MIA Micro-FLIGHT (Mario I. Arguello)

Here is a close up of the unique rotor head stricly built from some not very high res photos and some text about it, of the real deal. Looks a bit unorthodox, add to that the protractor section I added on my model and it is like.. what is that? Well, there is always a reason for things.

Photo of the whole model in detail. I never showed this photo in full size before but I am getting older and it does me no good to keep these photos to myself.

(I had to break this post in two sections, as forum does not allow lengthly posts so here is the other half)   Making a replica of the Rotor head (An interestign note on some small weights attached to the rotor head) I came accross a photo of a museum quality Little Nellie that looked like it weas on display at the time the 007 movie was being promoted and I was able to make the rotor head details from such enough to make a replica in miniature. I also came accross another photo of Mr. Wallis Gyro, in a newpaper article which talked about some rotor weights. Intrigued by this, I set out to find more about it in an almost virtual reality form, as I only had the text from the artice that read" when the rotor head is at a standstill the weights lock the rotor and prevent them from see-sawing laterally, when the rotor is in motion and above 200 RPM the fly-weights unlock the rotor. With this information I made a replica head with these features and I used tiny springs in a similar manner the real Little Nellie had used to hold the rotor locking weights. I was able to test this under an air conditioner compressor fan and I could sense the action of the mechanism in minaiture. It was a fun and interesting experience. Wether this can a benefit beyond the typical rotor head designs of present RC autogyro model work is yet to be explored beyond my description here, as I never really moved from this finding forward for simplicity and lack of time. The MIA Protractor Offset Gimbal Head Idea Thinking of ways for me to easily set the angle of attack on the model I came up with a protractor built in to the rotor head gimbal parts and this is the only one in the world that I know of with this setup and for obvious reason, I was after, at the time I did not know what the exact angle of attack would be on the model being that it was a scratch design and I wanted to set it easily at the field and also use it with different head arrangements (i.e. dual bladed , tri blade, semi-rigid, flex, spring loaded, independent restricted and single free moving teeter rotor head). So here is the video of the proof of concept. Real day job work that came into view, at the time and got me really busy, forced me move away from this project and no further refinement was made to the model. If I were to revisit this model again today, I would not change a thing. Except some more efficient teeter blade design than what I did back then. Edited By MIA Micro-FLIGHT (Mario I. Arguello) on 11/07/2013 06:19:35

A Rare Look At MIA's Foamie Little Nellie. This model was designed at around the same time and posted on You Tube, Sep 2009. The foamie MIA version was a prelude to the a more elaborate MIA micro Little Nellie full body rc autogyro model of the famous James Bond 007 Little Nellie. Working strickly from photos, at the time, I was able to brew this model in one evening . The head design took me a little while longer as I could not decide wether to do it simple or complex, but I wanted it to look the part and then some!. I did not have good photos of the real aircraft and my access to Mr. Ken Wallis or his real aircraft was not possible because I don't live in the UK, secondly because I did not want to bother him with emails, not sure if he was accessible directly via email, and finally, I wanted to take up the challenge of doing it and seeing what the end result would be, all on my own, with no outside help whatsoever. I was not looking for publicity but to seee if it could be done. I never seen the glass half empty even when pre attempts at Littlle Nellies in model form had shown limitations, perhaps from older technology, as later on I became aware that some of the previous attempts, especially from Micromold had some very clever details, one being the clutch drive take off from the Wheel to prerotate the rotor. I moved on with lots of hope as I had engulfed myself deep into this build. Was it a total success off the board, no, I had my share of dissapointments in the process of getting it to finally fly as good as it did for the type of model it was at the time. Still is, just my interest in that particular model has faded but I thought this would be a good interesting topic as many may not have access to the full story behind the development of all the RC Little Nellies in the world. My RC Model refence at the time was also a faint photo that had been posted in a forum and I was able to make what looked like a helicopter rotor flybar assisted Little Nellie attempt made by Micromold (UK) back before my time. I had learned from the internet search, before making this foamie model model that the real Wallis Gyros had some very special features that set them appart from the early Bensen and Brock gyros and that was the offset rotor head. No RC Model Autogyro that I knew of at the time and I had done extensive research on such, also, utilized an offset head, most of the RC autogyros some rc autogyro enthusiast were doinmg, used simple universal joints and some more complex but without consideration for the offset geometry that the larger real counterparts had been using and I had been incorporating into my designs as well for the same reasons as he real ones have. So here goes me being different but wth a real purpose (if you read the advantages of the offset rotor head which nowadays manyRC gyros that hace come to te scene have implemented) , I designed all my RC gyros with the offset geometry in scale and the foamie MIA Little Nellie had it also.             Edited By MIA Micro-FLIGHT (Mario I. Arguello) on 11/07/2013 06:30:42

