Genesee Valley Aero Modelers

              21 Highview Trail

              Pittsford, NY  14534

The Prez Sez . . .  

Recently I was up to the field enjoying an evening of flying when a fellow club member brought me a concern he and some other members had. What the concern was isn’t important right now, but it was important to these members. Like many concerns, some members would consider it a major problem, some a minor one, and others don’t see a problem at all. When I became club president I knew I would have to deal with a variety of situations but I also knew that there are a lot of great people in the club to help me along the way.  

Where am I going with this? Ok, here goes. We are a club with about 60 members, all with one thing in common. We love airplanes, full size, RC, building them, flying them or just talking about them with anybody who will listen. But I think we can all agree that no matter what, we never have enough time for our love of flying. On the other hand, we also have a lot of differences. We like and dislike different things. What one person may find very annoying the next person isn’t bothered by at all.  

What does this mean? That, like a lot of things in life, we need to make sure that while we are enjoying our time at the field we aren’t doing anything to take away from someone else’s enjoyment. A little consideration can go a long way and maybe even prevent a fellow member from leaving the club. After all, the field is about airplanes, flying, and friends. I hope we can keep it that way and a little consideration at times can go a long way to help.  

Happy Landings,  

Max

  Bob, one of our members, reports on this experience he had when he wanted to clean off his AMA numbers from his Aquila sailplane that he planned to sell to a fellow flier. The bulk of the clear laminated water-based decals came off with warm, soapy water and gentle coaxing with a small spatula after it was manipulated under an edge.  

He had formerly painted over the numbers with several different types of clear coat, the make-up of which he couldn't remember after all these years. He decided that the action of sun and weather exposure had thoroughly cured the remains of these clear films.  

The decal numbers were gone but there remained an ugly outline in yellow! More soap and water was no help. Neither was lacquer thinner, GOO OFF (Xylene?), acetone, MEK, and denatured alcohol. Still, the buildup remained!  

By now Bob was getting mad. Since he works in a research laboratory; he dragged out the ultimate weapon in his arsenal, Safety Solvent (a special mix of chlorinated solvent, MEK and Bat Vomit!) which usually dissolves anything. He was concerned that it might affect the MonoKote® covering but at this point he was desperate; result ... nothing!  

Concluding that he might have to meticulously scrape it off one molecule at a time, it suddenly struck him that there was one more avenue he had not pursued ... what about the debonder for cyanoacrylates? Eureka, it worked like a champ! The accumulated layers swelled and shriveled on contact; the magic solvent is slightly oily and does not evaporate so it stays on the job doing its thing! He let it soak awhile, then wiped it off with a paper towel and finally removed the oily residue with acetone and it looked as good as new!  

Next time you need some industrial strength solvent action try debonder.

  From LASS Updrafts Lancaster Area Soaring Society

Carl Foltz, Editor Mountville PA

We had a mysterious crash at the field recently. Afterward we couldn't reconstruct the exact cause, but here's the consensus on what probably happened. After an, engine flameout, the transmitter was handed to another flier and control was immediately lost. The ship wouldn’t respond to up elevator. It nosed-in in a bad place, doing much damage.  

The radio seemed to work afterward, but when the elevator dual rate switch was on low rate, pulling full up stick put in left elevator in a slightly down attitude. The dual rate feature hadn't been intended to be used, but the rate toggle was probably bumped to low when the transmitter exchange took place. If your transmitter has the dual rate feature and you're not using it (which should be "always" for most of us), then read the radio instructions and tune out all low rates, so that accidentally bumping a rate switch won't change anything.  

From SAM 26 Newsletter  
Bob Angel, editor  
JOOJ Patterson Rd.  
Santa Maria CA 93455

The shelters are up, the field and high grass have been cut and the dandelions have been dispatched. We are open for the 2002 flying season.

We have been squeezing some flying in between the windy days, wet days and the cold days. So far the weather has not been stellar but we will take advantage of what we get. There have been a couple of good Tuesdays that has allowed us to get in some Float Flying.  

If you have been to the field and noticed the absence of dandelions this year, you can thank Abe Sickles. He spent about 3 hours spraying the varmints and the spraying has been very effective. He has also cut the high grass so the field looks like a park.  

I have been keeping a list of radio frequencies of club members. If you need a copy or want to add to the list let me know.  

As far as I know no one has found the tree tops yet so keep up the good work.

  Remember that Thursday nights are club nights. We have had a good turnout when the  weather was decent.

  See you at the field. Watch for the plane eating trees--- and Walt.    

July 27-28 Warbird Scale Classic. Selkirk NY at South Albany Airport.

Aug.4 GVAM Family Picnic. GVAM Field.  

Aug 25 Interclub Picnic. GVAM field.    

  Here is a neat and fast storage idea to put some of that high up space (if you have a high-ceiling work area) to better use. Bolt together a set of inexpensive metal shelves (about ~12 at most home centers) and attach them upside down to the ceiling joists with lag bolts. The spacing between the shelves is completely adjustable on most models. Trim the shelf posts to just the right height with tin snips. This keeps your floor space open and allows you to slip a work bench or rolling toolbox under the shelves.    

  If you have ever had the problem of a prop nut coming loose inside a spinner, you will want to listen up. One thing you can do that works well is use a jam nut. This is nothing more than another prop nut tightened up against the first one you put on. It locks the first nut in place and keeps your prop from working loose. One thing to keep in mind is that if you are using a wood prop, the wood will compress over time and both nuts will need to be tightened. Do this one at a time getting the nut closest to the prop tight first and then tighten the other nut while holding the first in place.

From the Orbiting Eagles Newsletter 
Orbiting Eagles 
N. F. Sheltraw, Editor 
Omaha NE

G.V.A.M. Newsletter  
c/o Glenn Crocker, Editor  
21 Highview Trail  
Pittsford, NY  14534