Secretary's Report | Field News | Raffle

July Fun-Fly | Events | Club Website

Fun-Fly a
Big Success!


It's humbling to realize just exactly what you don't know. This realization is not limited to just the big questions like life, love, work and so on. Every now and then I re-learn this lesson in regards to our hobby. Let me explain.
... This spring I purchased a 40-sized Piper Cub owned by another club member that was getting out of the hobby. I had been mulling on getting a Cub for some time, but my plane storage area was becoming maxed out and I had other projects that were already in the cue. This model, however, came complete with a Futaba radio and a broken-in OS four-stroke already installed...so here was an opportunity much too tempting for me to resist.
... I brought the plane home and gave it a once-over, trying hard to ignore my desire to strip the covering to fix the previous owner's dings and dents. After all, this model was supposed to be ready to go...just add fuel...and not a candidate for next year's Winter Project Night!
... In any event, after adjusting a few things and making sure all the bolts and screws were snug and checking the tank for leaks, I headed over to Medfield to give it a try. I was intent (this time) to do the initial hop without Bill Lloyd's help, although I was quietly glad that he was there that day...just in case.
... I found out very quickly that the notion of an RC Piper Cub being an easy craft to fly is simply not true. From the moment I pushed the throttle forward I realized that this was a completely different experience from my Ultra Stick or other sport planes. I struggled to keep things level and my turns looked awkward and seemed to flirt with a stall. Bill Lloyd offered assistance, but I held firm to my intent to do this one on my own, managing an unattractive...but uneventful...landing. Bill must have sensed my need for independence, as he was uncharacteristically quiet while I walked the model back to the pits area with my knees knocking.
... I took a little while to collect myself and adjust some trim that seemed out of whack. Jack Squier offered an excellent suggestion to help my take-off appear more scale, which was greatly appreciated and worked like a charm. Subsequent flights were better, but I still felt like this supposedly docile and "trainer-like" model was flying me and not the other way around. A close encounter with one of the pilot station poles on a subsequent outing put the plane out of commission for a couple of weeks, so I re-built my confidence by flying my Ultra Stick while I made the necessary repairs to the Cub.
... Last Tuesday morning found me and my orange yellow nemesis back at the field. The take-off was sloppy again and I was flopping around the sky like a bass on the bottom of a canoe. Just at the point that I was about to land the Cub and immediately offer it up for sale on the spot, the calm and reassuring voice of John Markinac seemed to come out of nowhere. Since the Millis field days, I've admired John's abilities as a pilot and an instructor. He could see that I was struggling, and offered several suggestions for stick techniques that would smooth things out. He talked me through several circuits around the pattern and encouraged me to use the rudder to coordinate my turns. After landing, he spent quite a while reviewing some adjustments I could make to the Cub that might help me to fly better. Things like adding some right thrust to the engine mount, dampening the rudder throw to make it a little less twitchy and creating differential throw on the ailerons to help smooth out adverse yaw in my turns.
... These suggestions were not unfamiliar, but in my frustration I had forgotten the basics. He also reminded me of a really primary technique to improve your flying skills...one that I'm re-dedicating myself to practice for the balance of the season. Rather than just taking off and simply flying around burning fuel, you should set an intent with each flying session to work on something specific. Whether that be practicing rudder in coordinated turns, smooth take-offs and landings, specific maneuvers like loops, rolls or more advanced stunts. In time, as you master each individual technique, you build confidence and expand your flying ability.
... I'm still glad that I didn't opt to have Bill Lloyd initially test-fly the Cub for me. It forced me to face some of my fears about flying an unfamiliar model. I'm also glad that John Markinac was there that Tuesday morning to talk me through some of the problems I was experiencing...to encourage me and suggest ways to conquer the quirky challenges that my "timid" Piper Cub offered up to me.
... So I'll keep plugging away at learning to fly the Cub. And if it ends up in splinters at some point, I'll probably get another one. You see, the other thing I've learned is that no matter how mundane a Cub may be when compared to its more sporty-looking cousins, that particular shade of yellow still looks awfully nice against a bright blue sky.
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 August 29 meeting at the Millis American Legion!

R E M I N D E R :

Our club website has a complete list of officers, 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. The meeting was held at the flying field in Medfield. A motion to accept the June secretary's report as stated in the July 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 July 24th the 2006 membership count stands at 55 members.
... Jim announced that Bob Lombard is leaving the club and moving to Florida. We wish Bob good luck.
... A new raffle was announced for a Futaba 9C Super radio. One ticket for $3 and two tickets for $5. Tickets will be sold until the annual banquet in October. Contact Bill O'Donnell for tickets.
... Bill Costello recapped the fun fly that was held on July 22. The rain held off until the limbo tie breaker was held between Ted Zaborski and John Holcomb. John ended up winning with Ted placing second and Bill Lloyd taking third. A big thanks goes to Bill Costello for running the fun fly and to Bill O'Donnell for assisting.
... The Milford Demo Day event is scheduled for October 8. Bill O'Donnell has got the field reserved with the town of Milford. He will be putting together a list of events for the day that will be presented at the August meeting. A motion was made to donate a portion of the Milford Demo day 50/50 raffle to a charity. The donation amount and charity will be determined by the club board of officers. The charity donation will satisfy an AMA Gold Leader Club requirement. The motion passed unanimously.
... The next club meeting will be held at the Legion Hall in Millis on August 28.
... The meeting adjourned at 8:05.