Another favorite model of mine. The MIA BBW (Bensen, Brock, Wallis) flies again after being in storage for many years. I also redid the blades on this one on a CNC machine with very similar airfoil to the MIA MPG X1. But wider chord and longer,obviously because this model is larger and heavier. Originally, this model had blades that were done using balsa Airplane Aileron stock and spruce leading edge, hand sanded to a Clark Y airfoil. I also tried a modified architectural baseboard profile but had to drill lightening holes to achieve a more balanced CG on the blade, both work fine, but what a big difference when blades are done with CNC equipment as this maximizes efficiency. I am in the process of creating a manufacturing tool for making these and the MIA MPG-X1 blades. I get frustrated not finding what I want and I hate working hard, sanding by hand is a pain, and I am sure anyone who has done this can appreciate the labor of love that is involved in doing this for oneself, but it be a lot sweeter having the blades done to ones specs! quickly and perfectly.   Unfortunately, my son is no longer a young kid that I can ask to video tape the models for me with the better camera, anytime,  so I carry the keychain version, quick and dirty and it works great in daytime but the video starts loosing quality as night falls, so I gotta hurry many times. Regardless, I wanted to get some video of this model and I think the video shows the main idea and how well this model flies. I wish I could say the same for everyday that I fly rc autogyros as some are really dissapointing, but when the the time is right and the model is setup properly, oh what a sweet spot that is!. Giving up is far too easy. Autogyros are not for everyone but for those that are willing to be patient and take it a step at a time. Are you one of us?     Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 07:16:49 Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 07:23:29 Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 07:24:51

This is one of my favorite small rc autogyro models. I don't have quick access to a large flying field and the field size in this video restrics one from flying a larger heavier RC Autogyro model, so most of my designs are designed according to the nearby flying environment. The blades were done on a CNC machine to my own airfoil after testing several airfoils including the most popular ones used on probably a good percentage of model rc autogyros out there. The blades are thin and have sharp edges like on the MIA wood blades I use for my Fixed Pitch RC helicopters. The blades have no problems spinning up fast and smooth in 0 wind and maintaing momentum through all flight maneuvers. This model is very reactive but also if you let go of the controls it self-stabilizes and prevents me from getting in trouble if I loose orientation. Well actually orientation is not a problem with the industrial yellow color scheme which has been my prefered color for many years and probably because it is logically better to see up against a blue sky. The orange blades would have been white or yelow also but I had orange tape at the time. Yes, they are tape covered, after sealing the balsa-basswood blades with a sealer and a light coat of laquer. Mixed direct control no electronic stabilizing assisted gear. Model had a rudder but I lost it in a hard landing, was too lazy to re-install it, it has been flying without it just fine. One of the cool phenomenon of this particular model is that the landings are spider like, they stick on impact, you can se it in a couple secions of this video where the model lands and sticks nice and tight, ROGs are also nice and tight, consistent and encouraging.  I actually started designing this model with a frame having exact angles, in scale, as the real Magnis dual seaters but decided to experiment a bit and I pulled the mast back for a more agressive aesthetical look. Mast location is not that important as is the location of the rotor in reference to the CG, and the rotor can always be relocated back even with a mast that rakes forward or vice versa, so long as it obeys the typical CG-Thrust Line, Hang Angle guidelines, for stable flight. Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 06:44:50 Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 06:52:13

This is the MIA Pusher Gyro -Tri Bladed Version, a fun lightweight 4 ounce model, original design dates a few years, the dual bladed version, slow fly also. This is one is more lively and flies higher on only 2 lipols 360 mah cells. The frame is basswood and FG plate and foam tails. The body is vac formed part of an earlier MPG. The Blade airfoil is same as I used on the 2000 Robin 280, MIA Bmmble Bee, adn House FLY RC  Micro helis as well as the MIA Trainer Gyro of 2007.  Typically the rule of thumb for blade aspect ratio is around 10-12 to 1, but depending on solidity, thickness, and airfoil shape, one can get away with higher aspect ratios. I like my blades thin and long as they approximate a more realistic look, especially for dual bladed. But they are tricky to get them just right. CNC machining them is great but they take a long time to machine. I had a tool made for the blade when I produced them for the Robin 280 heli, bu it was after two trial tools and after measuring the lift for a givem amp draw that the final tool was selected and made. Still use the 1" chord blade making tool after more than 10 years. The tool has paid off tenfold.   Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 05:59:30 Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 06:06:26 Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 06:09:05

