RE: Beautiful Trainer
[quote]ORIGINAL: shd3920 [quote]ORIGINAL: carrellh Most of the things that make a plane ''beautiful'' are the things that make them NOT trainers. I think the best thing to do is get a trainer that looks and flies like a trainer and learn to fly it. Once you can fly, and know what you want next; if you really cannot stand to look at the trainer any more, sell it or give it away, and get the ''beautiful'' plane. [/quote] DITTO. You are going to ding it up learning to fly. Do you really want to damage a ''beautiful'' plane? [/quote] I learned on the Sig LT-40 (kit-built). Never crashed it or even had a hard landing. The only "dings" it suffered were from transporting it through a doorway. I did wind up beefing up the landing gear and made it a bit longer. A .46 engine with an 11" prop leaves a minimal ground clearance, inviting prop strikes on the runway.
Posted on: 9/17/2009 12:22 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9102296

RE: picked up a Kadet LT 40, Anything I need to know?
Your choice of the LT-40 will be hard to beat. I built an LT-40 from the kit and it successfully trained/solo'd my and my son. I continued to fly the Kadet for several years after soloing. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3477988/tm.htm
Posted on: 9/13/2009 2:11 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9092113

RE: Comming back to u/c maybe?
Just about all of us are retreads in some manner of sorts. Control line is alive and well. It may be a bit harder to find us and many will try to convince you CL is extinct. We just held a Labor Day fun fly/cookout at our field. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=31893&id=1455821605&l=cc13baa276
Posted on: 9/13/2009 2:00 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Control Lines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9092094

RE: Spektrum DX-7
[quote]ORIGINAL: bruce88123 [quote]ORIGINAL: PipeMajor Wow... I've been flying an Ultra Stick 40 all season with 2.4GHz JR X9303, R921 RX, [b]SEVEN[/b] HiTec HS478HB analog servos and a single 4.8v 1650mAh NiMH pack. After an all-night slow charge, I can fly at least four 15 minute flights before my RX pack voltage drops to 5.0v using a Sig ESV. I take a reading on the pack prior to EVERY
Posted on: 9/12/2009 7:55 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9090311

RE: SIG ARF glue failure's (Kadets etc)
I had the smaller Sig LT-40 which I built from a kit. I got four years of great service (including basic training up to and past the solo stage) but sold it our club's instructor last year. I had full confidence in every glue joint on that airplane plus it was an enjoyable build. I started this hobby building the old Sterling control line kits where NONE of the parts came even close fitting and most was pretty poor quality wood. The Sig kit on the other hand was CAD designed and mostly laser cut. Everything simply fell into place where I just flowed a proper amount of CA into the joint and it was locked in forever. I'm not a big fan of ARFs and hope they never do completely dominate the hobby.
Posted on: 9/6/2009 12:11 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9072914

RE: My mSR related woes
My LHS said his order shipped Wednesday. He should have them now. PM me for contact info.
Posted on: 8/29/2009 10:44 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "E-Flite Helicopters"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9055422

RE: Prop Safety, NEVER let your guard down. Warning: Bloody picture
Only a couple of weeks ago I had my 2nd ever encounter with a prop (1st was 40 years ago and involved a ½A). I had my Ultra Stick on the test stand at the field and started it normally. Yeah, I do reach around the prop to disconnect the glow lead but, this was a 4-stroke with the plug waaay back on the rear of the cylinder head. I was going to go up for my 5th flight of the day and, sure, you start to get a little tired at that point. While the Saito .62 was at idle I somehow brushed the arc of the prop (APC 13-6). It hit me squarely on 2 fingernails - no blood or missing pieces but, man, it hit HARD. I flew that flight but the fingertips were definitely throbbing. No matter how experienced one is, all it takes is an instant of carelessness. Hope you heal up OK.
Posted on: 8/24/2009 6:37 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9041505

RE: Spektrum DX-7
Wow... I've been flying an Ultra Stick 40 all season with 2.4GHz JR X9303, R921 RX, [b]SEVEN[/b] HiTec HS478HB analog servos and a single 4.8v 1650mAh NiMH pack. After an all-night slow charge, I can fly at least four 15 minute flights before my RX pack voltage drops to 5.0v using a Sig ESV. I take a reading on the pack prior to EVERY flight. No issues what-so-ever, just rock solid control and reliability. All my 2.4Ghz RXs were sent in for the quick reconnect update.
Posted on: 8/24/2009 5:49 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9041370

