Finding sky's the limit
CLAY TWP — Bystanders on the ground watch Ron Hemphill's plane take off from the field on Jackson Road.
The small Citabria Pro does a series of maneuvers ending with a chandelle, or climbing turn, before it lands on the freshly cut grass.
Although a sturdy figure can be seen in the pilot's seat as the aircraft motors to a halt, Hemphill is standing off to the side, controlling the plane with a hand-held transmitter.
"Ineed an extremely low idle," Hemphill said during the practice flight that preceded a national competition in Muncie, Ind., where his model plane would stop on pavement.
"Grass is forgiving; blacktop is not."
A member of the Butler Aircraft Modelers, Hemphill's goal for the plane — in competition as well as for fun — is simulating its life-size counterpart.
Although much of the simulation occurs in flight via levers on the radio transmitter, construction also plays a role.
For Hemphill, of Butler Township, achieving a scale version of the Citabria Pro was easy to figure out, since the replica of the 1960s plane, made by Champion Aircraft for aerobatic competition, was built from a kit.But the fine details that make a model authentic often are achieved through observation, allowing modelers a view of details not evident on blueprints.In Hemphill's case, only one Citabria Pro was ever made, leaving photographs as his only guide."The three views I had were very, very sketchy. It was a tough one to do," he said, referring to the aircraft's paint job.After completing the eight-month project a year ago, Hemphill decided he was ready for a bigger challenge.He resumed work on a scale model of the Fairchild F-24-H, being built from plans instead of a kit."I looked at the plans a long time before deciding to take on the project," Hemphill said of the model of the 1939 civilian aircraft.From there, Hemphill constructed the model from plans in much the same manner he would have constructed an actual plane — using metal and woodworking skills as well as historical research.One challenge Hemphill faced was trying to reproduce rivets for the metal-trim tabs on the airplane's elevator.As well as simulating the intervals at which the rivets appear on the actual plane, Hemphill had to devise a way to make the tiny bumps in proportion and realistic.A drill bit sanded to the appropriate size was eventually used in die-and-punch fashion to create the makeshift rivets, which were then glued in place.Although techniques like those used to make the rivets are based on creativity, accuracy comes from methodical research.
"There are many different (resources), starting with the Internet," Hemphill explained of the research."Iused to write the manufacturers themselves. ... We have a source now where we can run the N number — that's the registration number on the aircraft. That will tell you who the owner of the aircraft is, and you can contact that owner."In recent months, Hemphill has sent two letters to Fairchild owners to inquire about the type and color of paint on the plane."The fellow in Chicago e-mailed me and gave me the whole history of his aircraft. I will probably end up with a cream-and-red airplane instead of a red-and-white airplane," he concluded.Simultaneously, Hemphill belongs to the Air Heritage Museum in Beaver Falls, which happens to be rebuilding a 1940 Fairchild. Occasional trips to help out at the museum provide an up-close look at his topic."I work on the real plane, then I come home and work on my model. ... You can't get any more valuable information than to be hands-on with one," he said.About three-fourths the way through, he has been working on the project for about six years, although at times the project was put on hold.Working part time on a regular basis, Hemphill estimates the project would take a year and a half — but time frames vary according to model and modeler.Since the model, whose wingspan will measure about 92 inches, is being built mostly from salvaged materials, Hemphill said it will cost significantly less to build than the Citabria Pro. Costs for that plane, engine included, totaled about $800.
Constructing planes is only part of the challenge for model aircraft enthusiasts. Hobbyists also must learn to fly the planes by remote — a skill that requires some practice."There is a lot of hand-eye coordination and it takes some time to learn. It's not something you're going to learn overnight," said Hemphill. "Very few people pick it up quickly."The model planes are powered by anything from electric motors to gasoline. The most common engines are 2-stroke and 4-stroke glo engines, which use a fuel made of several components.Also common are 2-cycle gasoline engines used in chain saws and lawn trimmers, followed by electric motors, increasing in popularity.The engines and control surfaces are directed by hand-held transmitters, which send a signal that is decoded by a receiver in the aircraft itself.Although the transmitters are said to work within a 5-mile range, flyers must keep their planes close enough to be visible."If you're out there a quarter of a mile, it's a black dot in the sky and you're going to lose it,"Hemphill said.The models fly between 75 and 120 mph, he added.Since competing in local and national competitions is often a goal of modelers, simulating the real aircraft's speed and behavior is often the focus of flying sessions.At a recent national competition in Muncie, Ind., Hemphill was docked points for the Citabria Pro's flying speed."It helps if you know how the actual airplane flies," he said, referring to the singular Citabria Pro, which Hemphill has never seen in the air."I was downgraded by several judges because I was flying too fast."
