Peter Jenkins

Hi Adrian I hope you have along bar on that Robart Incidence meter! If not, you will have to take the incidence reading at around half span. I cannot reach the wing root with my Robart Incidence Meter so need to have the radio on and the control surfaces will then be able to support the weight of the meter. I've usually adjusted the fuselage so that the tail plane is at 0 deg and then you just need to measure the wing incidence. It is the relationship between the tail plane and wing that needs measuring. Also, I seem to get very slightly different readings from my Robart meter when it is facing in the other direction so I tend to do all the measurements from TP to wing looking one way and then do the other side. Of course, you want the TP to be the same incidence both sides so that's best done with the meter facing the same way. I have resorted to photographing the meter if I cannot get my head in the correct position! Without an incidence adjustment gizmo, all you can do at this stage is to record the built in incidences and use the ailerons to get the aircraft to fly level. With my set up, I tweak one wing's incidence to get the ailerons mechanically zeroed and then adjust the turnbuckle to get the servo to zero sub-trim and the aileron at mechanical zero. That way, both the servo and aileron are at mechanical zero. Finally, if you can measure control deflections by angle throw, it's a lot easier than trying to measure control deflection by mm of deflection at the root or tip. It is easier to compare with other setups as well as the angle measured is independent of the length of the control surface. Hope that helps. Peter

Well, I suppose if only 3.2% (and that's assuming all were from BMFA members which is generous) of the largest model flying community in the UK, I would say that the authorities would be quite justified in ignoring that input as it's clearly not a big issue for a tiny number. If you can't be bothered to take the time to respond then don't complain afterwards. I will be responding as well as writing to my MP.

Having read the outcome of the results of the earlier consultation, the following stood out: Overall, the Call for Input received 2,568 responses via the online feedback form and 61 responses via email. Overall, the largest subset of respondents stated that the only UAS they own are drones, which made up 52.5% of respondents. Representation from Model Aircraft flyers was disproportionately high (my emphasis) relative to our expectations of the UAS flying population. Model Aircraft flyers made up 34.0% of the total respondents 34% of 2,568 = 873 model aircraft flyers responded. (or 34% of 2629 = 893) Current BMFA membership = 28,000 – so, assuming all Model Aircraft responses were from BMFA members, probably unlikely, that means a maximum of 3.2% responded! I don't know if a 3.2% response rate is good for such an exercise but it does mean that every one of us that responds to the latest consultation will be vital.

I seem to remember that the aeronautical world followed the nautical world and the rule is give way to the traffic on the left. That's why the captain of a two pilot cockpit is on the left. Helicopters, for some reason, have the captain sitting on the right but still have to give way to traffic on the left.

Well done Adrian! On my little Capiche, I drew a centre line on the wing root rig and used a straight edge along that line to line up the ailerons.

You want as short a run as possible between the end of the supported outer sheath and the control horn and servo horn. You also need to support the outer at intervals along its run.

I'm afraid I agree with the need to restrain/ support the outer sheath as otherwise the control surface will suffer blowback as soon you get airborne. Either do that or go back to pushrods.

How fast do you have to approach yourself for your red aircraft to appear green Kevin?🤣

Looks very futuristic Ron!

The reason for inserting from underneath is that when you tighten the mounting screws they squeeze the rubber grommet till they bottom on the ferrule and that gives a repeatable force provided by the rubber grommet for mounting the servo. Once the screw has bottomed, you will not increase the servo mounting force no matter how tightly you turn the screw. That's the role of that little ferrules that are supplied. If you put them the other way up, the bottom of the ferrule just pushes into the mounting plate and the more you tighten the screw the more you squeeze the rubber grommet and the higher the force you apply to the servo mounting lugs. Don't do it that way!

Learner, my question about using a watt meter when doing full power checks was meant for you not Toto. You expressed surprise at the voltage drop from the off load figure. So, I asked if you had any experience of using a watt meter when doing a full power check. The reason for my question is that you seem to be questioning the voltage drop Toto reported on max power so the question is how much do you know about this or are you just posing a question? That's all.

