Remote Control Airplanes Spring Refresh
Time for a Spring RC airplane refresh. Here is what I do during my Spring Refresh.
My Planes: All those dents and dings I planned on repairing over the Winter. I get out the foam filler, or Spackle, the airbrush, and get my planes back to excellent condition. Something about a freshly repaired and painted aircraft looks better at the field and in the sky.
If you haven't tried airbrushing, maybe this is a great time to dry it out.
Now is a great time to add to your hanger. There are great start of season sales. Maybe it's time to acquire that plane you've been eyeing.
My Planes Control Services / Gear - I charge up a battery and give each of my planes a ground test. I check all the mechanicals. I make a simple spreadsheet by plane with each repair needed. (the laptop comes in handy sitting in the back of my SUV while I power up on my driveway).
My Batteries - I check my batteries. I store my batteries in meal ammo boxes, sorted by size. (1 each for 3 cells, 4 cells, and 6 cells). Any signs of damage and battery is correctly disposed of.
According to Large.net, damaged batteries can be identified by "Damaged plastic cell envelope or visible deformities on the cell package. The smell of leaking electrolyte. Or puffing or swelling shows that the battery is damaged, and therefore you should discontinue discharging or charging immediately.
Remember, regardless of the cost, it is never worth it to charge or fly with a damaged battery.
Do I need more batteries? There are many great early season sales. Maybe it is time to add to your battery arsenal. Also, check your charger to make sure that it is in good order.
A trick I use during the season to evenly use my batteries is that I number each battery with a Sharpie with both a number and the date placed in service. That makes it easier for me to cycle through the batteries evenly.
My tools - I get my toolbox organized and ready for the field. I collect the tools that are out on my workbenches and bring them back in the toolbox.
I look to see if there are any damaged or lost tools needing replacement. I go through my box and throw out the dried-up CA glue. I give my box a general refresh and restock (tape, Velcro, zip ties, etc.). Give the box a refresh and restock. Better to do that now than realize you need something while at the field.
My transmitter - I do a clean and organize on your transmitter. I review the planes stored in my transmitter's memory and delete the aircraft I have crashed or don't have anymore. If they are going to fly again no need for them to be clogging the menu.
Get the planes you fly the most up to the top of the selection menu.
My Memberships / Licenses: A quick check to ensure all my registrations and memberships are current and active.
Club Field Day - I attend our Dayton Wingmasters field day. A focused field refresh and clean-up go a long way to creating an enjoyable flying experience for you and the other members.
Volunteer and attend a Swap Meet: Maybe you don't like that particular plane, sell it at a swap meet and add another plane.
As you get ready for a great flying season, I hope some of these ideas have helped. If you have any other great ideas, leave them in the comments below.
Have a safe and enjoyable flying season.
2021-04-20-RC Airplane Week in Review
This is the week for Modelrama - One of the MIdwest's largest swap meets and auctions.
Here are YouTube videos I enjoyed this week:
The weather is warming up, and time to get back out to the field. Are you working on your planes getting ready for the Summer flying season? djmoosecom reviews a fantastic benchtop RC Stand.
Another great TheRcSaylors video. The Dynam Primo is an excellent beginner plane. Here they take it up. The Dynam Primo.
Mavic just released Air 2 - here is a video from FIRE RC as he chases RC airplanes. Chasing RC Airplanes with DJI Mavic Air 2
Have you seen this before? I never thought to keep my planes up and away from mice! Don's RC Airplanes ran into a problem. # E-flite T-28 1.2m and a mouse Oh my !!!
Happy Flying!
Wingmasters 2021 Modelrama
Ready to add a plane to your hanger? Want to see what industry vendors have this year? You need to join us for the 2021 Dayton Wingmasters Modelrama. With over 300 tables, Modelrama will be one of the Midwest's most significant RC-focused events.
We are hosting this event Friday from 2:00 - 6:00 and Saturday 9:00 - 1:00 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (645 Infirmary Rd. Dayton, OH 45417). Based on demand and the desire for social distancing, we have expanded to two buildings. The cost is $10 for the entire show admission, including the auction, and $8 for one day. Our event culminates with an auction on Saturday afternoon.
Hope to see you there.
