116 MODEL AVIATION
BEFORE I START with this month’s topics, I want to take a few
lines to apologize for this column’s absence. I missed a deadline
because of a variety of issues. The main distraction was attending five
funerals in six weeks and dealing with the loss of three relatives and
two friends.
Anyway, I’m back on track and will return to the every-othermonth
format.
Winches: A few
months ago, there
was a lively
discussion on the RC
Soaring Exchange
regarding winch
power, line size, and
technique. The
subject came up as a
result of the
announcement of the
new “super sized”
Icon from Don
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Darwin Barrie
Also included in this column:
• Southwest Classic report
• The new Icon 2
• Discus hand-launch Blaster 2
• New job takes instruments
Winches: can one size fit all? We found that it could
The latest and greatest Hands Free Retriever from Rick Bothell.
This is a direct-driver unit with improved motors and drum
assembly.
The Central Arizona Soaring League winch with dual solenoids,
safety switch, and mounting platform. You can see the resistor.
The resistor setup is extremely simple but extremely effective.
This should leave no doubt about the stress we are putting on our
models in the landing phase. Looks like a 15 landing!
Peters at Maple Leaf Designs (which I will discuss later). The
dilemma was how to deal with the wide variety of sailplanes pilots
take to contests and how to launch them.
We are getting into using winches with 400-pound-test line to
launch the larger, heavier hardware. This is a detriment to the smaller,
lighter models such as the Two-Meter, Woody, and RES (rudder,
elevator, spoiler) class. What do we do?
At the Southwest Classic last year, we had extremely powerful
winches. Unfortunately we had a bad batch of line and were plagued
with continuous breaks and the resulting delays. Many were
dismayed, but it was completely out of our control.
This year, Rick Bothell of Hands Free Retriever fame completely
rebuilt the winches from the ground up. After the rebuild, the winches
were tested with a resistor. The goal was to be able to launch the
biggest sailplanes without stalling the winches, but not overpowering
them. The other goal was to make all the winches equal.
To do that, resistors were constructed to limit the power of the
winches and equalize them; the photos show the resistor setup. The
winches are working great and are evenly matched in actual use.
The photo is fairly self-explanatory. Rick molded a battery end
terminal and poured the lead. Ten strands of approximately 16-gauge
copper wire were inserted into the terminal.
These served as the resistor. The other ends
were connected to the female end that
attached to the battery.
The testing process involved launching a
variety of gliders, with the largest being two
different Pike Perfects. We started with all
10 strands and launched, and there were no
problems launching. One strand at a time
was cut and the launch process was repeated.
We got down to five strands before the
winches were incapable of a reasonable
launch. The process was continued until the
resistor melted. This occurred at two strands.
We settled on seven strands. That provided
the best launches with a little buffer.
To further this effort, Rick made a device
he affectionately called the “Rick O’ Meter.”
I do not have a picture, but it has a spring
attached and a mechanical meter to measure
the power of the winches. The line is
attached and the winch is pedaled until it
stalls. The point is marked. All our club
winches were measured and found to be
extremely close with the same resistor
strands.
Unlike in many areas of the US, we in the
Southwest operate in a dirt environment
without the benefit of grass. The line from
the turnaround to the winch takes a beating.
After considerable testing, we settled on
The author (R) at his new job with flight nurse Chad Boesl. Flight medic Gene Lopez took
the photo.
400-pound test on the ground. The 400-pound line runs from the
winch to roughly 50 feet to the model side of the turnaround. From
there, 300-pound line takes up the load.
This combination has proven to be durable and will launch anything from the “cheesy” gliders to the Pike-class
sailplanes. Although the line sounds
extremely heavy, it is actually light—despite
the poundage. It is manufactured to be light.
Did it work? I am happy to report that the
winches and line performed flawlessly. The
2008 Southwest Classic was an extreme
success. So we added a round to Saturday.
Much of the day both days, the winch
operators stood around waiting for fliers.
Potential sandbaggers were easy to identify.
The only issue was an occasional break on
the retriever lines. According to the Winch
Master, there were only three main line breaks
during the entire contest.
