My opening shot this month is of Bill, who brought two of his grandies along to see just what we got up to each month. The Wigzells have recently discovered that the dam on Bill’s Cherry Gardens property is better suited to radio controlled boats than “just feeding the sheep and cattle.” The grandchildren – the two in the pix are also quite skilled with their helicopters – were making their first visit to our indoor meet and it would not surprise me if they made a return visit in the not too distant future.

I have re-used a pix that I used last month  because the young flier featured, was an amazement to me in many ways – mainly I was amazed at the flying skill of a five-year-old.

This month, we had another five-year-old, Zachary whom you see with his dad, Mark, in the next shot, and his flying ability just sent me up among the rafters of the stadium for quite a while. Five years of age, in the same class as Angus of last month’s coverage and our new-comer surprised me with the magnificent control of his heli, and at such heights, right up among the rafters. At the statement from dad, Mark, “You’re too high Zach,” rather than a rush to slide his elevator down, Zachary  slowly brought it down to a respectable altitude. Well done. What a future these young people have if they control their wishes to go higher and faster etc.

They had  the opportunity to glance into  their future too for Hamish Scott was on hand once more to demonstrate one of the latest heli’s available; the Blade 130X. Hamish has the opportunity to do that in his role as Chief Test Pilot for Model Flight, and we are fortunate in seeing the first flights of a number of new products that are available at Model Flight’s Hobby Shop on Goodwood Road, merely hours after their arrival.  Tonight, as my picture shows, Chucky T (my name for him not his) although it is fairly close, always on hand to capture the action on video of the antics of our leading Heli Pilot, was again “at it.”

Then, dear readers, you see what all the excitement was about with Hamish just showing the subject of his latest demonstration.  I am really pleased to call him my friend, realizing perhaps, what I could have achieved, had I started about 60 years earlier than I did.

Speaking of years gone by, but not by too much, my final picture is of the original “Three Wise Men.”  The gentleman on the extreme right of the picture, so it is said, actually taught Moses to fly control line. Well done.

I close this epistle with a reminder that we DO meet on the third Thursday of each month – in May it will be the 17^th., and we will again join in fellowship between the hours of 8.30p.m. and 10.30p.m.

I realize that it is unusual for me NOT to feature a picture of our leader in action, but on this occasion he was helping  two of his daughters celebrate their birthdays and, even as I write this story, he is shouting his lovely wife, Janine, to some holiday time in Viet Pnam (Oh heck, how DOES one spell Pnam or Nam?)

Warm regards to all from your friendly Phoenix.

This new Content Coordinator role will work under the Marketing & eCommerce Manager to ensure our websites and other published media have unique, accurate and useful content.  You will be creating some content yourself, as well as requesting and coordinating content from other team members and publishing to the web.

Knowledge of Remote Control Hobby products would be greatly beneficial but not essential.   Understanding or experience with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Content Management Systems, and Copywriting for the web is also desired.

Please submit your resume to along with a covering letter highlighting your suitability for this role as well as examples of how you demonstrate the key skills we require; organization, time management, attention to detail, written English and any web/ecommerce experience if applicable.

For further contact and to submit your application please email j.nancarrow@modelflight.com.au

Applications close 4^th May

He also didn’t neglect to let us see this little baby in action!  Here are his comments and the video of the E-flite Gee Bee in action!

“well here is a video i took a few weeks back, been busy so only just got round to editing it. It’s the GeeBee having the pants flown off it haha i got Corinne to try and get some close up shots but also some distance shots so you can get an idea of how fast it flies. The birds were there as usual and a couple just have to get in shot haha i nail a real short landing for the ending showing that if you can come in straight and level, judge that speed you can land on a sixpence! Anyway i hope you enjoy this short vid of the Gee Bee, i love this UMX it’s a classic” Chuck

Here, Chuck takes a look at what is in the box and gets all the parts out so we can all have a nice close up look!

In his second clip, he focuses on the build of the Parkzone Albatros DVa – here’s what he thought: “It is a quick easy build and i think most will have it together a lot quicker than the SE-5a went together and that was an easy build too
Well after we have built our Parkzone Albatros DVa, there’s only one thing left to do! so keep an eye out for Part 3 “The Maiden” when our preproduction WW1 plane takes to the skies in search of adversaries” Chuck.

