RE: Can I use Epoxy on A Foamie?
Epoxy works good on foam, but use it sparingly. It can add noticeable amounts of weight and may impact flight performance on very lightweight planes.
Posted on: 9/16/2012 6:39 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11230496

RE: Airtronics sd-10g-super OR Futaba 8fg
I am another very happy Airtronics SD-10g owner who still flies my Futaba 72mhz radio on occasion. I think the 8FG Super is a terrific radio, but I sure wouldn't trade my SD-10g for one. Airtronics offers a unique blend of quality, reliability, and value. Futaba radio systems are an excellent alternative for those times when Airtronics radio systems simply aren't priced high enough.
Posted on: 9/16/2012 6:35 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11230492

RE: Scale pattern plane?
One of the guys in our club used to fly pattern with a Giles 202. I'd expect most of the Giles, Staudacher, or Extra scale models would flying pattern pretty well.
Posted on: 9/11/2012 2:35 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Classic RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11225383

RE: Super Sport 40s
Cool video, Novrizal! That is the World Models Super Sports 40s ARF, correct? I could see from your video history that you've had at least two of these beauties and you've flown them with an O.S. Max .40 LA and a Super Tigre G-51 ringed engine as well as your O.S. Max .55 AX. The video where you're flying your red ARF with the .40 LA looks like it was flying great; the yellow ARF with the .55 AX was really fast. This looks like a great alternative for RC pilots looking for a Goldberg Tiger 2 ARF that can't find one. Thanks for sharing!
Posted on: 9/11/2012 1:29 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11225317

RE: Beginner TX probably Airtronics RDS 8000
The Airtronics SD-6g is well worth a look also. I have two RDS8000 transmitters and an SD-10g, and they're all great radios. The SD-6g overcomes a couple of the weak points (minor though they may be) of the RDS8000: 1) No dual rates or exponential on the rudder channel (SD-6g has it, RDS8000 doesn't unless you're in heli mode) 2) 3 character model naming (the SD-6g has much better model naming) 3) LCD prone to darkening/blacking out in direct sunlight (SD-6g much less problematic) Both radios offer advanced programming and mixing for helicopters and sailplanes as well as regular fixed wing aircraft. Good luck and good shopping! [image]http://www.hobbypeople.net/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/800x600/e5c3f25dbe2a3021345b55270d5894a1/7/5/751660_6.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 9/5/2012 9:24 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11219093

RE: Goldberg Tiger Club
I have a 20-year old kit built Tiger 2: [image]http://images.rcuniverse.com/gallery/photos/184279/lg-59193.jpg[/image] It's since been recovered after this photo was taken. I also have a Protege .60 ARF, which is essentially the high wing version of the Tiger, and a Tiger 2 ARF. After flying these planes, you can't question the fact that Carl Goldberg was a genius!
Posted on: 9/5/2012 8:57 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11219071

RE: Super Tigre .45 or Evolution .46NT
Super Tigre engines are now made by GMS, who also makes their own line of engines. They also used to manufacture the Tower Hobbies brand engines. I really like the Chinese-made Super Tigre engines; the story has it that the family that owns Super Tigre had the factory tooling moved from Italy to China when they first moved production to Asia. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's a good story. The Evolution glow engines are made by Sanye, who makes engines under their own brand name as well as Magnum and ASP. Evolution gasoline engines are reportedly made for Horizon Hobby by MVVS, and have a wonderful reputation as some of the best gasoline engines for model aircraft that you can buy. Another major glow engine OEM in China is Jiang Blue Arrow. They manufacture their own JBA line of glow and gasoline engines as well as the SK line of glow engines carried by http://www.kangkeusa.com and http://www.bj-model-engines.com/home.html at this time. JBA is also said to manufacture the VMax engine line for http://www.richmondrc.com in Canada. They probably were also the OEM behind the old Tiger Shark line of glow engines, but that is a guess on my part. If you were curious about other engines made in free market economies, you could add Enya (Japan) to the list along side of O.S. Max (Japan) and Thunder Tiger (Taiwan). Enya engines can be purchased directly from the company's website at http://www.enya-engine.com where you'll likely want to select "English" as your preferred language. If I were in your shoes, AJ, and owned a Super Tigre GS-45 and an Evolution .46 NT, I'd use the Super Tigre GS-45 and try to sell the Evolution .46NT. The Super Tigre is the superior of the two in terms of quality and power.
Posted on: 8/30/2012 10:11 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11212278

