From The Editor
by Price Dempler
I'll start this month's issue with an apology, an explanation, and a request.
Sorry...
First, my sincere apologies for no Hear Ye! last month. Since there was no BOG Meeting, I didn't get my usual monthly wake-up call from Sam Andreas, our trusty and timely Secretary. I received no other submissions (save the excellent article for this issue from Jim Myers - THANKS JIM!), the kids got out of school, work has been hectic, and the time to put the Hear Ye! together simply came and went. I'll keep a better eye on the date and at least make sure a post card goes out to announce upcoming events.
Request #1...
This newsletter takes about 4-7 hours/month to put together, even in our technologically enlightened age. I enjoy working on the publication and I am happy doing my part to support the Signal Seekers. However, as the events of last month show, no submissions contributed, at least in part, to no newsletter.
With such a large club, I find it difficult, even impossible to believe that only 3 or 4 regular people are able to contribute to this newsletter (again my gratitude to those who do). I used to try and augment the submissions with copies of articles from other newsletters, but the scanning and text conversion process is simply too time-consuming to undertake on a regular basis.
My request, then, is simply this; send me stuff! I prefer the electronic form, but as past submittors know, I am happy to take handwritten or typed submissions as well (my wife is kind enough to help with the typing chores). Even if you think your submissions are too small, or too specific, send it! I for one am interested in the helicopter stuff (even though I don't/can't fly one) and the glider group activities (even though I haven't set foot on that winch pedal yet this year). If I can build up a supply of submissions, our newsletter can be more interesting and more meaningful since it will be from our own members. And maybe I can get down into the shop and blow the dust off my half complete Prairie Bird 50, my half complete Senior Telemaster, the Sig Riser in need of very minor repair, and the now 22 year old Yankee Soar.
Request #2...
The aforementioned Yankee Soar is one of two 16 foot, .35 powered gliders I built while learning building techniques from my Dad. The wing has ribs every 2 inches with tapered tips! Boy were my fingers tired from cutting ribs! When we moved from Pittsburgh in 1974, we sold both Yankee Soars. On a recent trip back, I visited with Lee Irvis, one of the ARCS club members that purchased one of the Yankee Soars (Lee is an avid, skillful modeler and teacher - the ARCS field is named for him). He asked if I was interested in getting the Yankee Soar back (ridiculous question).
So I packed the whole thing into the minivan and brought it back with me (we even managed to squeeze the kids in for the trip back!). I have cleaned it up and even found an old FOX .35 to take it up. I am looking for some advice on making sure this plane is in good enough shape to try and fly safely. It is 22 years old and still covered with the original MonoKote. It was built to endure anything (the deck on my house should have been built this well). My Dad is an engineer and a hell of a modeler as well, and this plane shows it! At any rate, any advice anybody has in resurrecting this bird is more than welcome!
Thanks for the time this month. I hope to see everyone on the 8th!
B.O.G. Review
by Sam Andreas, Secretary
The June meeting of the Board of Governors was called to order by the president at 7:37 PM on 6/20/95. Present were the Treasurer, secretary, 7 B.O.G. members, Chief Field Marshall and Raffle Chairman. In addition Buzz Klein, John Powell, Mel Jones and Mat Meyers attended.Topics discussed were as follows:
1 - The B.O.G. voted unanimously to order 144 card holders at a cost of $1.00 each. One card holder will be given to each member free of charge at the next general meeting. Additional holders can be purchased for $1.00 each.
2 - The club's annual Open Fly-in is tentatively scheduled for the end of August.
3 - Post cards will be sent to each member notifying them that the club fun fly will be held on July 8th. This is to assure that all club members are given adequate notice particularly since the Hear-Ye will not arrive in time.
4 - Buzz Klein requested that the budget for the July fun fly be increased to $375.00. This will cover the costs of Hoagies and other refreshments which will be provided free to all club members attending. The B.O.G. voted unanimously to increase the budgeted amount as per above.
5 - There was some debate as to the safety and legality (from an AMA standpoint) of helicopter pilots walking onto and around the runway while practicing certain pattern maneuvers. The point addressed by the helicopter committee contends that there is no other suitable area in which these maneuvers can be performed and they cannot be performed from behind the flight line. The main objection raised to this practice is one of club liability in the event of an accident. The helicopter committee will bring a proposal before the board next month in an attempt to resolve this situation.
6 - The board voted unanimously to provide free refreshments to all members at future general meetings. The cost will be taken out of the club's entertainment budget.
7 - John Powell representing the Glider group addressed the board concerning the need for a new winch and retriever. The cost of this new equipment is $819.00, however since there is already an allocation of $350.00 in the budget for such an expense the increase is only $469.00. The board voted unanimously to authorize the purchase.
8 - The B.O.G. voted unanimously to donate $25.00 to the National F3A team. This will be used to help defray some of the costs of the teams expenses for the upcoming competition in Japan.
9 - John Moore placed a proposal before the board to obtain an SFA charter for the club. The additional charter will supposedly provide liability coverage above and beyond that provided under our AMA charter. Each board member was given a copy of this proposal to study prior to further, in depth discussion at the July B.O.G. meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.