2021-04-04-RC Airplane Week in Review
Here is a quick Spring Break edition of This Week in RC
The Big news of the week is the E-Flite release of the DRACO. Here is the story behind this unique aircraft - E-flite® DRACO 2.0m – Behind The Innovation
Another great flight video from the RcSaylors - You Won't Believe HER NOOB RC PLANE MISTAKE! - Dynam Spitfire Warbird - TheRcSaylors
Ramy RC builds and flies unbelievable aircraft – here is his build of the Airbus A350
In the market for a large RC Aircraft? Check this video out from Merry Boozer RC - Best First Large RC
Happy Flying!
10 Reasons To Join an RC Club
Spring is here, and you want to get outside and shake off the COVID fog; why don’t you join an RC Club?
Here are ten reasons why it makes sense:
The camaraderie of like-minded hobbyists. - Regardless of your level of commitment or time for the hobby, joining a club gets you the camaraderie of other flyers. Just the ability to interact with other like-minded pilots, being outside, enjoying others, and growing in the hobby. What could be better?
Learn from Others – I know our club has designated beginner nights where experienced pilots come out and help newer members or those interested in the hobby. The ability to Buddy-Box with an experienced pilot allows you to grow in confidence and reduce the worry of crashing that brand new plane.
There is something called latent learning, where you learn from watching others and can put that knowledge and skill to good use. Don’t discount the learning you get from watching others fly, asking questions, and getting those little tips that will significantly improve your flying.
You get to fly on a designated RC field. - Typically, the field is Academy of Model Aeronautics (“AMA”) https://www.modelaircraft.org/ certified and insured, has a designated runway (paved or grass), and the fields have areas to work and prep your planes. It beats flying at the local park out of the back of your car, worrying about the families playing, people walking…
Fun Flies – Fun Flys are events typically around a theme (warbirds, 3d planes, a give holidays) where the club shows up, and they have food and fly—a great way to meet fellow club members, learn and see the latest planes.
Insurance As a member of AMA, you and your fellow pilots are covered by AMA insurance. As of 2021, the current coverage is:
Liability Coverage for the Operation of Model Aircraft, Boats, Cars, and Rockets
$2,500,000 Comprehensive General Liability Protection for model activities for members, clubs, site owners, and sponsors
$25,000 Accident/Medical Coverage for members
$10,000 Maximum Accidental Death Coverage for members
$1,000 Fire, Theft, and Vandalism Coverage for members
Try before you buy – Unless you benefit from a local, well-stocked hobby shop, you are relegated to looking at planes, tools, etc., online. Wouldn’t it be great to see that plane in person? Someone at the club may already have it.
We all crash. I don’t know how many times I’m at the field and need a small part or tool, and someone has one. That can be the difference between flying and packing up to go home. The ability to share tools, repair and maintenance insights is fantastic.
Many clubs and fields are multi-discipline - (RC airplanes, Helicopters, and RC cars). Wouldn’t it be great to have all those facilities? The wind kicks up, and you can switch to cars. You might be interested in exploring helicopters, and you can walk over to the helli section and ask questions.
Charge me up, baby – most fields have a charging station. You need power to fly. Unless you stay up all night charging your batteries, the ability to charge while you fly will keep you in the air for much longer. And you don’t have batteries stored a full power which isn’t good for them.
One person’s discards are another’s Treasures - Ability to buy, swap planes, transmitters, etc. Wouldn’t you rather get a used plane or piece of gear from someone you know? Exactly!
I hope this helps, so get out there and find an RC Club to join. What are some benefits you see from your club?
Add them in the comments below.
2021-02-26-The RC Airplane Week in Review
This week’s RC update expands into drones, and we take it indoors.
The Signal Chasers RC Club in Missouri takes their flying indoors for the Winter. If you have the opportunity, this is a great way to hone your skills with built-in physical limitations.
Here in my own backyard, the US Airforce Museum hosted indoor Micro Drone Racing. The Museum (free admission) is a great way to spend a day.
The RcSaylors take up one of my favorite planes, the E-flite Turbo Timber. There are three versions of the Turbo Timber, and this is a great beginner plane. Flying the E-flite Turbo Timber - YOU WON’T BELIEVE What Happens during CRAZY RC PLANE SNOW FLIGHT!
Just a fun, inspirational watch from UNIQUE TECH WORLD. - It is always good to see what is out at the extremes, be it fastest, smallest or largest - Top 10 Biggest/Largest RC Airplanes In The World.
