Air Land Sea Hobbies

He just loved it.  The RC car I got him really hit the mark.  He really did flip out.  I think the best part was that I had never mentioned the gift and he didn’t even know that he, in fact wanted one before he got it.  It wasn’t in his realm of possibilities.  What he had been hammering for in the last few weeks before his birthday was a video game.
 
 But I thought, no, I didn’t want to get him just another thing that he could vegetate in front of.  This has given me inspiration.  His gifts from now on are going to be interactive, not distracting.

For my son’s birthday I am going to get him a remote control car.  I remember when I was a kid loving the one that my dad got for me and I really think that he will get the same kick out of it that I did.  I remember going around the neighborhood following that old beat up car around. 

It really gave me a sense of purpose and a connection to the things that were around me.  My dad and I would try to take that car to the most exotic places possible and have races to see who could outrun it.  This is going to a very special birthday indeed.

Come exploring and bring the whole family to this great flying Field! 

The Leatherstocking R/C Buzzards once again hosted its annual fly in on July 18-20, 2008 with all proceeds being donated to Catskill Area Hospice.  The event was well attended despite the high fuel prices and the less than cooperating weather.  We were visited by fellow Buzzard and AMA President Dave Mathewson and his lovely wife.  Otsego County Court Judge Jill Ghaleb attended the event and spoke to many of the pilots and spectators.  Special Thanks to all of the sponsors, pilots and spectators who attended helping us donate much needed monies to the Catskill Area Hospice.  Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton School students once again supplied some delicious food and beverages to all who attended.

Even thou this is a IMAA event to raise money for Hospice, Please bring any and all of your EP Powered Airplanes to the field with you. In the mornings before the event starts and in the evening after show hours you will see the air full of all types and styles of Electric powered airplanes. Bring your Family and enjoy the great Butternut Valley in Central NY.

The Leatherstocking R/C Buzzards was formed in 2003 by Al Kanser.  The Leatherstocking R/C Buzzards currently have over 28 members. Our mission is to create and foster a love for Radio Controlled Aircraft and Model Building.  Our home field is at the Polo Fields in Gilbertsville, NY and at the request of the owner is open to all AMA members.  With a 125 foot wide runway and 825 foot long carpet of grass there are regular pilot training classes as well as regular events. We think it’s the finest flying field in Central NYS.  

 

History of the Leatherstocking RC Buzzards

I got an RC helicopter for my son and daughter and we have never been closer.  They can’t wait for the weekend when they get to hang out with dad and we learn new tricks on the helicopter together.  My son accomplished a tail spin yesterday and never got it to stick.  We will try again next weekend though and one day he’ll get it right and feel the pride that comes with finding a hobby and being the best at it.

In this cyber age, technology rules our children’s lives.  How do we get beyond the glitz of television and the internet to penetrate our children’s imaginations and direct them towards positive alternatives?  The answer is simple: spend more time with them.  But if you want your children to see what you see, may you have to find a common bound.  You win many more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

Take your kids outdoors and show them how much fun it is to be amongst the trees.  RC planes are a great way to combine a love of nature with a love of technology in a perfect synergy.  You don’t have to break the bank to have a good time with your kids.  This is continuous fun that your children will never get sick of and the hand eye coordination they develop using this toy will last them a lifetime.

                                                                             For the last 27 years of instructing new RC Pilots, this is the first question I ask them before our first flight. This question is not exclusive to RC Airplanes, the answer I am looking for is the same for all aircraft. I ask you this question as I do my new RC Pilots to motivate them and you to start thinking about, what makes an RC Airplane go up?

There are many good answers to this question. Lift, is a good answer, without lift the plane would not be able to sustain flight. Airspeed is also a candidate, without proper airspeed lift can not be generated.  The elevator,  well yes that is an answer, but not what I am looking for. The wing, well that is related to lift. There are many good answers.

The answer that I try to draw out of my students is, POWER. Yes power is what makes the airplane go up, you can call it thrust if you wish. Without some source of power there will be no thrust, an airplane will just set on the ground.

