The SWAP Model Airplane Club

It was a dark and dreary day. The sun looked like it might never show its face again. Slowly I turned my Explorer out of the driveway, and we made our way down I-95 to the Beltway. The winds were howling and almost blew us off the Key Bridge. But I didn't care. I was all hyped up . because this was going to be a great fly day at the Tournament of Champions (T.O.C.) of Maryland at SWAP Modelers in Baltimore County.

CLUB OF THE MONTH: THE SOUTH WEST AREA PARK R/C MODEL AIRPLANE CLUB (SWAP Modelers)
I never met Art Vail, the Contest Director, but I have learned at these events to always look for the hardest working guy and that would be the Contest Director.

Art Vail, Contest Director

There he was . unloading ice from the truck. I walked right up to him and said, "Hi, Art, I'm Achille. It's October 28th, and I'm here to tell your story". Art introduced me to Stan Blum, the club Treasurer, who gave me the low-down on the "Home of the Area's Greatest RC Flyers". He told me that the T.O.C. of Maryland 2000 Fly-In and Competition was rescheduled from a rainout in May. The T.O.C. of Maryland is registered with the AMA. The SWAP Modelers have a great web site which can be accessed at http://users.erols.com/maithi/swap/.

Stan Blum, SWAP Modelers Treasurer

Their flying field is made available to them by the Baltimore County Parks and Recreation. It's part of a 237 acre nature reserve (that's a euphemism for "on top of the landfill"). It's been set aside for flying for 35 years, but they have only been flying RC for the past 12 years. They pay the Rec Council $300 a year, as any Little League team might do. The county more than makes it up in terms of new picnic tables, road improvements, and other things.

The pilots were going to fly an International Model Aerobatic Club (IMAC) style contest. Flying would consist of a combination of flying events, which included rehearsed programs, free-style, and unknown maneuvers. They would fly a known sequence of maneuvers at the sportsman, advanced or unlimited levels, as appropriate for their flying skills. Following the completion of the known portion of the program, the competitors would then fly an unknown sequence of maneuvers. (The flyers are given a routine to study for 15 minutes, and then are required to execute it without practice). The final portion of the competition has the pilots flying a free-style presentation of their own invention.

Andy Kane and His Lil Buddy

I walked around meeting the pilots. I found out that these guys like to fly big planes . I mean big planes. The first I met was Andy Kane, who flies with District of Columbia Radio Control (DCRC). Andy said he competes in the World Masters Championship Aerobatics every year. He's also in the T.O.C. of MD and IMAC Nationals every year. Today Andy was flying a Lionaire Extra 260 with a 3W150 engine . wingspan 121 inches.

Bill Autry

Bill Autry, who flies with DCRC and Frederick Model Aircraft Club, was flying a Carden 35% Extra 300S powered with a 3W80 engine.

Rob Sarland was flying a Radio Craft 35% Extra 330LX with a BME 6.2 cubic inch engine. Rob flies with Howard County Radio Control (HCRC), Prince Georges Radio Control, DCRC and The FARM Club in Virginia.

Rob Sarland and Branwell McClory

Branwell McClory, who is from Ireland and now resides in Virginia, had no plane, and he even got to fly. Rob allowed him to fly his Extra 330LX. What more can anyone do than to allow someone to fly his favorite airplane . in competition, no less. It turns out that Branwell had only flown 3-4 times this year, and had flown this Extra only a few times. None of this, we were to find out, diminished his competitive skills. Branwell told me of a great web site for those of you that are into, or want to get into, giant scale planes. Check out http://www.gsal.org/ . good stuff.

Bob Sinsky

Bob Sinsky, a resident flyer, was flying an Aeroworks Edge 540 with a 118-inch wingspan. It was powered with a 3W150 engine. Did I tell you these engines develop 16.5 HP!

Mike Stevens was flying a Giles 202 with a 3W60 engine.

Mike Stevens

It had an 80-inch wingspan. Mike flies with the Eastern Shore Aero Modelers Club just south of Ridgely, MD.

Ray Wolf is a resident flier who also flies with HCRC. Today he was flying a Carden 35% 300S powered with a 3W80 engine.

Ray Wolf

Before the flying started, I thought I would check out the kitchen. Wow! They had hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pit ham, Polish sausage and Italian sausage. I couldn't believe it . they even had Maryland crab soup! That didn't last long on a day like this. They had sodas, beer (not for fliers), and some of that bottled water. That kitchen alone made the visit worthwhile.

The flying started with the skies dark and ominous and the winds gusting very strong most of the day.

