RE: Electric, glow, gasser. Just choose one
None of the three options are all that tolerant of inattention and carelessness. With that said, if you properly size the motor, prop, speed control and battery when putting the plane together, you can pretty much expect a trouble-free experience going forward. I don't fly much electric because of limited flight times and "appointment" battery charging. There have been times when I felt compelled at the spur of the moment to fly one of my electrics. Problem was, I couldn't because I had none of the batteries charged.
Posted on: 5/21/2013 2:53 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11518565

RE: Military colors only at warbird meets?
[quote]ORIGINAL: vertical grimmace Heck, if it were me not only would civilian schemes not be allowed, but I would not allow all of these trainer types without guns either! If it aint firing guns it aint a warbird to me. Yep, sorry no stearman or AT6! We are here to do battle, not train! [/quote] Hummmmm. Would it be wrong to say that pilots were undergoing training to be combat ready during the course of these wars? Seems like that would make it a "warbird" to me... BTW, there are plenty of aircraft flying during "combat" conditions that didn't carry bombs or guns. A lot of transport, observation and refueling aircraft models are out there...
Posted on: 9/17/2012 10:36 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11231229

RE: landing bounce
Going back to the OPs concern - so what if it bounces? I bounce landings as often as I don't. The bounces are small. Haven't damaged an airframe. Don't have prop ground-strikes. I suppose that CG could play a role. But I wouldn't adjust CG to make it LAND better, I'd adjust it to make it FLY better. If you have to go as far as modifying the gear, that seems like overkill. I'd say, keep practicing and try different approaches (mains vs. three-point).
Posted on: 9/14/2012 12:38 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Aerodynamics"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11228557

RE: Are Pattern Planes Good 2nd Planes?
I've owned/flown the Pulse mini, Pulse XT 40, Pulse XT 60, the Kaos 40 and a Super Sportster 160. I consider myself an intermediate pilot and found all to fly well. IMO, the Pulse XT planes make the best 2nd plane option. They land slow, they're difficult to stall, they can do all basic aerobatics well and they're much tougher than they look. I put over 500 flights on my XT 40 before passing it along to my dad and moving up to the 60. If you want a bigger model, the Pulse XT 60 or the 125 would be great choices. I'm told the 125 flies the same as the 60. With that said, the WS is only 6" longer. So, you're not moving up that much in size. It's a personal preference thing. I think you'd be quite happy selecting the Pulse. This concludes our Horizon Hobby PSA. [:D] We now return to our regularly scheduled program...
Posted on: 9/13/2012 11:31 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11227398

RE: batttry question
Charging a battery above the recommended charge current will reduce its cycle life. For example, if a battery is rated for 4 amps charging current for 500 charging cycles, You may only get 450 or 400 charge cycles if you charge it at 5 amps.
Posted on: 9/5/2012 10:01 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11218351

RE: What's the proper method of a barrel roll?
I've never experienced a plane that rolls better one direction over another when the plane is properly set-up. For some, rolling to one direction over another "looks better to their eye" or "feels more comfortable on the sticks." I experienced this myself until I forced myself to practice both rolls (primarily point rolls) and knife edges in both directions. In the case of rolls, both rolling left and rolling right with the plane traveling both from the left to right and the right to left. I started working on the RealFlight simulator and then continued practice at the field.
Posted on: 9/5/2012 9:54 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11218343

RE: What's the proper method of a barrel roll?
One shouldn't have to introduce rudder or elevator to perform a conventional axial roll. The roll rate would be fast enough where you couldn't provide rudder or elevator inputs fast enough. On a point roll (four point or six point) or a slow roll, to keep the appearance axial, you would have to apply small amounts of elevator or rudder with each orientation change to keep the aircraft tracking properly. Generally speaking, any type of model that is not designed for aerobatics will require control inputs to compensate for aircraft elements that are ill-suited. A trainer for example, generally flies too slow, has a non-symmetrical wing (lift properties differ right-side-up versus inverted) and has significant dihedral for stability and self leveling characteristics. All of these factors work against performing an axial roll. Similarly, many WWII warbirds also have undesirable characteristics for precise aerobatic maneuvers. So, as a previous poster pointed out, the airplane and how it's set-up has a great deal to do with it. In fact, a barrel roll is a hallmark characteristic of a warbird. They typically will dramatically change pitch when entering a roll, thus creating the barreling or spiraling effect. When you give the nose a pitch up before entering the roll (to counteract altitude loss during the roll), nothing looks cooler to me than a nice, long, slow barrel roll. My point of view is, don't try to force an airplane to fly in a way that it wasn't designed for. It just makes things look awkward. If you want to do precise aerobatic maneuvers, buy an airplane designed for it. It still takes a good set of thumbs to execute the maneuvers clean and precise. Go to a pattern contest and you'll see guys who spend hundreds of hours a year trying to prefect loops, rolls and spins. Heck, they spend just as many hours working on flying straight and level as the origin of any good aerobatic maneuver is starting from a proper position and attitude in the air.
Posted on: 8/29/2012 11:14 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11210440