Now you are saying, I have a question for you, Mr Instructor? What about Gliders, and Sailplane? That’s a great question, well they use power also, but there fuel is stored from thermals that allows them to climb to great altitudes. After a glider has either been pulled (by a Tow Plane, yes even an Electric RC Airplane can tow Gliders up)or used thermals to gain altitude, then it trades altitude for airspeed to maintain lift. So in very simple terms It’s power comes from thermal energy or the tow planes motor.

Yes then in very simple terms, it is power that makes and airplane go up. You have to apply power to create airspeed so that when you use up elevator to change the angle of attack, the plane will go up. without having sufficient air speed, the plane will stall (lose lift) and usually go into a spin.  This is one of the things that causes the”Stall, Spin, Crash Syndrome”.  No if you run out of power when flying, like a glider you have to trade altitude for airspeed to maintain sufficient lift.  That is why it is said that, altitude and airspeed are your friends.

I believe it is very important to teach, and learn that the proper way to make an air plane climb is, “Power then Up”.  Those three words, I try to en-grain in their flying, any time you want to gain altitude you need to, apply power then give it up elevator. In this way it helps them avoid the stall. When ever their RC airplane is close to the ground, I always respond with power then up. It will become automatic in your RC flying in time. Just as adding power in your car to go up a hill becomes automatic.

Yes, I believe that there are many other ways to explain or teach, what makes an airplane go up? This simple approach has worked well for me.

Remember the next time your electric RC airplane is close to the Ground,  “Power Then Up”.

And may your landings not bounce!

The Pitts Special is one of the greatest light aerobatics biplanes ever designed. It has accumulated many wins since Curtis Pitts first designed it in 1944. In the 1960s and 1970s it dominated the world aerobatic competitions, even today it is still a very competitive aircraft in many categories.

The Pitts biplane has been one of the most modeled airplanes of all time. There are even Electric RC Airplanes of this all time favorite.

In 1985, I watched an original 85 HP version of the famous Pitts biplane do an aerobatic routine at a small grass airfield in Central NY. Today there are many high horse power versions of the original design, however the current Pitts Specials still remain quite close to the original concept and design. That 85 HP version, that I watched doing big graceful aerobatic maneuvers was a pleasure to watch. Instead of having a high horse power motor, this Pitts would climb for altitude and then dive to build the air speed needed to complete all the beautiful aerobatic maneuvers it did.

Watching a competent pilot flying Pitts Special, is like watching an artist performing in the sky. Even today one of my favorite airplane to watch perform, is one of the many Pitts Specials.

The Pitts when done as an Electric RC Airplane can be flown just like the full size airplane. With todays proportional RC controls you have complete control of the electric airplanes flight surfaces and motor, it is possible to emulate all aspects of the full size Pitts Special. It is possible to to fly the EP Pitts in any type of maneuver that the full size performed. Because there is no pilot in the RC Electric Airplane, it is even possible to do aerobatic maneuvers beyond what the full size plane is capable of.

I believe that The Pitts biplane will be performing graceful aerobatics forever.

There has been a lot of talk and controversy about this subject. “Long Wires, Battery to Electronic Speed Controller or ECS to Motor?” 

With the large assortment of EP Airplanes available today it may be necessary to move the battery far away from the motor to achieve the proper center of gravity (CG) of the airplane.  It is best to connect the Electronic Speed Controller as close to the battery as possible and then run longer leads to the motor. 

According to the authorities in this Electric Powered RC Hobby, the reason for this is the inductance in the wire.  It is recommended that you keep the leads to the ESC from the Battery as short as possible. Short meaning 12” or less, and this applies to both Brushed and Brushless motor setups. It has been found that the inductance of leads totaling more than 12 inches in length may cause voltage spikes that can kill the mosfets in your ESC and may even take out the capacitors in the ESC also.

It is also said that wire inductance will not damage your motor! Wire resistance may rob you of a little power but will not damage you motor or Electronic Speed Controller.

Because wire inductance will not damage your motor is another reason why it is best to use short wires to the ESC and longer wires to the motor if need. Your motor will not be able to tell the difference in inductance of the wire even if the wire is excessive in length. Some industrial applications have hundreds of feet of wire from the ESC to the motor. 

When setting up your model it then is always best to keep the Electronic Speed Controller as close to the battery as possible, then run what ever length of wire needed to connect it to the motor.

May your landings not bounce!