First post

[Aer0naught]

Hi everyone! I'm not new to RC or Flite Test (I've been on RCGroups for about a year under the same username, and I've watched a ton of FT's videos), but this my first post here on the Flite Test forum. So, I'm thinking a little bit of my background in RC would be appropriate.

I've pretty much always loved anything that flies. It's kinda strange because I actually don't have any family members that are into either RC or full-scale flying. I got into model aviation when I was around 10 or 11, starting out with some free flight models and an Electrifly ElectriCub ARF (the 41" parkflyer version), which was a great trainer in more ways than one. With the help of a friend, I built and maidened it, but the guy who was buddy boxing me came in too hot and bent the prop shaft on the second or third landing. I think he was probably used to faster airplanes than my little underpowered Cub. Not discouraged by this first crash, I made a ton of modifications (and subsequent crashes) with it, including upgrading the motor to a brushless 370. It was weird to see that Cub go vertical. I've since decommissioned it, but I still have the parts so that I remember where I started off.

Throughout the next couple years, I played around with free flight and micro RC, but now I think I've settled into a groove with scratchbuilt foam gliders. I'm working on an OSG right now, and I've built a series of flying wing KFerrets that have probably taught me just as much about flying as my Cub. I like the challenge of finding thermals, especially with the handlaunched KFerrets, and I've just recently tried slope soaring at Chickies Rock in PA. I actually flew a KFerret there with earthsciteach and phenompilot last Sunday. They are the guys that referred me here, so thanks guys! It was a bit too windy for my plane, but it was a ton of fun seeing a bunch of planes up at once! I'm going to have to build something that has more mass and less drag specifically for those high-wind days, maybe with combat capabilities?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to joining the community here and seeing the cool stuff you guys make!

 

[earthsciteach]

Hey, Alex! Welcome to the forum! That little wing you were flying was awesome! I can't believe it wasn't carried away on the wind!
I'm hot wiring a few Wisels tomorrow for combat. https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?1456458-Wisel-just-the-glider-you-need
I'll cut one for you. Let me know next time you are heading to Chickies and I'll try to meet you there. I was hoping this coming Sunday would be good for the 3rd weekend in a row, but the wind looks pretty low. Saturday would be good, maybe even too windy, but a high of 35 F doesn't sound fun.

Glad you joined us over here!

 

[Aer0naught]

I've actually been looking at the Wisel thread for sloper ideas, so I really appreciate you going out of your way to do this! I probably won't be at the slope this weekend, like you said it seems too cold to fly. I should be at the Lebanon RC market you mentioned though, so maybe we could meet there?

 

[earthsciteach]

That would work. I'll shoot you a PM with my cell number so we can get in touch at the swap meet.

 

[JimCR120]

Geetings Alex,

Maybe you might like one of the flying wings, simliar to your Kferret but more mass and power for windier days.

Whatever you decide keep the community in the loop and visuals (pix/videos) are authorized and encouaged.

Welcome to the forum.
—Jim

 

[Aer0naught]

Thanks Jim! I have plans for the Arrow and the Explorer printed, but right now I think I'd rather build a Simple Soarer! It seems like a great performer, and I love the ability to switch fuselages! I just might build one after I'm done with my OSG to compare the two designs. I also know some people from my church who might be interested in learning to build and fly, so I might build an Explorer or Tiny Trainer with them as their first step into the hobby.

 

[Aer0naught]

One Sheet Glider, Ready to Fly!

Finished my OSG last night. The work was mostly just adding a full length carbon spar to the wing, and fixing the damage to the fuselage from a glide test (mostly due to a way forward CG, and not having that spar ). Now I'm hoping that we have less wind in the upcoming forecast, but it's a conflict of interests because I really want to do more slope soaring! Of course I could always take the OSG slope soaring...

 

[JimCR120]

That looks sweet.

 

[Aer0naught]

Into the Air! (again)

So I'll admit it: I couldn't wait to get it in the air, and the sky wasn't as rainy and windy as I thought it would be, so right after I typed my last post I went outside. Did one test glide in the back yard, and it looked like the CG and trim was good so I decided to maiden it with a partially charged 2S 800mAh. Long story short, IT FLIES! First impressions: the wing is not as flexible as before with the new spar, but still bends quite a bit in wind gusts and in turns. Overall handling seems really good, and it turns much tighter than I expected with the long 60" wing. Glides pretty well too, although I could definitely use the reduced drag of a 6-inch folding prop rather than the APC 7x4E I'm using now. I only did a few circuits because of the low battery, with less than half throttle the whole time, so it looks like the C20 24-gram motor has the potential to make this a rocket! Power to be used wisely though, because I've read on the RCGroups thread that some OSGs have a tendency to lock into a dive when you level off at the top of a fast climb. I think the theory is that the wingtips twist to have negative incidence under the negative G's of a quick bunt to level flight causing a dive, and they remain that way until impact with the ground!

 

[JimCR120]

Congrats Alex!

Do you have any other glider/soarer aircraft you might compare this one to? What is the wingspan of this one?

 

[Aer0naught]

No, this is actually my first electric sailplane, all my other gliders are flying wings designed for DLG or sloping. The OSG has a wingspan of 60", although on mine it's a bit shorter than that due to the dimensions of DTFB. I really like the fact that I was able to build it out of just a single sheet of foamboard. Seems like the only waste is the removed paper. If you or anyone else would like to build one, the build thread is on RCGroups: 60" span motor glider - OSG!

I'm not sure if the One Sheet Challenge has been mentioned here before, but I think it would be awesome if the FT guys did a video where they try to design, build, and fly an airplane with just a single sheet of foamboard, maybe within a time limit? This isn't my idea, it was actually a challenge over on RCGroups a couple years ago, for which the OSG was designed. Not sure where the thread for it is, though.

 

[JimCR120]

Thanks.

 

[Aer0naught]

Just a couple updates...

So I really haven't done much with the OSG lately, considering the weather has just started getting warmer, and the minor detail that it's in about 50 pieces. :black_eyed: I think it was a couple minutes after I last posted when I took the OSG out for a couple real test flights. I really should have waited for better weather, but I discovered that it handled the 10 mph gusty wind relatively well. I was able to climb at roughly 60 to 70 degrees into the wind, and each climb on the 2S 800 LiPo only took about 20 seconds or so to reach a decent height. Of course, I wasn't happy with just simple maneuvers, and so I decided to push the envelope and try a loop, despite the wing having a relatively light 3mm carbon flat full-length spar and short secondary spar.

BIG. MISTAKE.

I didn't even enter the loop because when I tried to pull up after building up a bit of speed, the wing folded and the plane plummeted from about 150 feet up. Thankfully, it only weighed about 8 oz, so when it crashed into the grass the forward fuselage was bashed to bits, but the electronics all survived the impact. I think my biggest mistake was neglecting the need for a hardwood dowel on the leading edge of the wing as the original design requires. I'm definitely planning to build a new OSG, with the lessons I've learned from the first one. I already have all the required materials, and the new one should look a lot better as well since I'm planning to paint it in a high-visibility orange and black scheme.

Other than the OSG, I also have a couple other glider projects on the table. I maidened the Wisel at Chickies on Sunday, and scored my first ever combat kill Also, I picked up a Gambler DLG at the Lebanon swap meet a few weeks back, it's currently waiting to be repaired after an encounter with a headstone. Also, I've been learning to work thermals with my UMX Whipit, and I was able to pull off an 8 minute flight by riding two strong thermals yesterday! So much fun!