Dave Decker, SWAP Modelers VP

The thing that made the show particularly enjoyable was a well-managed public address system. It allowed everyone to know just what was going on at any time in the action. Dave Decker, Vice President of SWAP Modelers, handled these duties very well. His presentation was entertaining and informative.

Gradually the clouds blew over and the sun became quite bright, but the winds never died down. It was a formidable challenge to all the pilots in their maneuvers, and particularly in landing. Some of the top guns would slip their airplanes sideways on landing . great stuff. Each of the pilots flew one at a time with a partner standing over his shoulder calling the maneuvers to him.

Throughout the day the pilots flew combinations of known, unknown and free-style programs. The known programs are kind of "ho-hum", like ice skaters doing their standards; they establish that they know the basic maneuvers, and give the judges the opportunity to critique them. The unknown program challenges the pilot's ability to fly spontaneously without rehearsal. But the most impressive part of the day, that is most exciting and brings the crowds out and gets them involved in the action overhead, is the free-styles.

The pilots flew their planes in coordination with music which they provided to the manager of the public address system. He would play the music and the pilots would perform their most dazzling free-style maneuvers in sinc with the music.

Andy Kane, 1st Place

Andy Kane opened up the show with his Extra 260 belching smoke and all in tune with "Ghostriders in the Sky". Other fliers flew to some soft rock, country, and travelin' music . some would use smoke. Bill Autry did a nice sequence with his Carden Extra 300S to the tune of "Tuxedo Junction" with the Manhatten Transfer. Mike Stevens flew in tune with "Shake It". The sequences were just spectacular, as the pilots moved to choreograph the planes' maneuvers with the music and the smoke. The crowd really got into it as they would "hoot and holler" and applaud at a particularly well-performed sequence.

At the end of the day when the scores were tallied, the final standings were as follows: Andy Kane came in first, Branwell McClory was second (remember, he borrowed Rob Sarlan's plane . so much for good intentions), and Rob Sarlan was third. Each of the finalists received an engraved wood commemorative plaque. I have to say these SWAP Modelers are bottom line guys. There were no frills or banners or buttons and bows at this show . just solid basics: great flying, great kitchen, and great public address system. Just the things to make a successful event . an excellent outing.

IN DEFENSE OF HOBBY SHOPS
Jack Stites from RCMB forwarded me a column from a newsletter which George Hamel puts out for The Chesapeake Bay Miniature Aircraft Association. I excerpted some parts that I thought were particularly poignant and applicable to our relationships with neighborhood hobby shops.

"When I was a little boy . we would go to a little hobby shop in Dundalk. It was Mecca for me, an airplane heaven. This little hobby shop was started by a lady by the name of Winship. Mrs. Winship wanted to create a little income to help out in the family finances, so she started selling model airplanes in her garage. She was a very nice lady, and she allowed Don and I to lay away our model airplanes. She would put our models away, and we would make payments each week until it was paid for. We cut grass all week so we could do our thing on Saturdays. This was a very good time of my life, and I will always remember it .

"Since the time that I had just wrote about until now, I have seen many hobby shops close. Close because mail orders have become the thing. Catalogs are sent to our homes with what seems to be lower prices, so what do we do? The first thing, we have the impression that this is the best price, so we place our orders, not thinking to ask our local hobby shop if they can match the advertised price . the hobby shop is local. If I need a prop or glue or whatever, it's there; the mail order is not.

"When I wanted to purchase something, I would let them know what the mail order prices are, to see if they can match their price. If they can, or even if they are a little higher, I will always buy from the hobby shop. It's a place I don't want to see leave my community."

WISHING YOU WELL
Neil Snodgrass, Top Gun out of Harford County Radio Control Modelers and Delaware RC, had single bypass heart surgery. He is in recovery and doing well. We look forward to Neil getting back in the air next summer.

FOR THE GOOD NEWS
I wish to thank Art Vail and Stan Blum for all the great material for the fly-in. And also, I want to thank Jack Stites for sending me the piece from George Hamel. Remember, if you want to get your club in the news, send me the information at axsilvestri@earthlink.net.

NEXT MONTH
We're coming back to Harford County to visit with the Harford County Miniature Aircraft Operators Association.

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Courtesy Links Baltimore Area Soaring Society   District of Columbia Radio Control Club   Harford County Radio Control Modelers   Patuxent Aeromodelers   Prince Georges Radio Control Club   Radio Control Modelers of Baltimore   Sunday Flyers of Baltmore   Swan Harbor RC   Westminster Aeromodelers