Happy Flying
2021-02-16-The RC Airplane Week in Review
It’s Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. So here is some YouTube goodness to get us through:
Jeff Cherry – 2020 Crash Compilation lots of RC Airplane Piece - As we turn to repairing our planes and getting ready for Spring, we are typically repairing because of crashes. Here are Jeff’s best crashes of 2020.
Props & Wheels - Rage R/C Defender 1100 EP RTF - Part 6: Flying over Snow on Floats - Snow doesn’t stop us completely from flying as Props & Wheels puts those warm-weather pontoons to use.
RC Channel AYUB - RC PLANE FLYING | RC PLANE NIGHT FLYING RAPTOR - You don’t typically see flying in the dead of night. Here is an excellent video of flying in the dead of night.
DAD - RC Jet Airplanes Hobby 180mph+, Many of us get into the hobby for the speed. Here is some turbine engine 180mph+ speed.
TheRcSaylors - DEMOLISHED RC PLANE IN 5 SECONDS -The RC Saylors don’t let Winter or a little bit of snow slow them down. Here is how you demolish a plane in 5 seconds
As we are in repair season, share your workshop or what planes you are working on in the comments below.
Happy Flying!
The Key to RC Club Membership Renewals
How do you encourage active members to renew their memberships? How do you ensure that only active members access the field?
We use a key exchange.
Traditionally on January 1st the Dayton Wingmasters hold a Freeze Fly. With warm coffee and snacks, it is an excellent way for us to start the new year. On the 1st, we also rekey the front gate, power station, and restroom locks.
At the Freeze Fly, renewing members bring their FAA, AMA {link] registration information along with the completed renewal form and the annual membership fee and renew their memberships. With the renewals, they get this year’s key. We stamp the keys with the year, so there are no misunderstandings on which key is active.
We have packets with keys in controlled envelopes at our local hobby shops for renewing or new members who can’t attend the Freeze Fly. The Hobby Shops check registration information and issue the packets. We have Club officers collect the payments and renewal forms regularly.
As we have monthly club meetings throughout the year, we also take renewals at the meetings,
Our annual key exchange is a great, controlled, and objective way to renew our memberships, ensures everyone’s registrations and contact information is current, and ensure that only active members use our facilities.
What creative ways do you use for renewals? Let everyone know in the comments below.
10 Qualities of a Great Club Member
You’re a member of an RC, Social or Non-profit Club. You want to be a good club member, so what do you do? Here are ten qualities of a great club member.
Contribute Your Unique Skills – You all came together with a common interest or passion. But each of you also has unique skills and backgrounds. Are you a finance person? Have excellent webmaster skills? An awesome fundraiser? Carpentry skills? Use your skills to enhance the Club. Utilizing your skills can also significantly reduce the Club’s operating costs, leaving more funds for the core mission.
Be Positive – Always have the betterment of the Club in mind. When you question something, do it towards improvement or change. Nobody likes a complainer. Remember, if members push collectively in a positive direction, others will gladly join in; offer positive feedback. Question positively.
Respect - Respect the mission of the Club. Respect the officers (remember they are probably volunteers contributing their talents and unique skills). Everyone joined the Club for a reason, so don’t stray too far from that collective mission.
Communicate with Confidence - Great team players communicate their ideas honestly and clearly and respect others’ views and opinions on the team. Clear, effective communication done constructively and respectfully is the key to getting heard.
Trust by Verify – We continuously see the news on the latest club fraud. As a club member, you do have a responsibility to understand and question the finances. Pay attention during the Treasurer’s report! Everyone has a responsibility to make sure the Club’s finances are appropriately controlled and spent. If you happen to be the club treasurer, see my post on being a good Club Treasurer.
Positively Build your Club’s Community – Create a welcoming club. Members are typically on different journeys with their skills or desires. Help these club members grow and advance in the Club. Be a bridging vs. an exclusive Community. This post is written during the global COVID pandemic, so community needs have never been greater.
Teach - Grow the members’ skills. Maybe within your RC Club, flying is your passion, or perhaps you understand the technical side of the tools, whatever your unique talent, actively helping the membership.
Embrace all your Stakeholders – Understand how your Club can mutually benefit and contributes to your stakeholders, be they your local community, close neighbors, or a broader group or organization. Be a good citizen, and things will be much easier.
Consistent and Reliable – Displaying genuine commitment and reliability is a great way to drive your Club forward. Create positive relationships within your Club and do this consistently.
