www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 105
rc soaring
Welcome to the Soaring column. This month, I have some interesting
detail from two master builders.
Vladimir Gavrilko, maker of the
Blaster, Supra, and Maxa, is now using a new type
of carbon material: Spread Tow Carbon (STC),
which is essentially a thin mat of carbon fibers. He
Barry Kennedy and Vladimir
Gavrilko explain Spread Tow
Carbon
by Lee Estingoy
[email protected]
contributed the following through
his US distributor, Barry Kennedy of
Kennedy Composites:
“STC was developed to overcome
some of the disadvantages of woven
carbon-fiber fabric. There is the
complete absence of crimp, giving a
better surface finish and no place for
epoxy to accumulate, lowering the
total weight of the composite parts.
“The fiber orientation is superior.
The fibers can be lined up for
maximum tension, or compressive
qualities of the material [can] be
utilized for the part.
“In 2010, we began a series of
experiments on [the] creation of
extra-light, carbon fabrics. After
numerous experiments, we managed
to design and make a machine
for flattening carbon fibers to the
thickness of 0.02 mm. It has allowed
us to create a biaxial fabric from
extra-strength, carbon-fiber tow. We
achieved an ultra-light density of 38-
40 gr/m². We are now also making
a triaxial fabric at 58 gr/m². We use
this fabric to make the parts stronger
and highlight small details easily.”
This fabric is used in select
versions of the Blaster, Supra, and
Maxa models sold by Kennedy
Composites. Vladimir, who is based
in Ukraine, also sells the material to
other modeling companies and firms
that make sports equipment.
Jaro Muller
It’s taken a while, but I’ve
PLUS:
> Interview with
Jaro Muller
The author is nearly slapped by the wing as he tries to
photograph Cody Remington plucking his Egida out of the air.
Vladimir’s Spread Tow
Carbon (STC) technology
is visible in this picture.
Note the placement of the
fibers on an angle to the
span, and how flat the
fiber placement becomes.
Right: Jaro Muller’s determination to build a
unique airplane is apparent in the Egida. Note
the V-tail, two-piece wing, and the slightly
unorthodox polyhedral he employs to achieve
light weight, strength, and maneuverability.
106 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
managed to get an interview with
Jaro Muller. Jaro is based in Slovakia
and is one of the finest innovative
RC Sailplane builders.
LE: Jaro, for as long as I can remember,
you’ve been the name for exquisite,
composite airframe work. How long
have you been in the business, and
how did you get started?
JM: I started with model building
in 1961 when I constructed my
first airplane as a boy. Since then, I
worked my way up to free fly [FF]
models and then to RC models in
the ’70s. [In 1978,] I started to focus
on the F3B contest gliders category.
Back then, we had to manufacture
all parts on our own, whereby I
gained great practice in building the
airplanes and I learned a lot about
construction of models and their
technology. I built my first whole
composite model called Avant in
1985 with [the] great help of Ralph
Decker from Germany. There was a
big demand for this model, not only
in my home country but also abroad.
Avant was followed by Ellipse 1,
which I launched in the World
Championship of F3B in Paris. That
was the breakthrough moment in
my model-building career. Ellipse 1
was even more requested on the
market than the previous one, which
made me think of starting my own
business. I launched my company
in 1990, and by this the history of
my operation in this business was
started.
LE: Can you tell us a little about
how the advancements of composite
materials have changed your way of
working or designing airframes?
JM: Composite materials caused
a revolution in the model building
[world]. The whole construction
philosophy changed and caused
a great leap forward in the
development and production of
models.
It was clear to me that the future
will be in the composite materials
and therefore I decided as early
as 1985 [to be] among the first to
use only [this] construction. I have
produced a classical balsa model
before.
There has been a big advancement
in the composite materials in the
course of the last 20 years of my
operation in this business. A lot more
was done in the development of the
technology and the numerous ways
of utilization and usage of these
materials. I think there is still room
for some progress.
LE: How many hours do you estimate
that it takes to make a modern
Thermal Duration F3J aircraft? How
many molds must be built to make a
new one?
JM: The development of a
model from the first thought
till completion takes about two
years. The first phase is where the
philosophy and technology are being
created. This takes the greatest
portion of time [one year], more or
less.
