Plane Talk: Hobby Club Models TopSky 1.1 DLG - 2011/01

58 MODEL AVIATION
Plane Talk: Hobby Club Models TopSky 1.1 DLG
MIKE SKUBE
Above: The TopSky floats and travels smoothly, and with a responsive roll and pitch control. It feels incredibly light on the wing, as if the
all-up weight were significantly less.
THERE IS A great deal to be said about the excitement that a good
discus-launched glider (DLG) produces when it performs well. Pilots
who are new to hand launching need a model that has potential as
well as the strength and durability to get past some of the roughness
that a newcomer will inflict on it.
In addition, fliers want a sailplane
that is fast and easy to put together.
That might seem to be a tall
order, but the TopSky 1.1 ARF
will fill it. This is the latest version
of the original TopSky, and it has some improvements.
The wing is a foam-core section with a vacuum-bagged,
fiberglass-and-carbon-reinforced skin. The wing TE is also carbon
reinforced, to maintain stiffness and add strength. At the tail are
vacuum-bagged, fiberglass-skinned balsa tailplanes for the vertical
and horizontal stabilizers.
An all-carbon tailboom is mated to
a fiberglass fuselage pod that features
carbon reinforcement, to withstand
the rigors of a discus launch. The
TopSky has a classic but
contemporary style that is akin to a
few other popular DLGs, with high-quality workmanship throughout.
The model includes a well-endowed hardware outfit, providing
A great sport-level HLG with
competition performance
Inset top: If you want airbrakes, simply increase the amount of flap deflection to nearly 60°.
Inset bottom: When the flaps are deployed, they provide the ability to slow to a walk but not enough to provide adequate braking when
set per the factory throws.
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:55 PM Page 58
The TopSky 1.1 wing is vacuum-bagged foam with
reinforcement and hinging complete. Stabilizers are
vacuum-bagged and skinned with fiberglass as well.
Draw around the aileron servo in preparation for cutting the wing-servo recess.
Tracing onto low-tack masking tape makes errors easy to correct.
Photos by Mike Lee
The side of a drill bit eases a relief cut into the wing root for the
wing-bolt holes and servo wire. This accurate alignment method is
easier than it looks.
The horizontal stabilizer mount is attached with epoxy to the
tailboom, just ahead of the fin. This entire assembly is further
reinforced with a thin layer of fiberglass.
A look inside the canopy shows how the Airtronics
submicroservos are mounted to the servo tray; they are a snug—
not hard—fit.
A carbon rod is used to link the CA-compatible clevis hardware.
The bottom-hinged aileron easily accepts the included Bakelite
control horns.
The fuselage is 2.4 GHz frequency-friendly. An Airtronics 92674
FHSS-1 receiver used in the model is just small enough to be a
tight fit in the nose.
control horns, clevises, pushrods and tubing, carbon and fiberglass-cloth
material, and more. The buyer must provide the radio gear, common
working tools, and adhesives for assembly.
Assembly: The TopSky is fairly simple and rapid to assemble; the longest
time is spent waiting for adhesives to cure. Wing assembly is first.
January 2011 59
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:55 PM Page 59
60 MODEL AVIATION
The author performs a mild power discus launch with the Top Sky 1.1. It proved to have
no bad habits and trimmed easily.
Test-Model Details
Radio system: Airtronics SG-10
transmitter; Airtronics 92674
FHSS receiver; Airtronics 94802
servos; 350 mAh, 4.8-volt battery;
custom wire extensions for wing/
fuselage connections
Ready-to-fly weight: 9.9 ounces
as tested
Flight duration: Virtually
unlimited, depending on weather
conditions and battery capacity
Pluses and Minuses
+•
High in quality and well built and
designed.
• Complete hardware outfit.
• Impressive flight performance
and price. -•
Original instructions are lacking
detail. (New instructions are
now available.)