Check it out here:

The Blade 300 X  is stock out of the box ans as you can see Hamish really puts it through its paces!

This is what Chuck the camera man had to say: “Hamish is one of South Australia’s best young heli pilots and when you watch this your agree I’m sure.
Being a small heli and Hamish flying it like it’s on steroids it is hard to keep the camera up with him, so this is best viewed full screen and in HD, do your self a favour and take the time to watch it in HD”

Loops, rolls, tic tocs and hurricanes are a breeze with this micro helicopter!  The Blade 130X remote control helicopter comes as a Bind-N-Fly package with an AS3X flybarless control unit, 2S LiPO, brushless power and a torque tube driven tail. The Blade 130X is a 100-class RC helicopter capable of inverted flight and extreme 3D aerobatics.

Matt Waye from Modelflight managed to get his hands on our sample and here’s what he thought…

“Looks good! Driven tail rotor will minimise problems with the tail authority, 140deg Swash plate good for overall control. Hamish says it flies like a machine. Keen to give one a shot…”

Here are a few more pics and specs of this exciting little heli!

AS3X Flybarless System
Powerful 6730Kv brushless inrunner motor
Shaft-driven, variable-pitch tail rotor
Symmetrical 135mm main rotor blades
Spektrum™ 2.9 gram linear long-throw cyclic servos
Spektrum 2.9 gram linear performance tail servo
Strong, lightweight airframe
Carbon fiber main shaft and tail boom
Sleek body with sharp 130 X graphics
Includes E-flite® 2S 7.4V 300mAh 35C Li-Po battery
Includes Celectra™ 2S 7.4V DC Li-Po Charger with AC adapter
Requires a 6+ channel computer DSM2®/DSMX® transmitter, sold separately

Watch Mike and Hamish’s attempt here:

If flying numbers meant anything so early in the year, then we are in for a bumper crop which is, ofcourse, good news for The Southern Flying League, for we may help them purchase some items that they, perhaps, otherwise may not. Might I even venture to add that our name may even appear on a panel of their new extention to their clubrooms at Milang?  Well done SSL.

It was not really surprising to me, on reflection, that I was barely able to see one of our latest fliers across the highly polished floor of the stadium. This fine looking young gentleman, he is only 5 years of age, of shortish stature, although I did not measure him, a handsome face, even in its youth, that carried an infectious smile throughout the evening, has been blessed, through his parents with near perfect manners, When I took this first picture of this collection and thanked him, that smile looked up at me and said, “Your welcome!” Gosh, I was, what is the saying, gobsmacked. Well done Angus. I have also included a shot of the lad standing with his dad Andrew. With his skill in flying his contra-rotating helicopter, I have the feeling that he will be around flying sites for many years to come. Quadcopters seem to be the way to go in  model flying these days and on this evening, there were several in action – an action that is quite fascinating.

The picture of two together was snapped just seconds, or a second before they came together. It seemed a fairly heavy crash but neither were damaged and a short time later they were back in the air and hovering side by side for the next picky. These quads are available from several hobby sources and the two in my shots are from kits out of Taiwan. I didn’t get any details regarding pricing etc. so I guess that if you are interested, then you’ll just have to come along next month and see and ask for yourselves.  I have featured the locally available model in earlier articles so please let it suffice to say that our American friends at Horizon Models released a quadcopter, designated the Blade mQX quite a few months ago and these have been seen in numbers on each occasion that we have come together for indoor flying.

This may be the right time to remind you all that we  revert to our usual night of indoor flying for this month of April and for the rest of the year. By that, dear friends, I mean that we meet once more on the 3^rd Thursday of each month which is the 19^th for April and that our flying times and costs are just the same as previously. We fly from 8.30p.m. until 10.30p.m. and, if you wish to fly during that time, it will still cost you just ten dollars ($10)  – otherwise, to spectorate it is free to all. That’s why we have so many dads and mums in attendance, even some grannies.

Please let me introduce in my next picture, Hamish Scotts grandies and, yes, even his Auntie. Our magnificent aerobatic helicopter pilot, Hamish, doesn’t really require his gallery to help him perform but I thought it was great to see three rellies in attendance, and he once again, put on a great show with the brand new Blade 300X, from Horizon Hobbies in USA seen here being displayed by Mike O’Reilly, and seen in action for the first time in Australia.