How did the contestants like it? All
comments were positive. The new Icon was
launched without issue, as were the lightest of
the Two-Meter and Woody-class models.
Even those who tend to test the CD with
extreme line loading were unable to defeat the
system.
This year’s Southwest Classic had 81 in
Open, 10 in Two-Meter, 34 in RES, 10 in
Woody, two in Youth, and 13 in Gray Cup.
These numbers represent those who posted
scores.
The contest’s numbers were down this
year. I talked to a few of those who didn’t
attend, and the reasons for their absences
varied from the increased cost to travel to
family conflicts. A couple of pilots were
honest and said they were concerned about a
118 MODEL AVIATION
repeat of problems from the previous year.
The contest days were fabulous, with cool
temps in the morning and warm afternoons,
with the exception of Friday when it rained all
day. Finding lift was not a problem.
You can find scores and placings on
RCSoaring.com.
The new Icon 2 is in production. You can
find details on Don Peters’ Web site. He
related that the current backlog is seven
months, and the price is $2,100. This includes
an all-carbon wing, wiring harness, and
ballast system.
Phil Renaud flew one of the Icon 2
prototypes at the Southwest Classic. I was too
busy to get stick time, but several pilots got to
fly the sailplane and were impressed. Phil said
that the model has a nice roll rate and does not
fly “heavy,” as would be expected with a
larger glider.
The rudder and coupling are effective and
make for coordinated turns. The ability to
range out is one of the nicest features. Both
the size and the design serve well for this
capability.
As usual, Don has a winner.
The new Blaster 2 discus hand-launch glider
is available from Barry Kennedy at Kennedy
Composites. The model has some significant
differences from the original Blaster.
The wing is pylon mounted and has a little
more dihedral. The wing is available in both
left- and right-handed models with a moldedin
launching blade.
The fuselage now incorporates a nose cone
and crutch system for mounting the radio
gear. The tail feathers are all molded and
lighter than the original Blaster’s. My model
came in at just less than the 11-ounce
advertised weight.
There is a significant difference in the
flight characteristics from the original Blaster.
Although lighter, the newer version penetrates
better than the original and flies extremely
light. I think it will prove to be a great “allday”
sailplane. With an ounce or two of
ballast, the Blaster 2 will easily handle the
windy conditions that often come up at some
venues.
As I noted in the opening comments, I had a
rough few months. After the confusion of the
fall, I decided to go back to work after being
retired from law enforcement for 31/2 years. It
wasn’t that easy.
My desired job was flying medical
helicopters for AirEvac Services Inc., a
division of PHI, Inc. PHI used to be known as
Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated, but after
an ownership change it is now known as just
PHI, Inc.
The company is based in Lafayette,
Louisiana, with a primary emphasis on
transport of oil and gas workers to the
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The Air
Medical sector is growing dramatically.
I had all the flight-hour requirements for
the job but lacked the instrument rating. So in
December I set out to get my fixed-wing
instrument rating. In early January I
completed the fixed-wing IFR ticket. Within
two weeks, I began the instrument training in
helicopters and completed that on February
23. Three weeks later I was gainfully
employed.
Anyone who flies can tell you that the
instrument ticket is one of the toughest to get.
Throw in the instrument helicopter, and you
have a stressful couple of months.
I am now working in Yuma, Arizona,
flying a new Bell 407 helicopter. We work
seven days on, seven days off, and 12-hour
shifts. I still live in Chandler, Arizona, but I
have to stay in Yuma during my shift. We
have a deal with a hotel for a great rate. I fly
to Yuma in my RV-7, which cuts my travel
time by one-fourth.
I’ve included a picture of the aircraft I fly.
The good news is that I utilize the “wait” time
to build models. So far I’ve finished two
Hand-Launched Gliders and three electrics.
In the next column I’m going to cover some
new products that are on the market. MA
Sources:
RC Soaring Exchange
www.eclipse.net/~mikel/rcse/rcse.htm
Maple Leaf Design
(529) 749-1588
www.mapleleafdesign.com
RCSoaring.com
www.rcsoaring.com
Hands Free Retriever
(928) 775-3265
www.handsfreeretriever.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/09
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/09
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
116 MODEL AVIATION
BEFORE I START with this month’s topics, I want to take a few
lines to apologize for this column’s absence. I missed a deadline
because of a variety of issues. The main distraction was attending five
funerals in six weeks and dealing with the loss of three relatives and
two friends.
