AMA CHARTER CLUB #397
Club Officers:
President: Bob Mosinski
630-229-6702
Vice President: Tom
Camp
630-305-9422
Treasurer: Bill Hickey
630-428-4978
Secretary: Dave Cotton
630-637-0354
Safety Officer: Mick
Pfeifer
630-717-1041
Fun Fly Committee:
Dave Engel, (Director)
630-305-0457
Larry Dudkowski
Dave Carlson
Publicity Director:
Harlan Davis
630-420-1076
Nominating Committee:
Harlan Davis, (Chair)
Forest Preserve
Relations:
Bob Mosinski
Flying Instructors:
See club's Web Site at
www.propmastersrc.org
For complete list of
Instructors.
Fund Raising Committee:
Larry Dudkowski
Bob Mosinski
Harlan Davis
Librarian: Hank Bourassa
331-684-8209
Webmaster: Dave Carlson
630-851-3914
Newsletter:
Ray Luchetti (Editor)
630-357-4022
NAPERVILLE
OCTOBER, 2012
October is usually filled with scary things like ghouls, goblins, vampires and jack lanterns.
You want scary? I can’t believe it’s already time to sign up for the 2013 Winter Project
Contest.☺ According to the Farmer’s Almanac, we are supposed to be clobbered with severe
cold and snow. Start thinking about what your winter project will be this year. Of course you
can use last year’s unfinished project, that’s what I’m going to do.
We wrapped up September with a fantastic club picnic. Burgers and dogs always taste better
over the coals and outside. Thanks to all that attended, a wonderful time was had by all and
running cleanup is always a treat. (It would just be a waste to throw those cookies out)☺.
Speaking of treats; one of our other charters as a club is to give back to the community. As
part of that charter we will again be collecting donations of canned food items that will be
delivered to a local food pantry from Prop Masters. Let’s start the collection off early and
BIG this next meeting and bring non-perishable and canned food items to the meeting.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” - Charles Dickens
The Presidents…
Da
, Da
and a side of fun fly
This event is scheduled for October 28th at the club field. I know there is a Fun Fly scheduled
for Nov, 4th the following weekend; and your point is? ☺Someone once told me you can never
have too many club events… wait no one told me that I just made it up but it sounds good!
Come on out and enjoy a great day of Prop Master camaraderie even if you don’t fly. Dress
appropriately, bring your drinks (sorry no alcohol ) and a suggested donation of $3 to cover
the eats. If we get bad weather we can always do it again the next weekend.
Again, if any of you are interested in any of the Board positions please make your interest
known to Harlan Davis. We encourage you to bring your love of the hobby to a new level and
new ideas as well. We also have many Committee positions available so consider those as
well.
Since we have some voting coming up in November, everyone bring one thing you didn’t
know about…no not the Presidential Candidates’. Bring one R/C related Item or FACT or
Tip you think all of us have never heard or knew about before. Dig hard now; get us some
interesting things to take into building season, or charging or whatever? First, second and
third points will be awarded by membership votes. Keep each Show n Tell to a limit of two
minutes please. Talking and pontificating is encouraged during the break and after the
meeting. ☺
We have another great raffle this month, and plenty of FUN!
Have Fun, Fly Safe. The Pres
Financial Report
Bill Hickey
Financial Report September 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012
Description
Balance September 1, 2012
Operating
Fund
$ 343.83
Income:
Dues
Donations
Brand Items
Swap
40.00
Field Fund
Total
$3,536.80
Comments
$3,880.63
65.00
105.00 Welcome Jim Farina.
Washer toss & sale of
58.00 Marv’s plane.
24.00 Hat sales.
1.73 Junk table.
58.00
24.00
1.73
Total Income
Total Cash Available
65.73
409.56
Expenses:
Events
203.88
203.88 Picnic food & supplies.
Total Expenses
203.88
203.88
Balance September 30, 2012
$ 205.68
123.00
3,659.80
$3,659.80
188.73
4,069.36
$3,865.48
Bill Hickey
Prop Masters Treasurer 305 White Oak Drive
Naperville, IL 60540
Newsletter Contributions
[email protected]
Send articles or pictures of interest to the club to:
[email protected]
The deadline for submissions is the second
Tuesday of the month.
Club Newsletters are posted at the club
website: www.propmastersrc.org.