The cost – $369-99 from Modelflight or any of your other favourite hobby shops. You will just have to await their

arrival for a little while yet but THEY WILL ARRIVE so please be patient.If you are on our sick list at present, apart from wishing you a speedy recovery, I also suggest that you are a “patient, patient.”

Now – here is a tale that almost ended up without a tail. A “first” was attempted on this night in the stadium. It was to be the very first, EVER, attempt at an arial tug launching indoors. You can swoon over my next picture of Hamish Scott, displaying the tug plane which was known as a Carbon Cub – an attractive little high wing mono that flew around the stadium to enable Hamish, the tug pilot, to get the feel of yet another brand new model and, on his left, is Mike O’Reilly showing the beautiful, all glass, T-tailed model and, here it was very remiss of yours truly, for I failed to get its name (E-flite ASK-21 UMX Sailplane), that would be towed aloft by the little Cub. Please be patient with me here for, my eyes had become quite damp in memory of this great event, and I had to feel for a tissue.  However, dear friends, I have a grip on myself again and will endeavour to relate the  action in a step by step manner, although it shant take up much of your time.

Everything is tiny and Mike had a little difficulty in attaching the tow line to his E-flite ASK-21 micro glider (sail-plane) so that, should it, by some miraculous happening be necessary to release the glider, then he just had to  remember which control on his JR radio would release the model and he could then return it to the floor. Dear readers, I have watched Mike fly model aeroplanes of all shapes and sizes for half a century, at least, and have long been of the opinion that, if one cared to attach a reasonably sized motor to a fence paling and handed him a radio – JR ofcourse – then he would fly it.

                                                           W R O N G!

The two aircraft were lined up and attached by this very light towline. All other fliers were requested to land and give our two intrepid fliers space for this ice-breaking event. Had we had a drum and drummer, I feel he would have felt the excitement of the few moments ahead and rolled and rolled his little drum. We had to do without the build up, other than that all attendees at the stadium this night held a time of complete silence, as such that a pin dropping would have deafened the drum rolls. Mike and Hamish were ready – discussing last minute instructions to each other on their flight plan. Hamish ran the motor of the little Cub and it slowly rolled along the floor with the glider in tow. Time for full throttle and it was at this stage that the little glider had been watching the angle of attack of the Concorde on approach and appeared to be quite happy to hang its tail down. A sudden landing by Hamish and a new set of batteries were placed in the Cub and and all was readied for a second attempt.At this time, I was reminded of Orvil Wright, I don’t know why, but his first ever flight was of a greater duration than this attempt at arial towing. Not to worry, here we go again. More throttle this time and both models lifted off the floor and, for a fairly short time, looked a real picture and quite reflective of the real thing.

Unfortunately, there was only a short time of flight before Hamish needed to plan his left turn and Michael had to work out what he was going to do. The true reason may never really be known but, coming off  the tow line perfectly, for some unknown reason, also, the towed pilot turned to the right and, whammy, the flight ended for the glider when it suddenly came to rest at the foot of a goal post. No score!  Hamish did a few more laps in the little Cub before bringing it in to a perfect landing with Orvil – sorry, Michael, declaring that that was it. The whole incident didn’t last as long as the first flight by the Wright Bros but one must remember that they made many attempts before they actually managed their record-established flight of  just a few minutes.

It is not known whether Hamish and Michael will persevere in this world-breaking event – I doubt it because each week more new models arrive from Horizon for our two brave pilots to test fly.

Keep your eyes wide open on this publication each month and, if it happens, I will make sure you are informed. In the meantime, remember that we will fly again on the 19^th of April when the fearless courage and wonderful skill of Andy Hollitt will endeavour to retrieve a model that has been resting, out of sight, for several months. In March his model flew onto the vertical wall of the stadium and his amazing flying skill held it in this position for some time. Well folks ….

                                         YOU AINT SEEN NUTTIN’ YET.

This has been a report from your friendly Phoenix, or

as the French would say – La Fenice’

Q: What’s the difference between the 11x and the 11x zero?

