Andy Harris

Interim Fettling Filing: Unfortunately AlsHobbies is out of the ESC and Batteries in the 'deal' so this is an interim report.  Dualsky 260 arrived, inspected and instructions read. Instructions look good, but miss out a whole section on fitting elevator servo. Where it says 'do forget' it really means 'don't forget'.  Tells you all the glues that are required for the build, and then just refers to epoxy.  Apparently the supplied stickers are able to 'focus' the eye and get 'people to look at your model'. Servo-Horn control rod hardware is frankly effeminate - duly replaced by CF jobs.  Rudder pull-pull mechanism seems good. Canopy held by magnetic catches, 0.5mm shut-lines on one side 1mm on the other.  Instructions say magnets not strong enough and screws should be used to supplement. Cowl needs cutting to fit the supplied motor, no spinner supplied. The trickiest part of the build is sorting the elevators around the stab, they have to be dismantled and the steel 'U' inserted *before* the stab is glued. Thus the 260 sits there, fettled as far as possible waiting for the remaining parts to arrive by post. I've had it checked over by a very experienced modeller who thought the airframe is fine and that the parts issue is just par for the ARTF course. Andy 

Andries: Would have sent you a PM because its a bit off-topic.  Als Hobbies sells the Addiction along with suggested motors, ESC etc.  I use mine for early morning sorties flying close in, and full rates when I get to the club field. Electric seems easy and logical to me. IC seems to have the voodoo magic when it comes to starting, I've seen people talk to thier engines.  Ron: Do you read Cosmo and Vogue ?  Both have suggested that real men are to be found flying model planes in fields ... probably something to do with spatial awarness and a prediliction for precision fettling.  Regards Andy 

Andries   If you've done it before, the SIM will quickly re-acquaint your thumbs with the process.   Not quite an old codger yet, but one eye will be affecting your depth of perception, so you'll be wanting something that will fly close it.   Check out the Addiction, its Aussie made and very docile on low rates, and fairly happy in a space of 100m upwind and downwind.  The only downside for you would be the colour scheme which might be tricky if you let it get too far away.    And in terms of trainers, I'd like to have recommendations on a low wing 1-1.2m electric for my son, if any one knows one that builds beautifully in 2-3 evenings - let me know.   As life would have it, my lad is weak in one eye, he tends to misjudge the far right hand turn of the circuit, visual separation is key in that corner. Regards Andy 

   Hmmm  David I'm fairly sure there is a building versus flying thing here.   Some 'novices' are modellers of  old returning to the  sport with scratch building skills,  others will be enjoying the outdoors and the challenge of 'sky calligraphy'.   I got my 7 mins of air time at 0536 this morning, but I can't see the joy in protracted builds.   I know that others can, I'm aware that planes are taken to the flight line and not flown, this appears to be a proper and socialable pursuit.  It is accompanied by warm welcomes. appreciative nods, much pacing and considering of the weather.   Perhaps you could do an article about overcoming the fear or flying after weeks of bench time. Andy

oops - 24th March  Andy

Could anyone let me know where to buy the balance adaptors for the Kong Power batteries. They are described as YH2008 and are not quite the same as the three pictures in the article. The battery should have come with an adaptor but sadly didn't. Thanks ... Andy 

Barnesyboy I concur with your findings entirely. Ali of AlsHobbies described it as 'somehow more cuddly'. I've got a collections of batteries for mine so I can more air time with it! Cheers  Andy 

Julian   I'm really enjoying mine! Cheers  Andy  

David. Started 24th May this year. 150 flights, 1 crash (not bad): Would challenge that high wing trainers are the right approach - 3D seems so much easier and more safe, more predictable. Would really appreciate reviews that tell us about the quality of ARTF airframes and instructions, for example I started with Precision Areobatics and thought - tricky but not bad, Done a Kyosho Spree Sports for my son - thought: nice but clearly a lower cost product. THEN: Started an Extra 260 for my A test and a Mini Pulse for my son, Wow, I didn't realise how good I'd had it with the first models, these last two are tricky pigs with bits that don't fit properly and whole sections of instructions missing and hardware that even a beginner can see will fail. As a Novice I hate the creeping finish syndrome, where kits are missing odd bits that it is assumed you'l have. Its nothing to do with cost either, with the Mini Pulse costing nearly three times the Spree Sports! ALSO: The trade is very important I was sold my Shock and Addiction by Ali himself (AlsHobbies), I phoned up for something else and Ali sold me the Shock - he was enthusiatic and right, the right product at the right time. He waxed lyrical about the Addiction, again great follow on 3D trainer. However I selected the next two myself, I could sense something different in Ali's voice when I placed the order. We novices need to know that some Salespeople are top notch, and which vendors and manufacturers to trust. Could really do with articles that help to cure common faults in bunts and rolls, like sequences of stick inputs, and stuff like landing strategies in gusty winds. Or perhaps, how to indentify less than effective hardware or recommended beefing up of airframes (which you already do in a coded fashion, but you have to have been through the process to appreciate the code) On balance you chaps do a cracking job and fair play to you to help us novices. Regards Andy

Alex An IC trainer is a hell of a responsibility to fly as a complete novice, it weights at lot and has sharp and fast pointy bits. If the trims are significantly out you'll be having a bit of a struggle. Expo is generally a good thing, you still have the travel if you need it,  Dual rates are worth setting, but you'll not be able to use them until you can fly circuits.  You'll have enough on your hands without looking down at the TX. I'd really urge you to try something small light and electric first. Why not find someone from this group that could help? Regards Andy

