Every year Members of the San Gabriel Valley Radio Control Board of Directors  are invited to participate in a meeting with the management of the Whittier Narrows Park.  The sole purpose of this meeting is to discuss changes to park policies and rule changes. This includes the park entry fees and operating rules for our flying site.  This is also a good time for us to ask for things we would like to see changed or updated at our flying site. Or get the OK for a large project that we are preparing to do such as runway repairs. Safety is always a big concern and the park management leans on us pretty hard to keep our flying as safe as possible.  That means flying out of the designated areas and taxing in the pits is a BIG concern for us. The safer we are the happier the park personnel are.

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Its been a great year of model aircraft flying. A lot of changes have occurred this year. The rapid expansion of electric powered aircraft has become dominate. The little bind and fly aircraft is really popular.  I believe that when the batteries become more refined and less dangerous you will see an even larger growth in electric flight. Gasoline powered aircraft have also become popular due to the lower cost of gasoline over methanol based fuels. But as for now the gasoline engines are reserved for larger aircraft usually starting in the 1.20 size.  Even though the price of a gallon of methanol based fuel is relatively expensive, it still has its place in the hobby. The San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  If you want to make a New Years resolution, how about joining the SGVRCL if your not already a member.

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

The Whittier Narrows Park RC flying field will be closed to all types of aircraft flying this Monday December 12 and Tuesday December 13 for park maintenance and gopher control measures. Also Christmas day the park will be closed.  Have a great holiday and we will see you next year with that new aircraft  Santa brought you.

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Well it had to happen.  Was it the famous 2.4 frequency loss of radio link to the receiver?  Nope.  Did the battery unplug during a normally beautiful flight?  Nope  Was it the unthinkable mid air with another airplane? Nope.  Was I distracted just before the crash?  Nope.  Was sweat running in my eyes and causing them to burn and cause seeing the airplane difficult?  Nope.  Well what caused such a good flying airplane as this to crash?  DUMB THUMBS.  Yep I was trying to perform a flat turn by mixing the rudder with opposite ailerons and it stalled.  Of course I also was flying too low to have enough altitude to correct the problem.  Well like a friend told me on a ski trip “if you don’t get hurt a little you are not trying hard enough”.  Well I’m hurt.

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Sunday September 18th and Saturday September 24th the flying field will be closed for all types of flying.  The park is sponsoring activities these two days.  The 18th is their Fiesta Day and the 24th is Funmania Day.

SGVRCL Field Rep.

Jerry Swaim

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Because of the International Air Meet of 1909 in Reims, France, enthusiasm for aviation began to grow in the United States. At an aviation meet in St Louis, a group of enthusiasts and pilots discussed the feasibility of holding an airmeet in Los Angeles. The group, which included Charles Willard, Roy Knabenshue, and Glenn Curtiss, followed through on the idea and sent promoter Dick Ferris to Los Angeles to make preliminary contacts and develop plans for a proposed aerial exhibition.

On arriving in Los Angeles, Ferris met with various contacts and proposed the International Air Meet that would star Louis Paulhan, a renowned French aviator. The idea was readily accepted by backers. The selected location, a large, open, and relatively flat area known as Dominguez Field, was on part of one of the original Spanish land grants, Rancho San Pedro. Traditional weather patterns suggested this site as generally offering the most favorable conditions—which would prove to be not as well as desired.

Publicity was designed, grandstands erected, and an expanded passenger platform was constructed at the Pacific Electric intercity rail transit station located near the air meet site to accommodate the large number of spectators expected to attend the event.

Dates for the event were agreed upon. Beginning on January 10, 1910, and lasting for ten days, the air meet would attract a variety of participants and feature not only aeroplanes, but hot-air balloons and dirigibles. Cash prizes would be awarded to those participating in scheduled events, which would include altitude, speed, and endurance competitions.

L to R: Hillery Beachey, unknown, unknown, Glenn Curtiss, unknown, Louis Paulhan, Charles Willard, Didier Masson, Lincoln Beachey, Roy Knabenshue, Charles Hamilton.