RE: SD 10G Flight mode clarification
The SD-10g will give you everything you want and more. You can set up several unique flight modes for each of the 40 aircraft (20 standard plus 20 more with memory upgrade) that you program into your SD-10g. The variety of available flight modes will be specific to whether you select "Aero", "Heli", or "Glid" for each model type, hence the comment that the flight modes are unique to each type of aircraft. The SD-10g is a very flexible and versatile radio. It's a sound investment and a terrific value.
Posted on: 8/30/2012 9:50 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Airtronics Support Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11212261

RE: Omaha Pattern Championships
[quote]ORIGINAL: PatternFlyer 7 Sportsman 3 Intermediate 4 Advanced 9 Masters I believe we had two crashes in sportsman. One was ESC problem one in the intermediate had receiver problem in two flights, but saved the plane and took first place. one in the Masters had radio or receiver problem, but finished the contest without an incident. First time to see that many Sportsman in years! It was my first time at Omaha. Great field. Club had lots of support from members. I would like to thank Robert & Bob for having an excellent contest. All other Omaha Hawk members. I couldn't get her name, but the lady who took all the pictures of the pilots. She stayed all two days taking pictures. I will be there again. Wind changed directions a lot, but mostly from NNE or NNW. Wasn't very strong. [/quote] The lady who took all of the pictures is Mrs. Big Ed Mustafa, a.k.a. Helen Paasch. We've been making a conscious effort to encourage more pilots to try flying NSRCA pattern with us. Two of the sportsman pilots, Jeff Jacobs and Greg Nelson, had never flown in a pattern contest before and had only been practicing the Sportsman sequence for a short while. Jeff Jacobs took 1st place with his trusty old Sig Kougar kit, and Greg Nelson came in fourth place with his Great Planes Escapade .60 ARF. It's great to see that new Sportsman fliers can be competitive, and they don't need 2 meter competition planes to be successful. Jeff Jacobs is a very experienced RC pilot who enjoys flying war birds and sport planes, it was great to see him do so well. Greg Nelson is new to the hobby and started flying RC with us less than a year ago. Robert Green deserves a lot of the credit for helping to mentor and encourage the club's fledgling pattern pilots.
Posted on: 8/29/2012 10:24 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11211179

RE: Rc su29 onboard camera maiden Evening flight :D
That is some beautiful scenery! I need you to make another pass, though. I still can't find my ball. :D
Posted on: 8/29/2012 9:41 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11211149