Reliable Volunteer – Don’t be the volunteer that never volunteers! They volunteer in name but never show up. When you volunteer, do more than asked, adapt quickly and easily, come with a 110% commitment to getting things done. Remember, you are either part of the problem or the solution, don’t be a problem.
Embrace these attributes, and there is no doubt that your Club will move forward. Maybe incorporate these operating principles into your charter or bylaws. That may be a subtle way of building these attributes into your Club’s culture.
2021 Modelrama
It’s winter, and we need a way to renew our RC airplane excitement. We want to add new planes to our hanger but need to clear out some of our current planes. Want a way to do this in person safely?
The 2021 Wingmasters Modelrama swap meet and auction is your place. The Dayton Wingmasters Modelrama is on April 23rd and 24th. As one of the largest RC airplane shows in the Midwest, we have expanded the space under roof (over 42,000 sq. feet) to allow for social distancing and to accommodate all the current vendors and other sellers. The venue is the Montgomery Fairgrounds 645 Infirmary Road, Dayton Ohio 45417.
If you have gear or planes you want to sell or pick-up new gear and aircraft, this is the show for you—a tremendous in-person opportunity to rev you up for the 2021 flying season. In 2020 we had over 275 tables sold.
As the Club’s treasurer, I encourage you to attend, and if you want to reserve a table, see the attached flyer. Tables and spaces are going fast, so if you're going to get your hanger ready for 2021, here is a great opportunity.
All the proceeds go to support the RC hobby with the Dayton Wingmasters. A long-time AMA sanction club here in Dayton.
10 Qualities of a Great Club Treasurer
So, you volunteered to become the treasurer for your RC club or other organization? Being a financial person in your “day-job” helps but isn’t necessary to be a great club treasurer.
Other than being willing to do it, here are ten characteristics that make an excellent treasurer:
1. Good custodian – you have the aptitude and temperament to take care of things. You are the custodian of the Club’s finances. This includes expenditures, revenue, and in most cases, any tax reporting. Being a good custodian means respecting the importance of the Club’s finances and take care to manage them properly.
2. Transparency – Transparency builds trust and proper internal controls. It would help if you were comfortable putting your work out for all to see. Only through independent review and scrutiny can everyone trust what you are doing. It would be best if you had the self-confidence to display your work. Comfort with reporting, explaining, and documenting what you are doing is key to transparency.
3. Detail-oriented – Money and expenses require a detailed focus to be adequately managed. Are you a detail-oriented person, or do you like the big picture? You will most likely be doing all the work, so you need to be comfortable. Remember, a club is not a big for-profit organization; there is probably no PeopleSoft, Oracle, or Workday! It is just you and either Excel, Numbers, or a rudimentary product.
The detail-oriented focus extends to understanding the Club’s bylaws and rules. You are probably an executive officer of the Club, so this will go beyond accounting and finances.
4. Good communicator – Along with transparency – you need to explain financial concepts to non-finance people. There will be skeptical club members that either don’t understand the finances or don’t have complete trust in you. Being an effective communicator is a required skill.
5. Able to Support the Club’s leadership – you are an executive member of the Club, so you need to be able to advise and consult the Club’s leadership on what can be afforded, what can’t, what you are spending money on, and how fundraising is going. That’s probably obvious even to brand-new treasurers. But there is a second treasurer duty that’s almost as important as the first: You must provide financial information to support decision making.
6. Understand cash flow statement – There is typically no accrual accounting – it is all about what came into the bank account and what went out. Club accounting is all about cash flow reporting.
7. Trust but verify – you are friends with the club members, but you need to ensure that basic fiducial rules are followed – basic receipt/documentation requirements for everyone – consistency will help build trust and take the friendship card out of it.
8. Honest - Critical as club members know you and probably already trust you – see #7 above – this is a fine line.
9. Ideally, a finance or accounting background – not needed but helps. Even effectively managing your own personal or family finances will be beneficial.
10. Flexible – This is not a major corporation, so you need to be flexible with the membership – Clubs are organized around a common interest, and accounting and finances are not the main focus of the Club. There are typically no stockholders, strict forecasts, so when the Club membership wants to do something, you need to pivot and move into #5 above.
You should feel good about serving the Club. Many clubs’ successes result from the diverse members contributing their varied talents.
Be mindful of these ten key attributes, and you are on the way to being a great club treasurer.
Mittens for Winter-Time RC Flying
Don’t stop flying your RC airplanes or drones this winter. Although, nothing sends chills through your hands like holding on to a metal transmitter box.