Control Throws
Specifications
Model type: Discus-launch glider
kit
Skill level: Intermediate builder,
intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 59 inches
Wing area: 357 square inches
Length: 42.5 inches without rudder
Weight: 9.8-10.5 ounces
Wing loading: 3.95-4.24 ounces/
square foot
Radio: Four channels with mixing,
four servos
Construction: Fiberglass, foam,
carbon fiber
Covering/finish: Natural fiberglass
gel-coat finish
Price: $219.99
This glider comes with a photo-illustrated
assembly manual, which will smoothly carry
you through construction. Despite the good
guidance, it helps to have building experience
on your résumé so you can get through it
quickly.
(Editor’s note: A new instruction manual
is included with all current models.)
The wing will be a single piece when
completed, but it starts as halves. Ailerons
arrive cut and hinged on the wings, so fitting
aileron servos is done first. On the top of the
wing you can see the black carbon pad where
the servo bay will be on the bottom skin.
The one-page drawing of the TopSky shows
recommended flight control surface throws, which
seem plenty reasonable for this kind of model.
Accordingly, the test model was set up to those
recommendations, which follow.
• Ailerons: 15° up and 15° down (at TE root)
• Elevator: 25° up and 25° down (at TE root)
• Rudder: 25° left and 25° right (at TE bottom)
• Flaps: 45° total down deflection
• Aileron-to-rudder mix: 100% ailerons to 50% rudder
• Aileron-to-flap mix: 1/4 inch up, 1/4 inch down motion
with aileron motion
• Reflex mode: 3/32 inch ailerons up
• Camber mode: 1/16 inch ailerons down
The fuselage
includes a pod
and a boom section.
No finishing is required
after assembly. A throwing
peg and a blade are included
for installation in either wingtip.
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:56 PM Page 60
January 2011 61
Adhere a length of masking tape over the
servo bay area on the skin of the wing
bottom on which to draw around the aileron
servo. Pay attention to the position of the
servo control arm and the servo wires, so
they face the correct way on the wing.
Consider cutting off the aileron-servo
mounting lugs; you won’t use them and they
will force you to cut a larger space in the
wing.
Using the outline traced around the servo,
cut the wing skin and underlying foam core
as deep as necessary to allow the servo to be
pushed into the bay and flush with the
bottom wing-skin surface. The servo wires
should aim toward the wing root rib.
Once you have cut the servo bay, drill a
hole from the root rib to the servo bay. This
allows the servo wires to snake through the
wing to the root and out, for connection to
the fuselage later.
Remove the servo wires from the stock
plug. That makes the wire run easier, and
you won’t use the stock connector anyway.
When you have completed (temporarily)
the servo installation, hold the wing half to
the fuselage pod and then mark and relieve
the location of the wing bolts. A relief is also
provided, to allow the wing servo wires to
poke through the wing center-section. This is
done for both wing components, and the
wing can be joined using epoxy.
The correct dihedral angle is set by the
wing root ribs, so simply mating them evenly
will do the trick. When the epoxy has fully
hardened, finish the wing by adding the
center-section reinforcement.
The kit provides a choice of either
fiberglass or carbon-fiber cloth for that job.
Choose the carbon cloth if you think you’re
good at tossing hard.
The wing is finished for now.
At the tail section, mate the vertical fin
and rudder to the tailboom. The fin is
notched to fit the tailboom, but you will have
to slot the tailboom a bit to allow a complete
fit of the fin.
Once you have sliced the tailboom, fit the
fin and adhere in place. Use epoxy to attach a
layer of fiberglass or carbon fabric to the
joint, to reinforce it. I used carbon fabric, just
in case.
Attaching the tailboom to the fuselage
pod is not as hard as it may seem. Go back to
the wing. Drill through the wing hold-down
bolt holes, cut the wire-access hole to the
fuselage, and then mount the wing to the
pod.
From there, level the wing on the
workbench and then mate the tailboom (with
the fin attached) to the pod. This allows
proper alignment from nose to tail, and then
across the wing to the fin.
Make the joint using slow-set epoxy and
come back the next morning.
The horizontal stabilizer needs work. The
kit provides raw balsa that you sand into a
stabilizer-mount platform. It’s simple, and it
takes only roughly 10 minutes, but it is
strange to see this single raw part mixed in
with the other high-zoot components.
