What did you fly today?

[Oxotnik]

The E6 Aerotech Motor reloads are ~$7 each (purchased in a 3-pack). The reuseable motor case runs about $40. So, about $7/flight, not counting the cost of the reuseable hardware. No one would do this, if pinching pennies. One of my other big hobbies is High-power model rocketry, in which I’m certified to fly the largest class of commercially available motors (M Class and above). So, for me RBGs (rocket boost gliders) merge two of my favorite hobbies. It’s a blast! Literally! When the launch button is hit, you’re committed to a 7-second burn. There’s no cutting power early if crap goes bad, and it sometimes does. I love them. At model rocket launches, I’ve nearly achieved godlike status, by landing my model rockets at my feet, while other rocketeers often have to drive to recover their high-flying model rockets. My RC club mates love watching them, too, and several have ventured into them as well. Although I’ve never measured apogee, I’d guess that a nice straight boost would go 400-500 feet AGL.

If anyone is interested in seeing some other cool RBGs, check out dynasoarrocketry.com.

And here are some other RBG flights (I'll just post the YT URL, and not imbed the videos): RBGs include a Klingon D7 Battle Cruiser, Man in the high Castle Supersonic Transport, X-15, and Jayhawk target drone.

https://youtu.be/Liw3dCKwx9s

https://youtu.be/SoEjyfnvT9A

https://youtu.be/Bszr1Qo5log

[EA-6B Geek]

Three flights today on the T-45. I plowed this one in last fall. A big relief to have it flying again..

[F22trainer]

Was all I could get in the Mazda...But I am jazzed because I haven’t flown R/C in at least a month and I got 2 3 point landings with the Ryan and no chin scrapes!

[xviper]

Took the Mystique RES, VQ Twin Otter, FV-31 Cypher and FMS 1700 Corsair. Got vids of two of them:

[Hugh Wiedman]

xviper WOW, you really fly that Corsair beautifully. Smooth take-off and the LANDING, text book!!!! I could definitely use some lessons from you.

[xviper]

xviper WOW, you really fly that Corsair beautifully. Smooth take-off and the LANDING, text book!!!! I could definitely use some lessons from you.

I'm afraid there's a bit of luck involved. Some flights are awful. The FW/Flightline Corsair, I can't fly very well at all. Take offs are haphazard and landings can be a bit of pot luck. I don't know why.

[mshagg]

The combo is probably getting a little stale but had the F-22 and the Eflite A-10 out again today. Great conditions and freshly scalped grass.

Horrifically disappointed in some zippy 6200s I got for the F-22. Voltage sag to around 3.6v/cell on takeoff, which barely got it off the ground. Going to cycle them a few times on the charger to see if they wake up a little but otherwise they may just end up being used in jets with lower current needs. I dont expect batteries to hit the ratings on the label (40c) but even a 20c pack at this capacity should perform adequately.

Also got a little carried away with the harrier style landings and need to get in there and glue the front retract mount back in lol.

[xviper]

I dont expect batteries to hit the ratings on the label (40c) but even a 20c pack at this capacity should perform adequately.

Real world tests (the "other" forum) have shown that "C" ratings on labels seldom achieve 1/2 of what it says. I consider the Zippy an "economy" brand (although some people think they are the next best thing since sliced bread) and I doubt you're getting 15C (if that) with them. I have some Zippy's that I use for sailplanes - short, non-max throttle runs and they seem to work OK. My older ones (less than 50 cycles) are already starting to puff and perform poorly, but in a sailplane, that's not so bad. For my jets, I don't put anything in those but brand name batteries at least 50C and for my more prized jets, 70C. Some may say that's a waste but considering they're putting out only around 35 to 40C, the performance speaks for itself and I'm willing to pay.

[Grossman56]

The model airplane builder in me says, "Wow, wouldn't that make a great Diorama! Carrier crash landing, I can just see the crew scrambling up the wing to get the pilot out. Something to think about!

Grossman56

[Hugh Wiedman]

I'm afraid there's a bit of luck involved. Some flights are awful. The FW/Flightline Corsair, I can't fly very well at all. Take offs are haphazard and landings can be a bit of pot luck. I don't know why.

Hey xviper, man can I relate to that. My take-offs and landings where always problem for the longest time. Everyone has their own ways, but what "solved" it (not always of course) for me was the following:

1) On take-off, the biggest problem was it wanting to get in the air too soon, causing it to stall and having to give emergency right aileron to keep it from spiraling in. What I do now, is slowly increase throttle with up elevator at the beginning (to keep the tail wheel down at the beginning), but release the tail early before it gains much speed and allow the tail to come up after say 10-15 feet at which time you'll need to get on the right rudder heavy. Then I allow it to get into an actual slight nose down attitude (hopefully not so much as to cut grass or strike asphalt). Now accelerate smoothly keeping it at say a 10% nose down attitude. It will now stay on the runway all the way through full throttle and more than fast enough to rotate when you want without a stall. It may look a little odd, but now it won't lift off before you want it to and even at 1/2 speed, there is enough wind around the rudder to make steering easier so you can begin to ease up on the rudder as you gain speed.

