SKAGIT R/C CLUB
AMA CHAPTER NO. 1810
March 2008 Volume 2 Issue 111
Editor...Bob Haug (360) 854-7983 skagitrc@yahoo.com
OFFICERS
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SKAGIT RC CLUB MEETING MINUTES, 13 FEB 2008
President Jim Carpenter called the meeting to order at 1930 hours. The meeting was held at the Mount Vernon Senior Center.
Total Attendance: 13. President Jim Carpenter welcomed visitor Don Meyers. Don is from Anchorage, AK. He spends about 10 weeks in the lower 48 during the Alaskan winter. His interest is gliders and electrics.
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 9 January 2008.
Treasurer Report: The balance for the period ending 30 December 2007 was given and accepted.
Club membership as of 13 February 2008 is forty-five (45).
Field and Safety Report: It has been reported that people have been flying Helicopters South of the field across the river. Pilots at the field are urged to use Frequency Scanners to check for frequency conflicts before flying. The flying site across the river is estimated to be ½ to ¾ mile from our field.
Old Business: NW Hobby Expo., Monroe, WA. The expo Swap Meet went quickly. Most of the swap items were quickly sold. The location (building) this year was better than last year. More vendors than last year but vendor attendance still limited. As the Monroe site becomes better known, perhaps more vendors will attend.
Flying Field Sale Update: Paul McDill has been in contact with the Kaalands. Latest info is that the sale will close in March and that the Kaalands will vacate in May. The Kaalands are holding our rental check for the flying field and intend to pass it to the new owners at closing. No details about the buyer are available.
New Business: Russ Brooks updated the members about the planned Helicopter Fun-Fly. The scale of the event has been reduced from 3 days to 2 days. Russ was given the name of Bill Smith to contact about scheduling of the Fun-Fly. Russ will complete scheduling and sanctioning details with AMA by next meeting.
Product Report: Mike Mosbrooker has been trying to find a Balsa Wood supplier. Lone Star Balsa has been destroyed by fire. Superior Balsa has moved to Mexico. He did find National Balsa in Massachusetts The prices and quality of their material seem to be similar to Superior not including shipping.
Program: John Eades showed a glider model that he thought might be suitable for an electric glider tow event. He modified a Dynaflight Talon glider by increasing the WS by 14 inches, eliminating the V-tail and adding a servo operated towline release. The glider weighs 18 oz with 4 servo and a battery. The decals were produced using Photoshop software.
Jim Carpenter showed a Revolver ARF by Great Planes on floats. He thought that the kit was very complete and included a pilot, fuel tank, wheels and hardware. The floats are fiberglass from Valley View RC. The floats have hard points for mounting and water rudders. The model weighs 6-¾ pounds with wheels and 8 pounds on floats. It is a very good looking model.
Bobby Greer showed an electric powered from Wal-Mart for $15.00. He had a successful demonstration flight at the meeting.
Raffle: The door prize was won by Jim Carpenter and the fuel by Paul McDill.
Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2030 hours.
Submitted, Don Schlumberger, Secretary
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Hi! Haven’t seen many of you at the field lately. But then, it’s still WINTER and the weather sure has been ‘iffy’. The field is in pretty good condition, only lacking a bit more sunshine to start needing the mowers back in operation. I notice someone (Kaaland?) is plowing east of the field. If they’d smooth out the whole thing, I wouldn’t keep tearing the gear off my Monocoupe every time I have a ‘deadstick controlled crash’!!!
Just like you, I’m waiting for word about the sale of the Kaaland property. The latest info I have is that the sale is supposed to close this month and the Kaalands are to vacate in May. In the meantime, I think we must remain positive, continue flying and
plan for our seasonal events. If not included in this issue, the 1st edition of the ’08 schedule will be presented at the meeting on the 12th.
I’ll probably step on my tongue but I’m planning to give a ‘program’ (or maybe just a product show ‘n tell) about battery chargers at the next meeting. I don’t claim to be all-knowing, so maybe you could bring your favorite charger and we could have a grand program? I promise NOT to bring a Power Point presentation! See you at the meeting, Jim
Editors comment: Jim’s Monocoupe is such a beautiful plane. It flies great and he tells me it is one of his favorite planes. I believe that whichever plane Jim is presently flying, if the engine keeps running, is his favorite at the moment. Jim must be an eternal optimist believing the old saying that “you can in fact make a purse from a sow’s ear”. The sow in this case is any off breed engine he feels sorry for that sits on the shelf and no one looks at twice. Incidentally, those of you who don’t know Jim, he is one of our better pilots, his abilities are not the reason his monocoupe keeps ending up in the ploughed field.
The reason I am writing this, (and I am already wishing I hadn’t), is for new people coming into the hobby. You need to get as much help as possible in selecting a reliable engine. The price may be attractive but the frustrations and cost in lost equipment down the road or in a ploughed field can be many. Go see the people at PERFORMANCE R/C HOBBIES and let them be your guide. I speak from experience as when I first got started I purchased on price three MDS engines which I still have to remind me of what’s bad. No one in his right mind would relieve me of them. I gave up fishing some time ago so using them as weights is not an option.
This scratch built NEUPORT XI was on display at the Monroe Model Expo.
It was the Grand Prize winner in the Beauty contest.
From the Central Arizona Modelers, Inc., Sedona, Arizona
Flying Ability
2008 EVENTS SCHEDULE, 1st EDITION
May 2nd – 4th – Red Apple Fly In – Wenatchee
June 7th --8th – Shuswap Float Fly
June 7th – 8th – Whatcom Big Bird
June 15th -- Father’s Day Fly In & Picnic - Lyman
June 20th – 22nd – Skagit Helicopter Fun Fly
July 5th – 6th – Kamloops 11th Annual Big Bird
July 18th – B.C. Scale Classic, Vernon
July 18th – 20th – North Puget Sound Big Bird Fly In
August 2nd – War Birds Over Whatcom
August 3rd – All Bird Fly In – Whatcom
August 22nd – 24th – Jets Over Whidbey
August 26th – Fraser Valley Big Birds
September 6th – 7th – Shuswap Float Fly
September 5th – 7th – Pylon Races – Whidbey
September 13th – 14th – RCFCBC Big Bird
September 27th – 28th – Entiat Float Fly
News is really getting difficult to come by as witness the following: Jim needs to go fly his Monocoupe so we have something to write about, or is that news? Next month we will need a new Editor as this one will probably be laid up with a broken leg.
Summited by Paul McDill
Girl from Washington
Three men were sitting together bragging about how
they had given their new wives duties.
The first man had married a Woman from Colorado
and
had told her that she was going to do dishes and house
cleaning. It took a couple days, but on the third day
he came home to a clean house and dishes washed and
put away.
The second man had married a woman from Nebraska
He
had given his wife orders that she was to do all the
cleaning, dishes, and the cooking.
The first day he didn't see any results, but the next
day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his
house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was
a huge dinner on the table.
The third man had married a girl from Washington... He told
her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned,
dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and
hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the
first day he didn't see anything, the second day he
didn't see anything, but by the third day some of
the swelling had gone down and he could see a little
out of his left eye, enough to fix himself a bite to
eat and load the dishwasher.