Scale documentation made easy with Airborne Media’s Aero-Pacs
December 2006 103
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Aluminum-landing-gear supplier
• PAMPA’s Stunt News publication
• Charging cooler for batteries
• Accessing AMA plans
Bob will use photos on the Aero-Pac disc to add scale cylinder heads to the cowl of this • Servo output shaft adapters
20-ounce Piper Cub J-3 ARF he reviewed for the Sport Aviator webzine.
Aero-Pac CD-ROM from Mark Lanterman of Airborne Media has
scale documentation, drawings, and photos of full-scale aircraft.
I received a sample disc recently that
covers the Piper J-3 Cub (with the
traditional yellow civilian color scheme). I
had recently reviewed the BP Hobbies
electric-powered Cub in MA’s webzine Sport
Aviator. (Go to www.masportaviator.com/
ah.asp?CatID=15&ID=138.) I wanted to add
scale engine cylinder heads to either side of
the cowl.
The Aero-Pac CD-ROM for this (or
any) aircraft costs $15.95 plus shipping
and handling and contains information
about a specific airframe—Cub N38097 in
this case. The disc includes detailed threeview
drawings and construction drawings.
The groups of pictures include exterior
overall photos (via an eight-point walk
around the aircraft), detailed exterior
THIS IS THE 33rd monthly column in which I try to give you
the best possible answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry is given a sequential number for
identification purposes.
Until the August 2005 column this material had been
published in MA and additional questions and answers had been
posted on a special section of the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org). That Web page is now in the process of being
revised, and there will be no new postings in the foreseeable
future.
What you read each month in print is all you will see. I will
advise you when we are able to return to the original format.
The original “search process” by categories will also be
suspended until the posting is back online.
In the meantime, I’m available to help you locate specific
subjects of interest. Just drop me an E-mail. Also please keep
sending in your questions; that’s the only way I can continue to
provide this service to readers.
Q262: “I wish to add some scale details to a new model under
construction. I know that you can buy individual photos or even
packages of photos of full-scale aircraft to use as a reference.
But I’m wondering if there is anything else on the market that
can provide all the data I need in one place.”
A262: MA advertiser Airborne Media has a line of scale
documentation called Aero-Pacs. They provide data about
popular full-scale aircraft on individual CD-ROMs.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:31 AM Page 103The MA Digital Archives has articles up to the year 2000. Beyond
that, help is available from the AMA Library at AMA Headquarters.
104 MODEL AVIATION
3D Hobby Shop sells these three conventional aluminum
landing-gear sets. They are anodize-finished and include axles.
The Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems is currently out of
production, but it was a great battery-cooling device.
This special aluminum landing gear sold by 3D Hobby Shop is
intended for mounting to a profile fuselage.
The cover of the latest Stunt News: the official magazine of the
Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA).
close-up photos (which included the cylinder heads), interior
details (showing the cockpit and instrument panel), and a
miscellaneous section that included landing-gear details, factory
drawings, flight controls, and even how to reproduce the paint
stripes along the side of the fuselage.
The photos are extremely large because they are taken with
digital technology and offer an extreme amount of detail. The
CD-ROM includes a “browser” with which you can easily find
the pictures for which you are looking.
Besides using the features on these discs to help add details to
your Scale model, you could print out the photos on a color
printer and use them as part of your documentation for any Scale
contest.
Airborne Media has an ever-growing list of Aero-Pac CDROMs
covering all kinds of aircraft. For a complete listing of
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:34 AM Page 104what is available and ordering information,
go to www.airbornemedia.com/store/aero
pac.htm.
Q263: “Years ago a company
manufactured aluminum landing gears,
like a Cessna type gear. I believe the name
was the Hallco Co. These gears came in a
variety of sizes varying in tread (width)
and height (distance between the fuselage
and the wheel axle).
“I’m sure this company is no longer in
business, but was wondering if there is any
source of supply for these gears today?”
A263: As I advise so often, try one of the
popular search engines and you will find. I
quickly located a distributor by the name
of 3D Hobby Shop in Fredericksburg,
Texas, that has a good-size line of these
aluminum landing gear.
They come in colored anodized finishes
(but can be painted to match your aircraft).
They also come with axles that make it
easy to mount your wheels to the landing
gear.
In the accompanying photo you will see
several of the conventional gear offered;
by that I mean the gear bolts onto the
bottom of the fuselage. The shop also
makes a special gear configuration for
mounting to a profile fuselage. I’ve
included a photo of that too.
These landing gear sell for $12-$13.
You can learn more by calling Ben or
Matthew Fischer at 3D Hobby Shop at
(830) 990-6978 or visiting www.3dhobby
shop.com.
