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VOLUME #15 ISSUE 5 May, 2003
Webpage for the Springfield RC Club is at
this link:
Next Meeting on June 5, 2003
The Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell, Community Room B, Springfield, Missouri, 7:00 P. M.
(We will be meeting at this location for June, July, August, September, November. The meeting in October will be at the Midtown Carnegie Branch, 397 E. Central, Springfield, Missouri.)
Contents
Sunday at the Blacksheep Squadron Air Park
Springfield RC Club (Blacksheep Squadron)
June 21st and 22nd ------- AMA sanctioned IMAC contest.
July 19th --------Novice pattern contest. Similar to last year. Contestants cannot have placed in an AMA sanctioned contest.
August 16th & 17th --------- Float Fly will probably be at Lake Springfield. There was discussion about checking into the possibility of using Fellow's Lake. It was mentioned that previous attempts however, had been unsuccessful.
September 6th & 7th ----------- AMA Sanctioned Pattern contest. Doug Bennett, Mike Howard, Jeff Schmidt, and Dan Curtis, volunteered to serve on this committee.
October 11th & 12th --------- Heli-Fly Contest. Dan Curtis,
John Clevenger, Don Livermore, and Doug Bennett will make up the committee for
preparation.
President's Column
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
June is here all ready, the flying season is in full swing and the club and field are in great shape. Over the next few months our club will be hosting several events. I spoke with Sparky at the field a few days ago and he is getting things in shape for the August float fly. We will be having the introduction to precision aerobatics in July. The 3rd annual pattern contest in September and the Heli fun-fly in October. As always the members that have taken on the task of organizing these events will be seeking and needing some help from us, the members. So be sure and check the club calendar and offer a bit of your time to help make these events successful, as they have been in the past.
Flying pressure on the field has been light to moderate through the month of May. As the weather continues to improve and the spring winds began to abate the field will be seeing more activity. With the increased activity the chances for accidents seem to rise geometrically. I would like to take a few lines in this column to jog our memories on some safety issues and field etiquette. We have the field safety rules posted in the club shelter but in conjunction with these rules it might be a good thing to mention a few common sense safety issues. In the past I have notice several things that can and eventually will, lead to an injury accident. I think the first on my list would be the practice of picking up an oily plane with the engine running with one hand wrapped around the fuselage. This is pretty dangerous on its own but then add tilting the nose up and applying full throttle for a needle valve check. This puts the prop at just about head or eye level and puts the carrier as well as everyone in the pit area at a pretty high level of jeopardy. The next thing I see continually is people starting the engine and reaching from the front around or over the prop to remove the glow heat and/or adjust the needle valve. Even with the plane on a stooge or being held this is just a poor practice, yet I think everyone of us is guilty of it at one time or another. Along with this practice one would have to add the needle adjustment of four stroke engines. Four strokes, especially in the larger sizes are not the easiest to set by ear. Seems we all want it to scream like a two-stroke engine. So the needle cranking starts with the engine throttle wide open. This can lead to pre-detonation and this can lead to spinners, prop nuts and props flying off in multiple directions. Make the needle adjustments on all engines from behind the engine and with the area on both sides of the prop plane clear. On four strokes make the adjustments at low throttle then go to high to check the results. This will allow you to return to idle in time to avoid a non scheduled prop removal if the engine is to lean or rich. One last thing on safety common sense. Never put any part of your or anyone else’s flesh with in the prop arc of any motor that has a glow igniter attached. Don’t do it. If you have questions on this take a minute to look at my hands or the hands of anyone else that has been in our sport for a few years. We can all thing of many other little things that we do or see during the flying season that makes or hair stand on end and maybe the things listed will help us thing of even more.
I also wanted to mention a couple of items that would be under the category of field etiquette. Mainly I wanted to touch on flight line etiquette at this time. When a person has his plane in the air and is standing at one of the flight stations he is usually (we hope) concentrating on controlling his plane or making sure that his student has control of a plane. This is not the area to go walking up between the flight stations out to the runway with a plane in one hand and the engine on a fast idle hollering on the runway. It is also not the area to travel through goosing the motor of a taxing airplane headed between the flight stations and flyers trying to get to the middle of the runway. This can be more than a little un-nerving to the flyer or flyers already on the flight line. If you are going the runway with a plane, walk around the flyers not in front of them, keep the engine noise to a minimum. If you need to run the engine up do it on the runway or the edge of it a good distance away from the flight stations. The same courtesy is expected when a person completes their flight. Please don’t gun the engine and do a high speed taxi back down the runway or west side grass back to the flight station area. The remaining flyers can’t see where that plane is and whether it is in control or ready to attack their ankles.
Okay off the soapbox for now. I just wanted to point out a few common sense items that might keep all of us a bit safer and a bit more courteous on our flying days.
Take them for what they are worth.
See ya all at the meeting.