2012 Don Neill Memorial Scale Contest
August 26th 2012 saw the beginning of a new era for the Don Neill Memorial Scale Contest. Hosted this year at the Western RC Flyers’ field in Mead, NE, the contest represents the combined scale events for three area clubs. The Western RC Flyers, the Lincoln Sky Knights, and the Omahawks RC clubs decided to combine their resources to create a large event that could be enjoyed by pilots from all over Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. Combining the three smaller club events into a single large regional event was the brain child of pilots Jim Henley and Dean Copeland, the event coordinators. Jim and Dean worked diligently for months, first convincing three different clubs to work together, then raising money for prizes beyond what the entry fees would provide, and lining up sponsorships from companies happy to support the growth of scale modeling in the RC community. The event, originally delayed a day because of some much-needed rain, got off to a quick start. Pilots began arriving in the early morning to enjoy coffee and doughnuts while unloading their planes and setting up their pit areas. The overcast sky provided calm flying conditions and a comfortable temperature for the day’s flying fun. The contest offers four distinct categories in which to compete, with pilots sorting themselves out into Civilian, Military, and ARF categories. A Team Scale category was offered, but didn’t draw any entries this year. The Hobbytown USA store in Lincoln, NE generously contributed a large amount of the prizes, with Hobbytown USA gift cards being handed out in various amounts for first ($100), second($75), and third place ($50) in each of the categories flown. A special raffle raised additional prize money for a pilot’s drawing for $100 cash. Additional door prizes from sponsors Sig Manufacturing, Tower Hobbies, RTL Fasteners, and Electro Dynamics were also awarded to pilots throughout the event. Pilots and spectators were treated to terrific flying and some truly amazing aircraft throughout the event. Mike Crosby’s beautiful black and yellow Taylorcraft model was a crowd favorite, winning “Pilot’s Choice� for the Civilian Scale category, while Dean Copeland’s T-28 Trojan model drew enough envious stares to wrap up “Pilot’s Choice� for the Military Scale category. Mike Crosby not only won “Pilot’s Choice� with his Taylorcraft model, he took first place overall in Civilian Scale, with pilot Rich Kuenning and his Sukhoi SU-26 model taking second place, and pilot Bob Roegge and his twin-tail Ercoup model winning third place. Dean Copeland followed suit, winning first place overall in Military Scale in addition to wrapping up “Pilot’s Choice� for the same category. Event co-host Jim Henley won second place with his smooth-flying Fairchild PT-19 model, and the Contest Director for the event, Rick Miller, won third place in Military Scale with his F4 Phantom model. Western RC Flyers club president Rick Miller gave himself a real challenge for the day’s festivities. Rick flew his gray F4 Phantom model against a light gray and hazy sky. He also competed in the ARF category with his FW-190 model, and he ran the grill and cooked lunch for everybody in attendance! That’s a full day’s work. What was most amazing about Rick’s performance? The bratwurst and hot dogs were cooked perfectly. Perhaps because of all of his other activities, Rick didn’t manage to win the ARF category. Don Dickey took first place in the ARF category with some brilliant flying. Rick Miller did manage to take second place in the ARF category with another great flying performance. Pilot Ed Paasch rounded out the leaders for the ARF category with a third place finish. A quick check of the ARF standings on the scoreboard showed that event co-host Dean Copeland had actually won the ARF category as well with his smooth flying twin-engine Grumman F7F model. Dean graciously removed himself from the standings, allowing other pilots to share a bit of the limelight. Having participated in the inaugural Tri-Club Don Neill Memorial Scale Contest, I can say without any doubt that Jim Henley and Dean Copeland have created something much bigger than the sum of its parts. It was a wonderful day of flying, with some truly close competition. It was also a great excuse for flying friends who don’t get to enjoy each others’ company often enough to get together, fly, and enjoy some camaraderie. It is proof positive good things happen when different clubs work together. Planning for next year’s Don Neill Memorial Scale Contest for 2013 at the Lincoln Sky Knights’ field in Waverly, NE is already underway. I can’t imagine any pilot who participated in this years’ event not marking this down on his calendar for next year, and bringing a couple of additional pilots along with them to enjoy all of the fun!
Posted on: 8/29/2012 10:54 AM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11210411

RE: Good 2nd Low Wing?
I think you've got an excellent candidate for your next plane picked out already. The Escapade is a terrific flying low wing trainer and sport model. The .60-size ARF is a bargain considering the quality of construction and materials as well as the flying characteristics. Pair one up with your favorite .61 2-stroke and the smile will likely never leave your face.
Posted on: 8/18/2012 10:00 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11198352