Once you have completed the mount, use
epoxy to attach it to the stabilizer. Level the
wings and then glue the stabilizer assembly
to the tailboom.
Make sure to sand the tailboom a bit
where the joint will be made, to ensure that it
will be well bonded. Further reinforce that
joint with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.
Now the airframe is complete for the
most part, and the radio installation can be
finished.
The inner fuselage area is a typical pod
that has plenty of space for modern
submicroservos. A laser-cut-plywood servo
tray is provided, and it arranges the servos in
a tandem configuration.
Set the tray in place using RTV (roomtemperature
vulcanizing) silicone adhesive
(although almost any adhesive that is
compatible with fiberglass will work).
The pushrods—which are steel rod
running inside thin Teflon tubing—come in
the kit. To set them in place, drill through the
rear of the lower wing-saddle area so that the
tubes lay directly on the tailboom after they
exit the pod.
The tubing is held in place with black
vinyl tape, which is best to apply when the
wire pushrod is in the tubing. With the
pushrods in place, you can install control
horns for the rudder and elevator. The
pushrods can be mated to both servos and
tailplanes.
In my model, Airtronics 94802 servos
control the rudder, elevator, and ailerons. An
Airtronics 92674 2.4 GHz FHSS (frequencyhopping
spread spectrum) receiver is fitted
immediately ahead of the fuselage servos,
and a 4.8-volt, 350 mAh battery pack resides
in the front of the nose.
With the radio in place, you can balance
the model. The one-page TopSky drawing
calls for a balance range of 78-84 mm back
from the LE at the center. Mine came in at
82mm after a bit of fudging.
The only thing left to install is the
throwing peg. The kit provides a nice option;
you get a round tube peg and a carbon blade
from which to choose.
The tube is more than long enough for
anyone’s fingers, so you cut it down to suit
you. The blade is also plenty large enough,
and it requires sanding to get the edges
smooth for handling.
With the launch peg in place, this TopSky
1.1 came in at a scant 9.9 ounces ready to fly.
Launching and Flying: I made the first
attempts in virtually perfect weather. There
were sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-
70s, and only a hint of wind.
It’s standard practice for the first flight
with a hand-launched glider to be an
overhand toss with just enough push to get it
flying. This was the initial trim flight, and it
needed only two clicks of up-elevator to be
perfect.
Knowing that the model would fly
straight and level, it was time for me to
perform low-energy discus tosses. They
proved to be wonderful; the model exhibited
no bad habits!
Taking the TopSky through a few test
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:56 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
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tosses built a lot of confidence, so my full
weight went behind the following throws.
The sailplane assumed a mild climbing arc
up to apogee, and then it pushed over
prettily. So far I was impressed.
Once on the wing, the Top Sky floated
smoothly and with responsive roll and pitch
control. It felt light on the wing, as if the allup
weight were significantly less. By adding
the camber you can feel hints of lift, and the
TopSky will heel around quickly to engage.
I noticed that this airplane likes my
aggressive style of thermaling. When I
engage lift, I will attack with some speed and
circle tightly.
It’s unusual for floater-type gliders to
attack lift with speed, but that didn’t seem to
matter with the TopSky. This tells me that
the 1.1 will suit a wide variety of flying
styles and come out fine.
The first full-power toss was a keeper,
topping out at approximately 125 feet. The
clock was just past six minutes when the
model was called home for a system check.
When a new sailplane thermals out on the
first serious toss, that means it will be a
goody!
Subsequent throws confirmed what that
first toss disclosed. “Specking” out was no
problem, other than using up the battery.
When the flaps are deployed, they
provide the ability to slow the TopSky
enough to be at a walk but not enough to
provide adequate braking when set per
factory throws. If you want to get airbrakes,
increase the amount of flap deflection to
approximately 60°. And be ready to maintain
your forward momentum and steer using the
rudder; the ailerons will be ineffective.
Wind penetration was no problem; this
model was set up with a reflex mode as well.