Q264: “I’m interested in Control Line
Stunt flying but find that there isn’t much
in the popular hobby magazines these
days. In fact some magazines have only
RC. Are there any options open to me that
I am not aware of?”
from the AMA Plans Service recently and
found it difficult to find what I was
looking for. Is there some kind of trick that
I missed?”
A266: A critical note had been omitted
from the Plans Service portion of the
AMA Web site until recently. If you called
and inquired about a specific set of plans,
there was no problem. But to look up
plans, using the site and search commands
was difficult until this instruction was
added.
After locating the Plans Service page
on the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org/plansmain.asp), go to the bottom
of that page where there are letters of the
entire alphabet. Click on the letter that
represents the first letter of the name of the
airplane in which you are interested. (Such
as “I” for Impluse.)
Then go to the top of the page and click
on the icon that resembles a pair of
binoculars. A box will appear at the right
side. Type in the full name of the airplane
(Impulse) and hit “search.”
The portion of the plans listing that
covers that particular model will appear.
You can enlarge it to read it more clearly.
From that information you can print out an
order form and purchase the set of plans.
As I mentioned, these instructions are now
on the Web site.
Q267: “I’m interested in pursuing Free
Flight Scale. I know that an article was
published on this subject in Model
Aviation. I tried looking for it in the MA
Digital Archives but could not locate it.
Can you help me?”
A267: At this time the MA Digital
Archives, on the MA Web site, only
includes issues up to the year 2000, which
leaves a six-year gap. I remembered the
article you were referring to because it was
A264: MA Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
is a CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt)
national and international champion. After
receiving this question I consulted him.
Bob immediately sent me a copy of the
latest Stunt News, which is the official
journal of the Precision Aerobatics Model
Pilots Association, or PAMPA. The Web
site for this CL organization is www.controlline.
org.
Stunt News is published every two
months. It is not a newsletter, but a full
magazine consisting of more than 100
pages. It includes plans, photos, contest
schedules, how-to articles, and even
information about electric-powered CL
flying. Visit the Web site for all the
details.
Q265: “I’ve noticed that in many of your
electric articles that you use a battery
cooling device while at the flying field. I
believe you used a length of PVC pipe
with an electric fan inserted in one end. Is
there any such device available on the
hobby market already built up?”
A265: I know exactly what you want: the
Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems
(www.koolflightsystems.com/products.htm).
A 3-inch-diameter brushless fan blows air
through a 3-inch-diameter plastic tube that
is similar to PVC. The fan motor runs off
of a 12-volt motor.
Insert a warm/hot battery pack in the
open end of the tube and it will cool
quickly, ready for recharging. Or you
could keep the battery inside the tube
while charging.
The Web site indicates that the Kool
Charge is “Currently out of production,”
but I’m sure enough requests will change
that.
Q266: “I tried accessing a set of planswritten by my friend Dave Rees, but it
was published during the years between
2001 and now. Until the archives is
brought up to date, you don’t have the
search capability to find it.
I asked AMA Librarian Rich LaGrange
if he could help me locate the article. You
can reach him weekdays at (765) 287-
1256, extension 506. Rich quickly figured
out that the article was titled “The State of
the Sport—Free Flight Scale” and was
published in the July 2001 MA.
The next task was to obtain a copy of
that article. I was surprised to learn that
AMA offers an article-copying service to
members and nonmembers, and the library
has nearly every issue of MA ever
published.
Copies for members are $4 for the first
article and $3 for each additional article.
Nonmember fees are $5 for the first article
and $4 for additional copies. The postage
is included in these prices, and you can
pay for your order with a VISA or
MasterCard.
Q268: “A friend of mine told me about a
company that sells output shaft adapters
for RC servos. It sounded interesting, but I
was curious about the application. Is it
something I would want to know about
and use for my model aircraft?”
A268: If you try hard enough, you can
find almost anything on the Internet these
days using one of the popular search
engines such as Yahoo, Google, or ASK. I
searched for RC servo accessories and
eventually came up with an outfit known
as Servo City at www.servocity.com/
html/servo_shaft_adaptors.html. From
what I could gather, this company makes
adapters that allow you to attach a shaft
in-line with the servo spline output hub.
Servo City’s products are popular with
the robotics people. In addition, outputs
can be fashioned for sail controls on RC
sailboats. I even found some “servo
saver”-type devices.
