Latest in Scale Helicopters

We are in the planning stages for HeliStorm™ 2026, which, if held, would occur on September 2-6, 2026 on the front grounds of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Here are the variables that we are dealing with:

1. The USAF Foundation is unable to contribute funds to the event. Last time, they kicked in $25,000 so this is a large negative.

2. I am unwilling to fund the full $26,450 I contributed last year to cover shortfalls and still do the work to host the event. I will cover small shortfalls.

3. The schools in the Dayton area have indicated that they will not send students out on a field trip that early in the school year. Accordingly, there will be no full scale helicopter industry participation.

All of this means that HeliStorm™ would simply be a massive fun fly event with the following extras:

1. Exhibitors from the RC industry
2. Large central pilot lounge
3. Learning workshops
4. Silent auction with mobile phone bidding
5. Food trucks
6. Pizza party on Friday
7. Formal banquet inside the museum (with private touring)
8. Informal attendance by the general public (and accompanying promotion by the museum)
9. Bring your own tent
10. No on-site camping (other than by Darrell Sprayberry who would run security).
11. Relaxed flying contests judged by RC pilots
12. Pilot's choice awards in various categories

Please indicate your willingness/likelihood of attending the event. We expect the cost of attendance to run in the neighborhood of $165-195/pilot with no distinction between flying and non-flying pilots. All paying pilots (and their guests, who would cost less if they wish to attend the banquet and pizza party) are entitled to fly and have access to the flight line and pilot lounge.

This poll will help me decide whether or not to host the event. HeliStorm™ became the largest scale helicopter event in the world in its inaugural year. We can either keep that going or punt! (After you vote, please share this poll with anyone you think might want to attend).

What do you think?

HeliStorm™ is pleased to partner with renown designer, Mirco Pecorari of Aircraft Studio Design. Founded in 1989, AircraftStudioDesign has been creating unique and custom liveries for aircraft for over 30 years. But their expertise goes beyond that. Over time, they have expanded into liveries for cars and boats, as well as concept design for aircraft and luxury objects. They collaborate with some of the most renowned companies in the industry, such as Rolls-Royce, EXTRA, and Red Bull, alongside an exclusive clientele.

Mirco is a member of the HeliStorm™ Industry Board of Advisors and will be contributing design services to the event. Stay tuned for some really cool announcements.

The dates are now OFFICIAL! HeliStorm 2026 will begin on Wednesday, September 2nd and end on Sunday, September 6th (the following Monday is Labor Day). We will have more information but I can tell you:
- We are coordinating with the museum to bring in at least 4 busloads of students on each weekday of the event.
- Our new layout will feature three big flight areas and a dedicated CENTER STAGE area with vendors and spectators situated dead center on the main flight box. (see the map)
- We will have up to 20 full scale industry members inside a dedicated recruiting tent
- We will have a "Flight School" tent for students
- We will have a pilot lounge for pilots just like last year with seminars and hands-on learning
- Great food
- Much more...

This past weekend the Edgewood Flyers hosted its annual scale event. We had 14 registered pilots with 25+ aircraft of all sizes. Friday was very windy and a few braved the gusting wind to get in a few flights. Saturday brought some light showers to the area followed by some fog and clouds but cleared up to be a perfect flying day by 1100 or so. Lunch was burgers and dogs and local member "Ozzie" treated us with his famous baked beans with bacon and a side of bacon and his also famous beer steamed hot dogs. I think most wanted to catch a nap after the big lunch however did not to take advantage of the perfect weather. If you are local to Long Island this is a great event. The is the best heli flying site on LI. The event is held around the same time every year.

Here are some photos from the event.

Hope to see you next year.

B

Several of the North Eastern Scale pilots got together this past weekend for the Annual Joe Howard Memorial Scale Fun Fly at the NEHC site in Foxboro MA for some scale flying. We had 8 to 10 pilots enjoying the best weather we have seen this year on Friday. Saturday brought some morning showers however the showers stopped just after lunch. Still cloudy but overall conditions were great to pick up where we left off Friday evening. I personally got in 16 flights total , 7 each on my VH-92A Patriot and S-67 Blackhawk, but only 2 flights on my RAH-66. It had a little shake I was not comfortable flying with until checked out.

Rich brought his 2.5m 407 and got in maybe 8 or 9 flight for the weekend. This thing is flying great and makes a very big presents in the air for sure. Wally had is latest project on hand, a Len Mount Lynx he purchase about a year ago. The Lynx is coming together very nicely. Joel as always was getting in several flight with his turbine Lama and banging around with his K-Max.

We have to thank Joel for hosting this event each year. It's very laid back and comfortable event where we fly each day until 7 or 8 pm. Joel cooks up burgers and dogs for lunch each day with either ordering food in for diner or we all head off to a local place for a relaxing diner.

I am sure there was a good time had by all and look forward to this event each year. If you are local to the area, or even not, this is an event you should try and attend.