Anyway, I’m back on track and will return to the every-othermonth
format.
Winches: A few
months ago, there
was a lively
discussion on the RC
Soaring Exchange
regarding winch
power, line size, and
technique. The
subject came up as a
result of the
announcement of the
new “super sized”
Icon from Don
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Darwin Barrie
Also included in this column:
• Southwest Classic report
• The new Icon 2
• Discus hand-launch Blaster 2
• New job takes instruments
Winches: can one size fit all? We found that it could
The latest and greatest Hands Free Retriever from Rick Bothell.
This is a direct-driver unit with improved motors and drum
assembly.
The Central Arizona Soaring League winch with dual solenoids,
safety switch, and mounting platform. You can see the resistor.
The resistor setup is extremely simple but extremely effective.
This should leave no doubt about the stress we are putting on our
models in the landing phase. Looks like a 15 landing!
Peters at Maple Leaf Designs (which I will discuss later). The
dilemma was how to deal with the wide variety of sailplanes pilots
take to contests and how to launch them.
We are getting into using winches with 400-pound-test line to
launch the larger, heavier hardware. This is a detriment to the smaller,
lighter models such as the Two-Meter, Woody, and RES (rudder,
elevator, spoiler) class. What do we do?
At the Southwest Classic last year, we had extremely powerful
winches. Unfortunately we had a bad batch of line and were plagued
with continuous breaks and the resulting delays. Many were
dismayed, but it was completely out of our control.
This year, Rick Bothell of Hands Free Retriever fame completely
rebuilt the winches from the ground up. After the rebuild, the winches
were tested with a resistor. The goal was to be able to launch the
biggest sailplanes without stalling the winches, but not overpowering
them. The other goal was to make all the winches equal.
To do that, resistors were constructed to limit the power of the
winches and equalize them; the photos show the resistor setup. The
winches are working great and are evenly matched in actual use.
The photo is fairly self-explanatory. Rick molded a battery end
terminal and poured the lead. Ten strands of approximately 16-gauge
copper wire were inserted into the terminal.
These served as the resistor. The other ends
were connected to the female end that
attached to the battery.
The testing process involved launching a
variety of gliders, with the largest being two
different Pike Perfects. We started with all
10 strands and launched, and there were no
problems launching. One strand at a time
was cut and the launch process was repeated.
We got down to five strands before the
winches were incapable of a reasonable
launch. The process was continued until the
resistor melted. This occurred at two strands.
We settled on seven strands. That provided
the best launches with a little buffer.
To further this effort, Rick made a device
he affectionately called the “Rick O’ Meter.”
I do not have a picture, but it has a spring
attached and a mechanical meter to measure
the power of the winches. The line is
attached and the winch is pedaled until it
stalls. The point is marked. All our club
winches were measured and found to be
extremely close with the same resistor
strands.
Unlike in many areas of the US, we in the
Southwest operate in a dirt environment
without the benefit of grass. The line from
the turnaround to the winch takes a beating.
After considerable testing, we settled on
The author (R) at his new job with flight nurse Chad Boesl. Flight medic Gene Lopez took
the photo.
400-pound test on the ground. The 400-pound line runs from the
winch to roughly 50 feet to the model side of the turnaround. From
there, 300-pound line takes up the load.
This combination has proven to be durable and will launch anything from the “cheesy” gliders to the Pike-class
sailplanes. Although the line sounds
extremely heavy, it is actually light—despite
the poundage. It is manufactured to be light.
Did it work? I am happy to report that the
winches and line performed flawlessly. The
2008 Southwest Classic was an extreme
success. So we added a round to Saturday.
Much of the day both days, the winch
operators stood around waiting for fliers.
Potential sandbaggers were easy to identify.
The only issue was an occasional break on
the retriever lines. According to the Winch
Master, there were only three main line breaks
during the entire contest.
