dialarotor
Veteran
Location: Traverse City, Michigan
| Recent and Past Postings About UsSaturday Nov 3rd. Seven of us gathered at Chris Zolen's in Kalkaska, fired up the bonfire, put on the coffee pot, popped open the beer locker. Myself with Tiger 50 and my son's Caliber 30, Chris with his Raptor 90, Trex 450, Steve & Steve with their nice Raptor Titan, and Hawk Pro, Tony & Jerry Lawhead with his very nice Raptor 50 and Trex 600N, we got down to warming-up and flying in the cool grey skies.
Tony is really coming on fast, both the Steve's are improving each outing, I had the cheap Tiger 50 with an OS.46, stock servos and wood blades doing the best it could. We did have a setup crash with the Caliber 30 but it will be ready for our Thanksgiving FREEZE-FLY when Alex comes home from Michigan Tech for vacation. Chris had a wild ride with his Raptor 90 when the gyro sensor on his 611 came unstuck and was flying around in the breeze. Throw away those Futaba sticky pads and use either CSM mounting tape or ZEAL pads and most important use a velcro retaining strap just in case the sticky pad comes loose. Cold weather really makes that stuff lose it's stick. Lars Schwab showed up with his rebuilt Raptor 30 and Raptor Titan and flew the heck out of his machines. His rebuilt OS.37 was making big power and his helis flew great. After a few hours of flying, pizzas arrived and we chowed down and caught up on the football scores. Pizza gone, back to the flying and fire. As soon as the darkness fell we sat around the fire to swap stories and everyone slowly drifted off to home. Great Day. Looking forward to doing it again on November 23, FREEZE FLY at Chris's day after Thanks giving, see post below.
Dialarotor
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POST TO NW MICHIGAN HELICOPTER PILOTS, NOV 3, 2007 EARLY MORNING.
Dear Heli Diary,
Time to recount the past flying season.
April= Toledo Weak Signals Show, good show again, bought fuel, and saw lots of new heli stuff. Prep Tiger 50 with Chris Z for trainer heli, he hits tree, damn.
May= Beginners round-up, clear but cold, lots of new and old friends, season kicked-off in style. Crashed one Raptor 50, damn.
June= Hirobo Cup in Toledo, good time had by those attending, USCG guys and friends make road-trip. Bought pop-up camper for IRCHA, smart.
June=TRAMPS air show, best show in a while, plankers and rotorheads play well, Nick comes out of the darkness and discovers helis. Wednesday night flying gets going, success, helis are here to stay.
July=Helis flying everywhere, Luzerne/Ausable air show goes well, many helis and planks playing together, first night flights with TREX 450, one TREX in the trees. damn. Raptor 50 back, try to stretch auto over a net, tip over, damn.
August= IRCHA, what can I say, best time ever with helis, heli friends, died and went to heaven, although so hot, felt like hell. 18 NWMICH guys, 25 total with family, IRCHA MONEY, everybody gets new toys, spend IRCHA money, (different color than normal money), more power for everybody,rum balls, slime aid, night fly TREX 450 with Chris Z, CZ finds orange pilot cone, damn.
September= Heli mob shows up at Tustin and helis outnumber planks, great day, Nick and Chris fly way beyond the edge, 3 close calls. Scalers looking good. Heli-deer camp in the woods, great time, good food, good drink, good flying, night flying, spud guns, fireworks, and THE BEST MID-AIR
of the year. Damn. Raptor 50 back, ripping and having fun, then no tail and lawn dart time. damn. Tramps Wednesday night, night fly session, Tiger 50 goes piro nuts at end of flight and into the ground, damn.
October= Everyone still has the summertime fever and heli flying at CZ, TRAMPS, wherever. TREX 450 throws a blade after a hard landing, damn.
So, now it is November. TO DO LIST. Call Leelanau Sands Casino, arrange for indoor flying schedule for this winter. Details to follow.
Get helis repaired, buy ingredients for "THE BUSIEST SHOPPING DAY OF THE YEAR." Friday,November 23, 2007, Zolen's Heli Haven, Kalkaska
That's right, day after Thanksgiving, "THE BUSIEST SHOPPING DAY OF THE YEAR", mark your calendar, give the wife and kids a few $20's and tell them you won't be around. Why you ask? Because you have put away the summer junk, winterized the vehicles, drained the pool, covered the boat, bought the back-to-school crap, and already shot your buck for the season, so just like last year, you are cashing in what little hubby-points you have remaining to go spend the day standing next to a big bon-fire at Chris Zolen's, flying whatever helis you have left, drinking some frosty beverages, telling tall tales, while wearing a plaid shirt and blaze orange flap hat in the woods and pissing on trees. Again for you calendar-challenged types, day after Thanksgiving, FRIDAY, you are invited to come on out for our end of season spectacular, Freeze-Fly. Dave Johnson will be preparing a luscious venison stew and I will tantalize your taste-buds with 2-gallons of my Chili. Real food and drink for real Turkeys, crazy enough to come on out in the cold to fly their helis. The workshop and Tiki Room will be heated for those needing a little thawing out.