A:  The 11x is 2.4GHZ dedicated transmitter, this includes a rerceiver. The 11x zero is a module based Transmitter and can be used with 36mhz or 2.4GHZ, module and receiver are sold separately.

You can view the JR 11X Radio here.  As well as the JR 11X ZERO Radio, and prices start at $649.99 at Modelflight

       In tonight’s story on our activities, I  begin with a picture of young Michael who is one of the keenest participants at ETSA, arriving each and every night with a great armfull of model boxes and, yes, they do all contain a model. His flying displays are always great, be it with a fixed wing or a helicopter and he is always most welcome.

If we were in the habit of greeting some of our older fliers with open arms, this would have been the perfect occasion to show that familiarity, for showing a rare appearance after some long absence was Steve Nelson. Steve has his own seat  up front in the Commercial aircraft, flying with Cathay Pacific, whose headquarters are in Hong Kong to flying in a lighter way in an ultra-light of his own construction. He is a great indoor competitor and it was a pleasure for all of us to see him return. We hope he is able much more frequently as 2012 rolls along.

Bill (but if you are out on a Veteran Car Run, William) Kent is no stranger to ETSA Park, quite often just to help others master their flying ability. In my next pix he can be seen speaking with hands, as well as tongue, as he explains yet another situation to any who may wish to listen. Many fliers have William to thank for their flying time with models of various shapes and sizes, with his specialty being helicopters.

If I can be so forward as to refer to Steve Nelson as an “Old Timer” there is one other who surprised many by his return to ETSA this month, in the form of Craig Jones whom also, I may be permitted to refer to as an “Old Timer.” Craig, when flying regularly could quite comfortably be described as one of our all time great performers. I do not recall just how long it is since he joined us at ETSA Park but, quite seriously, I doubt that much of his skill would be missing. Great to see you Craig and, even though you had a model in your car, I trust that next time we will see it in the air. A person of Craig’s flying caliber, leaving his model at home would be very similar to leaving his pants on their hanger.

I don’t quite know what Ian Smedman’s problem was on this night but, even t hough his camera smile was broad, his flying was on the narrow side, preferring to sit, as the pix shows, and just chat.

        Matthew Waye can always be relied upon to make his flying performance highly interesting, regardless of his model and on this night, he seemed to satisfy himself with one of the almost brand new Blade mQX of which I spoke so favourably last month. Although Model Flight has found them, as tipped, to be a good seller, there was only a mere handful in action this month. They are a fascinating little Quad-copter with an RRP of a whisker shy of $200-00 and  this, for what you get in the box – such as a Li-po battery and charger, being a BNF model, all you do is open the attractive box, gently ease the Quad-copter out, charge the inflight pack as well as your transmitter – AND FLY! What fun you can have, even while sitting down if you prefer.   This was ably demonstrated by Matty.

Another to show just how much fun one can have with a baby quad was Hamish Scott. Ofcourse there are few others in this country who can quite have the enormous fun that is available to Hamish’s skills, and even  though I spoke of this in last month’s story, any story about the flying skill of Hamish Scott are far from boring.

He is shown in my picture, picking the correct pitch propellers to replace a couple of slightly damaged props from an earlier demonstration. He could be forgiven for having a slight mishap earlier for he was overjoyed with his new employment, having been accepted for a Scholarship with the study venue being Adelaide Airport. As he says, “That’s cool.”  The only thing NOT cool in his world is when speaking of his excitement with his new position. Good luck Hamish.

I also told you last month of Mike O’Reilly’s freezing trip to the other side of the globe to the World Toy Fair in Germany and, it was obvious to me that when I took the next picky of the  two of them, Hamish was an eager listener to some of  the thrilling demonstrations that Mike saw at the fair. I think the little jet model would be, in the words of Hamish – “COOL.”

Well dear readers, if you are able to join us on the 29^th of March at our usual venue, I think that, even though the efficient air conditioner will be operating, there is little doubt that you will all find it warm rather than cool.

See you then, dear friends – still only ten dollars, even though the monthly rent has been increased this year and even repeating those nasty figures, I can quite safely report that the S.S.L. who has always benefited from our collections, will continue to do so, even with the small rise in our costs.

I, The Phoenix, looks forward to once again taking communion with you at ETSA Park in March – remember, the 29^th, for one night only.