SKYWRITER ONLINE

May, 2001
MAY MEETING EVENT
Annual Static Show. Show off your winter projects !!

Next Meeting Time: Meeting Program: President's Corner:
Hello everybody. Flying season has begun and I've already managed to get one plane covered in mud from a slight off-field excursion. I'm going to try to save at least one plane for next year instead of selling them all at the end of the season because I'm always starting out the new season testing new airplanes and as anyone knows, out-of-trim airplanes and rusty thumbs don't mix.

For our final meeting, we're going to have our static competition and I'm really hoping for better participation than last year. (only two planes, both mine). I'd like to suggest that even if your plane isn't new, bring it along anyway. I see so many planes at the field during the year and wonder why people don't bring them to show and tell. Heck, a lot of these planes are so nice that they make my sport plane stuff look like junk (no comments please). I also personally pick up most of my good ideas from looking at other members' planes. Hope to see you there

On other matters, we're having our first fun fly on May 6th after the spring cleanup. We usually start between 10:00 and 11:00 A.M. and run for a couple of hours. If you've never participated in one of these, you should try it. They're lots of fun and you don't have to be a hot-shot pilot or have a hot-shot plane to compete. I usually use a big old trainer with a flat bottom wing, and my piloting skills-well, we won't go there (again, no comments please). If you feel a bit shy about competing, you're more than welcome to come as a spectator. We have a few people who regularly show up and do just that. We usually have a lot of laughs, crack up a plane or two, and generally have a good time.

The field is in good shape.
Have Fun
by Steve Kelley

EDITOR'S NOTE
On April 14, application of fertilizer to the runway and pit areas was completed. The Fertilizer Applica-tion Committee was staffed by Jack Hall, Peter Feil, Dennis Cherry, Brian Gawronski, Mike Doucette, and Steve Kelley. We got the job done in about an hour and a half. The club thanks all who helped.

Minutes of Meeting April 2, 2001
Meeting called to order at 7:40 PM.

The Secretary's reports for the January, February, and March meetings were accepted as published in the February, March, and April newsletters, respectively.

The Treasurer's reports for January, February, and March were accepted as published in the February, March, and April newsletters, respectively.

Field Director's Report: Dennis Cherry reported that the road to the field is still packed with snow and ice. Field cleanup will be held Sunday, May 6th, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM preceding the first Fun Fly.

Old Business: Russ Miller announced that the auction will be held at the VFW hall in Oxford this year.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting April 2, 2001
Meeting called to order at 9:00 PM.

Saturday, April 14th, we will fertilize the field, assuming the road is clear by then. Peter Feil and Brian Gawronski have rotary type spreaders. Peter will contact Jack Hall or Joe Billmaier, who also have rotary spreaders, to see if one of them can join us.

The field will need to be rolled again this year. Dennis Cherry will look into renting a roller.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Treasurer's Report for April, 2001
Balance as of 3/31/2001 1635.96
 
Deposits:
  2001 Dues 290.00
 
Withdrawals:
  Printing: April newsletter 107.06
  FY 2002 auction hall rental 110.00
  New frequency board pins 37.61
  Fertilizer for field 245.00
  New account opening seed reimbursement (Mike D.) 20.00
  Account maintenance fees) 3.00
Total withdrawals 574.84
 
Balance as of 4/30/2001 1351.12


Aviation Quotes
from the Web site Aviation Quotes http://www.skygod.com/quotes/

"More than anything else the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceive of such a combination."
-Wilbur Wright

"You can always tell when a man has lost his soul to flying. The poor b-----d is hopelessly committed to stopping whatever he is doing long enough to look up and make sure the aircraft purring overhead continues on course and does not suddenly fall out of the sky. It is also his bound duty to watch every aircraft within view take off and land."
-Ernest K Gann, Fate is the Hunter

Hints & Tips

Compiled from AMA National Newsletter, December 2000

Handling Glass Cloth
This one that originated with the Florida F1B flier Rex Hinson, and it is a jewel.

Following this fast, inexpensive procedure will make glass cloth a lot less troublesome to handle and cut accurately. It works with any weight cloth, and once you try it you'll probably want to do your entire glass cloth supply in one session.

1. Lay out your piece of cloth on the garage floor, etc., on top of layers of newspaper. Hold the cloth flat and in position, but with the weave undistorted. Weight it with something like full soft drink cans around the edges, covering no more cloth than you have to.
2. Using a cheap spray can of clear lacquer (mine, $3.29 from Ace Hardware), fog the entire surface of the cloth. Allow to dry a few minutes and check to see that the weave is 'locked in.' You don't want to fill the pores of the weave; just give it some integrity to prevent distortion when handling. If the cloth feels a tad stiff, you've likely done your job. If not, fog on another coat.

This quick trick enables you to roll the cloth (newspaper is fine) for storage. You'll no longer cuss when trying to cut a straight line with scissors and application with thinner onto a pre-doped surface becomes a joy.
from Brainbuster, September 2000
via The Bat Sheet
Ted Ballin, editor
8027-20th Avenue N.E.
Seattle WA 98115-4405


Building/Flying Tip
If you have two or more aileron servos, do you spend a lot of time trying to figure out which lead goes to which servo when you put on the wing, or put on the wing and find that it's hooked up wrong and has to be re-done? Or even worse, find out the connections are wrong after you are in the air?

If you color code your servo connections, all the above problems should go away. After all the connections are made and checked out, leave the first servo unmarked, but on the second servo lead (and extension), put a white dot on the front and back of the male and female connectors. A toothpick and Testors enamel works great.

If you have a third or fourth aileron or wing servo, do the same thing but use a different color like yellow, orange, red, or light blue. Fast, accurate hookups are now a snap!
from The Windsock
Don Johnson, editor
49 Nottingham Road
Kimberling City MO 65686


This is a Ripoff!
Did you ever try to tear a piece of sandpaper to the size you need for your sanding block and it just happens to rip in the wrong place? So you get your wife's scissors and you cut the pieces and everything is great until she starts looking for them and you are caught.

Try an idea that I use when I have to make a specific size cut in sandpaper. I use the same idea as on a box of wax paper. Take a hacksaw blade and mount it on the edge of a piece of wood or on your bench. Mark the desired size of the sandpaper, hold the paper down on the flat surface, and pull down against the blade the piece you are cutting off. It works well almost every time. Be sure to hold the sandpaper firmly against the board or bench.

I have a piece of light ply I sacrificed for this purpose. I recessed the edge of the board and used CyA to glue the blade into place. I also put marks on the board for the different sizes I need for my sanding devices.
by David Hostert
from The SAC Dope Can
John S. Kallend, editor
1935 Hickory Road
Homewood IL 60430


Pictures from April's Meeting
(Click to Enlarge Pictures)