Tiny, but fit to fly: Radio-controlled helicopter enthusiasts gather in Mac
From a distance, the helicopters appear tiny, but as they approach … well, they still look tiny.
These are scale-built radio-controlled models, carefully assembled and painted to resemble their larger counterparts in almost every way except size.
Since their “pilots” can’t fit inside, they stand on the ground, toggling the switches on a box that transmits radio signals to the hovering aircraft.
More than two dozen RC helicopter owners from throughout the West spent Wednesday through Saturday at the little airport, which is the flying base for McMinnville Aircraft Modelers. The local group uses the paved strip for taking off and landing all kinds of fixed-wing planes, as well as some rotary aircraft.
Last week, the airport hosted the Helicopter Scale Masters fly-in. It’s the first time the West Coast edition of the longstanding event has been held anywhere but Davis, California, where it started.
Participants mostly arrived by car or motor home. It’s difficult to travel by air if you’re transporting a helicopter and all the related equipment, they said.
Many had more than one RC chopper, painted to resemble real Medevac, military or commercial rotary-wing aircraft. They also brought batteries or fuel for some turbine models, along with tools, replacement parts and other necessities.
They spent as much time tinkering with their models as they did flying them. Dave Bottita of Las Vegas, for instance, spent part of Friday taking apart his MD-530F helicopter to replace the servo — a part that transmits his radioed instructions into movement of the blades and tail rotor.
Bottita is a professional aircraft mechanic. He’s been interested in planes — big and small — all his life. “In 1970, my uncle took me to an RC field and I was hooked,” he said.
He built planes from balsa wood, then made more sophisticated models. Self-taught, he tried flying one, and crashed. He tried again and crashed again. Eventually he got it and was thrilled to see his planes lift over, fly and return.
He added rotary craft as a hobby in 1982. “You have to be half crazy to do helicopters,” he said.
Back then, Bottita said, model helicopters were not as simple to fly. Technological advances have made them more stable and responsive. “I’m part of the evolution,” he said. “They’re still not easy, but they’re easier than they were.”
His MD-530 is painted to resemble a helicopter used by the Tennessee Valley Authority to hover alongside powerlines that are being inspected. “I liked the color scheme,” he said.
It’s one of a dozen scale model helicopters he owns. He still flies fixed-wing planes and turbine powered-models, too.
He’s attended the event in California and said he greatly enjoyed traveling to McMinnville for it this year. “This flying field is fantastic,” Bottita said. Looking around at the surrounding hills, he added, “plenty of green!”
Rob McFadyen was an adult when he became fascinated by scale-model aircraft. He received an inexpensive, basic model for his 40th birthday, 17 years ago. He enjoys building the battery-powered models and working on the electronics as well as flying.
“I like things to look real,” he said, noting some other flyers have racing craft painted in bright colors and shapes never seen on an actual airfield.
One of McFadyen’s models is painted like a helicopter that flies tourists over the landscapes of Hawaii. His MD-500 E looks just like the real version used for logging, firefighting, working on electrical lines and doing other tasks.
With the MD 500, he can attach a bucket, fly over a pond or trough to scoop up water, then fly to a “fire” scene and release the liquid.
“I like a challenge,” he said, explaining he must fly carefully to prevent the bucket from swinging too much.
He used a computer simulator to practice flying when he first started. “To save money,” he said, noting that wrecking a scale model is a costly proposition.
For people starting the hobby, he recommends using a smaller model with a built-in stabilizer.
“Flying is a steep learning curve; but with practice, you’ll get it,” he said. “With enough practice, you almost start feeling the movements.”
In addition to hobbyists, the HSM event was attended by representatives of model makers and shop owners.
Belsazar Uriarte of Los Angeles, a representative for Fly Wing, brought several of his company’s models to display to both experienced scale modelers and novices.
Fly Wing makes a series of helicopters that come pre-assembled and ready to fly, with a controller and other equipment. Uriarte said the models, which run from about $600 to $800, are almost impossible to crash. They also are configured to automatically return to their starting spot, so they won’t get lost.
Gonzalo Martinez of the San Francisco area, who has been flying RC models since he was 11, founded the HSM fly-in 13 years ago as a fundraiser for programs that help children with autism.
At the McMinnville fly-in, he showed off his model of a Russian Kamov Ka-52 combat chopper. The large, camouflage-green helicopter is one of two such scale models in the world. It drew much admiration from others at the event.
“I love helicopters, especially this coaxial system with two rotors,” Martinez said, pointing out the stacked blades of the Kamov.
He said he also loved the McMinnville location, which the fly-in will use in 2026, as well. “Oregon is so beautiful,” he said. “And here I get to see all my very good friends.”
Scott Zumwalt, who organized the September event, said HSM members will return to McMinnville even sooner — they’ll be back Oct. 10-11 for another round of flying. Spectators are welcome to come to the field on Masonville Road, he said.
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