Background:
FlyingFoam.com was created by Bob Mellen. Bob has been a Model Airplane fan since growing up in Mentor Ohio in the 50's and 60's. Bob's early interests were in control line models, and he developed a passion for control line combat in the 60's. To be successful in this event, you needed a good airframe, a strong motor, and piloting skills. "After watching Howard Rush ( the undisputed combat pilot of the day) chase other competitors around the ring like he had a radar lock on them, It didn't take me long to realize that I was playing the wrong game. I had designed the Apteryx, a foam wing combat flying wing that was covered with Mylar sheets, that was a very competitive airplane. I even had some great motors, thanks to some close friends that knew a few things about model airplane motors, but I was severely outclassed as a combat pilot".
By 1970, R/C was changing from a rich man's hobby to one that most anyone could afford. Bob transitioned into Formula I R/C pylon racing, and managed a few 2nd place finishes and local contests in Ohio, and placed 20th at the 1975 AMA Nationals. "I did pretty good on a very limited budget, and I sure had a lot of fun. I also learned a bit more about foam wing cutting, and I did some commercial cutting for some kit builders in the Michigan and Ohio area at the time." Most of the Formula I airplanes of the time used foam wings.
It was also in the 70's that Bob began a career in CNC. "I saw the potential of CNC controlled Mills and Lathes when I was a machinist and tool & die maker, and went to work for a CAD/CAM company where I deepened my knowledge of CNC manufacturing. In 1997 I began working for MDSI, a control systems developer. I knew for many years that a CNC controlled hot wire cutting machine could produce a better product than template based systems, but until PC based controllers were developed in the mid 1990's, the technology was simply too expensive." MDSI changed that and the decision was made in April, 2000 to build such a system. Six months later the first core was cut (a NACA0012 airfoil) and in January, 2001 the system was first shown at the IMS Model show in Pasadena California, now known as AMA Convention 2003.
"FlyingFoam.com was started in October, 2000 as a means to pay off the bills I ran up building the machine." The response to the availability of a CNC foam cutting service was immediate and a bit overwhelming at first, but methods and tools were developed and refined and FlyingFoam is now a commercial success.
The next big step came in March, 2003 when Bob left full time employment with MDSI to devote full time to FlyingFoam.com. At the same time, the business moved from it's original location in Bob's garage to an industrial complex in nearby Riverside, California.
Philosophy:
The goal of our business is to produce the finest, high precision foam cores available today. We coined the term "Precision CNC Foam Cores" and we mean it. Bob Mellen is a pretty normal guy with a corn ball sense of humor who still loves R/C flying. But when it comes to foam cutting, he insists that no corners be cut. Bob personally inspects and packs all cores for shipping and nothing gets out the door that does not get his approval. The result is a product that is refined and second to none.
