THIS IS THE 24TH monthly column in
which I will try to give you the best possible
answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry has a
sequential number for identification
purposes.
Because publication space is limited, part
of this month’s material will be published
here, and you can find the column in its
entirety on the AMA Web site at www.model
aircraft.org/mag/faq/index.asp. All questions
and answers are posted there.
Once the material is posted to the Web
site, you must access particular questions
and answers by subject matter or categories.
This is done to help you retrieve data for
particular subjects. When you call up a
question, it reads “Answer … ” Doubleclick
on that word, and that information,
along with any related photos, will appear.
Let’s get started!
Q189: “I know you already mentioned the
RC spread spectrum system that Horizon
Hobby was offering for surface vehicles
(cars and boats); what have you heard about
a similar system intended for flying model
aircraft?”
A189: Roughly November 1, 2005, Horizon
Hobby announced that it was releasing an
aircraft version of the 2.4 GHz (2400 MHz)
spread spectrum RC system.
The entire Horizon demonstration team
An update on RC Spread Spectrum systems
March 2006 73
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Receiver for new 2.4 GHz spread spectrum RC system weighs only .28 ounce since it is
intended for smaller models. You can buy individual receivers for $59.95.
Transmitter for the new Horizon Hobby
Spektrum DX6 2.4 GHz spread spectrum
RC system, which costs a reasonable $200.
continue to operate on them during the
entire flight (or time that the system is
powered up).
Since this is all done on a random basis,
it is unimportant to know which two
channels you are using at any given time.
That being the case, there is no need for
frequency flags or frequency-control/clip
boards at your local flying field.
Because of this new system’s low power
level, Horizon is recommending that its use
be limited to the control of parking lot,
backyard, schoolyard, and indoor RC
models. The bonus is that you can fly at a
local parking lot knowing you won’t
interfere with a 72 MHz RC system being
flown at a nearby club field.
The DX6 system itself is full featured,
with a 10-memory computer transmitter and
a 0.28-ounce receiver. That receiver, by the
way, accepts any standard RC servo.
Those who want more details should go
to www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6-
4.html. Beyond that, look for Steve’s
detailed review which should be published
soon.
Q190: “I want to try some very small, even
microsize, RC, primarily for indoor flying
during the winter months. I realize that
there are many choices for the receiver and
servos and was wondering if you might
recommend some products that aren’t going
to cost me an arm and a leg?”
Also included in this column:
• Affordable micro RC systems
• Dimension Engineering’s products
• Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
• Are Li-Polys getting safer?
attended the big JR Indoor Electric Festival
in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of
November 5-6, where each team member
flew at least one of the new spread spectrum
sample RC systems. All the systems flew
flawlessly, and no interference was received
or caused to anyone flying on 72 MHz.
Orders were being taken, and shipments
were promised to start going out near
Thanksgiving. By the time you read this,
spread spectrum systems should be in the
distribution process.
Much will be said and written about this
new system—called the Spektrum DX6—in
the coming months. AMA Technical
Director Steve Kaluf will write a detailed
review, which will be published in MA. He
has already been flying his sample unit.
Basically the IMS portion of the 2.4 GHz
band provides as many as 80 channels for
our RC use. It is a shared band, meaning that
there are other users. When you turn on your
system it will select two clear channels and
A190: I recently obtained from Balsa
Products (www.balsapr.com) a Blue
Arrow micro single-conversion receiver
(catalog item R3P4-J) that weighs 3.8
grams (0.13 ounce) and sells for $24.95.
The crystal is an extra at $3.50. This
receiver is extraordinarily lightweight,
small, and costs less than $30.
I decided to see just how good this
receiver is and installed it in a new design
I took with me to the JR Indoor Electric
Festival in Columbus. Despite the singleconversion
circuitry and no particular
claim to the selectivity, I put in several
10-minute flights. At least 10 other
modelers were in the air with me at the
same time. I never received a glitch, so I
was happy.
