Monday, May 2, 7:30 pm

Ray Field 55495 Grand River,

East of Milford Rd.

Ribcrackers Model Airplane Club

Thunderbolt May 2011

Club 2067

We’re on the web!

http:/www.ribcrackers.org

Gus Dabringhaus

Gus

May Club Meeting

President’s Message Well, April has been a real ho hum month even though

it had started with the Toledo Show. I had a better than

expected time, complete with good friends. I accom-

plished just about every thing I wanted to and then

some. The motor expert at the Horizon both spent con-

siderable time discussing my issues. He came up with

good ideas on what to do with my Evolution Gasser be-

sides using it as a door stop. According to him,

this should bring out the best in what this motor

has to offer. So far it is only suggestions and I

hope to have positive results in a few days. It is

this new found excitement that got me through

the balance of this month. I decided to make my

reservations for my first trip to Joe Nall. We

have all read about this fantastic event but I have

yet to experience it in person. The only foreseeable prob-

lem is the gas prices that are out of control. It makes no

sense to anybody.

As mentioned at the last meeting, club member Dino has

made it to Florida. I have talked to him a few times and

he plans to venture out to find a club by his new home.

He did mention that he did find a hobby shop a few

blocks down the street and with some luck should start

flying real soon. At least he can’t blame the weather.

Knowing Dino, it will take him weeks to unpack his two

of everything and get a plane in the air. We all wish him

the best. I know that I will miss hearing about his latest

acquisitions. On that topic, I have heard of quite a few

new planes from some of our members. I want these

guys to tell you about their new prides of the fleet so I

won’t spoil the surprise. Don should have many new

pictures to add to the Thunderbolt. I expect May to have

quite a few successful maiden flights. I did pick up on a

saying on this subject . ”Nothing ever fixes it self in the

air”. Remember to check and re check at home. It is in-

credible what you can miss while rushing that first

flight. Even the best of us can make a mistake so have a

different set of eyes give it a check too. There are

many club members that can help you. May eve-

rybody have Good Luck and Happy Landings

with your new planes and old ones too!

The next meeting is scheduled to be held at the

field and if it is anything like today bring your

winter coat. I think the high is mid forties.

Chief Flight Instructor Warren Wells will need

some more help this year and with Dino gone, it might

be a little hectic so all of you capable guys come out and

give him as much help as he needs. I know he will not

be able to be there all the time so please plan accord-

ingly. The Student night starts in May and we all benefit

from this.

In case of fowl

weather, the meet-

ing will be held in

Warren’s garage.

Call any officer for

directions.

“Nothing

ever fixes

itself in

the air.”

Rudder saw

this the other

day and asked

me to share it

with you.

Scenes from the Toledo Show

A few of the Ribcrackers seen walking to the Toledo show. Is that a satchel, a valise,

or is it a “European Man Bag” !?!

Warren Wells’

86”Wild Hare Sukhoi

Power by an OS 55 gasser with a canis-

ter, swinging a 22 x 10 prop and devel-

oping 5.5hp, should be music to the ears.

It weighs 16 lbs and has a Miller Lite fuel

tank, how do you do that? This will be

real delight to see and hear, so when is

the maiden flight!

MODEL OF THE MONTH

Ribcrackers April Meeting Minutes - April 4, 2011

.

Meeting started punctually at 7:30

Previous meeting minutes approved.

President – There is a member that has paid in full but is

being forced to move out of town. Gus would like to make

a recommendation that his dues be repaid in full.

Treasurer – Currently we are ahead on the budget. Porta-

Potty service has resumed. Currently the club is doing ok.

Secretary – There are 43 members that have renewed. If

you haven’t renewed your membership please do so.

Vice President – The field is wet. Please park on the lower

level to avoid leaving ruts. Otherwise everything looks

good.

Editor – Thanks for all the contributions. Let Don

Unsworth know what projects you are working on such as

repairs or new planes. The May meeting will be at the

field. If the weather is bad it will be in Warren’s garage.