General Announcement
By Joseph Pasquini, Raffle Chairman
Beginning at the July General Meeting on 7/11/95 and at all future meetings, all refreshments ie. coffee, donuts and soft drinks will be provided free of charge to all club members in attendance. Sales of raffle tickets at general meetings have been very good during the past five months. Al Campana of Eagle Hobbies will donate another kit, we will also have at least $160.00 worth of other prizes one of which will be a .40 or .45 sized engine. Try to attend and buy a few tickets.
Announcement for VFSS Soar-Heads: 6/23/95
by John Powell
After countless (15?) years of hard and reliable service, the Club's "DSC" glider winch and retriever are to be augmented by the purchase of a new RAHM WINCH/RETRIEVER SYSTEM. This is a major investment but one that should provide excellent launching with quick 'turn-around' for many more years of club operations. The new winch is designed for aggressive contest-style launching called for by modern glider designs, but can also be used for sedate launches with careful use of the foot pedal. This is the same type of winch that Mike Popescu has been bringing out to the field recently, so we have experience with it. We will continue to keep the old winch operational as long as possible, both for a back-up and to suit more fragile models. Gary Sorrell has volunteered to continue storing & maintaining all the winch equipment. The Rahm winch is on 6 - 8 week delivery so we are looking at late August before it is in service. This machine should be able to launch ANYTHING ....except maybe a helicopter, so plan to come out and take advantage of it.
Sailplane Flyers: Which Winch for You?
by Jim Myers, May 29, 1995
I want to compliment and thank the Hear-Ye editors, Price Dempler and John McCarty, for their work in turning out a great publication every month. You guys are doing a great job of getting out the news and keeping us informed of what's going on in the club. Since last October, I have been employed in Northern NJ which keeps me away from club meetings and away from the flying field during the week. Now, the weekends provide my only opportunities to get out to the field.
Hey, I have been away from the writing end of this newsletter for over a year now, and maybe I'm getting too comfortable in being only a past contributor. I am still active at the reading end, though. I always enjoy reading John Powell's letters, even the ones inspired during that famous BOG meeting at Binney and Flynn's last December.
I'd like to add a few comments to John's last article (in the May Hear Ye) on the fun and challenges of flying the new Esteem sailplanes. I have watched these new super planes on a number of Sunday mornings, and I have met their creator, Mike Popescu, who even gave me some stick time on one of these beauties. In my rather limited acquaintance with the plane, I did not get the long flight time that John, Mike, Marty Albion, Gary Sorrell, and others can achieve with the plane. However, I could easily see that this plane's performance capability is certainly a quantum jump better than that of the planes that I have been flying.
The other thing I noticed was that Mike brings his own winch to the field and allows other flyers to use it - if we dare! This modern, direct-drive winch operates with a lot more power than our standard club winch. Mike sets up his turn-around only half as far away as we normally set our club winch's turn-around. There is no retrieval winch used. Instead, the parachuted end must be retrieved manually after each launch. The Esteem (and probably other F3B-class sailplanes) have extremely strong wing structures, joined by a 1/2-inch diameter, foot-long hardened aluminum shaft. (It can be replaced by a steel shaft if extra ballast is desired.) By "zooming" the launch, the plane can be made to climb another 100 feet after releasing from the towline!
During one day in March, on two occasions I saw planes launched with such force that the turn-around stake was pulled from the ground! No harm to the planes; they just didn't get quite as much zoom effect as their pilots were expecting.
I have not yet launched one of my own sailplanes (a two-meter Sagitta and a 100-inch Apogee) on this winch, because I believe they would not withstand the strong, fast pull available. Even if I successfully pulse the foot switch to prevent too much pull, there may come a launch when I accidentally leave my foot down for one or two seconds two long, and then รท snap! go the wings, and the fuselage will plummet helplessly downward on its way to becoming a pile of splinters. The same trepidation holds true for most owners of old standard planes such as the Olympic 650 and Olympic II, Prophet, Gentle Lady, etc.
We still own the old winch, and Gary Sorrell faithfully brings it along on most Sunday mornings. However, I have never seen it in use at the same time with Mike's winch. Probably one of the reasons is that it is not really strong enough to launch very many of those 120-inch zoomers. Any of us who do not yet own a new high tech sailplane and a computer radio is limited to using a Hi Start. The same is true for any novices who want to get started into the sailplane hobby. The club's retrieval winch is handy for those who (a) don't like to walk to pick up the parachute before each launch or (b) want to make a lot of flights in a day (e.g., I can get two or three launches with my plane in the time that John Powell gets only one. His plane just won't come down as quickly as mine.)
My final point is this: I would like to see both winches in use at the same time. I believe our field has enough room for simultaneous operations. Otherwise, I fear that our sailplane hobby might become too exclusive and will discourage newcomers. I spoke with John P. recently, and he said there have been some discussions about getting a new club winch, that could serve the needs of both the super planes and the ordinary ones. I would like to see this happen soon. Until then, I will buy some more fuel and get my Starhawk and Super Aeromaster into the air. My Big Stick 40 is currently under construction, too.
Thanks to Jim Myers for the great article this month! Anyone else wishing to contribute should do so - this newsletter is great when articles are submitted by our club members.
Anyone with ideas or contributions, please let me know. Thanks!