Have Fun
Dan
There has been some excellent days at the field lately. Last Tuesday, the day after memorial day, we had a number of fliers, some with family. There were several new planes that had maiden flights. Charles Newton was there with a new biplane. It flew really well. George Manville launched his new Aeronca Champ. Jon White flew his helio just great right down the runway. Ed Armstrong was there flying a new plane also. There were several Seniors and Seniorettas up in the air. OD Fine had his and Charles had his up along with Harrol Carol's. Pete was doing really well with his planes and the sailplane. Russ actually flew the big Red Taylorcraft two times in a row. Dan Curtis and John Clevenger were flying their big ships perfectly. It was a really good day. The field was in perfect shape, cut to the "Ts". A new member Charlie C. was getting trained. He has been flying park fliers and this has given him an edge on learning. George Manville had his LT40 and a beautiful Aeronca Champ up in the air. The "Champ" had the same color pattern that was on a full scale that he owned and flew some time ago. Bert was flying his ground hugger and helping out with other persons. Ray had his yellow Piper Cub flying really well, and Ron Hyde was flying also. Saturday of this week saw very few fliers. Tim Johnson was there and he helped Charlie and I break in a new plane. Tim flew his beautiful pattern plane. The weather was good and landings were right to left. There have been very few right to left days.
Some notes on the May "fun fly" are as follows:
Doug
probably already filled you in on the not-as-much-fun fly, on the 17th.
It was referred to as a "wet
fun-fly". Doug did a super job
of frying those hamburgers and Bratwurst though.
The attendance wasn't what it would have been on a nice day - but, we stuck
it out and still had fun "flying in the rain".
As
usual, Ron Hyde tried out a couple of new planes this month.
One flew great, and the other was wild.
We always enjoy watching him try a new one out. Ralph
See ya at the field, ol' Russ
Sunday at the Blacksheep Squadron Air Park
Sunday, June 1, 2003 was a perfect day at the Air Park (flying field). I just thought that it would be good to put in some views, fliers and planes that can be seen often at the field. The images in the table below are thumbnails and a bigger image can be obtained by following the link.
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| Burt Turner on the flight line | George Ashley and Dan Curtis on the discussion line | Ron Hyde on the pit line |
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| Pavilion | Flight line | Fencing (three layers) |
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| George Ashley's pattern plane | Dan Curtis' pattern plane | Sparky Wessels' planes |
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Pit area |
Springfield RC Club
Minutes of May Meeting
May 1, 2003
Kevin Murdock, Treasurer
President Dan Curtis called the regular meeting of the Springfield RC Club to
order at 7 PM. There were a total of 9 members present. May 1st
slipped up on us. Secretary Ralph Todd was absent, so Dan asked for approval of
the April minutes as printed in the newsletter. This was seconded and
passed.
The treasurers report was given by Kevin Murdock. There were 66 paid
members to date. There was a motion to approve the report - was seconded
and passed.
General review of rules at the field, including not flying west of the runway,
or before 9 AM were discussed.
Old Business
Review of upcoming May 17 Fun Fly. Doug Bennett and Jeff Schmidt will be
in charge of the 3-event fun fly and Potluck Lunch.
New Business
Sparky Wessels will be in charge of this year's Float Fly, and needs all the
help he can get.
Dan reported that all sanctions for this year's events have arrived.
General discussion of "guest" flying privileges.
There was no raffle done because of the light turnout of members. A motion
was made to adjourn about 8:15 PM.
Membership
Information
Dues
2003
Effective
January 1, 2003, all dues are payable on a calendar year basis for those who
were members in 2002. As was the
case in 2002, the dues for the year are $75.00 for adults and $50 for juniors
(students under 18). The dues apply
no matter when you decide to pay your 2003 dues.
As was
the case last year, NEW members will pay a pro-rated amount based on what month
they join the club for the first time.
NOTE:
You must show proof that you have paid your AMA dues for 2003 in order to
receive your 2003 Blacksheep member card. Either
mail your dues with a copy of your AMA card or bring the card to
the January meeting to show to the Treasurer.
You may
mail your check payable to SPRINGFIELD R/C CLUB and a copy of your AMA card to:
Kevin Murdock, Treasurer, 3448 E. Stanhope Terrace, Springfield, MO 65809
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Inner
strength
Conversions |
Club Contacts:
| President: Dan Curtis- 887-2971 | Vice President: George Ashley- 883-2621 |
| Secretary: Ralph Todd- 859-3073 | Treasurer: Kevin Murdock, 823-7865 |
| Board of Directors: James White, Ron Cannell, Ray Niles, Lonnie Cort, Harrold Carrol, Charles Newton. | |
| News Letter Editor: Russ Rhodes, 3164 S. Glenhaven, Springfield, Missouri 65804, rgr592f@smsu.edu | |
| Web Site of Springfield RC Club: http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/blacksheeprc/index2.html | |
David Sleeth - Owner
"Your Edge to Better Quality & Service"
1912 E. Sunshine, Springfield, Missouri 65804
Radio Control Equipment Specialists
Airplanes, Boats, Cars, Plastic Models, Parts, Service, Tools
(417) 883-1118, (800) 730-3138