Old/New business

People that only have a Park Flyer AMA member-

ship are not entitled to fly at our field.

No card = No Fly. If you have paid and don’t have

your membership card, check the field box or con-tact Matt Jerue.

If you were previously a member and have not re-

newed you cannot fly as a guest

Starting with the May meeting we will meet at Ray

Field unless it is raining and then it will be held at Warren’s house in the garage.

Gus has a box of books that he will bring to the next meeting. Gus mentioned a story about JG52

(JeagerGruppe52) which was credited with the

highest number victories out of all air squadrons.

There is a field cleanup scheduled for May 1st at

9:00. We will be doing some brush clearing and general maintenance.

There was a discussion whether we should roll the

field this year. It was decided that though it helped

somewhat that we could skip it this year.

Raffle:

A World Models Super Sport Senior ARF for 91 4stroke.

Dremel Kit

Hat

Hank was the winner of the ARF

Model of the month was brought in by Warren Wells. It

was a Wild Hare Sukhoi weighing 16 lbs with an 86” wing-

span and powered by an OS 55 gas engine and spinning a

22x10 prop. Congratulations on a great looking plane and

we look forward to seeing it at the field.

Respectfully submitted—Gerald Klose

Raffle Prizes

World Models 81”

Super Sports Senior

Hank Wojcik

Dremel Kit

Marshall Stern

AMA Hat

Gus

“Prez”

Dabringhaus

Blue Ticket Nankin Hobby

Gift Card Don Unsworth

Airplane built and donated by Louie Marcon

Dennis Robbins

Is My Plane Ready To Fly?

As we get ready for another flying season, it is the best time for all of us modelers to check and make

sure our planes and field equipment are in good working order. As most of us have learned over

time, when it comes to airplanes, engines, batteries and other items related to flight………anything is

possible to happen at the wrong place and of course at the wrong time. If it has a screw, it will come

loose…….if it is glued, it will come unglued!

Sometimes we are in a hurry to go out to the field and have fun with an airplane that is nowhere near

flight ready. Many times we see pilots struggle for hours with an engine and with failing field

equipment because they simply failed to maintain and correct problems before the season started. It

is so much more fun for everyone and of course so much SAFER to do a complete check at home on

items such as:

AIRFRAME:

Check for any cracks, loose joints, loose covering, firewall integrity, fuel tank (stopper and fuel leak-

age), also, check for any loose, broken, unglued hinges, wheels, canopies, cowls, surface horns, etc.

ENGINE:

Check the spinner, prop nut and bolt, carburetor, glow-spark plug, engine mount, throttle linkage, cyl-inder head bolts, muffler, etc.

ELECTRONICS: Servos, horns, mounting screws, servo trays, push rods, receivers, antennas, transmitter batteries and on

board batteries, etc.

FIELD EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS:

Field battery, starter, glow igniter, fuel pump, supply your field box with necessary tools.

I am sure there are more things to check and prepare that I am forgetting right now, but I know for

sure in performing the above tests and maintenance, it eliminates lots of trouble and makes flying

safer.

ALEX Editors Note:

Good idea Alex. Anyone interested in putting together a

check list? I’ll publish a printable copy for all to use.

Spring Clean Up

On May 1 the field will get its annual clean up. Again, this year trees at both ends of the field will be

trimmed or removed. So sharpen up the chain saws, gather up shovels, rakes, weed wackers, hand tools,

trash bags, etc. and plan on coming out to this important event. Who is bringing donuts and coffee?

When the clean up is completed, put the tools away and get out the planes and let the flying begin!

Hank Wojcik 313-659-1677

My 2-cents Worth Dennis Kirkwood

Rolling of the Flying Field: I was on vacation at the beginning of the month and un-

able to make the April meeting. Since I had missed the

meeting I called Gus to see when we were going to roll

the field in preparation for this year of flying… I was

quite dismayed when Gus told me that the field rolling

was voted down at the meeting I had missed. Based on

this information I am petitioning the general membership

to re-visit this decision.

