Gary Hershberger with his Pitts S-2

Steve Snyder, Vice-President, opened the meeting of July 10 at 7PM at the flying field. The minutes are as follows:

1. We reminded everyone that we still get trash and cigarette butts at the field. Please remind everyone to clean up after themselves.
2. Our farmer has expressed interest in our old tractor. It was suggested that we offer him the tractor in exchange for him cutting our tall grass whenever he does his. Dan Bowman will follow up.
3. There was some discussion about prizes for our Christmas raffle. It was recommended that Steve approach Hobby Works for a discount on several Spectrum radios.
4. Our membership for 2008 stands at 72. Ten of them are new members.

If you have any questions regarding the minutes or contents of this Newsletter, please direct them to Achille Silvestri, Ph 410-838-6261 or e-mail axsilvestri@verizon.net

Achille Silvestri's EAA Bipe

Caught up with Rob Schrenker flying his Hangar 9 F-22 Raptor. Rob’s just completed a tour in Afghanistan where he was flying cargo in C130J Hercules. Nice to have him back.

Gary Hershberger was flying a Pitts S-2. It’s a Great Planes ARF powered with a Fox 51cc…awesome power.

Earl McMullen was busy test flying Achille Silvestri’s airplanes. He checked out and approved Achille’s Junkers D1. And then the next week he checked out and approved Achille’s EAA Bipe. Both planes are good flyers.
 

Read about Tom Smith's Great Adventure to Oshkosh

 I have been wanting to go to Oshkosh for years. But this year the circumstances for putting it off disappeared, so this spring I decided I was going. I had been following the motel situation thru their web site and indications were that I would have to stay outside Oshkosh because the motels were full.

On Saturday, I was packing my car to go when the kids talked me into a rental car since they thought my vehicles were too old for such a trip (2000 miles). They also talked me into a $150 (sale), Garmin GPS. Saturday, I departed alone.

Saturday night, after driving for 10 hours, I stopped outside Toledo, Ohio for the night. Sunday morning I proceeded on the last leg of the journey. When I hit Chicago, I ran into the biggest traffic jam I had ever encountered. Seems like everyone in Illinois was going my direction on a Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t believe it. If it had not been for the GPS, I think I still would be in Chicago. Never drive through Chicago without a GPS. Unless you are a local, you will never make it. You cannot follow the signs, they come at you too quickly and it is a mess from Gary, Indiana through Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was in a borderline panic. I stopped outside Oshkosh at a rest stop after another 10 hours driving and picked up a brochure for Oshkosh which contained lodging information and started calling motels. I called only three motels and they all had rooms. It was just a matter of price, $175 and up for a night. No reservations required!!!!. Just stop in. So I went to the cheapest which was a fleebag for the price and stayed for three days downtown. Not an unpleasant experience.

Getting to the airshow the following morning was not a problem. Lots of traffic but everything was well controlled by police and volunteers. Fields and fields of cars quickly moved and parked for another $7. Then another $35 at the entrance where I encountered 10-15 Mustangs along with numerous other warbirds parked for me to ogle. FANTASTIC!!

Oshkosh 2008

The first day I overworked my back and legs walking until I discovered there were jitneys transporting people to the various fields where airplanes were parked. Thousands of them neatly organized into categories: war birds, homebuilt, vintage, old, older, ultra light, seaplanes. People camping in a tent or tarp under the plane they flew in on and having a barbecue…great. There were tents and hangers full of stuff to buy from new and used airplane parts and engines as well as Extras, Mooneys and Pipers that you could purchase new. There were campgrounds full of campers. Truly a massive undertaking. Airplanes constantly taking off and landing from three active runways. You wonder how it is controlled. At one time there were at least 100 airplanes in the air simultaneously.

Each afternoon from two till five was reserved for the acrobats, formation flying and demonstrations. Each day there was at least five different acrobatic shows featuring all the well known and lesser known performers. Patty Wagstaff was there as was Shawn Tucker. An AV8 Harrier was demoed every day as well as the Red Bull helicopter that does rolls and loops. An Osprey was due in on Tuesday but was delayed till Thursday so I missed that. There were 50 Yak-52s and 50 AT-6s They were all in the air at the same time along with the Mustangs, etc. It is something that anyone interested in aviation should see. A description of everything there would take as long to write as it would to walk the place.

