Help! Might Mini Tiny Tutor Traced Plans?

Hi, I really want to scratch build the Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor but seeing as FT dosen't sell the scratch build plans (I really think they should on FTCA) I am out of luck. For people who have bought it and made "plans" from tracing it out. Is there any way to share those tracings with people or does that violate some sort of TOS or Copyright law?

Thanks
 

Flyingshark

Master member
Hi, I really want to scratch build the Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor but seeing as FT dosen't sell the scratch build plans (I really think they should on FTCA) I am out of luck. For people who have bought it and made "plans" from tracing it out. Is there any way to share those tracings with people or does that violate some sort of TOS or Copyright law?

Thanks
FT does prohibit you from copying and sharing the plans from the FTCA website in the terms and conditions you agree to before purchasing, so I bet they'd also frown upon sharing tracings of a speed build kit.

I think someone said in the recent podcast that the Tiny Tutor plans and the rest of the backlog will be released in the future. If you can wait for an official release, I definitely would. Or you could buy a speed build kit and trace the parts yourself for future rebuilds! (That's what I ended up doing. :))

If you're dead set on scratch building something like the Tiny Tutor, you could try building a Mini Old Fogey from the FTCA plans or maybe scale down the full size Tutor plans and make your own mini version.
 

Tench745

Master member
That's the Tutor. I'm talking about the Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor. Found here: https://store.flitetest.com/ft-mighty-mini-tiny-tutor/
My mistake, I didn't realize they made two sizes.

Like Flyingshark said, if you were feeling ambitious, you could probably scale down the Tutor plans then tweak them as necessary based on the Tiny Tutor build video. Probably would need a bit of experimentation to get it just right.
I don't know if sharing traced plans would violate any kind of TOS. If you were selling them, or somehow hurting FT's business, they would care. (That's part of the reason free plans disappeared in the first place.)
But sharing some tracings with a friend to help get them into the hobby? I think Flite Test would be okay with that.
 

AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
My mistake, I didn't realize they made two sizes.

Like Flyingshark said, if you were feeling ambitious, you could probably scale down the Tutor plans then tweak them as necessary based on the Tiny Tutor build video. Probably would need a bit of experimentation to get it just right.
I don't know if sharing traced plans would violate any kind of TOS. If you were selling them, or somehow hurting FT's business, they would care. (That's part of the reason free plans disappeared in the first place.)
But sharing some tracings with a friend to help get them into the hobby? I think Flite Test would be okay with that.
The plans are meant for personal use only. Sharing a digital copy of a for purchase plan would violate the terms.
With that said, there are some changes about plans to be announced soon.
 

SP0NZ

FT CAD Gremlin
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
Mentor
The Might Mini Tiny Tutor plans will be coming in a couple months. I am working on current release stuff right now and will work my way thru the backlog (currently 7 plan sets I believe) as I have time. Please have a little patience as I try to catch up.
 

Tench745

Master member
The plans are meant for personal use only. Sharing a digital copy of a for purchase plan would violate the terms.
With that said, there are some changes about plans to be announced soon.
I didn't mean to insinuate that one should share a digital copy of the plans.
 

clolsonus

Well-known member
I have a question related to the original question. I bought the tiny tutor kit and put it together but was a little disappointed that some things came out warped. I know the laser cut tail surfaces fly and work great, but I struggle with how the laser cut edges look! I wanted to push myself to learn some 3d cad, so I drew up a version of the fuselage and the elevator and rudder for 3d printing. The fuse is a pretty close copy, the tail surfaces have a nice symmetrical airfoil and hinges (designed for a 2.5mm carbon fiber tube hinge.) It still needs the rest of the kit parts to complete ... the wing, the power pod, the gear, the pushrods, the control horns, the skewers, etc.

The printed fuselage came out about 90g, the tail surfaces together came out about 25g. I put my original stock kit together before I weighed the foamboard parts individually, but I'm sure the 3d printed stuff came out heavier ... but it still seems ballpark reasonable for flying.

My question is ... is it ok to share the 3d files (FreeCAD format) ... this is a 3d design for 3d printing, it doesn't unfold. You still need to buy the kit (or have all the bits) to build a flyable airplane. Or is this too close to copying the original design?

