1. SEN 1217
2. Czech World Cup
3. The Princess With the Golden Star on the Forehead
4. F1Q Observation
5. US Junior Team Shirts and Hats
6. The Bissonette Memorial
7. Great Idea on Electric
   

Guarantee for happiness

The title of this czech fairytale sounds a bit long for me, but – just to make the point – not long for a guarantee for happiness. The fairytale exists for more than 50 years. Nearly every child in the Czech Republic and Slovakia watches it in christmas time on TV. In this tale the princess runs away from a foreign, evil king she should marry to save her country. She runs from one castle to another.

South Bohemian castles

Luckily this country had then and still has today numerous, different, charming castles. Then only princesses and princes were allowed to enter the castles, but if you come to the contest in Sezimovo Usti you have also the best opportunity to visit one of these 20 castles in South Bohemia. You will see, it is worth it.

Dandelion meadow

The princess runs away and wears a mouse-fur coat with a cowl to hide her golden star. For this coat she is called „Mousy-fur“. And of this fur remind me the meadows full of dandelion fruits we saw on the way to the contest. And the laughter of the princess Lada is like the laughter from each of you who made the max. And the sadness of the princess having to run away from home and from the evil king Krasisvet is like your sadness if you have missed the max.

Flying kingdom

Her father, the king, loved Lada with such a love as the organizers do the yearly contest. This year we were so many as never before. I do not think of the amount, but the quality of this 23rd South Bohemian Cup was very likeable. You could hear various languages. Chech, slowak, russian, ukrainian, hungarian, polish, dutch, english, french, german and ... Any number of couples, many young people, a real range from small to mature.

Everything looked like a flying kingdom-village. Many cars on the ground, model aircraft in the air, even oldtimers from 1956. Colourful tents in a vivid meadow, bicycles, mopeds – as walking aid to support laziness ... binoculars on tripods, a good hot-dog stand with yummy food and drink ... not only czech beer!

Concrete is not just concrete

The sun warmed the concrete. The gray carpet of the Vsechov airfield serves as parking lot, road for gossiping humans, place for starting poles, resting area for blankets on which youth cuddles, plays cards, and also times. Sometimes also as a Wishing-table like a 0-star restaurant, but in a much better mood.

Apropos star: Princess Lada’s is hidden under her mouse-fur cowl, but in each of you there is a very large star to be a good modeller and a great human. Thank you. Applaus to you!

Victory for Love

In the fairy tale the prince in his castle recognizes Lada under her Mouse-cowl and the hearts win ......

In the same way the love to our hobby aircraft modelling wins. Otherwise married couples would not for so many years go together to the contests. The truth is, reality says: hard to believe, married for more than 10, 20, 30, even more than 40 years – isn’t that like a fairy-tale???

Honoured wifes and husbands:

You really have earned a Marriage-award! Here is a flower-wreath from the flower meadow of the true czech countryside. Juchhuuuuu ...

Heroes of the field

To our meadow-stage we now call those who returned to modelling after severe ilnesses. Applause to Reinhard Truppe and Anselmo Zeri for their happy return to us, bravoooooo!!!!!

Both can have a meaning. At the end of the fairy-tale the big bell sounds. The children are sad that it is over.

At the end of each round and of the contest the signal gun cracks. Some of you are happy, some are sad ....

The great fairy-tale comes back next year on TV.

We, too, like to return next year to such a dear Czech contest.

Hi Roger. Just a little shirt and hat info.

Memorial Day at Lost Hills was very exciting for the Jr. Team. We
collected a total of $1845 by selling 40 shirts and 48 hats, all at
$15 each. Don't bother with the math, that adds up to $1320, which
means $525 was collected in donations. Exceptional! Good job Cody and
Anthony. We plan to put in another order for both shirts and hats, so
anyone interested in getting some can contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
or any team member. If we ship the items, there will have to be a $5
fee added for up to 5 items sent to the same address. The shirts are
good quality white, with a black, orange, blue and red design, with
each members name listed on the back and an outline of Ukraine with
the 3 types of model inset in it. The hats are khaki tops, with a
burgandy bill, and blue lettering that says USA Free Flight 2008
emboidered on the front. Get them while they are hot, and help our
Junior Team be successful in Ukraine this summer. Thanks, George
Batiuk

The Bissonnette Memorial contest was completed after several delays due to Mother Nature giving us some windy conditions for the three days. Friday, the F1E event start was delayed till five o’clock due to high winds. One and a half hours late high winds from the West put a stop to the contest. We were flying half hour rounds, which give us three flights for the contest. Dave Parsons who had a quick repair of a broken tail boom just before the first round started ended up in first place, followed by Norm Furrtani and Bruce Hannah. Peter Brocks and Richard Wood come in fourth and fifth.

