 11

Editor...Bob Haug (360) 854-7983 skagitrc@yahoo.com

OFFICERS

President – Jim Carpenter 360-293-0274 carpenterjc3@msn.com

Vice President – Larry Linde 360-424-7257 larrylinde@hotmail,com

Secretary – Don Schlumberger 360-422-5317 donaldesd1@verizon.net

Treasure _ Phil Rees 360-466-4164 prcrn1082@verizon.net

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

A VERY SPECIAL 2008

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday November 21 was such a special day that our President was overcome with emotion and showed the tender side of his character. Very Very good Jim

THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

TWAS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, AND ALL THROUGH THE VALLEY,

NOT A FLYER WAS AIRBORNE- NOT EVEN THIS TURKEY!

BUT THEN THROUGH THE CLOUDS, BRIGHT LIKE A SPOTLIGHT,

CAME A WARM FALL SUN. OH! WHAT A SIGHT!

SO, LEAVING THE WARMTH OF A GLOWING WOOD FIRE,

THE LYMAN FLYERS BEGAN TO EXCITE THEIR HEART’S DESIRE.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER THEY SET THEIR FRAIL CRAFT ALOFT

WHILE SILENTLY PRAYING THEIR LANDINGS WOULD BE SOFT!

NOW I HAVE IT, ON GOOD AUTHORITY,

EVERYONE SURVIVED! HOW EXTRAORDINARY!!

JIM CARPENTER

SKAGIT RC CLUB MEETING MINUTES, 14 NOV 2007

President Jim Carpenter called the meeting to order at 1940 hours. The meeting was held at the Mount Vernon Senior Center.

NOTE: An Executive Committee was held prior to the regularly scheduled club meeting.

Total Attendance: 14

Club Purpose Article II, Club Constitution: 1. The objective of the organization shall be to provide instruction, organization, and promotion, operation sites, safety, and camaraderie for radio controlled model aviation enthusiasts. 2. The membership shall endeavor to maintain good relations with all local authorities and citizens wherever they go and to maintain safety and cleanliness at all operating sites…AND TO HAVE FUN

Minutes: It was moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the meeting of 10 October 2007.

Treasurer Report: The balance for the period ending 31 October 2007 was given and accepted.

Phil Rees reported that the club currently has 66 members in good standing.

Field Report: Larry Linde reported that the “potties” had been pumped and cleaned. Larry thanked Phil Rees for calling the company and getting them out to do a thorough cleaning job.

Safety: Charging instructions for “JR Ni-MH Battery Packs. Do not use a peak detection charger for the first charge of your JR Ni-MH battery packs. New Ni-MH battery packs may false peak until cycled. We have found that the initial charges on your new JR Ni-MH batteries should be done using the JR NEC-222 overnight charger, or other slow chargers of 150 to 300 mAh. This charge should be for a period of 24 to 48 hours, or until the battery begins to feel warm to the touch. Subsequent charges may be performed with peak detecting chargers, and at higher rates. Do not exceed the lesser of 1C charge rate, or 2000mAh. (Example: 1650mAh battery, 1C=1.65A or 1650mAh charge rate)”

Old Business: The mowers and barbeque will be moved to storage within the week.

Laminated “Emergency” instruction signs should be completed by the next meeting and installed at the field.

New Business: There was discussion about a POC (point of contact) for information about our club and regular flight instruction programs/schedules. Historically information about the club and persons to contact about certain things is being done through “Suzy” at Performance RC in Burlington. This is still considered to be a good method to circulate information. John Eades did volunteer to tell/help questioners who to see for answers.

Club members were invited to review the November issue of “RC Report.” John Eades won a year’s subscription to the magazine for his Ironing Board tip used as an adjustable height workbench.

Product Report: “Bruce Everseal Adhesive” for attaching model canopies; rattle can paint shaker attachment for a portable drill to shake and/or reactivate paint. See John Eades for details.

Show and Tell: Jim Carpenter showed his GP Catalina ARF. It has a fiberglass body, removable cockpit cover and weighs about 3 lbs. It is electric powered and draws about 200 watts, uses a 2100mAhr Ni-MH battery and 2 speed controller. The model has not been flown. It is a nice “kit” and parts fit.

Raffle: The door prize was won by Ralph Sullivan and the fuel by Walt Gerfen.

Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2030 hours.

