Author: Bob Aberle
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/05
Page Numbers: 76,77,78
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AMA's Sport Aviator Webzine's new format

Bob Aberle | [email protected]

Please write in with your questions, since that is the only way we can keep this column format going. When referring to already published questions and answers (for follow-ups), provide the number as a reference.

Also note that references to addresses and Web sites are placed in a group, separate from the text, at the end of this column under "Sources." An additional feature—"Tips"—is provided in addition to Qs and As. These hints will be numbered in the same sequence.

Q498

"I realized recently that I hadn't looked up any reviews that appear on the AMA e-zine (or Webzine), known as Sport Aviator, in quite some time. I called up the site and was surprised to see a totally different format or layout. I got completely confused because I couldn't find reviews and articles in the 'normal' places.

"After a while I gave up, disappointed that I could no longer find the articles that I wanted. What did they do to me?"

A498

Everything that was on Sport Aviator is still on Sport Aviator. Editor Frank Granelli created this Web site, which has been in existence for roughly nine years. The address is listed under "Sources."

Sport Aviator continues to grow, with close to 300 articles including product reviews, instructional features, technical pieces, and more. In the beginning, organizing these articles was somewhat confusing.

Frank originally cataloged all small RC models in the "Ultra Light" category. That didn't make much sense at the time, and that section eventually became "Park Pilot Aircraft."

It was recently decided that the Sport Aviator format needed updating to provide better access to all stored articles. The job fell to Mark Benson, AMA's new media/web designer. He redesigned the entire Sport Aviator format and did a fantastic job. I have to admit I got somewhat lost the first time I tried to find something.

A few hints to help you navigate the new format:

  • When you arrive at the home page, across the top is a series of categories including:
  • Home
  • Featured
  • What's New
  • Reviews (scroll over "Reviews" to see a subtier menu with categories such as "Airplane Kits," "Test Pilot Reports," and more)
  • If that doesn't satisfy you, go to the next line that starts with "About," "Contact," etc. At the right is "Original Site Navigation." Clicking on that will revert the site to all of the original categories.
  • Click "Sitemap" to see a list of every article posted to the site in the past nine years.

This should allow anyone unhappy with the changes to find the original organization. Nothing has been removed.

A few additional tips:

  • Use the search box in the upper right-hand corner, but you must type the exact name of the article or product to find it reliably. A search for "Mini Ultra Stick" returned articles for the larger Ultra Stick because the Mini was cataloged as the "E-flite Mini Ultra Stick."
  • If you are buying a used aircraft that is no longer in production, you might find a detailed review on the site. I found my two-part series "Selecting Electric Power Systems" and my R/C Model Aircraft Quick-Start Guide CD reproduced in total.

There is a wealth of knowledge stored in Sport Aviator. Get used to the new format and take advantage of it.

Q499

"I understand that Horizon Hobby will soon be offering a new version of their brick radio system which contains the receiver, two servos and an ESC, all in one package. How does this new brick differ from the ones we have seen in the ParkZone Ember, Vapor, Sukhoi, P-51, Cub, Aeronca and T-28 RTF models?"

A499

The new ParkZone AR6400LBL brick is a slightly larger version of the earlier bricks. The primary differences:

  • It has a built-in brushless-motor ESC that can handle up to 3 amps of current.
  • It is intended for two-cell Li-Poly (7.4 volts) operation.
  • The two integral linear servos are set up for long control throw.

The reason for this new brick is the E-flite UMX Beast RTF: a 2.4-ounce biplane set up for indoor/micro 3-D-type hover maneuvers. The Beast is powered by an E-flite Park 180 motor capable of running up to 15–20 watts input (on two Li-Poly cells).

The AR6400LBL brick will also be sold separately. It has six-channel capability, and you will be able to purchase separate long-throw linear servos for external aileron control or possibly flaps.

Until this brick was released, there was a void in micro RC power systems. The original brick works with models weighing as little as approximately 2 ounces. Using discrete micro receivers and servos, you can fly aircraft weighing 4–5 ounces up to roughly 6–7 ounces. The missing link was the 2–4 ounce category; the new brick fills that gap.

There are many rubber-powered scale kits that could use the AR6400LBL and the micro Park 180 brushless motor—kits from Dumas Products, Dare Design and Engineering, Easy Built Models, and others come to mind.

I have written a full, detailed article about this new brick and its potential applications. By the time you read this, it will have been published in the January 2011 issue of RC Micro World.

Notes on RC Micro World access:

  • As of the November 2010 issue, members can get a PDF copy of the most recent issue of RC Micro World for free, without a password (see "Sources").
  • Free-access users do not receive free full-size plans. To get full-size plans you need a subscription; contact RC Micro World publisher John Worth (see "Sources").
  • If you need plans and do not subscribe, you can purchase them from RC Micro World editor Roland Friestad, who operates "Full Size Plans" (contact info in "Sources").

If you would like a copy of the November issue of RC Micro World, drop me an e-mail and I will send it to you.

Q500

AMA member Dawson Gillaspy asked if it is okay to store his brushless motors in the same box or bag. If one motor is adjacent to another, can the magnetic properties compromise performance?

A500

I checked with Tom Cimato of MaxCim Motors. His reply:

"Storing a bunch of brushless motors, inrunner or outrunner, will not be a problem. Since all modern brushless motors use rare-earth magnets that are enclosed within the motor, proximity to one another will not cause a change in magnetization (increase or decrease). Rare-earth magnets do age (lose flux) over time, but in room ambient conditions it would take centuries to detect a difference.

"My concern would be to protect against corrosion and mold. The steel and aluminum components could corrode enough to seize the rotor and/or the insulating materials, allowing a voltage breakdown in the future.

"I would wipe down all accessible surfaces with a mild solvent such as mineral spirits (not alcohol, which is hygroscopic and attracts moisture) and seal them in a bag with a desiccant. I'm talking about long-term storage in a typical basement shop. No need to go crazy; just common-sense clean and pack."

Thank you, Tom!

If you have more questions, contact Tom through his Web site (listed in "Sources"). He still sells motors and ESCs.

Q501

"I saw somewhere a while back where someone had attached a small digital camcorder to the visor of his hat for hands-free filming purposes. Can you find this reference for me?"

A501

I couldn't find the original reference, but Casey Brandsema, a member of the Silent Electric Flyers of Long Island club, has been using this technique for a long time. I asked him to bring his camcorder and hat to the field; the resulting photos are in this column.

Casey's Sony digital video camcorder has an adjustable-position lens. It may take a couple of flights to get your aircraft centered using this adjustment, but once set you can film your model in flight while keeping both transmitter sticks under control. It's worth a try. —MA

Sources

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.