The next morning we were again greeted with a good wind from the West. At eight o’clock I called a meeting of the flyers and called for a two hour delay. Around nine thirty the wind had reduced and I announced that we would set of the flight line to the West and start flying at ten thirty. The flyers find out that the conditions were very difficult. Big thermals, along with big down drafts were making some flyers happy and some not so happy. The wind was taking the models to the car park and into the gypsum pits to the East. After the second round, I decided to hold the next round for a half hour to see if the wind would change directions. After another half hour delay the third round was started. One more round was flown and then the wind from the West increased and stopped all flying for the day. A check with Jim Parker about America Cup rules and I announced that we would have round five at six thirty the next morning and the flyoffs to follow.

Again, the next morning a good wind was blowing from the West. We started the round at six thirty with a two-minute max and a half hour round. Next, we had a meeting of the flyoff contestants and it was suggested by Don Zink to have the timers follow the models on motorcycles for the flyoffs. This was agreed upon by the F1A flyers and we had the flyoff for this event. The F1B and F1C flyers agreed for the same format and both events used the timers on motorcycles following the models to the ground. For sure this did not end up as a binocular contest. FAI rules do not allow the timer to follow the models. FAI rules are for World Champs and World Cup contest and guide lines for other contest. Jim Parker and I agreed that for American Cup contest the use of timers on motorcycles was not a problem and would give a fare results for the flyoff contestants with the conditions that Mother Nature had give us.

Brian VanNest was the winner in F1A. Jim Parker and Andrew Barron both ended up with the same time and enjoyed another flight with Jim coming out on top by one second.

Blake Jensen made an excellent winning flight of 314 seconds. Jerry Peck was second and George Batiuk come in third. One notable F1B flyer had the fourth flight land with the prop still turning. Some days one should just stay in bed and not fly

Mike Roberts was flying has non-folder and ended up in second place behind Matt Gewain who was flying has own design folder. Both models used a geared Nelson. Kenny Happersett’s VE powered folder come in third.

Dave Rounsaville was the only entry in F1P and completed the five flights.

The Sunday events started at nine o’clock. The wind had reduced to a breeze again from the West. The first round was one hour and the remaining four rounds were one half hour long. It was raining to the North and also in Taft. We all felt that we should get the contest completed before the weather changed. Some rain did fall, but did not stop the contest. The conditions were very good for the rest of the day.

This was the first contest for the new Vintage FAI models. For sure the weather sent some flyers home who were in attendance Saturday. The 1951 to 1957 models are getting very high using the twenty second engine run. Of the six flyers four made the flyoff.  We reduced the engine run to ten seconds for the first flyoff flight and seven for the second.  Bruce Hannah was flying a Fubar with an OS Max 111 and came in first. Jim Muther and Glenn Schneider came in second and third. Marty Thompson had an equal model to these three but he over run in the first flyoff flight. Dave Parsons was test flying and putting in contest flights at the same time. His last two flights were very high and he will be in contention at the next contest. Ed Carroll was flying the contest directors K&B Green Head Fresco Kid, which did not climb as high as the OS powered models. Overall it was a good start for the new event.

F1G had three entries with Perter Brocks edging out Tiffaney O’dell in the flyoff. Mark Belfield ended up thired with a 104 second flight in the last round.

F1H had six entries like the Vintage FAI event. Four of them made the flyoff with Jim Parker taking first over Brian VanNest on the third flyoff flight. We had decided to use a five minute window for the flyoffs. Mike McKeever and Jon Davis had a line tangle. Both had to take a second attempt. Mike was late on the thermal that Jim had placed his model in and Jon had a damaged wing tip that come off on the tow.

