Question about power

[Tim Tim]

Hi all,

I have only ever used rubber in the planes I built. Now I have been reading about Gasparin motors.

With this kind of propulsion, or electric for that matter, are the distances covered much grreater than rubber provides? Is it more important to trim the plane to fly in cirlces and not too far way?

Or is it that r/c is used to control this type of powered aircraft?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[duncan]

Tim , Yes to ALL the above. Free-flight is what you are talking about, but radio assist (single channel to prevent fly-aways) is coming into use. Unless you intend to enter competitions where there are restrictions and rules , anything goes to make flying models a fun pastime.

 

[wonwinglo]

Tim,Gasparin motors are the cream of Co.2 available today,each motor is virtually hand built by a real enthusiast to exacting specs,this is why they do not come cheap,but as in everything,you pay your money and get what you paid for,in this case quality.

Normally due to the short duration of the motors Co.2 are really for free flight,however there is a new breed of ARTF mini foam models now coming onto the market that utilise excellent tiny electric motors that run from equally small batteries,I bought one of these and ripped out the motor and speed controllers fitting them into my Chrislea Ace,add micro radio and you have what are termed 'Park flyers' the model climbs to about 800 feet on a calm evening and is a joy to handle under radio control with approx 20 minutes duration,such small models fitted with radio were unheard of up until a few years ago,but now it can be done thanks to modern technology.

The sky is literally the limit with such models,you just need to experiment and tread slowly,first building successful free flight designs,then adding perhaps a tiny free flight electric motor ( KP.01 from Knight & Pridham with a field charger unit ) then start looking at the micro radio aspect.

As Duncan says it is all about fun,the biggest plus point with these lightweights is that you can fly them from tiny fields successfully.

 

[Kiwi]

Tim, if you haven't done much in the way oF R/C flying and you want to get some stick time in I can thoroughly recommend the GWS Beaver, I recently got one (they come complete with motor and prop, you just have to supply radio gear and a battery) and I am getting plenty of enjoyable flying with it. I had became very rusty and this is getting me up to scratch again. I have a LiPoly battery in mine and am getting 20-15mins flying of each charge and when I eventually demolish it the power unit will go into a scratch built scale model. Buying the special charger and speed controller was a bit dear but if you don't have any glo gear at all it would cost about the same. The advantages are you can fly anywhere as there is no noise, no oily model to clean and store and you dont have to cart fuel, starters, batteries etc. Just a batery pack in your pocket, the model and the transmitter. The Beaver is very easy to fly, you could probably teach yourself on it. Highly recommended and quite cheap here (equivalent of aout GBP25).

Nev

 

[Tim Tim]

Neville

Many thanks for the recommendation. Tell me, who supplies this aircraft? Is there somewhere on the web that I can read more about it? GBP sounds certainly within my budget (the r/c gear may be a different story, but if it's needed, and can be used over and over, then that's ok).

Whilst I enjoy balsa building, I would like to expand my experience of flying.

Thanks again,

Tim

 

[Kiwi]

Tim, it's made by GWS (Grand Wing Servo) a Taiwanese company. If you google GWS Beaver you'll find lots, especially on www.rcgroups.com/forum under parkflyers, it includes all the recommended mods to make it better, There are some threads called "canada's Latest Beaver" parts I,II, & III.lots of photos etc.

Nev

 

[Tim Tim]

Ah yes, found it (and many others!)

I'll look into this.

Presumably there's nothing to stop me building a plane from scratch and installing the electric bits? Yo ujust have to know what to look for when buying the bits - that's the hard part for me!

Tim

 

[Kiwi]

No reason at all, that's what I intend doing, it's just that I wanted to get airborne ASAP with a proven flier while I building something else for the gear.

 

[Tim Tim]

Cool plan, dude!

 

[wonwinglo]

No reason at all' date=' that's what I intend doing, it's just that I wanted to get airborne ASAP with a proven flier while I building something else for the gear.[/quote']*** A lot of people knock these small ready to fly jobs,but look at it like this-OK you are deeply involved building a complicated built up model,you need a break from the fumes and dust and also to get some knock about flying fun in,this is where these tough foamies come in handy and above all you can experiment with them without breaking your more delicate pride and joy,they have enough fittings on them to rip apart when you are finished with them including that miniature motor.

Make no mistake these models are designed by experts and are marketed in their millions,possibly a toy airplane category yes,but we can use them to good effect and they are great fun as well ! stop gap models I call them.

 

[Malcolm Fisher]

I've been considering buying one of these models for some time to have available to "chuck into the car just in case".

What would you guys recommend as being worthwhile for a "dyed in the wool" i.c. man?

Malcolm

 

[Kiwi]

One thing I did tonight, which you can't do with a power model , was to get a flight in with my Beaver between putting the spuds on the to cook and mashing them (O.K. I live on a farm and only have a two minute walk to my flying site). I could take it outside, fly for about 8 mins, land, disconnect the battery, put the model in the corner (no cleaning required!) and go back to cooking my meal (and with clean hands to boot!) Neat eh!

 

[Malcolm Fisher]

Kiwi, what you report is the sort of time I would like to have, BUT...

...it doesn't let me know what model to got for - I asked for recommendations about the sort of model to go for so that I could have something which would always be ready and available to "chuck into the car just in case".

Malcolm