micro-flying - 2012/05

www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 83
It’s time for some indoor flying fun
Flying RC models in the comfort
of your living room can be a fun
way to enjoy the hobby when the
weather is bad or if it is too cold to fly
outside. I have flown many different
types of RC models inside the house—
from airplanes to helicopters—always
looking for the ultimate room-flier
experience.
For me, this type of model is one that
is controllable, durable, and not too fast.
Plantraco was the first company to offer
a living room flier with a two-channel
Butterfly RTF airplane. The 61/2-inch
wingspan model was groundbreaking
at the time of its release, and is still
available. A new model, a micro RC
blimp called the Nanoblimp, has just
been released.
Plantraco Nanoblimp
The Nanoblimp is the world’s smallest
commercially available RC blimp, and
features fully proportional control,
using standard size 10- or 12-inch latex
balloons. Included in the small box are
the transmitter/charger, gondola with
motors and propellers, ballast weights,
stickers and foam tape, latex balloons,
and instructions.
The new Nano900 transmitter
requires four AAA batteries, and also
functions as the charger. To charge the
blimp’s battery, pull the charger plug
out of the charger bay door on the
transmitter and connect the polarized
Molex connector into the socket on
the gondola’s circuit board. The blue
LED light on the transmitter will glow,
indicating that the battery is charging.
When the charge is complete, the
light will go out. If you leave the gondola
attached to the charger for an extended
time, it will not drain the transmitter’s
batteries because the unit shuts
off and goes to sleep when the
charging process is complete.
The Nanoblimp gondola is
the heart of the system and
features a lightweight
receiver with three
motors and
propellers
for precise
control. A small
piece of doublesided
tape holds
the gondola to
the latex balloon.
The balloon is
filled with helium
from a small
tank, available from department stores
such as Walmart or Toys R Us. After it is
filled, attach the gondola to the bottom
of the balloon, slightly forward of its
center, with the two motors facing the front.
Next, attach the ballast
weights to obtain
Top: The Flyzone Dr.1 triplane looks great in
flight. The model is easy to fly, and capable of
basic aerobatic maneuvers such as loops and
barrel rolls.
Above: The Nanoblimp is fun to fly indoors. It
features fully proportional control, and can fly
forward, backward, up, down, and even spin
in place.
Below: Painting and installing the pilot enhances the look of
the model. The author added a silk scarf.
micro-flying
Joe Malinchak
[email protected]
PLUS:
> Plantraco Nanoblimp
> Flyzone Fokker Dr. 1
> AnyLink radio adaptor
> NEAT Fair video
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 85
grams. It comes with everything needed
to fly the model right out of the box,
including an assembled and beautifully
painted Dr.1 triplane, pilot figure,
machine guns, transmitter/charger, AA
batteries, and one LiPo cell.
The model comes with the new
Tactic TTX402 four-channel 2.4 GHz
transmitter, which also functions as a
charger. Charging the 130 mAh cell
is easy. Leave the transmitter power
switch off, open the charger cover, and
insert the LiPo battery. Make sure that
the battery plug is properly oriented!
The green light on the transmitter will
illuminate, indicating that the battery is
charging.
While I was charging the battery, I
decided to glue the guns in place with
some foam-safe glue and paint the pilot
figure. The pilot enhances the model’s
look and is worth the extra effort to
paint. It is a good idea to test the paint
on some scrap foam if you are not sure
whether it is foam-safe.
I used a combination of Tamiya acrylic
paints and Testors Model Master paints
because I already had the colors I wanted
to use. I also added a silk scarf just for fun!
I installed the pilot with my favorite
foam glue, UHU Por, and I was ready fly.
Before flying any new model, check the
control throws for proper direction and
movement. You should do this before
every flight on any model or full-scale
airplane.
I may have reversed the elevator on my
model when I turned on the transmitter
because it was moving in the wrong
direction. The manual told me to press
and hold one of the elevator trim buttons
and to cycle the power on to reverse the
direction. Now I was ready to fly.
I armed the throttle and gave the model
an easy toss into the air. The Dr.1 triplane
looked great and performed beyond my
expectations. The model is easy to fly in
calm winds, and will fly slowly at half
power. At full power it climbs nicely, and
will make loops with a little practice. The
model makes good takeoffs and landings
on hard, smooth surfaces.
Make sure that the wheels are moving
freely. My wife, Cindy, flew the model
and was impressed by it. She thinks
that it would make a good trainer. The
Fokker Dr.1 is a great addition to the
Flyzone line. Visit the Hobbico website
listed in “Sources” for more information.
Tactic AnyLink
I had the opportunity to test the
new AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter
with the Flyzone Fokker Dr.1 triplane.
The AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter
allows any transmitter to bind with
Tactic’s SLT receivers or with all
transmitter-ready airplanes. Included
in the box with the AnyLink 2.4 GHz
radio adapter are one Futaba square
adapter cable and one JR Spektrum
adapter cable compatible with the
DX6, DX6i, and the DX7 transmitters.
