RC Flyer News Nov/Dec 2018 (Vol-23-03)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

10 121

LEADING EDGE MYSTERY PLANE

EVENTS

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WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER NW PILOTS COME TOGETHER TO END THE SEASON WITH FLYING, FRIENDSHIP, AND LOTS OF FUN. Wil Byers

THE EXTREME FLIGHT LASER WAS CAPTTURED AT THE SEASON ENDER EVENT IN OTHELLO, WA BEING FLOWN BY TYLER WILBUR. HE IS PERFORMING A HARRIER FOR THE CAMERA IN THIS PHOTO. SEE MORE IN ACTION IN THE REPORT.

BUILD

PLAN

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BUILDING A KWIK-FLI III GET GREAT TIPS ON A COOL JIG, CLEVER CONSTRUCTION AND LOTS OF OTHER USEFUL TRICKS. Jeff Troy

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

VAN’S RV-4 KITBUILT AIRPLANE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE DRAWINGS TO DECIDE IF THE RV-4 NEEDS TO BE IN YOUR HANGAR. Hans-Jürgen Fischer twitter.com/rcflyernews

NOV/DEC 2018

HOW TO

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BENCH TESTING SERVOS SEE HOW I PERFORM REAL-WORLD TESTS OF TODAY’S RC SERVOS TO SEE IF THEY MEASURE UP. Wil Byers

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD LEARN WHY PROPER PREPARATION IS KEY TO GETTING A GREAT SPORT-SCALE PAINTED FINISH. Gary Weaver

3-VIEW 310R 104 CESSNA TWIN BECOME A PILOT OF THE TWIN-ENGINE BLUE CANOE BY BUILDING FROM THESE PLANS. Wendel Hosteller rcflyernews.tumblr.com

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INSTALLING SERVO FRAMES DISCOVER HOW BEARING SUPPORT WILL IMPROVE SERVO LIFE AND TORQUE OUTPUT. Wil Byers

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Wil Byers wil@rcflyernews.com ASSISTANT EDITORS James T Baker Doris Chen Asa Clinton Jenn Hart PRODUCTION Jonathan Balignassay jon@kionapublishing.com PHOTOGRAPHY Wil Byers GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Meng Zhe

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LEADING EDGE

H

WIL BYERS

ello. It has been seven months since the last issue of this now-digital rag was published. Much has happened in RC circles since our last issue.

Additionally, the news has been filled with the changes in all the social media channels, which has over the previous few years had such an impact on Kiona Publishing, Inc. For me, it feels as if events in publishing are changing almost at light speed—some for the better and some for the worse.

Because this issue is out after Veterans Day, I will introduce my column by honoring my mother’s brother, Thomas Roy Belleau. First, understand, my mother’s family name is from the Belleau Wood in France, which was the site of a significant World War I battle.

Uncle Tom Belleau was an inspiration to me; albeit, I doubt he ever knew it. He was a tall man, standing about six foot two. He was the kind of man I looked up to as a boy. I did so because he drove big, new cars and flew big airplanes as a bush pilot in Alaska. In my mind, he stood tall over most of the men in my family simply because he flew airplanes.

He was born February 28, 1926. As my mother tells it, he always had a love of airplanes. As a young boy he would visit the municipal airport in the coal mining town of Cle Elum, Washington almost every day. There, he would help in any way possible as a way to be near the airplanes and pilots.

When World War II arrived he enlisted and ended up in Europe. His enlistment gave him the honor of being a Sargent and a tail gunner (611) in B-17 bombers with the 34th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force during their raids into Germany, as I was told. His Air Force Air Force number was 19195490, which records show him as being part of Tyson’s Tramps on B-17G-80-BO, which returned to the USA on June 20, 1945.

After the war, and apparently to the dislike of my grandfather Belleau, he reenlisted. That reenlistment landed him in the Philippines as a maintenance sergeant with the 18th Fighter Group of the 13th Air Force, doing the honorable, but dirty job of caring for the dead.

Unfortunately, during his one-year tour, the filth of the job and the climate caused him to become very ill, plus he acquired a serious case of jungle rot.

Back from the Philippines he returned to Seattle area, at McChord Air Force Base. After his honorable discharge in 1946, uncle Tom obtained a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Engine Mechanics Certificate and went to work for Boeing Airplane Company in Everett, Washington. While working swing shifts at Boeing, he also completed flight training and obtained his flight instructor ratings. He soon found work at the Renton Municipal Airport as a flight instructor, as well as doing some commercial piloting.

However, in early 1953 uncle Tom was offered a job by Mr Bob Hall of Kodiak Airlines, which he accepted. In 1959 Uncle went to worked for Reeve Aleutian Airways, whereas he said, he had “The best job in the world, flying bush

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

and commercial.” He piloted a number of aircraft but the Grumman Goose was one of his favorites.

Uncle Tom ended his career with the United States Department of Interior flying Widgeon aircraft throughout Alaska. He was awarded the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award in 1995. His Starduster Too homebuilt biplane won a craftsmanship award at the 2001 Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in in Arlington, Washington.

My uncle was extremely kind to me as a boy and as a young adult. I remember the day in 1976—while I was in Alaska working—that he took my cousins and I to Palmer, Alaska to watch an airshow. I could tell by the glint in his eye that he still loved aviation as much then as he had perusing the airplanes at the little Cle Elum, WA municipal airport.

Uncle Tom passed in April 22, 2007. Looking back, I’m somewhat sad I never took the time to honor him in his life for his service as a Veteran. Moreover, I’m hugely saddened by the fact I never inquired more about his service to our country. I can only imagine the terror my uncle and other young servicemen endured to make certain his family remained safe and free in our Representative Republic of the United States of America. Further, it must have been with unimaginable joy, and yet sorrow, that he and his service mates to arrived back on USA soil, all the while happy they had survived while knowing so many others did not.

Uncle Tom, like so many my generation, we salute you and all those that served this great nation. My sincere hope is those that follow us will recognize your sacrifice and honor you and this Republic for which you stood strong under God. It’s More Than A Job At my young age, and getting younger, I still feel publishing RC Flyer News has value for our readers. Maybe I’m delusional, but I get enough positive feedback from you to keep publishing, even while it remains less than profitable—the hope is to turn it around.

Turning it around means publishing content that readers want and need. While I’m 10,000% passionate about this hobby, and especially gliders and sailplanes, I pretty much love RC in its entirety. It gives me joy to see what others are building and flying, and to learn and share with you how they do. I especially like scale models of about every size, shape and color. Honestly, some of the scale models being built and flown are astonishing quality—too nice in my opinion to be flown.

While my enthusiasm is pretty much out of control for the gliders, sailplanes, aerotowing, slope soaring, thermal soaring, etc., I’m happy to write about, take photos, and publish content for any facet of the hobby. It would, however, balance my preferences if other RC devotees would contribute content to these pages as well. Let me underscore that you need not be a professional writer or photographer to contribute. The company’s designer and I can make your content read like you’re a professional— that is what we do. Accordingly, if you have even a passing interest in contributing to this magazine please shoot me an e-mail. We can then work out the details to make your twitter.com/rcflyernews

content appear before our readers , which I’m convinced will give you delight as well.

Waining Popularity The above paragraph is a segue into my five-cent opinion for this issue. Read on. Be advised….

While many in the industry say the hobby is waining in popularity, I’m not completely convinced of it as yet. The reasons I’m left wondering are only a few, but let me to elaborate: Firstly, what is all to evident is our RC hobby has morphed and morphed again. What used to be a few niches within the RC community is now many niches, with niches within niches. One reason for this fractioning is how technology has provided us with lots and lots of options. It is safe to say that within any RC community the proponents of a facet—pick any—have created specializes niches. We see it in giant-scale, helicopters, gliders, drones, etc. So while a fun fly event or contest used to draw 80 or 90 pilots, the niche within the community now only hosts to 15 or 20 pilots. Simply, the pilots’ preferences have changed within their specialty. We see this fact underscored in the online forums and groups, with small groups of pilots picking their preferred niche for discussions—sometimes adhering to their specialized niche in an almost fanatical way as if their identity in RC depended on it.

Then too, over the last few years I’ve witness the demise of many of the largest hobby distributors. Those of us with

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graying hair can remember the days when Circus Circus, Global Hobbies, Hobbico, Hobby People, Horizon, Midwest Products, Tower Hobbies, Sig, and many more were dominant. While all but a few of the “biggies” have gotten out of the business, they have been replaced by numerous small companies, many also specializing in their niches.

The “small guys” now find their respective hobby products manufacturers online. These small resellers then set up shop in their garage or workshop, order product, and sell direct via the Internet. Note that these small distributors are not often driven by huge profit margins, but rather, by their passion for the hobby.

As one would expect, there is no data collection mechanism in place to assess the number of products being consumed and by how many pilots. Obviously, not all the enthusiasts/pilots are members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. So, who can figure the numbers of RC pilots that are using their local parks or playgrounds to fly their aircraft. I think there are many.

Then too, the USA pilots used to dominate the sport. You probably remember. It was at a time when the communities within the USA were encouraging youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by allowing them to experiment and experience. It was an era when STEM did not require government funded groups to promote it. Rather, regional, state, and federal governments made certain facilities were available for pilots, and without tort fears. Further, aviation, both big and little was promoted Continued on pg 54

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EVENT

SEASON ENDER Pilots Come to End the Season with Flying, Friendship, & Fun

By Wil Byers

F

or RC pilots that live in the south, October signals cooler, more comfortable weather.

It’s a time of the year when you can enjoy being outside in the midday sun with friends and flying RC. For those of us that reside in the north, October pretty much means the end of outdoor flying, unless of course, we bundle ourselves up to stay warm against the cold. Even wrapped up, our unprotected fingers can lose much their dexterity, which can then rob us of a good time. That being the case, October’s passing typically means the end of RC flying in the inland northwest too.

This year, however, during the weekend of October 26 thru 28 a

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

group of northwest RC enthusiasts found their way to Weaver’s Airfield in Othello, Washington for a weekend of genuine camaraderie and flying. The weather was grand, as were the pilots and people that attended. It was a fitting end to the 2018 flying season.

Airfield Gary Weaver and his airfield, along with his many friends, have been welcoming pilots of airplanes both big and little for years. It has been a hangout destination for pilots to enjoy the flying, the learning, and the sharing stories of planes and piloting.

Accordingly, Weaver’s Airfield plays host to a number of RC events each year. The airstrip is 750 feet long by 100 feet wide, with close-mown grass. There’s a full-scale airplane hangar and a smaller model hangar on site.

South of the flight line, the airfield has plenty of room for recreational vehicles and aircraft trailers. Simply put, it is an excellent airfield for RC aircraft activities of any kind. It is certainly a superb site for a Season Ender event in central Washington State.

It’s In The People What impressed me about this year’s Season Ender was just how enjoyable it was to hang out

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Tyler Wilbur pilots his Extreme Flight 125-in. wingspan Extra 300 for a nice knife-edge camera pass.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Tyler Wilbur’s Extreme Flight Company Extra 300 airplane has a 125-in. wingspan and is powered by a DLA 180 engine, with stock mufflers.

Tyler is a very talented young pilot and was putting on show for us.

Tyler uses a Spektrum DX18 transmitter for control. The airplane is fitted with a Spektrum AR12310T receiver. Tyler told me the airplane uses Savox SB2290SG brushless motor servos for all flight controls.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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The four-cycle, glow-powered Old Timer was a hit at the airfield. It was fun to see it turning in performances flight after flight. The smell of the glow fuel was a delight as well—brought back some great memories of early days at the airfield.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

This nicely detailed P-51 sport-scale model was done by a fellow who drove to the event from Montana. He makes it to almost all of the Weaver events, and typically has a trailer full of nice looking and flying models.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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Another well-built sport-scale model was this P-47 Thunderbolt. It didn’t fly at the event, but the builder and pilot is promising it will be shown and flown at the Annual Breakfast and Auction event in March 2019.

Gary Weaver was flying this P-38 Lightning 400 ARF, which is an E-flite product.

It has a 48-in. wingspan, is a powered by two Park 450 brushless motors that have a 890 Kv, and a 3S 2200-mAh battery pack.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

I didn’t get the name of the pilot who was flying this gorgeous Piper Cub. There is just something about a Cub like this one that makes a person want to have one in their hangar. And, they’re fun to fly too!

The Fly Baby biplane, flown by David Kumerow, has an 88-in. wingspan and 2450 square inches of wing area. I believe his model is powered by a 3.5 cu/in. engine fitted with a wooden propeller.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

Steve Ross put his beautiful SIG Kadet Senior model stands out in the sky with its translucent certainly helps with orientation against a clear blu

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David Kumerow was flying his classic Fly Baby (sometimes called a Fly Bi) biplane. Again, these types of airplanes are a pure joy to see in the air performing slow fly-by passes. We need more of them being offered again.

in the air numerous times. Look at how well this blue covering and the white leading edges. It ue sky.