The interesting models were the F1Q’s of Frank Pollard and Bernie Crowe. They have their act together for this event.& nbsp;They get very high and when more modelers have models like theirs this will become a very competitive event. Frank maxed out for the win with Bernie dropping the last round. Richard Wood came in third flying a new model.

Dave Rounsaville was the only entry in F1J. For some reason it looks like this event has slowed down with very low entries at several of the last contest.

The water melon that I had for the prize giving went over well and those who had stayed enjoyed the conditions with some test flying after the contest. Maybe next year we will be blessed with some good weather.

F1A               1 RD 2 RD 3 RD 4 RD 5 RD 1 FO 2 FO  TOTAL

Brian VanNest      180  180  180  180  120  320       1160

Jim Parker         180  180  180  180  120  301  205  1346

Andrew Barron      180  180  180  180  120  301  204  1345

Don Zink           180  180  180  180  120  292       1132

Mike McKeever      180  180  180  180  120  288       1128

Peter Brocks       180  180  180  180  120  187       1027

Lee Hines          180  180  180  180  120  158        998

Michael Thompson   180  180  93   180  77              710

Daniel Protheroe   180  133  180  180   0              673

Ken Bauer          180  166  180  124   0              650

Norm Smith         135  180  32   180  120             647

Jon Davis          180  39   180  180   0              579

Hector Diez        180  62   180  121   0              543

Pierre Brun        180  180  82   98    0              540

F1B

Blake Jensen       180  180  180  180  120  314       1154

Jerry Peck         180  180  180  180  120  223       1063

George Batiuk      180  180  180  180  120  204       1044

Mark Belfield      180  180  180  127  120             787

William Booth      180  116  180  180  120             776

Roger Morrell      86   180  156  180  120             722

Mike Mulligan      180  180  180  132   0              672

Bob Piserchio      180  180  110  180   0              650

Rich Rohrke        180  147  180  140   0              647

Michael Davis      180  180  93   138   0              591

Jack Emery         180  180  180  51    0              591

Bob Tymchek        180  157  108  61    0              506

David Saks         107  166  180   0    0              453

Alex Andriukov     180  105  96   42    0              423

Richard Wood       50    0    0    0    0              50

F1C

Matt Gewain        180  180  180  180  120  456       1296

Mike Roberts       180  180  180  180  120  445       1285

Kenny Happersett   180  180  180  180  120  410       1250

Ron McBurnett      180  180  137  180  120             797

Fred Ginder        180  180  180  146   0              686

Lynn Pulley        180  180  138  130   0              628

Jeff Ellington     180  180  180   0    0              540

Dick Mathis        180  180  144   0    0              504

Doug Joyce         180  29   38   155   0              402

Roger Simpson      180  180   0    0    0              360

Ed Carroll         180  166   0    0    0              346

Terry Kerger       180  156   0    0    0              336

Don Chesson        180  136                            316

F1G

Perter Brocks      120  120  120  120  120  94         694

Tiffaney O'Dell    120  120  120  120  120  87         687

Mark Belfield      120  120  120  120  104             584

F1H

Jim Parker         120  120  120  120  120  180  240   240   1260

Brian VanNest      120  120  120  120  120  180  240   180   1200

Mike McKeever      120  120  120  120  120  180  160         940

Jon Davis          120  120  120  120  120  180   0          780

Michael Thompson   120  120  110  120  120                   590

Norm Smith         120  120  120  120  103                   583

F1J

Dave Rounsaville   120  120  120  57   120             537

F1P

Dave Rounsaville   180  94   180  180  120             754

F1E

Dave Parsons         90  120  120                      330

Norm Furutani        56   72  120                      248

Bruce Hannah         53  111   42                      206

Peter Brocks         60   66   35    &
            nbsp;                 161

Richard Wood         26   25   33                      84

F1Q

Frank Pollard      120  120  120  120  120             600

Bernie Crowe       120  120  120  120  105             585

Richard Wood       120  111  120  45    0              396

Vintage FAI Power

Bruce Hannah       180  180  180  180  180  300  105  1305

Jim Muther         180  180  180  180  180  300  95   1295

Glenn Schneider    180  180  180  180  180  300  21   1221

Marty Thompson     180  180  180  180  180   0    0    900

Dave Parsons       158  148  180  180  180             846

Ed Carroll         159  160  92   136   0              547