Marc Humphries

I'm with you Eric... Exponential? Move the sticks a bit less at the start Rates?  Move the sticks a bit less all the time Model Memory? You shouldn't be flying if you mistake your glider for a 3D electric job I do use a computer set - and they are a godsend - but it still makes me chuckle when people start bleating about how essential they are!

Ah yes - the Orange Box! I couldn't be bothered to build the taper in the tips so it was constant chord.  I also covered it in heavy weight tissue... I too remember the "treed" landings and the numerous re-builds as a result.  But then magic happens.  You stop crashing and start landing.  You return home with the model in the same state as when you set off.  The epoxy remains in the tube. I still remember the first time I kept it in the air for over an hour on the slope - and a 45 min flat field effort.  Happy days!

Mmm.. Typical of our Post Modern consumer led economy... Mind you - the Happy Decade is officially over!

Read with interest Andy's run through of his glider inventory and why he needs them.  Some serious machines and money on display. Couldn't help having a chuckle and reflecting on my glider fleet when I was seriously into slope and flat field soaring. Algebra 100S: Flown in wind speeds from 0 to 40 mph without drama.  Algebra 2M: In 1984 - it was seriously cool to put servos in the in the wings.  The E193 wing would handle 0 to 40 mph - the aerobatic wing needed at least 5 mph.  This was a superb all round glider built from the Dick Edmonds kit. It would fly faster than some of our guys' power trainers! In 1979 Iearned to fly with an Orange Box - a free plan in Aero Modeller.  This too would handle anything up to 30 mph. By the way - my local slope would barely register as a "proper slope".  If you've flown on Honey Hill in Northants you'll know what I mean!

You what me old china? Here's some other things that have been bothering me... Why bother with rate switches when "you can always move the stick less"Why bother with exponential when "you can always move the stick a bit less in the beginning"Why does a well known slope columnist dress and talk like a skateboarding, Blink 182 fan - but flies model planes rather than go to the skate park and stack dive at Blink 182 gigs?Answers on a postcard please...

Two months ago I put a 150W power set up into a GWS Formosa and the performance was awesome - but now I spend all my time trying to fly it as slow as possible. Last month I bought a Easy Glider Electric, crammed in a 7.4v 3000 LiPo pack and now I take the model out for walks.  Last night was almost flat calm and I had an hour's walk down a country lane with the model floating above me.  The dog walkers thought I was as mad as a box of frogs.  What is going on here?

I'm trying to finish an account plan here - but I keep looking at that Hong Kong website. Amazing value and Danny seems very content with the quality and service. Danny - what spec batteries did you order?

Another convert! Keep the faith!

Keep the faith. My 120 W Formosa has a great vertical performance with a FlightPower 3S 1200. Steve - nice info about the charging theory. I use a cheapo Graupner which seems to charge the batterys fine. I do realise that I need to get a balancer setup soon. Trouble is - I have four LiPo packs - all different suppliers... I guess I'll have to standardise to make sure the balancing leads fit...

You're flying at around 130W per pound. That should give the Formosa a very nice field to play in! Good luck...

Had a bit of trouble making an accurate adaptor plate to convert from stick mount motor to Radial Brushless My motor came from BRC Hobbies and they supply a GWS stick mount that the motor backplate screws into. Really simple. http://www.brchobbies.com/?page=shop&action=additem&item=80. Wrt glues - cyano on foam does need a kicker spray - and then it's really quick and effective. Good luck with building up the hanger. That's one thing I have noticed since returning to the hobby. I have five planes all in a flight ready condition - complete with receivers, servos etc. This would have been unheard of 15-20 years ago!

Jeez Danny - you only got the thing Friday lunchtime! Nice one!

