Micro-Flying
Route 4, Box 369, Farmville VA 23901 E-mail: [email protected]
Hello friends in microland. I attended the 2003 Weak Signals Toledo show, and there were plenty of new goodies for micro fans to see. The indoor flying session at Bowling Green State University Saturday night was a terrific opportunity to watch and examine the latest and greatest in indoor models and equipment.
If there was one trend to be seen this year, it was the widespread use of Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) battery cells in the light models (the larger models make good use of them as well). Too many vendors were offering cells of different sizes and capacities to single out any one, but there was a neat little charger that I came home with from Sky Hooks and Rigging: www.microrc.com.
Called the Li-Poly Charger, this little gem is hardly larger than a postage stamp. The literature states that it is designed to charge a single cell, and there is a micro JST socket for the cell to plug into. It is supposed to sense the capacity of the cell under charge and set the rate accordingly.
The power source can be any direct-current wall adapter that has an output of 6–9 volts and sufficient current capacity for the cell being charged. Sky Hooks and Rigging carries its own line of Li-Poly cells, and the 210 mAh size comes complete with a micro JST plug that will fit the tiny charger.
Tom McCann of Sky Hooks and Rigging is one of the earliest sources of micro equipment. He was busy at the Bowling Green flying session with several models that used a single Li-Poly cell with a single servo on the rudder control. These were light models that flew slowly and would be suited to the smallest gym. Why not check out the line?
New actuator and driver
Another new offering was the MagAct from Bob Selman Designs: http://users.joplin.com/~bselman/. This new actuator weighs slightly more than 2 grams and rivals the small servos for torque when operated from the same voltage. The coil resistance is given as 40 ohms.
Shown in the same picture is the ultralight Digital Pulse Converter (DPC) driver board that allows the MagAct to be driven with fully proportional action from the servo output of any receiver. Many choose to team this actuator with the popular RFFS-100 receiver from Dynamic Web Enterprises that directly drives the actuator.
Dynamic Web Enterprises, at www.smallrc.com, is a growing business handled by Dan and Joanne Hurd, who are two of the finest people in the business. They were showing the new Widget: an Almost Ready-to-Fly (ARF) aircraft produced by Mark Kummerov that is built to some of the highest standards I have seen. Dan and Joanne have a complete package deal for this model that includes:
- the airplane
- a motor drive
- a 230 mAh Li-Poly cell
- the RFFS-100 receiver with two magnetic actuators
- an Azzar antenna
- a Potensky charger for the Li-Poly cell
The Widget I brought home went together very quickly and is a delight to fly. It can fly slowly and turn tightly enough for the smallest gym, and it can handle a modest breeze when you want to engage in a bit of lawn flying. It is one of the few models I have that my teenage daughter has labeled "cute" and is willing to fly.
New small servo
Another friend in the industry is Fred Marks, who is the head of FMA Direct, at www.fmadirect.com. FMA has been producing some light, high-performance radio control (RC) equipment for several years. The latest offering—the PS20 servo—is the smallest and lightest rotary servo I have seen, and it is built to extremely high standards. This is one of the first pieces of equipment that I have found to weigh exactly what is claimed: 5.3 grams with connector. The assortment of output arms and fittings should work for any application you can come up with.
While at the Bowling Green flying session, many outstanding models were shown and flown. I will share more in the future, but the Antoinette built by Mike Gretz caught my eye with its graceful lines and exquisite detail. The photos give you an idea of some of the craftsmanship that went into this gorgeous model.
Just to show that a detailed model such as this need not be a "hangar queen," Mike put up some fine flights showing how slow and graceful his airplane is in the air. The best part is that you can have one too; it is a kit from Sig Manufacturing.
Ferrell Papic's micro RC conversion
I received a package in the mail from Ferrell Papic, 300 W. Lincoln #82, Orange CA 92865; E-mail: [email protected]. Ferrell has successfully converted one of the micro RC car systems to an airplane application. A photo shows the 16-inch wingspan 1911 Cessna he built for this setup. I am going to let Ferrell tell about his little gem.
"I am sending you photos of my two-channel RC, 16-inch wingspan, scratch-built 1911 Cessna model that has a flying weight of 20 grams.
"A magnetic actuator bellcrank, 35-tooth servo gear, a bushed-aluminum tube for the motor gearbox, a 3/4-inch carved balsa propeller, a 140 mAh Li-Poly receiver battery, a RadioShack 3-volt night-flying marker lamp, a 540 mAh Li-Poly transmitter battery, and a double-backed servo-tape-mounted rudder control stick were added to the equipment that comes with the Super Mini RC car equipment. The 27 MHz car transmitter has a motor-reverse button that should only be used to retrieve the model from a thermal."
I thought this was quite an inspiring project, the way Ferrell adapted non-aircraft economical gear to produce a sweet little scale RC model. There has been much discussion on the Internet about converting the controls for these little cars, but this is the first time I have seen it put together in such a well-thought-out fashion.
As I wrap up this column, I am preparing to leave for Waterford, Michigan, for the National Indoor Remote-Control Aircraft Council Indoor RC Championships on May 31 and June 1. Watch for coverage of this event in an upcoming issue.
I don't know how your weather has been, but I have been trapped inside for way too long watching the rain fill up every pore in the ground. It is conditions like these that make the opportunity to fly indoors such a treat. Whatever site you have, please be good citizens and modelers, and protect this privilege.
Till next time, MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
