AEDC Coffee Airfoilers: Still flying after 50 years

  • Published
  • By Philip Lorenz III
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Page 16 of the April 1964 issue of High Mach features a photo of the Coffee Airfoilers Model Airplane Club.

Men and boys pose with the model airplanes they fly at the club's flying field, which, like today, is located adjacent to the Arnold Golf Course.

AEDC's Rich Eichel and Eric Bjorn know how much has changed and what has remained the same since the club first came into existence in 1959.

Like many of those early members of the club, the two men's interest in model airplanes began when they were in grade school. The ties to the Air Force and AEDC are also common bonds shared by many current and former club members.

Bjorn, the chief of AEDC's Strategic Planning Branch, first came to Arnold in 1998 as an Air Force officer. Four years later, he transitioned to a government civilian job at the base.

"My father was an engineer and introduced me to building and flying model airplanes when I was about 10 years old," he recalled. "We began with stick and tissue rubber band-powered airplanes, progressed to control-line (wire fly), and then finally to radio-controlled gliders and glow fuel-powered airplanes."

Eichel, a member of ATA's safety staff, came to AEDC in April 2002 and joined the Coffee Airfoilers in 2003. The 26-year Air Force veteran said he has loved flying model airplanes almost as long as he can remember.

Eichel's Air Force career, both the early part and later when he transitioned into safety, have been useful to advancing his model airplane hobby as well.

"I started out in electronic countermeasures (ECM) stuff and aircraft," he said. "I did maintenance on electronic countermeasures [on] fighter aircraft, bomber aircraft, like jamming radio signals and missile guidance systems. And anything to do with the aircraft electronic countermeasure system, I was what's known as an electronic warfare [technician]."

Currently the safety officer and club photographer for the Coffee Airfoilers, Eichel said that his earlier technical background has helped him in learning to build and fly the latest model airplanes over the years.

"[I] used to build what we called wire flyers back in grade school in the 1950s," he said. "When you first start flying, it's not a question of if you're going to crash but when you are going to crash. They have flight simulators [and for] $100, $200, you can buy the best flight simulator going.

"It's almost the same thing as flying the Predators. you get all the functions down, you learn how to take off, land and the difference [is] it doesn't cost you an airplane.

"Simulators weren't around when I learned. It was basically fly and crash until you got good enough where you could take them off [the ground] and successfully land with minimal or no damage. You know, take offs are optional, landings are mandatory. If you have a radio glitch or some other electrical or mechanical malfunction and it goes out of control, you become a spectator, but with current radio technology that's not real prevalent."

Eichel spoke about how many viable radio controlled aircraft models he flies.

"Currently flyable, ready-to-go aircraft, probably about 35," he said, from one with a 12-inch wing span, up to six and half feet.

"I've got three of the little miniature micros," he said. "I've got a P-51 Mustang and a T-29 Trojan and Aronica Champ. [And] with the current technology, increased bandwidth and programmable radios, aerobatics are nothing. You can get into the field and actually be flying an airplane that has the full characteristics of pretty much a big airplane for around a 100 bucks, with transmitter and everything, ready to go. All you do is charge the battery."

Bjorn said his first club experience with radio controlled (RC) model airplanes began during college.

"I dabbled in RC at the Air Force Academy where there is an active 'model engineering' club but really didn't do too much more RC until provided the opportunity to fly at the Coffee Airfoilers' flying field."

Once at AEDC, Bjorn said an "out-of-town friend," a doctor, was visiting him at the base about 11 years ago.

"I was showing him AEDC," Bjorn said. "On the way back to Tullahoma, we drove past the Airfoilers' flying field and saw a group flying high-performance gliders. I told my friend that I used to do that and he said we should go check it out.

"The Airfoilers were nice as can be and put on a demonstration for us. My friend was so excited that he decided right then and there that he wanted to try RC airplanes, specifically electric-powered airplanes. I decided to go along with him and get back into it. I've been enjoying the club and its members and events ever since."

Bjorn also spoke about why he has stayed with the club and the hobby over the years.

"The challenges vary with your time in the hobby, what you're trying to achieve, and your current skill level," he said. "Obviously, you are not in the cockpit when you fly RC so you don't have a first-person view like 'full-scale' pilots or even drone pilots.

"So when you first begin flying RC, maintaining orientation and executing basic flying maneuvers are a challenge. Once orientation issues become second nature, as you increase speed, begin acrobatics, enter competition or just begin to push your personal envelope, there are model building, equipment, and flying challenges to overcome. That's what keeps this hobby interesting.

Bjorn, like Eichel, has a "small" fleet of model aircraft.

"It's crazy but I have about 25 airplanes and all of them are ready to go right now," Bjorn explained. "They are all electric-powered, so all I have to do is charge the lithium-polymer batteries and go fly.

"I have many different types [including a] semi-scale Spitfire, P-51 Mustang, P-40 Warhawk, T-6 Texan, Tucano trainer, an F-18 with ducted fan, acrobatics airplanes, camera platforms for stills and high definition video, basically my own spy planes, drop platforms for parachute drops, flying wings, a 100-plus mph fly-fast model, helicopters and many sizes of fun-fly airplanes. It's always an interesting time as I decide which airplanes I'm going to fly. I definitely have some favorites but also have some hangar queens that don't get out much."

Members of the club, both then and now, also fly gliders.

Eichel said some of the club's glider pilots are aeronautical engineers who worked here at AEDC and did wind tunnel testing, both during their careers and later to perfect their models.

The Coffee Airfoilers also fly model helicopters, dirigibles and operate model aircraft both outside and inside large buildings like local gyms.

From reading the club's history, members have competed in large U.S.-based competitions and some champions were selected to represent the U.S. in international competition in places like Germany. Club members still compete and often host local events.

The club is open to new members and has flight instructors who volunteer their services. They fly in the evenings and most weekends, weather permitting. Visitors are always welcome to drop by when members are at the flying field.