RE: thunder tiger 46
Photo of my TT 46 Pro in my Kadet LT-40. Besides the idle adjustment, other critical factors affecting a reliable idle would be plug (OS-#8 will work nicely but the OS-A3 is a bit cheaper) and fuel (a 15% nitro content seems to be the happy point). [image]http://home.comcast.net/~steve.scott8/images/pa210507.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 8/8/2009 9:24 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9000773

RE: Ultrastick 40 questions
I just moved up this season from my trainer and have been flying the snot out of my UltraStick 40. Mine is powered with a Saito .62 so it's a bit light on raw power but has decent vertical. Only changes I'd recommend are: [ul] [*] Get rid of the aluminum motor mount - mine required quite a bit of tail weight [*] A Sullivan tail wheel should work better but I'm still using the stock assembly [*] I've ripped out the LG block on one of my first landings. Changing the blind nuts to an SAE size and corresponding nylon landing gear bolts is recommended [*] The seams in my covering are loosening. Seal the seams with some type of sealer [*] I'm still using the supplied stock tank with no problems. Other club members have been having nightmares with fuel leaks and OEM ARF tanks [/ul] For an all-around utility-sport airplane, the UltraStick is hard to beat.
Posted on: 7/27/2009 5:28 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8968446

RE: MCx Radio Repair?
I fail to see how grinding down the batteries in your transmitter can ruin the electronics. I take it this is the transmitter you speak of? It's possible that you lost the bind between the TX and your mCX. If you have questions, give a call to Horizon tech support. The DX6i is a nice TX.
Posted on: 7/26/2009 11:45 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8964859

RE: Horizon service / support
I recentlysent in my X9303 for repair and FIVE of my receivers for firmware updates. Got everything back in 20-some-odd days. NO CHARGE!!! Super Service!
Posted on: 7/22/2009 6:58 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8955684

RE: New Ultra Stick!
[quote]ORIGINAL: Daren71 I could never get comfortable with the flaps, so I cut them off and put the full ailerons back on. Its got a great roll rate now on high. [/quote] I had no problem deciding to go with the full span aileron setup or with the split quad flap/aileron wing (isn't it nice H9 provides both)? I went for the quad flap/aileron configuration. On my JR X9303, I have a switch which instantly changes from the half-aileron/flap mode to full span ailerons so, I get the best of both worlds. That switch also enables my flap->elevator mixing. Man, will this thing really do tight loops by coupling flaps!
Posted on: 7/20/2009 2:33 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8949172

RE: I can't believe that no one has started an Apollo 11 Thread!
[quote]ORIGINAL: gboulton Hollywood will tell you of the mission that failed. [/quote] You missed the entire point of Ron Howard's epic film. I'm also certain the late Deke Slayton would vigorously disagree with you. Apollo XIII was NOT a failure. Sure, the primary mission had to be aborted but a new, even more challenging mission immediately took its place. Howard's film depicted one of America's finest hours, a story of how American leadership, courage, commitment, resourcefulness and optimism triumphed over doom, dispair and nearly hopeless odds - just as Alan Shepard triumphed on his 1961 sub-orbital flight following a disheartening series of failures and delays while watching the Soviets score their early successes.
Posted on: 7/20/2009 11:01 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8948621