The Return of the Avistar RTF - Now it's Elite!
Tower Hobbies has just added a catalog entry for the new Great Planes Avistar Elite .46 RTF: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LNCNSW&P=G This new Avistar is being marketed as a Great Planes trainer rather than a Hobbico product like the current Avistar ARF and former Avistar RTF trainers. At $339.99 before discounts, it isn't priced as a bargain plane. It will be interesting to see what radio and engine have been bundled with the package. The engine in the picture looks to have a round cylinder head like the Thunder Tiger Pro .46, but the muffler looks more like an O.S. Power Box muffler like the one that comes with the O.S. Max .46 AX. Will Great Planes bundle the Futaba 6J with this new Avistar Elite, or go with the Tactic TTX 404 or TTX 600 radio? The Futaba 4YF 2.4Ghz isn't buddy box capable, so I'm hoping they won't choose it for the RTF trainer. The flight instructors at my club have been longing for the return of the Avistar RTF; I'm excited to learn more about what Great Planes has in mind!
Posted on: 8/8/2012 8:30 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11186405

RE: Are slow sticks god to start with?
I enjoy flying my Slow Stick. Getting the Center of Gravity (CG) set correctly can be a little tricky for a new pilot, however. You would benefit from getting some expert help when setting up the plane before the first flight. The GWS Slow Stick is a wonderful airplane that is very versatile and fun to fly. The GWS instruction manual for the Slow Stick, however, is a textbook example of "Chinglish" and the directions are often confusing. As for flight simulators, I'm a big fan of the ClearView flight simulator, which is free to download at http://www.rcflightsim.com and only $39.99 to register once your trial period is up. I've flown the ClearView flight simulator with the ESky USB sim controller ($19.99 to $27.99 at an e-tailer near you) with very good results. Another very high quality choice for a relatively inexpensive simulator package is Ikarus' Easy Fly 4 priced at $99 with a USB controller: http://shop.ikarus-usa.com/easyfly-4/easyfly4-flight-simulator-easy-commander-version/ Good luck, and good shopping!
Posted on: 7/5/2012 10:31 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11144865

RE: Wings For Wishes Benefit Fun Fly
Good luck, justplanecrazy2916! It sounds like a terrific event. The Omahawks are gearing up for their 33rd annual Labor Day Air Show to benefit Make-A-Wish of Nebraska. It's a great organization, and helping raise money and public awareness for Make-A-Wish is a great way for aeromodelers to give back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW4TJCtwI6Y
Posted on: 6/29/2012 12:57 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11136823