My goal is to bring an utterly
original model to the market. The
whole concept is very well thought
out, which makes the development
process so time-consuming. The
creation of a new thing is a long
and hard process. The production
of the molds and technology is a
rather manual, less creative, and less
complicated process, but still [a]
full-time job for two for less than
one year.
Many models on the market are
technologically similar to each other
RC SOARING
or even old-fashioned. The R&D
period—in this case “copying”—is
clearly much shorter. In my case,
copying as a method of development
is out of the question. I am still a
model builder in my heart and not
a businessman. That is why I don’t
make it easy for myself.
LE: How do you make the molds these
days? Are they CNC? Do you do the
CAD work yourself?
JM: I have the molds milled in
Germany, including the CAD work.
I am only providing them with the
technical basis data.
LE: I remember a technique that you
used with the Elita. You used multiple
strips of material laid in the wing,
running parallel to the span at such an
angle that they connected the top and
bottom wing skins. What happened to
that? Why didn’t that catch on in the
modeling world?
JM: This technology was unique, but
had its disadvantages because it was
quite challenging for production. The
wings were fairly heavy and crinkled
[in] the heat after some time. We
have abandoned this technology due
to these reasons. However, the biggest
advantage of this technology was the
relative firmness of the wings.
LE: What sort of aerodynamic work do
you do in the design of your aircraft?
JM: I try to design my models with
the least possible influence from the
competitors’ models. I also try hard to
avoid making something very similar
to the work of the others.
The main source of inspiration for
me is observing birds. I still think
they are one step ahead of us. Other
helpers in the creative process are
the feeling for model building and
experience gained throughout the
years. I am not concerned with any
theories in a particular way.
LE: Where are you located? How big is
your shop?
JM: My own company is based in
a rather small facility. The main
building has around 100 square
meters and it is the place where the
development of new models, last
check of the manufactured models,
as well as the packing and shipping
is carried out. The production is
operated separately in a few familyrun
small businesses. The people
who work for me are mostly former
model builders.
I create the models, develop the
molds and technology, produce the
first prototypes, and subsequently
hand them to the production
companies, which manufacture the
individual parts of the model. The
last check and finish work of the
products, as well as the shipping, is
also done by me.
LE: Most Thermal Duration pilots in
the US are familiar with the Espada.
It is unique in a number of ways.
The ones that jump out at me are the
fully molded control surfaces and the
incredible level of detail (such as servo
mounts) that you put into them. What
innovations does the new Egida offer?
JM: My goal is to increase the
standard of my models, which also
includes simplifying the finish work
carried out by the customer or
preventing any problems with the
servo mounts. One of the reasons
for this approach is the fact that
the new generations of the model
builders are pilots rather than
builders.
In my opinion, Egida is the biggest
step ahead in this area. I tried to
use my experience of many years
from the contest modeling. There
are many different situations which
occur during a contest where the
servos are damaged and need to be
replaced as soon as possible.
I came to the idea of servo mounts
done the way I used for Egida. The
replacement of a servo takes about one
minute. I tried to make every detail
as simple as possible, functional, and
reliable. It may not look like it at first
sight, but the creation of these details
costs a lot of time and effort. I think I
did well with Egida on this one.
The main goals that I set for
myself for the construction of Egida
were the following:
1. Construct a model for an extreme
speed launch.
2. Achieve autostability and easy
controllability of the model at the
same time.
3. The maximum achievable
concentration of the weight is
as close as possible to the CG,
which provides autostability and
sensitiveness of the model to thermal
gusts.
4. Technological optimization of the
model in a way that the materials are
used purposefully; for example, the
wings are not full carbon. Carbon is
only applied where necessary.
LE: Do you still enjoy “fun” flying? If
so, which airplane is your favorite to
play with these days?
JM: Thank God I still have fun
piloting the models, and that is
despite the fact that model building
has been my main job for the last
21 years. Since my childhood, I have
always preferred to fly the latest
model that I constructed.
LE: What is your favorite airplane of
all time—the one that left the biggest
impression on you?
JM: Birds.
I have to admit that last answer
caught me off guard, but the proof is
in the product, and Jaro has quite a
legacy of amazing products.
See you at the field!