RE: I can't believe that no one has started an Apollo 11 Thread!
I started a thread on a [link=http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=13279.0]control line forum[/link] several days ago titled, "Apollo XI + 40... Where Were You?" Up to 49 replies so far but don't think they allow guests to browse the forum. My post from that forum: [color=#0033CC]July 20, 1969, just under a decade after the late President John F Kennedy challenged the nation to put a man on the moon and safely return him, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first earthlings to land on the surface of the moon. I recorded the event from live TV using a Sony reel-to-reel stereo tape deck and microphones. I still remember those immortal words as the LEM Eagle (Armstrong was also an Eagle Scout) maneuvered for it's historic touchdown: ...series of beeps... Aldrin: "30 seconds. Contact light. Okay. Engine stop," Armstrong: "Shutdown. (pause)... Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed". Mission Control: "You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again". I had just graduated high school in Tacoma, Washington and was taking flying lessons from Oswald's Flying Service in nearby Fircrest - one of several private airports which are now long gone and replaced with the inevitable strip malls. It was a glorious sunny Sunday and I was scheduled to take my first solo flight in a Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140 later in the evening. After my solo, I taxiied up to the apron, a guy came running out of the office and said, "Man, they're hopping all around up there." I drove the 4 miles home in my green 1967 VW Beetle. It was always a weird feeling being confined to only 2 dimension transportation after a 3 dimensional experience of flight. Despite still being very much daylight (darkness didn't settle in the Puget Sound region until well after 10pm), there wasn't a soul on the road. No one. No kids outside playing, no dogs barking. It was as eerie as those sci-fi movies where a scene of a deserted New York City is shown with only newspapers blowing in the street. When I got home, I watched the rest of the first lunar EVA. I thought, "Geeze, what a bummer. Here it is my big day and I'm being upstaged by these guys."[/color] Some youngsters who weren't around back then but plenty of us "elder" witnesses - some in basic training or serving in 'nam. A couple of others worked on all of the Mecury, Gemini and Apollo projects. One, our 2008 CL Precision Aerobatics National Champion, modified a software program which allowed a space probe to successfully execute a soft landing on an asteroid rather than have it crash into it.
Posted on: 7/20/2009 10:04 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8948447

RE: Need to upgrade Radio
Hey Erik, If you eventually want to fly helis, then by all means invest in a heli TX. My 9C is aircraft mode. Reasoning is it's far easier to fly an aircraft with a heli TX than a heli with an aircraft TX. My JR X9303 2.4Ghz system is heli as well as my son's DX7 - and all we fly (so far) are aircraft.
Posted on: 7/15/2009 4:37 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8936122

RE: New Ultra Stick!
I've flown my H9 US40 all season. I'm usually not that active of an RC pilot but I've got something around 50 flights on mine over the past 8 or 9 weeks. In short, I'm luvin' this airplane. It is my 2nd model after my LT-40 trainer. I was somewhat leary of flying an airplane without the inherent stability of a trainer but, after a nervous first few flights (and a small bit of trimming) it grooves very nicely. As others have said, it is a great wind airplane and I'm gaining a LOT of confidence in a hurry by not waiting for those calm conditions. My fellow club members have commented they've seen the improvement of my flying. I fly mine with the 4 servo wing configuration and power it with the Saito .62 four-stroke. APC 12-7 prop. Stock fuel tank and LG. A JR X9303 2.4Ghz radio does the guidance. Mine is apparently one of the earlier runs with the non-counterbalanced rudder. I have the white/yellow/blue version. Only real problem is the covering seams are starting to lift. The Ultra Stick isn't a perfect airplane but it's one of the best sport utility models (SUM?) ever produced. And I luv that whistle they make when cruising at high speed on the downlines. Sounds like a turbo whine and very noticeable with the quieter four-stroke. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm enjoying mine.
Posted on: 7/13/2009 9:44 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8930721

Ultra Stick 40 Crow Trim Issue
I've been flying my H9 US40 for the entire season and enjoying it immensely. Setup is the 4 servo wing configuration with separate flaps and ailerons. Radio is the JR X9303 2.4GHz system which uses the flight mode switch to deploy flaps and crow - FM1(up)=normal; FM2(mid)=flaps only and FM3(down)=full crow. Fortunately, I've tried this at a sufficiently high altitude but when I deploy my crow, the model wants to tuck under into a fairly tight outside loop. For my flap only mode, I do have some down elevator trim mixed in to prevent ballooning on flap deployment. I don't have any elevator to compensate for crow mode. Does this mean my ailerons (which are full up) are more "up" than my flaps (full down) are down? I don't have a deflection gauge but try to measure throw by simply using a ruler. Programming setup is per Danny Snyder's [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/ProdInfo/Files/JR_9303_Ultra_Stick_Programming.pdf]document[/link] on the Horizon site for the Ultra Stick.
Posted on: 7/13/2009 3:55 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8929607