Just get yourself some fold-over mittens.
I use the Simms flying fishing fold-over mittens in, and they work great. IMAGE. I have the necessary feel for the sticks with these fold-over mittens while protecting my hands from the cold bare metal. I can fold them over when I’m done flying and can warm my hands up. I get the benefit of the “glove fingers” for control and the warming impact of mittens when I fold over the cover.
These mittens are 100% polyester and are not waterproof. They have half fingers and a mitten overlay. The mitten fold-over provides the warmth of a mitten while the fingers give control and dexterity. The Simms mittens have an elastic band to secure the fold over for both your fingers and thumb. They also have a snap that allows them to be snapped together.
The gloves can be machine washed and tumble dried on low. I have used these for fly fishing, and washing the gloves got all the fish smell out.
I have larges, and they seem to be true to their size. Come cooler temperatures, these gloves/mittens are permanently in my car.
An inexpensive item for your cool-weather kit allows you to extend your flying season and get out there year-round.
I hope this helps and keep flying.
2020 RC Airplane Hobby Year in Review
Everyone is doing a year in review, so I thought I would share my second year in the RC hobby.
It was a year of solo flying as my son lost interest in the hobby, and I continued by myself. I had gotten into the hobby through my son, so I had to transition to RC flying, not being a father-son event.
With my son leaving the hobby, I expanded and grew in the hobby by:
I am programming my RC airplanes into my transmitter. Aircraft setup is a critical skill that I needed to learn.
I progressed and took up one of my son’s EDF’s for the first time. Nerve-racking and tough. The Hawk was my first EDP, and I enjoyed it.
Creating a dedicated RC workbench. I needed a dedicated space to maintain and work on my RC airplane collection. Here is a YouTube video of my dedicated workspace.
Repairing my planes. My son enjoyed repairing our planes so, this year, I developed this skill. I developed my repair skills from foam repair to landing gear, servos, and motor replacement.
Painting and airbrushing my own planes. Along with repairing, I also grew my painting and airbrushing skills. For both aesthetics and safety (increasing my view of the plane’s orientation), I got good and enjoyed painting my airplanes.
Built a storage rack system for my planes. Planes are expensive and can easily get damaged if they aren’t organized and put away. My garage storage system keeps the planes safe.
Started a YouTube channel and revamped my blog. All about sharing as I grow and learn in the RC hobby.
It was a different year at the field as well:
COVID, coupled with my son leaving the hobby, really had me flying by myself a fair bit as our club couldn’t hold any Fly-in’s or club events. I did have a small group of friends from the club that I would fly with and learn from, which was awesome.
To be creative, we started racing cars at the field. Too much wind is a great time for racing cars. Care racing helped build camaraderie.
The club has given back so much to me that I am giving back by being the treasurer for the club. I can use my finance and accounting skills to give back and help grow the club.
How was your year?
Let me know in the comments below.
I will be reflecting on how I want to grow in the RC airplane hobby in 2021. I will share my thoughts as I set goals for 2021 and also bring you along on my journey in the hobby.
Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-12-23
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week
Electronic Speed Control (“ESC”) is the on-board computer that controls the speed of your RC airplane. The ESC plugs both into your battery and into the throttle port on your receiver. RC Airplanes has an excellent description of the ESC.
ESC’s are differentiated by brushless vs. brushed and by the maximum current they can take. The price increases as the maximum current rating increases. Using a battery with a current above what the ESC is rated for can cause the ESC to malfunction and catch fire. Both are unintended consequences. If you are changing out an ESC, if your ESC with the battery and motor you are using, you should be fine.
Plane Reviews and Tips
Best RC Airplane Tool for 2021 - RC Beginners - This is by far the best tool for getting into the RC airplane hobby, hint, and you don’t get cold in the winter!
Need to teach yourself to fly? Here is a great series to help RCGS Chapter 1.2 Choosing a Model - Teaching Yourself to Fly-
Are you confused by all the RC airplane acronyms? Here are all the essential acronyms defined. RC Hobby Acronyms for Beginners | Quick Tip | Motion RC
Tool of the Trade
Ball link pliers - These pliers are familiar to helicopter pilots but are useful for us RC airplane pilots. Loosening and attaching the servo arm clevises on a control service can be challenging, and as most of them are plastic and can break if you aren’t gentle.
