Q353: “I attended the JR Indoor RC Festival
and noted this year that many of the
indoor/parking size aircraft were being
flown off a 15 X 60 feet long tank of water.
It really looks like fun. Many of the pilots
were using twin pink foam floats on their
models. Can you point me to the source of
these floats?”
Foam floats for park flyer/indoor models
July 2008 85
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Inexpensive micro brushless motors
• Old-timer vintage movies
• Selecting electric motors
• Language translation service
• Follow-up to Velcro adapter suggestion
The 16-inch floats are being installed on the author’s Mini-
Impulse design, which is a 7.5-ounce park flyer.
Dan Schwartz of FoamFly.com made these 16-inch floats from
lightweight pink foam. They can handle models weighing roughly 8-
12 ounces and are $15 with mounting hardware.
Left: One of a new breed of inexpensive
micro brushless outrunner motors. It
weighs 5 grams and is capable of power
inputs of roughly 10-12 watts when
operating on two Li-Poly cells. It costs $12!
Below: To complement the micro
brushless motor, Castle Creations sells the
Thunderbird-6 brushless ESC with BEC for
roughly $26. It weighs slightly more than 4
grams!
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
already published Q/As (for follow-ups),
provide the number as a reference.
Note that references to addresses and Web
sites are now placed in a group, separate from
the text, at the end of this column.
A353: I saw the same floats you did while I
was attending this large indoor fly that
Horizon Hobby/JR sponsored in Columbus,
Ohio. I just purchased a set of the 16-inchlong
floats from Dan Schwartz of
FoamFly.com. They are intended for model
weights ranging from 8 to 12 ounces.
The floats are approximately $15 (a pair)
86 MODEL AVIATION
BP Hobbies also has a companion micro-size proportional servo:
the Lexi. It weighs 2.5 grams and is $35. JST white
microconnectors are compatible with the Nuke.
To provide inexpensive RC control for the 5-gram motors, BP
Hobbies makes the new Nuke receiver. It weighs 3 grams and sells
for $30.
and include mounting hardware and detailed installation instructions.
They are made from dense pink foam. The claim is that no covering
is necessary. But you can easily paint them with a foam-friendly
spray paint, such as Krylon H2O, which is latex-based.
The floats seem somewhat flexible, so you might want to add
carbon tape or strapping tape for reinforcement purposes. You should
determine that need from your personal experiences. A set of these
floats, with mounting hardware, will hardly add an ounce of weight to
your aircraft.
There are several brands of foam floats on the market. I liked this
particular size and type because it lends itself so well to the average
park flyer-type model.
In the near future, FoamFly.com will sell larger floats measuring
19 and 24 inches long. This will give you a wider range of
application. I hear that a special 9-inch float might be developed for
the popular ParkZone Cessna 210 Centurion that is sold through
Horizon Hobby.
I had an article in the March 2008 RC Micro World about a 150-
square-inch, 7.5-ounce Mini-Impulse park flyer/indoor model. I’ve
shown the outline of these 16-inch floats on the full-size plans. Later
in the year I expect to do a follow-up article showing the details of
mounting the floats to that aircraft, and I’ll provide some flying tips.
Q354: “I’m looking for a really small size and weight brushless
motor to power a model weighing only several ounces. I don’t want
single cell operation and I also don’t want to go broke buying the
motor. Is there something out there that will
meet my needs?”
A354: I have seen references to several
micro-size, inexpensive brushless outrunner
motors that are just now being imported from
the Far East. I’ll share information about one
I have and have already tested.
But rest assured that many manufacturers
are going to get involved quickly with this
size and type of motor. So make sure you
shop around and read all the reviews that will
undoubtedly be forthcoming.
