Radio Control Aerobatics - 2008/09

98 MODEL AVIATION
WE HAVE LOST a great RC Aerobatics (Pattern) pilot and
competitor. I received a note from Bob Lee, letting me know that
Kirk Gray passed away June 1, 2008, from a heart attack.
I was shocked because he was only 41 years old. There is
something wrong about people dying who are 20 years younger
than you are; it’s just not the natural order of things.
My wife and I loved watching Kirk fly in competition. He had
an easygoing approach to the events. We were in the judges’
chairs when he won the Nats. Kirk stood out there with his
baseball cap on backward and feet apart, and then as casual as can
be, he drew lines in the sky that were a sight to behold.
Kirk was a Florence, South Carolina, boy who loved fishing,
hunting, and NASCAR. As he walked down the street, you would
never guess from his quiet Southern demeanor that he represented
the US several times as a member of the F3A (FAI RC
Aerobatics) World Championships team.
Kirk will be missed in the world of Pattern, and most sincere
condolences go out to his family. Although his services were held
June 4, you can still send donations to the American Heart
Association. (The address is in the source listing at the end of the
column.)
I searched my archives for an individual photo of Kirk, but he
was always in a group of fellow competitors. The one I found
shows him where he liked to be: at the top, competing with the
best.
Chip Hyde is a longtime AMA member, friend, and associate of
Kirk’s, who is still active and productive in the Pattern world.
Todd Blose sent me information
about the latest Pattern design he
has been putting together. It is an
FAI model called the Pass-Port
EP, designed by Chip and
Marcelo Colombo of Argentina. It
is intended for use in all F3A
competition classes.
The Pass-Port comes in several
forms, to match individual
budgets and competition flying
levels. It is manufactured and sold
exclusively through CA Model
and its authorized dealers, and is sold in the US by Netbox
Hobby.com. (See the source list at the end of my column.)
Following is Todd’s synopsis of how the model goes together.
(You can get a much more comprehensive read of his work on his
Web site.)
“The plane went together with no real problems. Some
attention had to be made as how to set and get the servos in for
the split rudder. That took some time. Everything else went
together very easily. I believe the best starting point on the setup
is 1/2 degree positive on the wings and 0 degrees on the stab. The
motor has been set to the nose ring and works great for me.
“The CG is on the center of the wing tube but some guys have
the CG just forward of the tube and like that setup also. The
weight on my Pass-Port came out at 10 pounds, 15 ounces
without any lightening work. I now have about 100 flights on the
plane and there are a few small mixes, here they are: I have 6
percent rudder to elevator mix and 5 percent rudder to aileron
mix.
“The plane is rock solid and easily the best rolling plane I have
ever flown; yes, even better than the Chip Hyde biplane that I
thought was the best. It does all of the rolling maneuvers with
ease. So far I have not seen any problems with the plane. The
only thing that I would recommend that you do (if you are going
glow) is beef-up the fuselage by adding an extra former behind
the canopy, and add a crutch down the back of the fuse.
“The plane is built to be very light so the YS could do some
damage if you do not take some precautions and carefully add
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Aerobatics Eric Henderson
Also included in this column:
• CA Model’s Pass-Port EP
Thank you, Kirk Gray. We’ll miss you very much
Left: Todd Blose assembled and tested this
new design from Chip Hyde and Marcelo
Colombo.
Below: Todd Blose, a
many-time Nats FAI
finalist, shows off his
own Pass-Port.
Right: Pattern pilot Kirk Gray,
shown wearing his stars-andstripes
FAI team shirt, passed
away in June.
98 MODEL AVIATION
September 2008 99
some structural support
where needed. The
weight with the YS 170
is 10 pounds 6 ounces so
you have some weight to
play with to make it a
little stronger.
“The Pass-Port goes
together in around four
evenings or 16 to 20
hours depending on how
excited you are to get the
plane finished and on
what version you buy.
The 10 pound 15 ounce
weight on my completed
Pass-Port includes a pair
of FlightPower Evo 5350
5S Li-Poly batteries for
the motor power.
“This weight, you
should remember is with
a Hyde mount and tail
ring, one extra servo and
a 48-inch lead for the
rudder. If you decide to
go with the standard rudder and the electric
motor hard mounted yours will be even
lighter.