The companion submicroservo for this
receiver is the Blue Bird (catalog item
BMS-303) that weighs 4.1 grams (0.15
ounce). The 10 inch-ounce of torque was
more than enough for my model. Each
servo costs $18.95.
This combination of microproducts
(receiver and two servos) weighs a total
of 0.43 ounce and costs a total of $66.35.
That certainly sounds affordable!
One thing of note is the polarity of the
three-pin micro (white) JST connectors.
The receiver connector wiring is such that
the positive (+) pin is toward the end of
the case. The middle pin is negative (-),
and the third pin is the signal (S), which is
toward the center of the receiver case. Be
careful here because some of the initial
Blue Bird servos had the red, or positive,
wire in the center position of the three
pins.
In addition, when buying this receiver
New Spectrum Analyzer operates up through 2.4 GHz radio-frequency spectrum. AMA
bought it to monitor this new form of RC system.
Inexpensive parts for aircraft weighing several ounces. Blue Bird submicroservo (L)
weighs .15 ounce. Blue Arrow single-conversion microreceiver (R) weighs .13 ounce.
A191: I’m quite familiar with this new
company, having met owner John
Bellinger at the NEAT (Northeast Electric
Aircraft Technology) Fair and the
Columbus, Ohio, indoor festival.
Dimension Engineering specializes in a
series of accessory items geared primarily
toward the electric-power flier.
The best place to start is the Web site
www.dimensionengineering.com. I spotted
roughly 10 items in the product line. There
was a switching circuit BEC for park flyers
that will let you run more servos and at
higher voltages. The company also sells a
switching BEC with a Li-Poly voltage
cutoff that works at 3.0 volts per cell.
Other products include switching
regulators, a buffered accelerometer, an
RC relay control, and more.
What I liked about the Web site was
that you initially click on a product photo
to learn all the details and specifications.
Then at the end of each product you can
click again to obtain an installation guide.
Many of these products are affordable, so
take the time to investigate Dimension
Engineering’s offerings.
Q192: “I just read your feature article in
the December 2005 Model Aviation (pages
80-86) titled, ‘The Case For Building
Model Aircraft.’ I realize you can’t list
everyone in the plans business but was
surprised that you didn’t mention Wendell
Hostetler’s Plans. Wendell has had some
great plans over the years.”
A192: You are right; I can’t always
remember everyone. Wendell is a good
friend, and he is also a perfect gentleman
and would never complain that I passed
him up.
However, I can make up for that
make sure you obtain one extra pigtail
cable with a micro (white) JST connector.
You will have to splice that pigtail onto
the cable coming from your ESC so it can
be plugged into the receiver’s throttle port
(third channel function).
Q191: “What can you tell me about a
company named Dimension Engineering?
A fellow modeler noted their booth at a
recent trade show. I understand they offer
many interesting accessory items for the
electric power enthusiast.”
74 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 75
Dimension Engineering sells switching-type BEC that can accept
inputs up to eight Li-Poly cells and still produce regulated 5-volt
output to operate your RC system.
Each JR Electric RC Festival registrant received cartridge case (L)
to use while charging Li-Poly packs. Buckets of sand (R) were placed
around indoor dome in case of fires—which never happened!
Wendell Hostetler, who has operated a plans service for many years, has branched off into parking lot-size, electric-powered scale
models such as this Cessna 150.
omission right now because I just received a photo of Wendell’s
latest plans, for a 40-inch-span Cessna 150 with 230 square inches
of wing area. It is a parking lot-size model, powered with a Hobby
Lobby Nippy Black 0508/73 outrunner brushless motor and two
Kokam 340 mAh Li-Poly cells.
Those are exactly the kind of plans I had in mind when I wrote
my article. It is possible to get one of the laser-cutting services I
referenced to cut the basic parts for you.
