Hello!

[maxflyer]

I've been lurking on Wattflyer for some time. I haven't flown in 10 years, and was only a newb, even then. I wanted to construct some foamies to fly out of the confines of my property, in order to get my chops back before risking anything complex. I constructed Charles Pirkey's STC trainer type and have been flying it successfully. The design is easy to construct from 6mm foam and flies very well on 3 channels. Mine is flying with a BW motor, Turnigy plush 10A ESC, Hitec Minima RX, two 5-gram servos, a 2S 950 MAH lipo, and after 10 minutes of leisurely flying I have only used 300-400 MAH. AUW is about 8.25 OZ. The design is not perfect and I have modded mine a few times. The landing gear design is a bit weak. I remade the gear and also added 4 inches to the wingspan to slow it down a bit ( I fly from 7000' MSL). It handles nicely, but can get a bit hot on landing if you don't keep the nose up ( my altitude exaggerates this also) I have been soaring it easily at half throttle or less. It's very willing to disappear into the clouds if you let it. Charles has posted a great video of his design flying around a schoolyard - very 3D-like - even more amazing because it's only 3 CH. With the BW motor it's a bit underpowered for extreme aerobatics. But with the light weight it has been pretty easy to fly, and a great craft to learn on. Here it is in its current (slightly worn) state.

[xmech2k]

Welcome, Maxflyer! Not a blad little plane there. Dang, where are you flying @ 7000'? Higher than Denver.

[DCDetector]

Welcome from Kansas

[Don Sims]

Hey Max! Welcome to WF!

[AEAJR]

Welcome Maxflyer. Congats on your successful return to flight.

[maxflyer]

Thanks guys. I am flying out of Santa Fe NM. The wind and altitude here affect all forms of flying, including my experimental home-built. The biggest changes in this hobby, besides the move to 2.4 GHZ, since I was last involved, are the much-improved motors and the huge leaps in battery technology. The fact that I can now cob together a quite capable 3 CH foamy, complete with an airfoiled wing, at an AUW of just over 8 oz. is amazing.

[Whiskers]

Welcome aboard. I'm a newb here myself, but this is really a great, nice, informative forum full of friendly folks.

[maxflyer]

Thanks. BTW, I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here, but I find it interesting that there are always people querying about which plane they should buy to start with. I have to ask...why would anyone risk a bunch of dollars on a slick, realistic looking foam repro - you're gonna buy the farm with it - when a slick flying and reasonably realistic-looking model can be glued up out of sheet foam for a few bucks and 2-3 hours of your time? I find it absolutely amazing what newcomers have available to them when starting out now. You can whip up a trainer that leaves you free to experiment, and the only thing you really risk is the radio gear and a few dollars, plus your time. If you don't have a good understanding of basic aircraft design and construction, there are many good plans available on these forums, and more advice than you could get in a book.

[stuart]

well said max.....i could have had a few farms for the wrecks iv made. but i wouldn't change the builds,repairs and experience from doing so for anything...lol.....at least now my planes are living longer lives and it's like you say,building teaches us so much when we experiment.

whiskers and max,welcome to wattflyer,it always great when like minds get together.....

.

[propduster8]

Hello. I'm new myself, and qualify as one of those guys who spends $180 on a PZ f4f wildcat for his first "non-micro" aircraft. Yes I trashed a micro p51 and the micro edge, but figured more plane- more stable. This was true. Flew like a champ. Just wish I had the confidence in building some foamies. Still trying to figure that out. I spend 50+ hours wrenching on gulf streams and citations but can't build the confidence in starting a foamie build. Uuuuuuurrrrrrggggghhhhh

[Whiskers]

For me personally I went with a trainer as opposed to building one for a few reasons. Number one reason, I'm brand new to flying and didn't even know people scratch built foamies haha. But I still stand by that because it came ready to fly for $110. (Ares Gamma 370). I want a nice transmitter, the first time around, so that would have cost me $160 right off the bat. Plus if I didn't build it right I'd never know if I was doing something wrong or if it was the plane.