The next North East Scale event is 27-28 June on Long Island at the Edgewood Flyers field. If you would like more info it is posted in the event section on HS or message me.

Here are a few vids and photos from the weekend.

Thanks for dropping by,

B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK3YrRGh_Xo&t=14s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQyRsVN3qk&t=41s

Here's the food situation for HeliStorm:

Thursday: Complimentary beverages and light snacks in the Airbus Pilot Lounge. You can also grab hot meals by going inside the museum and walking upstairs to their full cafeteria. No cost to get into the museum.

Friday & Saturday: 4-5 food trucks onsite plus everything from Thursday.

Sunday: Just the museum cafeteria.

REMINDERS:

Flying Pilots: Using your mobile phone, point your browser to RCLiveScore.com and enter your models. You need to have at least one of your models entered to fly. It is not difficult but if you have any questions, post them on HeliStorm.com (the Community site).

All Pilots: Gates open Thursday at 7:30AM. There is only one entrance off of Bong St. A HeliStorm security person will stop you, give you a hanging tag for your vehicle and direct you to the appropriate parking area. Every pilot will get a pit map that shows each pilot's location.

Parking: Flying pilots will be able to park directly behind their pit area. Your space will have a name marker on it. The spaces behind your pit area are 12' wide by 75' long so unless you are bringing a cargo ship, you should be good.

If you haven't signed up to attend the world's largest and most epic scale helicopter event, you have until May 7th to reserve your slot (at )!

Flying and non-flying pilots will, among other things, enjoy a private Saturday-evening, catered dinner beneath and beside the wings and rotors of 50 aircraft from the Korean and SE Asian conflicts. Looming large among all of these is a B-52 Stratofortress. Following the dinner and awards, registered non-flying and flying pilots will be free to traverse the exhibits of the world's largest military museum. Jaw-dropping exhibits start with the Wright Brothers and end in space.

Exhibiting at the event will be your favorite RC companies along with Airbus, Leonardo Helicopters, Bell Textron and GE Aerospace. (See https://press.helistorm.org). We expect 90 pilots, 200+ scale helicopters, and 10,000 attendees. The program is packed with activities, including workshops, Pilot Poker, competitions, a continuous live auction, live "favorite" voting, free pizza party, the air-conditioned Airbus Pilot Lounge and much more.

To see the entire schedule, go here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YkYI7yg_t2jtPp3PANNgmwIgYNmXclp/v...

Head of Communications & Public Relations for Airbus in North America, Courtney Woo, will be at HeliStorm™ 2025 to meet with students and anyone else interested in a career at Airbus!

We have nearly 90 pilots, 200 aircraft, 25 exhibitors, 60K in auction merchandise, 8 workshops, 4 competition categories and ONE fantastic time for pilots of all skill levels.

Flying and Non-Flying Pilot Registration for HeliStorm™ 2025 CLOSES on May 7th so get over to HeliStorm.org to reserve your slot. There will be no last-minute or walk-up registration.

For those attending HeliStorm, we updated our flight box configuration. There are two main flight areas and a hover-only area. Flying is STRICTLY PROHIBITED outside of these areas regardless of the size of aircraft unless expressly permitted by the Contest Director. At two designated times during the event, we will connect the two flight areas to enable “Spotlight Flights.” The Leonardo Flight Area will permit an optional two-pilot configuration for any flight slot where the pilots both agree to fly in that configuration. Otherwise, we will default to a one-pilot/flight area at a time protocol.

A couple of pilots were worried about the size of the flight areas so we increased the width of each of the main areas by 100 feet to 700! That's 233 yards by 133 yards. It's two football fields wide. Every pilot should be able to safely fly in that area. In addition, there is a 75-foot buffer between areas. 😁 If you need power, be sure to bring your solar panels and generators. The front grounds do not have outlets and our generators will be powering the Pilot Lounge, Announcer area and sound system.

Register for HeliStorm 2025 NOW. Prices increase March 1. NO WALK-UP REGISTRATION. This is not your ordinary fun fly! On the front grounds of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, this is the largest scale event in North America. Workshops, 60K in auction items, after-hours banquet and tour inside the world's largest military museum, competition, free food and thousands of spectators! Whether you are just starting out or a grizzled veteran, you'll want to be there to meet the best and fly with the rest. More information at www.helistorm.org.
Check out the Huey here:

We are gearing up for the STORM! This is just some of the fun stuff pre-registered pilots will receive when checking in at the event along with Pilot Poker prizes and the chance to bid at silent auction on some incredible RTF models like Vario Chinook pictured here. The pilot shirts are getting embroidered as we speak and pilots who register early enough can get their names on their HeliStorm shirts!

Even our safety volunteers will be properly ensconced in a bright HeliStorm vest!

Prices are going up in March so get your registration completed now before all of the good pilot pit spaces are taken!