How did the contestants like it? All
comments were positive. The new Icon was
launched without issue, as were the lightest of
the Two-Meter and Woody-class models.
Even those who tend to test the CD with
extreme line loading were unable to defeat the
system.
This year’s Southwest Classic had 81 in
Open, 10 in Two-Meter, 34 in RES, 10 in
Woody, two in Youth, and 13 in Gray Cup.
These numbers represent those who posted
scores.
The contest’s numbers were down this
year. I talked to a few of those who didn’t
attend, and the reasons for their absences
varied from the increased cost to travel to
family conflicts. A couple of pilots were
honest and said they were concerned about a
118 MODEL AVIATION
repeat of problems from the previous year.
The contest days were fabulous, with cool
temps in the morning and warm afternoons,
with the exception of Friday when it rained all
day. Finding lift was not a problem.
You can find scores and placings on
RCSoaring.com.
The new Icon 2 is in production. You can
find details on Don Peters’ Web site. He
related that the current backlog is seven
months, and the price is $2,100. This includes
an all-carbon wing, wiring harness, and
ballast system.
Phil Renaud flew one of the Icon 2
prototypes at the Southwest Classic. I was too
busy to get stick time, but several pilots got to
fly the sailplane and were impressed. Phil said
that the model has a nice roll rate and does not
fly “heavy,” as would be expected with a
larger glider.
The rudder and coupling are effective and
make for coordinated turns. The ability to
range out is one of the nicest features. Both
the size and the design serve well for this
capability.
As usual, Don has a winner.
The new Blaster 2 discus hand-launch glider
is available from Barry Kennedy at Kennedy
Composites. The model has some significant
differences from the original Blaster.
The wing is pylon mounted and has a little
more dihedral. The wing is available in both
left- and right-handed models with a moldedin
launching blade.
The fuselage now incorporates a nose cone
and crutch system for mounting the radio
gear. The tail feathers are all molded and
lighter than the original Blaster’s. My model
came in at just less than the 11-ounce
advertised weight.
There is a significant difference in the
flight characteristics from the original Blaster.
Although lighter, the newer version penetrates
better than the original and flies extremely
light. I think it will prove to be a great “allday”
sailplane. With an ounce or two of
ballast, the Blaster 2 will easily handle the
windy conditions that often come up at some
venues.
As I noted in the opening comments, I had a
rough few months. After the confusion of the
fall, I decided to go back to work after being
retired from law enforcement for 31/2 years. It
wasn’t that easy.
My desired job was flying medical
helicopters for AirEvac Services Inc., a
division of PHI, Inc. PHI used to be known as
Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated, but after
an ownership change it is now known as just
PHI, Inc.
The company is based in Lafayette,
Louisiana, with a primary emphasis on
transport of oil and gas workers to the
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The Air
Medical sector is growing dramatically.
I had all the flight-hour requirements for
the job but lacked the instrument rating. So in
December I set out to get my fixed-wing
instrument rating. In early January I
completed the fixed-wing IFR ticket. Within
two weeks, I began the instrument training in
helicopters and completed that on February
23. Three weeks later I was gainfully
employed.
Anyone who flies can tell you that the
instrument ticket is one of the toughest to get.
Throw in the instrument helicopter, and you
have a stressful couple of months.
I am now working in Yuma, Arizona,
flying a new Bell 407 helicopter. We work
seven days on, seven days off, and 12-hour
shifts. I still live in Chandler, Arizona, but I
have to stay in Yuma during my shift. We
have a deal with a hotel for a great rate. I fly
to Yuma in my RV-7, which cuts my travel
time by one-fourth.
I’ve included a picture of the aircraft I fly.
The good news is that I utilize the “wait” time
to build models. So far I’ve finished two
Hand-Launched Gliders and three electrics.
In the next column I’m going to cover some
new products that are on the market. MA
Sources:
RC Soaring Exchange
www.eclipse.net/~mikel/rcse/rcse.htm
Maple Leaf Design
(529) 749-1588
www.mapleleafdesign.com
RCSoaring.com
www.rcsoaring.com
Hands Free Retriever
(928) 775-3265
www.handsfreeretriever.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/09
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
116 MODEL AVIATION
BEFORE I START with this month’s topics, I want to take a few
lines to apologize for this column’s absence. I missed a deadline
because of a variety of issues. The main distraction was attending five
funerals in six weeks and dealing with the loss of three relatives and
two friends.
