RE: Air Traffic Control
This is probably apochryphal, but I like it. In the late 1970s we had a system called "Flow Control" regulating the entry of flights into the UK airspace from the continent - problem being that almost everything flying from Europe to North America had to cross the UK FIRs. At peak times flights were held at the FIR boundaries awaiting their flow control clearance. One day a Lufhansa flight was held, orbiting and the Captain was getting a bit impatient. He tried the same gag as above - " I haff been flying to England since 1941" -to which a laconic voice replied " Yes, and you were having problems with entry clearance then as I recall." Silence. And this one is true, because I was that Air Traffic Controller. 1984/85 at a normally quiet RAF Station somewhere near Dover. We used to invite the USAFE to come down for a "Dover Cliffs Tour" where we would show them the White Cliffs and assorted historic monuments in return they would fly a few talk-down approaches for controller training and practice. Thanks to all SOFs at Lakenheath, Heyford, Bentwaters, Mildenhall, Alconbury and Woodbridge. One evening a KC-135E came down and went into the instrument pattern. He stayed for about an hour. Beneath finals for the duty runway was a housing development which had been built long after the military started operating from there in WW1. Eventually a householder got fed up with the noise of the KC-135E coming over his home every 10 minutes and he phoned ATC to complain [:@]. I was Supervisor and took the call. Householder was very angry [:@][:@] and would not be placated. Eventually.......... Householder. " That f*****g plane is so low I can see the markings" Junior RAF Officer. " Really, what are the markings?" Householder: " Stars" Junior RAF Officer. " What colour are the stars?" Hoiuseholder. " They're white" Junior RAF Officer: "Thank goodness for that, the systems working, they're not Red ." Next morning I spent a few uncomfortable minutes standing in front of the boss's desk with my hat on giving him a severe listening to. [&o]
Posted on: 2/11/2010 2:27 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9495929

RE: Fly Eagle Jet World No 1 Jet Model Manufacturer
[quote]ORIGINAL: AndyAndrews Everyone has their opinions. For me and many others who have lost jets due to their poor quality, they still fall way short of that goal. [/quote] To quote Claude Rains at the end of Casablanca - " Major Strasser has been shot, round up the usual suspects."
Posted on: 2/6/2010 3:10 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9481932

RE: Sepecat Jaguar wing section
Trumpeter are apparently doing a 1:32nd scale Jaguar. There are some shots of the prototype parts on BritModeller. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39211&st=60 Otherwise I think the 1:48th from Airfix is generally available.
Posted on: 12/26/2009 6:29 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9360521

RE: F22 : Shame on you !
[quote]ORIGINAL: rcjets_63 [quote]ORIGINAL: AndyAndrews Peter Collins: ''Rafale is perhaps the best pure dogfighter currently in service.'' [/quote] I'm with gunradd on this one. When it comes to doing the ''flip flop crap'', who cares. Dogfighting went out with WWII. Check out the stats; 80% of the fighter pilots who got shot down didn't even see the guy who nailed them let alone get into a dogfight with them. The two most important things for fighters are speed and stealth. Speed is typically #1, but if you are invisible (at least to radar) you don't have to be overly fast. As for the Rafale and other French technology, just check out the electrical system of a Renault and you'll see that we have nothing to worry about. Frankly, I'm surprised the Rafale even flies. Regards, Jim [/quote] Errr, so was the Ault report not about "dogfighting" following the unacceptable loss:kill ratios experienced in the early part of the air war over SE Asia? I seem to recall a USAF War Studies Instructor at the RAF College telling me, in 1983, how & why dogfighting had had to be re-learned; guns put back into fighters; agile fighters invented; and the Aggressor programme introduced. All because some techno junkies in the 1950s decided that beyond visual range fighters with long range missiles would rule the skies. We Brits had a similar problem with the Sandys Report in about 1956 - the death of the manned aircraft he thought.The Lightning survived Sandys, just - but was never properly developed; we next got stop-gap F4s with no integral gun; then Tornado F3's - with their Charge of the Light Brigade tactic of running head on into the oncoming massed Soviets over the North Sea and Iceland/Faroe gap - loose off 4 Skyflash - and hopefully bug out behind them for a stern pass with Sidewinders. Its only now that we are getting Typhoon that we have a proper agile fighter again. Besides, if the other guy has not got the all singing and dancing BVR machine, he is going to get into a turning fight with the high tech kit. It will be Mig 17 v F4C all over again.
Posted on: 12/11/2009 3:41 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9321263