I recommend that you visit this Web
site and check out what is available. You
might be surprised, and you may find
some application for model aircraft as well.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 103,104,105,106
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 103,104,105,106
Scale documentation made easy with Airborne Media’s Aero-Pacs
December 2006 103
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Aluminum-landing-gear supplier
• PAMPA’s Stunt News publication
• Charging cooler for batteries
• Accessing AMA plans
Bob will use photos on the Aero-Pac disc to add scale cylinder heads to the cowl of this • Servo output shaft adapters
20-ounce Piper Cub J-3 ARF he reviewed for the Sport Aviator webzine.
Aero-Pac CD-ROM from Mark Lanterman of Airborne Media has
scale documentation, drawings, and photos of full-scale aircraft.
I received a sample disc recently that
covers the Piper J-3 Cub (with the
traditional yellow civilian color scheme). I
had recently reviewed the BP Hobbies
electric-powered Cub in MA’s webzine Sport
Aviator. (Go to www.masportaviator.com/
ah.asp?CatID=15&ID=138.) I wanted to add
scale engine cylinder heads to either side of
the cowl.
The Aero-Pac CD-ROM for this (or
any) aircraft costs $15.95 plus shipping
and handling and contains information
about a specific airframe—Cub N38097 in
this case. The disc includes detailed threeview
drawings and construction drawings.
The groups of pictures include exterior
overall photos (via an eight-point walk
around the aircraft), detailed exterior
THIS IS THE 33rd monthly column in which I try to give you
the best possible answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry is given a sequential number for
identification purposes.
Until the August 2005 column this material had been
published in MA and additional questions and answers had been
posted on a special section of the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org). That Web page is now in the process of being
revised, and there will be no new postings in the foreseeable
future.
What you read each month in print is all you will see. I will
advise you when we are able to return to the original format.
The original “search process” by categories will also be
suspended until the posting is back online.
In the meantime, I’m available to help you locate specific
subjects of interest. Just drop me an E-mail. Also please keep
sending in your questions; that’s the only way I can continue to
provide this service to readers.
Q262: “I wish to add some scale details to a new model under
construction. I know that you can buy individual photos or even
packages of photos of full-scale aircraft to use as a reference.
But I’m wondering if there is anything else on the market that
can provide all the data I need in one place.”
A262: MA advertiser Airborne Media has a line of scale
documentation called Aero-Pacs. They provide data about
popular full-scale aircraft on individual CD-ROMs.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:31 AM Page 103The MA Digital Archives has articles up to the year 2000. Beyond
that, help is available from the AMA Library at AMA Headquarters.
104 MODEL AVIATION
3D Hobby Shop sells these three conventional aluminum
landing-gear sets. They are anodize-finished and include axles.
The Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems is currently out of
production, but it was a great battery-cooling device.
This special aluminum landing gear sold by 3D Hobby Shop is
intended for mounting to a profile fuselage.
The cover of the latest Stunt News: the official magazine of the
Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA).
close-up photos (which included the cylinder heads), interior
details (showing the cockpit and instrument panel), and a
miscellaneous section that included landing-gear details, factory
drawings, flight controls, and even how to reproduce the paint
stripes along the side of the fuselage.
The photos are extremely large because they are taken with
digital technology and offer an extreme amount of detail. The
CD-ROM includes a “browser” with which you can easily find
the pictures for which you are looking.
Besides using the features on these discs to help add details to
your Scale model, you could print out the photos on a color
printer and use them as part of your documentation for any Scale
contest.
Airborne Media has an ever-growing list of Aero-Pac CDROMs
covering all kinds of aircraft. For a complete listing of
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:34 AM Page 104what is available and ordering information,
go to www.airbornemedia.com/store/aero
pac.htm.
Q263: “Years ago a company
manufactured aluminum landing gears,
like a Cessna type gear. I believe the name
was the Hallco Co. These gears came in a
variety of sizes varying in tread (width)
and height (distance between the fuselage
and the wheel axle).
“I’m sure this company is no longer in
business, but was wondering if there is any
source of supply for these gears today?”
A263: As I advise so often, try one of the
popular search engines and you will find. I
quickly located a distributor by the name
of 3D Hobby Shop in Fredericksburg,
Texas, that has a good-size line of these
aluminum landing gear.
They come in colored anodized finishes
(but can be painted to match your aircraft).
They also come with axles that make it
easy to mount your wheels to the landing
gear.
In the accompanying photo you will see
several of the conventional gear offered;
by that I mean the gear bolts onto the
bottom of the fuselage. The shop also
makes a special gear configuration for
mounting to a profile fuselage. I’ve
included a photo of that too.
These landing gear sell for $12-$13.
You can learn more by calling Ben or
Matthew Fischer at 3D Hobby Shop at
(830) 990-6978 or visiting www.3dhobby
shop.com.