“The equipment I used is as follows:
Futaba 14MZ 2.4 FASST system with a
6014 receiver; Futaba 9650 rudder and
elevator servos; Futaba BLS 451 servos on
the ailerons; Hacker C50 XL14 motor
system; two FlightPower 5350 5S for the
motor; FlightPower 350 mAh Li-Poly for
the receiver; MK Ball links on all servos;
MK tail wheel; APC 20.4 x 14E propeller.
“Here are the weights on my Pass-Port
for your own reference: Pass-Port fuselage
with canopy and chin cowl: 1190 grams;
stabilizer halves: 92 grams each; wing
panels: 396 grams each; rudder: 56 grams;
set of wheel pants: 35 grams; the sub-total
weight, less gear and tubes: 2257 grams. I
checked the weight on everything else and
the grand total weight is 2526 grams.”
Todd touched on the various options
that are available to buy. The Pass-Port is
being offered in three primary levels of
completion: kit, Almost Ready-to-Cover
(ARC), and ARF.
The model also comes in different
configurations within each level; the
variations are degrees of equipment
supplied and final finishes. The ARFs and
the preceding are packed in a wooden
crate for added protection.
The Standard version (kit, ARC, and
ARF) features a fiberglass fuselage, wings,
stabilizer, and rudder, sheeted with 1.5mm
balsa, side force generator (SFG), plug-in
wing and stabilizer, clear canopy, carbon
landing gear, and 3mm plywood formers
and parts. The firewall is 4mm balsa with
the fiberglass fuselage floor in balsa with
fiberglass.
A wing and stabilizer incidence
regulator is included. As an ARF, the wing
and stabilizer are covered with Oracover,
and the fuselage is painted and lacquered.
The Full version (kit, ARC, and ARF)
includes everything featured in the
Standard version and a carbon spinner,
carbon-fiber wing and stabilizer tube, and
control horns with ball bearings. Also
included are full carry and cover bags.
The Deluxe version is the Full version
with the fuselage made with carbonfiber/
Kevlar construction, the formers and
parts made with honeycomb material, the
wings and stabilizers painted and
lacquered or finished with Oracover, and
ultra-light wheels.
CA Model has come up with a menu of
available options that addresses the needs
and appetites that vary so much among
Pattern pilots. Some are experience
builders. Some fly more than they want to
build.
Many substitute their own accessories
and components. Many others upgrade a
basic kit to higher levels of composite
parts that are usually lighter and often
stronger. Kit builders or ARF fliers
commonly upgrade to tighter control
connections such as ball-bearing clevises
and control horns.
Todd mentioned that the Pass-Port is
the first kit offering the option of a split or
standard rudder and removable SFGs. The
split rudder is a proven concept and has
been around for many years as a type of
air brake. Chip chose to go with the split
rudder to help deaden the rudder’s
effectiveness around the center.
Basically, when rudder input is given,
only half of it moves; the other half stays
straight. The exception is during Stall
Turns, when the halves move together.
This is done with the help of the Futaba
14MZ and two servos—one for each
rudder half.
The servos are run to two different
channels and mixed in the transmitter.
When the switch is moved to the other
position, the rudder acts as one solid
rudder for Stall Turns. Doing that for
normal flight has allowed the SFGs to
have the same characteristics in yaw as a
biplane.
The SFGs have two 4-40 screws
through the wingtip to hold them in place.
By removing the two screws, the SFGs can
be removed and the tip put back in place.
We have found that the split rudder and
SFGs help in both knife-edge flight and
the knife-edge Loop. The model takes very
little rudder for the rolling and knife-edge
maneuvers. The SFGs are removable,
giving the pilot the option to have them on
or off, depending on his or her flying
style.
Another aspect of a split rudder is the
program capability of using it as a drag
brake on a long down-line or on final
landing approach. In addition to all the
exciting design choices that are available,
you also have an invitation to do some
creative programming for old challenges
such as a spin entry.
If you have any questions about the
design, its pricing, or its availability,
please send them via E-mail to Luiz at
Netbox Hobby.com.
Till next time, fly long and fly often. MA
Sources:
American Heart Association
181 E. Evans St., BTC Suite 200
Florence SC 29501
Netbox Hobby.com
(305) 278-7601
www.netboxhobby.com
Todd Blose
www.toddblose.homestead.com
Luiz at Netbox Hobby.com
[email protected]
Above: A rear view of the Pass-Port’s split rudder, which
has many programming possibilities.
Left: What’s in the box? This is how a Pass-Port ARF
could arrive at your door.