Thanks in advance!

Curt.

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AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
Very good question, @clolsonus !
Looking at the images, I see a good likeness of the Tutor. It's a 3D print, created by you, of an FT design. Not original plans. I personally believe it to be ok to upload your 3D version...
BUT, just to be on the safe side, you should contact FT Support, explain and link them to this thread so they can see more of what you would like to do.
I think it will be fine but it obviously isn't my call, Sir.
Here is a link to FT Support. (y)
 

clolsonus

Well-known member
Hey, just thought I'd check back in with a quick update. I ran into a problem ... may be a showstopper, or not ... we'll see. My elevator hinge design I thought was pretty cool, but it's not as friction free as I would have hoped. The servo is plenty strong to move the surface, but the thin wire pushrod that comes with the tiny tutor ends up being too flexible (for the friction in the hinge) and bows out instead of pushing the elevator back up. I probably should have seen this coming, but didn't ... oh well. So the obvious solution is mount the servo in the way back with the shortest pushrod possible ... but I already have a CG issue with the 3d printed surfaces being heavier than foamboard .... so .... I'll have to take a step back and think about what I wan to do next. Maybe some redesign, maybe a stiffer wire pushrod, move the servos to the tail and eat whatever CG penalty I have to eat? Anyway, oh well, I've learned a lot so far, but definitely need some rework before I continue. And still waiting for a calm enough, warm enough weekend day to test fly the all foam stock tiny tutor. One of the downsides of northern mn and working full time is you can go really long stretches through the winter months with no good flying days. It's already dark when I get home from work, and the weekends sail by. Not complaining, it's beautiful up here, just wish I could do everything all at once!
 

Tench745

Master member
I know of a couple ways to combat a flexing pushrod.
-Add supports along it's length to constrain it.
-Run it through some close-fitting tubing (same idea as above)
-Thicker pushrod wire
- Carbon fiber or balsa pushrod. (Balsa pushrods were pretty common in old glow planes, piano wire for each end, lashed with thread and glued to a length of balsa.
-Flip/move the servo so it pulls the elevator up instead of pushing (up is the more important direction for an elevator to travel)
-Move the servos aft for a shorter pushrod
-Switch to a pull-pull linkage.
 

clolsonus

Well-known member
I know of a couple ways to combat a flexing pushrod.
-Add supports along it's length to constrain it.
-Run it through some close-fitting tubing (same idea as above)
-Thicker pushrod wire
- Carbon fiber or balsa pushrod. (Balsa pushrods were pretty common in old glow planes, piano wire for each end, lashed with thread and glued to a length of balsa.
-Flip/move the servo so it pulls the elevator up instead of pushing (up is the more important direction for an elevator to travel)
-Move the servos aft for a shorter pushrod
-Switch to a pull-pull linkage.
Thanks, these are all excellent suggestions and should get archived somewhere! My old Kadet Senior has balsa pushrods and they work great. I'll have to ponder a while longer and decide which variation of one of these seems like the best fit. But I need to move quickly ... my wife wants this project off the kitchen counters one of these weeks!
 

Mick3911

New member
The Might Mini Tiny Tutor plans will be coming in a couple months. I am working on current release stuff right now and will work my way thru the backlog (currently 7 plan sets I believe) as I have time. Please have a little patience as I try to catch up.
HI, not wanting to sound pushy but do you have a rough idea as to when the plans for the Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor will be available?
 
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SP0NZ

FT CAD Gremlin
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
Mentor
HI, not wanting to sound pushy but do you have a rough idea as to when the plans for the Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor will be available?
Those plans have been done for a while now. Just waiting on Flite Test to post them. I will reach back out to FT and remind them.
 

Mick3911

New member
Those plans have been done for a while now. Just waiting on Flite Test to post them. I will reach back out to FT and remind them.
That would be very helpful. This is an ideal plane for me as I am new to hobby and it is sub 250g which means I can fly it in my local park. I have been searching for ages looking for a sub 250g trainer which I can build with foamboard but have had no joy.