Genesee Valley Aero Modelers

Editor: Glenn Crocker
21 Highview Trail
Pittsford, NY 14534

I never cease to be amazed at the rapid passage of time. Another year is fast coming to an end and the holiday season, with all its joys and frustrations, is almost upon us. I hope that each one of us will take a little time during the rush of the next several weeks for a few moments of reflection to contemplate the things in this life that are really important, like family and friends. The Genesee Valley Aeromodelers has become a significant part of my life, not merely for its modeling activities, but most importantly for the friendships that I have made over the past several years. Thanks, fellows.

Several weeks ago we had our annual Ladies Night Out Dinner and I think it is safe to say that it was an all around success. There was a great turnout, with good food and fellowship in abundance. Special thanks go to Glenn for the awards, which as usual were great and to Carol for the lovely pins that were given to the ladies. I hope that all of you who were there had a good a time as I did, and for those of you who couldn't make it, plan to be there next year, if at all possible. You won't want to miss it.

The next social event is the annual Frozen Finger Fun Fly on January ₁st. Who will be the first member to fly in 2001? I went last year for the first time, not to fly but to "spectate" (new word), and I thoroughly enjoyed myself Unfortunately, I will be out of town this year and thus unable to attend, but I'm sure there will be a good representation of members to make it a great event once again. Depending upon the overall weather conditions and temperature, this affair can be a little like hitting your thumb with a hammer. It feels so good when you stop, and in this case, head down the hill for lunch and a good cup of coffee, hot chocolate or tea.

This also is the time of year to clear the workbench and start working on that new project that you have wanted to build for so long. Remember, next year's flying season will be here before you know it!

If you do go flying during the winter months, always remember the special hazards of the sport this time of year, namely the snow snakes and especially those pesky plane-eating trees that are always around. Oh yes, also be on the lookout for the ice worms, which can be nasty little critters as well.

Happy Holidays to everyone!!

If you're a scratch-builder and have never tried to iron on balsa, you should.

I don't remember the article, or in what magazine it was in, but I did try it out on a small model with tight curves in the fuselage and it worked well. No clamps or pins or holding the balsa down while the glue dries.

I now use it to plank the leading and trailing edges of my foam wings as well as the cap strips. So far, I haven't had any of the planking let go.

Using contact cement is okay, but once the planking is set in place, there is no moving it. With this method, you can take your time to line it up and hold it down while you iron it on.

I remember the article said it was an old-time cabinetmaker's way of laminating the top ply on. All that's needed is Elmer's glue or any glue that says it's aliphatic resin, a way to squeegee it on really thin on both sides that are to be joined, and an old iron that you can pick up at any thrift store.

Allow time for the glue to dry, then line up the planking and iron away. On the really sharp bends, I wet the outside of the balsa and the steam lets it bend without cracking.

If you don't believe the holding bond, just iron on a sheet of ¹/i 6-inch balsa onto a piece of foam and try to rip it off. When it comes off, the foam will come with it. Once it's on, more heat will not loosen it. Just remember to put the glue on really thin. I use a rubber squeegee, and be sure to let it dry before you iron it on.

from NOTAM

Now that the flying season is all but over, it's time to turn the focus on safety in a different direction.

Ever heard of preventative maintenance? Proper maintenance of aircraft, engines, and batteries can minimize possible accidents and make flying safer and more enjoyable. Airplanes need to be checked thoroughly for weakened structures, loose servos, sloppy controls, pushrods, etc.

Engines need to be preserved and engine and engine mounts checked for solid mounting. Props need to be checked for cracks, cuts, dings, etc., and don't forget your batteries. To ensure they will operate properly in the Spring, don't forget to cycle them and recharge them periodically throughout the Winter months.

This is also a good time to check how you store your fuel, particularly those of you who use gasoline.

I'm sure you can think of a lot of items that need attention, but thinking about them does not solve potential problems. You need to take action and inspect your equipment and store it properly.

This is the annual reminder that club dues are due by December 31st.

Senior members (those over 19 but under 110) $45.00.

Junior members (19 years or under) $1.00.

You can pay at the December club meeting or mail your dues to me at the Newsletter editors address shown on the first page.

I will be taking fuel orders at the December and January meeting. Two cycle and 4 cycle prices are the same.

Lubricant for 2 & 4 cycle is 19% but you can increase to 20% without additional charge.

The club has historically used 2-cycle fuel for 2 and 4 cycle engines, with20% lubricant. The lubricant mix has been 50% castor and 50% synthetic.

The prices for what we usually order is as follows and includes the prepay discount.

Nitro Price/Gal.

5% $10.30

10% $11.14

15% $11.98

30% Helicopter (20/22% lube.) $16.05

If you have other requirements, I will have the complete price list with me. You can also find the complete price list on our web site.

The Clubs annual frozen finger fly will be held on January 1st 2000. Flying will start at 10:00 am and continue until you can no longer feel your fingers or toes. Then we will adjourn to "Charlies Funky Chicken" (The Country Skillet) for coffee and a thawout.

Plan to join us for some fun.

I would like to thank Dave for his effort in putting this together.

The field has been very quiet for the past month. The weather has been so poor that no one has complained about the no fly period during Deer season.

We had an enjoyable time at Ladies Night Out. The weather cooperated and we had an excellent turnout (36).

We will more than likely be invited to snow fly at at the RAMS field in Macedon again this year. I will check with Tex and let you know. They have an enclosed shelter with a fireplace and the coffee is usually on, so you can warm your nose and toes.

I assume the building projects are well underway. I will be looking froward to seeing them at the field in the spring.

Why don’t you bring a picture, kit box, some framed up bones to the December meeting to show us what you are building or plan to build.

Have a safe and productive building season.