I purchased a 5-gram micro outrunner
from Hobby City, which is based in Hong
Kong. The motor (model 1811-2000) cost
$11.95 plus postage and took roughly two
weeks to arrive. It is rated at up to 15 watts
input power on two Li-Poly cells. But I found
that this 2000 Kv motor tended to get hot
extremely fast at 15 watts input. The best
propeller I’ve found is the GWS 4 x 2.5,
which on two cells runs at 1.54 amps, 7.77 volts, 11 watts, and 11,600
rpm.
I found that the current variety of 10- to 16-gram motors is best
suited for aircraft weighing 5-7 ounces. The really micro stuff, less
than 1 ounce, generally employs only one battery cell and usually
magnetic actuators using geared pager motors (brushed). This new
brushless motor, running at 10-12 watts, is perfectly suited for models
with a total weight of 3-4 ounces.
It is possible, using a 5-gram motor, a new Castle Creations
Thunderbird-6 ESC (approximately 4 grams), a 3-gram BP Hobbies
“Nuke” microreceiver, two BP Hobbies “Lexi” 2.5-gram
microservos, and two Bob Selman Full River 220 mAh Li-Poly
battery cells (at 12.5 grams), to come up with an equipment weight of
slightly more than an ounce.
With a 2-ounce structure weight, you have a 3-ounce-total-weight
model. At 12 watts input power, that works out to a respectable 64
watts per pound. Best of all, you are working with a long-lasting
brushless motor and a radio system that employs conventional
proportional servos. The micro/indoor fun has only started!
Q355: “I was told that the YouTube Web site had some interesting
old-timer model airplane videos. I haven’t found a specific reference
as yet, can you help me out?”
Showing the Velcro adapter several months back, Bob made an error that he
explains in this column. The correct use of the adapter is shown.
up with a site. It covers a segment of the 1936
Model Airplane Championship. I found it
both interesting and entertaining. If you go
along the right side of this Web site, click on
the name “Bomberguy” for additional
reference.
Under related videos I found a segment on
“Model Airplanes from 1930’s to the 1960’s.”
Also another video titled “Old Model
Airplane Action Clips.” These segments
aren’t very lengthy, but are certainly fun to
watch.
Q356: “One of the model forums recently
referenced an article concerning the selection
of electric motors and how to convert from
glow to electric power. I’m familiar with your
two-part article on this subject that appears in
the Sport Aviator e-zine Web site. Can you
tell me about this other reference?”
A356: You are really going to like this
answer. Greg Covey, who has written
extensively in various hobby publications
through the years, has become a regular
columnist for the RCUniverse forum. Besides
his regular column, Greg is doing feature
articles.
The one you are referring to is titled,
“What Motor Do I Use?” Make sure you read
this from beginning to end. Also take the
opportunity to go back and read Greg’s first
three columns. The series is titled “Amp’d.”
Q357: “I recently came upon an interesting
Web site that contained technical information
for our model aviation hobby. Problem was
that the entire Web site was written in
German. I found this frustrating, but then
began to wonder in this modern day of
computers if there might be some help
available for language translations?”
A357: I learned from fellow Silent Electric
Flyers of Long Island club member Joe
Cabana that there is a Web site that will do
exactly what you ask. Babel Fish Translation
allows you to enter portions of text or an entire
Web site for translation purposes.
Once you enter your information, go to
“Select from and to languages.” Scroll down
until you have what you want, such as
“German to English.” Then click on
“Translate,” and almost instantly your phrases,
words, or entire Web sites are converted to the
language of your choice.
This Web site works, and you will be
pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Joe, for passing
that info on to us.
Q/A 302 Second Follow-Up: My apologies,
but I really goofed this time. In my January
2008 “Frequently Asked Questions” column
(page 76, photo on page 74), I was doing a
follow-up to a suggestion involving the use of
Velcro to attach battery packs to aircraft
fuselages. A reader had suggested using a
back-to-back “adapter” that would enable two
88 MODEL AVIATION
hook pieces of Velcro to be joined.