Anyway, I’m back on track and will return to the every-othermonth
format.
Winches: A few
months ago, there
was a lively
discussion on the RC
Soaring Exchange
regarding winch
power, line size, and
technique. The
subject came up as a
result of the
announcement of the
new “super sized”
Icon from Don
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Darwin Barrie
Also included in this column:
• Southwest Classic report
• The new Icon 2
• Discus hand-launch Blaster 2
• New job takes instruments
Winches: can one size fit all? We found that it could
The latest and greatest Hands Free Retriever from Rick Bothell.
This is a direct-driver unit with improved motors and drum
assembly.
The Central Arizona Soaring League winch with dual solenoids,
safety switch, and mounting platform. You can see the resistor.
The resistor setup is extremely simple but extremely effective.
This should leave no doubt about the stress we are putting on our
models in the landing phase. Looks like a 15 landing!
Peters at Maple Leaf Designs (which I will discuss later). The
dilemma was how to deal with the wide variety of sailplanes pilots
take to contests and how to launch them.
We are getting into using winches with 400-pound-test line to
launch the larger, heavier hardware. This is a detriment to the smaller,
lighter models such as the Two-Meter, Woody, and RES (rudder,
elevator, spoiler) class. What do we do?
At the Southwest Classic last year, we had extremely powerful
winches. Unfortunately we had a bad batch of line and were plagued
with continuous breaks and the resulting delays. Many were
dismayed, but it was completely out of our control.
This year, Rick Bothell of Hands Free Retriever fame completely
rebuilt the winches from the ground up. After the rebuild, the winches
were tested with a resistor. The goal was to be able to launch the
biggest sailplanes without stalling the winches, but not overpowering
them. The other goal was to make all the winches equal.
To do that, resistors were constructed to limit the power of the
winches and equalize them; the photos show the resistor setup. The
winches are working great and are evenly matched in actual use.
The photo is fairly self-explanatory. Rick molded a battery end
terminal and poured the lead. Ten strands of approximately 16-gauge
copper wire were inserted into the terminal.
These served as the resistor. The other ends
were connected to the female end that
attached to the battery.
The testing process involved launching a
variety of gliders, with the largest being two
different Pike Perfects. We started with all
10 strands and launched, and there were no
problems launching. One strand at a time
was cut and the launch process was repeated.
We got down to five strands before the
winches were incapable of a reasonable
launch. The process was continued until the
resistor melted. This occurred at two strands.
We settled on seven strands. That provided
the best launches with a little buffer.
To further this effort, Rick made a device
he affectionately called the “Rick O’ Meter.”
I do not have a picture, but it has a spring
attached and a mechanical meter to measure
the power of the winches. The line is
attached and the winch is pedaled until it
stalls. The point is marked. All our club
winches were measured and found to be
extremely close with the same resistor
strands.
Unlike in many areas of the US, we in the
Southwest operate in a dirt environment
without the benefit of grass. The line from
the turnaround to the winch takes a beating.
After considerable testing, we settled on
The author (R) at his new job with flight nurse Chad Boesl. Flight medic Gene Lopez took
the photo.
400-pound test on the ground. The 400-pound line runs from the
winch to roughly 50 feet to the model side of the turnaround. From
there, 300-pound line takes up the load.
This combination has proven to be durable and will launch anything from the “cheesy” gliders to the Pike-class
sailplanes. Although the line sounds
extremely heavy, it is actually light—despite
the poundage. It is manufactured to be light.
Did it work? I am happy to report that the
winches and line performed flawlessly. The
2008 Southwest Classic was an extreme
success. So we added a round to Saturday.
Much of the day both days, the winch
operators stood around waiting for fliers.
Potential sandbaggers were easy to identify.
The only issue was an occasional break on
the retriever lines. According to the Winch
Master, there were only three main line breaks
during the entire contest.