Contact Wendell to obtain one of his current plans catalogs. He
can be reached at 545 Jerome Dr., Orville OH 44667; Tel.: (330)
682-8896; E-mail: [email protected].
Q193: “Up til about a year ago I kept hearing about safety
problems associated with the charging and use of Li-Poly batteries.
I’ve noticed in more recent times no such reports. Can I assume
things are getting better?”
A193: You can, and we electric-power enthusiasts are thrilled with
what is now the “routine” use of Li-Poly batteries.
At the recent JR Indoor Electric Festival in Columbus there
were more than 150 registered pilots, hundreds of aircraft flown,
and I’d have to guess more than 1,000 battery packs in use. I’d also
have to say that 99% of those packs were Li-Poly.
At this big gathering Horizon Hobby/JR and Radical RC made
sure every registered pilot received a free cartridge case. The idea
was to place the Li-Poly battery inside this sealed case (that has a
vent hole) while charging or when storing the battery after
removing it from a model. Also present along the flightline were
buckets of sand to put the packs in if a situation occurred.
To my knowledge there was not a single reported incident.
Several fliers had packs open as a result of a crash, and to be safe
they placed them in the sand buckets. But there were no fires!
However, let’s never relax our safety vigil when using any type of
battery pack. MA
03sig3.QXD 1/24/06 2:33 PM Page 75
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 73,74,75
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 73,74,75
THIS IS THE 24TH monthly column in
which I will try to give you the best possible
answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry has a
sequential number for identification
purposes.
Because publication space is limited, part
of this month’s material will be published
here, and you can find the column in its
entirety on the AMA Web site at www.model
aircraft.org/mag/faq/index.asp. All questions
and answers are posted there.
Once the material is posted to the Web
site, you must access particular questions
and answers by subject matter or categories.
This is done to help you retrieve data for
particular subjects. When you call up a
question, it reads “Answer … ” Doubleclick
on that word, and that information,
along with any related photos, will appear.
Let’s get started!
Q189: “I know you already mentioned the
RC spread spectrum system that Horizon
Hobby was offering for surface vehicles
(cars and boats); what have you heard about
a similar system intended for flying model
aircraft?”
A189: Roughly November 1, 2005, Horizon
Hobby announced that it was releasing an
aircraft version of the 2.4 GHz (2400 MHz)
spread spectrum RC system.
The entire Horizon demonstration team
An update on RC Spread Spectrum systems
March 2006 73
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Receiver for new 2.4 GHz spread spectrum RC system weighs only .28 ounce since it is
intended for smaller models. You can buy individual receivers for $59.95.
Transmitter for the new Horizon Hobby
Spektrum DX6 2.4 GHz spread spectrum
RC system, which costs a reasonable $200.
continue to operate on them during the
entire flight (or time that the system is
powered up).
Since this is all done on a random basis,
it is unimportant to know which two
channels you are using at any given time.
That being the case, there is no need for
frequency flags or frequency-control/clip
boards at your local flying field.
Because of this new system’s low power
level, Horizon is recommending that its use
be limited to the control of parking lot,
backyard, schoolyard, and indoor RC
models. The bonus is that you can fly at a
local parking lot knowing you won’t
interfere with a 72 MHz RC system being
flown at a nearby club field.
The DX6 system itself is full featured,
with a 10-memory computer transmitter and
a 0.28-ounce receiver. That receiver, by the
way, accepts any standard RC servo.
Those who want more details should go
to www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6-
4.html. Beyond that, look for Steve’s
detailed review which should be published
soon.
Q190: “I want to try some very small, even
microsize, RC, primarily for indoor flying
during the winter months. I realize that
there are many choices for the receiver and
servos and was wondering if you might
recommend some products that aren’t going
to cost me an arm and a leg?”
Also included in this column:
• Affordable micro RC systems
• Dimension Engineering’s products
• Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
• Are Li-Polys getting safer?
attended the big JR Indoor Electric Festival
in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of
November 5-6, where each team member
flew at least one of the new spread spectrum
sample RC systems. All the systems flew
flawlessly, and no interference was received
or caused to anyone flying on 72 MHz.