I got distracted while writing this and
wrote that the adapter should be made from
both a piece of hook and fuzzy Velcro. An
AMA member/reader, Dave Trabert, was one
of many who E-mailed me to let me know it
wouldn’t work. He was right! The adapter
must be made from the same Velcro type,
back to back.
If you look at the photo (included in this
column), both the fuselage and battery pack
employ “hook”-type Velcro. At this point the
battery will not attach to the fuselage.
But if you make a back-to-back “fuzzy”
adapter, as shown, the pack attaches to the
adapter on one side, while the other side
attaches to the fuselage. If both your fuselage
and battery used “fuzzy” Velcro, the adapter
would consist of two pieces of the “hook”
type.
It would be best to keep two adapters in
your field kit to cover every contingency.
Also, when using the sticky-backed Velcro
tape, there is no need to use cement to make
your adapters.
I think this puts the subject to bed, and
my sincere apologies for any
inconvenience caused. MA
Sources:
Bob Selman
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com/
BP Hobbies
(732) 287-3933
www.bphobbies.com
FoamFly.com
(734) 528-9446
www.foamfly.com
Greg Covey’s “What Motor Do I Use?”
www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_displa
y.cfm?article_id=956
Hobby City
(800) 607-5803
www.unitedhobbies.com
Vintage model-airplane movies
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VB8fe17aU&
feature=related
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/07
Page Numbers: 85,86,88
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/07
Page Numbers: 85,86,88
Q353: “I attended the JR Indoor RC Festival
and noted this year that many of the
indoor/parking size aircraft were being
flown off a 15 X 60 feet long tank of water.
It really looks like fun. Many of the pilots
were using twin pink foam floats on their
models. Can you point me to the source of
these floats?”
Foam floats for park flyer/indoor models
July 2008 85
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Inexpensive micro brushless motors
• Old-timer vintage movies
• Selecting electric motors
• Language translation service
• Follow-up to Velcro adapter suggestion
The 16-inch floats are being installed on the author’s Mini-
Impulse design, which is a 7.5-ounce park flyer.
Dan Schwartz of FoamFly.com made these 16-inch floats from
lightweight pink foam. They can handle models weighing roughly 8-
12 ounces and are $15 with mounting hardware.
Left: One of a new breed of inexpensive
micro brushless outrunner motors. It
weighs 5 grams and is capable of power
inputs of roughly 10-12 watts when
operating on two Li-Poly cells. It costs $12!
Below: To complement the micro
brushless motor, Castle Creations sells the
Thunderbird-6 brushless ESC with BEC for
roughly $26. It weighs slightly more than 4
grams!
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
already published Q/As (for follow-ups),
provide the number as a reference.
Note that references to addresses and Web
sites are now placed in a group, separate from
the text, at the end of this column.
A353: I saw the same floats you did while I
was attending this large indoor fly that
Horizon Hobby/JR sponsored in Columbus,
Ohio. I just purchased a set of the 16-inchlong
floats from Dan Schwartz of
FoamFly.com. They are intended for model
weights ranging from 8 to 12 ounces.
The floats are approximately $15 (a pair)
86 MODEL AVIATION
BP Hobbies also has a companion micro-size proportional servo:
the Lexi. It weighs 2.5 grams and is $35. JST white
microconnectors are compatible with the Nuke.
To provide inexpensive RC control for the 5-gram motors, BP
Hobbies makes the new Nuke receiver. It weighs 3 grams and sells
for $30.
and include mounting hardware and detailed installation instructions.
They are made from dense pink foam. The claim is that no covering
is necessary. But you can easily paint them with a foam-friendly
spray paint, such as Krylon H2O, which is latex-based.
The floats seem somewhat flexible, so you might want to add
carbon tape or strapping tape for reinforcement purposes. You should
determine that need from your personal experiences. A set of these
floats, with mounting hardware, will hardly add an ounce of weight to
your aircraft.
There are several brands of foam floats on the market. I liked this
particular size and type because it lends itself so well to the average
park flyer-type model.
