RADIO CONTROL SCALE AEROBATICS - 2003/05

May 2003 93
NEW PRODUCTS for Modelers Who Demand the Best: In past
issues I’ve written a great deal about being cost effective and
getting a model done right for the least amount of money. But
somehow I feel like I might be leaving some of you out. We all like
to save a few bucks here and there, but there are those who want to
have the finest equipment and hardware that money can buy. Come
on, we can’t let the jet pilots have all the cool stuff!
So for those of you who sport a Rolex at work and a Breitling at
the flying field, I bring you “Mike’s Picks” for the best “price is no
object” equipment, hardware, and accessories for the discriminating
Scale Aerobatics (SA) enthusiast. Enjoy and, pardon me, do you
have any Grey Poupon?
Giant Scale Pilots: Bryan Gillmore—one of the head technicians
at Desert Aircraft—is producing lightweight fiberglass pilot busts
for Giant Scale models. Shown are the F1 pilots. I first saw these at
the 2002 Tournament of Champions (TOC) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jason Shulman had one in his 40% FiberClassics Extra 330, and the
appearance of the F1 pilot in an SA airplane was fantastic.
These guys are big! The F1 is 8 inches tall and has a shoulder
width of 91⁄4 inches. It should work well for those of you who are
trying to find a pilot for that 40-50% SA airplane. All of Bryan’s
pilots are made from 100% fiberglass and are extremely
lightweight; the F1 weighs just 31⁄2 ounces.
For approximately $60 you can buy the pilot in a white gel coat
that you paint. That’s not tremendously spendy, you say, but who
wants to get paint under their fingernails? The discriminating
modeler can opt for one with a wild custom paint job like those
shown. Cost for the pilot with custom paint can run anywhere from
$100 to $300. An optional carbon-fiber visor can be added for $15;
it doesn’t help the guy see any better, but it sure looks cool! Visors
are operational too.
Bryan presently makes the F1-style pilot in 45%, and for those
who don’t want to be encumbered with silly safety items such as
helmets, a 40% fiberglass Dave Von Linsowe pilot with aviator
glasses and headphones is available. Bryan also has plans for a 35%
pilot in the near future. You can get in touch with him at (520) 241-
6121 or order the pilots from www.jasonshulman.com.
PowerfLite Batteries for Electric Airplanes: This past winter’s
weather and my insane building schedule have seen me stuck in the
workshop more than any healthy person should endure. For a little
reprieve I decided to experiment with an SA slow flyer design that
could hover, torque roll, and do all of the 3-D maneuvers that I like
to do with my big airplanes.
The key to 3-D is not bigger motors and more power; it’s light
weight. And the smaller the airplane, the lower the wing loading
must be to achieve the desired performance. My goal was to have a
total flying weight of less than 10 ounces, with a wing area of
roughly 200 square inches. When complete I had an aircraft that
was approximately 7.8 ounces without a battery, so the pack needed
to be limited to roughly 2.2 ounces or less.
I wanted to supply 9.6 volts or more to the motor so an eightcell
Ni-Cd pack would work fine. I found a set of cells that fit the
bill, but at 110 mAh the model could only hover for approximately
30 seconds, and after that the straight and level flight time sloped
off dramatically. Enter PowerfLite batteries!
PowerfLite distributes a lithium-polymer cell system that is
lightweight, powerful, and long lasting. Try 12.0 volts peak with
10.8 volts nominal at 1020 mAh, all at just 2.2 ounces! With the
PowerfLite battery I can torque roll, hover, perform high-alpha
Mike Hurley, 11542 Decatur Ct., Westminster CO 80234; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SCALE AEROBATICS
With PowerfLite’s lithium-polymer battery system, you’ll still be
flying while your buddies are waiting for a recharge!
Bryan Gillmore’s 45% Formula 1 fiberglass pilot adds a touch of
realism along with just the right amount of panache.
flight, and do almost any other power maneuver in the book for
roughly 15 minutes straight. Why, you ask, is this system in a
column about upscale accessories?