RE: FlyEagleJet F-15 disintegrated in the air - WARNING
[quote]ORIGINAL: figueroa Glad to hear you have resolved your issues with FEJ. Now all they need is a responsible USA rep. Enjoy your new F15 C. jef [/quote] They have one. He is called James and I have always had very good experiences dealing with him. He answers my e-mails; he gets things done; he organised a custom paint scheme on my 1:5.5 Hawk; he ensured it was shipped so that I would be at home to receive it. He organises spare parts when I mess up. The secret, I find, is to treat people decently; be polite; fess up when the fault is yours; say please and thank you; and not shoot from the hip. Much Kudos to Uwe for his graceful admissions about un-read / spammed e-mails. It takes a man to stand up and say "I was wrong." Regards to all.
Posted on: 11/9/2009 5:26 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9241116

RE: FlyEagleJet F-15 disintegrated in the air - WARNING
So, overnight we have had ad hominem attacks on Mr DJ cluttering the thread with two pages of unhelpful point scoring; a trickle of further information about the airframe involved in the incident; and nobody choosing to comment upon the apparent unsafety of how the plane was being flown. Uwe professes to not want to hurt anybody. Query. What would have happened if that model had fallen apart in the pull up from that wacky fly-by toward the parked cars? Query. What was the level of risk of harm to anybody sitting in one of them? Does anybody on here targetting FEJ fancy sitting in a car watching that wreck approaching them? I do not expect so. Lets consider the history of the airframe some more. We [i][b]now[/b][/i] know that it was "strengthened" for a 16Kg turbine. That, by my rough reckoning is 35lbs thrust. What was the manufacturer's recommendation for turbine power at the time the model was sold? The current recommendation for both standard and advanced FEJ F-15Cs is 12 Kg/ 26 Lbs. So, someone, somewhere has wanted to overpower the incident airplane by 33%. Is anybody going to say that is a sensible / safe thing to do? Would their waivers be safe if they did something like that? As to the "strengthening" then plainly the "engineer" who did that failed to do anything to strengthen the spar box because if, and please note that word if, the spar box is inadequate for the model powered as recommended by FEJ, it sure as heck is inadequate for a model overpowered by 33%. Lets consider the apparent issue of grain in the spar construction. It looks to me as if the grain runs span-wise. The principal airborne load on a spar is vertical, so it seems to me that span-wise grain is the strongest way of constructing that box as the load will compress the grain. Conversely, vertical grain alignment would have loads shearing the grain. Now, as somebody has said, S*** Happens. I have lost plenty enough r/c planes to know that almost always it has been down to me - [b][i]if I am honest about it[/i][/b]. Lost RX power because I failed to check for blackwire after the winter lay-up; structural failure because I flew an Extra after a rough landing in which the wing-tip dug in without checking the wing; launching with the wrong model selected on the Tx; even once trying to fly a maiden with airlerons reversed. I hope that as a result I learned from the MISTAKES I MADE, but I know, for sure, that in none of them did I try and blame anybody else, far less the manufacturer of a boxed kit I bought in a shop; assembled; installed; carried to the flightline; and started to commit aviation with.
Posted on: 11/9/2009 4:36 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9239747

RE: FlyEagleJet F-15 disintegrated in the air - WARNING
So, pre-owned model - who knows how it was treated by owner #1? I still maintain that owner #2 was rather cavalier with it. Now, how are you boys who slated FEJ for not developing their product going to get around the fact that a 2 year old model, with questionable provenance, fell apart when the current product seems to be satisfactorily constructed?
Posted on: 11/8/2009 5:18 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9238384