RE: Whats up with kits?
[quote]ORIGINAL: dragonov3 I was just perusing one of the more popular auction sites for kits and found there were very few to be had. Also, the prices are astronomical for the few that were there. What gives? Is it because their is a shortage of balsa, people hording them, or some other reason I am unaware of? Good thing I horded the kits I have, lol. Looks like I may start buying plans and scratch building, that is just as fun. [/quote] Manufacturing has a cost beyond the raw materials. Assemblers, machinery, buildings, utilities, etc... If you spread those costs across 100,000 units, the product will be cheaper than if it's spread across 1000 units. That's why the prices are higher. If demand drops for kits, as it has, companies have to decide if they can still produce the kits at a cost that buyers will accept and that keeps them profitable. If they can't, they stop. It seems that the hobby public has taken this premise and automatically assumes that their un-built kit has increased in value. Free market economics has always dictated that an item's worth is limited to what someone is willing to pay. If demand is high for a particular kit, it's worth more because you'd have a bidding war. If it's a kit no one wants, you couldn't give it away. I'm not a builder and have only been in the hobby for about seven years, but I can understand the disappointment that those who've been building for a long time have with regards to kit availability. As others have said, much greater freedom exists with building from plans. Seems to me that someone with the time and the tools could make a nice little side business of cutting parts from plans for customers that prefer to start with a kit.
Posted on: 8/24/2012 12:43 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11204686

RE: What size of RC planes do you like?
I generally fly 40-60 sized glow planes with my biggest being my 1/4 scale RV-4. Which, at 70" WS and an OS 75AX engine, isn't all that big. I've tried some larger gas stuff, but it's not for me.
Posted on: 8/22/2012 2:35 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11202479

RE: Parkzone Ultra Micro Rtf and Bnf
I believe that you can. With my micros, they tell you to insure that you have the transmitter on when you connect the battery to the plane so you don't risk someone else binding to your plane. So, I think this is what you need to do. 1. Select an open model memory in your Tx. Then, turn it off. 2. Connect the battery in your plane. There should be an LED on the receiver/servo board that starts blinking. 3. Depress the "bind" button on your Tx. 4. Power-up your Tx. Wait for the receiver LED to go solid. You then should be bound.
Posted on: 8/7/2012 10:56 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11184397

RE: Horizon Hobby could not help me with Saito trouble, what do I do?
I expect that Pete B. from Horizon will follow-up with you. I've met him on a couple of occasions and he's their Saito guy. If anyone at Horizon can help you, he can. They know that word of mouth goes a long way in generating sales. You've bought an expensive engine and I'm sure they'll want to help you get it running reliably.
Posted on: 8/3/2012 10:47 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11179744

RE: RANT: The
[quote]ORIGINAL: Azzir325 What is up with these big companies (specifically Great Planes and Hangar 9) who sell us these lovely planes then decide to ''discontinue'' them and leave us owners in the lurch for parts? You know, if you are going to discontinue a plane that's OK, but you can't just leave the thousands of people who BOUGHT THESE PLANES FROM YOU hanging out to dry! You OWE us some customer support, and well beyond the time it takes to sell off the spare parts you have on hand. We bought your products in good faith, and now you're hanging us out to dry. That's basically my rant. It has happened to me before, and recently I needed a wheel for my Great Planes Fokker Triplane 60 ARF. I want original equipment, but GP says I'm out of luck. My position is they sold the plane, they need to stock parts until there is ZERO call for them. Let's hear from anybody who has been in the same boat. Rick Oh yeah, and for the record, there are THREE particular ARF's that have been discontinued and should be UNDISCONTINUED and kept available. They are the 60 size Fokker D VII and Sopwith Camel by Hangar 9 and the aforementioned Great Planes DR 1 60. For ending the availability of these wonderful airplanes, I give these companies a GIGANTIC RASPBERRY and my undying contempt. [/quote] Consider Bowling or Golf. Clearly this hobby provides too much angst for you.... This is not a high volume or high demand industry. It's a small niche. There are very few manufacturers out there these days that are willing to deal with the volumes that this hobby represents. I recommend being thankful for what we have and make the best of it. It could easily go away. Ask the jet guys how they feel about what the FAA's been cooking up. As others have said, there's enough suppliers out there that have something that will work. I had an Extra 260 with a busted canopy and the manufacturer was out of business. Measured it up, spent a half-hour on the web, found another manufacturer that had something that was very close in size, problem solved. Bet in the time it took you to start this thread you could have found replacements for what you're looking for...
Posted on: 7/27/2012 10:47 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11171368