Optional cables for other transmitters
are available.
I use a Spektrum DX7 for most of
my flying, and installing the AnyLink
was an easy task. I mounted the
SPECIFICATIONS:
Wing Span: 49 inches
Weight: 22 - 25 oz.
Length: 32.5 inches
Radio Required: 4 Channel, Mini Receiver, 4 Mini Servos
Electric Power: 2410-09 Brushless Motor (INCLUDED)
Battery Required: 3-cell 850 - 1400 mAh Lipo Pack
Order No. SIGRC80EPARFR - Rascal EP-49 ARF (trans red)
Order No. SIGRC80EPARFY - Rascal EP-49 ARF (trans yellow)
SIG Mfg. Co., Inc. • 401 South Front St • P O Box 520 • Montezuma, IA 50171-0520 • www.sigmfg.com • 641-623-5154
schemes - brilliant white with transparent red trim, or brilliant
white and transparent yellow trim. Includes a 2410-09 brushless
motor with matched 18 amp ESC, propeller, "quick change"
battery hatch, molded cowling, quality hardware, factory
installed molded windshield, decals, and an illustrated step-bystep
assembly manual.
4-Channel: Ailerons, Elevator, Rudder, and Throttle
2410-09 Brushless
Motor, ESC, & Prop
The terrific model for those
lunch break flying sessions just
got better! The updated SIG
RASCAL EP-49 ARF retains all the good looks of the original
but performance has been dramatically improved. The addition
of ailerons provides more precise control and the new brushless
motor with matched ESC provides the perfect amount of power
and greater flight duration.
The SIG RASCAL EP-49 is a beautifully handcrafted all-wood
ARF, not foam! It is meticulously covered with premium
UltraCote® (aka ORACOVER®) film. Available in two color
INCLUDES:
Yellow Rascal EP-49 in flight
AnyLink on the back of my transmitter
with the supplied hard-locking
adhesive, with the antenna facing upward.
I connected the Spektrum adapter
cable to AnyLink’s input jack, and
the signal plug to the transmitter’s
trainer/DSC jack. The remaining cable
for the power plug is connected to
the transmitter’s charge jack; this is
basically the on/off switch for the unit.
The transmitter’s power switch is
not used and must not be turned on
while using the AnyLink system. After
I connected the power plug and battery
on the Flyzone triplane, I checked
the controls for proper direction and
movement. Several controls were on
the wrong channel, so I had to use the
alternate channel mapping to correct
this.
To correct the mapping, hold the
transmitter rudder stick to the far
bottom-left or bottom-right corner
and then connect the power plug to
the charging jack. After five seconds,
AnyLink will sound three tones and
you can release the rudder stick.
AnyLink will then sound two more
tones indicating that the mapping has
been changed.
After changing the mapping, the
controls operated correctly. However,
the rudder was on the left control stick,
so I used some simple rudder-to-aileron
mixing to allow the rudder to work
on the right control stick. The Flyzone
triplane uses rudder for primary control.
Following the manual, installing the
AnyLink took me roughly 15 minutes.
It is a pleasure to use my DX7
transmitter with the model, and I no
longer have to carry several transmitters
with me when I go flying! The Tactic
AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter is a
wonderful new product that works
well. See the Tactic website listed in the
“Sources” for more information.
2011 NEAT Fair Video
The SKS Video Productions 2011
NEAT Fair video includes some great
footage of outdoor flying, as well as the
Indoor Night at NEAT event! Highlights
of the indoor event include Dave
Johnson flying the new Flyzone Dr.1,
Stew Meyers’ Rogalo, Jin Choe’s Cessna
C-34, Pete Foss’s Radio Flash, Gordon
Johnson’s Cartoon Scale Pitts, and
more.
The video is available in DVD
and Blu-ray formats. The Blu-ray
version contains bonus footage not
found on the DVD. See the SKS
Video Productions website for more
information.
I want to thank Scott Stauffer for
filming the Indoor Night at NEAT. It
is a wonderful event and I plan to hold
it again at the 2012 NEAT Fair, at the
Downsville school gym on Saturday,
September 15, 2012.
SOURCES:
Plantraco Microflight
(306) 955-1836
www.microflight.com
Hobbico Inc.
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
Tactic AnyLink 2.4GHz Radio Adapter
(800) 637-7660
www.tacticrc.com/tacj2000.html
SKS Video Productions
(800) 988-6488
www.sksvideo.com
NEAT Fair
www.neatfair.org
grams. It comes with everything needed
to fly the model right out of the box,
including an assembled and beautifully
painted Dr.1 triplane, pilot figure,
machine guns, transmitter/charger, AA
batteries, and one LiPo cell.