For only 9.9 ounces of weight, it can
penetrate upwind wonderfully. During tests,
the 6 mph wind came through; although that
was not too strong, it was enough for me to
see what the TopSky could do.
On the subject of what it can do, those
Airtronics servos are the quietest digital
units, of any brand, that I’ve used. There was
no digital buzz and solid performance all the
way.
When you consider what the current crop
of contest-level DLGs costs today, the
TopSky is a bargain. Its build quality is great
and rivals many of the top-notch aircraft.
Nothing was done differently to save
weight with regards to assembly or
equipment, and the 1.1 came in under the
magic 10-ounce mark. And on top of all that,
it performs terrifically.
Of the half-dozen pilots I had fly this
model, all agreed that it performed and
handled incredibly well, regardless of price.
That’s impressive!
Mated to the Airtronics 94802 servos, the
TopSky 1.1 has a similar price to an entrylevel
DLG and performance that can make
you competitive in this class. Seldom does
the cost of high quality and high
performance come down, but it has, and its
name is the TopSky 1.1. MA
Mike Skube
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Top Soaring New Technology Co.
LTD./Hobby Club
Box 6004
San Clemente CA 92674
(949) 425-1362
www.hobbyclub.com
www.topsoaring.com
Sources:
Airtronics
(714) 964-0827
www.airtronics.net
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:56 PM Page 62

58 MODEL AVIATION
Plane Talk: Hobby Club Models TopSky 1.1 DLG
MIKE SKUBE
Above: The TopSky floats and travels smoothly, and with a responsive roll and pitch control. It feels incredibly light on the wing, as if the
all-up weight were significantly less.
THERE IS A great deal to be said about the excitement that a good
discus-launched glider (DLG) produces when it performs well. Pilots
who are new to hand launching need a model that has potential as
well as the strength and durability to get past some of the roughness
that a newcomer will inflict on it.
In addition, fliers want a sailplane
that is fast and easy to put together.
That might seem to be a tall
order, but the TopSky 1.1 ARF
will fill it. This is the latest version
of the original TopSky, and it has some improvements.
The wing is a foam-core section with a vacuum-bagged,
fiberglass-and-carbon-reinforced skin. The wing TE is also carbon
reinforced, to maintain stiffness and add strength. At the tail are
vacuum-bagged, fiberglass-skinned balsa tailplanes for the vertical
and horizontal stabilizers.
An all-carbon tailboom is mated to
a fiberglass fuselage pod that features
carbon reinforcement, to withstand
the rigors of a discus launch. The
TopSky has a classic but
contemporary style that is akin to a
few other popular DLGs, with high-quality workmanship throughout.
The model includes a well-endowed hardware outfit, providing
A great sport-level HLG with
competition performance
Inset top: If you want airbrakes, simply increase the amount of flap deflection to nearly 60°.
Inset bottom: When the flaps are deployed, they provide the ability to slow to a walk but not enough to provide adequate braking when
set per the factory throws.
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:55 PM Page 58
The TopSky 1.1 wing is vacuum-bagged foam with
reinforcement and hinging complete. Stabilizers are
vacuum-bagged and skinned with fiberglass as well.
Draw around the aileron servo in preparation for cutting the wing-servo recess.
Tracing onto low-tack masking tape makes errors easy to correct.
Photos by Mike Lee
The side of a drill bit eases a relief cut into the wing root for the
wing-bolt holes and servo wire. This accurate alignment method is
easier than it looks.
The horizontal stabilizer mount is attached with epoxy to the
tailboom, just ahead of the fin. This entire assembly is further
reinforced with a thin layer of fiberglass.
A look inside the canopy shows how the Airtronics
submicroservos are mounted to the servo tray; they are a snug—
not hard—fit.
A carbon rod is used to link the CA-compatible clevis hardware.
The bottom-hinged aileron easily accepts the included Bakelite
control horns.
The fuselage is 2.4 GHz frequency-friendly. An Airtronics 92674
FHSS-1 receiver used in the model is just small enough to be a
tight fit in the nose.
control horns, clevises, pushrods and tubing, carbon and fiberglass-cloth
material, and more. The buyer must provide the radio gear, common
working tools, and adhesives for assembly.
