Radio Control Jets - 2011/04

114 MODEL AVIATION
Running off of the runway because of
braking too hard or losing directional
control is extremely hard on landing gear.
Enough about us Northerners getting
back out flying; let’s move on to using
lights on our jets. This has become
extremely popular, and not just with Scale
models.
Jet meets are hosting night parades,
with aircraft taxiing up and down the
runway with all their lights on. It’s an
Also included in this column:
• Jet lighting systems
• Electronic Gear/Door
Sequencer
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Jets Jim Hiller
Getting back up to speed
Who says jets can’t be fun? Just hang with t he dan ge rously ch eesy Bandit on this BVM
mo del; the kid s c an’t seem to keep their hands off of it .
This simple, cost-effective Electronic
Gear/Door Sequencer from Jet Model
Products allows us to improve the scale
operation of retractable landing gear and
door operations. Many Scale modelers—
besides jet fliers—could benefit from this
device.
THE FLYING SEASON is about to start
for us Northerners; after a long winter off
from flying jets, we are ready. We winter
hibernators have been building for a few
months and not flying, so our thumbs are
well rested—but not well connected.
We need to get back to flying with
respect to our limits. It takes a few flights
at the start of the season before I am
comfortable going full throttle with my
old BobCat, and it’s powered only with a
Jet Central Rabbit with 19 pounds of
thrust.
During the first couple of flights I’ll
do a circuit or two at full throttle, and
then I’ll relax and throttle back to a
comfortable cruise speed. It takes
precision to fly a fast, flat circuit with a
jet at top speed, and small aileron
corrections in the turns can make for
large altitude changes. It’s a very good
practice exercise.
Level and flat is the key. Climbing or
diving in and out of the turns is much
easier, but it’s not good practice at
developing one’s techniques. Once we
get our skills back up to speed, the real
fun will resume.
If you’re new to jets, remember this tip
from an experienced jet flier. Full-throttle,
high-speed flight takes time to build up to
performing. If you’re getting there for the
first time, plan on developing your skills
flying at speed, and
remember to throttle
back and relax.
Find a
comfortable speed,
and then develop
your high-speed
flying skills with a
single higher-powersetting
circuit,
working your way up
to top speed.
Concentrate on
smooth, precise
turns, maintaining
constant altitude.
Don’t climb or dive
through the turns;
work on making that
jet do what you want
it to.
The next toughest thing to do with a
jet is a good landing. Take your time,
concentrate on the basics, and don’t let
your caller distract you during the setup
for touchdown.
I prefer to shoot a couple of landings
during my first session of the year, with a
strong emphasis on flying a good
approach. That makes the landing itself
come out well, naturally.
Braking after touchdown also requires
basic skill and setup development.
Paul Applebaum developed a sweet-flying, lightweight sport jet
for his Wren 44 turbine. This little model has retractable gear and
is a fun everyday flier with no compromises made in performance.
04sig4z_00MSTRPG.QXD 2/22/11 12:10 PM Page 114
impressive sight and sound. These
nighttime shows are becoming a popular
part of jet events, both for the pilots and
for the crowd.
I have resisted the urge to put lights on
my models—until now. I now have my
first set, in preparation for my next
project.
Lights look good and can help you
maintain the orientation of your aircraft.
Some of our camouflage-painted jets can
be difficult to fly; it can be easy to get
disoriented, because camouflage colors do
work to hide the model in flight—
particularly the wings in a turn.
The latest bright daylight-visible
LEDs, along with circuitry necessary for
setting them up, are available from many
sources, and they help us fly our jets.
Who could ask for more?
Lighting packages are available from
the usual jet suppliers, and the variety is
great. Some generic sets can be installed
in any model, and some sets have been
developed for our favorite aircraft.
A look around the field reveals lights
from Details 4 Scale, which are setup well
for specific scale subjects, Dreamworks
Model Products, and ElectroDynamics. I
selected a system from the latter for my
jet.
Andy Low of ElectroDynamics is a
strong supporter of model meets
throughout the Midwest. He attends quite
a few jet gatherings and has a diverse
product line developed around many of
our jet needs. I have experience with
Andy’s electrical products in my models.
There is nothing better than having him
available to discuss our needs and his
product solutions.