I was planning to stay through Wednesday but was so concerned with getting through Chicago that I decided to leave Wednesday. Surprisingly, Chicago was a relative breeze with no hang-ups. Everything moved through quickly. Coming back I decided to go south and stop in the Air Force Museum in Dayton which is about half way home on route I-70. I had been there in the 70’s but had forgotten all that was there. It is a worthwhile stop. Seems like every airplane made is exhibited there. Unfortunately, it is so dimly lit that taking a good picture takes a massive flash

I enjoyed both places and recommend them. Unfortunately it is a long hall and commercial flying is difficult to Oshkosh. If you know someone with their own plane, that is the way to go. Would I go again, yes. Maybe even drive.

 

Rob Schrenker with his F-22 Raptor

There was a recent crash at the field, but no need to mention names. I am sure what I am about to describe has happened more than once. The information really does not appear anywhere, because many of the battery manufacturers assume that users know this.

Years ago, things in RC were simpler. Most airplane battery packs were 4.8 volts and about 500-700 mAh (milliamp hour). You plugged them into the wall charger that came with the R/C system, charged for 14-16 hours and everyone was happy….unless you forgot to charge the night before you flew

Then big airplanes and electrics came along needing larger battery packs. And new battery types came out: NiMH (nickel metal hydride), LiPo (Lithium Polymer) and others. There are quick chargers, peak chargers, balancing chargers, etc. And those power hungry big planes can use servos on 6.0 volts.

The people flying big planes and electrics probably do not need to read this. But for beginners and people using other than standard NiCad ™ (nickel cadmium) battery packs, there are some basic things to know:

Make sure your charger can be used with the battery pack you have. The cause of the crash above was due to a drained battery. It was a 2500 mah pack at 6.0 volts. Upon questioning, it was revealed that is was charged with the wall charger that came with the radio. Most wall charges charge at 50-60 ma (milliamps) and are for 4.8 volt batteries.

Most battery packs, for a normal charge, need to be charged at C/10. That is, the rated capacity divided by 10 or close to it. So the 500 mah battery pack charging at 50 ma is perfect….a 600-700 mah pack is OK too. But a 1000 mah or higher pack will never fully charge. And charging a 6.0 volt battery at 4.8 volt probably helps drain it.

A 2500 mah battery should usually be charged at least at a rate of 250 ma. A fast charger might charge at 1 amp or more.

The important thing is to make sure your charger can be used with the type battery you have. Many are programmable or can automatically detect the settings. Serious flyers have chargers such as these and there are loads of them on the market.

One other thing….do you really need one of these giant battery packs in a .40 sized plane? A 600 mah battery that is being drained at 125 ma from the receiver and servos should last 2 hours or more of air time. A lot of people do two 5 minute flights and go home….
 
 

Ron Lazzeri, Achille Silvestri  and Achille's Junkers D-1

1. JR XP 8103, 8 chn transmitter, 10 model memory, compatible with fixed wing, helicopters and gliders. Includes module on chn24 and synthesized module that can be tuned to all 72 mgz chn. Transmitter has 3 selectable types of modulation-s pcm, z pcm, ppm (fm) and more.
2. JR XP7202, 7 chn transmitter with 20 model memory, compatible with fixed wing and helicopters. Has scan select synthesized frequency to allow access to chn 15 through 60 without changing crystals. Frequency selections made inside transmitter computer.
3. Five JR PCM R770S 7 chn receivers with s pcm modulation and compatible with both of above transmitters. One each on chn 17, 21, 24, 34, and 55.
4. One like new R2000 Select scan synthesized (chn 11 through 60) 10 chn JR receiver.
5. One like new R790 Select scan synthesized (chn 15 through 60) s pcm 7chn JR receiver.
6. One R700 7 chn FM JR receiver on chn 24.
7. One FS one Hangar 9 simulator with controller.

Contact Tom Obringer for discounted pricing and availability at (410) 282-3862.

Swan Harbor RC meets 7PM the second Thursday of the month. In the Spring we meet at our flying field at Swan Farm Harbor. The public is welcome to the meetings. To fly with us at Swan Harbor take Oakington Road off US 40 (between Aberdeen and Havre de Grace) and follow the signs for Swan Harbor Farm.  Be sure to have your 2008 AMA membership because you need it to fly. SWAN HARBOR RC 2008 Membership Applications  are available on line or additional information can be obtained from Ron Lazzeri, 410-256-4210, ronlazzeri@verizon.net.  To learn more about Swan Harbor RC (formerly MAOA); go to www.harfordvista.com/rcnews/  and click onto January 2001