Sources :
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Did You Know …
That most donations
you make to AMA are
tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3),
not-for-profit
association. This
means that any
funds you donate
beyond your regular
membership dues
can be deducted
from your taxes.*
Please consider
donating to AMA.
Your gift will help us
continue our efforts
to improve your
organization.
*Please check with your financial
advisor for details.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 105,106,107,108
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 105,106,107,108
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 105
rc soaring
Welcome to the Soaring column. This month, I have some interesting
detail from two master builders.
Vladimir Gavrilko, maker of the
Blaster, Supra, and Maxa, is now using a new type
of carbon material: Spread Tow Carbon (STC),
which is essentially a thin mat of carbon fibers. He
Barry Kennedy and Vladimir
Gavrilko explain Spread Tow
Carbon
by Lee Estingoy
[email protected]
contributed the following through
his US distributor, Barry Kennedy of
Kennedy Composites:
“STC was developed to overcome
some of the disadvantages of woven
carbon-fiber fabric. There is the
complete absence of crimp, giving a
better surface finish and no place for
epoxy to accumulate, lowering the
total weight of the composite parts.
“The fiber orientation is superior.
The fibers can be lined up for
maximum tension, or compressive
qualities of the material [can] be
utilized for the part.
“In 2010, we began a series of
experiments on [the] creation of
extra-light, carbon fabrics. After
numerous experiments, we managed
to design and make a machine
for flattening carbon fibers to the
thickness of 0.02 mm. It has allowed
us to create a biaxial fabric from
extra-strength, carbon-fiber tow. We
achieved an ultra-light density of 38-
40 gr/m². We are now also making
a triaxial fabric at 58 gr/m². We use
this fabric to make the parts stronger
and highlight small details easily.”
This fabric is used in select
versions of the Blaster, Supra, and
Maxa models sold by Kennedy
Composites. Vladimir, who is based
in Ukraine, also sells the material to
other modeling companies and firms
that make sports equipment.
Jaro Muller
It’s taken a while, but I’ve
PLUS:
> Interview with
Jaro Muller
The author is nearly slapped by the wing as he tries to
photograph Cody Remington plucking his Egida out of the air.
Vladimir’s Spread Tow
Carbon (STC) technology
is visible in this picture.
Note the placement of the
fibers on an angle to the
span, and how flat the
fiber placement becomes.
Right: Jaro Muller’s determination to build a
unique airplane is apparent in the Egida. Note
the V-tail, two-piece wing, and the slightly
unorthodox polyhedral he employs to achieve
light weight, strength, and maneuverability.
106 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
managed to get an interview with
Jaro Muller. Jaro is based in Slovakia
and is one of the finest innovative
RC Sailplane builders.
LE: Jaro, for as long as I can remember,
you’ve been the name for exquisite,
composite airframe work. How long
have you been in the business, and
how did you get started?
JM: I started with model building
in 1961 when I constructed my
first airplane as a boy. Since then, I
worked my way up to free fly [FF]
models and then to RC models in
the ’70s. [In 1978,] I started to focus
on the F3B contest gliders category.
Back then, we had to manufacture
all parts on our own, whereby I
gained great practice in building the
airplanes and I learned a lot about
construction of models and their
technology. I built my first whole
composite model called Avant in
1985 with [the] great help of Ralph
Decker from Germany. There was a
big demand for this model, not only
in my home country but also abroad.
Avant was followed by Ellipse 1,
which I launched in the World
Championship of F3B in Paris. That
was the breakthrough moment in
my model-building career. Ellipse 1
was even more requested on the
market than the previous one, which
made me think of starting my own
business. I launched my company
in 1990, and by this the history of
my operation in this business was
started.
LE: Can you tell us a little about
how the advancements of composite
materials have changed your way of
working or designing airframes?
JM: Composite materials caused
a revolution in the model building
[world]. The whole construction
philosophy changed and caused
a great leap forward in the
development and production of
models.
It was clear to me that the future
will be in the composite materials
and therefore I decided as early
as 1985 [to be] among the first to
use only [this] construction. I have
produced a classical balsa model
before.
There has been a big advancement
in the composite materials in the
course of the last 20 years of my
operation in this business. A lot more
was done in the development of the
technology and the numerous ways
of utilization and usage of these
materials. I think there is still room
for some progress.