In the near future, FoamFly.com will sell larger floats measuring
19 and 24 inches long. This will give you a wider range of
application. I hear that a special 9-inch float might be developed for
the popular ParkZone Cessna 210 Centurion that is sold through
Horizon Hobby.
I had an article in the March 2008 RC Micro World about a 150-
square-inch, 7.5-ounce Mini-Impulse park flyer/indoor model. I’ve
shown the outline of these 16-inch floats on the full-size plans. Later
in the year I expect to do a follow-up article showing the details of
mounting the floats to that aircraft, and I’ll provide some flying tips.
Q354: “I’m looking for a really small size and weight brushless
motor to power a model weighing only several ounces. I don’t want
single cell operation and I also don’t want to go broke buying the
motor. Is there something out there that will
meet my needs?”
A354: I have seen references to several
micro-size, inexpensive brushless outrunner
motors that are just now being imported from
the Far East. I’ll share information about one
I have and have already tested.
But rest assured that many manufacturers
are going to get involved quickly with this
size and type of motor. So make sure you
shop around and read all the reviews that will
undoubtedly be forthcoming.
I purchased a 5-gram micro outrunner
from Hobby City, which is based in Hong
Kong. The motor (model 1811-2000) cost
$11.95 plus postage and took roughly two
weeks to arrive. It is rated at up to 15 watts
input power on two Li-Poly cells. But I found
that this 2000 Kv motor tended to get hot
extremely fast at 15 watts input. The best
propeller I’ve found is the GWS 4 x 2.5,
which on two cells runs at 1.54 amps, 7.77 volts, 11 watts, and 11,600
rpm.
I found that the current variety of 10- to 16-gram motors is best
suited for aircraft weighing 5-7 ounces. The really micro stuff, less
than 1 ounce, generally employs only one battery cell and usually
magnetic actuators using geared pager motors (brushed). This new
brushless motor, running at 10-12 watts, is perfectly suited for models
with a total weight of 3-4 ounces.
It is possible, using a 5-gram motor, a new Castle Creations
Thunderbird-6 ESC (approximately 4 grams), a 3-gram BP Hobbies
“Nuke” microreceiver, two BP Hobbies “Lexi” 2.5-gram
microservos, and two Bob Selman Full River 220 mAh Li-Poly
battery cells (at 12.5 grams), to come up with an equipment weight of
slightly more than an ounce.
With a 2-ounce structure weight, you have a 3-ounce-total-weight
model. At 12 watts input power, that works out to a respectable 64
watts per pound. Best of all, you are working with a long-lasting
brushless motor and a radio system that employs conventional
proportional servos. The micro/indoor fun has only started!
Q355: “I was told that the YouTube Web site had some interesting
old-timer model airplane videos. I haven’t found a specific reference
as yet, can you help me out?”
Showing the Velcro adapter several months back, Bob made an error that he
explains in this column. The correct use of the adapter is shown.
up with a site. It covers a segment of the 1936
Model Airplane Championship. I found it
both interesting and entertaining. If you go
along the right side of this Web site, click on
the name “Bomberguy” for additional
reference.
Under related videos I found a segment on
“Model Airplanes from 1930’s to the 1960’s.”
Also another video titled “Old Model
Airplane Action Clips.” These segments
aren’t very lengthy, but are certainly fun to
watch.
Q356: “One of the model forums recently
referenced an article concerning the selection
of electric motors and how to convert from
glow to electric power. I’m familiar with your
two-part article on this subject that appears in
the Sport Aviator e-zine Web site. Can you
tell me about this other reference?”
A356: You are really going to like this
answer. Greg Covey, who has written
extensively in various hobby publications
through the years, has become a regular
columnist for the RCUniverse forum. Besides
his regular column, Greg is doing feature
articles.
The one you are referring to is titled,
“What Motor Do I Use?” Make sure you read
this from beginning to end. Also take the
opportunity to go back and read Greg’s first
three columns. The series is titled “Amp’d.”