RE: What engine should i put in my Kadet?
[quote]ORIGINAL: TruBlu02 While I would tend to agree with Han2007 on the 55AX I think you made the right choice for your trainer. I did stick a 55AX on my trainer just for the hell of it and it was a blast! I could not believe how fast it was!!! [/quote] I'll still beg to disagree - this is a TRAINER and for basic student training, we don't necessarily want (or need) FAST!!! Trainer aircraft such as the excellent Sig LT-40 are designed with a good deal of inherent stability and fly a good deal slower than higher performance aircraft. The student pilot needs to have things slowed down a bit to give them time to react until their reflexs can automatically do the right thing without having to spend a lot of time analyzing and figuring out the problem and proper corrective action(s). That said, you will want an adequate source of power but not overpowered. The LT-40 is a bit larger than the typical .40 sized trainer and has a corresponding increase in drag. Sticking a larger motor on it will indeed make it fly faster but it wasn't designed to zip around at a fast rate. I flew mine for many years after my training stage - just to slow things down and relax a bit. A plain bearing .40 engine such as the LA .40 will work OK but I consider it marginal. An OS AX .46 or Thunder Tiger Pro .46 ball bearing engine will help the model balance without adding nose weight and gives you a bit more reserve power to boot. Perhaps more important than pure displacement will be your prop size. I flew my LT-40/TT Pro .46 with an 11-5 prop and found it ideally suited for training. A larger diameter prop gives you more power yet the lower pitch helps acceleration and thrust. I rarely required full throttle to do my takeoffs and spent most of my cruising time at 1/3 throttle. Overly large engines also typically have an overly large price tag. For the sweet spot of price, performance and reliability, the TT .46 Pro will be hard to beat - but I do also own the OS AX .46 engine...
Posted on: 7/6/2009 11:09 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8910530

RE: Hello from the twin cities, minnesota
[quote]ORIGINAL: Minnreefer My friend got my 40 size stik maidened (sp?) for me and it looks like it will be a fun plane to fly. Jon [/quote]Jon, I flew my Ultra Stick 40 three times today. Mine is powered with a Saito .62 - my first experience with a 4-stroke. Love the airplane, love the engine, love the radio (JR X9303 2.4Ghz). It was a great day for flying but only 4 members showed up at the field today. One of our board members, Bob LaBrash, brought his TF P-47 out. A 3W 50-something CC gasser powers it. It is a great flier and Bob flies it like a warbird should be flown. Perfect slow rolls and 4-point rolls. I also had an EFlite Divo 3D foam sheet airplane. Wind came up quite a bit during my flight and I wound up 20 rows into the cornfield which surrounds our field. Thankfully the Castle 10a ESC emitted periodic "beeps" so I could hone in on the location. Minimal damage but it's strictly a calm day flier.
Posted on: 7/4/2009 10:16 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8907010

RE: What engine should i put in my Kadet?
[quote]ORIGINAL: bigedmustafa Which engine balances the plane best? There is a difference of almost a quarter of a pound in weight between the .40 LA and the Pro .46 engines. It is likely that one of them, when test mounted on the plane, will balance your LT-40 on the recommended Center of Gravity (CG) better than the other. Starting out with an engine of the right weight will make it easier to trim and balance your plane. [/quote] Ditto. I built my LT-40 from a kit (heard they tend to come out a bit tail heavy). I chose the Thunder Tiger .46 Pro and it balanced perfectly with NO added dead weight. The extra power of the TT .46 Pro with a low pitch 11-5 prop helped to get out of difficult attitudes. I could almost stall the trainer then power up and it'd pull right out of any problem. You don't want to overpower a trainer but you do need adequate power. [image]http://home.comcast.net/~steve.scott8/images/pa210507.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 7/4/2009 11:02 AM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8905748

RE: Hello from the twin cities, minnesota
Hi Erik, If you're ever up toward the north side of the Twin Cities, you're more than welcome to pop in on us - the St Paul Model Radio Controllers. We fly on a leased portion of a sod field in Ham Lake. Map and directions on our [link=http://www.spmrc.com]website[/link]. We fly on the field during our summer meetings. That would be this Wednesday (2nd Wednesday of each month). Saturday, July 11 is our Frankfurter Fly. We grill up a mean batch of dogs. Steve Scott SPMRC President
Posted on: 7/3/2009 11:24 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8904960

