Written by Don Belfort Electrics & Electronics Column As seen in the Fall 2018 issue of Park Pilot.
>> Hi park pilots. Many ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) and RTF (Ready to Fly) models do not come fully assembled and must be screwed or bolted together by a modeler. Over time, these screws and bolts should be checked. A general preflight check should also be conducted to make sure that all flying surfaces are secure. This summer, after my second practice flight of the day on my Electric Formula 1 racer, I walked over to retrieve the model and remove the battery. As I reached for the right wing panel, I noticed that it had moved 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch.
Screws and bolts can loosen over time. Remember to perform a thorough preflight check before each flight. The bolts in this photo have been tightened.
Removing the canopy revealed that both wing bolts on the right side had backed out, allowing the wing to shift. Don’t assume that a screw or a bolt will never become loose. Always check for unsecure flying surfaces before taking off. The 64th Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo (toledoshow.com), held at the SeaGate Convention Centre, April 6-8, 2018, in Toledo, Ohio, was a great time of learning, seeing new products, and meeting up with new and old flying friends. Although the show was slightly smaller this year, there was still plenty to see and enjoy. I love arriving early and walking through the swap shop area before the crowds appear. Retro RC (retrorc.us.com) was at the show. This company produces many interesting, unusual model designs that are perfect for park flying, along with an extensive line of field and building supplies to make your RC modeling more enjoyable. Two of the company’s newest offerings are RC conversions of a Hervat HLG (Hand-Launch Glider) from Campbell’s Custom Kits, and Ebenezer RC the Limey, built by Bill Brown. The Hervat HLG is converted to RC using one of Retro RC’s Spektrum brick mounts, which is designed to allow an electronic brick to be mounted onto a flat fuselage that is between 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch thick. The mount is available in three flavors: one for the short-throw Spektrum brick, one for the long-throw Spektrum brick, and one for the Tactic brick. The kits include three Delrin clips, a Delrin spacing plate, a 1/32-inch plywood template/spacer, and two 1/32-inch plywood control horns. The sets are priced at $4.25 each.
Retro RC has many ingenious products and easy-to-build park flyer kits. The company’s Hervat HLG and Ebenezer RC the Limey are perfect for park flying.
Bill Brown’s Ebenezer RC the Limey was colored to look like a Stearman. He modified the shape of the stabilizer and rudder to add to the effect and added the ring cowling, which he made from a pill bottle. It is powered by a Park 250 outrunner motor on a two-cell LiPo battery. Z-Planes ([email protected]) is a small operation, but its models have big performance. Many make perfect park flyers and use flight systems from discontinued ARFs of the same size. Contact the company to see what is currently being produced. National Balsa (nationalbalsa.com) did a great job of getting the building spirit into the air at Toledo. Its booth was filled with all sizes and thicknesses of balsa and plywood for sale (the smell filled the air), along with many kits at special show prices. If that was not enough, across from National Balsa’s booth, a team of modelers sponsored by the company framed up a National Balsa precision laser-cut kit of a 1/3-scale Wendell Hostetler Piper Tri-Pacer throughout the three days. This showed how easy and rewarding modern kit building can be. Check the company’s website to enter the builders’ world.
National Balsa’s weekend frame-up of a 1/3-scale Piper Tri-Pacer at the Toledo Show showed many how fast building can be.
Being able to talk directly with company representatives about questions or problems you are having with equipment can get you back on track in short order. I spoke with a Horizon Hobby (horizonhobby.com) representative about setting up my transmitter’s telemetry. The representative demonstrated the transmitter setup for the telemetry function and I was able to go home and step right through the procedure. During the show, there are symposiums given on a wide range of modeling topics by experts in their field, which can be interesting and informative. At the end of most presentations, there is a question-and-answer period. These questions can generate some good discussions. At the Toledo Show this year, we were treated to Park Pilot’s “Model Builder” columnist, Jeff Troy, who gave a lecture about covering a wooden model with film. During his presentation, Jeff actually covered wing panels and demonstrated combining colors on an open framework. He then passed around his work to give the audience a closer look. I enjoyed Jeff’s presentation, except when he called me out while I was in the audience and recommended that others read my column. That was embarrassing. The learning and deals are great, but the modeling friends who I get to see year after year keep me coming back to Toledo. This was my 25th consecutive visit to the show since moving to Ohio. The 2019 dates are April 5-7. See you there. I attended the ninth NEFI (National Electric Fly-In; nefi.modelaircraft.org; flickr.com/modelaircraft) on June 22-24, 2018, at the IAC (International Aeromodeling Center) in Muncie, Indiana. NEFI is run by AMA staff members who do a great job of putting on the event. This is a relaxing meet that is also filled with action.
This video originally appeared in the July 1, 2018, edition of AMA's webcast: AMA Air. Find more episodes at http://air.modelaircraft.org.
AMA member George Baker celebrated 700 days of consecutive flying during NEFI.
Motion RC (motionrc.com) pilots were on-site with an olive drab RV loaded with high-performance models that were frequently flown when company representatives were not answering questions or charging batteries. Both 12-volt DC power and AC current were available to all. The X runway at the IAC’s Site 3 is second to none and accommodates most wind conditions. Many pilots enjoyed the camaraderie and world-class flying site, which was apparent by the smiles on their faces. If that was not enough, the AMA Foundation RC Resale estate sale on Friday was a short walk from the flightline. There were two storage trailers filled with models for sale. The RC Scale Nats event had just started at an alternate flying site on the AMA grounds, and attendees were able to watch beautiful scale models with all types of power systems put in their flights and go through static judging. This past winter I built a VK Cherokee. My pylon racing friend, Bill Hiller, said he had fond memories of the model, and I had promised him a flight when it was complete.
It is always nice to see your model perform better when flown by a superior pilot. Bill Hiller is on approach with Don’s winter build, the VK Cherokee. Photo provided by Model Aviation.
When it was ready at NEFI, I loaded a fresh battery into the Cherokee and gave the model a preflight check. I then read Bill the riot act about how it was a brand-new model and asked him to please take it easy. Bill has excellent skills and treated us all to a precision aerobatics routine and a smooth-as-glass landing. He then taxied back, handed me the transmitter, and said, “Next time I will really show you what the Cherokee can do.” Hope to see you next year at NEFI! It is a great time for those who attend. Fly safely. -Don Belfort [email protected]