Something I was playing with because I did not know what to do with a lot of foamboard. It was either trash the material or do something constructive with it. I chose the later and this is the result. I did 3 other models using foamboard and these will be posted on You Tube as videos are made when they are redy for flight. I have the means to do some very nice cnc airfoil blades, but I wanted to revisit my old way of making lightweight blades using foam or balsa and paper laminated airfoils I used back in the 80's when I use to experiment with ultralight rubber powered helicopters. The MIA MTG Slow FLY Foamboard model is not designed for looks, but for practicality and to test the construction while have a bit of fun at it. I used whatever I had at hand and no particular attention to motor battery and prop combination refinement was given. **LINK**   The CG on this model is such that it requires the battery to be close to the center of the length of the airframe as the mast location sits a bit further aft the typical location as on my original Trainer Gyro of 2007 **LINK**   Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 10/07/2013 05:46:51

Posted by Big Bandit on 18/04/2011 18:19:36: Hi Mario,   I was commenting on the video of the model flying close to cars and houses, but the ingenuity of changing flexi and rotary wings opens up a new aspect on flying for some of us, as Richard has done, very well done. And welcome to the forum.   Cheers,   Chris     Thanks Chris,   I guess, that's a bit on the risky side, but the models I design and fly are very lightweight, this means safe, first and foremost, for anything it hits, if it crashes into, as well as the model itself, highly crashproof, easier to travel with, easy to fly. In Arizona, parks have all kinds of regulations, and the best way to enjoy a lazy Sunday in the park, is with a model that doesn't pose a threat to anyone or anything. Under 8 oz. seems to be an ideal weight provided the weather is calm. This however poses a bit of challenge when designing a model that can adapt itself to oher types of wings easily.   I wish I lived in the countryside so I can fly my bigger models, as getting to the nearest rc club is also a task especially when running a small business that is on the constant need to keep many customers happy.   Regards,   Mario http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALdPf99u3s4  Edited By Mario I. Arguello on 21/04/2011 06:29:59

Posted by Big Bandit on 16/04/2011 21:52:27: Mario,   You do like to live dangerously I see, but brilliant. Well done that man.   Cheers,   Chris.     Hi Chris,   I am not sure what you meant by that, but thanks,   Likewise, Cheers.   Mario.

Posted by Richard Harris on 01/04/2011 23:21:17: So here is the plan and I am aware that this is not most people 'cup of tea'   Something I have always wanted to try is a convertable fixed wing model. In that you can fly it as a fixed wing land,remove the wing and add on a rotor system and fly it as an an autogyro. Maybe even 2 types? one with a DB type short stub wing with counter rotating rotors on each tip and the other as a DC (direct control) head with a single 3 bladed rotor sat on top. Tomorrow I will make a start on the 'fixed wing' airframe, try and get this complete and flown in a couple of weeks. If this goes to plan I can then calculate the rotor size needed and the position of of the mast etc I will try and figure how to add photos when I have some!   @import url(http://www.modelflying.co.uk/CuteEditor_Files/Style/SyntaxHighlighter.css); @import url(/CuteEditor_Files/public_forums.css); Hello Rich,   I actually did something similar, back a couple years ago with the MIA Roto-Trike (TM). Ever since I started designinng models more than 30 years ago, my goal and logic has been that many models can be converted. No reason why we can not switch one lifting surface for another. A rotary wing is nothing more than a lifting surface. This is nothing new, as some autogyros have been converted from standard airplanes, we have seen this often done, in the RC modeling arena, with many people simply placing a pylon with the rotor and own control servos mounted to them for ease of switching one to the other. In my case, what I did with the MIA Rotor-Trike (TM) and if you want to add a 3rd (Wing) which it is quite capable of, was I wanted to reuse the same control features without having to go redundant on the serovs and control links. So in essence, on the MIA Roto-Trike (TM), all I have to do is swap the rotor for the wing and presto! no need to even recalibrate, I can also add a regular airplane wing. This is the gist of this setup, but I did not get it on the first try, I had to tweak the design to get it right, not so much with the flight characteristics, but with the ease of setup, using the same control and servos,  as I feel there is no need to go through individual setups for each type of wing, if the model is designed with this in mind.   Anyway, I also like to think that muh of the stuff I design is not everyone's cup of tea, but interestingly, it appears that it is, at least with a good percentage of my viewers, some that give me a thumbs up and a few that give me a thumbs down even when I think my videos don't deserve it. .  I mean I came accross this thread by doing a search on 3 in 1 models and here I find you are also going this route.   Anyway, I wish you success and I am sure you and others will have a lot of fun with your project.   Mario. MIA Micro-FLIGHT.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ratvDV2nCQ     Edited By Mario Arguello on 16/04/2011 21:28:55   P.S. I inadvertently hit the Report flag and I guess I reported my own thread . I was actually trying to edit for typos. I found the edit button. Edited By Mario Arguello on 16/04/2011 21:33:52