2) On landing, I set my Timer to tell me "Timer Stopped" at 40% throttle. For me, this is a good throttle position for my glide slope to the runway with full flaps and gear down. I actually leave the throttle there (at 40%) until I can make a nice smooth touchdown of the mains, then I can drop the throttle. I know 40% seems a lot, but works for me. The Spitfire does it at 25% throttle and the 1700mm P-51 and 1400mm Corsair both work at 30% throttle. Since I started doing that, I haven't had to replace a retract.

This may sound kooky, but works for me. One of my many problems as a RC pilot (and they're too numerous to count) is that I'm never actually sure where my throttle is unless I look at it, so this helps a lot. Before, I'd think I was at around 30% and I'd be 40%, or sometimes 15%, making each landing a whole different mishap, 1st too fast, then too slow, but almost never "just right". At least that's my theory and for now I'm sticking to it!

[xviper]

If it works, it ain't kooky.

[mshagg]

Real world tests (the "other" forum) have shown that "C" ratings on labels seldom achieve 1/2 of what it says. I consider the Zippy an "economy" brand (although some people think they are the next best thing since sliced bread) and I doubt you're getting 15C (if that) with them. I have some Zippy's that I use for sailplanes - short, non-max throttle runs and they seem to work OK. My older ones (less than 50 cycles) are already starting to puff and perform poorly, but in a sailplane, that's not so bad. For my jets, I don't put anything in those but brand name batteries at least 50C and for my more prized jets, 70C. Some may say that's a waste but considering they're putting out only around 35 to 40C, the performance speaks for itself and I'm willing to pay.

Yeah i wont buy a pack if it's not on the list of batteries tested over at RC Groups - these packs tested at 30C; although acknowlege that's a bench test and not 'real world', there are also changes in manufacturing over time etc etc. I actually discovered the rhino packs from hobbyking through that thread (labelled 50C test at 45C) and they have been absolutely brilliant at a quarter of the price of some name brand stuff - they just dont come in a larger configuration than 5000mah. So the zippys were a somewhat educated purchase, but it's always a roll of the dice hey.

Cycled them over on the charger a couple of times, internal resistance is 'not great, not terrible' at ~9 to 10 MΩ. I'll send them up in the venom, which runs on the smell of an oily rag, and re-assess.

[F106DeltaDart]

No RC flying this weekend due to some nasty gusting winds, but got in a bit of full scale flying this morning. Almost getting time to ferry it back up to Minnesota for the summer.

[Oxotnik]

Snuck out to the field today and got in a few flights before storms moved in. You can see in the Spitfire video that it was getting dark quickly. Had a really good flight. The wind was bit blustery and was swirling off the tree tops. So, I never knew exactly what to expect when in I brought her in between the trees. It was fun flight and nothing broken. :-)

I also had good flights on the Freewing Me-262, Freewing T-33, and EFlite 1.2m F4U-4. Flew the Corsair on a 4S pack for the first time and she was a whole new animal on 4S. Very enjoyable flying.

[DCORSAIR]

Two good flights on the AH-6, decided to inspect it so I pulled the interior covers off and powered it up, only to find that the tail servo stopped working, got lucky on this one, it happened on the ground, looks to be bad, it will only move one way and won't return to center.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Finally got out to the field that is near the Everglades after not being able to fly for almost 2 months! Holy Cow, did I miss flying. We opened that grass field up last week and I went today, absolutely a gorgeous day, light winds and sunny at 86 degrees. I was the only one there from 7:00 to about 2:00, when a couple of the "big boys" showed up with their large turbine jets. Non-the-less, I got 20 flights in, 5 each with my 60" Extreme Flight 3D plane, the Spitfire, Avanti and the SU-30. Only had about 6 flights on the SU-30 before it shut down, so it was nice to get it back in the air. Tried landing with full flaps and the air brake (1st time) and all I can say is "MIKEY LIKES IT". Hopefully our other club with the asphalt runway will open up soon so I can maiden the F-18. Sorry, no videos.

[Oxotnik]

No videos... then it didn't happen. :-)

My RC club never closed our field. Going out to the field to fly and social with my friends has been what's helped me keep my sanity, at least what little bit I had to start with.

[mshagg]

light winds and sunny at 86 degrees. I was the only one there from 7:00 to about 2:00,

That's a good day at the offfice!

[DCORSAIR]

Got two flights on the AH-6, after the second flight I decided to take off the interior panels and inspect the belt and gears, all good so I turned everything on to check cyclic servos, all good until I checked the tail rotor servo, wasn't working, couldn't hear anything actually, so pulled the mechanics out of the fuselage and sure enough, servo would not budge when I tried to move it by hand, it would only buzz, so unplugged it and plugged it into another separate Rx, it jammed left and that's it, won't move at all, only when I unplug it then plug it back in, so I got lucky I guess that it didn't happen in the air.

[mshagg]

The autumn weather has been kind, although the rain is setting in later this week. Couldnt pass up the opportunity to head out after work for some quality time with the Venom.

A bag full of lipos and an empty field in the golden light; it really doesnt get much better.