RE: Are all RC forum's activity in decline?
[quote]ORIGINAL: TexasAirBoss For one thing, RCU isn't the only game in town anymore. RCU might be trending the same as other sites now, but a few years ago those sites did not exist. They must have sucked away traffic from RCU by thier very creation. Heck, HobbyKing has forums. [/quote] I agree with TexasAirBoss on this point. Online RC forums are getting more and more specialized. Electric and foamy pilots tend to gravitate toward RCG. Profile guys all hang out at the ProBro web site. The giant scale gas pilots tend to hang out at Flying Giants. The helicopter guys frequent Helifreaks or RunRyder. I see the RCU and RCG downward trend being primarily due to this specialization of SIGs within the RC community. The idea that "everything has been talked about already" or "new people aren't getting into the RC hobbies" are subjective viewpoints. Beginner helicopters, airplanes, boats, trucks, and buggies continue to sell, and the same old topics of conversation are new to folks trying various RC segments out for the first time. I was drawn most strongly to RCU when I first started flying actively because it contained the most active and comprehensive information about the parts of the hobby that I was primarily interested in. RCU might not be designed specifically to cater to folks interested in glow trainers, glow sport planes, pattern planes, kit building, and glow engines, but those sections of RCU seem to be far better and busier than similar subsections of other online forums. For me, it was a great fit. Over the years, I've been able to begin answering almost as many questions as I've asked. I've gained a tremendous appreciation for many of the moderators who not only donate their time to keep the peace around here, but who also happily offer up their own sage advise when the opportunity arises. There are a great many regulars here on RCU whose opinions I value, moderator and basic user alike. I don't honestly believe that the economy is hurting this hobby. My local flying club has enjoyed rising membership over the last three or four seasons (174 strong in 2011), and we're welcoming new pilots into the club all the time. Some folks are hurting out there, and struggling to get by. Other folks are doing OK. Still other folks are trying to decide if they want to go with a YS 170 for their new 2M Vanquish or if electric would be better. Who has cash and who is struggling will vary, but enough folks have money to spend on recreational activities to keep the world turning. Radio control enthusiasts simply have more choices than ever before when it comes to online forums, and they're spreading out to the particular forum that best caters to their strongest area of interest. How can RCU attract giant scale pilots who are hanging out on Flying Giants, or helicopter pilots that normally only read RunRyder? That I don't have the answer to. The trick for RCU to attract new members would be to capitalize on a new niche of online forum without upsetting any current advertisers. I believe there is a huge pent-up demand out there for a good, reliable forum to openly discuss all of the crazy Hong Kong electronics that are being marketed and purchased worldwide. If a web site were to actually review some of these products from time to time, that website would definitely draw traffic. Products like $59 9-channel 2.4Ghz radios and $35 high torque metal gear digital servos get discussed amongst modellers all the time, but large RC websites don't discuss them openly for fear of upsetting the Horizon/Hobbico/Global advertising cash flow. I thought that XJet and his http://www.rcmodelreviews.com website might really be on to something when he started reviewing FrSky 2.4Ghz modules and receivers and SK .90 glow engines. He doesn't really have the time or resources to develop a steady stream of new web content, but his website is surprisingly well-known simply because of the interest in the topics that he explores. I get the impression that most RC magazine readers and most online forum users would say that, when you get right down to it, the wants of the advertiser seem to be of more concern than the wants of the reader or user. Advertisers pay the bills and make the payroll, but they only show up when there are enough readers. A 32% downward drop in unique viewers should provide a pretty loud alarm that something is out of balance. Identifying new/different/hot niches within the RC Universe and expanding your coverage and forum offerings in these areas is the general solution to the problem. The trick is trying to actually execute this goal before a small and more nimble website beats you to it.
Posted on: 6/20/2012 2:22 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11125628

RE: Best trainer plane for a Complete Beginner
I've seen several pilots at our club have great success with the new Hobbico Sensei trainer: http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/airplanes/flza3010/index.html http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=1368 The Sensei is available with or without a radio system, so you can use your existing radio or get one included with the plane. We've had two new pilots solo very quickly on their Sensei trainers, and they both still enjoy flying them even though they've added more challenging aircraft to their hangars. Another pilot, a gentleman who seems to have a terrible time keeping any other trainer up and flying successfully, bought a Sensei a couple of months ago. He's been flying it regularly and it still looks like brand new. There are plenty of good electric trainer aircraft out there. I sure wouldn't try to talk anyone out of purchasing a Radian glider or an Apprentice 15e. I've just seen a number of recent successes with Sensei owners. Having flown them myself, I think the Sensei makes a really good aileron trainer. I also like the fact that you can pick your own brand of radio equipment if you'd like.
Posted on: 6/19/2012 9:36 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11124706

Seeing success with the Hobbico Sensei
I just wanted to add a quick post here to mention the success I've been seeing at our club with new pilots flying the Hobbico Sensei trainer. We had two pilots who joined the club late last summer and both soloed before the snow flew while training on new Sensei trainers. A third pilot, who has a reputation for quickly destroying some of the easiest flying trainers on the market, got a new Sensei a couple of months ago. He's been flying it regularly, and I was shocked this evening when I saw it out at the field and it still looked brand new. I'm seeing pilots flying the Sensei very successfully. The two who soloed on theirs have both moved on to more aerobatic aircraft and continue to do well. I hadn't seen a lot of comments about this plane one way or the other, so I wanted to put my two cents out there. The Hobbico Sensei is a great flying aircraft, an excellent training platform, and a terrific value for the price. http://www.flyzoneplanes.com/airplanes/flza3010/index.html http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=1368
Posted on: 6/18/2012 9:31 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Electric Training"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11123309

