Air Land Sea Hobbies

 Bungee launching:

Bungee launching Radio Controlled Gliders can either be done on a gentle hillside or level ground. The bungee system is a long length of elastic cord extended further by an even longer length of non-stretch cord (anything up to 10x the length of elastic). The bungee is pegged into the ground at one end and attached to a hook on the bottom of the glider at the other end. A small parachute is attached to the glider end of the bungee. To launch, the pilot walks backwards with the glider in one hand and the transmitter in the other, so stretching the bungee. When a suitable stretch has been reached, the glider is released and the bungee then pulls the glider up to a good height.
With a small pull back on the elevator stick at the top of its climb, the glider releases itself from the bungee and your flight commences. The bungee then falls back to earth, slowed by the parachute.

Like discus launching, bungee launches are perfect for thermal flying over a flat field, provided that you have the length to lay out, and stretch, the bungee.

How solder works is important to the Electric Powered Radio Controlled Hobby. A solder is a fusible metal alloy with a melting point or melting range of 90 to 450 °C (200 to 840 °F). Solder is used in a process called soldering where it is melted to join metallic surfaces. It is especially useful in electronics. Alloys that melt between 180 and 190 °C are the most commonly used.

Knowing the above is important when soldering wires from Lithium Polymer batteries or Electronic Speed Controllers to Ultra Plugs. A Ultra plug is one of the most commonly used connector in the EP Hobby. I have purchased many sets from AirLandSeaHobbies.com, they are of very good quality and reasonably priced.

To solder wires to the Ultra plugs i find it is best to first tin the wires with solder. After the tinned wires have cooled I then squeeze the wires ends to flatten them so that they will set nicely against the tabs of the ultra connectors. I find that it is also helpful to also tin the tabs.  By flattening the wires the matting surface of the to conductors have a wider surface to carry there electrical load.

One of the first rules in Radio Controlled Airplanes is, never use a single solid wire! In all RC applications always use a multi stranded wire, especially in Electric Powered Airplanes. The use of any solid wire will cause it to break very quickly from vibration. The use of finely stranded wire will help eliminate the breakage from vibration.  Finely strands wire also allows for more flexibility and ease of installation. All power leads in any RC Airplane should only be made from a fine stranded copper wire of the appropriate size to carry the electrical load. Even the antenna of the receiver should and are made from stranded wire. Y-harness and servo extension wires are also items that should only be made from finely stranded wire. The servo extensions and y-harnesses available from AirLandSeaHobbies.com have worked well for in all of my electric powered airplanes. Take a look at them and give them a try in your next electric powered RC airplane.

One hobby that keeps boys, even men, glues is flying an RC plane. These toys are remote controlled and it takes skill to make a toy plane fly.

Sometimes, a plane’s performance may also depend on its RC parts. The motor may be upgraded for more power, or the other gears may be changed. Serious hobbyists actually upgrade their toys for better performance and more enjoyment.

Ancient people may have had batteries. During the summer of 1936 railway laborers uncovered an ancient tomb outside of Baghdad. The tomb contained relics from the Parthian Empire. The Parthians lived between 190 BC and 224 AD. They were an illiterate and nomadic tribe that just may have invented the first battery.

A sealed jar was found in the tomb. An iron rod surrounded by a cylindrical copper-wrapped tube protruded from the center of the jar. The jar stood 15-centimeters tall, and was 12 centimeters in length. Archaeologists believe the jars contents to be the oldest battery in the world.

When replicated, filled with acidic liquid like vinegar, and tested the “battery” showed it could produce between 1.5 to 2 volts.

The modern day battery has been around for decades, and since 1996 lithium polymer batteries (better known as rechargeable batteries) have offered Americans convenience. The Parthians’ battery may have not resembled its modern day cousin, but it served its purpose.