RC Groups Park Jet Thread

Here is a link to the park jet thread. It really is a subculture unto itself. Lots of interesting stuff.

Standard Park Jet Power System

There is a strong subculture of park jet enthusiasts which I have only recently stumbled upon. They make their jets out of 6mm depron and they use this standard power system: 2200 kv motor, 30 amp ESD, 1600 mah 3 cell battery and a 6x4 prop. Tis setup will power large models (though not overly large) very handily. It is the best of all worlds, the sweet spot, for park jets.

RC Powers has a parts list and links to suppliers. Dave and Scott also have well researched designs and will sell you the plans for a very fair price.

A huge number of plans can be had for a small donation at park jets.com. A favorite seems to be the Alpha Jet (a very modernist take on the biplane).

The Cheap N Easy by Rcrich

I built this foamy to test its feasibility as a trainer. I am thrilled with the results.

What do I love about it?

• This thing can fly SLOW.
• It's easy to slap together. Build it like Goldguy's Nutball... the only real complication is the prop-and-slot pusher motor configuration.
• It's a Rudder, Elevator Throttle style plane that can do axial rolls.
• It's a larger plane but it still uses the standard Blue Wonder motor, 1000 mah battery and 9 gram servos that EVERY Flitetest aficionado already owns.
• It is STABLE. The Cheap N Easy wants to fly straight and level. I flew mine in high wind with no problems.
• It will hover even on a calm day. You can land it straight down if you get your high-alpha angle correct.
• It literally turns in place.

Here are some points to consider:

1. Rcrich has us balance the plane at the back edge of the prop slot. This is fine for experienced pilots, but I suspect that a beginner will want a more forward CG... perhaps in the middle of the slot, or at the front.

2. The large control surfaces can make the plane squirrely if you don't tame them with exponential. I have 60% expo on the elevator. Of course you could just reduce the throw, but what fun is that?

3. I've used bamboo skewers as pushrods. Take pieces of wire and heat shrink them to the ends. I like to add a dab of CA to the end for added insurance.

4. I've also rubbed Minwax Oil Based Polyurethane into my plane with a paper towel. First I taped all the control surfaces, then I added colored sealing tape, and finally I minwaxed it. I'm very pleased with the results. It's a durable finish and it adds a lot of strength.

5. I wonder if the Cheap N Easy could be included with the swappable series? It flies like an extra stable Nutball, and I think might make a decent first plane.


Links:

My video really doesn't do the Cheap N Easy justice. To watch its designer put it through its paces follow this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVe_gbxG6aM

Time to build your own! Check out the plans at:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1261273&page=2

Somebody Built My Little Delta Trainer!

This is so cool! Here's the link.

The Super Easy

I spent last weekend with Dad flying some new pilots on a buddy box. We flew them on Dad's .46 Nextstar and on my PFD Delta. It got me thinking about a cheap dollar tree trainer, a concept I experimented with once upon a time.

This guy may have cracked the problem. His Super Easy is a prop and slot delta wing floater. It is super easy to make and it's highly stable. It looks like a paper airplane, which is kind of fun. I especially like how the electronics are protected from a crash.

I'm interested.

SYMA S107G IS NOW 2.4 GHZ!!!!!

The Syma S107G micro helicopter is now being produced in 2.4 ghz. This means that you can fly it past picture windows or under flourescent lights at will, and you can fly more than two at a time. And the price? $23. We live in extraordinary times, folks. This is now officially THE BEST DEAL IN RC. Buy one immediately.

Here is a link if you would like to get yours from Amazon.

1970's Pattern Nationals

With the resurgence in popularity of classic pattern planes like the Kaos or the Dirty Birdy it's interesting to look at archival footage of the real thing. Click here.

KF Airfoil Wind Tunnel Testing

This young man did a wind tunnel test on a flat foam airfoil, a traditional airfoil and a KF step. The flat airfoil performed poorly all around (no surprise), while the KF produced more drag than the standard airfoil, BUT... the KF step also produced more lift.