The model comes with the new
Tactic TTX402 four-channel 2.4 GHz
transmitter, which also functions as a
charger. Charging the 130 mAh cell
is easy. Leave the transmitter power
switch off, open the charger cover, and
insert the LiPo battery. Make sure that
the battery plug is properly oriented!
The green light on the transmitter will
illuminate, indicating that the battery is
charging.
While I was charging the battery, I
decided to glue the guns in place with
some foam-safe glue and paint the pilot
figure. The pilot enhances the model’s
look and is worth the extra effort to
paint. It is a good idea to test the paint
on some scrap foam if you are not sure
whether it is foam-safe.
I used a combination of Tamiya acrylic
paints and Testors Model Master paints
because I already had the colors I wanted
to use. I also added a silk scarf just for fun!
I installed the pilot with my favorite
foam glue, UHU Por, and I was ready fly.
Before flying any new model, check the
control throws for proper direction and
movement. You should do this before
every flight on any model or full-scale
airplane.
I may have reversed the elevator on my
model when I turned on the transmitter
because it was moving in the wrong
direction. The manual told me to press
and hold one of the elevator trim buttons
and to cycle the power on to reverse the
direction. Now I was ready to fly.
I armed the throttle and gave the model
an easy toss into the air. The Dr.1 triplane
looked great and performed beyond my
expectations. The model is easy to fly in
calm winds, and will fly slowly at half
power. At full power it climbs nicely, and
will make loops with a little practice. The
model makes good takeoffs and landings
on hard, smooth surfaces.
Make sure that the wheels are moving
freely. My wife, Cindy, flew the model
and was impressed by it. She thinks
that it would make a good trainer. The
Fokker Dr.1 is a great addition to the
Flyzone line. Visit the Hobbico website
listed in “Sources” for more information.
Tactic AnyLink
I had the opportunity to test the
new AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter
with the Flyzone Fokker Dr.1 triplane.
The AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter
allows any transmitter to bind with
Tactic’s SLT receivers or with all
transmitter-ready airplanes. Included
in the box with the AnyLink 2.4 GHz
radio adapter are one Futaba square
adapter cable and one JR Spektrum
adapter cable compatible with the
DX6, DX6i, and the DX7 transmitters.
Optional cables for other transmitters
are available.
I use a Spektrum DX7 for most of
my flying, and installing the AnyLink
was an easy task. I mounted the
AnyLink on the back of my transmitter
with the supplied hard-locking
adhesive, with the antenna facing upward.
I connected the Spektrum adapter
cable to AnyLink’s input jack, and
the signal plug to the transmitter’s
trainer/DSC jack. The remaining cable
for the power plug is connected to
the transmitter’s charge jack; this is
basically the on/off switch for the unit.
The transmitter’s power switch is
not used and must not be turned on
while using the AnyLink system. After
I connected the power plug and battery
on the Flyzone triplane, I checked
the controls for proper direction and
movement. Several controls were on
the wrong channel, so I had to use the
alternate channel mapping to correct
this.
To correct the mapping, hold the
transmitter rudder stick to the far
bottom-left or bottom-right corner
and then connect the power plug to
the charging jack. After five seconds,
AnyLink will sound three tones and
you can release the rudder stick.
AnyLink will then sound two more
tones indicating that the mapping has
been changed.
After changing the mapping, the
controls operated correctly. However,
the rudder was on the left control stick,
so I used some simple rudder-to-aileron
mixing to allow the rudder to work
on the right control stick. The Flyzone
triplane uses rudder for primary control.
Following the manual, installing the
AnyLink took me roughly 15 minutes.
It is a pleasure to use my DX7
transmitter with the model, and I no
longer have to carry several transmitters
with me when I go flying! The Tactic
AnyLink 2.4 GHz radio adapter is a
wonderful new product that works
well. See the Tactic website listed in the
“Sources” for more information.
2011 NEAT Fair Video
The SKS Video Productions 2011
NEAT Fair video includes some great
footage of outdoor flying, as well as the
Indoor Night at NEAT event! Highlights
of the indoor event include Dave
Johnson flying the new Flyzone Dr.1,
Stew Meyers’ Rogalo, Jin Choe’s Cessna
C-34, Pete Foss’s Radio Flash, Gordon
Johnson’s Cartoon Scale Pitts, and
more.
The video is available in DVD
and Blu-ray formats. The Blu-ray
version contains bonus footage not
found on the DVD. See the SKS
Video Productions website for more
information.
I want to thank Scott Stauffer for
filming the Indoor Night at NEAT. It
is a wonderful event and I plan to hold
it again at the 2012 NEAT Fair, at the
Downsville school gym on Saturday,
September 15, 2012.
SOURCES:
Plantraco Microflight
(306) 955-1836
www.microflight.com
Hobbico Inc.
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
Tactic AnyLink 2.4GHz Radio Adapter
(800) 637-7660
www.tacticrc.com/tacj2000.html
SKS Video Productions
(800) 988-6488
www.sksvideo.com
NEAT Fair
www.neatfair.org