How did the contestants like it? All
comments were positive. The new Icon was
launched without issue, as were the lightest of
the Two-Meter and Woody-class models.
Even those who tend to test the CD with
extreme line loading were unable to defeat the
system.
This year’s Southwest Classic had 81 in
Open, 10 in Two-Meter, 34 in RES, 10 in
Woody, two in Youth, and 13 in Gray Cup.
These numbers represent those who posted
scores.
The contest’s numbers were down this
year. I talked to a few of those who didn’t
attend, and the reasons for their absences
varied from the increased cost to travel to
family conflicts. A couple of pilots were
honest and said they were concerned about a
118 MODEL AVIATION
repeat of problems from the previous year.
The contest days were fabulous, with cool
temps in the morning and warm afternoons,
with the exception of Friday when it rained all
day. Finding lift was not a problem.
You can find scores and placings on
RCSoaring.com.
The new Icon 2 is in production. You can
find details on Don Peters’ Web site. He
related that the current backlog is seven
months, and the price is $2,100. This includes
an all-carbon wing, wiring harness, and
ballast system.
Phil Renaud flew one of the Icon 2
prototypes at the Southwest Classic. I was too
busy to get stick time, but several pilots got to
fly the sailplane and were impressed. Phil said
that the model has a nice roll rate and does not
fly “heavy,” as would be expected with a
larger glider.
The rudder and coupling are effective and
make for coordinated turns. The ability to
range out is one of the nicest features. Both
the size and the design serve well for this
capability.
As usual, Don has a winner.
The new Blaster 2 discus hand-launch glider
is available from Barry Kennedy at Kennedy
Composites. The model has some significant
differences from the original Blaster.
The wing is pylon mounted and has a little
more dihedral. The wing is available in both
left- and right-handed models with a moldedin
launching blade.
The fuselage now incorporates a nose cone
and crutch system for mounting the radio
gear. The tail feathers are all molded and
lighter than the original Blaster’s. My model
came in at just less than the 11-ounce
advertised weight.
There is a significant difference in the
flight characteristics from the original Blaster.
Although lighter, the newer version penetrates
better than the original and flies extremely
light. I think it will prove to be a great “allday”
sailplane. With an ounce or two of
ballast, the Blaster 2 will easily handle the
windy conditions that often come up at some
venues.
As I noted in the opening comments, I had a
rough few months. After the confusion of the
fall, I decided to go back to work after being
retired from law enforcement for 31/2 years. It
wasn’t that easy.
My desired job was flying medical
helicopters for AirEvac Services Inc., a
division of PHI, Inc. PHI used to be known as
Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated, but after
an ownership change it is now known as just
PHI, Inc.
The company is based in Lafayette,
Louisiana, with a primary emphasis on
transport of oil and gas workers to the
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The Air
Medical sector is growing dramatically.
I had all the flight-hour requirements for
the job but lacked the instrument rating. So in
December I set out to get my fixed-wing
instrument rating. In early January I
completed the fixed-wing IFR ticket. Within
two weeks, I began the instrument training in
helicopters and completed that on February
23. Three weeks later I was gainfully
employed.
Anyone who flies can tell you that the
instrument ticket is one of the toughest to get.
Throw in the instrument helicopter, and you
have a stressful couple of months.
I am now working in Yuma, Arizona,
flying a new Bell 407 helicopter. We work
seven days on, seven days off, and 12-hour
shifts. I still live in Chandler, Arizona, but I
have to stay in Yuma during my shift. We
have a deal with a hotel for a great rate. I fly
to Yuma in my RV-7, which cuts my travel
time by one-fourth.
I’ve included a picture of the aircraft I fly.
The good news is that I utilize the “wait” time
to build models. So far I’ve finished two
Hand-Launched Gliders and three electrics.
In the next column I’m going to cover some
new products that are on the market. MA
Sources:
RC Soaring Exchange
www.eclipse.net/~mikel/rcse/rcse.htm
Maple Leaf Design
(529) 749-1588
www.mapleleafdesign.com
RCSoaring.com
www.rcsoaring.com
Hands Free Retriever
(928) 775-3265
www.handsfreeretriever.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