These pliers can get in the clevis and release the attachment point and allow for adjustment. And the simple press of the plyers applies even pressure and secures the clevis attachment.
A simple, inexpensive tool that is a toolbox must-have.
Weekly Beginner’s Taxiway Final 2020-12-12
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week
Flaps, like ailerons, are another control surface on the aircraft’s wings. I covered ailerons in last week’s post.
Wikipedia describes a flap as. “a high-lift device used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a fixed-wing aircraft. Flaps are used to reduce the take-off distance and the landing distance. Flaps also cause an increase in drag so they are retracted when not needed”.
The flaps are located closer to the fuselage than the ailerons and extend out and down when deployed. RC airplanes typically have three settings; full flaps, middle flaps, and no flaps. Middle flaps can be used for takeoffs with mid and full flaps deployed on landings. If there are stronger winds, the flaps may not be needed for landing.
On an RC airplane, each flap is controlled by a servo and is considered a channel on the receiver. The flaps leads are connected to a “Y” harness with the “Y” harness lead inserted into a channel on the receiver. Thus, the type of transmitter or radio you have will determine if you can put flaps on a channel switch.
Plane Reviews and Tips
Mike NCRCF - Thinking about building your RC airplane? This video from Mike NCRCF is the first in a series to get you started. Episode #1 Introduction to the Build Series.
Why do you Fly? Why did we get into the RC Hobby? Here is a good thread on why others have gotten bit by the RC airplane hobby.
RC Plane Lab - Here is a great weekly RC airplane podcast with hosts Ron Hull and Tom Dale
Tool of the Trade
RC Inexpensive Power Screwdriver Although not necessary, having a battery-powered screwdriver is an excellent addition to the toolbox. From installing wings after you get to the field to removing the wings at the end of the day for transport home, you are constantly using a small screwdriver. You may be adjusting a control surface, centering a servo, adjusting landing gear; a screwdriver is a key tool; why not make it a powered screwdriver. The powered screwdriver is indispensable when paired with a set of interchangeable heads.
Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-12-05
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week
Aileron is a French word that means “little wing: or “fin.” The aileron is on the trailing edge of the wing and controls the roll of your aircraft.
Essentially, activating the aileron causes your plane to bank and thus turn.
There are two ailerons (one on each wing) that work in tandem to control the aircraft. These act differently from the rudder that also turns the aircraft. The rudder controls rotation around the vertical axis of your plane. The rudder controls the yaw of the plane and used while taxiing.
The ailerons are controlled by individual servos that are activated by the receiver. The receiver decodes the electrical directions from the transmitter in your hand.
Typically, both individual aileron wire leads are plugged into a “Y” harness, and the lead from the “Y” harness is plugged into a single receiver slot.
Plane Reviews and Tips
Turbine engines and beginner may be a bit of an oxymoron, but here is a quick flight video of the Bobcat Composite. Turbine engines are fast and would be considered a speed step up from EDF jets.
Fast RC Turbine Model Jet Bobcat Composite for beginner into Turbine Aeromodelling RC Airplane
Tim McKay has a wonderful video on airplane hatches. If you want to geek out on airplane parts, this is a video to watch. Model Airplane Hatches for Newbies
Your brushless motor not working? Here is a good description of a brushless motor and how to rewind it.
Tool of the Trade RC Airplane Stands
Airplane Stands come in all shapes and sizes and are something you need to quickly work on your planes and protect them from bumps and bruises. There are two types, the homemade and purchased. The homemade version is typically made from PVC pipe.
If you are making a stand, measure your planes and make sure you build the stand the right height and length.
Too low, and the plane’s rear wing will hit and too long and the plane will not be adequately supported on the fuselage.
The manufactured stands are typically adjustable and typically allow for assembly and disassembly in the field, thus allowing easier transport. This inexpensive tool is invaluable at the field. Whether you build a custom stand or purchase one, this is a key tool.
Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-11-27
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week - Servo
Servos are what allow you to control and pilot your aircraft. The servo takes the decoded electrical pulses from the receiver and performs the desired mechanical function. Servos activate the landing gear; they move the flaps, ailerons, and elevator. The servo connects to the receiver with a 3-pin connecter, and the electrical pulses are decoded in the servo and move the servo arms through the gears.