Q264: “I’m interested in Control Line
Stunt flying but find that there isn’t much
in the popular hobby magazines these
days. In fact some magazines have only
RC. Are there any options open to me that
I am not aware of?”
from the AMA Plans Service recently and
found it difficult to find what I was
looking for. Is there some kind of trick that
I missed?”
A266: A critical note had been omitted
from the Plans Service portion of the
AMA Web site until recently. If you called
and inquired about a specific set of plans,
there was no problem. But to look up
plans, using the site and search commands
was difficult until this instruction was
added.
After locating the Plans Service page
on the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org/plansmain.asp), go to the bottom
of that page where there are letters of the
entire alphabet. Click on the letter that
represents the first letter of the name of the
airplane in which you are interested. (Such
as “I” for Impluse.)
Then go to the top of the page and click
on the icon that resembles a pair of
binoculars. A box will appear at the right
side. Type in the full name of the airplane
(Impulse) and hit “search.”
The portion of the plans listing that
covers that particular model will appear.
You can enlarge it to read it more clearly.
From that information you can print out an
order form and purchase the set of plans.
As I mentioned, these instructions are now
on the Web site.
Q267: “I’m interested in pursuing Free
Flight Scale. I know that an article was
published on this subject in Model
Aviation. I tried looking for it in the MA
Digital Archives but could not locate it.
Can you help me?”
A267: At this time the MA Digital
Archives, on the MA Web site, only
includes issues up to the year 2000, which
leaves a six-year gap. I remembered the
article you were referring to because it was
A264: MA Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
is a CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt)
national and international champion. After
receiving this question I consulted him.
Bob immediately sent me a copy of the
latest Stunt News, which is the official
journal of the Precision Aerobatics Model
Pilots Association, or PAMPA. The Web
site for this CL organization is www.controlline.
org.
Stunt News is published every two
months. It is not a newsletter, but a full
magazine consisting of more than 100
pages. It includes plans, photos, contest
schedules, how-to articles, and even
information about electric-powered CL
flying. Visit the Web site for all the
details.
Q265: “I’ve noticed that in many of your
electric articles that you use a battery
cooling device while at the flying field. I
believe you used a length of PVC pipe
with an electric fan inserted in one end. Is
there any such device available on the
hobby market already built up?”
A265: I know exactly what you want: the
Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems
(www.koolflightsystems.com/products.htm).
A 3-inch-diameter brushless fan blows air
through a 3-inch-diameter plastic tube that
is similar to PVC. The fan motor runs off
of a 12-volt motor.
Insert a warm/hot battery pack in the
open end of the tube and it will cool
quickly, ready for recharging. Or you
could keep the battery inside the tube
while charging.
The Web site indicates that the Kool
Charge is “Currently out of production,”
but I’m sure enough requests will change
that.
Q266: “I tried accessing a set of planswritten by my friend Dave Rees, but it
was published during the years between
2001 and now. Until the archives is
brought up to date, you don’t have the
search capability to find it.
I asked AMA Librarian Rich LaGrange
if he could help me locate the article. You
can reach him weekdays at (765) 287-
1256, extension 506. Rich quickly figured
out that the article was titled “The State of
the Sport—Free Flight Scale” and was
published in the July 2001 MA.
The next task was to obtain a copy of
that article. I was surprised to learn that
AMA offers an article-copying service to
members and nonmembers, and the library
has nearly every issue of MA ever
published.
Copies for members are $4 for the first
article and $3 for each additional article.
Nonmember fees are $5 for the first article
and $4 for additional copies. The postage
is included in these prices, and you can
pay for your order with a VISA or
MasterCard.
Q268: “A friend of mine told me about a
company that sells output shaft adapters
for RC servos. It sounded interesting, but I
was curious about the application. Is it
something I would want to know about
and use for my model aircraft?”
A268: If you try hard enough, you can
find almost anything on the Internet these
days using one of the popular search
engines such as Yahoo, Google, or ASK. I
searched for RC servo accessories and
eventually came up with an outfit known
as Servo City at www.servocity.com/
html/servo_shaft_adaptors.html. From
what I could gather, this company makes
adapters that allow you to attach a shaft
in-line with the servo spline output hub.
Servo City’s products are popular with
the robotics people. In addition, outputs
can be fashioned for sail controls on RC
sailboats. I even found some “servo
saver”-type devices.