Assembly: The TopSky is fairly simple and rapid to assemble; the longest
time is spent waiting for adhesives to cure. Wing assembly is first.
January 2011 59
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:55 PM Page 59
60 MODEL AVIATION
The author performs a mild power discus launch with the Top Sky 1.1. It proved to have
no bad habits and trimmed easily.
Test-Model Details
Radio system: Airtronics SG-10
transmitter; Airtronics 92674
FHSS receiver; Airtronics 94802
servos; 350 mAh, 4.8-volt battery;
custom wire extensions for wing/
fuselage connections
Ready-to-fly weight: 9.9 ounces
as tested
Flight duration: Virtually
unlimited, depending on weather
conditions and battery capacity
Pluses and Minuses
+•
High in quality and well built and
designed.
• Complete hardware outfit.
• Impressive flight performance
and price. -•
Original instructions are lacking
detail. (New instructions are
now available.)
Control Throws
Specifications
Model type: Discus-launch glider
kit
Skill level: Intermediate builder,
intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 59 inches
Wing area: 357 square inches
Length: 42.5 inches without rudder
Weight: 9.8-10.5 ounces
Wing loading: 3.95-4.24 ounces/
square foot
Radio: Four channels with mixing,
four servos
Construction: Fiberglass, foam,
carbon fiber
Covering/finish: Natural fiberglass
gel-coat finish
Price: $219.99
This glider comes with a photo-illustrated
assembly manual, which will smoothly carry
you through construction. Despite the good
guidance, it helps to have building experience
on your résumé so you can get through it
quickly.
(Editor’s note: A new instruction manual
is included with all current models.)
The wing will be a single piece when
completed, but it starts as halves. Ailerons
arrive cut and hinged on the wings, so fitting
aileron servos is done first. On the top of the
wing you can see the black carbon pad where
the servo bay will be on the bottom skin.
The one-page drawing of the TopSky shows
recommended flight control surface throws, which
seem plenty reasonable for this kind of model.
Accordingly, the test model was set up to those
recommendations, which follow.
• Ailerons: 15° up and 15° down (at TE root)
• Elevator: 25° up and 25° down (at TE root)
• Rudder: 25° left and 25° right (at TE bottom)
• Flaps: 45° total down deflection
• Aileron-to-rudder mix: 100% ailerons to 50% rudder
• Aileron-to-flap mix: 1/4 inch up, 1/4 inch down motion
with aileron motion
• Reflex mode: 3/32 inch ailerons up
• Camber mode: 1/16 inch ailerons down
The fuselage
includes a pod
and a boom section.
No finishing is required
after assembly. A throwing
peg and a blade are included
for installation in either wingtip.
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:56 PM Page 60
January 2011 61
Adhere a length of masking tape over the
servo bay area on the skin of the wing
bottom on which to draw around the aileron
servo. Pay attention to the position of the
servo control arm and the servo wires, so
they face the correct way on the wing.
Consider cutting off the aileron-servo
mounting lugs; you won’t use them and they
will force you to cut a larger space in the
wing.
Using the outline traced around the servo,
cut the wing skin and underlying foam core
as deep as necessary to allow the servo to be
pushed into the bay and flush with the
bottom wing-skin surface. The servo wires
should aim toward the wing root rib.
Once you have cut the servo bay, drill a
hole from the root rib to the servo bay. This
allows the servo wires to snake through the
wing to the root and out, for connection to
the fuselage later.
Remove the servo wires from the stock
plug. That makes the wire run easier, and
you won’t use the stock connector anyway.
When you have completed (temporarily)
the servo installation, hold the wing half to
the fuselage pod and then mark and relieve
the location of the wing bolts. A relief is also
provided, to allow the wing servo wires to
poke through the wing center-section. This is
done for both wing components, and the
wing can be joined using epoxy.
The correct dihedral angle is set by the
wing root ribs, so simply mating them evenly
will do the trick. When the epoxy has fully
hardened, finish the wing by adding the
center-section reinforcement.