RE: FlyEagleJet F-15 disintegrated in the air - WARNING
""I cannot understand fellow rc-jet-pilots who counter attacks, using remarks like, I think you hit a fence, or, you pushed it too hard, as I can hear on a poorly taken video!!! It could be right, I dont know, BUT my first suspect is not the consumer...sorry. "" Why? If you read my earlier post I identify a series of features of the maiden which, if you think about it, are suggestive of a less than meticulous approach to flying an RC jet on its maiden. No full & free check of the controls; launch straight into an aero routine on a maiden; no slow-speed handling check. An arguably dangerous low pass towards parked cars. All of that is visible on the video - not inferred. The inferences are a consequence of the visible behaviour. Uwe's response to that post is to argue that full sized aircraft pull 12G without the wings falling off. I doubt that very much. It is pointless equating high speed yank and bank with a $2000 model airplane to a $12M full sized fighter. I think the reality is that full-size jets, or rather their pilots, are limited to about 9G. But R/C jets are not full size; they are not made of titanium alloys and very high-tech composites. And who is to say what G-load was imposed on that airframe just before it broke up? It is an inference to be drawn from the demonstrated behaviours of the pilot.
Posted on: 11/8/2009 12:21 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9237865

RE: FlyEagleJet F-15 disintegrated in the air - WARNING
Interesting maiden. I didn't see any final check of controls before the first take-off; the strip is extremely rough for jets IMHO; after take-off it was straight into an aero routine; no low speed handling check; a ripshit series of haul and yank manoevres including, at minute 3:34 +, a low fly by directly toward the line of parked cars. I ask myself was this maiden safe? How much more of that kind of treatment did the jet get before the final flight? And on the breakup flight it looks very much to me as if the wing structure gave up as the pilot hauled out of a high energy dive. The plane was going too fast for the camera operator to track it. Are we really surprised?
Posted on: 11/8/2009 7:37 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9237339

RE: FEJ Where We're Goin' Tomorrow
I think there is a clue in the company name - Fly Eagle Jet [8|] For my 2 cents I'd support a P120 powered single seat Hunter. The full size plane had near worldwide service; there are plenty still around in private hands; plenty of great colour schemes.
Posted on: 11/1/2009 1:00 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9220164

RE: Fuel tank Plumbing
There is a useful schematic diagram on Skymaster's website at http://www.skymasterjet.com/image3/62.jpg
Posted on: 10/31/2009 1:00 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9217682

RE: Working missiles............ really?
[quote]ORIGINAL: Gazzer Hey Merlin, I know Salisbury Plain a little too well!!! EX military and cas evaced off, after going for it too much in 90deg plus!!! Larkhill School Of Gunnery........ hmmmmmmm have they got a runway?? If I could establish proper control of a missile, (it would no longer be a rocket) then that would be really quite something, and if launched off an aircraft, again, it would be spectacular. A bit like that NASA coverage of the scram jet, drop, ignite whhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! But, I go back to safety first, but one day, maybe one day, perhaps the PCM failsafe releases the chute early???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gazzer [/quote] I don't know about Larkhill having a runway but the Stanford Battle Training Area (Norfolk) and the one up in Northumberland (name temporarily escapes me) both have ashphalt Harrier strips. Can't say whether access is feasible but no harm in asking.
Posted on: 10/19/2009 2:36 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9184517

RE: FEJ 1/5,5 F-16 build thread
I really don't know if this has been mentioned before, but my understanding is that a full size fast-jet pilot confronted with a flameout would convert excess speed to height. I understand that this is to buy time to try a re-light which we do not have avaialble, but it seems to me that by trading speed for height you buy time to manoeuvre. I do NOT want to start a discussion about full size techniques - I was only an air trafficker, not aircrew.
Posted on: 9/30/2009 3:41 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9135089

