MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

The December meeting was devoted to the annual Christmas party, so there are no minutes. A report on the party is a bit further on in the newsletter.

FIELD MAINTENANCE SIGN-UP SHEET

I f you would like to join this elite group, drop me an e-mail. I am sure we can find a month to put you into.

AROUND THE CLUB—THE CHRISTMAS PARTY

We had 24 paid attendance and two honored guests. Mr. & Mrs. Roger Short were our Guests of Honor and in addition to a $50.00 gift check they can use at  their favorite eatery or what ever, we also gave them a check for their annual lease fee of $500.00; this amount was recommended by the board and passed by the membership. The Shorts were very grateful and surprised.

Rachel, the club house chairperson, served our Christmas Prime Rib dinner with all the trimmings. Every one had a great time as always with the gift exchange. Bill Anliker, after some great denial maneuvers was finally cornered and had to accept the crash trophy. I believe all who attended had a great time.

Happy New Year

Dick Benjamin

HINTS, KINKS, AND STUFF

>I started having trouble with the starter I bought at the Wylie estate sale—it wouldn’t turn over. I suspected the switch, so I disassembled the rear cover and pushed the switch out of the rubber sleeve. It had some oil on it and some arc burning. I wiped everything off and sanded the contact areas back to shiny copper. After putting it back together it would just barely turn over, so I replaced the electrical plugs and all is well!

AERONAUTICAL JOKE

MEET THE MEMBERS—Chuck Dantzler

My first try at model building was with 10-cent Megow rubber band powered models. I must have attempted to build at least ½ dozen before I finished one, and another ½ dozen before one achieved any semblance of flight. My father and I built a large free flight model, which was powered by a Bunch Tiger Arrow engine that he picked up used. This was the first engine that I could start and operate by myself. I used to turn the lights off in the garage and (at a safe distance) peer into the exhaust to see the little blue flame. My father sold the free flight and joined a club called the "Palo Alto U-Liners." We built a U-Control model and powered it with an Ohlson 60 that my parents gave me for passing the 6^th grade. Eventually I outgrew models and became interested in cars, girls, and other teen-age stuff.

In my early 20s I became interested in learning to fly full-scale airplanes. A pilot agreed to give me flying lessons in exchange for baby-sitting and yard work, but I had to pay for the airplane rental. I also started aircraft mechanics school, but I was drafted into the navy before I could get either license. After boot camp I was assigned to a radio controlled target drone squadron, which used F6F Hellcats and KDAs as drones. Since I had previous aircraft mechanics schooling I was put to work on the P & W R2800 engines that powered the Hellcats. While still in the navy I got my private pilot’s license.

After discharge my goal was to become a flight engineer so I went back to school to get my power plant mechanic’s license. I got a job at Nystrom Aviation in Palo Alto Airport and also joined a flying club that had a J-3 and a J5 cub, an Aeronica Tri-Champ, and a Stinson Voyager (which a club member crashed before I had a chance to fly it!). When my wife and I got married we honeymooned in the Tri-Champ.

About this time Silicon Valley was beginning to boom. I had a rudimentary knowledge of electronics and was able to get a job with an electronics company. When they moved their facility to Redmond, they moved my family and me as well.

I had to give up flying full-scale planes our 2 kids arrived, but became interested in RC models. My first model was a DeBolt Jenny, and I built a radio system for it called a Digitrio from plans in RC Modeler. I took it to the flying field and tried to persuade someone to test fly it for me, but everyone was afraid of wrecking it. So I thought since I was a pilot I would fly it myself. Somehow I managed to get it in the air and back on the ground in one piece. The second flight was a disaster. I next built a Falcon 56 and put the Digitrio radio in it. I flew it for a couple of years before I wrecked it. Then I built a Senior Falcon, which I flew for several years. I also built a Miss Denver from scratch using RC Modeler plans.