The servo consists of a small motor, gears, and a servo arm attachment secured to the servo wire. Servos are denoted by how much weight or force they can actuate. According to Wikipedia, “if a servo model is described as “0.2 s / 2 kg”, that should be interpreted as “This servo rotates the shaft for 60° in 0.2 seconds, and it is able to pull up 2 kg weight using a 1 cm radius pulley”. That is, that particular servo model rotates the shaft with the angular speed of (2π / 6) / 0.2 s = 5.2 rad/s while producing 2 kg × 9.81 m/s2 = 19.6 N force at 1 cm distance, i.e. it produces 19.6 N × 0.01 m = 0.196 N m torque.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servo_(radio_control)
There are two construction types of servo gears, metal, and plastic. A good rule of thumb is that a plastic servo will typically have a useful life of approximately 100 hours. If a servo is going to fail, generally, the failure relates to stripped gears. Stripped gears are more likely with a plastic geared servo vs. metal.
Hard landings or a crash typically cause stripped gears.
Tip – When you have a crashed plane, always test the servos to see if they are functioning and save them. Most are interchangeable.
Plane Reviews and Tips
FlightTest has a great post on 8 ways to improve your RC flying skills. We can all learn from these.
Pilot Ryan Media - Looking for a beginner EDF jet? Check out this video review of the Eflite Viper 70mm EDF Beginner EDF Jet Maiden with Capt. Mike
Check out these kids. It is refreshing to see talented young people in the hobby.
A tool of the Trade - Servo Tester
My servo tester is a crucial tool. A small 4.8V (4 Cell) 2000mAh NiMH battery powers the servo tester and allows you to test/actuate a servo to see if it is working or center the servo. A servo tester typically has three settings, manual, center, and automatic.
Using a servo tester is safer and more efficient than hooking up a lipo battery to supply power to the servo. The only way a servo can be tested is with applied power.
Connecting the 3-pin connector to the servo tester and activating the tester will allow you to test the servo safely.
Here is a link to the $9 servo tester I use.
Servo testers and inexpensive and a must-have tool.
Until next week safe flying!
Weekly Beginner’s taxiway 2020-11-19
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week – Receiver
Last week, we covered the transmitter. The other half of the electronic puzzle is the receiver. The receiver is the on-board component that receives the electronic instructions sent from the transmitter in your hands to operate the RC aircraft.
The receiver either has an internal or external antenna that receives the transmitter pulses. To ensure maximum connectivity, these antennae must be extended and, best case, away from the battery and at right angles to each other. Proper placement of the antenna gives the receiver full capability to receive the MHz signals. Keeping the antenna away from the battery (which can block the signal) will help.
The receiver has ports that correspond to the number of channels. These ports receive wires from the plane’s servos. The servos are what activate actions on the plane. For example, a landing gear servo mechanically raises and lowers the gear based on radio signals you give the aircraft through the transmitter. The transmitter’s signals are decoded by the receiver and activate the throttle, flaps, or other servo-controlled activity.
A receiver and transmitter from the same manufacturer will give you optimal performance. For example, the Spektrum brand of transmitters require receivers that use the DSMX or DSM2 algorithms. It is best to stay in the family once you decide on a transmitter. The transmitter is more costly, so first pick a transmitter brand and then the receivers.
Plane Reviews
RC Saylers have another beginner video with their take on the Must-Have RC beginner planes. Check it out here. Also, check out my post on Top 6 Beginner/Trainer Planes.
I Just Got Here has a video on flying the Flex Innovations Mamba 10. Awesome trivia point - He just completed 365 days straight of flying RC airplanes outside. Here is I just Got Here’s video.
João Dias de Carvalho has an informative video on How to land RC plane on grass, How to fly four-channel planes, and land a plane. Great in-flight video with extensive notes, tips, and explanations in the comments. Don’t miss this video.
Events
No events this week.
Tool of the Trade
Cushion Foam: Foam is not just for sitting on! Our RC airplanes are strong, but the foam construction material is easily bruised and damaged. I rest my plane on top of a piece of foam when I’m working on it, or even changing the battery.
If the PVC rack doesn’t work or the landing gear isn’t activated, the foam is the go-to tool. Foam always goes with me to the field. Here is a video of what I take to the field. Check out the video description for a downloadable checklist so you don’t forget anything as you pack for the field.
Until next week safe flying!
Weekly Beginner’s taxiway 2020-11-11
Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes
Term of the Week – Transmitter
The Remote-control transmitter is the device that sends instructions to the remote-control airplane’s onboard receiver. These transmissions are how you control your airplane. Current transmitters are on the 2.4GHz band. The 2.4GHz band is used for most RC transmitters because the FCC has designated this band as free.