RE: Hawk Scheme I've not seen before...
Have a look at the latest FEJ 1:5.5 BAe Hawk scheme. It is this year's RAF Display Hawk with the very un-British ripped metal effect between the overall black and a stylised Union Flag running from the intakes to the fin. It also has a modified large RAF roundel on the underside with a heart shaped centre - all to mark the 90th Anniversaty of the RAF Benevolent Fund. I have to say I think it is a fantastic scheme and looks to me to have practical benefits for visibility of the jet.
Posted on: 9/29/2009 3:25 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9132224

RE: Funny how things change....
Isn't the point that an airplane is an airplane and if you forget the basics any plane will bite you? That assumes people ever knew the basics to begin with. I am frequently amazed that apparently competent R/C fliers seem to have no understanding of the principles of flight; of the primary and secondary effects of controls; and the correct techniques for controlling speed and rate of descent on approach. How many times do you see someone diving their plane at the landing strip, yanking back and then being caught out as it balloons up and flies along the strip with no prospect of landing in the first three-quarters of it? How often do you see apparently experienced R/C fliers flying circuits ( closed patterns) ? It seems always to be light the fire, commit aviation and then yank and bank for 10 minutes before plonking the thing down on the strip for a quick refuel and off for more. Yet a few circuits in the final 4 minutes would consolidate all of the basic handling skills that are needed to make a safe landing. I have similar observations about practice deadstick landings - very few people ever practise and then wonder why they are caught unawares if/when it happens for real. I am not advocating actually killing the motor - but why not practise with the motor at tickover? If you are well informed about what you are doing and continue to think about it, problems, such as "getting behind the throttle" should not arise. Just my 2cents.........
Posted on: 9/16/2009 12:04 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9100446

RE: new Projects from Skymaster
Well, if its British and 1950s (design) lets hear it please for the Blackburn Buccaneer. Fast; savagely good looking; loads of volume for fuel and kit.
Posted on: 9/15/2009 10:53 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9097354

RE: Skymaster ARF Plus 1:5 scale F-104G
I don't know about it being a widow maker, but it has the potential to be a marriage breaker[sm=49_49.gif]
Posted on: 9/15/2009 6:22 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9096929

RE: Look who came to play out today..
RATS! I thought it was too cold to be standing around.........
Posted on: 9/13/2009 5:46 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9092565

RE: Laser welded jet pipes - see sample @ Jetpower
Hi, I'll PM shortly, thanks. sperx
Posted on: 9/10/2009 3:15 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9084584

RE: Laser welded jet pipes - see sample @ Jetpower
Very interesting - just a shame that a recent (31st August at 19:50hrs UK local) enquiry via the GBR Jet website has gone unanswered. Perhaps they are busy?
Posted on: 9/10/2009 3:00 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9084510

RE: DON'T FLINTCH.........
He didn't flinch either [sm=75_75.gif]
Posted on: 9/9/2009 1:54 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9080794

RE: FlyEagle Large F18 coming soon
Its pretty clear to me that some people have an agenda with FEJ and will take any and every opportunity to post negative comment about them and their products. For my part my experience of FEJ has been entirely positive both commercially and in terms of after-sales. My contacts with James have been positive; helpful; friendly. Maybe its because my style is not to wade into him with both 6-guns blazing and that I remember to say "Please, can you help me?" No, my F15 has not yet flown, purely because I am very slow at assembling it and, because I make my living away from the world of RC, I am time poor. As for criticism of them posting pictures of the full size plane as a taster of what is to come, what is the problem? Not everybopdy out there has an encyclopedic knowledge of aircraft recognition - its almost 25 years since the F106 went out of service and they only ever served in the continental USA. That means something like 4Bn people will never have had the opportunity to see one in real life. Besides, a lot of people will not know the difference between an F106 and an F102 - easy to confuse them isn't it? If they produce an A10 it will fill a demand - very few can realistically afford to put $23,000 into the air with a MiBo A10. But viewing other threads seems to disclose that there is an appetite out there for an A10 and that several attempts to meet that demand have led to, shall we say, recriminations? Lets also remember that FEJ ran a ballot as to its next release. The Tornado won the popular vote and they produced it. Isn't that what entrepreneurs do; identify the demand of the market and then meet it?
Posted on: 9/3/2009 3:02 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9066246

