Alwyn Gee

Hi Tim Not wanting to appear to be teaching granny to suck eggs but have you tried ratcheting the throttle trim down when that rx wont lock on to the TX. We had a new model at the field some time ago that we were trying to set up and the same thing seemed to happen each time we turned the model on and off. It turned out that the ESC was not recognising the low throttle position and each subsequent power up it failed to get the low throttle signal and would not power up the radio. It just sat there as you describe. Just by chance I pulled back the throttle trim whilst the set was on and low an behold we got the beeps and all was perfect.. Sorry if you've already tried this. Alwyn

Dumb Thumbs. That's why I've changed to holding the sticks between thumb & forefinger.    Hopefully the fingers have a link to the brain. Alwyn Edited By Alwyn Gee on 09/05/2013 19:50:27 Edited By Alwyn Gee on 09/05/2013 19:51:01

Hi Bucksboy It comes with the blue EC3 connectors common to all E-Flite/Horizon Hobby electric planes. SMC do a bag of 10 pairs for £5.70. Make sure you get the right ones though as there are others on their site at £12.50 for 10 pairs. The cheaper ones are fine, I've used them since I started 5 years ago and I can't tell any difference except in the wallet. Alwyn

I snapped one up from Kings Lynn Models a few weeks ago, the Plug & play version for £130.00 and free delivery. Got the retracts as well and then HH UK sent me the retract covers FOC. I've not put it together yet as I'm so pushed for space in the hanger, (read spare bedroom) and SWMBO not a happy bunny whenever large boxes arrive. This and my Limited Edition Seafire are still in their boxes as they take up less room that way. Note to self:- "Really must win the lottery tomorrow so I can get a bigger hanger." Just need a Lanc and I can start my own BBMF.......the trick is flying them all at once in formation with one trannie.

Hi Martin My twopeneth, for what it's worth. You might try adding a little weight just at the centre of gravity (using some easy fix and remove method) which will then give the model a better sink rate at a faster landing speed. I have successfully done this with several models, not for crosswind so much but more for stronger winds of any direction when the model did not want to settle in the glide and just floated on. I did it by increasing my flight battery size so as not to carry dead weight but some removable lead could serve the same purpose. The slightly more throttle required to control the sink rate and the faster approach may then give you the rudder authority that you need. Otherwise as others have indicated, it's horses for courses and maybe this model should be left in the hanger in a crosswind. Alwyn

Alternatively make your own for about £3.00. Go to your local home bargain store and pick up a plastic chopping board. a couple of eye bolts from Screw Fix and a few 2" X 3/16 bolts nuts and washers. Cut the board to length & shape if you want, (if its one with the hand hold in one end cut that end off. Bend and fit the eye bolts to the lower edge with some rubber tube over them. Use the off cut piece to make wrist rests and fix with bolts using multiple nuts and washers so you can adjust them to your comfort. Stick some foam on these for comfort too. Use whatever method you fancy to secure trannie to base. I used a couple of undercarriage clamps set so that the trannie handle snaps underneath and also have a slot in the base with a velcro tie round the handle for security.  This then fits inside my Turnigy transmitter muff.  You may have to modify it slightly to let the eyebolts out.  With mine I just dont zip it fully up and it's fine. Simples. Edited By Alwyn Gee on 02/04/2013 21:35:15

Hello and welcome David. You'll be even more welcome if you can send some of that desert sunshine in the direction of the UK. Alwyn

Hi After purchasing the E-Flite Hurricane I discovered a missing "Y" lead and after reading several posts on here and another forum i was confused as to whether or not the retract covers should have been in the kit. Over night on Tuesday, I emailed the question to John Norris of HH UK, who had answered a previous question about my DX8, . I had a reply from him by 09:06 Wednesday advising me he had passed my email to the service department to forward the parts to me as they should have been supplied and they arrived with this mornings post. Congratulations John and HH UK for an excellent customer service attitude. Edited By Alwyn Gee on 28/03/2013 20:58:01

In answer to the original question: Yes "Model Flying" is safer because of the inherant improvement to equipment. What everyone here appears to be discussing is whether people use this "safer" equipment wisely and this will always have many variables. Accidents will always happen. Some are pure accidents that no one could foresee, others are the result of lack of thought, lack of understanding or pure stupidity. I'm sure many of you , like me, will have watched things unfold before you, not just in model flying but in all sorts of activities, and you know what's going to happen before it does. Modern communications means that anything that happens anywhere in the world isalmost instanly known about all over the world. 30 or 40 years ago very little made it as "news" so there was little peception of statistics about anything other than those people wanted you to know. This forum is a shining example of information diseminationand so helps, inadvertantly, to proppogate the perseption of inappropriate flying. Is there more of this than there was 30-40 years ago,. That's the $64,000 question. I think probably................. Alwyn

My flight in this aeroplane some 40++ years ago was, and probably still is, the highlight of my life. In those heady days before health and safety went mad it was thrown around a lot more than that. The final act that day was to shut down the engine to tickover at approx 2000 ft above Brough airfield and see how long it would stay airbourne. It was nearly 30 mins later that the wheels toched the grass in a landing similar to the one in the video. Thanks for the memory Tim. Alwyn Edited By Alwyn Gee on 21/03/2013 10:54:04

A few weeks to go to reach 68 but not sure I'll make it as a large box was delivered this morniing and it's caused a bit of friction with the person I share my hanger house with. She claims I've taken over the house when I've only got planes in 2 out of 3 bedrooms. How unfair is that. Alwyn

Hi I think "Flytilbroke" could be your man for info in that area but I don't think I've seen him on for a while. If he is lurking in the background I'm sure your Thread Title will arouse his interest enough to have a look in. Alwyn