The kit provides a choice of either
fiberglass or carbon-fiber cloth for that job.
Choose the carbon cloth if you think you’re
good at tossing hard.
The wing is finished for now.
At the tail section, mate the vertical fin
and rudder to the tailboom. The fin is
notched to fit the tailboom, but you will have
to slot the tailboom a bit to allow a complete
fit of the fin.
Once you have sliced the tailboom, fit the
fin and adhere in place. Use epoxy to attach a
layer of fiberglass or carbon fabric to the
joint, to reinforce it. I used carbon fabric, just
in case.
Attaching the tailboom to the fuselage
pod is not as hard as it may seem. Go back to
the wing. Drill through the wing hold-down
bolt holes, cut the wire-access hole to the
fuselage, and then mount the wing to the
pod.
From there, level the wing on the
workbench and then mate the tailboom (with
the fin attached) to the pod. This allows
proper alignment from nose to tail, and then
across the wing to the fin.
Make the joint using slow-set epoxy and
come back the next morning.
The horizontal stabilizer needs work. The
kit provides raw balsa that you sand into a
stabilizer-mount platform. It’s simple, and it
takes only roughly 10 minutes, but it is
strange to see this single raw part mixed in
with the other high-zoot components.
Once you have completed the mount, use
epoxy to attach it to the stabilizer. Level the
wings and then glue the stabilizer assembly
to the tailboom.
Make sure to sand the tailboom a bit
where the joint will be made, to ensure that it
will be well bonded. Further reinforce that
joint with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.
Now the airframe is complete for the
most part, and the radio installation can be
finished.
The inner fuselage area is a typical pod
that has plenty of space for modern
submicroservos. A laser-cut-plywood servo
tray is provided, and it arranges the servos in
a tandem configuration.
Set the tray in place using RTV (roomtemperature
vulcanizing) silicone adhesive
(although almost any adhesive that is
compatible with fiberglass will work).
The pushrods—which are steel rod
running inside thin Teflon tubing—come in
the kit. To set them in place, drill through the
rear of the lower wing-saddle area so that the
tubes lay directly on the tailboom after they
exit the pod.
The tubing is held in place with black
vinyl tape, which is best to apply when the
wire pushrod is in the tubing. With the
pushrods in place, you can install control
horns for the rudder and elevator. The
pushrods can be mated to both servos and
tailplanes.
In my model, Airtronics 94802 servos
control the rudder, elevator, and ailerons. An
Airtronics 92674 2.4 GHz FHSS (frequencyhopping
spread spectrum) receiver is fitted
immediately ahead of the fuselage servos,
and a 4.8-volt, 350 mAh battery pack resides
in the front of the nose.
With the radio in place, you can balance
the model. The one-page TopSky drawing
calls for a balance range of 78-84 mm back
from the LE at the center. Mine came in at
82mm after a bit of fudging.
The only thing left to install is the
throwing peg. The kit provides a nice option;
you get a round tube peg and a carbon blade
from which to choose.
The tube is more than long enough for
anyone’s fingers, so you cut it down to suit
you. The blade is also plenty large enough,
and it requires sanding to get the edges
smooth for handling.
With the launch peg in place, this TopSky
1.1 came in at a scant 9.9 ounces ready to fly.
Launching and Flying: I made the first
attempts in virtually perfect weather. There
were sunny skies, temperatures in the mid-
70s, and only a hint of wind.
It’s standard practice for the first flight
with a hand-launched glider to be an
overhand toss with just enough push to get it
flying. This was the initial trim flight, and it
needed only two clicks of up-elevator to be
perfect.
Knowing that the model would fly
straight and level, it was time for me to
perform low-energy discus tosses. They
proved to be wonderful; the model exhibited
no bad habits!
Taking the TopSky through a few test
01sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/19/10 4:56 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
Scale Avionics LLC
Scale Avionics LLC
 !"#$%&’(&)*+,%#
# - &,&*’.#$(/%&#012.%)2
Lithium Ion
Batteries
$34.00
R e l i o n 2 6 0 0#
7.4 Volts, 2600mA, 3.3oz
Available w/Deans,EC3,MPX and PowerPoles at added cost.