Meeting Minutes
Dave Cotton
Meeting minutes - September 25, 2012
Opening:
The meeting held at the Judd Kendall VFW hall, started at 7:25 pm and ended at 8:45 pm. Due to the absence of President
Bob Mosinski, the meeting was presided over by Vice President Tom Camp. The August meeting minutes were approved
as published and the August 2012 Financial Report was approved as presented at the meeting and published in the
Newsletter.
Committee
Reports:
Newsletter
Safety
Fun Fly
Forest Preserve
Website
Library
Instruction
Fundraising
Publicity
Picnic
Nomination
Air Show
Ray Luchetti stated that the September newsletter was issued a little later than usual since he was
on vacation.
Mick Pfeifer mentioned to the membership that we should all use the buddy system when
searching for a plane out in the woods since accidents and injuries can happen. Please make this
part of our safety standards.
Dave Engel reported that our next fun fly will be the bomb drop (washer-drop) scheduled for
September 30th. An open discussion of the contest rules followed – the event will include two
rounds since it goes fast. Come out and watch even if you cannot fly.
Vice President Tom Camp mentioned that all is good at the field.
Dave Carlson reported that the website is functioning well with the exception of the current
weather information. This problem is presently being worked on. Dave also mentioned that
pictures of our 2012 Club Picnic have been posted on the website.
Hank Bourassa stated that videos and simulators are available, see him if you’re interested.
Tom Camp mentioned that they were instructing 14 or so new students and have been busy on
Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Tom also mentioned that the evening instruction sessions will
stop at the end of this month due to the earlier sunset, but some instructors are available during
the day.
Bill Hickey reported that the club took in $270 at the Tailgator Swap before expenses of $140.
Good news, we’re not in the hole.
No report.
Tom Camp stated that the picnic was a great success and that it appeared that those in attendance
had a good time
Tom Camp mentioned that the Board of Directors would like to know if any members are
interested in becoming a Board member or filling one of our many Chair positions. Please see
Harlan Davis or let any Board member know if you are interested.
No report requested.
Old Business:
.
The membership had an open discussion on the upcoming AMA district vice president election.
New Business:
The UIC team gave a presentation and informed us that they are looking for a new pilot to be involved in their next AIAA
flight project that is coming up this year. Joe Bartek mentioned that he had contacted and submitted a letter to the AMA
regarding last year’s AIAA flight project and was hoping that it would make the next issue of the AMA magazine.
New Members &
Guests:
Visitors that were in attendance were Brad and Van. Thanks for coming to the meeting and checking us out.
Meeting Minutes
Dave Cotton
Lost Horizons:
No Lost Horizons were awarded. Vice President Tom Camp mentioned that he had an incident but that the plane was
OK. It was brought up that Wayne Casey had lost a plane and that it was recovered with little damage. Joe Bartek
mentioned that he was hit the other day by a P-40 free flight plane at another field, (good thing it wasn’t at our field).
Raffle:
Mick Pfeifer had a great raffle which included a Magnum 52 4 stroke, sealing iron, power panel,
dead center gauge, spinner, and the oil. Also, see the recycle table, a small donation buys lots.
Show and Tell:
(See photo section)
Mick Pfeifer
Joe Bartek
Ed Slanina
Bruce Haynes
Dave Engel
John Totten
Ray Good
Fred Page
Dave Carlson
Bushwhacker by Mark Models, a tail dragger built from a kit with a 25 size motor.
EZ-Cruiser which was scratch built (AJ Reynolds, Park Pilot Magazine) with an electric motor
for power.
90 size Katana ARF in a red, white and blue color scheme.
Sport P-51 by Phoenix models with a 40 size motor.
Aeroworks Pro X 260 Freestyle with a 50 size motor.
Trainer (out of the closet) which was a kit (built in the 70’s) in a blue and yellow color scheme.
Tribute (restored from the Engel Hanger) with a 46 size motor.
AD Drone Quad Copter.
Hobbymate FBL and DFC head on his Align copter.
Closing:
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday October 30th at 7:30 pm at the Judd Kendall VFW hall.