Welcome back Olon, Remember the only "daft" question is the one you dont ask. Alwyn

Hi Glenn, welcome aboard. Everytime this question comes up I tend to give the same answer. The best trainer i have had is the Seagull E-Pioneer. It's a good 40 size trainer, (61" Span), so easy to see, It has a reasonable weight so will fly in a wind, It's a cheap aairframe, (under £80.00), it all bolts together so not even any glue rquired. and it only requires a relaltively cheap power train and 5 mini servos. It can be flight ready in very little time. I would also endorse what has already been said about joining a club and getting instruction to start with. The Sim can definately speed things up but you can't beat initial tuition. After all it's free. Alwyn

Nice one Jim, have you had a shot on the trainer yet. If that is the club trainer you'll have to get your hands dirty with that one but at least it will fly in more wind than your cessna. No fancy pilot stances down at Drem but your welcome to come and have a look round. Alwyn

Hi Ken As far as I remember I just velcroed mine to the side of the battery bay. I was only running it on 3 cell so loads of room. Alwyn

Well done Jim, was this on your own plane or with a club trainer. I'm glad you didn't try it yourself for the first time. A couple of the latest member to join one of the clubs I use tried the solo route first and bent and broke a few models. One almost gave up before joining us but is now flying well and enjoying every minute of it. Have you got a simulator for your computer cos they're great for increasing your stick time and realy helps with co-ordination. I spent hours on mine when I first started as it was winter with snow on the ground and I couln't get any real flying in so come the thaw I was ready to put it into practice. Enjoy Alwyn

I use the Lidl Powerfix Epoxy all the time and it aint let me down yet. Does exactly what it says on the tin packet. Alwyn

Working back from the prop size might be the way to go if you are trying to create a very near scale model but even this is a bit hit and miss as the various makes of prop, (APC, Master Airscrew or even wooden props) of the same size will give variations of Revs, Amps and Watts. When I started in this hobby I read all the beginners articles on here and have since always used the "Watts per pound theory and chosen a motor that will deliver a little more than this calculation suggests. (You dont have to fly on full throttle). This is then put to the test with the Watt Meter using the suggested prop for the motor and cell count and fine adjustments can be made by changing the prop size. Some manufacturers do make it difficult though when they fail to include the Continuous Amps and Max Amps in the advertised spec for their motors. I tend to avoid these and go for a motor that I can see from mutiplying the Amps by the stated cell count voltage will give me the Watts I require. Simples.... Alwyn

Posted by Pete B - Moderator on 25/02/2013 21:25:08: Your latest post seems to indicate that there's a pretty relaxed approach to model flying in your area - I really do hope that's not the case.   Pete Just to answer your response to Scott above: I would like to assure you and anyone else reading this forum that there is a no more "relaxed approach" to flying in Scotland or Edinburgh in particular than anywhere else in the UK. One of my clubsites is well within the controlled airspace for Edinburgh Airport and we are in regular contact with the CAA and local AT controllers and all club memebers are regularly reminded of the relevant rules and regs. My other clubs which are beyond controlled airspace still follow the normal SAA code of practice which is identical to that used by the BMFA and also strict site related guidelines. As I think Scott has made clear in the past, most of his flying is done on his own and well away from the controlled environment of club flying. Alwyn Edited By Alwyn Gee on 26/02/2013 10:46:00

I must be missing something here as I dont quite see the use of this idea. Even if you do re-adjust the manual srt-up on each model after initial trimming you are still going to have to make final adjustments on the TX and I cannot beleive they are ever going to be the same for each model and therefore every time you change model you are going to have to re-trim the TX. Then again I suppose I do often re-trim in flight for different conditions on a given day. Alwyn

This poll should really have been multiple choice. I finally went for Warbitrds as I have more of this category in my hanger but I have also got average club earobats and an EDF that scares the life out of me, so I will give anything a bash. Hopefully not literally. Also have an EP glider and want to get out slope soaring again with my Wildthing. Alwyn

Hi Jim Welcome from another "Aud Reekie" resident. There are several good clubs and flying site in this area. Macmerry Model Flying Club at the old Drem airfield, Livingston Model Arcraft Club based at Kirknewton Airfield and West Calder & District Aeromodellers Club out by Woolfords Cottages near West Calder, to name but three which I am associated with. Other flying clubs are also available as you will see from the SAA Website. Have a look around but don't go buying equipment until you have an idea of where you might be flying and the type of equipment used by the instructors so that you are able to "Buddy" up for training purposes. I'm an all electric flyer and I can't see past the Seagull E-Pioneer as a trainer aircraft but I'm sure you'll get loads of variations on that theme. If I can be of any futher help feel free to drop me a PM Regards Alwyn

Geoff You answered your own question several post back when you stated how you would decide on the power train for an IC model You decide how many watts you require to for the type of flying you want, then forget about changing it to HP, just go straight to the specs for the motors and find one that gives you the required Watt output. If you are able to calculate HP from Watts then it's just as simple to read the motor specs and multiply the max continuous current (amps) by the nominal voltage of the max number of cells it can use and you get your Watts eg. 45A X 14.8 V (4 cells) = 666Watts. Not forgetting that these figures will always be obtained by using the smallest prop in the range quoted fof the motor. Larger props are for the lower voltages quoted. This puts you in the ball park and then you'll confirm it with your watt meter wont you? Final adjustments can be don with the prop size. Choose a motor that gives you a bit more than the minimum watts you require just as you would an IC engine ESC is simple. It needs to have a capacity greater than the max burst power amps of the motor Alwyn