In a subsequent video he tests a flat airfoil and three KF airfoils on the same plane. The results are fascinating. Powers RC did the same thing with park jets.

Worth a look.

RC Links Grab Bag: Noob Kickstart And 9mm Foam On The Cheap

Two things for you today...

First: I like how this guy makes stiff 9mm foam out of Dollar Tree Redibaord.

Second, this kid is well on his way to building THE curriculum for new RCA hobbyists.

Project Flight Design Delta vs. Pop Wing

I haven't flown a Pop Wing, but my guess is that it flies better than the PFD Delta. It's EPP and it has a shaped airfoil. How much better, though? Here are some numbers, and it's actually more favorable than I expected:

Pop Wing

Span: 35.4 in
Length: 22.6 in
All Up Weight with a 1200 mah 3 cell: 12.3 ounces


PFD Delta:

Span: 30 in
Length: 20 in
AUW with a 1300mah: 14.25 ounces

My Desert Island Foamy: The Project Flight Design Delta Wing

Every time I build a plane I swear it's my favorite, but this thing might actually be my favorite. It's the Delta Wing by Project Flight Design. The young man who designed it went through 5 or so prototypes before he settled on the perfect dimensions, and let me tell you, this thing is perfect.

What a sweet flier! Fast when you want it to be fast, slow when you want it to be slow... it tracks straight and has a very gentle stall; doesn't fall off and barely sinks. It turns tight; really tight. My favorite thing to do is to fly it up almost too high to see, dive directly down with the throttle cut, and glide it in for a soft landing.

It flies just like the Pop Wings you see on Nitro Planes, but the airframe cost about $4.50 to build.

I built mine completely out of dollar tree foam. I doubled up on peeled foam for the step (3 thicknesses total, and no paper on the step) and covered it with packing tape. I have a Turnigy 1450 Kv motor on one of Dad's Indestructible Motor Mounts, and power it with a 1350 Mah 3 cell battery. Some 9 gram servos, a 30 amp Red Brick speed control, and an Orange Rx receiver ($6!!!) complete the electronics.

At 14 ounces I thought it was going to be porky, but with the throttle off it flies like a slope soarer.

I like the tractor configuration; I don't know why you would want a pusher on one of these type of wings unless you are doing FPV. Maybe there are good reasons.

Check out the build video here.

He has a pusher variant at Flitetest.

The more observant among you will realize that this completely trashes my build schedule. Ah well...

Hobby King Offers $20 Coaxial Heli... 2.4 Ghz!

Here it is.

If this is made to a decent standard, it's the new Syma S107G. It's a Blade Scout at less than half the price. You could fly 15 of them in bright lights past windows and have zero problems.

It includes a full size transmitter, and the battery slides out.

Somebody do a review of this thing!

Here's Hobby King's "review."

Iran's Bavar 2 Flying Machine Gun Boat

Iran is flying 3 squadrons worth of ocean going ground effect vehicles. Armed with a machine gun and surveillance cameras, they can operate in high waves by flying over them rather than crashing though them. Their construction, size and altitude may make them difficult to detect. They top out at 100 knots.

 

Iran claims that they are technologically advanced. Well, their open cockpits and kit plane construction argue against that, but these things are an impressive low-tech answer to our drone fleet. Manned aircraft are cheaper to operate than drones in less developed countries. See Iraq's Cessna Caravan fleet, which function as Predators on the cheap, as an example.

Military analysts mock the craft as flimsy, but if you are familiar at all with the home built community they seem positively robust.

Some sources worry that Iran might strap home-brewed anti-ship missiles on them to threaten Western patrol vessels in the Gulf. It would be a pretty cheap way to sink a very expensive piece of equipment, that's for sure. We 'd obliterate them, of course, but Iranian doctrine isn't to win; it's to make the price of an American victory too high to for us to bare.

This thing pleads for a scale RC model. Goes without saying.

