Born to Fly
Jim T. Graham | [email protected]
Who is responsible for innovations in our hobby?
Our hobby has come a long way since the early days of RC. Once we had to click our transmitter twice to make our model go in a desired direction. Nowadays, we have transmitters that cost thousands of dollars and do almost everything except check e-mail—and I’ll bet that is not too far away!
Who pushes the innovation in our hobby? Many of the large RC companies hire teams of people to design, test, and bring products to market, but is that where all things new in RC originate?
When the foamie model was introduced, it was thanks to pilots across the country who were ready to cut some foam, and it changed the market by making the foamie craze take off (pun intended). E-TOC (Electric Tournament of Champions) pilots spent massive amounts of time making airframes lighter and stronger.
Profile pilots in fields across the US literally took the design out of manufacturers’ hands and crafted new profile airplanes that flew better than anything before and propelled 3-D to a different level. From muffler-can pipes to hand-filing propellers, the everyday modeler helps shape our hobby’s future.
These same forward thinkers are those whom major RC companies hire, become big-name pilots, start their own companies, or continue to fly and have fun the way they always have. This month I’m going to feature a pilot who did exactly what I have described.
Scott O’Quinn has been flying for more than 20 years and is a 3-D pilot at heart. Our 3-D models can do nearly anything these days, but Scott decided that that wasn’t enough and set out to redesign what we know as an RC airframe into something different.
If you walked up to his design, your first thought would probably be, “Oh, he broke his fuselage!” On closer inspection, you would find something different.
Instead of explaining it, I’ll let Scott (or “Winkster,” as he is known on the Internet) tell you about it in his own words.
Interview: Scott O’Quinn ("Winkster")
JG: Can you explain your modification and how it affects the airplane’s flight?
SO: I started with a profile airplane and cut the fuselage vertically behind the wing and hinged it. The goal was to make the fuse aft of the aircraft swing with the rudder, causing tighter spins and whatever else you could think to do with it. The fuse was hinged using six 1/4-inch Robart hinges and two JR DS8611 servos ganged together to actuate the fuse. The plane has a Saito 1.00 for power and is running 6 volts.
JG: What made you want to modify your airplane?
SO: I’ve always liked trying things that are different and unusual. I have always played with this design in the back of my mind and finally decided to do it. I got a little boost from my good friend, Andy Wendt, telling me it would not work, so I had to show him it could be done!
JG: How did you make the jump from coming up with the idea to actually building your concept?
SO: I just took the time to finally do it. The real building part was the fuse. I cheated and used a U-Can-Do 60 ARF wing and tail feathers. The next version of this plane will be built from the ground up. The covering and assembly of ARF parts just don’t hold up well.
JG: Once you put blade to wood, did you have to rethink your original concept?
SO: I thought it out pretty well in advance. I started with a piece of 1/2-inch foam and just drew out my fuse out of that. I kept drawing on it until I got the shape I wanted and went from there.
The only thing I changed was adding one more JR DS8611 servo to swing the fuse, giving me a total of two servos ganged. One was not quite enough to manipulate the rear part of the fuse.
JG: How long did you work on the modification before you were ready to put the airplane in the air?
SO: It was not long at all, since I used ARF wings and tail feathers. The only time was building and covering the fuse. I'll say about 10 hours from drawing to flight.
JG: Once in the air, did the airplane perform the way you thought?
SO: The first flight was great. It did exactly what I thought it would do. Like I said earlier, I had to add another servo to the fuse control to get the speed and holding power I wanted.
It came out a little nose-heavy. I was adding a little extra weight up front by adding heavier landing gear and thicker nose ply, trying to compensate for the additional tail weight. I added just a little too much, but you learn by trial and error.
JG: After the first flight, how much did you change to get the modification the way you wanted it?
SO: Really all I did was add the second servo to control the swinging on the fuse. Everything else worked as planned.
JG: When everything came together, how did it make you feel?
SO: It felt great! It was doing the pinwheels that I wanted and didn't blow apart. And I was able to show my buddy, Andy, that it worked. That felt great as well! I love hearing people behind me saying, "Hey look! His plane is broken!"
JG: Did successfully creating a modification that had never been done affect the way you look at the hobby? If so, how?
SO: No, I don't look at it different. I'm just waiting to see what new ideas are coming out. Just like the variable-pitch props, I'm just waiting to say, "Hey, that's pretty cool!"
JG: Do you think after this successful modification, you will attempt another?
SO: Yes. I have some more plans floating around in my head. I just have to find the time to do them. I'm planning on another build of this plane, to make it lighter.
JG: Do you have any advice or tips you would give to other modelers who have ideas but have yet to realize them?
SO: Don't be afraid to try something new. The first, second, and third time might not work, but it will eventually come together. You don't know if it won't work until you try it. There are some things I see that I still could not tell you how they worked.
If you see this model in action, you will probably stop in your tracks and stare for a while, trying to wrap your brain around what's happening.
Scott is similar to many of us who are always thinking of new ways to fly and to build. We are the ones who buy and fly the airplanes, and some of us like to build them as well. We drive the hobby, we push the innovation, and we lay the bedrock for the RC pilots of the future.
So if you have an idea—even a crazy one—walk down to your workshop or set up at your dining room table and get to innovating. My dad always told me, "If it is to be, it's up to me," and that applies here.
To understand Scott's model, you really have to see it. The address of a Web site that shows his aircraft in action is in the "Sources" list.
I thank Scott for taking the time to share his innovative idea with us and, more than that, for taking the time and persevering to make it a reality. I also want to thank all of you current and future innovators out there who will play a part in changing our hobby and moving us into the future. MA
Sources
- Scott O'Quinn flight: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4BLQaspof0
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