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Jerry Dearing’s SIG Rascal is another model that has classic airplane lines. The model has a 80-inch wingspan and 800 in.2 of wing area. Recommended power for this model is at least 600 watts on a 4S or 5S LiPo battery pack.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Tyler’s father, Chad Wilbur, was flying this 91-in. Extra 300. He told me he got it as a wreck. He rebuilt the right wing, most of the empennage, and then recovered the entire airplane in his own color scheme—he’s a craftsman!

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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with the pilots and those family members who attended. It was most enjoyable to walk the flight line to examine and photograph the aircraft on display as well as to see the pilots put their airplanes thru their paces. As expected, I

heard about the airplanes, the equipment, and I learned a bit about how some of the models were set up and powered. Let me underscore. I was impressed by how friendly and inviting each, and every one of the participants

was on the airfield during the event. And, I mean every single one. It must have been something in the air we were breathing. No matter, it made a weekend of pure enjoyment for me.

Now I’m genuinely looking

Loved watching these rolling maneuvers right in front of the camera. It shows off the performance of this Extreme Flight Extra 300. Good pilots like Chad’s son, Tyler, makes my photography work easy too—they position their airplanes well.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Chad’s Extreme Flight Extra 300 uses a DLA 64 engine fitted with the stock mufflers. The red spinner is a four-inch from Extreme Flight. The propeller uses is a Falcon 24 x 9. Check out the rudder. It is less than an inch off the ground.

The Extra 300 uses Savox SV1270TG, high-voltage servos throughout. Battery power is delivered by a 2S 2550-mAh LiPo pack, and the receiver is a Spektrum AR12310T, while the transmitter used by Chad is a Spektrum iX12.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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I sold my AeroWorks DLE 35-power Laser at the Season Ender.

Keith Kraz is putting the new-to-him Laser up on knife-edge for me to get a photo of it, which was part of the deal of him buying the airplane. From money to me, he had in the air in under an hour.

The engine didn’t have much time on it when Keith bought it, so it was a little lean for the first couple of flights. On this one, the engine quit and Keith made a gorgeous dead-stick landing.

Later he had the engine tuned to perfection.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Jim Bennett, a member of the Moses Lake club, was flying his Godfrey Extra 300. His model has 125-inch wingspan. Jim is powering the Extra with a Desert Aircraft DA-170 twin-cylinder engine that turns a 30 x 13 carbon propeller.

Jim’s crew chief and caller is his wife, Mary. She is helping him get the model started and ready for a flight. The model is fitted with all Spektrum radio gear and Jim’s transmitter is a DX18. This is an impressive model in the air.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Chad Wilbur’s Extreme Flight Laser is powered by a DA-70 engine that is fitted with a MTW 2-into-1 header and RE3 pipe. As you can see, the pipe exhausts at the trailing edge of the wing. The propeller is a 24 x 10.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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The Laser flies on a 91-inch wingspan. It is equipped with Savox SV1270TG, high-voltage servos.

Battery power is a 2S 2550-mAh LiPo pack, and the receiver is a Spektrum AR12310T and TX is a DX18.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Check out the elevator deflection on Chad Wilbur’s Extreme Flight Laser! Both he and his son were putting it thru some extreme flight maneuvers for me so I could capture photos for this report—impressive!

Father and son team (right to left), Chad and Tyler Wilbur were having fun flying 3D at the airfield. They were very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining how a pilot should set up a model for 3D performance.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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Painting a spinner such as this one takes both patience and craftsmanship. I want to know how it was done, so I can share it with you.

Anybody out there know how to paint a spinner like this? Contact me.

Chris Christenson’s scratch-built “FedEx” aircraft was built by Chris. He kit bashed another airplane! It uses a gas-powered engine. The color scheme, performance in the air, and scale-like appearance impressed me—FUN.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

Steve Ross attended the event and was flying this Balsa USA 1/3-scale J3 Piper Cub. It is powered by a Sachs 4.2-size engine. It is covered in fabric and nicely detailed, which makes it present well in the air.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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David Kumerow was also flying a 1/3-scale Piper Aircraft Company PA-12, which is fitted with Spektrum radio gear. The color scheme and level of detail was well done, so it too presents nicely in the air.

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EVENT

WEAVER’S SEASON ENDER

The airfield is 750 by 100 feet, with close-mown grass. There’s a full-scale airplane hangar and a smaller model hangar on site. South of the flight line, there is plenty of room for recreational vehicles and aircraft trailers.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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forward to the 2019 flying season, which will start with Weaver’s Annual Breakfast and Auction Fun Fly event during the weekend of March 15 thru 17, with the breakfast being on the 16th. This event is to memorialize Gary’s long-time friend, Mark Ewert. Mark was a modelers’ modeler from Walla Walla, WA. He passed away this fall of pancreatic cancer. We will miss him! The annual breakfast will be Gary’s way of celebrating his life.

I’m saying this for Gary, but

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I certain he feels the same. He welcomes all to share in this the 2019 RC season, and especially to attend the Annual Breakfast and memorial. The auction will be huge. Moreover, the people participating are warmhearted and truly welcoming.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this photo pictorial from the 2018 Season Ender. That said, I want to see you at Weaver’s in the spring of 2019 and to photograph your airplanes too.

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BUILD

Building a Vintage Kwik-Fli III

By Jeff Troy

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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Cool Jig, Clever Construction, Good Tips Part 1: Framing the Wing

E

very article has its backstory.

That certainly holds true for my Kwik-Fli III, so here is mine. I had the pleasure of building three of these fine Phil Kraft World Champion designs, all in 1968 and ’69. Sometime in ’68, I was flying my Veco Thunderbird control-liner at

Tamiami Park in South Miami when I spotted a model airplane high overhead doing loops and rolls—and you just can’t do that on 60-foot lines! My T-bird finally fueled out, so I glided it in and went over to where the other pilot was standing. Then came the real shock—he landed his

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airplane and taxied it right up to his feet. WHAT? I was awestruck. I had heard of radio control (RC) airplanes—and even built a couple of them modified for control line—but this was the first time I had ever seen an RC model fly, and it made a dramatic impression on me.

Top Flite’s Kwik-Fli III kit came with a cleverly designed, diecut-cardboard wing jig. Here, I’m truing one edge of the balsa wing sheeting before placing it upside-down in the jig.

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BUILD

BUILDING A VINTAGE KWIK-FLi III

3

I asked the pilot, who coincidentally happened to be Dr. Ralph Brooke, what it was that he was flying, and he told me that it was a Kwik-Fli III. My very next move was a visit

to my old friend Mort Perkis at Crown Hobbies in Miami, where I immediately purchased the Top Flite kit. I had already built many complex models—Top Flite Noblers, Veco

4

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

Sanding the wing sheeting before installing it prevents hills and valleys from sanding over ribs and spars. Smooth the finish side—the side that will face down in the jig.

Thunderbirds, and several of the large Sterling RC scale kits—so I had no trouble getting my new Kwik-Fli together. I also tried using this new iron-on covering called MonoKote®,

Lay the sanded sheets in the jig, then use a metal straightedge along the feet of the jig at the rib locations. This “trues” the jig and ensures accurate assembly.

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I use BSi Insta-Cure and Insta-Cure+ for most of my general construction. Place the leading edge and lower spars over the sheeting, then add the ribs and upper spars.

and in record time my red, white, and blue airplane was flight ready. Mort sold me an O.S. .60-H Gold Head engine with a Semco strap-on muffler, and I had found a used four-channel

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M.A.N. 2-3-4 RC radio system at a South Florida flea market for an even hundred bucks, which worked perfect for the model.

Trainer Here’s the end to my backstory.

Trainer? Never heard of them, never knew about them, no one ever told

Applying a thin coat of Vaseline over the short end of the landing gear wires will prevent the gears from becoming permanently installed when the base blocks are epoxied in.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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I used BSi Slow-Cure epoxy to install the gear blocks and plywood reinforcements. When thoroughly cured, insert the gear wires and install the base blocks that capture the coated ends.

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Modernizing the original linkage ensures smooth travel. My KwikFli’s aileron pushrods thread into a Du-Bro 2-56 Dual Aileron Swivel Connector, with a Du-Bro Extra Strength Servo Arm to the servo.

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The 90-degree bellcranks are from the Top Flite kit, although the fasteners were replaced with stainless steel. The rods are all from Du-Bro, with Sullivan Gold-N-Clevises at the horn ends.

me about them. Flight instructor?

Never heard of one, never knew of any, no one ever told me about one.

Buddy box? Never heard of it. No one ever told me about it; buddy box simply didn’t exist back then. Reliable radio? Never heard of it, never knew about that, no one ever told me about it. I read the kit instructions, read all the magazine articles, and figured I could do this. I didn’t say “on my own” because it never occurred to me that I might need someone else’s help.

Hmmm.

Well, I don’t think my first flight deserved to be called “flight,” unless you want to count my running toward the wreck. The model came off the ground okay, but immediately went back into it at a horrible angle and with devastating force. Somehow, the engine, muffler, and radio gear survived, so it was off to Crown Hobbies again for my second go at a Kwik-Fli III. Take two went no better than the first, so Mort suggested that I try a Jensen Ugly Stik. Never one to argue (too much) with genius, I rcflyernews.tumblr.com

built the Ugly Stik—outstanding kit by the way—and used it to quickly dig another hole in the ground. This was getting old, but each flight was a second or two longer than the one before it, and instead of being discouraged, I was kind of inspired to keep going.

The third Kwik-Fli was built for a Florida flier who liked my workmanship and asked me to do one up for him. I never saw it fly, but I’m sure that in capable hands, it did just fine. As for me, a touring musician on the road, I went on to build dozens of RC airplanes in motel rooms, and flew as the guest of many welcoming RC clubs across the country. All the club instructors helped me fly them at a “safe” altitude that never let me see what my model was doing, and then usually told me that the trainer I built at the advice of a distant club’s instructor was not the right one.

Some 12 years and three times that many models later, after discovering how easy it was to learn to fly with an RC sailplane instead of a powered model, I took another stab

at power with the then-new Eaglet 50 from Carl Goldberg Models.

I figured that after competing for several years with sailplanes, I could take the Eaglet to my club field at Valley Forge and get some success.

I also vowed that if I couldn’t fly this little trainer properly, I would never build another power plane—ever!

Well, my sailplane background did the trick, and I had a great time with the Eaglet. Once again inspired, I continued to build an endless array of powered birds, and then got heavily into my true passion: stick, wire, and fabric Scale pioneer aeroplanes. I went on to fly a 1/3-scale, wingwarping Bleriot XI-2 at the U.S. Scale Masters and even once at Top Gun, although I still remain a far better builder than an RC pilot.

Kwik-Fli III Well, that was a way-too-lengthy bag of self-absorbed nonsense, but 50 years after my first glimpse of an RC model in flight, I’ve still got a thing Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com

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BUILDING A VINTAGE KWIK-FLi III

MonoKote hinges are suggested, but I pass on that. The 1/16-in. aileron and TE sheeting can’t support conventional hinges, so I installed balsa blocks to accept my choice of hinges.

for the Kwik-Fli III. Now, after staticjudging the Vintage Airplane category at the Weak Signals RC Expo in Toledo a few years ago, my involvement in the Vintage RC Society has me punching all those memory buttons.

I’m a bit closer to competent on the sticks these days, so I’m doing a fourth Kwik-Fli with an original Top Flite Models kit that was gifted to me by then AMA District Vice President Charlie Bauer, who was also a former executive at Top Flite in Chicago. The kit was missing its plans and the large building sequence page, but Philip K. McCall, a compassionate gentleman from State College, Pennsylvania, was kind enough to copy them and send them to me. Ted Davey of Davey Systems Corporation dug up a shiny new O.S. Gold Head that he wasn’t using, and somehow after all these years, I still have the original Semco muffler from my first Kwik-Fli. I am now ready and determined to finally beat this airplane, and I promise to make the build on these pages somewhat less tedious than my story.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

Build The Top Flite Kwik-Fli III kit came with a die-cut, cardboard wing jig, which goes together by sliding each of the 21 rib supports into their corresponding slots in the leading and trailing edge runners. The wing is built upside-down in the jig, ensuring that the wing will be straight and true.

The kit also came with four 12-inch-wide, 1/16-in. balsa wing skins, which require only minor preparation before going into the jig.

First, the sheets must be cut to the correct width, and their inboard ends trimmed at right angles to the span.

The servo cutout is made in each of the upper sheets, and then the sheets are sanded smooth.

Note that I sand these wings skins before assembly, and there’s a good reason. If you sand a wing skin on the model with the ribs and spars under it, more wood will be taken from the skin where the ribs and spars present greater resistance to the sanding block. The result is rib and spar

depressions in the balsa skins, with the surface ballooning up slightly higher in the bays between the ribs and spars. Sanding before installing the skins prevents this unsightly problem, so that’s what I do.

If you intend to cover your model with an iron-on film, you’ll want to sand the skins down to 400-grit paper, maybe even 600 if you’re doing the model for beauty pageantry in addition to flying fun. If you’re going to paint the airplane, using silk, polyester fabric, or some other paint-base material over the skins, a good sanding down with 320 is all you need.