I recommend that you visit this Web
site and check out what is available. You
might be surprised, and you may find
some application for model aircraft as well.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 103,104,105,106
Scale documentation made easy with Airborne Media’s Aero-Pacs
December 2006 103
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Aluminum-landing-gear supplier
• PAMPA’s Stunt News publication
• Charging cooler for batteries
• Accessing AMA plans
Bob will use photos on the Aero-Pac disc to add scale cylinder heads to the cowl of this • Servo output shaft adapters
20-ounce Piper Cub J-3 ARF he reviewed for the Sport Aviator webzine.
Aero-Pac CD-ROM from Mark Lanterman of Airborne Media has
scale documentation, drawings, and photos of full-scale aircraft.
I received a sample disc recently that
covers the Piper J-3 Cub (with the
traditional yellow civilian color scheme). I
had recently reviewed the BP Hobbies
electric-powered Cub in MA’s webzine Sport
Aviator. (Go to www.masportaviator.com/
ah.asp?CatID=15&ID=138.) I wanted to add
scale engine cylinder heads to either side of
the cowl.
The Aero-Pac CD-ROM for this (or
any) aircraft costs $15.95 plus shipping
and handling and contains information
about a specific airframe—Cub N38097 in
this case. The disc includes detailed threeview
drawings and construction drawings.
The groups of pictures include exterior
overall photos (via an eight-point walk
around the aircraft), detailed exterior
THIS IS THE 33rd monthly column in which I try to give you
the best possible answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry is given a sequential number for
identification purposes.
Until the August 2005 column this material had been
published in MA and additional questions and answers had been
posted on a special section of the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org). That Web page is now in the process of being
revised, and there will be no new postings in the foreseeable
future.
What you read each month in print is all you will see. I will
advise you when we are able to return to the original format.
The original “search process” by categories will also be
suspended until the posting is back online.
In the meantime, I’m available to help you locate specific
subjects of interest. Just drop me an E-mail. Also please keep
sending in your questions; that’s the only way I can continue to
provide this service to readers.
Q262: “I wish to add some scale details to a new model under
construction. I know that you can buy individual photos or even
packages of photos of full-scale aircraft to use as a reference.
But I’m wondering if there is anything else on the market that
can provide all the data I need in one place.”
A262: MA advertiser Airborne Media has a line of scale
documentation called Aero-Pacs. They provide data about
popular full-scale aircraft on individual CD-ROMs.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:31 AM Page 103The MA Digital Archives has articles up to the year 2000. Beyond
that, help is available from the AMA Library at AMA Headquarters.
104 MODEL AVIATION
3D Hobby Shop sells these three conventional aluminum
landing-gear sets. They are anodize-finished and include axles.
The Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems is currently out of
production, but it was a great battery-cooling device.
This special aluminum landing gear sold by 3D Hobby Shop is
intended for mounting to a profile fuselage.
The cover of the latest Stunt News: the official magazine of the
Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA).
close-up photos (which included the cylinder heads), interior
details (showing the cockpit and instrument panel), and a
miscellaneous section that included landing-gear details, factory
drawings, flight controls, and even how to reproduce the paint
stripes along the side of the fuselage.
The photos are extremely large because they are taken with
digital technology and offer an extreme amount of detail. The
CD-ROM includes a “browser” with which you can easily find
the pictures for which you are looking.
Besides using the features on these discs to help add details to
your Scale model, you could print out the photos on a color
printer and use them as part of your documentation for any Scale
contest.
Airborne Media has an ever-growing list of Aero-Pac CDROMs
covering all kinds of aircraft. For a complete listing of
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:34 AM Page 104what is available and ordering information,
go to www.airbornemedia.com/store/aero
pac.htm.
Q263: “Years ago a company
manufactured aluminum landing gears,
like a Cessna type gear. I believe the name
was the Hallco Co. These gears came in a
variety of sizes varying in tread (width)
and height (distance between the fuselage
and the wheel axle).
“I’m sure this company is no longer in
business, but was wondering if there is any
source of supply for these gears today?”
A263: As I advise so often, try one of the
popular search engines and you will find. I
quickly located a distributor by the name
of 3D Hobby Shop in Fredericksburg,
Texas, that has a good-size line of these
aluminum landing gear.
They come in colored anodized finishes
(but can be painted to match your aircraft).
They also come with axles that make it
easy to mount your wheels to the landing
gear.
In the accompanying photo you will see
several of the conventional gear offered;
by that I mean the gear bolts onto the
bottom of the fuselage. The shop also
makes a special gear configuration for
mounting to a profile fuselage. I’ve
included a photo of that too.
These landing gear sell for $12-$13.
You can learn more by calling Ben or
Matthew Fischer at 3D Hobby Shop at
(830) 990-6978 or visiting www.3dhobby
shop.com.
