Yet another year draws to a close, always it seems, too soon! The good news though, is that 2006 looks like it’s going to be an excellent year for the helicopter market. The Vibe finally being released, the Carbonextreme Avant’s, MA’s Stratus and ofcourse the Synergy will all be available to 90 size purchasers. Every one of these helicopters is a fantastic choice. No doubt there will be numerous other releases as well, although I think it will take a supreme effort to knock the Raptor’s off the perch of most popular helicopter. I imagine there’ll also be lots of new developments in electrics, a market which seems to have grown exponentially in the last 12 months or so.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2005

• Having the first REAL 14MZ review around, even if it did lead to threats of legal action…
• Having Scott Gray pass on a lot of valuable information about setup.
• Holding on for dear life while streaking across the snow on a snowmobile in Toronto, Canada.
• Seeing the Pyramids in Egypt.
• Participating in my first F3C World Championships, and seeing the big guys fight it out.
• Making all the friends and contacts that I did at the World Championships.
• Doing what I think is the first public demonstration of the Synergy that wasn’t done by Jason Krause.
• Getting 2nd place in the top class at the Australian 3D championships (with a Raptor 50!).

THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED NOT HAPPEN

• Seeing my primary Sylphide dive into a bush when a servo horn came off two months before the World Champs.
• Crashing the Vigor from my own stupidity (but at least that’s better than crashing through mysterious circumstances).
• The drama involved in taking a laptop to Israel.
• My house getting robbed and as a result losing all the data on my laptop (yes, I’m a programmer, I should know about backing stuff up).
• Pile driving Stephen Fan’s nitro 3DMP when the engine cut at an inopportune time in front of too many people, a maneuver which people have dubbed ‘The Javelin’.

WHAT I’M HOPING FOR IN 2006

• That JR will bring their spare parts prices into line with everyone else.
• That other manufacturers will start making gyros that are as good as, and as easy to use as Futaba (cause no one does just yet – flame suit on for all the JR and CSM lovers!).
• That the OS 91 SZ will make up for the ABSOLUTE SHAMBLES of an engine that was the OS 91 PS.
• Someone like Desert Aircraft would make a viable, high performing petrol engine for helicopters.
• Futaba will find someone who can actually write user manuals, to write their user manuals.
• That everyone fly safe and always leave the field, (or indoor venue) with all their limbs intact!
• That I get time to actually write more content for this site!

Tonight I fly back home to New Zealand to have Christmas with my family. On the 1 st and 2 nd of January are the NZ F3C Nationals, and the Vigor and one of the Sylphides have been sent over already for that. The Sylphide for the competition, and the Vigor for fun. I’m looking forward to getting back to my old field in Wellington and flying with my mates there.

I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas that hopefully yields good amounts of helicopter related presents!

See you in the New Year,

Si

Market
The Buy/Sell Market has been growing also. It should be noted that this section will accept postings from all over the world, not just New Zealand. List your items free of charge! See the market at www.littlerotors.com/market/

Articles this issue are:

Align T-Rex 450SE Build Article
The build report of the newest addition to my fleet, Tiny the T-Rex! Click here

Flying Lessons: Collective Management
Collective Management is perhaps the most important aspect of aerobatic flying, yet so many of us are bad at it... Click here

Feel free to contact me at simon@littlerotors.com at any time.