Transmitters are further designated by how many channels they support or can control. For example, Throttle control is a channel; Flaps are a channel; Landing Gear is a channel. Etc. The more channels a transmitter supports, the more functions on an aircraft it can control, and the more expensive it is.
A 6-Channel transmitter is a good beginner transmitter. I would not go below six channels, and I would consider 8-Channel a good sweet spot.
A receiver and transmitter from the same manufacturer will give you optimal performance. For example, the Spektrum brand of transmitters requires receivers that use the DSMX or DSM2 algorithms. It is best to stay in the family once you decide on a transmitter.
The transmitter is more costly, so first, pick a transmitter brand and then the receivers.
Plane Reviews
The RC Saylors posted a great review of the Carbon Cub S 2 Beginner RC Airplane. Check out their review here. This plane is one of my top 6 beginner/trainer planes. Check out the other planes on my Top 6 Starter and Beginner Remote Control Airplanes post.
RC Informer posted a review here of the FMS CJ-6 V2 1200mm aircraft. This is another good beginner / intermediate plane.
Events
This year, in-person RC fly-ins have been canceled. One that took place was the celebration of National RC Day. Here is Merry Boozer’s review of the National RC Day at IRCC.
A tool of the Trade
The Metal Ammo Box – Incorrect handling of LiPo batteries could potentially cause a fire. I store and transport my lipo batteries in a metal ammo box. I use the Harbor Freight ammo box. These boxes are inexpensive and are easy to transport in my car. I sort my batteries by box.
A quick tip – add Velcro to the inside of the ammo box lid and on the back of your lipo tester, and you will always know where your tester is, and it is safe and out of the way. No more digging in your pockets to test your battery.
Until next week safe flying!
Top 6 Starter and Beginner Remote Control Airplanes
New to the RC airplane hobby? Looking for a good trainer plane? Here are my top six trainer RC airplanes. First, here are the features I look for in a trainer or beginner plane:
Tricycle landing gear
High wing (wing on the top of the fuselage) as opposed to a low wing aircraft
Larger wingspan (1.0 meters to 1.6 meters). – larger wingspan makes the plane more stable, especially in the wind. You might think small planes are easier to fly, that isn’t the case.
1. Apprentice – Tricycle landing gear and high wing make this an excellent trainer plane. The wing is attached with rubber bands, which gives the plane more forgiveness with rough landings. Also, the Apprentice is easy to transport with the wing easily removed from the fuselage.
2. Pandora – Tricycle landing gear and the Pandora is convertible from a high wing to a low-wing aircraft. As you become more confident in your piloting skills, you can convert the plane into a low-wing plane—all these features for a reasonable price. Typically priced below the Apprentice.
3. Timber – There are three versions of the Timber. I like this plane’s versatility as you can take off and land quickly, commonly known as STOL (Short Takeoff and landing), do all the acrobatics you want, even 3D flying, and has a large wing area for stable flying. A nice plane you can grow with as your skills progress. Flaps allow for slow landings, which help reduce the damage associated with hard landings.
4. AeroScout. - With a 1.1-meter wingspan, a great starter plane. AeroScout’s unique feature is that it is a pusher plane. The motor and propeller are on top of the wing facing the tail (“pusher”). This design helps protect the propeller and motor from damage on heavy crashes. Starting out, you tend to go through a lot of propellers.
5. Carbon Cub S - Another larger plane at 1.3 m wing with tricycle landing gear. Civilian scale plane so looks excellent in the air. SAFE mode is exclusive to Horizon Hobby, as is “Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) technology that helps to prevent over-control, loss of orientation, and crashes so nearly everyone can learn to fly successfully” .
6. Air Titan 1600mm (63”) Large wingspan at 63 inches (1.6 meters). All around nice plane to fly and grow into. Stable in the air and easily repairable.
Conclusion - You cannot go wrong with any of these planes, so it comes down to some of the unique features they offer. Also, what looks good to you, and what are you going to be excited to pilot. If you have a local hobby shop, what brands, models they stock to get replacement parts quickly can be critical. I have made many stops on the way home from the field to pick up or order replacement parts.
Disclaimer - None of these links are affiliate links. Links are only included for your convenience; I have no association with the vendors linked. Thanks