After trimming the width and the root ends with a fresh #11 blade and a good metal straightedge, then cutting away the recess for the aileron servo, I placed the upper sheets into the jig, sanded side down—remember that the wing is built upside-down. Before moving on, I used my straightedge along the tabs of the rib feet to ensure the jig was properly aligned, and then I pinned the jig parts to the bench. twitter.com/rcflyernews

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Preparing the lower wing skins came next, beginning with shaping the sheets’ edges at the center. Put them in the jig, fitting and sanding the angles until they mate tightly.

To keep the trailing edge thin, the rear edge of the lower balsa sheeting must be beveled to mate with the upper skins. You must use a sharp razor plane to cut away the excess material to get the angle started.

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Finish shaping the bevel with a Great Planes aluminum Easy-Touch Bar Sander and #80- or 100-grit sandpaper.

Use a hardwood stick to set and maintain the correct angle while sanding.

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BUILDING A VINTAGE KWIK-FLi III

So how does one locate the landing gear slot when the sheeting covers it? Slide the sheet outward in the jig to mark the slot location on the inboard edge.

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The next few steps hold no surprises. Using no glue, lay the leading edge in the jig, followed by the main and drag spars, and then use a couple of ribs to get those parts into proper alignment. Add the rest of the ribs and the upper spars, and then wick thin CA into most of the joints to keep things together. I use BSi Insta-Cure (thin) and Insta-Cure + (medium) CA for balsa construction, and Quik-Cure (5-minute), Mid-Cure (15-minute), and Slo-Cure (30-minute) BSi epoxy where needed for the heavy-duty work. Now you can go over all of the joints with beads of medium CA. Slo-Cure was my choice when I added the plywood dihedral braces, the grooved landing gear blocks, and the plywood reinforcements that keep the blocks secure in the ribs. After the epoxy cured, I coated the ends of the main landing gear wires with Vaseline to prevent epoxy from grabbing

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

Here’s the finished bevel I created on one of the lower wing skins. It’s ideally shaped to mate with the upper sheeting and keep the finished trailing edge reasonably thin.

them. I inserted the gears into the grooved blocks, and then applied Slo-Cure to the base blocks that keep the legs from rocking fore-and-aft in their mounts. I eyeballed the legs for uniform extension, and clamped the base blocks overnight while the epoxy cured.

Hardware and fasteners are important items for accuracy in a mechanical control system. Most of today’s aerobatic airplanes carry an aileron servo in each wing panel, but the Kwik-Fli was designed long before that practice became commonplace.

Instead, a single center-mounted servo drives two pushrods, one through each wing panel to a 90-degree bellcrank that transfers the motion to the aileron horn through a shorter pushrod.

The nylon bellcranks that came with kit are fine, but I’m not a big fan of the soldered center connection with its additional piece of bent wire

that connects to the servo arm. A little modernization was called for in the form of a Du-Bro 2-56 Dual Aileron Swivel Connector to connect the main pushrods and a Du-Bro Extra Strength Servo Arm to replace the standard JR arm. I used a pair of DuBro 30-in. 2-56 threaded-end rods for the primary pushrods, and two 12-in.

Du-Bro rods with Sullivan Gold-NClevises for the bellcrank-to-horn linkage. All the screws, washers, and nuts in this setup were replaced with stainless steel fasteners to eliminate rust over the age of the airplane— obviously anticipating greater success than I had with my previous two KwikFli models.

At this point, the wing structure was close to receiving its lowers skins, but then I thought about hinging the ailerons. MonoKote is a Top Flite product, so it’s logical that MonoKote would be suggested for covering the airplane and hinging the control

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Slide the sheet in the opposite direction to mark the landing gear slot’s location at the outboard edge of the sheet. The next three steps will finish the slot marking.

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Remove the sheet from the jig. Lay a straightedge over the sheet between the two marks, then draw a line in the approximate location of the grooved landing gear block.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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With a flexible straightedge under the sheet, LE to TE near the gear-wire hole in the block, align the sheet at the wing’s center and mark the hole’s approximate position.

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Move the straightedge over to the opposite end of the gear block, and mark the sheet at that position along the line.

Cutting the slots will start on these marks.

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Sand both lower sheets in preparation for installing them, which is where I’ll start the next installment. Please be here to see how I finished constructing my Kwik-Fli III’s wing. twitter.com/rcflyernews

lower sheets install right side-up, so be sure that the beveled edge is facing the bench when you sand. They are almost ready to glue onto the wing, but there are a few quick tricks to address before doing that.

In my next installment, I’ll show you an easy way to mark the top skins for cutting away the ailerons, and marking the bottom sheets for the aileron control horns. After that, I’ll install the sheets, mark and hollow the balsa-block wingtips, and prepare the fully constructed Kwik-Fli III for covering in true vintage tradition.

Please be here, and don’t forget that in case you missed any of my previous building tips and tricks, back issues of RC Flyer News and RC Sport Flyer are available from the publisher at rcsportflyer.com

VENDORS

surfaces. Both uses for MonoKote can be practical, but Kraft’s model was finished in silk-and-dope, and whatever the hinges were, I’d bet that they weren’t MonoKote.

The leading edge of the ailerons and the trailing edge of the wing’s aileron recesses are 1/16-in. balsa, and that’s way too thin of an area to support conventional Du-Bro Giant Scale nylon hinges or Robart Steel-Pin Hinge Points. Still undecided about which type of hinge to use with the top-hinge-style ailerons, I covered my bases by adding a 1-1/2-in. length of 1/2-in.—square balsa behind the LEs and TEs at each hinge location.

Preparing the lower wing skins of the Kwif-Fli came next, beginning with fitting the balsa sheets at their centers.

I placed them in the jig, butting the ends together and sanding the edges until the two sheets could join tightly together. Then I beveled the rear edge of each sheet so it would mate with the upper sheeting while still maintaining a reasonably thin trailing edge. This beveled area will get glued together later.

I started the bevel by roughshaving the edge with a razor plane.

Finishing the bevel was done with a Great Planes® Easy-Touch Bar Sander with 100-grit sandpaper. I placed a square 1/4-in. spruce stick along the length of the sheet to keep the sander at the correct angle for the bevel, and the whole deal took less than five minutes for each sheet..

Airborne Models airborne-models.com Bob Smith Adhesives bsi-inc.com Dave Brown Products dbproducts.com Du-Bro RC dubro.com Horizon Hobby horizonhobby.com Robart Manufacturing robart.com Spektrum RC spekrumrc.com Sonic-Tronics sonictronics.com Sullivan Products sullivanproducts.com Tru-Turn Precision Model Products truturn.com

Slotting the sheets for the landing gear would present great difficulty after the sheets were on the wing, so I marked the sheets ahead of time.

Placing a sheet in the jig and sliding it spanwise in either direction lets you mark the groove location at the root and tip ends, then you can draw a pencil line to connect the marks.

Finding the gear hole and the other end of the groove is easy if you place a flexible straightedge under the sheet at those locations, and then eyeball approximately where to make those marks along the spanwise pencil line.

Don’t cut the slots yet. You can do that after the sheeting is glued in.

Lay the sheets on the bench and sand the top surfaces smooth, using the same method used for the upside-down upper sheets. These rcflyernews.tumblr.com

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How To

Bench Testing Servos

By Wil Byers This new standard-size servo features horizontal mounting tabs, which makes it easier to install in certain applications such as airplane wings. The aircraft manufactures will need to design around this new mount, but it should save the builders time and make the installations much more secure. I wanted to test it to see if it measured up to specs.

Verifying Real-World Performance

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s a builder and an RC pilot, you’ve undoubtedly searched for servos. It is an analysis challenge. First, you must determine the size: micro, mini, wing, standard, low-profile, and of course giant scale.

You’ll likely search them by their voltage rating, especially because state-of-the-art radio control systems typically run high-voltage servos.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

You’ll also choose between a coreless or brushless motor, with brushless servos offering savings in current consumption. Next, the torque needed to drive your airplane’s control surfaces must be assessed. Then too, you must consider the servos’ speeds, deadband, centering ability, type of gear train, idle and stall currents, case type, spline teeth, and of course twitter.com/rcflyernews

ELITE

This is one of RCSportFlyers.com new wing servos. It also utilizes the horizontal mount tabs. The motor is exposed as a way to make the case thinner, plus it helps dissipate heat from the small but powerful motor. We had to modify our torque tests mount to accommodate the thin profile of this servo, but we got its performance data.

whether the servo is fitted with ball bearings to support the output shaft. Your analysis is all important in matching servos correctly to their respective controls.

I’ve been picking servos for my models for years—back to a time when “powerful” servos were pumping out a “massive” 28 oz-in. of torque when powered by six volts!

Nowadays, a typical standard-size servo puts out ten times that amount, it has a two micro-second deadband, and is powered by 7.4 volts—giantscale servos deliver twenty times that much torque or much more.

RCSportFlyer.com now offers Savox brand servos, as well as a limited number of RCSF’s brand.

Consequently, it was vital for me to invest in some servo test equipment. rcflyernews.tumblr.com

It is essential to verify manufacture performance specifications for servos being sold by RCSportFlyer. com, as well as to analyze servos that may potentially get offered online.

It is, after all, crucially important for customers to know the servos they purchase are going to perform as advertised. Understand, I’ve been in this hobby long enough to know that sometimes what is advertised is optimal performance. It is not what is delivered in real-world applications.

Unfortunately, some manufacturers are worried about their profit margins more than they are about the builders’ RC aircraft!

Therefore, I’m sharing my testing methods in this article so you can understand how I recommend performance assessments.

Equipment Power Supply When it comes to testing a component such as a servo, a quality power supply is an absolute must. I purchased two. The first operates on 120 volts AC, has a regulated output of 0 – 30 volts DC (adjustable in .01-volt increments), and delivers up to 10 amps continuous current. The second supply has 120 VAC input but delivers 3 – 15 VDC at up to 40 amps continuous.

Torque Tester As a way to measure the torque accurately, I purchased a high quality, battery/AC-powered digital torque tester. It measures torque in units of foot-pounds per inch up to 90, or kilograms per centimeter to 100, or Newtons per meter of 10. The tester Subscribe @ RCSportFlyer.com

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How To

BENCH TESTING SERVOS Here you see the gear I used to test the servos’ performance for cycles, torque, and stall current. During the cycle testing (1000) the servo arm is connected to a load of weight in a bucket, which hangs over the end of the bench. The line supporting the bucket run over a pulleyl to transfer the load to the servo.

To break the servos’ gears in from their factory installation, I used a bucket of weight, which was equal to half the servos’ rated torque in oz-in. Then the servo control was set to cycle the servo 1000 times. After that it was three-point cycled for about 5 minutes before the servo was tested for centering and end-point resolution.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

measures in peak or tracking mode.

Servo Controller For my tests, I needed a way to control the servos automatically. My controller’s functions included: • Cycle test, where the output oscillates between the maximum and minimum signal values continuously until a predetermined programmed count value is reached.

• Three-point test, were the output signal cycles from its minimum value to the intermediate value, then to a maximum value, back to intermediate value, then to the minimum value, and then repeats.

• Dead-band test oscillates the output continuously in a relatively small range of microsecond (µs) values from 1 to 30.

• Speed test oscillates the output from the servos neutral point to maximum and repeat, with the unit of measure being seconds per 60 degrees of travel.

• Current test oscillates the servo thru its full travel range, with the unit of measure being amps.

Note, a typical servo’s operating signal width is between 1.0 – 2.0

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Torque was measured by fitting the servo into the torque meter. For my tests, I used foot-pounds per inch as the preferred units. However, I double-check my numbers by using kilograms per centimeter as well, and I converted to oz-in. units afterwards.

Maximum torque was recorded at the servos’ stall.

milliseconds (ms) or 0.5 – 2.5 ms, with 1.5 ms being the neutral position. A millisecond is defined as .001 seconds. The output pulses are typically in microseconds within the specified range of the servos travel.

Miscellaneous There were a few additional items required. They include some dead weights in the form of lead billets and shot, a metal bucker, a bearing supported pulley, a custom-made

This photo shows you how the servos get mounted in the torque tester.

The servo’s arm engages the tester’s coupler for the input. With the servo in its neutral position the torque tester got zeroed. In this test, the servo is powered by a regulated 7.4 volts. The unit was set to foot-pounds per inch as the preferred units, which were converted to oz-in. units afterwards.

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fixture for holding the servos in the proper position during the torque testing, a cycle board for mounting the servos during their cycle runs, and centering meter plus carbon fiber pointers for the servo arms.

Here you see the result of one test. This torque tester displays the torque in kilograms per centimeter, which I then converted to oz-in. as a way to double-check my test results between the two units. Each maximum torque reading got repeated a number of times to verify the servo was not binding and that the results were repeatable.