Editor’s Note
We are attempting to assemble pictures of all members to be posted in a gallery on our website. Listed below are the
members’ pictures we currently are lacking. Please see me at the next meeting to have your picture taken. Thanks, Ray
Luchetti
Bill Barclay
Bill Phillips
Derrick Williamson
Chuck Cornell
Robert Johnson
James Farina
Craig Vander Kolk
Travis McClure
Dave Russell
Mike Wendell
Sam Peguero
Bob & Spence Vaupel
September 25th Meeting Photos
Ray Luchetti
Mick Pfeifer – Bushwhacker by Mark Models.
Joe Bartek – EZ- Cruiser.
El Slanina – 90 size Katana ARF.
Bruce Haynes – Sport P 51 by Phoenix models.
Dave Engel – Aeroworks Pro X 260 Freestyle.
John Totten – Kit built trainer.
September 25th Meeting Photos
Ray Luchetti
Ray Good – Restored Tribute.
Dave Carlson – FBL & DFC by Hobbymate.
Fred Page – AD Drone Quad Copter.
Fun Fly Committee
Fun fly # 8 Washer Drop Report
Fun-Fly #8 for 2012, The Washer Drop, is in the history books. Twelve pilots participated in the event with three others
attending as spectators. The weather for the event was a typical fall day with light clouds and gusting wind from the East
blowing right down the runway.
The rules were simple. Everyone was allowed two drops. But if you opted for the second drop your score for your first
drop was eliminated, so there was really only one scoring drop per pilot.
Whosever washer landed closest to the cone took first place, next closest second and so on, with first, second and third
place finishes within each of the four pilot classes. Any means of dropping the washer was allowed. The Fun-Fly
Committee supplied sticks and rubber bands but as I said any means of dropping the washer was allowed. So there were a
variety of methods used. From complicated servo activated devices to the simple stick rubber banded to the model, with
the washer slipped over the stick making a loop or roll necessary to free the washer from the stick.
Here’s how it worked. The pilot had to take off, fly one lap around the field. After that initial lap he was free to take as
many passes as he liked before making his drop.
The results are posted below.
Place
Pilot's
Name/Class
Attend Part Finish Total
Pts. Pts. Pts.
Pts.
Advanced
1st Mick Pfeifer
2nd Bill Hickey
3rd Hank Bourassa
Bruce Haynes
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
30
20
10
0
50
40
30
20
Novice
1st Macpherson, Jack
10
10
30
50
Did Not Fly
Erica Bourassa
Brad Kummel
Ed Slanina
10
10
10
0
0
10
0
0
0
10
10
20
Place
Pilot's
Name/Class
Expert
1st Dave Carlson
2nd Dave Cotton
3rd Tom Camp
Larry Dudkowski
Dave Engel
Dan Nosek
Bob Mosinski
Attend Part Finish Total
Pts. Pts. Pts.
Pts.
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
30
20
10
0
0
0
0
50
40
30
20
20
20
20
The Fun-Fly Committee awarded Ed Slanina 10 bonus points for working the score sheet during the contest and helping
run the event. Thanks Ed.
There was a bonus contest at the end of the event, the “Pilot Washer Toss”. In this event each pilot took a turn a tossing
his washer at the target cone from the pilot station. This event was won by Dave Cotton who donated his winnings to the
club. Thanks Dave
Larry Dudkowski and the Fun Fly Committee
Fun Fly Committee
Fun fly # 9 Mystery Fun Fly
Our next Fun Fly is scheduled for November 3rd dependent on the weather of course. I haven’t made up my mind on what type
of contest we’ll have, so for now let’s just call it a mystery event.
Dave Carlson and the Fun Fly Committee
2012 CLUB CALENDAR
Monthly Meeting
January 31st
February 28th & Flight
Box Beauty Contest
March 27th & Winter
project judging at the mtg.
April 24th
May 29th
th
June 26 & Beauty Contest
July 31st
August 28th
September 25th
October 30th
November 27th
December 28th &
Christmas Auction
Fun Fly Date
January 1st
Fun Fly Event
Polar Bear Fun Fly 10:00 am at the field
Notes
Too windy, met at
McDonalds.
Fun Fly #1 Indoor Fun Fly at the meeting.
No Fun Fly this month.
April 1st
Fun Fly #2 Spot Landing
April 29th
June 3th
Fun Fly #3 Fast and Slow
Fun Fly #4 Timed to Climb/Practice for
Barnstormers Contest
Fun Fly #5 Barnstormers Contest @ their field.