Orders were being taken, and shipments
were promised to start going out near
Thanksgiving. By the time you read this,
spread spectrum systems should be in the
distribution process.
Much will be said and written about this
new system—called the Spektrum DX6—in
the coming months. AMA Technical
Director Steve Kaluf will write a detailed
review, which will be published in MA. He
has already been flying his sample unit.
Basically the IMS portion of the 2.4 GHz
band provides as many as 80 channels for
our RC use. It is a shared band, meaning that
there are other users. When you turn on your
system it will select two clear channels and
A190: I recently obtained from Balsa
Products (www.balsapr.com) a Blue
Arrow micro single-conversion receiver
(catalog item R3P4-J) that weighs 3.8
grams (0.13 ounce) and sells for $24.95.
The crystal is an extra at $3.50. This
receiver is extraordinarily lightweight,
small, and costs less than $30.
I decided to see just how good this
receiver is and installed it in a new design
I took with me to the JR Indoor Electric
Festival in Columbus. Despite the singleconversion
circuitry and no particular
claim to the selectivity, I put in several
10-minute flights. At least 10 other
modelers were in the air with me at the
same time. I never received a glitch, so I
was happy.
The companion submicroservo for this
receiver is the Blue Bird (catalog item
BMS-303) that weighs 4.1 grams (0.15
ounce). The 10 inch-ounce of torque was
more than enough for my model. Each
servo costs $18.95.
This combination of microproducts
(receiver and two servos) weighs a total
of 0.43 ounce and costs a total of $66.35.
That certainly sounds affordable!
One thing of note is the polarity of the
three-pin micro (white) JST connectors.
The receiver connector wiring is such that
the positive (+) pin is toward the end of
the case. The middle pin is negative (-),
and the third pin is the signal (S), which is
toward the center of the receiver case. Be
careful here because some of the initial
Blue Bird servos had the red, or positive,
wire in the center position of the three
pins.
In addition, when buying this receiver
New Spectrum Analyzer operates up through 2.4 GHz radio-frequency spectrum. AMA
bought it to monitor this new form of RC system.
Inexpensive parts for aircraft weighing several ounces. Blue Bird submicroservo (L)
weighs .15 ounce. Blue Arrow single-conversion microreceiver (R) weighs .13 ounce.
A191: I’m quite familiar with this new
company, having met owner John
Bellinger at the NEAT (Northeast Electric
Aircraft Technology) Fair and the
Columbus, Ohio, indoor festival.
Dimension Engineering specializes in a
series of accessory items geared primarily
toward the electric-power flier.
The best place to start is the Web site
www.dimensionengineering.com. I spotted
roughly 10 items in the product line. There
was a switching circuit BEC for park flyers
that will let you run more servos and at
higher voltages. The company also sells a
switching BEC with a Li-Poly voltage
cutoff that works at 3.0 volts per cell.
Other products include switching
regulators, a buffered accelerometer, an
RC relay control, and more.
What I liked about the Web site was
that you initially click on a product photo
to learn all the details and specifications.
Then at the end of each product you can
click again to obtain an installation guide.
Many of these products are affordable, so
take the time to investigate Dimension
Engineering’s offerings.
Q192: “I just read your feature article in
the December 2005 Model Aviation (pages
80-86) titled, ‘The Case For Building
Model Aircraft.’ I realize you can’t list
everyone in the plans business but was
surprised that you didn’t mention Wendell
Hostetler’s Plans. Wendell has had some
great plans over the years.”
A192: You are right; I can’t always
remember everyone. Wendell is a good
friend, and he is also a perfect gentleman
and would never complain that I passed
him up.
However, I can make up for that
make sure you obtain one extra pigtail
cable with a micro (white) JST connector.