I spent the last 20-years as a commercial site developer

and you can rest assured that two things happen to the

ground in Michigan every year…

1) It freezes

2) When the ice leaves, the ground is left all

lumpy & bumpy

If you don’t believe this, just go to the field and fly one of

your $300-plus models.

I have had about 10 flights in the past week and our field

is very rough. Being that I am relatively new to the sport,

I am not that great of a flyer; although, based on our cur-

rent field conditions, my models are currently safer in the

air then they are on the ground. I am confident that who-

ever voted not to roll the field, must not have been out to

fly, this year.

If the vote was based on economics alone, then I offer the

following argument: We had the field rolled last year by

Baruzzini Construction at a cost of $300. This was in lieu

of a plan to have it rolled at a cost $500 + fuel cost, or at

least $600… an approximate savings of $300. So if you

do the math, we could roll it again this year and be no

further out of pocket than if we would have done it the

old way, last year.

If the vote was based on economics alone, then I offer this

second argument: Who wants to take the chance of

wrecking a $200, $300, $400 or more model because, the

club you paid $100 to belong to, decided to cut corners on

field maintenance. I paid my 2011 club dues in December

of 2010 with the assumption that we were going to prop-

erly maintain our flying environment. If I felt this wasn’t

the case, I would have put my money towards another

club… with our declining membership and lack of club

participation, we should be doing things to attract more

members to the field, not push them away.

Finally; the maintenance and/or upkeep of our flying

field, the main reason for the club in the first place, is too

important of an issue to be voted on by a small gathering

of members, at an off season meeting… a vote on an issue

as important as this should be publicized in advance of

any formal voting. As stated earlier, I was out of town

when the vote was taken; and, if I had been aware of the

pending vote, I would have made advance arrangements

for my vote, in favor of rolling, to be counted. I know

there are others who missed this meeting that would have

voted in favor of rolling the field.

The simple facts are that our field will most likely freeze

every year and every time it goes through a freeze/thaw

cycle, it needs to be rolled back into shape. It is also very

important to perform the rolling while the ground is still

soft and aerated, as it is now… Please take the time to re-

think this decision or at least put the question to all of the

flying members, rather than a small gathering… just my

thoughts.

Toledo Show

895 Grace, Northville, Michigan 48167

Club Positions

Vice President

Hank Wojcik

313-659-1677

oaklandbolt@aol.com

Treasurer

Dennis Robbins

248-661-3562

drobbins421@yahoo.com

Thunderbolt Editor

Don Unsworth

248-348-0961

dunswrth@sbcglobal.net

Minute Recorder Gerald Klose

248-582-1803

Raffle Coordinator

Warren Wells

Field Marshall/Safety Officer

Alex Alexopoulos

248-909-6869

Chief Instructor

Warren Wells

248-437-2694

Ribcrackers 2011 Board of Directors

Librarian

Ken Hilton

248-374-8259

Secretary

Matt Jerue

248-348-5948

mdjerue@mi.rr.com

President

Gus Dabringhaus 810-986-0375

810-222-6300 fax gdabringhaus@comcast.net

LOCAL COMING EVENTS

Reminder

Spring Clean Up

Sunday May 1, 9:00 am

Check out the flying events for May on

page 153 of Model Aviation , May issue.

May 1 - Spring Clean Up, Ray field, 9:00.

May 14—WOW Watts Over Wetzel— RC Club of Detroit.

May 14—Spring Fling—Mid Michigan RC Heli Association.

May 21— Chet Brady Memorial Float Fly—Sky Masters.

May 22— Bald Mt. Float Fly— Sky Masters

May 22— PMAC Warbird Fly In—

Pontiac Minature Aircraft Club

Student Night begins

Wednesday, May 4, 6:00 pm