Great Mate Flight Stand

[Vic Clare 1]

Many years ago I was given a Great Mate flight stand (the yellow one) as a Christmas pressie.

Recently I retrieved it from the back of the loft still in its box and unused. In the past week or two I've used it outside on the patio to run up the engines in a couple of long unused models whilst making them ready for flight. Its an excellent piece of kit but I struggle to find somewhere to hang the Tx so I can operate throttle etc. I have a recollection there used to be a Tx.holder that was available as an option, but as the company is no longer trading they're not available.

Has anyone that uses the Great Mate made their own Tx. holder? I'm really looking for that Light bulb idea or design so that I can fabricate one. Unfortunately as the years have advanced and my centre of gravity shifted relentlessly South, bending to the floor is no longer an option. Gone are the days when I return from the flying site with one muddy knee.

Any advice pics or suggestions would be gratefully received.

Vic

[Phil 9]

there is no way it can be fixed so it is totally useless. To save you a trip to the dump I will come an collect it from you and dispose of it

Edited By Phil 9 on 15/04/2017 17:27:41

[Cuban8]

Only ever saw one of these devices bought by a club mate (IIRC there was also a model restraining thingy, that you operated with your foot). Both were very well made, weighed a ton and cost over two hundred quid for the pair. Was never going to be a roaring success at that price, especially as light electric models were just coming into vogue. A noble effort, but doomed to failure.

[David Davis]

I paid £150 for mine some years ago. I opted for only two extras: the seat and the starter motor holder. I place my flight-box on the seat, put the carrying handle of my transmitter onto the starter motor holder, then put the starter motor on top of that. That way I can get to the transmitter pretty easily. I'll be going flying tomorrow so I'll take a picture of it then.

A large engine like a Laser 150 for example, has the power to pull one of these over if you're not careful, that's why "flying buttresses" were available as optional extras to provide extra bracing when large engines were used. I don't recall them being operated with your foot though unless you simply trod the buttresses into the ground! It's ok to use the ordinary stand with large engines providing you have a helper to hold the model when you open the throttle, either that or you walk to the rear of the model and hold on to it with one hand while you give it the beans.

Great piece of kit. Worth every penny.

[Geoff S]

I picked one up last year second hand (advertised here) and it's one of the best aeromodelling accessories I've ever bought. I use it a lot in the workshop when building/repairing etc as well as at the field for assembling models. They're quite popular at my club.

One of the extras that came with it was the transmitter support as well as a place to put an electric starter neither of which I've ever used because I always use a transmitter tray and I fly 99% electric. In any case I can't see how either is supposed to fit as they seem to need an additional bracket. I usually put my transmitter on a chair (from the club hut) or on the side shelf (is that the seat?) and I'd do the same with an electric starter if I ran a glow model on the stand. You're welcome to both.

Geoff

[David Ovenden]

I too bought one second hand (and at a very good price) which has proved to be an excellent purchase. I have the electric starter bracket, but use mine all the time as I mostly fly 4 stroke powered planes. I put my model box on the shelf/seat and my tx goes in that.

Like Geoff I also use it in the workshop for supporting models while working on them and even to store the fuselage of my PT19.

A very well designed and manufactedandl item. Probably too well made to be cheap enough to sell in big numbers though. Shame they are no longer available new.

[Max50]

I've got one as well.I also bought with it, the transmitter support and brackets,starter holder,magnetic tray holder with tray,sidewinder support,extended support to tail for larger aircraft,extended outrunner legs for larger planes, and finally wheels to convert it to a truck.

Used to use it a lot when I flew heli's, but when I changed to planes, I found it took up too much room in the car. Preferred to put in another spare plane; so I just now use it as a work stand. It was a bit heavy too; stretching in the car to put it in and out. Although I still have it if my knees start playing up.

[Geoff S]

Max, I'm surprised you find the model stand takes up too much room in the car. It folds perfectly flat and lies on the bottom of the loading space. We have an old Mitsubishi Zero - no, sorry, I mean a Space Star which has the back seats almost permanently folded down. It's just a smallish hatchback and there's no way the stand takes up the space of even a small model. It just raises the floor by about 50mm and has the advantage that it acts as wheel chocks to stop fuselages rolling about.

It is heavy but that's an advantage when it's windy and increases its stability at all times.

Geoff

[Vic Clare 1]

I hear what you say about the Great mate being expensive. Someone many years ago shared his interpretation of two prevalent pricing strategies..

a) the British strategy

b) the American strategy

At the company pricing strategy meeting for the new widget' , the conversation goes something like this;

The British conversation...." How much do you think we can we get away with charging for our new widget so we can get rich?

The American conversation; " What's the lowest price we can sell our new 'widget' at so that we sell millions of them, go multinational and get as rich as Bill Gates?

I've lost count of the times I've run that conversation in my mind when out shopping.

[David Davis]

Well Vic I went flying this afternoon and took some pictures as I promised above. The first one is of the stand in transport mode, full collapsed.

 

The next one shows the stand erected, the seat and the starter motor cradle in position.

 

The third picture shows the stand with the flight box on the seat, a model in position and the transmitter on the starter motor holder. Note that my Spektrum DX9 does not sit squarely in the holder. My old Futaba FM6 with a chromed wire carrying handle fitted much better .

 

The next picture is the same as above but with the started motor in its cradle. It's not pretty but it works!

 

Finally a shot with the engine running in the model on the stand. I have put the transmitter on the table behind me to take the picture but you get the idea. I hope that this helps you!

 

Edited By David Davis on 16/04/2017 19:28:19

[Geoff S]

I think I must have the only blue one manufactured! All the others in my club are yellow, too One thing I discovered last week was that the model support brackets are supposed to fit on the two little stubs on the seat support for transport, making it perfectly flat for loading. I also didn't know the seat was a seat until this thread. I thought it was intended for tools, which what I use it for.

It's a very cleverly designed piece of kit.

Geoff

[Max50]

It is a clever design, but I didn't want to chance hangar rash with flight boxes and a couple of planes. Then I just wanted to go with minimal equipment to the flying field, which was the main reason, but if your having problem bending down then the great mate is ideal for assembling the plane and starting. For the cost, it was very well constructed. Mines a keeper, still looks new, when the time comes I may need it.

At Weston Park I also saw him with a load of brackets to allow planes to be held securely in the car in holders, like the ones on the great mate.

[Keith Berriman]

I still have a SLEC flight pit table and with the knees telling me to stop kneeling down it time to reserect it. I see it's still available on the SLEC web pages I am thinking of going compact lipo starter set up so no trailing leads

[Max50]

That's what I have. An Align starter and a Lipo glo starter. The Align starter is brilliant but costs.

[Keith Berriman]

Hi Max 50. What size is the lipo battery in your set up on the starter ? Will one 270O be sufficient?

[Max50]

Mine is a 3s 2150 mah 25C lipo. Turns over 2s, 4st and my 25 cc 2 st petrol.

[Denis Watkins]

Just in case you mean " how long will the battery last" RC

Then, it will last a full flying day easily

And the pack should contain more than a safe 50% at the end of the day

[Keith Berriman]

Many thanks for the response looks like I could be in the hanger later for some blue petering