We are talking 3-weeks from yesterday, so charge something, fix something, build something and come on out for a day of flying, lying, laughing and freezing. GET OVER IT, you could be at the mall with the wife and kids and the rest of America.
In closing, remember tis the season to start leaving the Tower Talks, Heliproz rags, RC Heli mags with your secret desires circled and lying around the house or pages torn out and clipped to the fridge with reminder remarks to yourself to tell a friend( Yeah Right) so the wife and others can find them easily. Nothing like waking up with a box about 12"x12"x 30" wrapped under the tree or a 2.4ghz module and receiver sticking out of Dad's Xmas stocking. Hubby points are all spent so now you have to get right down to the subtle hints by leaving your heli tracks around the house, magazine folded open in the head, on top of the washer, spread fan like on the coffee table with all the ladies magazines.
Until next time, off to the garage to load up to go fly this morning, see ya soon, you know where. Heli On Wayne, Heli On Garth. " Mike's World, Mike's world, Mike's World", Hum the tune you know it.
Dialarotor
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September 21-22-23 Heli Deer Camp at Zolen's Heli Haven, Kalkaska ( Home of the spud gun, ring of fire, and the famous "Brown Thumb".
The hardy and heli-crazy started arriving Friday afternoon at with pop-up campers, tents, motor homes. The field was enlarged, trees cleared and cones and signs were ready. The early arrivals, Steve and Stephen Stedronski, myself, Steve Balyo, Lars Schwab were busy fixing, tuning and flying helis while stoking the bonfire. Chris Zolen's family let us invade there estate and later Lars made a run to Arby's for a big bag of sandwiches for supper to go with all the sodas and adult beverages. The new potato canon's were broken out and many a potatoes met it's end being shot high into the sky. The canons were so popular that an extra one will be built this year for our IRCHA friends, the S.W.A.R.M. heli guys from the Milwaukee Area. The early arrival guys kept the night fires burning with a few night heli flights. We all turned in around 1 AM, a warm night, nearly full moon. We were in our version of heaven. The night cooled off and we awoke to some dew and bright sunshine. The morning fire was rekindled and a big pot of coffee was brewed. The weekend's fun and games were about to start as pilots and helis began to arrive, EZ-up tents started popping up as vehicles were unloaded. Saturday arrivals included, Steve Fink, from Onekama, the Marion/Cadillac gang of Troy Raymond, Dave Wobbers, Brad Matznick, Tony Lawhead and wife, and Jerry Lawhead,Dave Johnson,Coast Guard Steve Horacek, Gary Meese and son from Chase, Rich Smith & Bill Suhy, Mark Bonofiglio and wife and later in the day Nick Harwood, and Steve Briggs and father. Lots of helicopters, fish heads, scalers and Troy Raymond brought his big 90 size photo helicopter. Troy has this big Stinger 90 with a TV camera for stills and real time video down link. Troy put this heli high above the field, engaged the FMA autopilot and Dave Wobbers operated the under slung camera transmitting pictures to a TV in the clubhouse for all of us to watch. Check the pictures on the TRAVERSEMODELPILOTS.COM page. There are some cool pictures of Nick's Excel Fury zooming around in frame for the camera. Lunch time came and I assume the duties of burger and brat cook on Chris's really nice gas grill, while Mark Bonofiglio and wife set-up the deep fryer to make some really good battered onion rings and Dave Johnson did the baked bean cooking on my camper stove. Everyone did a great job of bringing a little of this and that for lunch and dinner. For dinner the Dave prepared more baked beans, and Jerry Lawhead made the best homemade potato salad, and a very tasty taco salad was added, while Mark and wife cooked up some deep fried turkey's for the main course. Chips and homemade cookies were also part of the fare. We didn't go hungry all day.
The flying was great with Lars flying his brand spanking new TITAN 50, and everything from 90's to TREX 450's, GPH 346, Fury 90, Tiger 50, Raptor 50's, Evo 50's Venture 30's and a pair of nice new TREX 600 nitro's along with scale Jet Rangers, Hughes 500 helicopters took to the air. On a sad note we did have a spectacular mid air with two full bling Titan 50 helis. Steve Stedronski and Brad Matznick put new meaning into the concept of thinking and flying outside the box. The both smacked spindle to spindle with their beautiful Titans, see picture, they are the guys holding up their helis like they just caught some big Co ho Salmon. As the sun set Chris broke out the professional fireworks and night helis were prepared for the evening entertainment along with more spud gun antics. The gallon of cider was opened for those wishing to feel the fall season as the sun was setting and leaves were turning color. The spider was enhanced as necessary by our friend Capt. Morgan. The night fliers included, Chris Zolen, Steve Balyo, Lars Schwab, and myself. Steve Balyo was generous enough to let Steve Horacek have a try at night flying. Nick Harwood gave Steve's night heli a thorough test and put it through it's paces, up until the time he forgot that a 401 doesn't work as well as a 611 and the tail blew out on a maneuver and he got up and down confuse all the way to the ground. Ouch, but the Evo will fly again. Lars flew the heck out of his hot Raptor 30 night bird and I cruised around with my Tiger 50 and TREX 450 night birds. Chris finished up the evenings entertainment with a professional fireworks cake. The visitors headed home and the campers closed in on the bonfire to relax, tell tall tales and stories. A pair of mid-night pizzas was ordered and the revelry continued until 2:45 AM with spud guns, fire crackers, and spur of the moment night flights when the music was right or the hair on your A challenge was issued. The night was cooler and we awoke at 7 AM for warmth around the fire, coffee laced with some Bailey's, and arrivals for Sundays flying. The morning wake up call was with Nick Harwood getting airborne at 7 AM. Coast Guard Rich showed up early with his helis and the debut of one our friend's (Bill Oliver) long overdue helicopter's, a Robinson 22 with Excel mechanics and an OS 91 four stroke motor. Rich did a great job and the heli looks so good flying around low and slow with that rich engine sound. Everyone got a chance to fly this sweet heli. Later in the morning we even had a flight session with Rich flying the Robinson 22, Steve Balyo flying his Century 30 Jet Ranger, and Chris flying my Kyosho 60 Jet Ranger all hovering together while I filmed them flying together.