Q264: “I’m interested in Control Line
Stunt flying but find that there isn’t much
in the popular hobby magazines these
days. In fact some magazines have only
RC. Are there any options open to me that
I am not aware of?”
from the AMA Plans Service recently and
found it difficult to find what I was
looking for. Is there some kind of trick that
I missed?”
A266: A critical note had been omitted
from the Plans Service portion of the
AMA Web site until recently. If you called
and inquired about a specific set of plans,
there was no problem. But to look up
plans, using the site and search commands
was difficult until this instruction was
added.
After locating the Plans Service page
on the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org/plansmain.asp), go to the bottom
of that page where there are letters of the
entire alphabet. Click on the letter that
represents the first letter of the name of the
airplane in which you are interested. (Such
as “I” for Impluse.)
Then go to the top of the page and click
on the icon that resembles a pair of
binoculars. A box will appear at the right
side. Type in the full name of the airplane
(Impulse) and hit “search.”
The portion of the plans listing that
covers that particular model will appear.
You can enlarge it to read it more clearly.
From that information you can print out an
order form and purchase the set of plans.
As I mentioned, these instructions are now
on the Web site.
Q267: “I’m interested in pursuing Free
Flight Scale. I know that an article was
published on this subject in Model
Aviation. I tried looking for it in the MA
Digital Archives but could not locate it.
Can you help me?”
A267: At this time the MA Digital
Archives, on the MA Web site, only
includes issues up to the year 2000, which
leaves a six-year gap. I remembered the
article you were referring to because it was
A264: MA Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
is a CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt)
national and international champion. After
receiving this question I consulted him.
Bob immediately sent me a copy of the
latest Stunt News, which is the official
journal of the Precision Aerobatics Model
Pilots Association, or PAMPA. The Web
site for this CL organization is www.controlline.
org.
Stunt News is published every two
months. It is not a newsletter, but a full
magazine consisting of more than 100
pages. It includes plans, photos, contest
schedules, how-to articles, and even
information about electric-powered CL
flying. Visit the Web site for all the
details.
Q265: “I’ve noticed that in many of your
electric articles that you use a battery
cooling device while at the flying field. I
believe you used a length of PVC pipe
with an electric fan inserted in one end. Is
there any such device available on the
hobby market already built up?”
A265: I know exactly what you want: the
Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems
(www.koolflightsystems.com/products.htm).
A 3-inch-diameter brushless fan blows air
through a 3-inch-diameter plastic tube that
is similar to PVC. The fan motor runs off
of a 12-volt motor.
Insert a warm/hot battery pack in the
open end of the tube and it will cool
quickly, ready for recharging. Or you
could keep the battery inside the tube
while charging.
The Web site indicates that the Kool
Charge is “Currently out of production,”
but I’m sure enough requests will change
that.
Q266: “I tried accessing a set of planswritten by my friend Dave Rees, but it
was published during the years between
2001 and now. Until the archives is
brought up to date, you don’t have the
search capability to find it.
I asked AMA Librarian Rich LaGrange
if he could help me locate the article. You
can reach him weekdays at (765) 287-
1256, extension 506. Rich quickly figured
out that the article was titled “The State of
the Sport—Free Flight Scale” and was
published in the July 2001 MA.
The next task was to obtain a copy of
that article. I was surprised to learn that
AMA offers an article-copying service to
members and nonmembers, and the library
has nearly every issue of MA ever
published.
Copies for members are $4 for the first
article and $3 for each additional article.
Nonmember fees are $5 for the first article
and $4 for additional copies. The postage
is included in these prices, and you can
pay for your order with a VISA or
MasterCard.
Q268: “A friend of mine told me about a
company that sells output shaft adapters
for RC servos. It sounded interesting, but I
was curious about the application. Is it
something I would want to know about
and use for my model aircraft?”
A268: If you try hard enough, you can
find almost anything on the Internet these
days using one of the popular search
engines such as Yahoo, Google, or ASK. I
searched for RC servo accessories and
eventually came up with an outfit known
as Servo City at www.servocity.com/
html/servo_shaft_adaptors.html. From
what I could gather, this company makes
adapters that allow you to attach a shaft
in-line with the servo spline output hub.
Servo City’s products are popular with
the robotics people. In addition, outputs
can be fashioned for sail controls on RC
sailboats. I even found some “servo
saver”-type devices.