Check out video of this clever little warbird here.

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Image courtesy of the good people of The Islamic Republic of Iran

Young People in RC

 

 

The Problem

 

The average pilot at my local field is over 60 years old. We're keenly aware of the fact; we announce the average age at every club meeting. People get excited when a kid joins because it drops the figure a few years. Still, the fact remains that young people aren't joining the hobby in the numbers we'd like.

The Solution?

 

What to do? I'm starting an RC club at my high school. I teach there, so it's easy for me to put some real time into the project. When we first started up I only managed to snag two real prospects. We were flying simulators and scratch building nutballs and having a ball, but for most kids it seemed like too much work. Enter the Syma Helicopter, the Mini Beetle Quad Copter and the Night Vapor.



At first I let kids fly my Symas, but they didn't take much care with them. Although the Syma is a robust little heli, if it is abused it will eventually break. Kids needed some sense of ownership, I decided, so I bought a bunch of Syma S107G's from Amazon (I have Prime) and sold them at cost to students and teachers. They were gone in a day. Anybody can fly this thing, and it's only $20. What's more, Albert, the student who I taught to fly, learned to fly coaxial helis first and was able to solo a nutball in 6 flights, so the skills are transferrable.

Of course the S107G works on infrared. For the price of two of them you can get a Mini Beetle Quad Copter or a Syma Quad, and those operate on 2.4. They can even fly outside in low wind, and they're very tough. They're easy to fly; rank beginners can hover them in just a few minutes.  This is probably one of the few upsides of hours of video game playing; kids pick up on this quickly. So far two of my Syma pilots have purchased their own quadcopters, and they love them.

Indoor Fun Fly

Our efforts culminated in an indoor fun fly, at which we had 11 student pilots and 3 staff pilots in attendance. Several of the students approached me, wanting to know how they could build a "big" airplane like the ones I fly.

My Father brought his Night Vapor and the kids loved it. All it cost him was a set of landing gear, easily replaced. This thing costs about 2.5 quad copters, or 5 Syma's, but it's a sweetheart. It's easily the easiest plane to fly currently on the market.

Lessons Learned

 

 1. Kids should own their equipment. This promotes responsibility.
2. Have a safety briefing. Make sure kids understand the line of infinity.
3. Discuss RC etiquette. Kids need to know that you do not ask a pilot if you can fly his or her plane. It's rude. Also you don't just grab somebody's equipment and play. Basic manners are important, and people who don't follow them can't fly.
4. Adults, especially staff, need to lead by example (see rule 3).
5. There's nothing like flying a quadcopter through the halls just before passing period to pique a student's interest.

Links

Syma S107G

Mini Beetle Quad Copter

Night Vapor

Cascade Model Aviation Student Club Blog

 

New Club Video

Our high school club held its first event at the 2013 Cascade High School Spring Showcase.

I'll put it on the club blog once I remember the password. It's also submitted to Flite Test.

SloFly 22

I got my micro parts and was all set to build the Sim Sym Sam when I ran across the SloFly 22 on Flite Test. I must have it.

Here is a page dedicated to the design:

http://www.sdparkflyers.com/slofly/

New Club Blog

Visit the Cascade Model Aviation Student Club Blog at:

www.cascadeMASC.blogspot.com

New Pylon Rules

1. Pylons will be placed 15 feet apart.
2. A floor mat or sheet of foam, roughly 30 inches by 20 inches, will be placed in between the pylons, with the forward long edge of the mat falling on the line between the pylons.
3. While flying, the pilot must stand behind the line of infinity, which is a line extending along the bottom edge of the mat to the right and left.
4. Racers take off from the mat and make 3 laps. If a racer cuts a pylon they must return and round the pylon correctly or be disqualified. After 3 completed laps racers will land their helicopters on the mat, upright and on the skids.
5. If a helicopter crashes the racer may use the controls to right it or may right it
by hand. placing it upright where it crashed (facing any direction). Racers may not fly again until they are standing behind the line of infinity.
6. Racers who crash on the mat when landing must place the helicopter upright and on the skids off the mat and then land properly.
7. If the racers choose, two or more helicopters may race at once.
8. All races are for time, not placing.