Roger Gilman
MMAC Secretary

TOP OF PAGE

This Month's Fuel Winner

John Holcomb was the winner of this month's fuel raffle drawing. Considering the rate at which John burns up the sky, the gallon will be put to good use. You'd have to say it was John's week, having won the first place trophy at the fun-fly and then, with his luck continuing, taking home this most revered prize.
... You say that doesn't look like fuel he's holding? The simulation represents the can of fuel that was overlooked when Billy O'Donnell (club Raffle Chief) was packing his car!

TOP OF PAGE

New Raffles

Once again, from the largess of Bob Rice and his Hobby USA, Millis Model Aircraft Club has been the recipient of three very significant gifts to be used "as the club sees fit". The first is a Futaba 9C 9-Channel Super Radio System capable of storing up to 18 planes in its memory. This item is being raffled off to raise money for the club. Tickets are $3 each or 2-for $5. The tickets were selling like hot-cakes at Tuesday's meeting down at the field. The other two gifts are ARF's: a Hanger 9, 60-size P-47D and a Hobbistar 60 Trainer. The BOD is presently determining how these fine gifts will be used.

Finally by July 27th all signs of water in the access road had disappeared.
... Vandalism has been reported. Beer cans were scattered all over, the Field Rules Board knocked down and our new wind indicator pole thrown like a spear out onto the field damaging the top pivot mechanism. Thanks to Bill Costello, all has been put back in place.
... A softball-size hornet's nest hanging under the picnic table was disposed of. Please let me know if you spot any others. I keep cans of wasp spray in the car.
... Charlie's grandson, Wes Neville, was bitten by a bug and is being treated for Lyme disease. So be sure to use your repellent.
... We're happy to learn that honorary member, Bob Rice, has been using the field. Unfortunately his electric model went down out into the swamp where it was later retrieved by Dennis Reagan.

TOP OF PAGE

MMAC July Fun-Fly CD Bill Costello's postponed June Fun-Fly was held on July 22nd. We got rained on, but not rained out. The group photo shows everyone slightly damp, if not soaked, but not their enthusiasm. All agreed that it was one of the club's best Fun-flys. ... Seven pilots showed up to compete and about 10-15 spectators cheered the competitors on. Jack Squier assisted Bill O'Donnell with pilot registration. Jack and Bill Costello were the line judges with help from John Holcomb. Billy O'Donnell kept the scoring sheets while Bill Lloyd posted and tallied the points on the score board. ... The two events held were two rounds each of the Limbo and the Bomb Drop. The Limbo tape was less than 6 feet above the ground in the center. Most anyone can do a low fly-by but when a tape is stretched across the runway, for some reason it plays tricks with most pilot's control. ... The Bomb Drop was clearly the more difficult of the two, but by the end of the contest, folks began to zero in on the large painted targets on the runway. Finally, Al Sutton was in very good position for his bomb release. This got everyone's attention, so we all watched to see where the bomb was going to land. Unfortunately, so did Al, taking his eyes off his plane which was in a steep dive at the time and followed the bomb to the ground! It was the only mishap of the day. ... As it turned out at the end of the competition, there was a tie-score. A run-off Limbo event was staged to settle the 1st and 2nd place winners. Awards for the top three pilots were presented to John Holcomb, Ted Zaborski and Bill Lloyd. The trophies were donated by CD Bill Costello. After the contest was over, hot dogs and sodas were served and the group photo was taken. ... Theresa Freeman of Community Newspapers wrote an extensive article on RC flying that appeared inseveral of the local area newspapers on Sunday, July 23rd. ... Reporter/photographer Ken McGagh attended the Fun-fly and took many photographs, many of which were used in the articles.
	Pilot registration - Jack, Billy O and pilot Roger Gilman.
	Pilot's Meeting L-to-R: John Holcomb, Bill Lloyd, Roger Gilman, Al Sutton, CD Bill Costello and Ted Zaborski (Dave S taking pix).
	Line judges Jack Squier and Bill Costello.
	Ted Zaborski slips under the tape during one of the limbo rounds (Ken McGagh photo).
	CD Bill Costello works to resolve the tie between John (left) and Ted (right). Check everyone's body language.
Front Row: Ted Zaborski, John Holcomb, Bill Lloyd, Bill O'Donnell Back row: Roger Gilman, Gerry Lyman, Bill Costello (missing is Al Sutton and Dave Seale is taking the pix).

TOP OF PAGE

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