RE: Would you rebuild it or lay it to rest
I use the following battery tester. You can induce a 1/2 A, 1 A, or 1.5 A load on the battery to test charge level. I always test at the max, 1.5A. I use 5 cell flight packs (6V). During the check, if the voltage get's below 5 V, I recharge. This will work with transmitter packs as well, although, You need a different cable. http://www.radiosouthrc.com/closeup.asp?cid=16&pid=458&offset=0
Posted on: 7/17/2012 11:03 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11158762

RE: Can Keith Sparks spark the build comeback?
[quote]ORIGINAL: mkranitz I retract my ''whining'' comment. I'll delete the thread or have it deleted. [/quote] Mike: You've gotta take a deep breath and, by God, stop posting until you get your wits back. You're not helping your cause by fighting with the members. This will not develop in new followers to your publication. And don't retract posts, it signals that you don't stand behind what you said. If something was taken out of context or misunderstood, use a subsequent post to clarify so everyone has a better understanding. With that said, and coming into the thread late, it's a bit difficult to fully discern the topic since the essential posts have been retracted. This is what I read: There's a guy that has a new approach to kit building. And, would his approach create a resurgence in kit building? I can't answer since the relevant information that's needed to make a judgement has been pulled. Now, here's my thoughts on building from a non-builder (at least to this point). First, in my opinion, it would take a pretty radical change in approach to kits coupled with a lot of promotion and advertising to get a meaningful number of non-builders to consider it. someone would have to do something really different and convince hobbyists it's worth their money and time. I'm part of a large club (200+) that spans the spectrum of practitioners - RTF foamies to scratch-built giant scale. Here's the general feeling of non-builders. 1. The selection and quality of ARFs is satisfactory. There's enough variety that the great majority of guys can find what they're looking for. 2. They believe they lack the time necessary to complete a project fast enough for their liking. 3. They believe they lack the skil necessary to complete a project they'd be confident to fly. And 4. They're not big fans of being insulted by builders for being "lazy" or "impatient" because they choose not to build. I've witnessed a lot of comments of this type within RCU and at flying fields. Now, this may be perceived as a "lame" excuse. But let me tell you, it's a valid one. It no different than the guy who says he doesn't belong to a club because he visited his local club and feel's they're unwelcoming. Clearly, not every club is like that, but that is that guy's impression and he's now been turned-off to clubs in general. Same thing applies here. If a guy has encountered a builder who's judgmental and acts like an elitist, he feels, "why would I want to do what those guys do, they're a-holes. Besides, they don't seem like they'd want to help me get started anyways." The community of builders need to focus their efforts toward educating and recruiting new builders. Not criticizing them because they don't have a default interest in it. They say that "necessity is the mother of invention." If for some reason the current mainstream standard of ARFs or RTFs were to become cost prohibitive to the masses, I expect you'd have a shift to something else. And, the guy that comes up with a cost-effective and creative solution for what's next will reap the rewards...
Posted on: 7/12/2012 12:33 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11152838

RE: going to open my own lhs
My point is that the love is not the same if it's a job. The point (or one of the points) of a hobby is to escape the "daily grind." That includes one's job. One could love their job, but: they do get to take all the time off they want, they don't get to set their own pay, they don't get to set their own hours, and they still have a boss to answer to. Just because one loves their work doesn't mean it affords them the same freedom that a hobby can...
Posted on: 6/29/2012 1:30 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11136869