I acquired the EDR-117 package with
daylight-visible LEDs. There is one green,
one red, one flashing white, and a separate
bright LED for the landing light, along
with a four-lead Y connector and EDR-
117 RCP Programmable RC Switch Light
Controller.
This is a good basic system. And the
LEDs come prewired with 48-inch wire
lengths and connectors, which are plenty
long for most installations and can be
unplugged for wing removal.
April 2011 115
In addition to the light package I
picked up an A123 two-cell battery for
power and an ED-Nano B6AC pro battery
charger that can accommodate the A123
battery. ElectroDynamics has a diverse
electronics product line for one-stop
shopping, with a nice selection of
electrical solutions.
The EDR-117 Programmable RC
Switch is a nice addition, because it
allows the landing light to be set up to
turn on from a receiver signal. A
suggestion for this is to “Y” from the
landing gear retract channel or flap
channel to control the landing light. A
second output comes on with power
application to the EDR-117 unit, so the
basic navigation lights are turned on with
a simple switch.
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Each of the two outputs from the
EDR-117 switch can power up to five
LEDs, or a total of 10 lights, with plenty
of room for future growth. Additional
lights are available, again complete with
the wires and connectors, for reasonable
prices, allowing you to add lights in the
future.
On the subject of electronic
components, I picked up a Jet Model
Products (JMP) Electronic Gear/Door
Sequencer for my next scale project. I
have used other electronic sequencers.
I still fly models with pneumatic
microvalves that are actuated by the
landing gear for sequencing gear doors.
That’s effective, but it limits my
sequence operations to gear doors
remaining open when the gear is
04sig4z_00MSTRPG.QXD 2/22/11 11:50 AM Page 115
extended. A gear-door sequencer allows
operations to close the gear doors after
the landing gear is extended, which is
typical of many full-scale gear-door
operations.
The Electronic Gear/Door Sequencer
divides the landing gear channel into two
outputs: one for the landing gear retract
servo and one for the gear-door actuation
servo. The air valve from each of these
servos cycles either the pneumatic retract
gear or the air cylinders on the doors.
The JMP unit is simple in operation,
with an easy programming process. A
DIP switch is located inside the case and
can be set up in one of four ways.
Basically, two sequence functions are
available; the gear door is closed
following landing gear extension or the
gear door is opened following landing
gear extension.
The second option is the timing;
choose a three- or five-second delay
following the landing gear motion for the
gear door closing. This covers most of
our aeromodeling needs, keeps setup
simple, and provides the desired
sequencing.
My experience has been that three
seconds is adequate for most Scale
models. It allows the retract sequence to
be completed within a reasonable time
116 MODEL AVIATION
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and flight distance, so that gear and door
operations can be viewed while the model is
in flight.
The five-second delay is preferable with
some heavier landing gear. In competition
with a jet, five seconds is a long distance. If
gear operations are to be completed following
takeoff but before the first turn, that can be a
long way out.
Another feature of the JMP Electronic
Gear/Door Sequencer is a fail-safe, to prevent
accidental gear retraction. If the unit is turned
on with the landing gear switch in the down
position, the servos will hold in the down
position.
The gear and door servos become active
only after the transmitter retract switch is
cycled to the down position. That can prevent
an embarrassing moment, along with repairs
to damaged and scraped gear doors.
I’ll finish with a picture of Paul Applebaum’s
sport craft, which is a great everyday flier. It
is a turbine-powered flying wing with
retractable landing gear.
Paul took his model to the Route 66 Jets
event and proved that a Wren 44 could run
with the big turbines. A small package with a
lightweight, clean airframe is all you need for
speed and performance.
It was enjoyable to watch Paul fly his
model often and hard, and he generously
handed me the sticks for a flight. He put
together an extraordinarily enjoyable flying
package.
One thing that impressed me, having
flown propeller-driven models with similar
designs, was how true his aircraft flew with
turbine power. There was no torque or Pfactor
influence, and slow rolls, inside and
outside loops, and knife-edge flight were
straight on.
Thanks for the go at it, Paul. MA
Sources:
Details 4 Scale
(208) 233-4721
www.details4scale.com
Dreamworks Model Products
(386) 852-4793
www.dreamworksrc.com
ElectroDynamics
(734) 422-5420
http://electrodynam.com
Jet Model Products
(816) 331-0356
www.jetmodelproducts.com
Jet Pilots Organization
www.jetpilots.org
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