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How To

BENCH TESTING SERVOS This servo was tested at a voltage setting of 7.43 volts. As you can see, the servo was drawing 3.96 amps in its stalled state. Think about this number when you’re analyzing servos. If you had a couple of servos stall during flight loads it would consume the capacity of the aircraft’s receiver battery rather quickly.

The centering gauge has an eight-inch radius. The standard-size servo is held to the gauge with double-sided tape and the rubber band. It is then oscillated using the threepoint test with the signal cycling from minimum to intermediate, then to its maximum, and back to intermediate and minimum value. It repeats over and over about 100 times.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

This is a look inside the bottom of the servo whe case. Again, the case has a rubber seal on its botto protects the control boards components from touc servo lead wires has grommet to provide water pro

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The new horizontal mount, standard-size servo comes with high-quality stainless steel gears, plus double ball bearings on the output shaft as a way to reduce load and wear.

Notice there is a rubber seal on the case too, which makes it pretty much water proof, although we would not want to use it in a submarine.

ere the control boards is neatly packed inside the om. There is a non-conductive, clear plastic that ching the bottom of the plastic case. Note too, the oofing at the cases bottom.

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The RCSF thin-wing servo uses the same gauge as that of the standard-size. It too was oscillated using the three-point test procedure with the signal cycling from minimum to intermediate, then to its maximum, and back to intermediate and minimum value. It repeats over and over about 100 times, with the results being recorded.

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How To

BENCH TESTING SERVOS The torque tester provides a digital readout. I selected the foot-pounds per inch as the preferred units for the tests. However, the results of each test were doublechecked using kilograms per centimeter as well, which were then converted to oz-in. units.

Maximum torque was recorded at the servo’s stall position.

The RCSF thin-wing servos were tortured with cycles before their torque, and stallcurrent tests. During the cycle testing (1000) the servo arm is connected to a load of weigh in a bucket, which hangs over the end of the bench. The line supporting the bucket runs over a pulley to transfer the load to the servo’s output arm.

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RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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As you can see, the coreless motor is a very tight fit in the RCSF thin-wing servo.

The sides of the case are open to make the case as thin as possible, and to provide cooling for the powerful motor. The case is a durable plastic that is held together by four stainless steel screws and the tabs provide horizontal mounting.

Note that the RCSF thin-wing servo use all metal gears in its output train. There is very little slop in the gears, so even after running 1000 cycles on the servo its centering resolution was very good. Also, notice that the output shaft is supported by a high-quality, sealed, stainless steel bearing, which is designed to reduce wear and friction.

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53

How To

BENCH TESTING SERVOS

Procedure My tests began with cycling each servo with half their rated load. The photos show you how the loading was done. Each servo was cycled 1000 times to break in the gears.

The servo controller was used to test the speed automatically. The rate of the servo’s travel got recorded as the time it took the servo to travel from its neutral point to 60 degrees in arc. The speed is displayed on the controllers LED screen in fractions of a second, with the resolution being in hundredths.

Three-point/centering got tested next. The center gauge has an eightinch radius — the servo mounts to the gauge. Servo center then got checked for its position at 1500 microseconds.

Next, the servo control is operated in the three-point mode to check the repeatability of servo centering as well as it end-points.

With the servo still mounted in the center gauge, its deadband got tested.

The deadband test determines the pg 11

servos sensitivity in microseconds, with the lowest number recorded as the deadband value..

Torque is measured by fitting the servo into the torque meter. For my tests, I used foot-pounds per inch as the preferred units. However, I double-check my numbers by using kilograms per centimeter as well.

Maximum torque was recorded at the servo’s stall.

The current was my final test. This test was done with the servo stalled for a short period to get the maximum current in amps, with the resolution being ten milliamperes.

Findings I will not publish my results in this report because it would appear self-serving…. Although, I will say that without exception the servos I’ve tested to date have performed to the specifications provided by the manufacturer. The results of my tests had me pleasantly surprised because I did not expect the servos to meet the

in the media, which at that time were newspapers and magazines. Simply put, aviation was glorified!

Alternately, what I’ve witnessed over the last decade or more is that our hobby is growing in other countries.

This is especially true in those countries that are now challenging us technologically: China, India, Vietnam, Korea, South America, the Philippines, and more. As evidence of this global shift, I’ve seen the RC airports being built in China—they’re amazing. Underscore this by Jase Dussia’s invitation and participation in the CTS event in China, plus today’s Instagram post of him riding first class to Dubai. Purposefully, other countries around the world are welcoming RC aircraft and drone pilots as a way to grow their need for STEM; albeit, they don’t call it that. Rather, they call it recreation and fun, with the added benefit of creating a thirst for knowledge in the participants. Not surprisingly, the number of RC aviation and drone pilots worldwide is growing markedly.

As further proof that countries are mounting a push to grow STEM by way of aviation, I received an invitation to participate in an RC/UAV trade show in India for 2019.

Even, with 1.4 billion people crowding their country, India sees the benefits of promoting RC aircraft and drones. And, they certainly are not inhibiting interest in the hobby with needless regulations. Consequently, the number of pilots in their country is growing too.

Additionally, if you’re a user of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or SnapChat, you’ve probably witnessed the multitude of RC related posts. I’ll confess that I’m one of those that enjoys my daily dose of Instagram and Twitter

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manufacturer’s rated specifications.

Let me add, that concerning centering performance and deadband I did not rate my findings by use of a mathematical average or by a standard deviation. I’m convinced some manufacturers do, but that is not good metrology. I accepted my test results as found.

Finally, I would like to be able to measure servo centering, endpoints, and deadband digitally. If someone knows of a digital instrument that will do such, I’m interested in buying one.

Contact RC Sport Flyer P.O. Box 1095 Moses Lake, WA 98837 rcsportflyer.com

aviation posts, not so much Facebook anymore. While many posts are simply seeking likes, comments, and “friends,” the numbers show millions still beguiled by aviation. I find the posts enjoyable because they show the models! Again, the posts are a testament that the hobby is continuing to grow, even in the face of competition from computer games, government regulations, and encroachment on airfields.

Finally, let’s all encourage—by way of our posts and media invitations—pilots who are searching for “likes” to participate in activities at our RC airfields. Let’s introduce them to real, true friendships as well as give them a want for STEM. By so doing, I think we’ll see our numbers grow anew.

RC Flyer News @ Instagram: instagram.com/rcflyernews Twitter: twitter.com/rcflyernews

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55

How To

Paint Your

Warbird

By Gary Weaver

It’s All in the Preparation and Setup — Simple!

I

’ll start this how-to article with a bit of Weaver history.

I started flying full-scale airplanes in the early 1970s when I was 18. My father taught me to fly the family’s Super Cub. I subsequently bought one of my own. However, in the early 80s, I sold it…. Then I started to build and fly RC airplanes and was quite passionate about it. However, in 1999 I decided to build a Challenger ultralight, which I flew

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a bit and then sold. Next, I built a Just Aircraft’s Highlander. I sold it after flying it a while too because in March 2014 I purchased a CubCrafter’s Carbon Cub EX kit.

With the help of my good friends Steve Dentz and Dick Ovrid, the EX took about 800 hours to complete.

The reason I preface this article is that I’ve learned much over my years of building models and fullfull-scale aircraft. As with many of

In March of 2014 I purchase a Carbon Cub EX, which is manufactured by CubCrafters in Yakima, Washington. It took me about 800 hours to complete the airplane, which was done with some help from my friends Steve Dentz and Dick Orvid.

I covered the airplane in Stitz fabric and painted it in aircraft grade epoxy paint.

RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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In years past I built my warbirds to enter and fly in competitions.

This photo was taken at the 1993 RC Quarter Scale Association of America (QSAA) meet in Las Vegas. I finished first out of 74 pilots in the scale warbirds class.

I was competing with my Texas Longhorn P-40 Warhawk, which was powered by a Sachs 4.2. It had a 90 in. wingspan and I was using a Futaba radio system.

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How To

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD

Good documentation is key to detailing a scale airplane, such as may have been seen flown in combat. You can search for documentation online, in the library or in many of the books that are available on warbirds. As you can see below, I am using multiple images to document the paint scheme and markings for my model.

Here is the description of the dropper bottle I found on Amazon.com. It is a: Gaunt Industries HYPO-25 (2 PACK)- Acrylic Welding Dispensers Precision Epoxy & Solvent Cement Applicators - 2 Ounce Clear Plastic Bottles with 23 Gauge Blunt Needle tip- Weld-on Applicator. I guarantee if you enter that text you’ll find the same bottle as I’m using.

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The method I use to make rivets is the same as that of most scale modelers. I use a hypodermic dropper bottle (far right) filled with Elmer’s® glue to place drops of glue in the places where rivets would have been on the full-scale warbird aircraft.

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You’ll want to buy both fine-line automobile and a high-quality painter’s masking tape to mask the areas on the airplane you want paint and protect. The fine line tape lets you mask areas to create crisp, sharp lines that ordinary masking tape cannot.

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You’ll want to use epoxy paints to get the best quality, durable finish on your model. Klass Kote epoxy paints consist of side-A pigmented epoxy (colors) and side-B catalyst (hardener) components.

Once the two parts A and B are mixed together—equal parts by volume—it applies and covers just like any other conventional paint system. When applied to properly prepared surfaces, Klass Kote epoxy paints, clear coats, and primer paint retain their outstanding protective and decorative integrity for years.

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Know up front that this is not the least expensive paint you can buy, but it is certainly provides a much better finish on your model—even full-scale— than you can ever possibly get out of a spray can.

You’ll also want to buy the Klass Kote reducer for thinning the paint as you want. Klass Kote also offers a complete line of pre-mixed paint colors for RC airplanes. So, you can buy the exact color your need for your Piper Cub, Cessna, or even a warbird like the Corsair. You can get more information on their products at: klasskote.com.

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I’m using the sawhorses and 2 x 4 boards to hold the airplane out in space while the paint is sprayed. You don’t want the spray from the gun to bounce back from surfaces that the airplane is sitting on. Those surfaces may have contamination on them, which can then become airborne and then land in the wet paint. Also, notice how much light is available. The light lets me see where the paint is going, the pattern size, and how much is being applied. You almost can’t have too much light when it comes to painting—the more the better.

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I’ve masked the windows of my Corsair first with the fine-line automobile masking tape. Once the edges of the windows, that adjoin the frames of the canopy, were masked with fine-line tape, I masked over that tape with the typical automobile masking tape. You’ll want to double-check the edge of the tape before you start painting to make certain the edges have not lifted in any places. If it does the paint is sure to go under those edges and leave paint streaks, which would then ruin the look of your canopy. The same applies to any of the places where you masked the model.

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This photo shows the rivets I applied to the wings of the Corsair with the hypo dropper and Elmers® glue. I did the fuselage and empennage in the same manner. As I told Wil, it was about three good ole’ John Wayne movies to get the work completed. Also, notice that I’ve hinged the ailerons at this point. However, they were painted separately as was the wing and flaps. They flaps and ailerons where attached after this finish coat of paint was applied. My chicken wire frame works well for painting parts too because it lets the sprayed paint flow down and thru, not back on the part.

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD Here you see an good example of how the fine-line tape has been applied to the wing root.

I applied it first and got it rubbed down properly. Then I came back with the automotive masking tape and protective brown masking paper. The masking paper comes in different size rolls and lengths. You’ll want to pick the size that works best for your airplane. I suggest you buy two or three sizes, so you can use the size that fits the area you’re needing to protect. Notice too, that at this point in the procedure I’ve scuffed the blue to prepare it for the next step in the painting process.

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us, much of the knowledge I’ve gained building and flying I kind of take for granted.

When Wil (editor) dropped by my workshop recently, I was painting my Byron Originals Corsair warbird, which is powered

by DA-70 gas engine. Wil was on me like a bird on a worm to do an article about painting. He explained he’d never mastered the techniques necessary to do a quality paint job on an airplane or glider, especially in those areas around rivets, trailing edges, panel lines, spoiler bays, etc. The result of his request is this article, which Wil has agreed to help me write.

At the point when Wil arrived at the shop, I’d applied the primer to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. What you’ll learn in this how-to article is how I applied the finish color. I followed the

In this step I’m using a painters scuff pad to lightly ruff the surface of the bottom of the airplane before I apply the color to the bottom of the airplane. The scuff pad will remove any small bumps or uneven areas. It also etches the surface so that the top coat of paint will adhere well to the its primed surface. This is an important step in getting the surface prepared properly for the paint to follow. Scuff pads come in different sizes and abrasive values just like sand paper. A box of 10 pads (fine and ultra fine) costs about $18.00 at Amazon.com.

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Scuff pads have a long life, so a few will last you a long time, possibly for a few paint jobs. What I like about them is how well they follow around contours on the airplane. They wrap about the fuselage well, but also into fuselage-to-wing areas, around the empennage, etc. You can also clean them by using your compressed air and blowing the paint dust out. I’ll add that you need not spend hours scuffing the surface. You’re just trying to create a roughness that will let the following coat of paint adhere well to the primer or undercoat.