[tryingtofly]

Welcome from Tx.I just joined also..trying to get into helis

[maxflyer]

Starting around 2002 I bought a couple $5 toy store foamy gliders, scratch-built a fuselage out of 2" blue foam, joined the two wings with a bit of dihedral, added a sheet balsa tail, a speed 280, two small Hitec servos and a row of small nicads - and with my "fancy Hitec Flash-5X computer radio" taught myself to soar out of my driveway. I quickly discovered I needed a couple of carbon rods taped to the leading edge of the wings to keep them in one piece during dives or aerobatics, and if I wasn't careful the dang thing could get sucked up into a cloud and out of reach. I'm doing essentially the same thing today, except I'm using 6 mm sheet foam from Model Plane Foam. With the appropriate adhesives, a hot glue gun, and a good razor blade, it's stupidly simple to piece together a flyable craft in a very short time, especially if you have a set of plans. If you have any understanding of the balance and alignment requirements for an airframe you don't even need the plans. You will spend more time installing the motor and RC components and getting them to agree with the CG than you will actually constructing the airframe. If you don't make the mistake of choosing some delta with a flat plate wing, instead of a design with an actual airfoil shape, you'll have much more success learning how to fly it. The STC has a simple flat foam wing shape which is bent in sections to form an actual under-cambered airfoil. This thing will hover in an up-slope draft with power off, and even thermal. It flies almost like a glider. Age has taken a toll on me, especially since losing most of the vision in one eye, so what - and how I fly is different than it would have been ten years ago. The new Hitec Eclipse 7 Pro has been a godsend. It's bright, top-mounted screen makes life a lot easier, even in sunlight. The incredibly cheap and lightweight gear available now offers plenty of options, and I'm looking forward to crafting a few of my own designs next.

[CHELLIE]

Originally Posted by tryingtofly

Welcome from Tx.I just joined also..trying to get into helis

Hi Tryingtofly Hi Maxflyer get a good simulator to practice on, then get a cheapy trex 450 clone from HK, you can put this heli together for about $100.00 and it will teach you how to set up a heli, and fly, get some training gear too, if you break it, no biggie, the parts are super cheap use wood 325 mm blades, wood will break and splinter and absorb the impact and save the heli, where as a plastic blade will damage the heli parts, use at least a DX6I radio,

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...pat_Ver_2.html

HK 450 V2 build review

HK-450 in basic setup with complete metal upgrade parts and carbon blades

Hk- 450 clone of TREX 450
3500 kv heli motor from hobbypartz.
35 amp align esc
3x HXT 9 gram servo's hobby king.
gyro = 401 b or similar
HS-81 tail servo or similar.
Align wood blades
2200mah 25c-30c 3s lipo
Spektrum DX-7 transmitter with ar6000 receiver.

[CHELLIE]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-315mm-Wo...item19c5a2037e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-X-SG90-Min...item416b4c7b74

use a fast micro servo for the tail rotor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Hitec-HS...item25785dd271

[tryingtofly]

Good advice Chellie but I've already ordered a MJX F47 4ch. heli fp,fb. and I'm on the low end of the money chain.This hobby(like I need another,I'm on 4 forums)is my brothers fault went to visit him a couple of weeks ago and he shows me his j3,foam cessena,the corsair he's finishing,a sail plane plus 2 helis a mini and a 24".I've mainly been into mid power rocketry for the past year but I think all that's about to change.

[CHELLIE]

Originally Posted by tryingtofly

Good advice Chellie but I've already ordered a MJX F47 4ch. heli fp,fb. and I'm on the low end of the money chain.This hobby(like I need another,I'm on 4 forums)is my brothers fault went to visit him a couple of weeks ago and he shows me his j3,foam cessena,the corsair he's finishing,a sail plane plus 2 helis a mini and a 24".I've mainly been into mid power rocketry for the past year but I think all that's about to change.

Thats a cute little Heli Dont try to fly it outdoors, it wont take any wind the tail rotor motor does not last very long on those type of helis, so if you start having problems with the tail rotor, most likely its the rotor motor, small helis are hard to control, Normally the larger the heli, the easier it it to fly, get a trainer gear for your heli, it will help you from breaking to many parts LOL, Take care, Chellie

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1779454

[AEAJR]

If your interest is micro helis for indoor use, the Syma 107 is fantastic! I have two and have given away 3 as gifts. Everyone I hand it to is able to fly it within a few minutes.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ma%2Caps%2C153

[subzJC]

Maxflyer,

Hello, I wanted to ask about the prop hub in the picture of the "STC".
Is that a sort of prop saver?

Thanks