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Remote Control Airplanes Spring Refresh

Time for a Spring RC airplane refresh. Here is what I do during my Spring Refresh.   

My Planes: All those dents and dings I planned on repairing over the Winter. I get out the foam filler, or Spackle, the airbrush, and get my planes back to excellent condition. Something about a freshly repaired and painted aircraft looks better at the field and in the sky.    

If you haven't tried airbrushing, maybe this is a great time to dry it out.  

Now is a great time to add to your hanger. There are great start of season sales. Maybe it's time to acquire that plane you've been eyeing. 

My Planes Control Services / Gear - I charge up a battery and give each of my planes a ground test. I check all the mechanicals. I make a simple spreadsheet by plane with each repair needed. (the laptop comes in handy sitting in the back of my SUV while I power up on my driveway). 

My Batteries - I check my batteries. I store my batteries in meal ammo boxes, sorted by size. (1 each for 3 cells, 4 cells, and 6 cells). Any signs of damage and battery is correctly disposed of.    

According to Large.net, damaged batteries can be identified by "Damaged plastic cell envelope or visible deformities on the cell package. The smell of leaking electrolyte. Or puffing or swelling shows that the battery is damaged, and therefore you should discontinue discharging or charging immediately.

   Remember, regardless of the cost, it is never worth it to charge or fly with a damaged battery. 

 Do I need more batteries? There are many great early season sales. Maybe it is time to add to your battery arsenal. Also, check your charger to make sure that it is in good order.  

 A trick I use during the season to evenly use my batteries is that I number each battery with a Sharpie with both a number and the date placed in service. That makes it easier for me to cycle through the batteries evenly. 

My tools - I get my toolbox organized and ready for the field. I collect the tools that are out on my workbenches and bring them back in the toolbox.  

I look to see if there are any damaged or lost tools needing replacement. I go through my box and throw out the dried-up CA glue. I give my box a general refresh and restock (tape, Velcro, zip ties, etc.). Give the box a refresh and restock. Better to do that now than realize you need something while at the field. 


My transmitter - I do a clean and organize on your transmitter. I review the planes stored in my transmitter's memory and delete the aircraft I have crashed or don't have anymore. If they are going to fly again no need for them to be clogging the menu. 

  Get the planes you fly the most up to the top of the selection menu

My Memberships / Licenses: A quick check to ensure all my registrations and memberships are current and active. 

Club Field Day - I attend our Dayton Wingmasters field day. A focused field refresh and clean-up go a long way to creating an enjoyable flying experience for you and the other members.  

Volunteer and attend a Swap Meet: Maybe you don't like that particular plane, sell it at a swap meet and add another plane.  

As you get ready for a great flying season, I hope some of these ideas have helped. If you have any other great ideas, leave them in the comments below.

Have a safe and enjoyable flying season.

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2021-04-20-RC Airplane Week in Review

This is the week for Modelrama - One of the MIdwest's largest swap meets and auctions.

Here are YouTube videos I enjoyed this week:

Happy Flying!

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2021-04-04-RC Airplane Week in Review

Here is a quick Spring Break edition of This Week in RC

Happy Flying!

 

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10 Reasons To Join an RC Club

Spring is here, and you want to get outside and shake off the COVID fog; why don’t you join an RC Club?

 Here are ten reasons why it makes sense:

  1. The camaraderie of like-minded hobbyists. - Regardless of your level of commitment or time for the hobby, joining a club gets you the camaraderie of other flyers. Just the ability to interact with other like-minded pilots, being outside, enjoying others, and growing in the hobby. What could be better?

  2. Learn from Others – I know our club has designated beginner nights where experienced pilots come out and help newer members or those interested in the hobby. The ability to Buddy-Box with an experienced pilot allows you to grow in confidence and reduce the worry of crashing that brand new plane.

    There is something called latent learning, where you learn from watching others and can put that knowledge and skill to good use. Don’t discount the learning you get from watching others fly, asking questions, and getting those little tips that will significantly improve your flying.

  3. You get to fly on a designated RC field. - Typically, the field is Academy of Model Aeronautics (“AMA”) https://www.modelaircraft.org/ certified and insured, has a designated runway (paved or grass), and the fields have areas to work and prep your planes. It beats flying at the local park out of the back of your car, worrying about the families playing, people walking…

  4. Fun Flies – Fun Flys are events typically around a theme (warbirds, 3d planes, a give holidays) where the club shows up, and they have food and fly—a great way to meet fellow club members, learn and see the latest planes.