Fun Fly #6 Air Show
June 24th
July 8th
August 19th
August 25th
September 16th
September 30th
October 28th
November 4th
December 2nd
Fun Fly #7 – Qualification Sunday
Tailgater Swap Meet
Annual Prop Masters Picnic
Fun Fly #8 – Washer Drop
President’s Bears & Brat Fest
Fun Fly #9 – Mystery Fun Fly
Fun Fly #10
No Fun Fly – Merry Christmas & Happy New
Year!
Air Show
Postponed one
week due to July
4th holiday.
Note date change.
Moved to Friday.
New Model Airplane
Field at Tinley Creek
Joe Bartek
The Suburban Aero Club of Chicago Field in the Tinley Creek Preserve has quite a few “Bells and Whistles” that might
be useful in any new field. The first feature that helps a lot is an “L shaped” plan that combines a 300’ X 50’ asphalt
runway (E-W) with a 500’ X 200’ grass field at right angles. Of course, that requires lots of space. It’s also separate from
other preserve facilities, plus there is a separate “heli’s only” space, which is marked as “2.4 GHz only”. There are more
than 50 parking places. The runway is two years old and has just gotten its first crack filling and seal coating, which
S.A.C. paid for, according to their recent Newsletter.
I visited the field recently, because the Calumet Escadrille chapter of the Flying Aces free flight club had scheduled a
contest there. The field is located on Cicero Avenue, northeast of the I-57/Vollmer Road interchange, about 35 miles
from Naperville. Unfortunately the contest, and most other flying, was blown out by 30 mile an hour winds. In fact, the
flag pole was bending. While there’s plenty of mowed area for R/C takeoffs and landings, the wind was blowing toward
large fields of ragweed and busy Cicero Avenue, which is 1000 feet east of the asphalt runway. There are very few trees
within 500 feet of the mowed areas. However, the rest of the open area is thick with prairie plants, especially 3 foot tall
goldenrod. There are deer in the vicinity, with occasional droppings in the mowed area, so take precautions against ticks.
The Forest Preserve has lots of signage indicating the pilot’s only area and the flight line, which are marked off by split
rail fences. The Suburban Aero Club has an impound stand / locker made of welded steel with a sturdy padlock. Back of
the flight line, there are similar plane prep stands to the ones at Springbrook, but the front legs are on wheels, so that the
grass can be cut beneath them. Unfortunately, there are no covered shelters, and only portable toilet facilities. If you
want to fly there, Cook County has no pilot permits, and operates their fields on an “AMA members, first come first fly
basis.”
New Model Airplane
Field at Tinley Creek
Joe Bartek
The pilot stations have square plots of prairie plants to their immediate front, with mowed grass taxi-ways between each
plot. There are 11 stations on the “L” with 5 facing the runway. Those taxi-ways are fairly narrow.
Hints, Information,
Tips and Stuff
Larry Dudkowski
It seems like no matter how long I’ve been in this hobby, it always seems that there is something more to learn.
Sometimes it’s a new technology or something technical or a different way to do something you’ve always done.
Sometimes it’s just a lesson about returning to the basics. I recently had such a lesson while setting up my Great Planes
F-86.
I purchased a Great Planes F-86 EDF jet with the new Any-Link transmitter as a package deal. If you remember I brought
it to the August meeting for Show-N-Tell. If you don’t remember, I still brought it to the August meeting. Sorry, that’s
one of those IF-THEN-ELSE computer things. The package included the foam F-86, with all of the electronics installed,
a Lipo battery, car cigarette lighter charger and Any-Link ‘transmitter’. It even included a pilot figure. At first I thought
it was a Q-tip. But I couldn’t understand why they would package a Q-tip in a separate plastic bag. “Upon Closer
Review” as the referees would say, I discovered it was a, and I’m using this term very loosely, a pilot figure. However
being just a piece of white foam, I guess it needs a paint job to complete it. Anyway back to my story.
