Hear Ye!

The official newsletter of the :
Valley Forge Signal Seekers
Radio Controlled Model Airplane Club
May, 1996

In This Issue:

News From The President....
Notes From The Net......
Training News Update...
The Shakes......
Comments From The Editor.....

NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT

By Warren Barrick
April Meeting
V.F.S.S. is finding out what a great group of model aviators we have within our midst. The most recent evidence of this was displayed by the "chopper" guys at our April meeting at the church.

B.O.G. member Tris Colkert, an avid helicopter pilot organized an informative and entertaining meeting. "Phil" Leinhauser served as spokesman for the group and presented those in attendance (another full house) with instruction and theory on how to operate helicopters. Dave Schlie, a former V.F.S.S. president, and Mel Jones, a former B.O.G. member, were in attendance and provided interested individuals with their expertise after the formal presentation.

All of the above brought their "choppers". They also had a Dave Brown flight simulator as well as an interesting video on helicopter flight.

Thanks guys for a job well done. We are most appreciative of your efforts.

May Meeting
Our May meeting for general membership will be held in the park at our flying site on May 14th. rain date will be Thursday, May 16th. Come as soon as you can after work. If possible, come in the early afternoon. we will try to have a brief formal meeting for announcements, a demonstration of "the box" by Chuck Karr, some entertainment and light refreshments.

Hopefully, we can get things started by 6:15 and there will be sometime for everyone to get in a flight or two, bring a model.

A Misunderstanding
April's Hear Ye announced a fun fly on May 18th with a rain date of May 19th. THIS IS NOT SO! The B.O.G. has already budgeted two fun flies later in the season.

Price Dempler
We reluctantly accept Price's resignation as Hear Ye editor. Price is feeling the weight of job, grad school and most importantly, family.

Thanks, Price, you gave Hear Ye a new format, appearance and national recognition as a newsletter. You put us on the Internet and dragged us into the 21st century. We are very glad you were our editor. Good luck in all your endeavors and we hope you can still find the time to keep your hand in model aviation.

Sam Andreas
Welcome, Sam, as our new Hear Ye Editor! Sam is going to continue as B.O.G. secretary and assume the reins at Hear Ye. We wish him well and are grateful

Notes From The Net
Compliments of Michael Myers
From: jonas@unix.infoserve.net
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 96 16:18:33 -0700
To: mhmyers@netaxs.com
Subject: movie

Hi there,
I'm producing a feature motion picture called "True North" in Vancouver, B.C. in July '96.
We need two radio controlled planes (bushplanes. preferably) to serve as our picture planes. (Instead of using real ones for flying shots). I am also interested in a model freight train that is set in a mountainous terrain for other shots.
If you have any suggestions as to who I could contact about this please drop me a line.

jonas@unix.infoserve.net
Thanks,
Jonas Quaste

From: FCouples@aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 11:41:33 -0400
To: mhmyers@netaxs.com
Subject: Grumman Widgeon

Hello, I have been trying to find a model of the Grumman Widgeon. My father is restoring a 1945 Grumman Widgeon and I would like to get him a scale model. He would like to see various paint schemes before he has his painted.
I would like to fly the scale model. If you have any idea where/who might have some information about a scale model of the Grumman Widgeon I would appreciate it. Please e-mail me at FCouples@AOL.COM. Thanks!

Training Program Update
By Rom Boutin
As of April 21 '96 the following pilots have agreed to function as INSTRUCTOR'S (Fixed Wing) and thereby have been assigned student club members requiring training. The instructors either acted and were active in that capacity in '95 or they have passed testing by certain qualified V.F.S.S. personnel. According to V.F.S.S.rules, Instructions can only be given by the following persons or as modified in the future if required: Joseph Weizer, Charles Swope, Bud Klopp, Rom Boutin, Chuck Karr, Abe Jones, Ron Strobel, Jim Campana and Scott Irwin. In addition two aspirants, Sam Andreas and John Frost will be tested to add to our current list of instructor's.