There will be two classes: Open and Syma S107G. The Syma's time qualifies for both classes, but anything that is not a Syma S107G qualifies only for the open class.

Race results for our first tournament using these rules will be posted to the club blog after the showcase on Wednesday, May 1st at Cascade High School.

Amos Moses II

Well, I added gear, which made up for any weight I trimmed. It's still going to weigh 13 ounces. It'll have a 135 watt motor, though, so that's something.

Need to add the aileron servos and she'll be ready to test.

Project Priority List

I tend to flit from one project to the next. I have several half-built planes just sitting around. Time to fix that. A little discipline is required here.

1. Finish lighter Amos Moses scratch build
2. Build the Sim Sym Sam (scratch) once my micro servos show up
3. Build the Hobby King profile P-51
4. Resurrect my damaged Exceed Mig-15... that plane was cool
5. Build the Bixler
6. Finish my camoflage nutball (scratch)
7. Build the stinger

NO NEW PLANES UNTIL I BUILD ALL 7

I swear to the RC gods that I shall finish all of this by August.

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Image by botter used under a creative  commons license

Micro Helicopter Racing League

I'm getting a great response to the indoor RC thing. I may be on to something here. I have a lot of kids in my high school interested in purchasing a Syma S107G, and a couple who already have. I've also reeled in the principal, VP and a counselor, and I'm pretty sure I have a science teacher.

I'm going to start the Micro Helicopter Racing League.

These will be the rules:

• All racers will use the Syma S107G or an equivalent micro helicopter approved by the contest director.

• Two pylons, 15 feet apart.

• Competitors race 2 at a time, but they race for time. Matches are not head-to-head.

• Two foot-wide circles are placed at 6 feet and 9 feet along one edge, perpendicular to and 3 feet from the line between the pylons. Both helicopters are placed anywhere in the circle, such that each skid is entirely contained within the circle.

• Competitors stand directly behind their starting circle, no closer than 3 feet, and no closer than 6 feet to the pylon line.

• If a competitor cuts in front of a pylon, they must go back and round it properly or be disqualified.

• The pilot on the left side (facing the pylon line) will fly to the left and circle right. The right-hand pilot will fly to the right and circle left. Helicopters will thus pass head-on on the far side.

• At the start, time keepers activate their time pieces. Competitors race around the pylons three times, making three complete circuits, and at the end land such that each skid is entirely within the pilot's starting circle.

• If a helicopter crashes, and the pilot cannot or will not recover it remotely using the transmitter, the pilot may say "crash." Neutral ground crew will then place it upright where it crashed and it may continue.

• A limbo bar may be added at each pylon, three feet wide and three feet from the ground adjacent to and in line with each pylon. If a helicopter flies underneath it in the course of the race the pilot may remove a second from his or her time for each successful limbo. Pilots may not circle a pylon to remove more seconds. The maximum number of seconds which may be removed is 6.

Pilots may compete any number of times. The more you compete, the more skilled you become and the better your chances.

A league leader board will be kept and at the end of the season awards will mark first through fifth place. Maybe first place gets a helicopter.

Both students and teachers will race in the same league.

These rules have the advantage of allowing for flexible scheduling of races, and for official pickup races. I think that this could turn into a big deal.

Blade Scout Vs. Syma S107G: A Micro Helicopter Review

The 3D Amos Moses Scratchbuild, by Ewo

This is my 3D Amos Moses. Made from 1/4 inch construction foam, "Green Stuff," It weighs 13 ounces with the battery. It's 2 times as heavy as the designer intended, but it's fun to fly.

Mind you, it's underpowered with a 105 watt motor, but still, fun to fly.

I'm building a second one with a 130 watt Blue Wonder, and I'm trying to build it lighter.