R e l i o n 5 2 0 0#
7.4 Volts, 5200mA, 6.6oz
Available w/Deans,EC3,MPX and PowerPoles at added cost.
$68.00
Price in ad does not include Deans
Connector
DC-UP MRK IICricket
Fromeco’s DC-UP Mark II
It’s back, new and improved. Now capable of 8.4volts,
the new DC-UP can be implemented anywhere in your
Flight System. NEW LED light bar shows voltages from
8.4 down to 4, and read real time.
• Light bar captures lowest voltage in flight.
• 1.25 Farads of Capacitance.
• Brilliant Blue lights above 5 volts and Red below
5 volts.
$35.00
Proudly built by us,
HERE!
WE ARE THE BEST
503.715.0020
www. f romeco.org
$28.00
Fromeco’s Cricket
NEW from Fromeco. Cricket is a voltage monitoring
device. Meant to be mounted in a conspicuous area on
your Aircraft. LED light bar configured in a half round dial
configuration. Mount in cockpit floor or behind dash for a
realistic gauge look.
• Light bar captures lowest voltage in flight.
• Brilliant Blue lights above 5 volts and Red below
5 volts.
tosses built a lot of confidence, so my full
weight went behind the following throws.
The sailplane assumed a mild climbing arc
up to apogee, and then it pushed over
prettily. So far I was impressed.
Once on the wing, the Top Sky floated
smoothly and with responsive roll and pitch
control. It felt light on the wing, as if the allup
weight were significantly less. By adding
the camber you can feel hints of lift, and the
TopSky will heel around quickly to engage.
I noticed that this airplane likes my
aggressive style of thermaling. When I
engage lift, I will attack with some speed and
circle tightly.
It’s unusual for floater-type gliders to
attack lift with speed, but that didn’t seem to
matter with the TopSky. This tells me that
the 1.1 will suit a wide variety of flying
styles and come out fine.
The first full-power toss was a keeper,
topping out at approximately 125 feet. The
clock was just past six minutes when the
model was called home for a system check.
When a new sailplane thermals out on the
first serious toss, that means it will be a
goody!
Subsequent throws confirmed what that
first toss disclosed. “Specking” out was no
problem, other than using up the battery.
When the flaps are deployed, they
provide the ability to slow the TopSky
enough to be at a walk but not enough to
provide adequate braking when set per
factory throws. If you want to get airbrakes,
increase the amount of flap deflection to
approximately 60°. And be ready to maintain
your forward momentum and steer using the
rudder; the ailerons will be ineffective.
Wind penetration was no problem; this
model was set up with a reflex mode as well.
For only 9.9 ounces of weight, it can
penetrate upwind wonderfully. During tests,
the 6 mph wind came through; although that
was not too strong, it was enough for me to
see what the TopSky could do.
On the subject of what it can do, those
Airtronics servos are the quietest digital
units, of any brand, that I’ve used. There was
no digital buzz and solid performance all the
way.
When you consider what the current crop
of contest-level DLGs costs today, the
TopSky is a bargain. Its build quality is great
and rivals many of the top-notch aircraft.
Nothing was done differently to save
weight with regards to assembly or
equipment, and the 1.1 came in under the
magic 10-ounce mark. And on top of all that,
it performs terrifically.
Of the half-dozen pilots I had fly this
model, all agreed that it performed and
handled incredibly well, regardless of price.
That’s impressive!
Mated to the Airtronics 94802 servos, the
TopSky 1.1 has a similar price to an entrylevel
DLG and performance that can make
you competitive in this class. Seldom does
the cost of high quality and high
performance come down, but it has, and its
name is the TopSky 1.1. MA
Mike Skube
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Top Soaring New Technology Co.
LTD./Hobby Club
Box 6004
San Clemente CA 92674
(949) 425-1362
www.hobbyclub.com
www.topsoaring.com
Sources:
Airtronics
(714) 964-0827
www.airtronics.net
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