I recommend that you visit this Web
site and check out what is available. You
might be surprised, and you may find
some application for model aircraft as well.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/12
Page Numbers: 103,104,105,106
Scale documentation made easy with Airborne Media’s Aero-Pacs
December 2006 103
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Aluminum-landing-gear supplier
• PAMPA’s Stunt News publication
• Charging cooler for batteries
• Accessing AMA plans
Bob will use photos on the Aero-Pac disc to add scale cylinder heads to the cowl of this • Servo output shaft adapters
20-ounce Piper Cub J-3 ARF he reviewed for the Sport Aviator webzine.
Aero-Pac CD-ROM from Mark Lanterman of Airborne Media has
scale documentation, drawings, and photos of full-scale aircraft.
I received a sample disc recently that
covers the Piper J-3 Cub (with the
traditional yellow civilian color scheme). I
had recently reviewed the BP Hobbies
electric-powered Cub in MA’s webzine Sport
Aviator. (Go to www.masportaviator.com/
ah.asp?CatID=15&ID=138.) I wanted to add
scale engine cylinder heads to either side of
the cowl.
The Aero-Pac CD-ROM for this (or
any) aircraft costs $15.95 plus shipping
and handling and contains information
about a specific airframe—Cub N38097 in
this case. The disc includes detailed threeview
drawings and construction drawings.
The groups of pictures include exterior
overall photos (via an eight-point walk
around the aircraft), detailed exterior
THIS IS THE 33rd monthly column in which I try to give you
the best possible answers to questions you have written or Emailed
to me. Each new inquiry is given a sequential number for
identification purposes.
Until the August 2005 column this material had been
published in MA and additional questions and answers had been
posted on a special section of the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org). That Web page is now in the process of being
revised, and there will be no new postings in the foreseeable
future.
What you read each month in print is all you will see. I will
advise you when we are able to return to the original format.
The original “search process” by categories will also be
suspended until the posting is back online.
In the meantime, I’m available to help you locate specific
subjects of interest. Just drop me an E-mail. Also please keep
sending in your questions; that’s the only way I can continue to
provide this service to readers.
Q262: “I wish to add some scale details to a new model under
construction. I know that you can buy individual photos or even
packages of photos of full-scale aircraft to use as a reference.
But I’m wondering if there is anything else on the market that
can provide all the data I need in one place.”
A262: MA advertiser Airborne Media has a line of scale
documentation called Aero-Pacs. They provide data about
popular full-scale aircraft on individual CD-ROMs.
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:31 AM Page 103The MA Digital Archives has articles up to the year 2000. Beyond
that, help is available from the AMA Library at AMA Headquarters.
104 MODEL AVIATION
3D Hobby Shop sells these three conventional aluminum
landing-gear sets. They are anodize-finished and include axles.
The Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems is currently out of
production, but it was a great battery-cooling device.
This special aluminum landing gear sold by 3D Hobby Shop is
intended for mounting to a profile fuselage.
The cover of the latest Stunt News: the official magazine of the
Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA).
close-up photos (which included the cylinder heads), interior
details (showing the cockpit and instrument panel), and a
miscellaneous section that included landing-gear details, factory
drawings, flight controls, and even how to reproduce the paint
stripes along the side of the fuselage.
The photos are extremely large because they are taken with
digital technology and offer an extreme amount of detail. The
CD-ROM includes a “browser” with which you can easily find
the pictures for which you are looking.
Besides using the features on these discs to help add details to
your Scale model, you could print out the photos on a color
printer and use them as part of your documentation for any Scale
contest.
Airborne Media has an ever-growing list of Aero-Pac CDROMs
covering all kinds of aircraft. For a complete listing of
12sig4.QXD 10/25/06 11:34 AM Page 104what is available and ordering information,
go to www.airbornemedia.com/store/aero
pac.htm.
Q263: “Years ago a company
manufactured aluminum landing gears,
like a Cessna type gear. I believe the name
was the Hallco Co. These gears came in a
variety of sizes varying in tread (width)
and height (distance between the fuselage
and the wheel axle).
“I’m sure this company is no longer in
business, but was wondering if there is any
source of supply for these gears today?”
A263: As I advise so often, try one of the
popular search engines and you will find. I
quickly located a distributor by the name
of 3D Hobby Shop in Fredericksburg,
Texas, that has a good-size line of these
aluminum landing gear.
They come in colored anodized finishes
(but can be painted to match your aircraft).
They also come with axles that make it
easy to mount your wheels to the landing
gear.
In the accompanying photo you will see
several of the conventional gear offered;
by that I mean the gear bolts onto the
bottom of the fuselage. The shop also
makes a special gear configuration for
mounting to a profile fuselage. I’ve
included a photo of that too.
These landing gear sell for $12-$13.
You can learn more by calling Ben or
Matthew Fischer at 3D Hobby Shop at
(830) 990-6978 or visiting www.3dhobby
shop.com.