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Another very important step in getting the airplane’s surfaces ready for painting is to use a auto painter’s tack rag. Don’t leave dust on the surface before painting. Use resin coated tack rags! They’re designed to pick up dust particles that could otherwise mar a beautiful paint finish. Tack rag tack cloths typically measures 18 x 36 inches. The auto painter’s type are compatible with primers, sealers, enamels, urethanes, epoxies, varnishes, etc. They’re available at any good auto paint store, or you can certainly buy them online.

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD

You must clean all the parts big and small if you want to have a quality finish. Painting takes time, but I think you’ll discover it is fun to do as well. For small parts such as this one, you’ll need a way to hold them while you spray the paint on. Just as important, you’ll want to plan where you’re going to place them once the paint is applied such that they can dry without having dust or dirt float onto the freshly painted surface.

After tack ragging the airplane I use compressed air shot thru a fine tip nozzle to spray any particles of dust off the model. Remember, this is a step-by-step process that has proven successful for my sport-scale airplanes, and also for the full-scale airplanes I’ve built. Note too, that at this point the ailerons and flaps are attached to the wing roots. The hinges are Robart plastic hinge points, so I just paint over top them. It helps hide on the bottom of the airplane and they work well even with bit of paint covering them.

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If you don’t have a paint mixer like this one, you’re going to need to shake the can well to get the pigment mixed with the paint’s carrier. Alternately, you may be able to have the local automobile paint supply store shake it for you for a few bucks. Be sure to have it shaken the day you’re going to apply it. Note that even the inexpensive paint shakers for a can this size will probably cost in the range of $130, so unless you’re going to paint a lot of airplanes, the automobile paint supply dealer is probably your best option for getting it shaken.

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finish color with some detailing. In the second part of this article, we’ll show you how I weathered the airplane and added some details to finish the model and make it look good on the flight line and in the air.

I would emphasize that what we’re showing you in this article is not a Master’s class, Top Gun quality finish. It is, alternatively, a way to paint your warbird, or any model airplane, to give it a realistic presence in the air and to make it stand out from the almost-readyto-fly airplanes you typically see

You must buy measure mixing cups as well. Importantly, you must mix the paint in the ratios shown on the can. If you don’t the paint will not catalyze, which can spell disaster. Ask me how I know—I forgot the catalyst once. Not Good! You’ll also want to use the reducer as recommended. However, the amount of reducer used is somewhat of the preference as to how you like to spray the paint—more reducer thins the paint and vice versa. You must stir your paint mix well too. It is an epoxy, so you want the chemical to work throughout the paint.

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My compressor’s feed line has a few filters on it. There is a oil trap, a couple of water traps, and dirt filter and a regulator on the line. You must have clean air that will not contaminate the paint. Contaminants in the paint will ruin your paint job or even clog the spray gun, which can interrupt the spray pattern. If you’re only spraying a model airplane you’ll not need all the filters I’m using on my supply line, but you’ll at least need a good water and oil trap, dirt trap, and a pressure regulator to establish the proper pressure at the gun.

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This is a gravity feed air type spray gun. You don’t need one this big. I do, however, recommend you buy a quality gun that will atomize the paint well. It must be able to adjust the spray pattern and size, as well as the fluid flow. A stainless steel needle and nozzle set is a plus. Notice that I’ve got another pressure regulator and filter on the feed of the spray gun too. The regulator is a way to know exactly how much pressure is being fed at gun, while the filter is an additional cleanliness measure.

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The DeVilbiss reusable coverall is lightweight and has a durable nylon front. It designed to prevent paint and other contaminants from sticking to your overall. The back is made out of cool breathable material to help you keep comfortable as you’re painting. The coverall comes with a full pullover hood for head protection.

The elastic wrist and ankle closures seal at the wrist and above the shoe for better coverall coverage. I spray myself off before I enter the paint booth to remove contaminants.

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At this point, I’m adjusting the air pressure at the gun. I also adjust the spray gun’s pattern and flow before I start to apply paint to the airplane or part. You must make certain your gun is putting out the proper amount of paint and in the right pattern before you start to paint. I want to emphasize that successful painting is all about the preparation, rather than about the process of spraying the paint. If you follow a proven step-by-step procedure the painting itself will be pretty easy and straightforward.

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I want to explain that even if you were to make a mistake during this step of the painting it need not result in failure. If you have a clean cloth with reducer or thinner on it you can simply wipe away the mistake and start over. While that may not sound intuitive, it is easy to do and manageable.

Notice I’m using charcoal filters with pre-filters on my respirator mask. When using epoxy paints, a good mask is extremely important. You do not want the over-spray getting into your lungs. The mask should be certified by NIOSH as a P95/OV respirator, which will protect your lungs against the epoxy spray vapors. Also, you may want to use gloves if you’re skin is sensitive to the paint or the solvents used in the paint. I’m pretty much stocked up on supplies from previous projects but it would be wise to make a list of the items needed to use epoxy paints.

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My paint booth was built to accept the fuselage, wings, and parts of my Carbon Cub EX. You certainly don’t need one this big for models. You do, however, need good lighting. You want light coming from almost every angle so you can see how the paint is being applied and how much. If you can’t see where the paint is going and how much, you won’t have control over the work’s surfaces. My paint booth also has filters on the incoming air and large exhaust fan that sucks the air out of the booth—prevents dust particles in the air from getting on the wet paint too.

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In this photo, the Corsair’s cowl has been completely masked. First I applied the fine-line tape, then the masking tape, and then the brown masking paper. I’m using a large, commercial type spray gun, but you don’t need a gun this size to paint your models. A smaller gun will work just as well and may provide better control of the spray pattern and volume.

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At this point, I’ve applied the first coat of paint to the bottom of the airplane. It is very light coat of paint. I’ve waited about 20 minutes for it to dry to touch. Now I’ll apply another finish coat of paint to the bottom of the model. You’re going to want to wait for the final coat of paint to dry for a couple of hours before you pull off the masking tape and then the fine-line tape.

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The first coat of color on the bottom of the airplane’s cowl has been applied. After this coat, I took about a 20-minute break to let the paint cure some before spraying the next one. This let’s the paint get a tack on it that helps the following coat adhere better. You do not want to apply too much paint at one time because it may run, and it creates ridges at edges.

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD Don’t just pour the paint from its mixing cup into the spray gun’s container. Use a high-quality paint filter to remove any small particles that may have gotten into the paint during the mixing process or elsewhere. Even a small particle in the paint can leave spots in the paint that you’ll have to remove and repair.

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Now I’m finally applying the final coat of paint to the bottom of the fuselage. While this may look like a lot paint is being applied, it is actually just enough to wet the bottom of the fuselage. You can see by the light, the bottom of the fuselage looks shiny. That is enough paint to cover well, but not so much as to create runs to ridges around edges, such as the wheel wells of trailing edges. This was one the things that Wil (editor) was surprised by. He thought more paint was needed, but happy to see how well the coverage was, and without runs.

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Again, I’m wiping the primed surface of the bottom of the wings to remove any dust or debris that may have gotten on them during masking and positioning in the paint booth. The tack rag does an excellent job of removing any particles, but I’ll blow the wings off too to remove any dust particles before I start to paint the bottom’s color.

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This the color I’m using to apply the trim color.

I’ve made certain my mixing pot is cleaned. Then I measure the paint, catalyst, and reducer accurately to the consistency I like to spray. You’ll want to experiment on some scrap material to get the proportions as you like. I also recommend you do the same for setting your spray guns pressure, pattern, and volume before you start to paint your airplane. As you can see on the walls of my spray booth, I’ve used it a few times to make certain my gun is set properly to my preferences.

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To repeat, make certain the paint is mixed properly with the catalyst and reducer. Then be sure to use a filter when pouring the paint into the gun’s pot.

Also, don’t forget to use clean resuseable coveralls, such as these I purchased from DeVilbiss. A high-quality NIOSH certified as a P95/OV respirator mask, with prefilters is a must too. I’ll underscore that you do not want epoxy based paints getting into your lungs. They will damage them and take the fun out of your modeling.

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Micron fine nylon paint strainers can also be purchased from an auto paint supplier or from Amazon.com. A box of 100 cost about $20, but are worth it terms of removing dirt and debris from the paint before it gets in the spray gun. Make certain you’ve cleaned your spray gun well too with the appropriate solvent before you put the paint in the gun. If not, what is the point in cleaning the paint and airplane because your spray gun will have contaminants that will ruin the paint job.

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This photo shows clearly just how wet I’m applying the paint. It is just wet enough to see, but not so wet as to create runs and those small ridges that can occur around edges if too much paint is applied. You don’t see any shadows in this photo either because light is coming from all directions, which helps me see exactly where my gun’s spray pattern is going—l like lots of light.

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This is what the bottom of the wing looks like with its final coat of light blue paint applied. Notice that I’ve painted the pushrods, control horns, and the Robart hinge points so that they too match the wing’s bottom color. I’ve even painted the screws that hold the servo hatches in place. I think the airplane will look better in the air with these painted.

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I’m getting ready to paint the light blue trim color.

So I’m wiping the areas on the airplane where I’ll apply paint with a tack rag to remove any dust or specks of dirt that may be hiding on the surface.

You may want to use a new tack rag at this point to make certain there are is no contamination particles that remain in the areas to be painted.

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PAINT YOUR WARBIRD I’m painting my sport-scale Corsair in the color scheme of Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s F4U-1 that he flew in WWII. I’ve got my spray gun’s pattern set to be tight, with only a little paint coming out of the gun at a time. Then I can just do a freehand pattern on the side of the model, which I’ll fill in after I’ve got the pattern established.

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My small, gravity-feed spray gun can be adjusted to spray a very tight pattern. Here I’m following the masking line between the top and bottom of the airplane. For this kind of work, I typically set the spray gun to have a pressure of between 5 to 15 pounds per square inch at the base of the gun.

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Very little paint is coming out of the spray gun for this step in painting the pattern on the sides of the airplane.

I’m not worried about making it perfect either because if I get it wrong I can wipe it off and start over. The blue undercoat has cured for at least two days, so the solvent will not damage it if I need to wipe off this paint coat.

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While you can’t see it clearly, what I’m doing here is using a clean cotton cloth wetted with solvent to wipe away the trim color. I’ll come back in a couple of minutes to apply more paint to get the trim color as I want it. I’m just eye-balling the trim color based on the documentation that I’ve been able to find online and in a few WWII avaition books.

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With the model’s based color and trim color applied, I’m going to let the model dry for a couple of days before I apply the weathering. I’ll document how I apply the weathering in the next issue of the magazine, and how to do the finish detail of the model with vinyl lettering, insignias, and adornments. Let me say again, painting is easy. It is all in the preparations and set up procedures. Repeating, you’ll must have good lighting in the paint booth, use the right paint and painting hardware, and follow a step-by-step procedure. If you do you’ll have success.

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at most RC airfields. This article details an easy, step-by-step procedures that are repeatable in your workshop. They’ll certain give your model warbird an attractive sport-scale paint scheme and finish.

Moreover, I think you’ll discover painting and finishing a model in this manner is fun to do as well.

Suppliers Klass Kote klasskote.com

The Corsairs that saw battle in WWII were not pretty and pristine clean.

Nope! They were battle wagons that took a beating and flew mission after mission. They were often taking off and landing from dirt strips in less than ideal weather too. Such is the case of this airplane, which was from Pappy Boyington’s squadron. Can you even imagine what it must have been like?

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High-Volume Low-Pressure Gravity-Feed Spray Gun harborfreight.com

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How To

Servo Frames

By Wil Byers

This is how the servo frames with bearing support come from AloftHobbies.com. You get two frames in a pack. The pack includes the plastic frames, two sealed bearings, two servo extension shafts, and eight servo mounting screws.

The injection molding of the plastic is made well, as are the bearings and extension shafts. The shafts have a 2.5-mm screw thread on them that mates to the servos spline. The external bearing servo trays are made to fit for MKS DS6125, HBL6625 servos. You’ll pay Aloft Hobbies about $19.00 for two frames, plus their shipping costs.

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Give Your Servos Longer Life

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lider and sailplane pilots have been using servo frames for many years. They’re not new to the soaring community. Nope! The RC soaring community pioneered the technique of using frames to fasten servos in place inside composite

wings. Furthermore, soaring enthusiasts have been incorporating improvements in servo design and installations for their aircraft for probably the last five decades or more—always leading the way in engineered solutions my opinion.

I’m embarrassed to say I’ve spent too much time in the editor’s chair for this magazine over the last couple of decades and not nearly enough time building my models—or for that matter even installing the radio gear. The truth is almost-ready-to-fly

This photo is redundant to the one at the left, but let me explain. The frame is actually two pieces. There is the part of the frame that gets glued into the wing. There is also the upper part, which gets broken free for the frame. It is then attached to the servo and screwed to the frame. This design makes it easy to remove the servo for either maintenance or to replace the servo. Again, the quality of the plastic injection-molded parts is very good.

These frames are not brittle, so you don’t need to worry about breaking them. AloftHobbies.com has a wide range of servo frames, including some that are CNC cut wood.