David, I'm probably a typical "born again modeller" in his forties who has returned to RC flying having packed my daughter off to university - and the ARTF-Electric flight combo means I can actually find the time and space to build and fly the things. My apprenticeship was served from the mid 1970s taking the traditional route of Free-flight, Control Line ( I had minor competition success as a combat flyer) and finally RC - slope soaring and power. The attractions of women, playing in punk rock bands, followed by the responsibilities of marriage and raising a family halted activities for many years. But there was always WH Smith... I could never resist the urge to tuck an RC magazine in my briefcase - now laptop bag at airports and stations when travelling for work. I now subscribe to RCM&E and pick up most of the others to fill in the gaps - and here's what has struck me about the content. Very little has changed in terms of content or format over 30 years or so. It consists of all the usual suspects - product reviews, regular columnists for each of the main modelling theme areas, occasional series about certain techniques and subject areas etc. I'll be the first to admit that I find most of this invaluable. I do feel, however, that you may be missing an opportunity. The world always moves on. Many interest magazines abandoned the "product - specification - how it works" route many years ago - motoring magazines are a prime example of this. Their content is somehow more emotional, often based on personalities and stylised - not just focusing on technical stuff. So - here's a few ideas: Celebrity Modellers: TV presenter Vernon Kay is a keen RC flyer. I read this in OK magazine. Why not interview him? Superstar Flyers: My daughter looks through the mag and ridicules all the fat middle aged men who adorn the pages. Then she spotted the guy with the Stuka and dreadlocks. He doesn't fit the mould? What's his story? There must be an interview or story there. Stories behind the models: Many of the large impressive show models demand huge resources - in terms of money, commitment and emotion. What was the motivation to build them? What impact did it have on your life and those around you? What were the highs and lows? What personal demons did you have to banish? Globalisation and Corporate Social Responsibility: The China dimension must be worth looking at. Let's walk the supply chain. How do these glossy ARTFs get designed and built? What's the impact on the local economy and for the individual? What is it like for a UK model shop? Let's look at the economics of modelling here and abroad. As an example - the BBC showed an 1 hour documentary about those involved in pigeon racing. It was superb. It had three intertwining stories that dealt with the personal lives of those involved. One guy was a professional who earned a fortune from training other people's birds. Another was caring for his wife who had Altzeimer's. The last guy spent £14,000 earmarked for his new kitchen on a few pigeons at an auction. It was funny, moving and inspirational all at the same time. Now - RC modelling has a similar "anorak" following - there must be a stack of ideas we could bring into the mix. I appreciate that there is a reason for your current content - it sells magazines and attracts the advertising revenue. But surely there must be room - maybe every quarter or so - to try something different? What do you think? I do a lot of writing in my job - so I'm willing to help out and develop these ideas further. Kind regards, Marc Humphries

I had no problems with warping or anything like that. Your power setup sound fine - it will really go well with out being silly! I've flown it in 10-15mph winds. It copes very well - haven't tried it in anything stronger. There's a strong Formosa thread on RCUniverse. Health warning: Our American friends do like to over analyse and complicate things.

Hi Danny - I've got the cheapo Mk1. It's flying on around 120 watts at the mo and with that power it has a very sprightly performance. I chickened out of the vertical climb when it was getting a little too small for comfort! As my post says - even on the stock motor and gearbox it flies well. Consecutive rolls, loops from level flight, multiple cuban 8s - it's all there for you if you are fairly new to aerobatics. As for building the thing - it's pretty easy but there are a few gottchas. First Glue. GWS supply a foam glue that always takes ages to set. I personnally find that a medium thickness foam safe cyano used with a kicker spray works very well. Epoxy also works well for the higher stress areas. Then hinges. You have to cut out all control surfaces from the wings, tailplane etc - bevel them and then hinge them. I mislaid the supplied hinges and had to use mini pinned hinges. These were a nightmare to slot into the foam and even more difficult to glue in without them binding. My fault though! I didn't fit the undercarriage - as hand launching in easy and it saves constant damage to the gear and saves weight. With the stock motor I used a 2S 800 Li-Po which gave me all the performance I wanted as an aileron and aerobat trainer. I used this set up last season. With three battery packs I can have three 10-12 minute flights in one hour at my local park or sports field. I only had one crash - caused by selecting the wrong model memory on the transmitter. It crashed immediately after launch and snapped the fuselage in half just behind the wing. A few minutes in the garage with cyano had it almost as good as new. You'll have great fun with this little model. Probably the most fun you can have for £20 - apart from a subscription to The Fantasy Channel!!! ;-)

Hi folks - I threw a Formosa together as a way to get me back into RC flying after a gap of 12 years or so. I initially flew it stock with a 2S 800 Lipo. It flew like it was on rails, though a little slow. Since it was my first real aileron model it suited me just fine. As an aerobatic trainer I can't think of how you could spend a better £20 or so. When it was time to pep things up, an email to Brian Collins resulted in a 120W power set up being recommended. http://www.brchobbies.com/?page=shop&action=additem&item=80. Just had it's first flight this morning on this set up with a GWS 7 x 6 and a FlightPower 3S 1200 Lipo - working from home does have it's advantages... Wow! The little Formosa is transformed! More or less unlimited vertical performance but still retaining it's rock steady characteristics. Got over 12 minutes on this set up and the noise from the motor/prop has a quiet growl - sounds like a very well muffled 4 stroke. Great stuff!

Good Idea! I've just started one!

Formosa Rocks!! Hi folks - I threw a Formosa together as a way to get me back into RC flying after a gap of 12 years or so. I initially flew it stock with a 2S 800 Lipo. It flew like it was on rails, though a little slow. Since it was my first real aileron model it suited me just fine. As an aerobatic trainer I can't think of how you could spend a better £20 or so. When it was time to pep things up, an email to Brian Collins resulted in a 120W power set up being recommended. http://www.brchobbies.com/?page=shop&action=additem&item=80. Just had it's first flight this morning on this set up with a GWS 7 x 6 and a FlightPower 3S 1200 Lipo - working from home does have it's advantages... Wow! The little Formosa is transformed! More or less unlimited vertical performance but still retaining it's rock steady characteristics. Got over 12 minutes on this set up and the noise from the motor/prop has a quiet growl - sounds like a very well muffled 4 stroke. Great stuff!