I'll post more about this cool little scratchbuild in the future. In the mean time, here's a link to the RC Groups thread.

Syma Replaces S033G with the S33 3

Syma's S033G, the giant scale version of my beloved S107, has been replaced by the S33 3. $50 from Nitro Planes. You get 2.4 GHz with it. No reason to get the S033G. Spend $8 more and get this.

Buyer beware: it doesn't seem to like wind very much.

Here's footage of this thing flying at night... very cool

Here's an unboxing

Grayson Hobby: A Veteran-owned Business

I'm always reading about "Grayson Hobby" in RC Groups write-ups about home-brewed park jets. Today I checked out the website, and it's actually pretty inspiring.

The owner burned a ton of money at a local hobby shop when he was a teenager, buying an airplane that he never flew and accessories that he  never used. After his stint in the Army (serving in Iraq) he rigged up a cheap power system from a CD ROM motor, built a fan-fold foamy and flew it, and gave a few to his friends. They liked his work so much that they inspired him to turn the whole thing into a business.

Check him out here.

This "Disposable Foamy" combo includes a Blue Wonder type 1450 KV motor and 18 amp ESC for $20, and that's not bad. His range of economy batteries cost more than Hobby King, but he's not unreasonable, and one of them at least is actually cheaper. His receiver prices can't beat Orange Rx, but then who possibly could? He's selling a five pack of the cheapy 9 gram nylon gear servos we all use for $19.99, or about $4 each, while Hobby King sells them for $2.

A big question is shipping. I just ordered $29 of near-weightless stuff from Hobby King out of the US Warehouse and paid $9.99 shipping. If Grayson can beat that, it's a factor. Even if Grayson can't, it's a home-grown US business and I'd bet anything that the service is better.

His price on the GWS Slow Stick, a plane I'm considering buying for my slow-flying Discretionary Dad, is cheaper than many other places I've seen it. That's worth a look if you're a newbie. Also he carries the full line of the excellent Multiplex series of aircraft (featured in the picture is the Fun Jet).

So check it out. Nice outfit.

 

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Image taken from Wikimedia Commons under a creative commons license

Super Size Syma Helicopter

I'm very interested in the Syma S033G, a helicopter they're selling as a scaled-up version of the S107 family of helicopters, which I love. You can fly it outside. Otherwise it has the same tough aluminum construction and the clever horizontal tail rotor. It's on 27 MHz rather than 2.4 GHz, though, and for me that may be a deal breaker. My Mini Beetle Quadcopter was $42 and it HAS 2.4 GHz.

Check it out here. $42.95 at Nitro Planes.

Here's a great youtube review.

Syma-type helicopters seem to be marketed under a lot of different brand names, by the way. I can't say that the Gyro U6 is a scaled-up Syma, but it sure looks like one:

By the way, "Syma" seems to be prounounced "sigh-mah."

 

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Video by Luis Cosme used under a creative commons license

Indoor Pattern Flying: F3P

Photo of unidentified F3P plane by gareth.ky*

My next project will be an F3P plane. I'm thinking about building the Sim Sym Sam, a design only months old which uses peeled dollar tree foam and no carbon fiber. Check it out on RC Groups.

F3P is indoor precision aerobatics flying. I love the slow, relaxed pace of F3P planes, and I really love the idea that a guy can fly aerobatics indoors during winter months, and outdoor aerobatics in front of his garage, because these things are slow enough that they won't get away from you.

F3P is big in Europe, but hasn't taken off here. I read in Model Airplane News, however, that somebody in the Ohio/West Virginia district actually put on an F3P competition. They hope to qualify a US team and send it to the nationals in Europe.

I work at a high school with three large gyms, and F3P is cool, so there might be something here for the kids to get into.

Here's a link to the Sim Sym Sam. It's a prototype but the designers offer full size plans which you can tile and print.

Here's a link to youtube footage of the European F3P Championship. The pilot is a Chinese kid and he does amazing things.