  5.  Insurance As a member of AMA, you and your fellow pilots are covered by AMA insurance. As of 2021, the current coverage is:

    • Liability Coverage for the Operation of Model Aircraft, Boats, Cars, and Rockets

    • $2,500,000 Comprehensive General Liability Protection for model activities for members, clubs, site owners, and sponsors

    • $25,000 Accident/Medical Coverage for members

    • $10,000 Maximum Accidental Death Coverage for members

    • $1,000 Fire, Theft, and Vandalism Coverage for members

  6.  Try before you buy – Unless you benefit from a local, well-stocked hobby shop, you are relegated to looking at planes, tools, etc., online. Wouldn’t it be great to see that plane in person? Someone at the club may already have it.

  7.  We all crash. I don’t know how many times I’m at the field and need a small part or tool, and someone has one. That can be the difference between flying and packing up to go home. The ability to share tools, repair and maintenance insights is fantastic.

  8.  Many clubs and fields are multi-discipline - (RC airplanes, Helicopters, and RC cars). Wouldn’t it be great to have all those facilities? The wind kicks up, and you can switch to cars. You might be interested in exploring helicopters, and you can walk over to the helli section and ask questions.

  9.  Charge me up, baby – most fields have a charging station. You need power to fly. Unless you stay up all night charging your batteries, the ability to charge while you fly will keep you in the air for much longer. And you don’t have batteries stored a full power which isn’t good for them.

  10.  One person’s discards are another’s Treasures - Ability to buy, swap planes, transmitters, etc. Wouldn’t you rather get a used plane or piece of gear from someone you know? Exactly!

 I hope this helps, so get out there and find an RC Club to join. What are some benefits you see from your club? 

Add them in the comments below.  

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2021 Modelrama

It’s winter, and we need a way to renew our RC airplane excitement. We want to add new planes to our hanger but need to clear out some of our current planes. Want a way to do this in person safely? 

 The 2021 Wingmasters Modelrama swap meet and auction is your place. The Dayton Wingmasters Modelrama is on April 23rd and 24th. As one of the largest RC airplane shows in the Midwest, we have expanded the space under roof (over 42,000 sq. feet) to allow for social distancing and to accommodate all the current vendors and other sellers. The venue is the Montgomery Fairgrounds 645 Infirmary Road, Dayton Ohio 45417.  

 If you have gear or planes you want to sell or pick-up new gear and aircraft, this is the show for you—a tremendous in-person opportunity to rev you up for the 2021 flying season. In 2020 we had over 275 tables sold. 

 As the Club’s treasurer, I encourage you to attend, and if you want to reserve a table, see the attached flyer. Tables and spaces are going fast, so if you're going to get your hanger ready for 2021, here is a great opportunity.

 All the proceeds go to support the RC hobby with the Dayton Wingmasters. A long-time AMA sanction club here in Dayton.  

2021 Modelrama Flyer .jpg
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2020 RC Airplane Hobby Year in Review

Everyone is doing a year in review, so I thought I would share my second year in the RC hobby.

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 It was a year of solo flying as my son lost interest in the hobby, and I continued by myself.  I had gotten into the hobby through my son, so I had to transition to RC flying, not being a father-son event.

 With my son leaving the hobby, I expanded and grew in the hobby by:

  •  I am programming my RC airplanes into my transmitter.  Aircraft setup is a critical skill that I needed to learn.

  •  I progressed and took up one of my son’s EDF’s for the first time.  Nerve-racking and tough.   The Hawk was my first EDP, and I enjoyed it.

  •  Creating a dedicated RC workbench.  I needed a dedicated space to maintain and work on my RC airplane collection. Here is a YouTube video of my dedicated workspace

  •  Repairing my planes.  My son enjoyed repairing our planes so, this year, I developed this skill.  I developed my repair skills from foam repair to landing gear, servos, and motor replacement.

  •  Painting and airbrushing my own planes.  Along with repairing, I also grew my painting and airbrushing skills.  For both aesthetics and safety (increasing my view of the plane’s orientation), I got good and enjoyed painting my airplanes. 

  •  Built a storage rack system for my planes.  Planes are expensive and can easily get damaged if they aren’t organized and put away.  My garage storage system keeps the planes safe.

  •  Started a YouTube channel and revamped my blog.  All about sharing as I grow and learn in the RC hobby.

 It was a different year at the field as well:

  •  COVID, coupled with my son leaving the hobby, really had me flying by myself a fair bit as our club couldn’t hold any Fly-in’s or club events.  I did have a small group of friends from the club that I would fly with and learn from, which was awesome.

  •  To be creative, we started racing cars at the field.  Too much wind is a great time for racing cars.  Care racing helped build camaraderie. 