RE: Airtronics users
I'm another Airtronics 2.4Ghz pilot with two RDS8000 transmitters and one SD-10g transmitter. The SD-10g works flawlessly with all of my FHSS-1 receivers. I really, really enjoy flying my SD-10g with a wide assortment of helicopters, aerobatic airplanes, and even my 84" wingspan Quaker old timer. It has an immense assortment of programming and mixing capabilities, but is very easy to set up and use. I also enjoy the 3-model speed dial feature that lets me pick my three favorite aircraft without having to go into the menus. If you do happen to fly with FHSS-3 receivers, the SD-10g has a feature identical to the Spektrum/JR "Model Match" called Safety Link, where you can't accidentally fly with the wrong model selected. The SD-10g is a terrific radio system and an outstanding value.
Posted on: 6/17/2012 9:03 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11121931

RE: recommendation for small trainer ARF
Just offering a +1 on the Phoenix Models Sonic High Wing. I have a Sonic High Wing and a Sonic Low Wing; they're both terrific airplanes.
Posted on: 6/14/2012 11:10 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118813

RE: Best 2.4 upgrade
The new Airtronics SD-6g is a very solid value at $199.99 street price. It offers advanced programming and mixing capabilities for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, yet is easy to use. It has a very high quality fit and finish; it simply looks and feels like a more expensive radio than it's price tag would suggest. Extra 6-channel full range receivers are readily available for around $60, and RX500 full range 5-channel receivers are only $50 or so. What's not to love? [image]http://www.airtronics.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x600/e5c3f25dbe2a3021345b55270d5894a1/7/5/751660_6.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 6/14/2012 11:05 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118812

RE: Dx8 still has problems
[quote]ORIGINAL: TimBle With NiMH packs you need to take them through a forming charge of about 16 -24 hrs depending on capacity. They don't need to be cycled 5 times! I'd never buy a NiMH packs on Friday and fly it on Saturday. The one I''ve used I purchased on a Tuesday and left it on the charger till the Saturday i flew. Its 2 years old and sees regular and reliable use in my slope soaring combat wing where flight times are easy 1 hour with lots of servo and battery abuse [/quote] The receiver pack that I'd mentioned previously had a 16-to-24 hour forming charge on it and it exhibited the glitching that I described. Cycling it three times at 1/10th C eliminated the glitching. I'm not disagreeing with you in principle, TimBle, only describing what happened and what resolved the issue. Would you at least concur that many RC pilots aren't quite so cautious as you are with their new receiver batteries?
Posted on: 6/14/2012 10:58 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118807