RE: going to open my own lhs
Take to heart what others have said about the business affecting your love of the hobby. I have a friend who own an LHS and other friends who work for Horizon Hobby. They all indicate that their passion for the hobby is most definitely dampened because the hobby is a business for them. If you go forward, be prepared for this. Customers WILL suck the life out of you. I work for a power tool company. People's response when first hearing this is, "Wow! That's cool! Must be awesome to work with power tools every day..." Ah..... It's not. It's a job. The only cool part is that I haven't bought a power tool in 14 years...
Posted on: 6/29/2012 10:47 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11136692

RE: hanger 9 corsair engine choice?
You may want to consider going with electric retracts. I have a set of E-flite 85 deg. 60-120 sized retracts in a 46 sized P-51. They're beefy enough for the 60 sized. $150 and no servos to screw with.
Posted on: 6/27/2012 10:34 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11133926

RE: Evolution .60NX with Jett muffler
I have an EVO 60 with a standard muffler. Definitely more spirited than a 46. I'd imagine the high performance pipe would get you what you're looking for.
Posted on: 6/25/2012 2:09 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11131519

RE: best 4 stroke twin?
+1 for the Otter. If you're looking for something smaller, try the Tower Hobbies Twinstar. That would be good for the 40-56's. Or Seagull (Horizon Hobbies) has a Twin Comanche that would be good for the 72's.
Posted on: 6/25/2012 2:04 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11131508

RE: Engine choice?
The 55 AX will make the plane a rocket. I have a 75AX and it's a no-fuss reliable engine. You can't go wrong with the O.S.
Posted on: 6/25/2012 1:49 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11131481

RE: Great Planes Extra 300SP help
As a suggestion, before I finalize mounting locations for batteries, switches, servos and such, I'll temporarily mount them in the desired locations and do a preliminary balance check. This will at least let you know your options before permanently mounting anything. Unless you use the exact equipment recommendations from the manufacturer, you can't go off of their mounting recommendations 100%. Even small differences in servo weight can mean a lot with balance because of the tail moment. Many airplanes have about a 4-5:1 nose to tail ratio. For every ounce of weight that's added to the tail, you'd have to add 4-5 ounces to the nose to offset. So, you have to be very mindful of servo weight for tail mounted servos.
Posted on: 6/25/2012 1:46 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11131480

RE: Need home for an OS 75 engine
In the spirit of the Revolver, a Hangar 9 Pulse XT 60 is a great plane for that engine. Had one until a solder connection on my flight pack went loose and my receiver took an extended nap... Didn't end well for the Pulse, but the engine lives on in a Great Planes RV-4 60. I plan on doing another XT 60 for next season with a Saito FG-17 gas engine.
Posted on: 6/25/2012 1:33 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11131463

RE: How to handle the guys with flawed plans?
There will always be a group of people that have an unwillingness to listen to reason and feel that they have the requisite knowledge to be successful. I learned to fly without an instructor at a local sports field with a plastic/foam electric plane. I was too intimidated to start at the local club. As I learned, crashed, fixed, learned some more and ultimately had success, I joined said club and eventually became a club instructor. I found students who were very receptive to instruction, had natural ability and learned quickly. I had students who were were receptive to instruction but couldn't grasp things conceptually and had great difficulty learning. I had students who were stubborn, took instruction poorly and never had success. I've NEVER had a student who was stubborn and ultimately experienced success. Why? Here's my hypothesis: those that are stubborn generally find everything else to blame but themselves. "I was rushed." "It was too windy." "I was distracted". "There must have been something wrong with the plane." People like this never change their approach because they are incapable of seeing fault in themselves. When I encounter people like this, this is how it usually goes. "OK. Do it your way. But, I have two things to say. One, when you're ready for help, let me know. Two, if you do anything to risk the safety of anyone at this flying site or any of the property on this flying site, I'll be the first to help you load you car while asking you to leave..."
Posted on: 6/22/2012 2:39 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11128084

RE: Why this is the best hobby in the world
For me, what makes it great is that in order to have a flight experience that meets with my satisfaction, I need to completely devote my full attention to the process. No thinking about the crap at work, the non-stop activities at home, or anything else for that matter. It's about working to execute a symmetrical cuban-8. A uniform and level 4-point roll. A crisp and equilateral square loop. The hobby is my escape from the aggravation of every-day life...
Posted on: 6/22/2012 12:52 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11127971