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
[quote]ORIGINAL: USSCAT Sperx, I am using heavy duty JR ARMS (plastic composite) on the 8611s that I am using, and yes I had to open the holes a bit for the screw to fit on the shaft end. regards, Mike [/quote] Mike, I stumbled upon this on the Troybuilt Models website. << Servo arms Must... are a no-no. Cheers SPERX
Posted on: 9/1/2009 1:59 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9061938

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
[quote]ORIGINAL: USSCAT Sperx, I used metal clevises for the servo arem end. If anyone thinks that is not a good idea, please let me know. Regards, Mike [/quote] Is that onto the HiTec ( or similar) metal servo arm? Did you drill the tailplane shaft horn to 3mm to match the bolts supplied? BTW... weeks ago - cheap model shop bolts failed on him. SPERX
Posted on: 8/31/2009 1:45 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9059058

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
[u]Another Question[/u]. I have been playing around with the tailplane linkage. What type of arm is recommended for the servo - I am using Hi-Tec HS-7855TG. I have 3mm bolts for the control rod ball-joint. However, when I drill the hole in the HiTec aluminium servo arm it looks to me as if the is very little "meat" let between the new 3mm hole and the next hole in the arm. Is this a recipie for an in-flight failure? If so, which servo arms are recommended. Surely we do not down-size the bolt to 2mm? A similar problem appears to be looming with the control arm on the tailplane ball-race shaft too. Thanks again.
Posted on: 8/31/2009 12:42 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9058845

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
Me too - it arrived last October. I have an integral garage as a workshop but it was too cold to be out there most of the last winter; plus of course I have to work to fund the hobby. I have not yet decided on CofG - I'll review the various posts on this thread but if anything it will be in the forward part of the range as I do not want a twitchy maiden - I'll be puckering enough ;-)
Posted on: 8/30/2009 10:06 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9056247

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
No, I don't think so. There is a former not too far behind the nose gear unit - and the fuselage join is just behind that. Lastly there is just no space to work in there. I have thought about using long rods, but they would have to be quite heavy duty in order to avoid/minimise flexing. On balance I think snakes are a reasonable compromise. They can be routed through holes in the formers around the nose well; will operate quite smoothly even if slightly convoluted; and are protected from being snagged because they are in their outer sheaths. I agree that the scale gear looks great, the mains are similalry cool visually as they twist'n'turn to lie flat inside the fuselage. I have to say that the look of the plane is absolutely great and the slow progress is entirely down to me. If it flies as well as the magazine review suggests and if I have pre-empted the reported leaky air systems with my methodical approach, then I shall be delighted.
Posted on: 8/30/2009 3:48 AM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9055896

RE: Field box
Here is my box for nitro powered planes - I'll build something similar for the jet over winter. The basic chassis came from B&Q ( Home Depot) and the upper half detaches with two clips on the sides. In the base I have fuel and two 12v gel batteries and the power panel. I installed a 24v outlet on the side ( both batteries in series ) and they operate in parallel to supply the power panel. [image] Photobucket [/image] The upper half has a lift out tool tray with space below for a starter; boxes of useful stuff; my insurance document; spare props etc. Photobucket
Posted on: 8/29/2009 2:10 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9054493

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
Here is an annotated shot of the steering mechanism [image] Photobucket [/image] And here is the side view of the nose gear showing the brace assembly. [image] Photobucket [/image]
Posted on: 8/29/2009 2:02 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9054484

RE: Fly Eagle F-15 (1/9) Building Thread
[quote]ORIGINAL: drdoom Better steering may result in the model remaining on the wheels, and NOT the wing tips.... [/quote] Yes, I understand that is a recurring problem with these F-15s.
Posted on: 8/28/2009 6:13 PM by Author "SPERX" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9052727