RE: Dx8 still has problems
[quote]ORIGINAL: llindsey1965 ...all the batteries were brand new and all were nimh  fully charged and load tested before the flights... [/quote] I recently suffered a radio glitch with my Airtronics SD-10g. I had a 2000Mah 6v NiMH receiver pack that I had slow charged (1/10th C or 200Mah charge rate) before flying. My first flight went off without a hitch, but on my second flight I noticed some delayed responses when doing rolling manuevers. I'd roll the plane inverted, and when I went to flip it back to right side up, the ailerons wouldn't react for a second or two. I managed to finish my flight safely and land succussfully. Once back on the ground, a range test showed that I had jittering control surfaces at 35 paces while in low power mode. I'd never had any kind of radio glitch with my SD-10g, and I'd just flown two other planes with it without issue. The receiver in the plane that glitched was one I've flown for years that had never been crashed. My problem? I'd used a brand new, fully charged and load-tested NiMH pack that hadn't been properly cycled enough. I realized I'd only slow charged it the one time before taking the plane out to the field. I packed up and took the plane home. I put it on my battery charger and cycled it three times at 200Mah down then 200Mah up. A couple of days later (the three cycles took about 40 hours total at 1/10th C down then up), the plane range tested perfectly without the jitters and it has never "glitched" again. If you don't properly "shape charge" or "season" your NiMH packs before flying them, you'll likely experience radio glitches with any brand of radio. This can happen with 72Mhz or 2.4Ghz radio platforms. I knew better, and I still flew without properly cycling my new receiver pack because I was excited to fly the plane. I meant to cycle the battery more before that first flight, but after I wrapped it in foam and tucked it into the fuselage, I forgot that it was a completely brand new pack. How many pilots do you know who probably have no idea that they should slow cycle their NiMH packs three to five times before flying them? How many pilots do you know who may have been told this before, but who couldn't possibly stand to wait an extra 48 hours to fly their new plane because their receiver pack needs to cycle? The DX8 certainly had a difficult birth, but Horizon Hobby has worked tenaciously to iron out the issues that have popped up since the radio's initial release. Some of the best RC pilots that I know fly the DX8, and swear by the DX8. These same guys experienced problems initially and worked with Horizon's outstanding service and support team to get them resolved. The current revision of the Spektrum DX8 with up to date firmware and using a DSMX receiver is just as reliable as the Futaba 8FG, the Aurora 9, the JR XG8, or the Airtronics SD-10g. I honestly believe that the majority of "radio problems" or "radio lockouts" are actually due to battery issues. Too many pilots are ill informed about the proper care and handling of NiMH packs. Our original poster never mentioned whether he took the time to slow cycle his receiver packs three to five times before he tried flying them. Hopefully he did. The phrase "brand new batteries" ought to be a red flag when you're reading many of these "Brand X radio killed my airplanes" stories, along with the ubiquitous, "I just lost my brand new plane to my Brand X radio" post. Transmitters and receivers don't kill airplanes; new receiver batteries that haven't been cycled properly kill airplanes.
Posted on: 6/14/2012 10:42 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118801

RE: Glow plug type for Magnum 4 strokes?
These engines run well on a variety of 4-stroke plugs. The O.S. F-type will work well, as will the Fox Miracle plug and the McCoy MC-4C plug.
Posted on: 6/14/2012 10:02 AM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118079

RE: Thunder Tiger 4 stroke engines...any good?
I own Thunder Tiger, Magnum, Saito, and Enya 4-strokes, and I love them all. My TT F-91s is a real stump-puller! I've heard there is a new company named O.S. Max that is making 4-strokes now, as well. I'll have to check into those...
Posted on: 6/6/2012 2:31 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11109092

