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Welcome to the
Millis Model Aircraft
& Canoe Club

PLUS: Raffle Winner!


I really hesitate to bring this up from fear that I'll jinx things... but I think maybe...just maybe...the sour weather has broken and we're finally into more typical summer conditions!
... It's not news that our spring and early summer was challenging to say the least. Even on the good days, the constant rain made just getting into Bill Martin Airfield a question of judgment...you know, gauging if the ducks swimming in the roadway meant that the water was a little too deep to safely enter. For those of us that did run the gauntlet (either taking a calculated risk on the road or cheating a bit and driving in via the CSX right-of-way) we found other challenges like long, thick grass on the runway or highly unpredictable crosswinds.
... It was tough to be an optimist this spring, but some of us did get a few really good days to fly...and those tasted all the sweeter just because they were so rare.
... This spring's experience has reminded me to keep at least one plane at the ready for the opportunity to load up and head over to the field in the event that Mr. Sun makes an appearance (invest in a trickle-charger or ask me about the "Colin Towers lamp timer method"). Although my available flying time is limited a bit by work and family commitments, I'm hoping to take advantage of as many good days as possible for the rest of the summer. My advice to other members is to not wait for Saturday morning to see if it's going to be a day to fly. A calm summer evening can be just as good... maybe better. Bring your wife or kids and take them for ice cream on the way home. Invite a buddy from work or a neighbor to come along to see just why you spend most of your winter in the basement "building things." Let your lawn go another day before breaking out the mower or trimmer (wait for a windy day to do those chores). Just remember how quickly summer passes in New England...and this summer will feel even shorter. It's up to you to make the time to enjoy it!
... Oh, about jinxing the weather. I've decided that if the rest of the summer ends up being crappy, it couldn't be because of this little essay. If I had that kind of power it would be a sunny 75 degrees with low humidity and a light, steady breeze down the runway right through Christmas.

Keep up your airspeed!
Jim McCoy

P.S. I still have AMA Silver Leader Club pins for each active member. If you want yours, give me a call or drop me an email and we'll work something out. Of course the best way to get one is to come to the July 25 meeting at the airfield!

Also...special thanks to Ted Zaborski for the "slightly modified" field photos!

R E M I N D E R :

Our club website has a complete list of officers, volunteers, instructors and other helpful information. The "For Sale" page is constantly being updated with planes and gear that members are looking to sell.

Club president Jim McCoy brought the meeting to order at 7:30PM. Due to the recent weather, the meeting was held at the Legion Hall instead of the flying field as planed. A motion to accept the May secretary's report as stated in the June 2006 Yankee Flyer was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The treasurer's report was read by Dave Seale. A motion to accept the treasurer's report was made and seconded. The motion passed unanimously. As of June 26th the 2006 membership count stands at 52.
... The winner of the Saito .72 engine raffle is Kevin Gregory of Milford. Congratulations go to Kevin and big thank you goes to Bill O'Donnell for running the raffle.
... Dave Seale shared some pictures he took recently. One was of the flooded access road to the flying field in Medfield and the others were of planes he saw at the flying site in Bridgewater. Thanks Dave.
... Access to the flying field has been limited due to the rain we have had this spring. A motion was made and voted on to add a second entrance to the field from the tracks close to the field. Access will be controlled by a chain that will have a lock on it that uses the same key as the gate lock. The motion passed.
... Vinny Marinucci presented a solo certificate to Richard Speranza. Congratulations and good luck Rich!
... Dave Eaton (pictured to right) announced that Bill Costello will be CD for the fun fly on Saturday, July 22 with a rain date of July 23.
... The family space day event at Framingham State was rained out this year. Jim read a letter he received from the organizers who invited us to participate next year.
... The next club meeting will be held, weather permitting, at the Bill Martin Field in Medfield on July 25. The gate at the field will be open if the meeting is being held there. Otherwise, the meeting will be held at the Legion Hall in Millis.
... The meeting adjourned at 8:10 and was followed by the raffle.

Roger Gilman
MMAC Secretary

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Membership Update...

One of the many bright spots at the June meeting was the father and son team of Robert P. and Robert S. Pelland signing on as new members of MMAC. The Pellands live in Foxboro. Welcome aboard fellas!

Solo and Away You Go!

Rich Speranza's big smile was even bigger at June's meeting when he received his Pilot's Solo Certificate. The framed certificate was read and proudly presented to him by his instructor, Vinny Marinucci, who had favorable comments about his abilities as a student. This accomplishment was especially meaningful to Rich who had started flying with his Dad in Virginia. Great job, Rich!

This Month's Fuel Winner(s)

Bill O'Donnell (VP and raffle manager) pulled a gag based on my good luck in winning the fuel 3 times so far this year. Unknown to me, he brought a second gallon of fuel with my name already imprinted on the face. The first raffle ticket was drawn...and Bill simply handed me the can, pretending to assume that I had won once again!
... Our mentor and instructor, Bill Lloyd, always taught us, "Never trade luck for skill."
... After we all had a good laugh, the gallon of fuel was re-entered into the raffle. Charlie Neville, the club's confirmed flyer of electric powered planes (i.e. Miss Pigi), ultimately took the prize home. It did go to good use though, when his grandson, Wes Neville, resumed flight training with Bill Lloyd on the following Saturday.