LE: How many hours do you estimate
that it takes to make a modern
Thermal Duration F3J aircraft? How
many molds must be built to make a
new one?
JM: The development of a
model from the first thought
till completion takes about two
years. The first phase is where the
philosophy and technology are being
created. This takes the greatest
portion of time [one year], more or
less.
My goal is to bring an utterly
original model to the market. The
whole concept is very well thought
out, which makes the development
process so time-consuming. The
creation of a new thing is a long
and hard process. The production
of the molds and technology is a
rather manual, less creative, and less
complicated process, but still [a]
full-time job for two for less than
one year.
Many models on the market are
technologically similar to each other
RC SOARING
or even old-fashioned. The R&D
period—in this case “copying”—is
clearly much shorter. In my case,
copying as a method of development
is out of the question. I am still a
model builder in my heart and not
a businessman. That is why I don’t
make it easy for myself.
LE: How do you make the molds these
days? Are they CNC? Do you do the
CAD work yourself?
JM: I have the molds milled in
Germany, including the CAD work.
I am only providing them with the
technical basis data.
LE: I remember a technique that you
used with the Elita. You used multiple
strips of material laid in the wing,
running parallel to the span at such an
angle that they connected the top and
bottom wing skins. What happened to
that? Why didn’t that catch on in the
modeling world?
JM: This technology was unique, but
had its disadvantages because it was
quite challenging for production. The
wings were fairly heavy and crinkled
[in] the heat after some time. We
have abandoned this technology due
to these reasons. However, the biggest
advantage of this technology was the
relative firmness of the wings.
LE: What sort of aerodynamic work do
you do in the design of your aircraft?
JM: I try to design my models with
the least possible influence from the
competitors’ models. I also try hard to
avoid making something very similar
to the work of the others.
The main source of inspiration for
me is observing birds. I still think
they are one step ahead of us. Other
helpers in the creative process are
the feeling for model building and
experience gained throughout the
years. I am not concerned with any
theories in a particular way.
LE: Where are you located? How big is
your shop?
JM: My own company is based in
a rather small facility. The main
building has around 100 square
meters and it is the place where the
development of new models, last
check of the manufactured models,
as well as the packing and shipping
is carried out. The production is
operated separately in a few familyrun
small businesses. The people
who work for me are mostly former
model builders.
I create the models, develop the
molds and technology, produce the
first prototypes, and subsequently
hand them to the production
companies, which manufacture the
individual parts of the model. The
last check and finish work of the
products, as well as the shipping, is
also done by me.
LE: Most Thermal Duration pilots in
the US are familiar with the Espada.
It is unique in a number of ways.
The ones that jump out at me are the
fully molded control surfaces and the
incredible level of detail (such as servo
mounts) that you put into them. What
innovations does the new Egida offer?
JM: My goal is to increase the
standard of my models, which also
includes simplifying the finish work
carried out by the customer or
preventing any problems with the
servo mounts. One of the reasons
for this approach is the fact that
the new generations of the model
builders are pilots rather than
builders.
In my opinion, Egida is the biggest
step ahead in this area. I tried to
use my experience of many years
from the contest modeling. There
are many different situations which
occur during a contest where the
servos are damaged and need to be
replaced as soon as possible.
I came to the idea of servo mounts
done the way I used for Egida. The
replacement of a servo takes about one
minute. I tried to make every detail
as simple as possible, functional, and
reliable. It may not look like it at first
sight, but the creation of these details
costs a lot of time and effort. I think I
did well with Egida on this one.
The main goals that I set for
myself for the construction of Egida
were the following:
1. Construct a model for an extreme
speed launch.
2. Achieve autostability and easy
controllability of the model at the
same time.
3. The maximum achievable
concentration of the weight is
as close as possible to the CG,
which provides autostability and
sensitiveness of the model to thermal
gusts.
4. Technological optimization of the
model in a way that the materials are
used purposefully; for example, the
wings are not full carbon. Carbon is
only applied where necessary.
LE: Do you still enjoy “fun” flying? If
so, which airplane is your favorite to
play with these days?
JM: Thank God I still have fun
piloting the models, and that is
despite the fact that model building
has been my main job for the last
21 years. Since my childhood, I have
always preferred to fly the latest
model that I constructed.