RE: Electric Brakes - Near Future or a dream?
Maybe I'm oversimplifying it, but it seems to me that one could fashion an electromagnet arrangement. Have a permanent magnet on the hub and an electromagnet on the gear leg. The stopping time can be adjusted by tuning the strength of the electrical field on the gear leg via a potentiometer. When the electromagnet is excited on the gear leg, the field gets strong enough to attract the permanent magnet, thus creating the braking action.
Posted on: 5/30/2012 2:29 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11100326

RE: Back in the saddle (almost.....)!!
To try to give you some more direct answers... [quote]ORIGINAL: Warjet Have been away from the hobby for almost 6 years (finally get to retire!), and am looking for some way to catch up on all the changes since. I have Futaba 9CAP and Super 8 transmitters, both with the adjustable freq/channel setting modules, and an Airtronics RDS-8000 2.4 ghz that's new, still in the box. The batteries all check out good. Several questions to begin: 1. Are the Futaba's still usable, still meet any FCC / AMA / etc changes? [/quote] Yes. 72Mhz PCM technology is still a valid option. If you choose, you can begin using your existing equipment with no modification. [quote] 2. Without having to go through 6 years of posts, is there a pamphlet / website / etc that I can read to get back up to speed on radios? [/quote] Search for reviews of 2.4 Ghz radios. This will help you understand changes to the radios since they introduced the 9C. [quote] 3. I have a 10' X 20' storage room full of kits / arfs from floor to ceiling, and another 5' X 10' room with built planes. What's the best way to find out about electrifying these? [/quote] RCU has a forum called Electric Aircraft Universe. There should be some good information there. I'd also do a Google search for "electric conversion of (insert desired model name here)." Likely someone else had already done an electric conversion of a given model and you can see what they did and how it turned out. [quote] 4. NI-MH batteries were state of the art back then for planes. If I want to shift to electric, what are the best batteries to use and a simple, not-too-expensive charger? [/quote] Lithium Polymer is the mainstream chemistry used today. It has great energy density (energy for pack size) and packs have become economical. Care needs to be taken when using and charging these pack to avoid overcharging and risking fire. But, it's nothing more than some vigilance and common sense. Electric is a great option if you want reliable, quiet flying. Put the right set-up together and you can outfit a plane that has superior performance to a glow/gas plane (think throttle response). There are a bunch of chargers out there that will do a good job. Tower Hobbies has several serviceable options (Triton for example). Just make sure that you buy one that can handle the size of the battery packs you'll need. You'll also need a battery pack balancing circuit. This can be bought with your battery packs as battery pack manufacturers can use different connector configurations. Keeping packs balanced is a must. No matter what, if you want to get current with what R/C aeromodeling technology is the standard today, you'll need to do your homework and spend some time reading all of the information that's out there.
Posted on: 5/30/2012 11:30 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11100112

RE: Hangar 9 30cc P-47 Build Thread
My understanding is that the new electric retracts share the same mechanics as the pneumatic. This way, pneumatic actuators can be swapped for electric ones without having to replace the gear itself. I expect the actuators to be comparable size-wise.
Posted on: 4/25/2012 12:09 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11056404

RE: Corsair retracts other than Robarts?
[quote]ORIGINAL: sprgfvr02 Chad. My last post got lost in the bit bucket for some reason. I agree with your logic. I have two choices; buy something else or buy the Corsair and wait until I save enough for the retracts. I have no intention to buy something 'cheap' as one person said. I also would prefer to buy new and avoid 'used' issues. Thanks,  [/quote] Your solution seems simple. You don't seem to want to, or are not able to spend an amount necessary to buy a good set of 60-sized retracts. You've clearly ruled out used and no-name options. Pick a 60-sized bird without a R/G or go with a 40-50 sized bird where the equipment all the way around is less expensive. Bet one could take the new Hangar 9 Corsair 50, kit bash it a smidge and make it a nice sport scale...
Posted on: 4/24/2012 9:59 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11055695

RE: Flights per Day
2-3 flights an hour. Typically, 10 minutes of flight for 10-15 minutes of BS with the guys.
Posted on: 4/24/2012 9:42 PM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11055687

RE: Single LiFe Battery to Run the Ingition and Plane
Glad it works for you. I wouldn't be comfortable with using only one battery to power everything. I assume that you have some sort of space or weight concern to be doing this?
Posted on: 4/16/2012 9:54 AM by Author "fly24-7" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11044218