R/C Report magazine

I would like to thank everyone who spoke up in favor of R/C Report. We, who write for R/C Report, like to think that we are the magazine that people read, as opposed to just looking at the pretty pictures. We do have some color photos.

Kit Reviews: Most of the reviews are done by Gordon Banks, the owner, editor and publisher, Dick Petit and myself. Dick does the giants and scale planes. Gordon picks the planes he likes. I do most of the acro type plane kit reviews. This is my 8th year of writing for R/C Report and doing kit reviews, and not once has Gordon ever told me what to write or how to shade a review. He does say things like, “spell out your numbers,” and, “use more commas,” but that’s what editors do.

As Gordon has reported in his editorial column, the three of us each have our own style and emphasis for our reviews. As I recall, Dick is very concerned on the construction, as befits a scale flier. Gordon really checks the instructions as an editor should. Me, I report a lot of how the plane flies. I figure if you are going to fly an acro plane, sticking an ARF together is a snap. The reader probably is most concerned on how it performs in the air. Certainly is the instructions are poor or there is a problem in assembly, I do report that. Each of us has our biases. For example, I fly planes fairly hard, so I like good hardware and I do not normally use clevices with plastic pins. In my RC lifetime, I have broken too many. I invariable replace them.

Fun Aerobatics Column: In my column, I cover a single acro maneuver every month. It is definitely not a pattern column. Included is the R/C Report Aerobatics card, a section, printer front to back that you can cut out, laminate and take to the field. The card summarizes what you need to teach yourself the maneuver along with common errors and airplane set-up.

The second half of my column is a monthly feature and may be aerodynamics explained for the novice, a mini kit review of a plane I bought myself, an experiment I have conducted or some other item of interest.

My column is slanted toward the beginning to intermediate pilot. I occasionally put in a 3D maneuver, but most maneuvers are what the regular flier can learn with a Stick or other sport plane. Many can be done with a trainer. I have just started the maneuver list over again with a basic loop and aileron roll for trainers. I run a list of maneuvers and features in every December issue. Back issues are available from www.rcreport.ws.