  • The club has given back so much to me that I am giving back by being the treasurer for the club.  I can use my finance and accounting skills to give back and help grow the club. 

  How was your year?

Let me know in the comments below.

 I will be reflecting on how I want to grow in the RC airplane hobby in 2021.  I will share my thoughts as I set goals for 2021 and also bring you along on my journey in the hobby.

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Weekly Beginner’s Taxiway Final 2020-12-12

Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes

Term of the Week

Flaps, like ailerons, are another control surface on the aircraft’s wings. I covered ailerons in last week’s post.  

Wikipedia describes a flap as. “a high-lift device used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a fixed-wing aircraft. Flaps are used to reduce the take-off distance and the landing distance. Flaps also cause an increase in drag so they are retracted when not needed”.  

 The flaps are located closer to the fuselage than the ailerons and extend out and down when deployed. RC airplanes typically have three settings; full flaps, middle flaps, and no flaps. Middle flaps can be used for takeoffs with mid and full flaps deployed on landings. If there are stronger winds, the flaps may not be needed for landing.

 On an RC airplane, each flap is controlled by a servo and is considered a channel on the receiver. The flaps leads are connected to a “Y” harness with the “Y” harness lead inserted into a channel on the receiver. Thus, the type of transmitter or radio you have will determine if you can put flaps on a channel switch.

 Plane Reviews and Tips

 Mike NCRCF - Thinking about building your RC airplane? This video from Mike NCRCF is the first in a series to get you started. Episode #1 Introduction to the Build Series.

Why do you Fly? Why did we get into the RC Hobby? Here is a good thread on why others have gotten bit by the RC airplane hobby.  

 RC Plane Lab - Here is a great weekly RC airplane podcast with hosts Ron Hull and Tom Dale

Tool of the Trade

screwdriver.jpg

RC Inexpensive Power Screwdriver Although not necessary, having a battery-powered screwdriver is an excellent addition to the toolbox. From installing wings after you get to the field to removing the wings at the end of the day for transport home, you are constantly using a small screwdriver. You may be adjusting a control surface, centering a servo, adjusting landing gear; a screwdriver is a key tool; why not make it a powered screwdriver. The powered screwdriver is indispensable when paired with a set of interchangeable heads.

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Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-12-05

Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes



aileron diagram.jpg

Term of the Week

Aileron is a French word that means “little wing: or “fin.” The aileron is on the trailing edge of the wing and controls the roll of your aircraft. 

Essentially, activating the aileron causes your plane to bank and thus turn.  

There are two ailerons (one on each wing) that work in tandem to control the aircraft. These act differently from the rudder that also turns the aircraft. The rudder controls rotation around the vertical axis of your plane. The rudder controls the yaw of the plane and used while taxiing.  

The ailerons are controlled by individual servos that are activated by the receiver. The receiver decodes the electrical directions from the transmitter in your hand. 

Typically, both individual aileron wire leads are plugged into a “Y” harness, and the lead from the “Y” harness is plugged into a single receiver slot.



Plane Reviews and Tips

Turbine engines and beginner may be a bit of an oxymoron, but here is a quick flight video of the Bobcat Composite. Turbine engines are fast and would be considered a speed step up from EDF jets. 

Fast RC Turbine Model Jet Bobcat Composite for beginner into Turbine Aeromodelling RC Airplane



Tim McKay has a wonderful video on airplane hatches. If you want to geek out on airplane parts, this is a video to watch. Model Airplane Hatches for Newbies


Your brushless motor not working? Here is a good description of a brushless motor and how to rewind it.  



Tool of the Trade RC Airplane Stands 

Airplane Rack.JPG

Airplane Stands come in all shapes and sizes and are something you need to quickly work on your planes and protect them from bumps and bruises. There are two types, the homemade and purchased. The homemade version is typically made from PVC pipe. 

If you are making a stand, measure your planes and make sure you build the stand the right height and length. 

Too low, and the plane’s rear wing will hit and too long and the plane will not be adequately supported on the fuselage. 

hobbyking-large-size-heavy-duty-model-stand-tools-9110000011.jpg

The manufactured stands are typically adjustable and typically allow for assembly and disassembly in the field, thus allowing easier transport. This inexpensive tool is invaluable at the field. Whether you build a custom stand or purchase one, this is a key tool. 

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Weekly Beginner's Taxiway 2020-11-27

Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes

Term of the Week - Servo

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Servos are what allow you to control and pilot your aircraft. The servo takes the decoded electrical pulses from the receiver and performs the desired mechanical function. Servos activate the landing gear; they move the flaps, ailerons, and elevator. The servo connects to the receiver with a 3-pin connecter, and the electrical pulses are decoded in the servo and move the servo arms through the gears.    