* * *

Image: Approved for commercial use by gareth.ky on a creative commons license...

*I don't know what kind of home brew F3P plane this is, but it seems to be a hybrid flat foam/full fuselage design. They split 2 layers of depron with a spacer up front and stick the electronics in there, rather than hang them off the side of the plane.

Syma S107: The Best Deal in RC

It's been tough to get my school's RC club off the ground, probably because everybody does sports and things after school. That being the case, I'm going to try to shift my emphasis to indoor RC, maybe fly in the gym during lunch. This has the advantage of having complete RC setups available for $20-$100 all in.

The absolute easiest thing in the world to fly is the Syma helicopter. Put it into the hands of a newbie and they'll feel accomplished after one flight. Kids absolutely love it.

Get the S107. It's $20 from Amazon, so if you have Prime there's no shipping charge. NO EXCUSE not to get this; it's the best deal in RC.

http://www.amazon.com/Syma-S107-S107G-Helicopter-Red/dp/B004A8ZRBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365043034&sr=8-1&keywords=syma+helicopter

The only problem is that the Syma is not actually radio controlled. It uses infrared, like your TV remote, so if you lose line-of-site it falls out of the sky. Also it only has two "channels" available, so you can only fly two at a time. On the plus side it has breakaway blades and is more or less indestructible. Kids in my class abuse mine all the time and it looks brand new. It's a year old.

Buy the Syma immediately if you have ANY INTEREST AT ALL IN RC. Even if you're an old hand, it's great fun flying this thing around the living room and irritating your wife and pets.

It's slow, so don't expect a hotrod. I read that some guys glue a little metal nut to the nose to give it more forward momentum. Haven't tried it, but at $20 per it might be worth a shot.

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Image Credits:

Image 1: Creative Commons License, approved for commercial use, attributed to wwarby's photostream

The Pizza Ball

Electric Flight Basics

I fly electric power exclusively. I enjoy the convenience, the cleanliness, the total lack of messing around with a mixture or trying to start a balky engine, the quiet, the throttle response... there's a lot to like.

My Dad is an electrician, so it's embarrassing to say that I JUST BARELY HAVE A GRASP OF HOW ELECTRIC POWER WORKS. Lack of knowledge hasn't ever stopped me before, so on I plunge.

You can't go wrong with a Blue Wonder motor, a 10 amp speed controller, an 8x4 prop with prop saver, cheap 9 gram servos (only had 1 fail ever after two years, out of at least 20), an Orange Rx, and a 500-1000 milliamp battery (20 C, 3 Cell). Most of what I fly uses this setup.

I buy from Hobbypartz.com or Hobby King. Here's a list from Hobby King:

hexTronic 24 gram motor in 1500kv ($8.53)
Hobby King 15-18 Amp Speed Controller, which is overkill, but cheaper than a 10 amp ($6.50)* OR
Turnigy Plush 12 Amp Speed Controller ($10.01)
8x3.8 Prop ($2.79 for 5 of them)
800 mah battery ($6.32)
9 gram servos ($1.99)
Orange Rx 6 Channel ($5.89)

Most of this can be had from Hobbyking's US warehouse.

A great primer on electric flight, which includes a formula for judging how many watts you should have versus how much your model weighs, can be had for free from Model Airplane News. Click on this link.

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*I've had one of these fail, though

Image: No rights reserved... I hereby release it into the public domain

Welcome To My Blog!

Hi there! I'm David Medlock, a teacher from Oregon's lovely Santiam Canyon, and this is my blog. I'm a relative newbie, having returned to the hobby after a 20 year hiatus. I'm in year 2 of my current stint and still growing strong, so it doesn't look like I'm going to shake this thing.

I hope you benefit from my adventures (and misadventures) in this hobby, and that it inspires you to reach out to your fellow enthusiasts. RC people are great people.

Thanks for your attention, and enjoy!

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Image: Copyright David Medlock, 2013, All Rights Reserved