RE: Best 2.8 upgrade?
[quote]ORIGINAL: heatcool3137 I am a loyal 72mhz flyer, and have been regularly considering the upgrade to 2.4. I have several airtronics rd's, 2 rd6000's and an rd8000, and they have never failed me. Was considering an rds8 2.4ghz system, but there are so many others out there. The spektrum radios are so expensive! Are they better? What about Hitec? What about 2.4 rx's? If I buy an Airtronics radio, can I link with other brand rx's? So many questions... [/quote] I flew Futaba radio equipment on 72Mhz when I first started flying RC. I switched to Airtronics when the RDS8000 first came out, however, because I liked that Airtronics was selling its 2.4Ghz 8-channel full range receiver for about the same cost as a 72Mhz receiver and crystal. This is my fourth year of flying Airtronics 2.4Ghz; I currently own two RDS8000 transmitters and one SD-10g radio. I couldn't be happier with them. Airtronics offers a terrific line of transmitters, a wide array of affordable receivers for virtually all applications, and the FHSS-3 modulation system available with the SD-10g is best-in-class for high performance flying. There are plenty of nice radio systems on the market; I have plenty of flying buddies who are happy with the Futaba, Hitec, JR, and Spektrum brands. The SD-6g and SD-10g radio systems from Airtronics will stack up very, very favorably against the offerings from any of the other manufacturers. If I weren't flying Airtronics for any particular reason, I would be looking very closely at the Hitec Optic 6 2.4Ghz (non Sport version), Eclipse 7 Pro 2.4Ghz, or Aurora 9 2.4Ghz transmitters. They all offer very high quality and value in their respective price segments, also. I would also take a very serious look at the new Futaba 8J FHSS radio system. The new JR DSMM radios, the Spektrum DSMX radios, and the Futaba FASST radios all offer outstanding features and performance as well. Extra 7-channel or 8-channel receivers tend to be pricier with these platforms compared to Airtronics, Hitec, or Futaba FHSS 2.4Ghz platforms. Airtronics is a very strong choice for a 2.4Ghz radio system. They have a lot to offer with regard to features and value, and their quality and customer service is as great as it always has been. I really enjoy flying with my Airtronics transmitters, and I'd have a hard time giving them up even for transmitters that sell for quite a lot more than my Airtronics radio systems.
Posted on: 6/2/2012 11:03 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11104401

RE: Which TX? (Opening a can of worms)
You want the non-sport version of the Hitec Optic 6 2.4Ghz radio system. The sport version has a smaller LCD display and lacks important features that the standard Optic 6 includes: -Model naming -Removable RF Deck -Model copying -integrated timer -switch assignability -multiple programmable mixes The ergonomics and quality of the Optic 6 are superior to the Futaba 6EX; it simply feels like a higher quality and more expensive radio. The Hitec Optic 6 2.4Ghz radio system is less expensive than the Futaba 6EX FASST, and about the same cost as the Optic 6 Sport 2.4Ghz, so hopefully your local battery supplier should have no objection should you choose it as your replacement. There's nothing particularly "wrong" with the Futaba 6EX, but the Hitec Optic 6 offers superior ergonomics, much greater programming and mixing capability, less expensive receivers, and more model memory for less money. You'd also find the Airtronics SD-6g to be a very strong choice in this particular price segment, but that wasn't a choice mentioned by the original poster. Good luck, and good shopping!
Posted on: 6/2/2012 10:38 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11104394

RE: Engine choice?
Don't be too quick to dismiss Thunder Tiger, docbrew. A TT Pro .46 would be a great choice for the SSE, and the Thunder Tiger F-75s is a terrific engine, also. I'm not trying to talk you out of the .55 AX if that's what you decide to go with, but your Thunder Tiger options offer terrific performance and value.
Posted on: 5/24/2012 2:18 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11093453

RE: Signal loss with SD10 G
We had one of four SD-10g radio systems in our club experience some pretty regular lockouts: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10691949/tm.htm It turned out to be a weak/bad RF PCB. Airtronics support found it and fixed it, now the SD-10g is good as new again.
Posted on: 5/15/2012 8:55 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Airtronics Support Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11082483

RE: Great Trainer
[quote]ORIGINAL: JeffinTD Just curious, have you also flown an Apprentice? If so, please post your thoughts of how they compare. [/quote] My first impression when I saw the Sensei was that Hobbico had ordered them up from the same OEM who is making the Apprentice 15e for Horizon. They are remarkably similar in design, and both sport an identical 58" wingspan. Both fly extremely well. I would give the nod to the Apprentice as my overall favorite; the Apprentice power system seems to have a bit more thrust. The Sensei might be a little softer on top-end power, but flies very well. I like the receiver ready version of the Sensei, so I can recommend the student opts for an Airtronics SD-5g or SD-6g radio system to go with their new plane rather than a DX5e or a Tactic TTX600. I think the Apprentice 15e and the Sensei are both terrific options.
Posted on: 5/11/2012 1:28 PM by Author "bigedmustafa" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11077207