Submitted, Don Schlumberger, Secretary

Mandatory Reading (George Hamlin)

FAA REGULATIONS NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING (NPRM)

Part 69, Section 007 (a) 1 (c)

Section I – No pilot or pilots, or person or persons acting on the direction or suggestion or supervision of a pilot or pilots may try, or attempt to try or make, or make attempt to try to comprehend or understand any or all, in whole or in part of the herein mentioned Aviation Regulations, except as authorized by the Administrator or an agent appointed by, or inspected by, the Administrator.

Section II – If a pilot, or group of associate pilots becomes aware of, or realizes, or detects, or discovers, or finds that he or she, or they, are or have been beginning to understand the Aviation Regulations, they must immediately, within three (3) days notify, in writing, the Administrator.

Section III – Upon receipt of the above-mentioned notice of impending comprehension, the Administrator shall immediately rewrite the Aviation Regulations in such a manner as to eliminate any further comprehension hazards.

Section IV – The Administrator may, at his or her discretion, require the offending pilot or pilots to attend remedial instruction in Aviation Regulations until such time that the pilot is too confused to be capable of understanding anything.

(As I am putting this newsletter together I am also attempting to follow the instructions on the assembly of an ARF (choke). Needless to say the instructions leave a whole lot to be desired, photos instead of drawings. You can’t tell which end is up on a photo and a lot of other griefs, but I want a new plane to fly now so there you are. I can’t throw mud at Jerry’s letter but I can add, “I can at least determine which side of the toast to butter”. I would never be able to tell the buttered or non-buttered side from a photo.)

Bob Haug, Editor

ARFS REVISITED (AD NAUSEAM) By: Jerry Odell

After overhearing (actually eavesdropping) a conversation between Paul McDi11 and myself about ARF’s and their affect on our mutual interest of scale radio controlled model airplanes, our esteemed newsletter editor persuaded me to put my thoughts in writing. This, of course, may put my person in harms way, and at least ridicule, but what the heck---anything for a guy who has the intestinal fortitude to do a newsletter. Please don't hold what's coming against him.

Over the years I have noticed that whenever anyone writes an article in a newsletter or magazine about something even a little controversial, that person subjects his or herself to all sorts of criticism. He or she may be accused of being opinionated, egotistical, uninformed, inarticulate, eccentric or just plain ( or plane) crazy. Having been there, I am aware of the fact that I am all of those nice things, except the last one, because everybody is crazy 'cept me! So here goes.

In the words of the immortal William Shakespeare, who posed a question that went something like this --"To arf, or not to barf, THAT is the question"??? Not many years ago my answer to old Willie would be barf!! Not so now (well maybe a couple of burps). ;

Thing is, my main interest in R/C is scale planes. My enjoyment of them is about 75% building and 25% flying. I build and fly sport planes just to keep my thumbs on and I enjoy it., but the challenge and satisfaction of building a scale plane that comes out nice is more my thing. If someone asks me if I think ARF’s are ruining the hobby my answer would be a definite YES, but only for those of us who prefer to do our own building. Sadly, we are facing a serious decline in kits and building materials, especially for scale planes. Hobby shops around the country are stocking very little of what we builders need. Please hang in there Suzy! Scratch building from plans may be our only alternative short of drawing our own plans. That is assuming we can still get materials somewhere. Again--hang in there Suzy!

That being said, how do I feel about ARF’s in general? It seems that today’s trend toward instant gratification has helped sire a fast growing model airplane industry that preys on one or more "lacks" These lacks are lack of a suitable building area, lack of time to build, lack of interest in building, lack of manual dexterity, lack of patience, or just plain lack of building capability. Those in the first two categories may eventually become able to pursue the more gratifying aspect of the hobby, but most, not all, of the others will probably become bored and follow the route of the hula hoops. Some of the old timers might be so engrossed with the flying part of the hobby that they will hang in there, and more power to 'em!

This last summer I found myself to be a victim of the first mentioned lack, because of the heat in the Phoenix area I was unable to build in my work area of the garage, so in desperation I assembled an ARF on a card table in the master bedroom. The challenge was less than buttering toast and I didn't even have to wash my hands later. BORRRRING! I learned two things from that experience. One was that anyone who can assemble Ikea bookshelves should be able to assemble one of those things, and two; there is not much satisfaction in the end result, at least not for me. Oh, I'll probably fly it until it plops, and maybe someday I may assemble another ARF, but again that would be the desperation thing.

Remember, the foregoing is about my feelings related to my particular interest in the hobby. If you are one who prefers to fly only, that's great! To each his own. Enjoy!

So Bob, aren't you sorry you asked?