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Here you see that the upper part of the frame has been removed from the main body of the frame. In the next step it will get fastened to the servo tab on the bottom of the servo. It will then hold the servo’s bottom end in the frame as needed.

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The servo’s extension shaft that intersects with the bearing is machined out of aluminum. For the set that I purchased the threads are 2.5-mm metric standard. Notice that flat on the shaft. It will accept a small open-end wrench, so you can secure it to the servo’s spline after the servo arm has been mounted. It is a clever design that will reduce the load on the servos output bearing, which will then extend the working life of the servo, plus it will help to optimize its output torque. Actually it is pretty amazing that you get two frames and all the parts for only about $19 each.

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This photo shows how the extension shaft for the servos output will intersect the sealed bearing.

Notice how tightly the shaft fits the bearing and that it has a chamfer on it, which will help guide the shaft into the bearing during servo installations once the frame is glued into the wing. This is an example of forwardthinking engineering because it all works as advertised once the parts are glued into place. Again, the threads are 2.5mm metric standard and the extension shaft intersects the servo’s output shaft by threading into it. You’ll want to know the spline’s thread in order to pick the right frames.

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In this step the sealed bearing has been pressed into the frame. I did this by placing the frame on end on my workbench.

Then I used a piece of hardwood to press down the bearing. Be certain that the bearing is aligned with its respective socket in the frame so as to not distort the plastic that will hold the bearing. You want to have a tight, secure fit on the bearing once it is pressed into its respective socket. Note there are two holes in the frame so that the frame can be used for either left or right wing installations.

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Now you’re likely understanding how the servo’s extension shaft is going to mate to the servo frame and its respective bearing.

Look closely at the sides of the servo frame’s bearing sockets to see how they are gusseted against flexure when in use. This makes the frame stronger and provides a bit more surface area for gluing them in place.

On that note, be absolutely certain not to get epoxy resin on the bearing and shaft when you glue them in position in the wing.

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Before you glue the frames in place it is recommended you reinforce the top skin of your aircraft with at least one additional layer of carbon fiber cloth. This will reduce, if not eliminate, upper skin flexing during heavy flight loads where the servo may be getting forced to move in its frame in a rotational manner. While carbon fiber cloth is a little expensive, one square yard of cloth will most likely last you a life time. Also, you’ll want to protect the aircraft’s wing skins from drops of epoxy resin that might get spilled. I used two-inch-wide, high-quality painter’s tape for this. I also kept denatured alcohol nearby along with paper towels to clean up any spilled epoxy.

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airplanes will make a good builder lazy! Even so, building is kind of like riding a bike; you don’t forget the technique. You do, however, get a little out of practice.

This fall, between magazines issues, I finally started work on the giant-scale sailplane I bought about five years ago, the Radim Horký designed and built H Model Company

ASH 31 Mi. It sports a 7.2 or 8.4-meter (23 ft 7.5 in. and 27 ft 7 in.) wingspan, with interchangeable wingtips. The wing’s airfoil profile is a modified Martin Hepperle MH32 airfoil section.

My sailplane’s short wingtips got fitted with RCSF’s new 0911 wing servos. They’re designed to fit in thin wings, plus they fit the AloftHobbies.com servo frames perfectly. Importantly, they deliver 140 oz-in. of torque when powered by a 7.4-volt power supply; i.e., two-cell LiPo battery. (We’ve included a complete report about how we test servos in this issue.) Note that because the motor is exposed to the air on both sides of the servo’s case, you must be extremely careful not to get epoxy resin into the servo when you are gluing the frames into place. You may want to cover the motor on the side being glued with clear, thin tape such as Scotch® brand as extra protection, but be sure to remove it before use.

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This photo shows what the reinforcement carbon cloth looks like once it was glued in place. When you’re gluing the cloth into the wing do not use too much resin. Use only enough to wet the cloth completely. I also use a little heat from a heat gun to help wet the cloth, but be extremely careful with the heat! You only need a little to do the job. Too much heat will damage the wing’s composite laminations, so be careful. As you can see in the photo the cloth looks wet but not saturated. Then too, you must let the resin cure for at least 24 hours before progressing to the next step in this procedure. I actually let the resin cure for 48 hours, but that long is not needed.

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This is the resin I used for the lamination of carbon cloth in the wings and for gluing the servo frames in place. I purchased it from Amazon.com. It comes as a kit, with the hardener being an 8-oz bottle and the resin being a 16-oz bottle. The mixing ratio is two-toone, so if you’re making a 15-gram batch you’ll use 5 grams of hardener and 10 grams of resin. Note too that you can thin the resin with 10% denatured alcohol, which will help it soak into the cloth. I did not thin the resin for gluing the servo frames into the wing, only for wetting the cloth. You’ll want the resin to have its normal viscosity so it will stay where you place it on the frame as they’re put in the wing.

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These small plastic epoxy resin mixing cups were also purchased at Amazon.com. They work well and can even be reused by breaking the resin out when it cures. You must mix the hardener well with the epoxy resin so it will cure well. I also let the mixed resin and hardener sit for about five minutes before use, which will let the exothermic reaction get started. If you’re going to add alcohol, I suggest you add it after you’ve let the resin start to exotherm. Do not heat the resin at this point in time because it will accelerate the cure to the point that you may not get it applied where needed before the resin starts to harden. This resin provides about a one-hour working time.

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SERVO FRAMES

This is how the servo marries to its frame. As you can see, the side tabs mount directly to the frame, while the servo’s bottom tab fastens to the support that was broken free of frame previously. The servo arm is fitted to the servo’s spline and the spline’s extension is screwed into the spline, which then holds the servo arm tight to the spline. The spline extension then mates with its respective bearing in the frame. You’ll need a small open-end wrench to tighten the extension in the spline. At this point in the assembly, I did not use any thread locker, however, I will use a small amount on the extension’s threads during the final install to make certain it does not loosen in flight.

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This is just another view of the servo installed in its respective servo frame. Note that the opposite wing will have its bearing mount in the other hole in the frame, which is obvious I think. At this point, lay the frame on a flat surface to check to see it lays flat and there are no sprues remaining from the injection molding process.

If there are you must remove them such that frame will lay flat on its gluing surface. Also, use a screwdriver that fits the Allen head screws to avoid stripping out the heads, so that you can easily remove them for maintenance or replacement. Also, I don’t recommend gluing the bearing into the servo frame—no need.

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Here is what is happening in this photo. First, the trailing edge of the wing is to the left. I’ve used a draftsman’s square to draw a line that is perpendicular to the hinge line of the aileron. Next, the servo and its frame have been preposition in the wing as a way to know where it must fit prior to being glued into the wing. You must install the servo in the wing such that is driving the control surface perpendicular to its hinge line.

This will provide the least resistance for the servo’s travel throughout its range of travel. Also, propositioning will let you measure exactly where the drive position is so that left and right aileron controls are the same.

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As with all my projects, I’m known for procrastinating. I have my reasons.

They’re too numerous to detail in this report. Let’s say; I was gathering hardware. In the case of the wingtips, I was also pondering how best to install the servos. While it took five years to decide, I opted to use two kinds of frames to secure the servos in the wing. In the case the ASH 31 Mi, for short tips, I’ve installed the new RCSF 0911MG wing servos because they deliver 10.0 kg-cm (140 ozin.) of torque. They are mounted in external bearing servo frames from AloftHobby.com. For the long tips I’m using Savox 1211MG wing servos, which deliver 154 oz-in. of torque.

They got mounted in wooden frames.

You must sand the frame before it gets glued into the wing. For this step, I recommend you use 180-grit sandpaper. As you can see in the photo, I’ve gone around all the edges of the frame. Alternately, before you mount the servo in its frame you can lay the sandpaper flat on the work surface and rub the frame back and forth on the paper to get it scuffed up well. Do not skip this step or the frame may pull free of the epoxy adhesive under a heavy control load.

Note that the servo’s bottom support on the frame will not get glued to the wing skin. It is very important that you recognize this because if the support does get glued to the wing skin you’ll not be able to remove the servo, so be careful.

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Equipment Obviously, you’re going to need servo frames for the installation. I purchased mine for Aloft Hobbies.

They have frames that are both highquality plastic and wood. Importantly, Aloft’s prices are low, and their online shopping is easy. Plus they shipped my order immediately.

You will also need the following: two-inch-wide painters tape, 2.5 x

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Not only do the servo frames get scuffed up for adhesion, but so do the patches of carbon fiber cloth laminations that were glued in previously. I used 180-grit, dry type sandpaper to scuff the cloth. You must do an area that at least the size of the servo frame’s footprint. Do a good job of it too. Once you’ve finished sanding it I recommend you vacuum the debris left behind during the sanding. Notice my reference line remains on the wing skin. I used a Uni-Ball® black marker with a 1-mm tip to mark the line. You’ll be able to remove the ink later with either alcohol or acetone, but don’t get carried away with making the line too bold—less is better when it comes to this line.

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The draftsman square is aligned with the hinge line of the control surface as way to get a perpendicular reference line for positioning the servo in its respective servo well in the wing. While it is not shown in this photo, I also measure from the hinge line forward to the servo’s output arm center.

These measurements are equal between the left and right wings of the sailplane.

This is an important step in creating uniform control throws between left and right wings, so don’t skip this step. Again, your reference marks will remain on the wing skins until the servo frames are glued into their respective positions. Do yourself a favor too—check and double-check between left and right wings.

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Here you can see I made certain the carbon fiber lamination got a good scuffing for adhesion purposes. After you’ve vacuumed away any debris created during the sanding process I recommend you clean the scuffed area with alcohol to clean away any residues left behind.

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The name on this can of denatured alcohol says much—Klean Strip. Use it and a clean paper towel to clean the servo wells in the wing before the servos are glued in position. Also, use alcohol to clean any spilled epoxy that gets on the wing skins, servos, and for removing the marker lines when the frames are glued in position.

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Repeating from above. You must clean the carbon fiber laminations before you glue the servo frames in place in the wing. Don’t just do a quick job of it either. The bond between the servo frame and the sailplane’s wing skin depends on good adhesion between the skin, the frame, and the epoxy adhesive. While some may think I’m over emphasizing this step, I want to underscore that a high-performance, high-quality composite sailplane can easily exceed 150 miles per hour in a dive. Convert this velocity into forces on the sailplane’s control surfaces and you’ll understand why this bond between the frame and the wing skin must be high-quality too. You do not want the frames coming free of the skin!

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After sanding the frame with servo installed, I opted for this method instead. It only takes a few passes back and forth on the sandpaper to scuff it well, which then provides an excellent surface for bonding to the frame to the wing skin. My bench top is a very flat Melamine surface, so the sandpaper lays flat on it. The sandpaper I’m using is a dry, garnet paper that has a 180 grit, which cuts the plastic about right.

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It is not so easy to see in this photo because the contrast is poor, but I’ve cut a piece of Saran® wrap to protect the servo when the frame is being glued into its position in the wing. You’ll want to be very careful that you don’t tear the wrap as you apply it to the servo and install the servo in its frame. Also, try to pull as many wrinkles out of the food wrap as possible so there is a smooth surface for the glue to flow around at the edges of the servo.

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SERVO FRAMES

At this step in the process, I’ve got the Saran® wrap around the servo and I’m fastened the servo to its frame. Next, I used scissors to trim the wrap up close to the frame to get it out of the way while the frame is being glued into the wing.

You may even want to tape the servo wires and connector up on top of the servo to make certain they do get glued to the wing skin as well. This is an important step because you want to get an excellent bond between the servo frame and the wing skin, but without inadvertently gluing the servo to the wing as well.

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2.5-inch pieces of ≈3.4-oz woven carbon cloth, laminating epoxy resin, mixing cups, 180-grit sandpaper, a draftsman’s square or equivalent, denatured alcohol, paper towels,

premium quality food wrap, scissors, acid brushes, mixing sticks, milled fiberglass, a digital scale, a small LED flashlight, and some lead weights.

Additionally, you’ll need patience

because this is a step-by-step procedure that will take a couple of days to complete. Do not attempt to speed up the installation by using 5-, 6-, or even 15-minute epoxy. It is my

Here the food wrap is round the servo and is protecting the servo arm, the splines extension, and as much of the bearing as possible, but without covering any part of the servo frame.

I could have done a little better job of pulling the wrinkles out of the food wrap around the servo, but this is good enough. Look closely at how the food wrap does wrap around the edges of the servo. Epoxy resin will penetrate into these areas, which results in a super tight fit for the servo. The epoxy will actually make a bit of a bed that the servo will sit in, as well as into its respective frame.

You want this to happen because it will help secure the servo in position.

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An inexpensive digital scale is a must when it comes to mixing epoxy. I bought this scale at Amazon.com. If I remember right, it only cost about $40. It does up to 5 kilograms, which is about 11 pounds. Place the cup and the food wrap on the scale and then tare their weight. I made 15-gram batches of epoxy because I was doing both wings at the same time—10 grams of epoxy resign and 5 grams of the hardener. You’ll only use about five grams total, so some of the epoxy gets wasted. Be certain to mix the two components well so the resin will cure completely around the entirety of the servo’s frame.