Joe W., Chuck K., Abe J., and Jim C. have agreed to supply help to those pilots who are interested in learning some of those advanced maneuvers performed by the Masters. Of course please check with the Instructor for his availability.

We also have established an important function, which will assist the Instructor's and the students, known as Technician (Fixed Wing). The Technician will check all aspects of the Radio equip. and Aircraft functions, including workmanship, to the extent he feels that the aircraft is airworthy. This function will be accomplished, with the student present, during the early stages of the training period. The student will then perform the task under Technician and/or Instructor supervision. Serving in this capacity are Bob Engman, Ted Ferrant, Bob O'brien Mike Estock, Rudy Forst, George Sprenkle and Jim Medinger

The Shakes
By Art Rothstein
It's been a long time since I wrote an article for the Hear Ye, so I thought it a good time to do it again.

The other day while at the field an interesting conversation came up regarding the balancing of propellers. To start off, all propellers must be balanced. Wooden propellers, plastic propellers, epoxy- fibre propellers, three bladed propellers-- all propellers that came from any store at any time MUST be balanced. If you don't, you can ruin your engine, or quite literally shake your plane apart, and heaven only knows what other damage. I might add that some engines won't run if the prop is too badly out of balance. Sometimes the engines know better than their owners.

I asked several people, all of whom are good builders and fliers, what balancing a prop meant. I was surprised at the answers, most of which were not exactly correct, although close enough so as not to do much damage. A balanced propeller will stay in any position that you put it. Vertical, horizontal, at 45 deg. -any position- it will not rotate out of that position. It is not advisable to try to balance while outside, as a slight breeze may cause the prop to rotate, thus you get a false reading.

Most propellers can be balanced with a piece of sand paper, the epoxy-fibre props, Master Airscrew for example, should be de- flashed before balancing. This is more easily done using a razor or X-Acto blade. The flashing on these props are sharp, and can cut your hand in just handling them. Three bladed props should be balanced the same way. They must stay in the position placed.

This may seem like a mundane topic but believe me, if you mess up a plane or engine because of an out of balance prop you will feel pretty bad, plus you may never figure out what caused the problem in the first place. Loose screws can ruin your whole day.

The other day at the field I noticed what appeared to be excessive vibration on my plane. I might add that the prop has been on the plane for three summers. When I got home I discovered the prop needed rebalancing. Why, I don't know. Maybe the grass or dirt messes up the balance. Any way I washed it and balanced it. I think now I will make this a part of my preventative maintainance check.

Another thing regarding propellers. I find that when using the black propellers it is a good idea to paint the tips white. That way they are visible. Balance after painting.

I have plenty of other suggestions and tips, most of which I learned from experience (usually bad). I will write about them from time to time.

Remember- When in doubt-don't.

Art Rothstein

Comments From The Editor
By Sam Andreas
As I sit at my computer putting the final touches on this, my first attempt at putting together a newsletter. I can't help thinking, Wow that was relatively painless, and it was. This being due to the excellent format Price Dempler created. Therefore since it isn't broken I'm not going to fix it. The only changes I intend to make amount to minor aesthetics, none of which (I hope) will detract from the professional and impartial newsletter we've all come to expect each month.

I hope to receive a lot of input from club members. We have many extremely talented, experienced modelers in our club and we could all benefit from their wisdom from time to time. If you have something to say on a particular subject get it to me and I'll print it. You can send it to me Via: the internet or by modem upload, on paper (hand written if necessary but typed preferred, on a floppy (3-1/2 only) or just scribbled on a paper napkin. Just as long as you get it to me. In closing I'd like to thank Warren Barrick, Michael Myers, Rom Boutin and Art Rothstein for providing me with enough material to fill this issue.

Thanks guys! it would have been tough filling up all the blank pages with drawings of airplanes.


Feedback or comments to:
Sam Andreas, HearYe editor


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