You will have to splice that pigtail onto
the cable coming from your ESC so it can
be plugged into the receiver’s throttle port
(third channel function).
Q191: “What can you tell me about a
company named Dimension Engineering?
A fellow modeler noted their booth at a
recent trade show. I understand they offer
many interesting accessory items for the
electric power enthusiast.”
74 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 75
Dimension Engineering sells switching-type BEC that can accept
inputs up to eight Li-Poly cells and still produce regulated 5-volt
output to operate your RC system.
Each JR Electric RC Festival registrant received cartridge case (L)
to use while charging Li-Poly packs. Buckets of sand (R) were placed
around indoor dome in case of fires—which never happened!
Wendell Hostetler, who has operated a plans service for many years, has branched off into parking lot-size, electric-powered scale
models such as this Cessna 150.
omission right now because I just received a photo of Wendell’s
latest plans, for a 40-inch-span Cessna 150 with 230 square inches
of wing area. It is a parking lot-size model, powered with a Hobby
Lobby Nippy Black 0508/73 outrunner brushless motor and two
Kokam 340 mAh Li-Poly cells.
Those are exactly the kind of plans I had in mind when I wrote
my article. It is possible to get one of the laser-cutting services I
referenced to cut the basic parts for you.
Contact Wendell to obtain one of his current plans catalogs. He
can be reached at 545 Jerome Dr., Orville OH 44667; Tel.: (330)
682-8896; E-mail: [email protected].
Q193: “Up til about a year ago I kept hearing about safety
problems associated with the charging and use of Li-Poly batteries.
I’ve noticed in more recent times no such reports. Can I assume
things are getting better?”
A193: You can, and we electric-power enthusiasts are thrilled with
what is now the “routine” use of Li-Poly batteries.
At the recent JR Indoor Electric Festival in Columbus there
were more than 150 registered pilots, hundreds of aircraft flown,
and I’d have to guess more than 1,000 battery packs in use. I’d also
have to say that 99% of those packs were Li-Poly.
At this big gathering Horizon Hobby/JR and Radical RC made
sure every registered pilot received a free cartridge case. The idea
was to place the Li-Poly battery inside this sealed case (that has a
vent hole) while charging or when storing the battery after
removing it from a model. Also present along the flightline were
buckets of sand to put the packs in if a situation occurred.
To my knowledge there was not a single reported incident.
Several fliers had packs open as a result of a crash, and to be safe
they placed them in the sand buckets. But there were no fires!
However, let’s never relax our safety vigil when using any type of
battery pack. MA
03sig3.QXD 1/24/06 2:33 PM Page 75
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 73,74,75
THIS IS THE 24TH monthly column in
which I will try to give you the best possible
answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry has a
sequential number for identification
purposes.
Because publication space is limited, part
of this month’s material will be published
here, and you can find the column in its
entirety on the AMA Web site at www.model
aircraft.org/mag/faq/index.asp. All questions
and answers are posted there.
Once the material is posted to the Web
site, you must access particular questions
and answers by subject matter or categories.
This is done to help you retrieve data for
particular subjects. When you call up a
question, it reads “Answer … ” Doubleclick
on that word, and that information,
along with any related photos, will appear.
Let’s get started!
Q189: “I know you already mentioned the
RC spread spectrum system that Horizon
Hobby was offering for surface vehicles
(cars and boats); what have you heard about
a similar system intended for flying model
aircraft?”
A189: Roughly November 1, 2005, Horizon
Hobby announced that it was releasing an
aircraft version of the 2.4 GHz (2400 MHz)
spread spectrum RC system.
The entire Horizon demonstration team
An update on RC Spread Spectrum systems
March 2006 73
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Receiver for new 2.4 GHz spread spectrum RC system weighs only .28 ounce since it is
intended for smaller models. You can buy individual receivers for $59.95.