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experience these resins are not nearly as strong as high-quality laminating resin. Plus they don’t provide the necessary working times needed for a straight, secure installation.

Synopsis My installation gets documented in a step-by-step pictorial, with detailed photo captions. It will give you an

understanding of what you need to know to install your aircraft’s servos in bearing support frames.

As with most glider and sailplane builders, you’ll see why this method

I’m showing this second photo because I went over the two-to-one mix ratio by less than one gram, but it shows 16 grams on the scale. This is not a problem with getting a good cure. So, there is no need to go back and forth trying to get an exact mix ratio. Again, the important thing is to mix the resin and hardener extremely well in order to get a complete cure all the way around the servo’s frame.

I typically stir my resin mix for at least three minutes, and I also let the resin start its exothermic reaction by letting it sit in the cup for about 10 minutes before use. Since the resin provides a one-hour pot life, you’ll still have plenty of working time.

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To create an even better bond between the servo frame and the wing skin I’ve added a bit of milled fiberglass powder to the epoxy mix. You’ll want your mix to be about the consistency of runny peanut butter. That consistency will help it stay on the frame as you push it into place in the servo’s well. I used a toothpick to dab the resin all around the servo frame on its three sides: left, right and top. Do not put resin on the rear support of the frame if you want to be able to easily remove the servo later. As you can see, I’ve pulled the servo’s lead wires up and out of the way on top of the servo. That keeps them away from the epoxy while it is curing.

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Here I’m brushing a very thin coat of epoxy on the carbon fiber cloth where the servo frame will be glued in place. This will guarantee there is a good bond between the frame and the carbon cloth wing skin. Do not use too much resin in this area! Brush the epoxy onto the wing skin sparingly.

Also, notice my additional mark to the right side of the servo well’s hole. That mark is used for positioning the center of the servo’s spline the proper distance from the control surface’s hinge line. This distance must be the same between the left and the right wings, which will then help provide linear control deflections between the left and right ailerons.

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I used an LED flashlight that has a blue colored light to check where the epoxy has penetrated on the wing skin. As you can see, shining it inside reveals a bit of epoxy on both the left and right sides of the frame, which will index it in position as does the glue on the frame. Once the servo is positioned as needed, I put a block of balsa on it and added lead weights on top of the balsa to hold the frame tight to the wing skin while the epoxy was curing. You must monitor the servo’s position while the epoxy is curing to assure it does not move. You’ll have at least 30 minutes to do, so if for any reason the servo frame moves you can reposition it such that servo aligns properly again with the your reference marks.

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After the epoxy has cured for at least 24 hours, you can then remove the servo.

As you can see, bits of epoxy will break away from the food wrap and the servo. You’re advised to vacuum this out of the servo frame, the bearing, and the servo’s well. Note that I used my Dremel tool fitted with the small sanding drum to cut the servo well’s opening at the screw head positions. Doing so made it much easier to mate the screwdrivers head with the servo heads. Also, if you look closely you can see how the epoxy worked its way into the crevices around the servos edge, which makes for a snug fit for the servo.

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In this step, the servo is removed from the servo its servo frame. Notice that the servos rear support is still attached to the servo. Once you’ve unscrewed the servo from its frame you can slide it rearward and then up and out of the frame. You must slide it back far enough that the spline’s extension clears the bearing. Then the servo will come out of the wing easily.

Once you have it out of the wing, you must remove the food wrap and clean the area of any epoxy debris left behind. I used my shop vacuum fitted with a small nozzle attachment and a clean acid brush to sweep out and vacuum the area before progressing to the next step.

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This is looking into the servo well’s rear towards the back of the servo frame.

You can see how the mount for the rear of the frame unscrews from the frame to make removal of the servo possible. Notice how the epoxy has penetrated around all sides for the frame as well as under the frame’s rear mount for the servo. This provides a very secure mount for the servo, yet it allows for easy removal for maintenance or replacement.

These frames will add $20 to the cost of the installation, but they are inexpensive insurance for your expensive aircraft.

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provides exceptional control of an aircraft’s flight controls, and yet is very serviceable in the event you should need to replace a servo. Additionally, this method shows how installing frames with an external bearing takes a load off the servo, reduces wear, and prolongs life. Then too, using an external bearing on the servo’s output will optimize the available torque.

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Here’s frame installed. The servo’s output spline is supported by the bearing in the frame. Additionally, the servo is held tightly in the frame by the bed of resin that wraps around the servo’s bottom, as well as the three screws that fasten it to the frame. I’m quite happy with how easy these frames are to install. Actually, I’m quite surprised that RC aircraft manufacturer’s don’t recommend them in their instructions. I can only think they must figure if one is buying an aircraft such as their’s that you would recognize the need for them.

Suffice it to say, this old dog has learned about using this new frame a little late, but not too late.

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Contacts Aloft Hobbies 31 Pamaron Way D Novato, CA 94949 alofthobbies.com RC Sport Flyer P.O. Box 1095 Moses Lake, WA 98837 rcsportflyer.com

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3-VIEW 3-VIEW

Van’s Aircraft RV-4

By Hans Jürgen Fischer

It’s the Most Popular Kit-Built Airplane in the World!

T

he RV-4 full-scale airplane was designed by Richard VanGrunsven in the mid 1970s. It is a two-seat, monoplane with a tandem seating configuration, with the pilot sitting in the front of the passenger. The prototype flew its maiden flight in August 1979.

Van’s Aircraft Company is located in Aurora, Oregon. Van’s Aircraft RV-4 was an enhanced development of the popular RV-3, which was a single-seat airplane. The RV-4 is a lightweight, homebuilt aircraft, which is available as a kit, less a few

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components such as engine, etc.

Van’s claims the RV series of aircraft have become the world’s most popular kit-built airplanes.

Their RV-4 is only outsold by the now discontinued RV-6. As of November 2014, 1372 RV-4s had been built and flown, with additional aircraft in their building stages.

The RV-4 is a new and improved design based upon the RV-3. However, it is not simply a stretched RV-3. The RV-4 airframe is designed for engines up to 180 hp (134 kW), including a Lycoming O-360. It features an

improved wing design for less drag, with increased wingspan and wing area over that of RV-3. Note that RV-4 kits are only available in a tail-dragger configuration, however, there have been a few converted to tricycle gear.

Further, the RV-4 design is capable of sport aerobatics, which has added to its popularity with pilots wanting more from their airplane.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 1500 pounds, it works well as a cross-country airplane too.

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VAN’S AIRCRAFT RV-4

RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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VAN’S AIRCRAFT RV-4

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As the most popular full-scale kit-built airplane, there are many flavors of RV-4. There are literally hundreds of color schemes and options one can pick from for a model.

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The RV-4s used flaps and a fixed landing gear, so it will slow down as a model, and the landing gear will take a bit of abuse too, so you can fly it off grass or pavement.

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VAN’S AIRCRAFT RV-4

Hangar-9 Van’s RV-4 If you want a quick, easy and relatively easy way to fly an RV-4 as model you should point your browser at hangar-9. com.

Their RV-4 features: • Laser-cut balsa and plywood parts • Two-piece, plug-in wing and horizontal stabilizer • Functional flaps and scale control surface hinges • Wide-track wheel stance and leaf-spring tail wheel • Painted fiberglass cowl and wheel pants • Matching aluminum landing gear, with painted fairings • Large top-hatch for access to electronics and flight batteries • Cockpit features a scale pilot, instrument decal, and clear canopy • Operational LED landing lights pre-wired and installed • Genuine Hangar 9® UltraCote® covering • Military-style and civilian decals included • Includes motor mount for optional electric power • Hardware kit includes a matching spinner and painted fiberglass control horns

SPECIFICATIONS Crew : Pilot Capacity : 1 passenger Wingspan : 23 ft (7.01 m) Height : 5 ft 5 in. (1.65 m) Length : 20 ft 4 in. (6.20 m) Wing area : 110 ft² (10.2 m²) Empty weight : 905–913 lb (410–414 kg) Max weight : 1,500 lb (680 kg)

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A rather unusual variant of the Van’s RV-4 is this open-cockpit two-seater version, which would make for an exceptional standout as a RC airplane too.

Wing loading : 13.64 lb/ft² (67 kg/m²) Powerplant : Lycoming O–320, O-360 or IO–360, 150–180hp (110–135 kW) Never exceed : 210 mph (182 kn, 340 km/h) speed Maximum speed : 200 mph at sea level (173 kn, 320 km/h) Range : 725 miles @ 55% power @ 8,000 ft (630 nmi, 1,170 km) Service ceiling : 23,000 ft (7,000 m) Rate of climb : 2450 ft/min (12.5 m/s) Power/mass : 0.1-0.12 hp/lb (0.16-0.20 kW/kg

MODEL SPECIFICATIONS Wingspan : 85 in. ( 2.16 m) Length : 72 in. ( 1.83 m) RTF Weight : 17 – 19 lb ( 7.7 – 8.6 Kg) Wing Loading : 25.3 oz/ft2 Airfoil : Semi symmetrical Engine : 30cc 2-stroke / 57–61cc 4-stroke Motor : E-flite Power 160 Speed Control : 100 amp Propeller : 17x8 gas / 18x8 – 18x10 electric Wing area : 1551 in.2 (100.1 dm2) Motor Battery : 8–10S 4000–7000-mAh Receiver Battery : 2S 2200-mAh LiFe Flight Time : ≈8 – 12 min Servos : Eight Required Radio : Six-channel Price : $499.99 (HAN4885)

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Aerotow Opener ‘19 May 3 — 5

Othello, Washington

Soar into Spring with Us! FMI:

An Event For: Gliders, Sailplanes, Tugs

Weaversairfield.com

Build of the Month Show us your Build from Plans or a Kit & WIN this ZAP ® Pack.

No ARFs

Editor@RCFlyerNews.com

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Adhesives

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PLAN

Cessna 310R

By Wendel Hoestetler

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the Blue Canoe’s Evolution Made it a notable Airplane.

C

essna’s 310 is a four-tosix-seat, low-wing, twinengined monoplane. It was the first twin-engined aircraft Cessna put into production after World War II—produced between 1954 and 1980. It was unofficially nicknamed Blue Canoe by the United States Air Force pilots.

The 310’s maiden flight was

January 3, 1953. As a new design it featured innovations such as exhaust thrust augmenter tubes and tip tanks in early models. It was an economical airplane to operate and garnered a place in the military’s fleet quickly because of its handling and utility.

The Cessna 310 had many variants during its production

years. The R version was introduced in the 1975 model year. It featured 285 horsepower (213 kW) Continental IO-520-M or IO-520-MB engines, three-blade propellers, a lengthened nose that contained a generous baggage compartment, and 5,500 lb (2,500 kg) maximum takeoff weight.

Commercial The advantages of the Cessna 310 over other designs was its speed, operating costs, and aftermarket modifications such as the Robertson short takeoff and landing (STOL) kits, which made it a popular bush aircraft. Modified, it could use short runways and carry a large, useful load of 2,000 lb (910 kg), while at the same time cruise at relatively high airspeeds.

Military The United States Air Force (USAF) selected the basic Cessna 310A for service as a light utility aircraft for transport and administrative support in 1957.

The USAF purchased 160 with the designation L-27A and gave it the Blue Canoe nickname, later designated to U-3A in 1962. The U-3 saw active service in a support role when the USAF deployed aircraft to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, where they were used on courier flights between air bases.

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PLAN

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CESSNA 310R

RC FLYER NEWS • Nov/Dec 2018

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PLAN

CESSNA 310R

Contact: Wendel Hostetler’s Plans Phone: 330-682-8896 WHplans@aol.com hostetlersplans.com 108

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SPECIFICATIONS Crew : one

Gross weight : 4,600 lb (2,087 kg)

Capacity : four passenger Length : 27 ft 0 in. (8.23 m) Wingspan : 35 ft 0 in. (10.67 m) Height : 0 ft 6 in. (3.20 m) Wing area : 175 ft2 (16.3 m ) 2

Empty weight : 2,850 lb (1,293 kg)

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Engines : 2 × Continental O-470-B, 240 hp (180 kW) Maximum airspeed : 220 mph (354 km/h; 191 kn) Cruise speed : 205 mph (330 km/h; 178 kn) Range : 1,000 mi (869 nmi; 1,609 km) Service ceiling : 20,000 ft (6,100 m) Rate of climb : 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)

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REVIEW

WING BAGS

By Wil Byers

It doesn’t matter if your RC aircraft is big or little, Revoc Custom has bags that will fit your model. What you need to know right up front is that their bags are the best your money can buy, and we’ve seen a lot of bags over the years!

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Protect Your Baby Against Rashes and Gashes!

S

o, here is the scenario: You buy an RC airplane that you’ve been saving for over the years. It finally arrives. You unpack it from the shipping crate.

You then salivate like Pavlov’s dog!