Although the PowerfLites are far superior, once charged, to Ni-
Cds in this application, the downside is that they must be charged
rather slowly. It takes two to six hours to recharge the lithiumpolymer
pack. So for use as a flight pack, it’s almost mandatory
that you have three or four packs precharged for a nice afternoon of
flying. And at $135 a pop, you might have to forego the Grey
Poupon and live with French’s for a few weeks.
The PowerfLite lithium-polymer packs seem to be the best
technology you can get for this application right now. They made
all the difference in my slow flyer project,
but for real practicality you’re going to
have to make a commitment that requires
the pockets of J.D. Rockefeller. Of course,
I’m sure that won’t be a problem for the
Radio Control (RC) connoisseur.
For more information about PowerfLite
systems, go to www.skybornelectronics.
com or call (972) 267-5099. (The slow
flyer aircraft design is not mine, and I’m
not at liberty to give further information.)
Fast Fueler: Italy’s Marco Benincasa may
have had a suave Ferrari paint scheme on
his TOC airplane that was the envy of
aristocratic RC pilots everywhere, but he
didn’t have a fuel-delivery system that
could live up to the panache of the Fast
Fueler by Jim Martin!
Any of you who have been around
precision RC Aerobatics for more than a
few years may remember the name Jersey
Jim Martin. In the 1970s Jim was one of
the top contenders in the Pattern world,
with his share of national titles. Jim even
flew in one of the early TOCs, and he’s
well known for the legendary Banshee
Pattern aircraft design. During the 1980s
and early 1990s Jim got into automotive
racing with his son. Never satisfied with
what’s available, and being the
consummate tinkerer, Jim designed and
built upscale parts for his race cars. His
products varied from fuel injection to dry
sump oiling systems and more.
The good news for us is that Jim is now
into flying Giant Scale SA and is bringing
his racing experience and innovative ideas
into our sport. Don’t get your cool meters
too close to the Fast Fueler because it’s
likely to blow the top right off. Jim’s
fueling system is completely handmade
with high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum.
Jim does all of the machining, welding, and
assembly himself.
The fueler holds approximately three
gallons of fuel and operates by
pressurization. Plastic gas tanks expand
and do not allow much pressure to build
up, meaning you get a slow trickle of fuel.
The Fast Fueler holds its shape and, with 8
to 10 pounds of pressure, will fill a 50-
ounce GS tank in short order. And being a
completely closed system, the Fast Fueler
prevents any vapors in the car or trailer.
I’ve been using the Fast Fueler for the
last three years. I can attest that besides
being extremely high-tech-looking, it’s
fast, safe, and reliable. All right, so we’ll
share a little with the jet pilots this time.
You can get this system especially
designed for Jet-A or kerosene; it’s called
the Jet Fueler. Don’t jump off your wallets
yet—the Fast Fueler will set you back
$350. It’s rather extravagant. But, like
Marco, if you can appreciate the artistry in
a hand-built, high-quality automobile,
you’ll appreciate the Fast Fueler’s appeal.
For those who crave the finest, it’s worth
every penny.
Prop Balancer: Frustrated with propeller
balancers that were meant for 8- to 14-inch
propellers, Jim Martin decided to build a
balancer that would work well for those of
us in Giant Scale Aerobatics. Staying true
to form, Jim designed the balancer to be
more than merely functional. As are his
fueling systems, Jim’s new balancer is
made with aircraft-grade aluminum and
other high-quality materials, with an
aesthetic design that’ll make everyone take
notice.
The unit uses powerful magnets that
suspend the propeller on a shaft with zero
friction. Suspended only by magnetism,
neither the propeller nor the balancer’s
centering shaft is in contact with the stand,
allowing total freedom of movement that
will allow for the slightest balance
discrepancy. The centering shaft is
designed for large SA-type propellers with
a 10mm center bore.
The picture I’ve included is of the
prototype balancer. As usual for projects of
this type, expect some evolutionary
changes for the production units. The
projected price of the balancer will be
somewhere near $100. For the Prop
Balancer or the Fast Fueler, contact Jim
Martin at JM Service at (570) 296-7756 or
E-mail him at [email protected]. MA
With JM Service’s Prop Balancer, you will have the smoothestrunning
model and friends will applaud your taste in table art.
The Fast Fueler holds three gallons of gasoline and will fill your
tank quickly. A video instruction manual is included.
94 MODEL AVIATION