Ah list of probables, here's me joining in ... Andy 

Dear [Thread] I've been thinking about perspective, Rick Tee's post about safety is rather humbling. The sport has a wide range of risks and responsibilities, here's an example:                      Silverlit pusher <------> Foamy <-------> IC Trainer Is a local council going to ban kids from flying a Silverlit ?  The IC trainer is an obvious situation. As a reflection of this, my club won't me let take the 'A' on the PA Addiction, its too light and too easy to represent a proper responsibility.  Hence I go from trying to emulate the 3D hooligans to sedate circuits on an IC trainer in the same afternoon. In retrospect, I didn't feel ready to approach a club until I could actually do something, I guess others feel this way and it has little to do with socialbility and more to do with pride. Cheers Andy 

Dear [Group]  I *was* going to go quiet on this thread because I think I caused too much rumpus in the first place, but I got a pleasant PM from Timbo... I've chatted to people who have been doing this a *long* time, and it seems even a few years ago you could be spending tens of hours before flying. (These types are rumoured to be able to take a prang home in a supermarket bag and fly it the next day!) I found that an ARTF takes about 2-3 easy going evenings to build on the kitchen table, the PA Electric Shock took about 3 hours (180 mins) .  As my first plane I got 21 flights before having a prang thats (21*7)  147 mins, after repair its had 60 more flights (60*6) 360 mins.  Thats a ratio of 2.8:1 flying versus building. (As I type its still there, ready to run so the ratio will get better, although I throw it around a lot more now hence the shorter flight times). I don't understand how this 'simple' 2-3ch business is easy.  I tried flying a 'Firebird XL', it seemed hard to keep it in the same field and 'flopped' on turns and too a long time to start the turn, then I couldn't predict how much turn would happen.  Simulators teach your thumbs and 'away' and 'towards' orientation to be automatic, one doesn't have to do this learning in the real world. My gut 'near' novice feel is that the beginner needs 4 channels of crisp response coupled with an airframe that tracks true and can take the G forces of the regular over corrections. Regards Andy PS, I found out that my club has 55 members, in 6 weeks I've never seen any more than 10 with about 6 that I see on the patch on a regular basis, I once saw a chap bring up a beautiful scale plane, but he didn't fly it, I'm assuming that all the other members are building all the time -- is this a trend? PPS - The Shock got pranged by flying in rain at twilight, too keen to fly and too much work getting the way. 

Having ordered one, I guess I'll find out how good it is. Was hoping for a range of colours...

Timbo My post would be aimed at those who are attracted to model flying but who are uneasy about joining a club.  -- I can see that it flies in the face of accepted wisdom, however it is roughly the process that I followed. -- One of my most difficult flying moments was flying the IC powered club trainer, it took several minutes to work out how different everything was, they don't go where you put them, they are fast in a straight line and *heavy*. -- As a confession, I did buy a £99 'all-in' Protech Extra 330, just about managed two flights and comprehensively crashed on the third, it was too slippery, too chaotic. -- In comparision, the Electric Shock is a very simple, very stable accurate model that goes where your thumbs send it. The big wing section means that it is slow, and the AUW is 390g. -- I started about 3 months (real world) ago, for something to clear the head in an empty field behind my house, I've had G2 and a JR transmitter for 5 years, and used it for about 15mins every night between 'work' and 'home' time. -- It is easier to fly sections of the 'B' on a PA Addiction than it is to do the 'A' on a trainer, I know this, I'm going through the process now.  Into wind, the 'Add'  will  land at a standstill, the trainer can float and bounce for 50 metres. Maybe the flying world has changed, maybe simulators are a good basis for initial training, maybe mid-top price ARTF models are made straight and true. Timbo, you have a grillion hours stick time, I have real, here and now novice experience, which might be valuable as an addition to the opening notes that you've made for beginners. Regards Andy PS, the parts from the Protech 330 went into a Kyosho Spree Sports, which is an absolute pleasure in comparison.  I'll probably agree with everything you say as I become subsumed in club culture.  

Process:   a) get about 100hrs on a simulator with proper TX attached (G2,3.5,4)   b) get smaller model, Precision Aerobatics Electric Shock (Addiction is actually easier) [High wing IC trainers need a lot of space, a long strip to land on because they seem to float for ever, trainers react to stick inputs slowly so its not the same 'feel' as the simulator] *don't get a cheap £100 'all-in' foamy, they don't behave well enough for a novice - you'll have flights measured in seconds, you really have to get a proper model with carbon fibre stiffness and draggy 3D aerofoils to slow everything down.     c) get BMFA membership, read stuff about TX and work out if you have a local club that you might clash with.   d) [KEY BIT] -- set dual rates to about 30% or travel and 70% expo, make sure trims are geometrically perfect, you don't want to stuggle with excessive trim issues.   e) on a very calm day, fly, get head round trims, you'll realise that space perception is a real issue going from simulator to real world, fly circuits, avoid flying over your head, try not to fly inverted, loops are safe, rolls can be tricky, leave these for the moment.   f) adjust rates progressively after each bunch of 10 flights   g) by 60 flights you'll be near full rates and able to keep in a good circuit and to an imaginary flight line   h)  join club - they have good runways and people that know about stuff you didn't even know was stuff in the first place. 3D electric park flyers are great fun for a grabbed solo session but a good club shows you what can really be done and effectively lifts your game.  Regards Andy 

You'll be needing a decent quality condensor for podcasts, cheap mic will not hack it.  Check out the Rode NT1A with a proper shock mount - should be about 99 quid.  Checkout the adverts in Sound on Sound magazine. There are some packages with proper digital recorders and mics (called podcast bundles) Regards Andy