Q357: “I recently came upon an interesting
Web site that contained technical information
for our model aviation hobby. Problem was
that the entire Web site was written in
German. I found this frustrating, but then
began to wonder in this modern day of
computers if there might be some help
available for language translations?”
A357: I learned from fellow Silent Electric
Flyers of Long Island club member Joe
Cabana that there is a Web site that will do
exactly what you ask. Babel Fish Translation
allows you to enter portions of text or an entire
Web site for translation purposes.
Once you enter your information, go to
“Select from and to languages.” Scroll down
until you have what you want, such as
“German to English.” Then click on
“Translate,” and almost instantly your phrases,
words, or entire Web sites are converted to the
language of your choice.
This Web site works, and you will be
pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Joe, for passing
that info on to us.
Q/A 302 Second Follow-Up: My apologies,
but I really goofed this time. In my January
2008 “Frequently Asked Questions” column
(page 76, photo on page 74), I was doing a
follow-up to a suggestion involving the use of
Velcro to attach battery packs to aircraft
fuselages. A reader had suggested using a
back-to-back “adapter” that would enable two
88 MODEL AVIATION
hook pieces of Velcro to be joined.
I got distracted while writing this and
wrote that the adapter should be made from
both a piece of hook and fuzzy Velcro. An
AMA member/reader, Dave Trabert, was one
of many who E-mailed me to let me know it
wouldn’t work. He was right! The adapter
must be made from the same Velcro type,
back to back.
If you look at the photo (included in this
column), both the fuselage and battery pack
employ “hook”-type Velcro. At this point the
battery will not attach to the fuselage.
But if you make a back-to-back “fuzzy”
adapter, as shown, the pack attaches to the
adapter on one side, while the other side
attaches to the fuselage. If both your fuselage
and battery used “fuzzy” Velcro, the adapter
would consist of two pieces of the “hook”
type.
It would be best to keep two adapters in
your field kit to cover every contingency.
Also, when using the sticky-backed Velcro
tape, there is no need to use cement to make
your adapters.
I think this puts the subject to bed, and
my sincere apologies for any
inconvenience caused. MA
Sources:
Bob Selman
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com/
BP Hobbies
(732) 287-3933
www.bphobbies.com
FoamFly.com
(734) 528-9446
www.foamfly.com
Greg Covey’s “What Motor Do I Use?”
www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_displa
y.cfm?article_id=956
Hobby City
(800) 607-5803
www.unitedhobbies.com
Vintage model-airplane movies
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VB8fe17aU&
feature=related
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/07
Page Numbers: 85,86,88
Q353: “I attended the JR Indoor RC Festival
and noted this year that many of the
indoor/parking size aircraft were being
flown off a 15 X 60 feet long tank of water.
It really looks like fun. Many of the pilots
were using twin pink foam floats on their
models. Can you point me to the source of
these floats?”
Foam floats for park flyer/indoor models
July 2008 85
? Frequently Asked Questions Bob Aberle | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Inexpensive micro brushless motors
• Old-timer vintage movies
• Selecting electric motors
• Language translation service
• Follow-up to Velcro adapter suggestion
The 16-inch floats are being installed on the author’s Mini-
Impulse design, which is a 7.5-ounce park flyer.
Dan Schwartz of FoamFly.com made these 16-inch floats from
lightweight pink foam. They can handle models weighing roughly 8-
12 ounces and are $15 with mounting hardware.
Left: One of a new breed of inexpensive
micro brushless outrunner motors. It
weighs 5 grams and is capable of power
inputs of roughly 10-12 watts when
operating on two Li-Poly cells. It costs $12!
Below: To complement the micro
brushless motor, Castle Creations sells the
Thunderbird-6 brushless ESC with BEC for
roughly $26. It weighs slightly more than 4
grams!
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
already published Q/As (for follow-ups),
provide the number as a reference.