I accepted a job in medical electronics where I spent the next 16 years as a manufacturing engineer and tool designer. After retiring we sold our home in Bellevue, moved to Port Townsend, and bought a home in Kala Point. I met Wylie at Mini Mania Hobby Shop and he suggested that I visit the Tri Area RC Flyers field where I met Russ Petersen. I had a Pietenpol Aircamper that I had built from RC Modeler plans while still living in Bellevue. I joined the club and attempted to fly the Pietenpol, but I had completely forgotten everything I ever knew about flying models. Russ suggested that I build a good trainer to learn on, so I built a Sig LT 25 and learned to fly that. I flew it for several years before building a Sig Midstar 40 which lasted about a year before I crashed it by spinning too close to the ground (stupid!). I really liked the way this plane flew, so I built a second one. I recently crashed it when I lost it in the sun doing an outside loop. I am currently building a Sig Astrohog, which I’ve modified quite a bit. I hope to have it ready to fly by early spring of 2006. I am currently flying a Sig Rascal electric model. I really like electrics and am planning to build a Druine Turbulent and power it with an electric motor. I find that RC modeling takes a lot of perseverance and tenacity. I enjoy building them as much as flying.

FAR FLUNG FLYING

>Russ Petersen and I have gone flying the last 2 days in bright sunshine and light breezes, but we had to wear jackets both days—darn!!!! Russ got in his first flights on a small electric Giles that is very similar to Randy’s Funtana. He plans to write a complete review of the plane which should appear in RC Report in a few months.

>I was admiring a Seattle flyer’s airplane following a very acrobatic flight. He told me it was a Sig Cadet that he had modified to take out the dihedral, enlarge the control surfaces, and shorten the fuselage. He had changed it to a tail dragger with wheel pants, and powered it with an OS 4 stroke 70. The plane looked like a 40s vintage light aircraft and did very nice rolls, inverted flight, Cuban 8s, etc. while retaining the gentle, slow landings so typical of the Cadet.

>I was flying on the 21^st when one of the guys showed up with a brand new airplane called a FUSION by Ohio Models. It has a profile body, carbon fiber landing gear, weighs 7 pounds 6 ounces, and is powered by an OS 1.10 4 stroke engine. The owner, who is a very good pilot, started doing 3D stuff almost immediately, including knife edge loops, inverted flat spins, and some of the tightest inside and outside loops (almost zero speed) I have ever seen. The landings were feather-like, and the pilot wore a huge grin the rest of the day!

EDITORIAL

I have really been having to beat up on people for material to put in the newsletter. It is not fun for me or you. However, perhaps I am not giving you what you want in your newsletter. I have no problem changing the thing around if it becomes something you like and use. I am thinking about sending a survey to the membership so I know what you folks really want. This is really a last gasp effort on my part as I am really frustrated by the lack of inputs. I really enjoy putting the Tale Spinner together, but a solo act is not what I want.

Pete

FOR SALE OR TRADE

If you want to list an item, just send me the details including your name, phone number, and asking price or trade-for item. Low pixel count digital pictures are also acceptable.

MANEUVER OF THE MONTH (MOM)—Flight Trimming Part 2

Perform tests in calm conditions, make multiple tests before making adjustments, and if changes are made, go over previous steps and verify or adjust as necessary

MONTHLY MEETING—January 10 at the SKP Clubhouse

6:00 Board Meeting

7:00 Club Meeting. The program schedule that I proposed to Pete Hanke called for a program on getting started in electric flying. Unfortunately I have been unable to confirm any information re programs.

MEMBER BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS

The Board has approved allowing club members to place small ads in the newsletter at no charge. The ads will be included in the newsletter so long as the newsletter editor receives a monthly request for each one.

A professionally written manual to introduce all aspects of the RC hobby from getting started through intermediate aerobatics. Download order forms, order on line, or view the Table of Contents at www.thercflightmanual.com

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Petersen & Granger, LLC

Pete Granger

granger@olypen.com