Q264: “I’m interested in Control Line
Stunt flying but find that there isn’t much
in the popular hobby magazines these
days. In fact some magazines have only
RC. Are there any options open to me that
I am not aware of?”
from the AMA Plans Service recently and
found it difficult to find what I was
looking for. Is there some kind of trick that
I missed?”
A266: A critical note had been omitted
from the Plans Service portion of the
AMA Web site until recently. If you called
and inquired about a specific set of plans,
there was no problem. But to look up
plans, using the site and search commands
was difficult until this instruction was
added.
After locating the Plans Service page
on the AMA Web site (www.modelair
craft.org/plansmain.asp), go to the bottom
of that page where there are letters of the
entire alphabet. Click on the letter that
represents the first letter of the name of the
airplane in which you are interested. (Such
as “I” for Impluse.)
Then go to the top of the page and click
on the icon that resembles a pair of
binoculars. A box will appear at the right
side. Type in the full name of the airplane
(Impulse) and hit “search.”
The portion of the plans listing that
covers that particular model will appear.
You can enlarge it to read it more clearly.
From that information you can print out an
order form and purchase the set of plans.
As I mentioned, these instructions are now
on the Web site.
Q267: “I’m interested in pursuing Free
Flight Scale. I know that an article was
published on this subject in Model
Aviation. I tried looking for it in the MA
Digital Archives but could not locate it.
Can you help me?”
A267: At this time the MA Digital
Archives, on the MA Web site, only
includes issues up to the year 2000, which
leaves a six-year gap. I remembered the
article you were referring to because it was
A264: MA Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
is a CL Precision Aerobatics (Stunt)
national and international champion. After
receiving this question I consulted him.
Bob immediately sent me a copy of the
latest Stunt News, which is the official
journal of the Precision Aerobatics Model
Pilots Association, or PAMPA. The Web
site for this CL organization is www.controlline.
org.
Stunt News is published every two
months. It is not a newsletter, but a full
magazine consisting of more than 100
pages. It includes plans, photos, contest
schedules, how-to articles, and even
information about electric-powered CL
flying. Visit the Web site for all the
details.
Q265: “I’ve noticed that in many of your
electric articles that you use a battery
cooling device while at the flying field. I
believe you used a length of PVC pipe
with an electric fan inserted in one end. Is
there any such device available on the
hobby market already built up?”
A265: I know exactly what you want: the
Kool Charge from Kool Flight Systems
(www.koolflightsystems.com/products.htm).
A 3-inch-diameter brushless fan blows air
through a 3-inch-diameter plastic tube that
is similar to PVC. The fan motor runs off
of a 12-volt motor.
Insert a warm/hot battery pack in the
open end of the tube and it will cool
quickly, ready for recharging. Or you
could keep the battery inside the tube
while charging.
The Web site indicates that the Kool
Charge is “Currently out of production,”
but I’m sure enough requests will change
that.
Q266: “I tried accessing a set of planswritten by my friend Dave Rees, but it
was published during the years between
2001 and now. Until the archives is
brought up to date, you don’t have the
search capability to find it.
I asked AMA Librarian Rich LaGrange
if he could help me locate the article. You
can reach him weekdays at (765) 287-
1256, extension 506. Rich quickly figured
out that the article was titled “The State of
the Sport—Free Flight Scale” and was
published in the July 2001 MA.
The next task was to obtain a copy of
that article. I was surprised to learn that
AMA offers an article-copying service to
members and nonmembers, and the library
has nearly every issue of MA ever
published.
Copies for members are $4 for the first
article and $3 for each additional article.
Nonmember fees are $5 for the first article
and $4 for additional copies. The postage
is included in these prices, and you can
pay for your order with a VISA or
MasterCard.
Q268: “A friend of mine told me about a
company that sells output shaft adapters
for RC servos. It sounded interesting, but I
was curious about the application. Is it
something I would want to know about
and use for my model aircraft?”
A268: If you try hard enough, you can
find almost anything on the Internet these
days using one of the popular search
engines such as Yahoo, Google, or ASK. I
searched for RC servo accessories and
eventually came up with an outfit known
as Servo City at www.servocity.com/
html/servo_shaft_adaptors.html. From
what I could gather, this company makes
adapters that allow you to attach a shaft
in-line with the servo spline output hub.
Servo City’s products are popular with
the robotics people. In addition, outputs
can be fashioned for sail controls on RC
sailboats. I even found some “servo
saver”-type devices.
I recommend that you visit this Web
site and check out what is available. You
might be surprised, and you may find
some application for model aircraft as well.