Note that references to addresses and Web
sites are now placed in a group, separate from
the text, at the end of this column.
A353: I saw the same floats you did while I
was attending this large indoor fly that
Horizon Hobby/JR sponsored in Columbus,
Ohio. I just purchased a set of the 16-inchlong
floats from Dan Schwartz of
FoamFly.com. They are intended for model
weights ranging from 8 to 12 ounces.
The floats are approximately $15 (a pair)
86 MODEL AVIATION
BP Hobbies also has a companion micro-size proportional servo:
the Lexi. It weighs 2.5 grams and is $35. JST white
microconnectors are compatible with the Nuke.
To provide inexpensive RC control for the 5-gram motors, BP
Hobbies makes the new Nuke receiver. It weighs 3 grams and sells
for $30.
and include mounting hardware and detailed installation instructions.
They are made from dense pink foam. The claim is that no covering
is necessary. But you can easily paint them with a foam-friendly
spray paint, such as Krylon H2O, which is latex-based.
The floats seem somewhat flexible, so you might want to add
carbon tape or strapping tape for reinforcement purposes. You should
determine that need from your personal experiences. A set of these
floats, with mounting hardware, will hardly add an ounce of weight to
your aircraft.
There are several brands of foam floats on the market. I liked this
particular size and type because it lends itself so well to the average
park flyer-type model.
In the near future, FoamFly.com will sell larger floats measuring
19 and 24 inches long. This will give you a wider range of
application. I hear that a special 9-inch float might be developed for
the popular ParkZone Cessna 210 Centurion that is sold through
Horizon Hobby.
I had an article in the March 2008 RC Micro World about a 150-
square-inch, 7.5-ounce Mini-Impulse park flyer/indoor model. I’ve
shown the outline of these 16-inch floats on the full-size plans. Later
in the year I expect to do a follow-up article showing the details of
mounting the floats to that aircraft, and I’ll provide some flying tips.
Q354: “I’m looking for a really small size and weight brushless
motor to power a model weighing only several ounces. I don’t want
single cell operation and I also don’t want to go broke buying the
motor. Is there something out there that will
meet my needs?”
A354: I have seen references to several
micro-size, inexpensive brushless outrunner
motors that are just now being imported from
the Far East. I’ll share information about one
I have and have already tested.
But rest assured that many manufacturers
are going to get involved quickly with this
size and type of motor. So make sure you
shop around and read all the reviews that will
undoubtedly be forthcoming.
I purchased a 5-gram micro outrunner
from Hobby City, which is based in Hong
Kong. The motor (model 1811-2000) cost
$11.95 plus postage and took roughly two
weeks to arrive. It is rated at up to 15 watts
input power on two Li-Poly cells. But I found
that this 2000 Kv motor tended to get hot
extremely fast at 15 watts input. The best
propeller I’ve found is the GWS 4 x 2.5,
which on two cells runs at 1.54 amps, 7.77 volts, 11 watts, and 11,600
rpm.
I found that the current variety of 10- to 16-gram motors is best
suited for aircraft weighing 5-7 ounces. The really micro stuff, less
than 1 ounce, generally employs only one battery cell and usually
magnetic actuators using geared pager motors (brushed). This new
brushless motor, running at 10-12 watts, is perfectly suited for models
with a total weight of 3-4 ounces.
It is possible, using a 5-gram motor, a new Castle Creations
Thunderbird-6 ESC (approximately 4 grams), a 3-gram BP Hobbies
“Nuke” microreceiver, two BP Hobbies “Lexi” 2.5-gram
microservos, and two Bob Selman Full River 220 mAh Li-Poly
battery cells (at 12.5 grams), to come up with an equipment weight of
slightly more than an ounce.
With a 2-ounce structure weight, you have a 3-ounce-total-weight
model. At 12 watts input power, that works out to a respectable 64
watts per pound. Best of all, you are working with a long-lasting
brushless motor and a radio system that employs conventional
proportional servos. The micro/indoor fun has only started!