Transmitter for the new Horizon Hobby
Spektrum DX6 2.4 GHz spread spectrum
RC system, which costs a reasonable $200.
continue to operate on them during the
entire flight (or time that the system is
powered up).
Since this is all done on a random basis,
it is unimportant to know which two
channels you are using at any given time.
That being the case, there is no need for
frequency flags or frequency-control/clip
boards at your local flying field.
Because of this new system’s low power
level, Horizon is recommending that its use
be limited to the control of parking lot,
backyard, schoolyard, and indoor RC
models. The bonus is that you can fly at a
local parking lot knowing you won’t
interfere with a 72 MHz RC system being
flown at a nearby club field.
The DX6 system itself is full featured,
with a 10-memory computer transmitter and
a 0.28-ounce receiver. That receiver, by the
way, accepts any standard RC servo.
Those who want more details should go
to www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Better/DX6-
4.html. Beyond that, look for Steve’s
detailed review which should be published
soon.
Q190: “I want to try some very small, even
microsize, RC, primarily for indoor flying
during the winter months. I realize that
there are many choices for the receiver and
servos and was wondering if you might
recommend some products that aren’t going
to cost me an arm and a leg?”
Also included in this column:
• Affordable micro RC systems
• Dimension Engineering’s products
• Wendell Hostetler’s Plans
• Are Li-Polys getting safer?
attended the big JR Indoor Electric Festival
in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of
November 5-6, where each team member
flew at least one of the new spread spectrum
sample RC systems. All the systems flew
flawlessly, and no interference was received
or caused to anyone flying on 72 MHz.
Orders were being taken, and shipments
were promised to start going out near
Thanksgiving. By the time you read this,
spread spectrum systems should be in the
distribution process.
Much will be said and written about this
new system—called the Spektrum DX6—in
the coming months. AMA Technical
Director Steve Kaluf will write a detailed
review, which will be published in MA. He
has already been flying his sample unit.
Basically the IMS portion of the 2.4 GHz
band provides as many as 80 channels for
our RC use. It is a shared band, meaning that
there are other users. When you turn on your
system it will select two clear channels and
A190: I recently obtained from Balsa
Products (www.balsapr.com) a Blue
Arrow micro single-conversion receiver
(catalog item R3P4-J) that weighs 3.8
grams (0.13 ounce) and sells for $24.95.
The crystal is an extra at $3.50. This
receiver is extraordinarily lightweight,
small, and costs less than $30.
I decided to see just how good this
receiver is and installed it in a new design
I took with me to the JR Indoor Electric
Festival in Columbus. Despite the singleconversion
circuitry and no particular
claim to the selectivity, I put in several
10-minute flights. At least 10 other
modelers were in the air with me at the
same time. I never received a glitch, so I
was happy.
The companion submicroservo for this
receiver is the Blue Bird (catalog item
BMS-303) that weighs 4.1 grams (0.15
ounce). The 10 inch-ounce of torque was
more than enough for my model. Each
servo costs $18.95.
This combination of microproducts
(receiver and two servos) weighs a total
of 0.43 ounce and costs a total of $66.35.
That certainly sounds affordable!
One thing of note is the polarity of the
three-pin micro (white) JST connectors.
The receiver connector wiring is such that
the positive (+) pin is toward the end of
the case. The middle pin is negative (-),
and the third pin is the signal (S), which is
toward the center of the receiver case. Be
careful here because some of the initial
Blue Bird servos had the red, or positive,
wire in the center position of the three
pins.
In addition, when buying this receiver
New Spectrum Analyzer operates up through 2.4 GHz radio-frequency spectrum. AMA
bought it to monitor this new form of RC system.
Inexpensive parts for aircraft weighing several ounces. Blue Bird submicroservo (L)
weighs .15 ounce. Blue Arrow single-conversion microreceiver (R) weighs .13 ounce.
A191: I’m quite familiar with this new
company, having met owner John
Bellinger at the NEAT (Northeast Electric
Aircraft Technology) Fair and the
Columbus, Ohio, indoor festival.