LE: What is your favorite airplane of
all time—the one that left the biggest
impression on you?
JM: Birds.
I have to admit that last answer
caught me off guard, but the proof is
in the product, and Jaro has quite a
legacy of amazing products.
See you at the field!
Sources :
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Did You Know …
That most donations
you make to AMA are
tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3),
not-for-profit
association. This
means that any
funds you donate
beyond your regular
membership dues
can be deducted
from your taxes.*
Please consider
donating to AMA.
Your gift will help us
continue our efforts
to improve your
organization.
*Please check with your financial
advisor for details.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 105,106,107,108
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 105
rc soaring
Welcome to the Soaring column. This month, I have some interesting
detail from two master builders.
Vladimir Gavrilko, maker of the
Blaster, Supra, and Maxa, is now using a new type
of carbon material: Spread Tow Carbon (STC),
which is essentially a thin mat of carbon fibers. He
Barry Kennedy and Vladimir
Gavrilko explain Spread Tow
Carbon
by Lee Estingoy
[email protected]
contributed the following through
his US distributor, Barry Kennedy of
Kennedy Composites:
“STC was developed to overcome
some of the disadvantages of woven
carbon-fiber fabric. There is the
complete absence of crimp, giving a
better surface finish and no place for
epoxy to accumulate, lowering the
total weight of the composite parts.
“The fiber orientation is superior.
The fibers can be lined up for
maximum tension, or compressive
qualities of the material [can] be
utilized for the part.
“In 2010, we began a series of
experiments on [the] creation of
extra-light, carbon fabrics. After
numerous experiments, we managed
to design and make a machine
for flattening carbon fibers to the
thickness of 0.02 mm. It has allowed
us to create a biaxial fabric from
extra-strength, carbon-fiber tow. We
achieved an ultra-light density of 38-
40 gr/m². We are now also making
a triaxial fabric at 58 gr/m². We use
this fabric to make the parts stronger
and highlight small details easily.”
This fabric is used in select
versions of the Blaster, Supra, and
Maxa models sold by Kennedy
Composites. Vladimir, who is based
in Ukraine, also sells the material to
other modeling companies and firms
that make sports equipment.
Jaro Muller
It’s taken a while, but I’ve
PLUS:
> Interview with
Jaro Muller
The author is nearly slapped by the wing as he tries to
photograph Cody Remington plucking his Egida out of the air.
Vladimir’s Spread Tow
Carbon (STC) technology
is visible in this picture.
Note the placement of the
fibers on an angle to the
span, and how flat the
fiber placement becomes.
Right: Jaro Muller’s determination to build a
unique airplane is apparent in the Egida. Note
the V-tail, two-piece wing, and the slightly
unorthodox polyhedral he employs to achieve
light weight, strength, and maneuverability.
106 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
managed to get an interview with
Jaro Muller. Jaro is based in Slovakia
and is one of the finest innovative
RC Sailplane builders.
LE: Jaro, for as long as I can remember,
you’ve been the name for exquisite,
composite airframe work. How long
have you been in the business, and
how did you get started?
JM: I started with model building
in 1961 when I constructed my
first airplane as a boy. Since then, I
worked my way up to free fly [FF]
models and then to RC models in
the ’70s. [In 1978,] I started to focus
on the F3B contest gliders category.
Back then, we had to manufacture
all parts on our own, whereby I
gained great practice in building the
airplanes and I learned a lot about
construction of models and their
technology. I built my first whole
composite model called Avant in
1985 with [the] great help of Ralph
Decker from Germany. There was a
big demand for this model, not only
in my home country but also abroad.
Avant was followed by Ellipse 1,
which I launched in the World
Championship of F3B in Paris. That
was the breakthrough moment in
my model-building career. Ellipse 1
was even more requested on the
market than the previous one, which
made me think of starting my own
business. I launched my company
in 1990, and by this the history of
my operation in this business was
started.
LE: Can you tell us a little about
how the advancements of composite
materials have changed your way of
working or designing airframes?
JM: Composite materials caused
a revolution in the model building
[world]. The whole construction
philosophy changed and caused
a great leap forward in the
development and production of
models.
It was clear to me that the future
will be in the composite materials
and therefore I decided as early
as 1985 [to be] among the first to
use only [this] construction. I have
produced a classical balsa model
before.
