12th Annual valley flyers jet rally

Model Airplane News, Mar 2000 by Gonzalez, George M, Thompson, Chuck

For the past 12 years, the San Fernando Valley RC Flyers-who fly at the famous Apollo 11 field in Van Nuys, CA-have hosted an annual jet Rally and Fun Fly. The event has become one of the club's most successful ventures. At their most recent event, skies filled with warbirds from every branch of the Armed Forces enticed thousands of spectators away from a nearby, full-scale custom-caT show. Manufacturers such as jet Hangar Hobbies* UHH) and Golden West Models* were represented by talented pilots who thrilled spectators by performing breathtaking maneuvers with their high-performance model jets.

CROWDED SKIES

This event was open to all AMA members with approved ducted-fan or turbinepowered aircraft. More than 20 pilots were registered. A flight log was not kept, but jets were airborne almost continuously. Wind gusts of 50mph provided some excitement but didn't ground the jets; takeoffs and landings were nail-biters, though.

Each day began with an open flying session followed by time trials to find the fastest jet in the ducted-fan and turbine classes. A radar gun was used to measure top speeds in level flight.

When the time trials had finished, all the jets were lined up on the center taxiway so spectators could get a closer look at them and talk to the pilots. The "Parade of jets" was easily the most popular event. All the pilots answered questions enthusiastically and were more than willing to discuss their models in detail.

EXPERT ADVICE

A lot ot big names in modeling were there, and that made the Rally even more special. Golden West Models precision turbine engines powered many of the jets, and company spokesmen Bob Wilcox and Tad Krzanowski were there; they logged many flights and performed solo demonstrations during lunchtime, too. Valley Flyer member and racing legend Jay Replogle of San Clemente, CA, attended again; he flew a K&B*powered F-15 Eagle. Jay was a big hit with the spectators and the other pilots.

JHH owner Larry Wolfe also dropped by to demonstrate his company's new FJ-3 Fury. It's powered by a K&B prototype .48 engine and is one of JHH's new fan offerings. Larry has provided scale "special effects" models and technical advice to the movie industry; his jets were featured in "Top Gun," "Iron Eagle" (1 and 2), "Fire Fox" and many others. Next time you see a movie that has jets and lots of pyrotechnics, pay close attention; they might be models from JHH!

UNTIL NEXT YEAR

The 12th Annual Valley Flyers jet Rally was a huge success, not only because it introduced the hobby to hundreds-perhaps thousandsof spectators, but also because it is one of the few remaining events on the West Coast dedicated to ducted-fan and turbine-powered model jets. As always, events such as these could not be held without the help of many people. Special thanks to all the pilots, sponsors, workers and others who helped make this rally possible. Airtronics*, Hobby Shack*, Jet Hangar Hobbies, jet Pilots Organization, Robart Mfg.*, Sky Hobbies* and all the members of the San Fernando Valley RC Flyers should be recognized for their efforts. *Addresses are listed alphabetically in the Index of Manufacturers on page 150. 4