Q355: “I was told that the YouTube Web site had some interesting
old-timer model airplane videos. I haven’t found a specific reference
as yet, can you help me out?”
Showing the Velcro adapter several months back, Bob made an error that he
explains in this column. The correct use of the adapter is shown.
up with a site. It covers a segment of the 1936
Model Airplane Championship. I found it
both interesting and entertaining. If you go
along the right side of this Web site, click on
the name “Bomberguy” for additional
reference.
Under related videos I found a segment on
“Model Airplanes from 1930’s to the 1960’s.”
Also another video titled “Old Model
Airplane Action Clips.” These segments
aren’t very lengthy, but are certainly fun to
watch.
Q356: “One of the model forums recently
referenced an article concerning the selection
of electric motors and how to convert from
glow to electric power. I’m familiar with your
two-part article on this subject that appears in
the Sport Aviator e-zine Web site. Can you
tell me about this other reference?”
A356: You are really going to like this
answer. Greg Covey, who has written
extensively in various hobby publications
through the years, has become a regular
columnist for the RCUniverse forum. Besides
his regular column, Greg is doing feature
articles.
The one you are referring to is titled,
“What Motor Do I Use?” Make sure you read
this from beginning to end. Also take the
opportunity to go back and read Greg’s first
three columns. The series is titled “Amp’d.”
Q357: “I recently came upon an interesting
Web site that contained technical information
for our model aviation hobby. Problem was
that the entire Web site was written in
German. I found this frustrating, but then
began to wonder in this modern day of
computers if there might be some help
available for language translations?”
A357: I learned from fellow Silent Electric
Flyers of Long Island club member Joe
Cabana that there is a Web site that will do
exactly what you ask. Babel Fish Translation
allows you to enter portions of text or an entire
Web site for translation purposes.
Once you enter your information, go to
“Select from and to languages.” Scroll down
until you have what you want, such as
“German to English.” Then click on
“Translate,” and almost instantly your phrases,
words, or entire Web sites are converted to the
language of your choice.
This Web site works, and you will be
pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Joe, for passing
that info on to us.
Q/A 302 Second Follow-Up: My apologies,
but I really goofed this time. In my January
2008 “Frequently Asked Questions” column
(page 76, photo on page 74), I was doing a
follow-up to a suggestion involving the use of
Velcro to attach battery packs to aircraft
fuselages. A reader had suggested using a
back-to-back “adapter” that would enable two
88 MODEL AVIATION
hook pieces of Velcro to be joined.
I got distracted while writing this and
wrote that the adapter should be made from
both a piece of hook and fuzzy Velcro. An
AMA member/reader, Dave Trabert, was one
of many who E-mailed me to let me know it
wouldn’t work. He was right! The adapter
must be made from the same Velcro type,
back to back.
If you look at the photo (included in this
column), both the fuselage and battery pack
employ “hook”-type Velcro. At this point the
battery will not attach to the fuselage.
But if you make a back-to-back “fuzzy”
adapter, as shown, the pack attaches to the
adapter on one side, while the other side
attaches to the fuselage. If both your fuselage
and battery used “fuzzy” Velcro, the adapter
would consist of two pieces of the “hook”
type.
It would be best to keep two adapters in
your field kit to cover every contingency.
Also, when using the sticky-backed Velcro
tape, there is no need to use cement to make
your adapters.
I think this puts the subject to bed, and
my sincere apologies for any
inconvenience caused. MA
Sources:
Bob Selman
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com/
BP Hobbies
(732) 287-3933
www.bphobbies.com
FoamFly.com
(734) 528-9446
www.foamfly.com
Greg Covey’s “What Motor Do I Use?”
www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_displa
y.cfm?article_id=956
Hobby City
(800) 607-5803
www.unitedhobbies.com
Vintage model-airplane movies
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VB8fe17aU&
feature=related