During the next ten days, spectators were thrilled by the performances of aviators Paulhan, Curtiss, Willard, and others—Paulhan was the “star attraction” at the air meet. Invited by the organizers to participate, Paulhan brought with him two Blériot monoplanes, two Farman biplanes, and an entourage that included his wife and a black poodle. At the meet he set a new altitude record (4,164′), endurance record (64 miles in 01h:49m:40s), and won a staggering $14,000 in prize money. Glenn Curtiss won two events—fastest speed with a passenger (55 mph) and quickest start (6.4 seconds, covering 98′) to take home $6,500. Charlie Willard was credited with the most accurate take-off and landing skills, for which he was awarded $250.

Attendance surpassed all expectations. During the ten-day period of the air meet, an estimated 226,000 spectators converged on Dominguez Field, plus uncounted thousands watched the goings-on from the edge of the field. Gate receipts for the event were more than $137,500—very impressive for those days—and the event was considered a phenomenal success, easing any possible economic drought in the Los Angeles area. The event also appeared in 1911 and 1912 at the same site with similar public success.(— Peter Bergen. Photos courtesy LA Title & Trust Co)

Mrs Dick Ferris and Louis Paulhan

Charles WIllard in flight

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Hi R/C fliers,

Last April I learned of a “meeting” held about the the future of Whittier Narrows.  The US Army. Corps of Engineers hosted the meeting and Tetratech was there as a hired consultant. I and 2 other C/L fliers attended.  There was little public notice of this meeting.  Last Saturday I recieved a CD rom in the snail mail from the U.S. Army.  On it was 122 pages of Draft Environmental Assement, 50 pages of maps, and 298 pages of appendices. Buried in the DEA, p97 was a statement about phasing out gasoline engines in favor of electric power. The entire paragraph is attached as a doc file.  It is verbatim.

There are many technical inaccuracies, the most damaging to model airplanes is the term “gasoline”.  I suspect they meant gas, model airplane fuel but were to uninformed to know the difference.

Elsewhere in the DEA they had a chart of the number of responses about the model airplane field, the rifle range, etc.  So they are counting responses, pro and con. Send this email out to everyone you know that will support us.

We are now in the 30 day public comment period, til Sept 9.

We in C/L have begun to respond, some with technical arguments, some with only “I object etc.”  I would encourage the R/C flyers to spead the word that we need not a lengthy but a massive response to the phasing out of gas.  Remember, they are counting responses. A small core group in your club can respond to the technical inaccuracies, such as “gasoline’  and “a spectator area on the west end of the filed” right underneath the flight area.  In the previous discussions with the Water Conservation Authority, I had recommended that there is already a spectator zone on the east side, where it is safe, and there are already some picnic facilities.
If I can make it, I will try to attend your next meeting on the 4th Tues at El Monte A/P.  In any case please get as many responses as you can to:

Deborah.L.Lamb@usace.army.mil

We only have til Sept 9. Thanks for your attention,
John Wright
Knights of the Round Circle

We need e-mails to Debora L. Lamb explaining our objection to banning liquid fueled aircraft at our flying site.  I don’t know if they are referring to gasoline powered models or glow fuel powered models. Either way we need to voice our feelings about this. (In a professional manner)

We only have until Sept 9th to get as many e-mails in as we can.  Don’t delay do it today.  We need everybody’s help here not just the club members but every flyer that uses the Whittier Narrows flying site.

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

I have been thinking about how to cover the D.338 airliner.  There are so many compound curves I am reluctant to use any of the popular iron on plastic coverings.  Monocoat is definitely out, it used to be a pretty good covering material but the new stuff is not so good.  Ultracoat from Goldberg is pretty good stuff but still hard to cover compound curves with. The next alternative is the old silk and dope method.  This stuff goes around compound curves beautifully but wow is it expensive.  So now what? I covered a model years ago with a product called Dave Browns Skyloft.  This is a nylon material and also goes around compound curves nicely. And it’s relatively inexpensive, and still available.  So I guess that settles it.  Skyloft is what I am going to use.  This means I will have to paint it after it’s covered but that’s ok I can handle that.  Skyloft is very light and won’t add hardly any weight.  This is very important on a big electric powered airplane.

Jerry Swaim

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

Here is the 1936 French D.338 airliner in the bare bones.  France used it to fly to Vietnam.  It also survived through  WWII.  I think there were 10 of them made. The plan is to run three electric outrunners.  Two in the wing and one in the nose.

Jerry Swaim

2011-06-29 09.24.02.jpg

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League

A post from: San Gabriel Valley Radio Control League