Dimension Engineering specializes in a
series of accessory items geared primarily
toward the electric-power flier.
The best place to start is the Web site
www.dimensionengineering.com. I spotted
roughly 10 items in the product line. There
was a switching circuit BEC for park flyers
that will let you run more servos and at
higher voltages. The company also sells a
switching BEC with a Li-Poly voltage
cutoff that works at 3.0 volts per cell.
Other products include switching
regulators, a buffered accelerometer, an
RC relay control, and more.
What I liked about the Web site was
that you initially click on a product photo
to learn all the details and specifications.
Then at the end of each product you can
click again to obtain an installation guide.
Many of these products are affordable, so
take the time to investigate Dimension
Engineering’s offerings.
Q192: “I just read your feature article in
the December 2005 Model Aviation (pages
80-86) titled, ‘The Case For Building
Model Aircraft.’ I realize you can’t list
everyone in the plans business but was
surprised that you didn’t mention Wendell
Hostetler’s Plans. Wendell has had some
great plans over the years.”
A192: You are right; I can’t always
remember everyone. Wendell is a good
friend, and he is also a perfect gentleman
and would never complain that I passed
him up.
However, I can make up for that
make sure you obtain one extra pigtail
cable with a micro (white) JST connector.
You will have to splice that pigtail onto
the cable coming from your ESC so it can
be plugged into the receiver’s throttle port
(third channel function).
Q191: “What can you tell me about a
company named Dimension Engineering?
A fellow modeler noted their booth at a
recent trade show. I understand they offer
many interesting accessory items for the
electric power enthusiast.”
74 MODEL AVIATION
March 2006 75
Dimension Engineering sells switching-type BEC that can accept
inputs up to eight Li-Poly cells and still produce regulated 5-volt
output to operate your RC system.
Each JR Electric RC Festival registrant received cartridge case (L)
to use while charging Li-Poly packs. Buckets of sand (R) were placed
around indoor dome in case of fires—which never happened!
Wendell Hostetler, who has operated a plans service for many years, has branched off into parking lot-size, electric-powered scale
models such as this Cessna 150.
omission right now because I just received a photo of Wendell’s
latest plans, for a 40-inch-span Cessna 150 with 230 square inches
of wing area. It is a parking lot-size model, powered with a Hobby
Lobby Nippy Black 0508/73 outrunner brushless motor and two
Kokam 340 mAh Li-Poly cells.
Those are exactly the kind of plans I had in mind when I wrote
my article. It is possible to get one of the laser-cutting services I
referenced to cut the basic parts for you.
Contact Wendell to obtain one of his current plans catalogs. He
can be reached at 545 Jerome Dr., Orville OH 44667; Tel.: (330)
682-8896; E-mail: [email protected].
Q193: “Up til about a year ago I kept hearing about safety
problems associated with the charging and use of Li-Poly batteries.
I’ve noticed in more recent times no such reports. Can I assume
things are getting better?”
A193: You can, and we electric-power enthusiasts are thrilled with
what is now the “routine” use of Li-Poly batteries.
At the recent JR Indoor Electric Festival in Columbus there
were more than 150 registered pilots, hundreds of aircraft flown,
and I’d have to guess more than 1,000 battery packs in use. I’d also
have to say that 99% of those packs were Li-Poly.
At this big gathering Horizon Hobby/JR and Radical RC made
sure every registered pilot received a free cartridge case. The idea
was to place the Li-Poly battery inside this sealed case (that has a
vent hole) while charging or when storing the battery after
removing it from a model. Also present along the flightline were
buckets of sand to put the packs in if a situation occurred.
To my knowledge there was not a single reported incident.
Several fliers had packs open as a result of a crash, and to be safe
they placed them in the sand buckets. But there were no fires!
However, let’s never relax our safety vigil when using any type of
battery pack. MA
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