I checked out the F-86 instructions and, other than charging the battery; there was really nothing new there. There was
nothing to set up or attach. Next, I went to the Any-Link transmitter. The Any-Link transmitter is not really a separate
transmitter. It has no sticks, switches or buttons for that matter. It’s simply a small black box with a stubby (2.4 GHz)
antenna sticking out of it. It needs to be attached to a ‘real’ transmitter. For that they give you two Velcro sticky backed
pads. It “piggy backs” off of the trainer port on the ‘real’ transmitter for stick and switch inputs as well as the other
settings programmed within the transmitter. My Any-Link came with two sets of cables, one for JR / Spektrum and
another for the new Futaba square trainer port. I understand that you can get other adapter cords for other transmitter
models. The Spektrum connector is a Y-harness, with the bottom of the ‘Y’ going into the Any-Link. With one leg of the
‘Y’ plugging into the transmitter-charging jack and the other leg of the ‘Y’ plugging into trainer code connector.
I checked for the ‘BIND’ instructions but there weren’t any. According to the manual the Any-Link receiver binds to the
strongest Any-Link transmitter signal when the receiver is first powered on. So you need to ALWAYS turn on the
transmitter and then the receiver. Since powering up the receiver triggers the bind process, you may want to keep the
transmitter in close proximity to the receiver when powering up the aircraft. After the initial bind, the next time the
receiver is powered up, it will first try to rebind to the original transmitter signal. If that signal is not available, it will bind
to the strongest Any-Link transmitter signal in the area. This is something you might want to remember if you have an
Any-Link radio system. As long as we’re talking about the Any-Link system. With the Spektrum/JR transmitter, the
transmitter power switch must remain in the OFF position when using the Any-Link. Turning the transmitter switch ‘ON’
turns the Any-Link transmitter ‘OFF’.
So here I go. I plug the cable into the Any-Link and the ends of the ‘Y’ cables into the transmitter charging jack and the
DCS jack on my Spektrum D6X transmitter. When I plugged into the DSC jack on my DX6 transmitter, the transmitter
display panel came on. When I plugged into the charging jack then green light on the Any-Link came alive. Next I
plugged the battery in on the F-86; the red light on the receiver started blinking and then came on solid, indicating a
successful bind. Everything looked ready; time for a radio check. I pulled back on the elevator stick and the ailerons
moved. I move the ailerons stick and the throttle beeped. NUTS! It looked like I would need to re-plug all of those tiny
servo leads into the tiny little receiver. It looked like if I used some needle-nose pliers and was very, very careful I just
might be able to do it. But it would be a VERY tight squeeze. It was at this point I stopped. This model was sold with
the Any-Link, I did check the manual and the Spektrum DX6 was one of the transmitters listed in the compatibility chart.
It should all work without me making any changes and moving things around.
Well you know what they say, “If all else fail, RTFM.” Read The FREAK’N Manual. So I did. The first thing I
noticed, right there on the cover in big bold letters, was the word “STOP” with a large stop sign around it. “READ
THIS MANUAL IN ITS ENTIRITY BEFORE USE!” This was followed by the usual if you break it too bad
Hints, Information,
Tips and Stuff
Larry Dudkowski
statements. What could it hurt? Reading the manual, that is. Besides I still had to find my needle-nose pliers to change
the servo connections anyway, so I might as well take a brake and actually read the manual.
Well it turns out the there is a separate set up procedure for the Any-Link using the Spektrum/JR transmitter. The default
setting is for the Futaba/Tower transmitters. Then there is a set up routine for Hitec radios and finally
JR/Spektrum/Graupner. For the Spektrum/JR transmitter, you’re directed to the Alternate Channel Mapping section. In
this section are the setup instructions for the Spektrum/JR transmitters. I followed the simple instructions, guess what?
Everything worked, as it should. The elevator stick worked the elevator, the aileron stick the aileron, etc.
The lesson here is, when it says to read the manual first, “READ THE MANUAL FIRST!” This is something we all
should do with any new model or radio. It should be a matter of routine. Always read the manual first.
I probably would have done an OK job of moving the servo, in the receiver but perhaps not. You never really know how
hard or easy a project is until you actually attempt it. I’ve been flying for a while now and thought I knew everything that
there was to know about aircraft and radio setups. I was wrong. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks, well an old
pilot anyway.
Another month bytes the dust.
Fly Smart, Fly Safe, Larry Dudkowski
Visit the Prop Masters R/C Club Web Site at http//www.propmastersrc.org
Support your local Hobby Shop
President’s Bears & brat fest: October 28th
at the field.
Next Meeting: October 30th. @ 7:30 p.m.
at the Naperville VFW Hall.
Fun Fly #9: November 4th – Mystery Fun
Fly