 The servo consists of a small motor, gears, and a servo arm attachment secured to the servo wire. Servos are denoted by how much weight or force they can actuate. According to Wikipedia, “if a servo model is described as “0.2 s / 2 kg”, that should be interpreted as “This servo rotates the shaft for 60° in 0.2 seconds, and it is able to pull up 2 kg weight using a 1 cm radius pulley”. That is, that particular servo model rotates the shaft with the angular speed of (2π / 6) / 0.2 s = 5.2 rad/s while producing 2 kg × 9.81 m/s2 = 19.6 N force at 1 cm distance, i.e. it produces 19.6 N × 0.01 m = 0.196 N m torque.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servo_(radio_control)

There are two construction types of servo gears, metal, and plastic. A good rule of thumb is that a plastic servo will typically have a useful life of approximately 100 hours. If a servo is going to fail, generally, the failure relates to stripped gears. Stripped gears are more likely with a plastic geared servo vs. metal. 

Hard landings or a crash typically cause stripped gears.

 Tip – When you have a crashed plane, always test the servos to see if they are functioning and save them. Most are interchangeable.

 Plane Reviews and Tips

 FlightTest has a great post on 8 ways to improve your RC flying skills. We can all learn from these.

Pilot Ryan Media - Looking for a beginner EDF jet? Check out this video review of the Eflite Viper 70mm EDF Beginner EDF Jet Maiden with Capt. Mike 

Check out these kids. It is refreshing to see talented young people in the hobby. 

A tool of the Trade - Servo Tester

Servo tester.jpg

My servo tester is a crucial tool. A small 4.8V (4 Cell) 2000mAh NiMH battery powers the servo tester and allows you to test/actuate a servo to see if it is working or center the servo. A servo tester typically has three settings, manual, center, and automatic.  

 Using a servo tester is safer and more efficient than hooking up a lipo battery to supply power to the servo. The only way a servo can be tested is with applied power. 

Connecting the 3-pin connector to the servo tester and activating the tester will allow you to test the servo safely.

 Here is a link to the $9 servo tester I use

 Servo testers and inexpensive and a must-have tool.

  Until next week safe flying!

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Weekly Beginner’s taxiway 2020-11-11

Reviews, thoughts, and events from the week in RC Airplanes

 

Term of the Week – Transmitter

DX8 Transmitter.jpg

The Remote-control transmitter is the device that sends instructions to the remote-control airplane’s onboard receiver. These transmissions are how you control your airplane. Current transmitters are on the 2.4GHz band. The 2.4GHz band is used for most RC transmitters because the FCC has designated this band as free.

 Transmitters are further designated by how many channels they support or can control. For example, Throttle control is a channel; Flaps are a channel; Landing Gear is a channel. Etc. The more channels a transmitter supports, the more functions on an aircraft it can control, and the more expensive it is.  

 A 6-Channel transmitter is a good beginner transmitter. I would not go below six channels, and I would consider 8-Channel a good sweet spot. 

 A receiver and transmitter from the same manufacturer will give you optimal performance. For example, the Spektrum brand of transmitters requires receivers that use the DSMX or DSM2 algorithms. It is best to stay in the family once you decide on a transmitter. 

The transmitter is more costly, so first, pick a transmitter brand and then the receivers. 

 Plane Reviews

The RC Saylors posted a great review of the Carbon Cub S 2 Beginner RC Airplane. Check out their review here. This plane is one of my top 6 beginner/trainer planes. Check out the other planes on my Top 6 Starter and Beginner Remote Control Airplanes post.

 RC Informer posted a review here of the FMS CJ-6 V2 1200mm aircraft. This is another good beginner / intermediate plane.  

Events

 This year, in-person RC fly-ins have been canceled. One that took place was the celebration of National RC Day. Here is Merry Boozer’s review of the National RC Day at IRCC.

 A tool of the Trade

Metal Ammo Can.jpg

The Metal Ammo Box – Incorrect handling of LiPo batteries could potentially cause a fire. I store and transport my lipo batteries in a metal ammo box. I use the Harbor Freight ammo box. These boxes are inexpensive and are easy to transport in my car. I sort my batteries by box.  

A quick tip – add Velcro to the inside of the ammo box lid and on the back of your lipo tester, and you will always know where your tester is, and it is safe and out of the way. No more digging in your pockets to test your battery.

 

Until next week safe flying!

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