What a fun two days. And a most important note, everyone of our group of initial heli pilots have upgraded their helis, radios, engines, and EVERYONE is out of the hover and doing forward flight and much more. In fact this past Wednesday, Chief Mark, flying nice forward flight did a Babe Ruth and called the shot, he told us he was going to loop before the end of the day, and he did, he is tearing up the sky now.
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TICK-TOCK TICK-TOCK
3 days until the weekend helinuts. Tick, Tock. I'll bet you think I'm talking about the clock ticking away until this weekend at Zolen's Heli Haven in Kalkaska. WRONG, I rode my motorcycle to Rapid City this morning to loan Lars Schwab a Webra .91 for his EVO 90 heli. He is waiting for a new OS engine or repaired OS .91 from Hobby Services. The tick tock comes from Lars. He was showing me his tuned-up Raptor 30 with OS .37, and he says to me, "I have it going pretty good now and can "tick-tock" a whole tank now. Yikes. And last week he watched young Stephen Stendrowski wring-out his TITAN 50 with 611 gyro. That was all it took, Monday morning Lars called Heliproz and just wait until you see what he ordered. He even ordered the ARF version with 3-day shipping so he and Chris Zolen will be wrenching hard on Thursday to have his new toy airworthy on Friday. Even Nick Harwood was lamenting not having a 611 gyro last week, so this week he's moaning and groaning to Dave Johnson, and Dave called his bluff, I'll buy your 401 and servo. YIPPEE, Nick shouts and runs right out and orders a 611. Dave continues to upgrade, new 401, just sold the TIGER 50 and is looking at a nice EVO 50 on his bench with a Hyper 50 in it. But, hold it right there heli friends, Dave is going crazy. He started the spring flying .46's, but now he wants a double shot of power, 2x.46 and you get .90. Yep, Dave has .90 fever. Rumor is, even Rich Smith has 90 Fever. It's contagious. Why even Nick Harwood is already talking faster, lighter, more powerful, I see a new 90 in his future real soon. Meanwhile two of our legion have their new TREX600 NITRO'S ready for the weekend, Tony Lawhead and Steve Balyo will be zooming around the skies of Kalkaska showboating their newly completed and flown 600N's. Sounds like we are going to be flying harder, faster, lower and bigger this weekend. WATCH THIS.
Anyway, I have the hamburgers covered, Steve Stendrowski has the Brats covered, Dave Johnson has the Beans covered. Mark Bonofiglio is going to surprise us with his deep fryer. If everyone brings one thing we will be eating great and having fun. Anybody have a "Rumball" recipe? Pizza's will be ordered Saturday night. Chris Zolen is taking care of the coffee and donuts Sunday morning. Some folks are so stoked they will be coming over Friday night to set up campers, tents, and to fly and maybe even stay the night. Just keep an eye on the weather and bring a comfy chair, warm coat, big cooler and your favorite beverage (wink wink) maybe a coffee cup. I mean Bailey's around the campfire and night flying sounds great. Flashlight. Expect to arrive back home smelling smokey, the campfire will be big. Light sticks and glowwire if you got some.
See you Saturday and Sunday. Even if you can only come for one day, that is great. Steve Fink, we better see you this weekend. How do you think you pulled off that amazing first autorotation from inverted, because God wanted you flying in Kalkaska, that's why. Looking forward to seeing any of our past heli friends from last fall and this past spring. If you are bringing a camper or motorhome there is a two track just before you get to Chris's house that will take you around to the backside of the flying field and you won't have to cream your vehicles on Chris's trees in his yard.
To get there if you don't know, Get to Kalkaska, find the Burger King on the north end of town at intersection of US 31 and M-72, turn East (hwy 612) and go about 1 mile to the golf course. Opposite the golf course is Log Lake Rd., turn here and follow the road to the very end, the log home is Chris's house and the flying field is way in the back.
Raptor Wrangler |