Then you question yourself about how you’re going to protect it from damage while

transporting it to and from the airfield. You search the Internet for solutions on how to package and carry. There are many. There are boxes; but, then how do you pad the box to hold your airplane secure? Also, boxes can be cumbersome, and a good box is not easy to build. You can make a support stand that slides

in the trailer or car, but again how do you support the wings so they can’t shift during transport?

Then there is the inexpensive solution of wrapping your model in padded blankets. In the end, that savings results in heartache when you see the damage your model suffers when the blankets pull away and damage is done.

Our ASH 31 Mi has a four-piece, 8.4meter (27.56-ft) wingspan. Here you see the inner wing panels protected by Revoc bags, which even cover the wing joiner spar tangs. We photographed them outside—too big for the backdrop. rcflyernews.tumblr.com

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REVIEW

REVOC WING BAGS

Revoc Bags

There is a solution that provides almost ultimate protection for your RC aircraft.

While they’re not as cheap as protective furniture blankets, they’re going to do a whole lot

better job of making certain your model gets protected against rashes and gashes.

Revoc Company offer’s bags and bag packages for models of just about any size. They are made of lightweight, yet very

durable nylon material. The edges of the bags are bound all around with a nylon binding material.

Revoc’s zippers are not cheap, inexpensive units either, which means they’re likely going to last the lifetime of the bag. The bags

This is the bag for the elevator of the ASH 31 Mi. Revoc goes all out to make certain their bags are protecting your aircraft against damage. Their bags come with handles and a deluxe zipper that will not strip their teeth.

I purchased my ASH 31 Mi with two sets of wing tips—one for soaring in light lift and one for racing in strong. Revoc provides covers for both sets of tips in their wing bag package for fuselage, wings, rudder, and stabilizer.

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Revoc’s tip bags are separate pieces, so Notice that the wingtip bag is zippered, s tip into the bag without catching the wingl

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are also lined with a velvet-like material that will comfort your model’s parts to and from the airfield. Revoc bags are also made to fit your model parts precisely so they won’t shift around in their pockets too, which could

o they simply slide down over the winglet. so you’re not challenged trying to get the let on the bag and possibly breaking it.

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otherwise cause damage during transport.

Revoc bags are sold online.

You can pick from fuselage and wing bags, harnesses, aircraft sun protectors, propeller covers, model hangers, etc. They offer

a wide selection of model types and package preferences. I’m confident they will custom make bags if needed too, but expect to pay extra. They also provide their bags in different colors. Then too, you can add a logo or your name

This second view shows how the winglet bag slides down over the tip. There is a piece of the bag that wraps down and over the wingtip’s bottom to keep the entire tip protected from scuffs or scratches.

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REVOC WING BAGS

Check out these bag handles. They’re not simply a piece of nylon fabric attached to the bag. Nope! They’re a durable plastic handle that is designed to spread the load between its ends of the handle and be durable over time.

In this photo you see what the original cover looked like. It was functional, but was fashioned out of lightweight cotton material.

It definitely worked, but it would likely not hold up to an aggressive material the model might come in contact with during its life.

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This is what you’d want to protect. As you can see the canopy is gorgeous and without a scratch. After looking at it a few times and considering the factory canopy cover, I opted to spend a few extra dollars to protect the canopy with a Revoc.

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After I bought the bags I opted to buy Revoc’s canopy protector too. It is soft nylon so it will not scratch the canopy. It has durable nylon straps that you’ll use to tie the cover in place around the fuselage’s boom.

Notice the wrinkles in the factory cover. Also, look at how the canopy cover is secured to the model by cloth straps that wrap down and under the fuselage, then up and over the top of the boom behind the wing, where you secure the straps like a shoelace.

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Alternately, the Revoc canopy cover fits securely over the nose and then up and over the canopy. It runs back and over the top of the fuselage, around the boom, and is then secured in place with the nylon cords behind the wing roots.

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REVOC WING BAGS

or model name to your bags. As you can see, I had the RCSF logo added to my bags just for the fun of it.

Their website’s navigation is straightforward and easy to understand. Plus the checkout procedure is secure with a credit card or a PayPal account.

These are deluxe bags. As is shown here, they have a soft inner lining that will not scratch the aircraft’s wing. You can clean the lining by simply vacuuming it, as you might your sofa. Note the bags are sized to even protect the wing joiner.

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Because I’d not seen their bags in person before placing my order, I was a bit hesitant to hit the checkout button. When my bags arrived, however, my concern about product quality instantly vanished. I can say unequivocally, Revoc bags are the best aircraft protection I’ve seen

anywhere in my 42 years of flying RC aircraft. They’re amazing!

So, point your browser at their website.

Revoc is offering a 15% discount for a couple of weeks.

They’re discount code is:

RCFN-Revoc.

Here is the vertical stabilizer my Revoc wing bag package. I s logo and they added it to my bag could certainly have your name

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Contacts Revoc 1 Maja 13A Godow, 44-340 Poland shop.revoc.eu

The elevator bag has a zipper on its trailing edge. You unzip the bag and simply slide the elevator into the bag. There is enough room in the bag to hold the part secure, but without too much space for the part to slide around inside—perfect!

and rudder bag that came in sent them and EPS file of our gs for a small additional fee. You or such added if you want.

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You get what you pay for in these bags.

The fabric is a durable, yet lightweight nylon material. The bags are bound on all edges with nylon. And, the zippers sown into the bags are high quality, so they will last the lifetime of the bags.

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TRAILING EDGE The Mess Of It! H.R. 302 vs Section 336 I can’t contain my feeling on this significant issue for the RC community anymore. I must go off like a Saturn V rocket if full boost when it comes to the government’s overreach with respect to airspace restrictions for RC aircraft. Their simplistic view of what we as RC aircraft builders and pilots do in this hobby has me scratching what little hair I have left on my head. Their proposed impacts are just too much to ignore, especially if you are a giant-scale RC airplane and glider/sailplane pilot.

I’ve included a copy of the current and proposed regulations from the Academy of Model Aeronautics’ (AMA) web page at the end of the this article. They define the situation facing the RC community. Take the time to read the regulations and maybe you’ll understand why I’m impassioned about what this legislation is proposing for us.

Let me start by underscoring that I worked for government contractors for about 30 years both as an employee and a subcontractor. As such, I now recognize that sometimes government employees don’t have enough work to keep them busy and thereby employed. Consequently, they create work for themselves. I have a feeling that about 90 percent of Section 366 is about government workers finding a meaning for their work, rather work that has a meaning.

For example, looking back, I remember being at the AMA’s Ontario, California Trade Show about 2010 and participating in a meeting where the Federal Aeronautic Administration’s (FAA) talking heads started to caution the RC community about airspaces and their need for control. At that time, they assured us we had nothing to worry about and that the FAA was simply trying to better understand the RC communities needs with respect to regulated airspace. It was like getting a big, wet kiss from dear aunt Maud; we all felt obligated to participate in their needs and wants, but knew it was not going end well. It seems it hasn’t either!

Those reassuring bureaucrats have found work! They’ve found a “real” job in defining regulated airspaces as they apply to the RC aircraft community. Oh yeah, back then they assured us they were truly only concerned with the Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) community. Did they really think we were foolish enough to believe they would not categorize our RC aircraft as sUAS? They must have looked at us like most of the citizenry who think we’re playing with toys. They must have thought we would accept their supposed “findings” without comment.

I must accentuate that as an RC aircraft enthusiast, I truly believe we have and do fly our RC aircraft in a safe manner, as well as with respect for the airspaces. As RC aircraft pilots who are organized and operate under the guidance and direction of the AMA rule book.

Consequently, we are not the problem! This attempt a legislated solution is not unlike the gun control issue. The issues with respect to RC aircraft control is not those of us that are organized and operate within the law and limits of the AMA’s guidance! The problem is with those that operate in an unregulated and lawless fashion. Sadly, those individuals are going to do what they do with or without legal legislation. It leaves one wondering if government bureaucrats ever visited a prison?

Is this a way for the FAA to confiscate our aircraft; albeit, I’m saying this tongue in cheek. Even so, who is going to police the USA’s airspace?

After all, there is one whole hell of a lot of it! Do they want club members, private citizens, FAA personnel, city police, state police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the military, or who?

Let’s have some common sense here with respect to making more laws and regulations.

While we’ve seen some very reckless maneuvers by a few drone pilots and even rarely an RC pilot, by and large RC, First Person View (FPV), and drone pilots are quite responsible in how they fly.

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Alternately, is the “bad guy” going to follow the rules. You know the answer. They will not! They’ll learn to fly RC aircraft, FPV machines (Have you seen how FPV pilots fly their machines on YouTube.com?), or drones and go about doing bad stuff.

They will not care about FAA defined airspace. They won’t care about following the AMA rulebook or club rules. They won’t care about the local law. They’ll do what they’re going to do, which will sadly—by its unfortunate aviation association—have huge negative associations on all of us who have been operating responsibly for nearly 100 years.

I said it a long, long time ago (before 1999)—when I was tasked with doing some unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) work—that as RC aircraft pilots we were flying UAVs. I stand by that statement today! The term “model airplane” is just such a crippled definition for what we now fly and have flown for a very long time. It simply sucks! The term connotes little tabletop aircraft that one might hang from the ceiling of their bedroom. It certainly does not define the airplanes seen at most RC airfields in this day and age. Hell no! Think about what graces the flight lines at our airfields! You would certainly not hang them from the ceiling of your bedroom. They may, however, be appropriate from hanging from the ceiling of a full-scale airplane hangar.

So it is that I think we do ourselves a disservice by calling our RC aircraft model airplanes. We need to shift that paradigm such that we garner the respect of the full-scale airplane community and especially the FAA. It is time to underscore with seriousness of purpose that our community is about flying RC aircraft within the limits of the AMA rulebook and within the guidelines of the FAA. Importantly, it is all important that we shun any attempt by the FAA to lump our law abiding and respectful community with that of those that choose to have contempt for rules and regulation. They need to know that we consider our RC aircraft to be more than toys—that we see them as UAVs, which deserve our utmost respect.

Simply, it is time for the government to stop what I consider to be serious overreach with respect to RC aircraft and FAA defined airspaces!

FAA Airspaces If you want a clear and concise explanation of FAA defined airspaces I recommend you point your browser at the Flite Test page ftstem.com/lessons/show/521. They have done an absolutely excellent job of detailing the spaces and where we as RC aircraft pilots are allowed to fly within those spaces. By knowing these spaces you will better understand what the FAA is trying to legislate for RC. If you want your hobby to remain unfettered, it is best to understand the current rules and regulations.

From the AMA’s website: H.R. 302 vs Section 336 Breakdown. FAA Reauthorization Act 2018 Dear members, As you may have heard, Congress recently released a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. This bill is the result of closed-door negotiations between leadership of the House and Senate and includes significant modifications to the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, also known as Section 336. While some of the changes are positive, and include provisions that AMA has championed, other changes would land a devastating blow to competitions and disciplines that have operated safely in our hobby for decades. Overall, the new recreational regulations will put even more restrictions on our community in the coming months and years.

The entire FAA Reauthorization can be read at (Model Aircraft/UAS regulations found in section 349 on page 282). The AMA has also provided a breakdown of current Section 336 regulations versus the new Section 349 regulations.

It’s important to remember that this bill has not yet been signed into law, we encourage everyone to take action by contacting Congress and urging them to vote “NO” on FAA Reauthorization

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Current Public Law 112-95 Section 336 • the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use; • the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; • the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization (See AMAs Safety Programing for full list of current requirements); • the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and • when flown within five miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent location within five miles of an airport should establish a mutuallyagreed-upon operating procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower [when an air traffic facility is located at the airport]) Changes in Proposed Law H.R. 302 Section 349 • There is no longer a 5-mile airport notification requirement (see new authorization requirements below).

• There are no requirements to notify or seek authorization in Class G airspace, however flights in Class G airspace will be restricted to 400 feet.

• In Class B, C, D, and E airspace, recreational users must obtain authorization from the FAA or a designee (most likely an FAA LAANC app), unless operating from a fixed flying site. If flying from a flying field in classes B, C, D, or E, the site may be permitted to fly above 400 feet above ground level if the Air Traffic Control (ATC) approves.

• In class B, C, D, and E, AMA must share our flying site locations to the FAA. • In class B, C, D, and E, flying sites shall establish a mutually agreed upon procedures with the ATC. • Large Model Aircraft (weighing more than 55 lb) operations are restricted to fixed flying sites.

• Creates criteria for the FAA to determine what/who meets the criteria of a CBO. • Gives CBOs a stronger role in shaping future regulations, training/testing, and consulting the FAA. • CBOs shall coordinate with the FAA on safety programming.

• Gives FAA the authority to implement remote identification, but it isn’t prescriptive. This bill does not currently mandate remote ID equipage, beacons, or other specifics.

• Everyone must take an aeronautical knowledge and safety test, but AMA can administer the test to its members.

• Clarifies that FPV operations are permitted within AMA programing.

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