Have you used a watt meter when doing full power checks?

When I was checking the power output in my new contra motor I had a fully charged 10S pack (42.00 V at full charge) and recorded a power output soon after take off in a vertical climb at full throttle of 3,600 W, 96 A and 37.5 V. That voltage drop is a bit more than Toto's experiment showed. So, I think that is probably correct. In normal usage, I rarely use more than 2,800 W and after flying my schedule of manoeuvres I land with the pack showing around 37.6 - 37.8 V. When I recharge the pack this usually equates to a figure of 3,000 - 3,300 mAh into a 4,800 mAh pack. Have you got actual figures to provide us that shows the max power and V and A readings or are you just surprised? You should remember that as you draw current the voltage will drop and the more current you draw the bigger the voltage drop. It's how batteries react and one of the reasons is their internal resistance. The more current you draw equates to reducing the external resistance and since the total resistance being seen by the battery is external + internal resistance the voltage drop measured across the external resistance, which is what we measure, drops significantly. Think of water. If you turn on all the water taps in your house, the water pressure drops significantly and the flow reduces through each tap as the water pressure reduces (that's voltage here) but the overall flow is very high (that's current). Hope that helps explains the observed voltages at max power.

Sorry Toto our emails crossed! Watching the cricket so a bit distracted. That's why I have standardised on 4 mm bullet connectors for my bstteries. I use the ones sold by Hobby King that have polarised plastic insulators - excellent devices.

Toto, You need to learn how to solder as it's a pretty common requirement. You need a hot iron. I use a 75 watt iron and that gets the heat transfer quickly. The length of ESC leads give you plenty of safety. I cut my battery leads quite short so they are only 1" long but, as GG says, fill the connector with solder and push the lead in. You can make your own connector holder by drilling 3 mm or 4 mm holes in a hardwood block and push the connectors into the drilled holes to anchor them while you solder. There are also commercially available devices that do the same. Practice makes perfect.

Are they still selling the Xtreme?

This page gives translations in English, Italian and French for 4 products. Unisens-E is the 3rd one down.

There is an English translation on there on one of the tabs - if you can be bothered to look.

Had you actually read my post and followed the links you would have found that the Unisens-E is a 3rd party combined sensor and processer that can plug into almost all current radio brands. You don't need to throw away anything. One of your Futaba Txs is bound to be able to present telemetry data. Simples!

Just look up the links I've embedded Paul. It's not difficult to do!

I would just add that percentage capacity in the pack should always be backed up by reading the per cell voltage and degree of voltage imbalance between the cells. A reading of not less than 3.7 V/cell should be taken as the minimum reading if you wish to get long pack life.

The other way of determining what capacity remains is to use on-board telemetry to find out how much capacity remains in the pack. Generally, you need to specify how much is in the pack capacity wise and then the system will use current demand and time to determine the charge being used. I have used a product called Unisens-E by S M Modelbau (weighs about 20 g) and fits between the pack and the ESC and gives Pack V, A and W as well as RPM, and height (there is a vario function as well. It costs about Euro 66 plus shipping but there are no other sensors needed to give what I have described. By using the free download program you can set the Unisens-E to speak most of the current Radio Protocols. Capacity remaining is now the only alarm I have set on my Tx and it triggers with 1,000 mAh remaining - from a 5,000 mAh pack. If you fly multiple flights with the same pack, you will need to re-set the capacity remaining as shown on your Tx screen as otherwise you will start with the original limit you have set in your Tx. Might be worth a try if you feel that you'd like to know what is going on with capacity. The system gives you real time readouts and there is also a function that gives max and min readings for that flight. All the data is wiped as soon as you disconnect the flight pack though. S M Modelbau also do another product called Unilog-2 that has provision for an SD Card that records all this data for every flight for off line review. If you are limited to 400 ft, you can set that as an alarm so that you can avoid infringing it.

Good luck with the maiden Adrian.

Seems to work with either smoke or radio.

Websites are under the control of the model shop or advertiser and far faster to update. You need to send in copy for mags over a month before publication and that provides a potential currency problem. Most people just search the internet.