RE: First solo flight
Congrats from here as well. My son and I solo'd not quite 4 years ago. We had been on the buddy box for 6 total flights. Our instructor told us he had no problem with us going solo in calm winds. My son had a couple of days off school (he was 13) for conferences so we headed up to the field for our solo but, there was no one there! We checked everything out and wound up doing a pair of solo flights each, totally unsupervised. We documented our "special day" in [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3477988/tm.htm]this thread[/link].
Posted on: 7/3/2009 10:46 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8904868

RE: Spektrum Warranty Service Stinks
I just had my 2nd warranty experience with Horizon. Both instances were handled superbly. Two years ago I bought my son an EFlite Mini Ultra Stick. The threaded rods on the vertical fin were misaligned making the assembled unit also misaligned. I called them, left a message (during the holidays) and they called back. I had new parts sent out next day - no charge. They didn't want the old parts back. Last month, somehow the selector wheel on my X9303 broke. I only noticed it after getting home after a day of flying. I sent the TX and all 5 of my full range DSM2 receivers in. Because of the recall on the DX6i units, I was told by other modelers it would likely be a month turnaround time. Sure enough, they repaired the X9303, checked and updated the firmware on 3 of the 5 receivers which needed it - all for no charge. Sure, I was without my electronics for a month and I had to pay shipping costs out to them. No complaints here...
Posted on: 7/3/2009 10:26 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8904809

RE: Tanks
This [link=http://beseenontheinternet.com/VAHS//pop_vent_diagram.htm]diagram[/link] will show the vent differences The "pressure" or "flow" of fuel coming out of the uniflow remains a constant rate from full tank to empty. A conventional tank will have more "head pressure - the weight of the fuel pushing out the outlet" when full verses when empty. Therefore, a conventional tank will start to run a little bit leaner toward the end of the flight.
Posted on: 7/2/2009 6:16 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Control Lines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8901689

RE: Ultra Stick questions.
I have the Ultra Stick 40 with the yellow/white/blue color scheme. For power I am using the Saito .62 4-stroke side mounted. This is my 2nd model after graduating from an LT-40 trainer I flew for four years. My LT-40 was all yellow and being a relatively large airplane, it was very easy to see. The Ultra Stick appears mostly white in the air. First few times I flew it I had some minor orientation problems. Now with a dozen flights on it, that has gone away and I'm really, really, really enjoying flying this airplane. I flew it in 20mph winds and had no issues whatsoever.
Posted on: 6/16/2009 10:41 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8858006

RE: DX7 transmitter is buzzing
My JR X9303 and my son's Spektrum DX7 transmitters both buzz when on. My 57 year old ears can hear it.
Posted on: 6/12/2009 6:37 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "JR Radio & Spektrum Radios"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8847513

RE: Mastering a Trainer?
[quote]ORIGINAL: Herb Calvin Is hoovering really flying ? [/quote]I think it has something to do with a vacuum cleaner...
Posted on: 6/11/2009 1:28 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8844212

RE: Range of Spektrum's AR6100 Receiver (don't make the mistake I made)
My son flies a Mini Ultra Stick with the AR6100 and hasn't had an issue - even when it gets uncomfortably (to me) far out. The picture with the 6100 in the A-4... I see the antennae oriented horizontally. That would be ideal if the model were directly above or below you. If it was out a ways but only a few degrees above the horizon I'd smell a problem as the RX antennae are pointing at and away from you. Also be sure to orient your TX antenna so it's NOT pointed at the model. Bend it vertically or horizontally so the full length of the top portion radiates out TO the model. I've yet to have a glitch of any kind with either JR or Spektrum 2.4Ghz gear. It DOES behave a bit differently than 72Mhz equipment. Not any worse, mostly better but different.
Posted on: 6/8/2009 2:43 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8835775

RE: You Got'em Post'em
Me too - I fly both CL and RC. In fact, I'm currently prez of both clubs. I recently sold off a majority of my CL stuff. I'm NOT giving it up but simply don't have a lot of time for either facet of the hobby. Got laid off 2 months ago and spend 10-12 hours per day searching/applying for positions. Not the ideal time in the middle of one of the worst recessions in memory to be job-hunting... Here's a group shot of what I USED to fly. All except the Fancherized Twister now have new owners. Twister is being re-engined from an OS FP25 to an OS LA40. 2006 Fleet
Posted on: 6/8/2009 2:24 PM by Author "PipeMajor" in the forum "Control Lines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8835724