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Early June rains caused Bill Costello to cancel his June 10th Fun Fly. It is rescheduled for July 22.
... The access road was under 24" of water and impassible. It was the deepest in memory. The flood covered from just inside the gate all the way to where the road breaks out of the woods. The swamp was also under so much water it looked like a lake. Large puddles stood on the runway straight out from the pilot stations. By June 20th the field was once again accessible by the road.

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The Model Shop

How Toe-in Helps Model Aircraft
In airplanes, wheel toe-in aids in keeping an airplane going straight during takeoff roll and landing roll-out, particularly with tail-draggers. Airplanes with tricycle gear have the center-of-gravity (CG) forward of the main gear. This helps straighten out an airplane that has developed a yaw angle between where it is pointed and where it is actually going.
... A tail-dragger has the CG behind the main gear and a slight yaw angle is not automatically corrected but is made worse and can result in a ground loop. Here is where toe-in of the wheels helps both types. An airplane rolling straight ahead has equal drag from each of the wheels. When it takes an unwanted turn to the left, the drag from the left wheel goes to zero while the drag at the right wheel increases. The net effect is the unbalanced drag exerts a retarding force and turns the airplane back to the desired direction. This wouldn't happen without toe-in.
... (Article from Plane Talk, Aerobatic Aces, Three Rivers MI) (Editor's note: It is easier to bend the axle before the gear is installed on the ship. I have used toe-in on all my tail-draggers with good results).

Hannibal Build Continues...
Flair's 91 inch Hannibal kit is from the UK. All the lumber specified on the plans is in millimeters. The Midwest 8" Scale Lumber Gauge has been an indispensable tool while digging through the box to find the correct size lumber. The notches on the gauge are close enough in size to make quick selections. The "Metric to US" chart (available by emailing me at yankeeflyer@comcast.net) was also a great aid to simplify things.
... Hannibal's airframe has been completed. The construction was a straight-forward build in the proven old-time stick and truss frame tradition. I put the power sander on an old TV stand and rolled it right up next to the bench. The stock was so heavy all cuts were made in the miter-box and sanded for accurate fits.
... Before buying the kit, Jack Squier allowed me to try putting his Hannibal's wing into my sedan. It fit, believe it or not, with less than an inch to spare! The alternative would have been to make the wing in 2 pieces. The only surprise on this project is how really big this plane is in the workshop. For transporting, the fuse will have to ride in the trailer on the way to the field.

Don't forget folks..."2 minutes a day!"

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SSRCC's 1st Annual "Light Wings Fly-In"

Bridgewater's "Light Wings Fly-in" was held Sunday, June 18, 2006 at the club's field. Although it was Father's Day and the Collings Foundation in Stow coincidentally had their annual open house, by 10 a.m. 30 folks had shown up. The club's Bob Mandeville and Bill Verge collaborated on creating this event. "It is not a contest, it's just for fun...a gathering of kindred minds."
... The event was open to RC aircraft such as gliders and sailplanes with or without electric or glow power assist. It was also open to Free Flight, Old Timer's, Vintage & VTO and any model of light wing loading. Most of the 50+ models were electric powered, however Ted Patrolia, an international competitor, brought his beautiful Lanzo Bomber. The model is powered by a spark ignition O&R 60. Both the engine and model design date back to the late 1930's.
... John Nicolaci's famous PBM is well known in the area and has flown non-stop from New Bedford to the Vineyard. Although hardly a ship with "light wing-loading," the gigantic PBM with self-starting .91 2-cycles is planned for conversion to a pair of electric motors. John was looking for some expertise on electrics. Sign of the times? Seeing the aircraft brought back memories of when I flew as a radar operator in PBM's back in 1952-3.
... Rich Cubi flew his 99-inch w/s Dynaflite Butterfly in the 0-5 mph winds. Other ships ranged in size from a 9" bipe to those with wingspans well in excess of 100".
... For more information on this annual event, go to the South Shore Club's website at www.ssrcc.org. For the PBM story and a beautiful in-flight take-off photo, checkout the last page of SSRCC's June 2006 newsletter.

Lanzo Bomber	Carl's custom auto-gyro
	Martin PBM Mariner

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Tower Tips

The following technical advise is directed towards cars, but in general is applicable to our planes as well.

Q: Part way through my run, my engine can't seem to draw enough fuel. I see bubbles in the fuel line and the engine coughs sputters or quits. What's wrong?

A: Several things can cause a loss of fuel pressure during the run (also seen as bubbles in the fuel lines). The most common cause is overheating. The engine is getting so hot it is vaporizing fuel in the fuel line at the side of the engine. Try running your engine a few clicks richer to see if this resolves the problem. Bad fuel line: If a line in your tank is cracked or slightly split, it will exhibit this kind of behavior. Try replacing all fuel lines. Bad tank: Again, a leaky seam [or stopper] in a tank will exhibit this kind of behavior. Insufficient exhaust pressure: If you have changed the exhaust on your engine, a section of the muffler has been lost or the line to the muffler is insecurely attached, then you will encounter problems with fuel flow.

Web Sites to Check Out

www.carcmc.org Humorous home-spun airborne videos from the Cape Ann RC Club

www.bassfiles.net/parachute.swf Don't miss this skydiver game! (sound & pix)

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf Smack the penguin game

www.ssrcc.org/home.htm Haute-Voltige videos on the home page

www.twoplaneguys.com/gavids1.htm 8 Unusual Aviation Videos

www.flightzone.co.za/media/harvards.wmv Water-Skiing AT-6s