His second year competing at nationals, the Citabria Pro was entered in the Fun Scale open class. The Citabria previously flew in the novice class, which cannot be entered with the same aircraft for consecutive years.The national competition is hosted each year by the Academy of Model Aeronautics, which comprises about 155,000 members in the United States and abroad, said Yolanda Jones, a staff member there.The program is held on a 1,000-acre site and is attended by about 1,000 competitors, volunteers and spectators, she said.Hemphill's wife Judy, who attends the event with her husband, is among the volunteers who work in the transmitter impound section of the event."Because the planes are on frequencies, one plane per frequency can be flown at a time," Judy Hemphill said of her role in preventing accidents during competition.Over a period of six weeks, three special-interest groups compete in a variety of subcategories. The groups include remote control fliers like Hemphill as well as those flying control-line planes, which are attached to lines, and "rubber-powered" planes, or those powered by rubber bands.In competing in the Fun Scale open class, modelers are judged on craftsmanship, documentation that compares their aircraft to the lifesize version and flying skills.For the flying portion, the modeler demonstrates four 15-minute flights. During the flights, judges score five mandatory and five optional maneuvers in which realism of flight plays a role.Although pilots tell judges in advance what maneuvers they will be performing, weather conditions sometimes dictate last-minute changes."That's the point of the competition — to make these look like a real airplane," said Hemphill."Sometimes, that becomes quite difficult."World championships are also held every other year, with host cities changing for each event.
While preparing this month for the Muncie trip, Hemphill practiced flying with fellow modeler Tom Poole of Weirton, W. Va.Although the two sometimes meet partway between Butler and Weirton to fly and socialize, the Pooles visited Butler earlier this month so the fliers could assist each other with practice flights — each reading out the "call list" of maneuvers as the other manned his aircraft's transmitter."We met them through the hobby three years ago out at Indiana," Hemphill said of the national competition, where Mary Ann Poole also volunteers.But the Pooles are not the only social relationships that have emerged from flying model planes.As a member of Butler Aircraft Modelers, Hemphill is part of group of more than 70 who conduct fly-ins, picnics and other events.The county is also home to the Butler Area Radio Flying Society, which has a field off Route 8 in Center Township; and the Model Aircraft Recreation Society, which has a field off Route 19 north of Zelienople."We mainly encourage people to fly airplanes or anything to do with model aviation," said BAM president Roy Scott, a member for nine years.In addition to social activities, the club offers training sessions for all ages two nights a week in the summer.A "family friendly" organization, Scott said children are encouraged to learn — with ages ranging from 7 to 70.The club's eight-acre field on Jackson Road, which contains a picnic pavilion and rest rooms, replaces an old strip mine with neatly cut lawn.As well as $40 annual dues, members of the group take turns with lawn care, each mowing at least one time per season.In June, the group hosted its first fly-in, which Scott describes as a success."We had 22 pilots,"he said, adding total attendance probably exceeded 200.Those pilots exhibited a diverse range of planes and experience — diversity that makes the hobby appealing to many.Scott said those not interested in building models can buy ready-to-fly "trainers" that need only finishing touches."In about 20 hours or 25 hours you can be flying," he said.Modelers can purchase all the equipment they need for as little as $300 or $400, he said — however, thousands of dollars can also be spent."The trainers (measure) 60 inches, but (some) have 12- to 14-foot-wide wing spans that take gasoline engines and not glo engines. The motors go anywhere from $60 to thousands of dollars, too — depending on what you want to spend."As far as technique, Scott said BAM members are always on hand to help beginners."The people out there at out field are really nice," he said."Any trouble you have, you have five guys on you trying to help you out.""The people you do meet out there are really super nice people."For more information on BAM, call Scott at 724-482-4351 or go to www.thebams.org. BARFS can be contacted through jdfseven@zoominternet.net or by logging on to users.zoominternet.net/~barfs/. To contact MARS, write to wscherle1@attglobal.net or log on to mars-rc.ts3.org/.