There has been a big advancement
in the composite materials in the
course of the last 20 years of my
operation in this business. A lot more
was done in the development of the
technology and the numerous ways
of utilization and usage of these
materials. I think there is still room
for some progress.
LE: How many hours do you estimate
that it takes to make a modern
Thermal Duration F3J aircraft? How
many molds must be built to make a
new one?
JM: The development of a
model from the first thought
till completion takes about two
years. The first phase is where the
philosophy and technology are being
created. This takes the greatest
portion of time [one year], more or
less.
My goal is to bring an utterly
original model to the market. The
whole concept is very well thought
out, which makes the development
process so time-consuming. The
creation of a new thing is a long
and hard process. The production
of the molds and technology is a
rather manual, less creative, and less
complicated process, but still [a]
full-time job for two for less than
one year.
Many models on the market are
technologically similar to each other
RC SOARING
or even old-fashioned. The R&D
period—in this case “copying”—is
clearly much shorter. In my case,
copying as a method of development
is out of the question. I am still a
model builder in my heart and not
a businessman. That is why I don’t
make it easy for myself.
LE: How do you make the molds these
days? Are they CNC? Do you do the
CAD work yourself?
JM: I have the molds milled in
Germany, including the CAD work.
I am only providing them with the
technical basis data.
LE: I remember a technique that you
used with the Elita. You used multiple
strips of material laid in the wing,
running parallel to the span at such an
angle that they connected the top and
bottom wing skins. What happened to
that? Why didn’t that catch on in the
modeling world?
JM: This technology was unique, but
had its disadvantages because it was
quite challenging for production. The
wings were fairly heavy and crinkled
[in] the heat after some time. We
have abandoned this technology due
to these reasons. However, the biggest
advantage of this technology was the
relative firmness of the wings.
LE: What sort of aerodynamic work do
you do in the design of your aircraft?
JM: I try to design my models with
the least possible influence from the
competitors’ models. I also try hard to
avoid making something very similar
to the work of the others.
The main source of inspiration for
me is observing birds. I still think
they are one step ahead of us. Other
helpers in the creative process are
the feeling for model building and
experience gained throughout the
years. I am not concerned with any
theories in a particular way.
LE: Where are you located? How big is
your shop?
JM: My own company is based in
a rather small facility. The main
building has around 100 square
meters and it is the place where the
development of new models, last
check of the manufactured models,
as well as the packing and shipping
is carried out. The production is
operated separately in a few familyrun
small businesses. The people
who work for me are mostly former
model builders.
I create the models, develop the
molds and technology, produce the
first prototypes, and subsequently
hand them to the production
companies, which manufacture the
individual parts of the model. The
last check and finish work of the
products, as well as the shipping, is
also done by me.
LE: Most Thermal Duration pilots in
the US are familiar with the Espada.
It is unique in a number of ways.
The ones that jump out at me are the
fully molded control surfaces and the
incredible level of detail (such as servo
mounts) that you put into them. What
innovations does the new Egida offer?
JM: My goal is to increase the
standard of my models, which also
includes simplifying the finish work
carried out by the customer or
preventing any problems with the
servo mounts. One of the reasons
for this approach is the fact that
the new generations of the model
builders are pilots rather than
builders.
In my opinion, Egida is the biggest
step ahead in this area. I tried to
use my experience of many years
from the contest modeling. There
are many different situations which
occur during a contest where the
servos are damaged and need to be
replaced as soon as possible.
I came to the idea of servo mounts
done the way I used for Egida. The
replacement of a servo takes about one
minute. I tried to make every detail
as simple as possible, functional, and
reliable. It may not look like it at first
sight, but the creation of these details
costs a lot of time and effort. I think I
did well with Egida on this one.
The main goals that I set for
myself for the construction of Egida
were the following:
1. Construct a model for an extreme
speed launch.
2. Achieve autostability and easy
controllability of the model at the
same time.
3. The maximum achievable
concentration of the weight is
as close as possible to the CG,
which provides autostability and
sensitiveness of the model to thermal
gusts.
4. Technological optimization of the
model in a way that the materials are
used purposefully; for example, the
wings are not full carbon. Carbon is
only applied where necessary.
LE: Do you still enjoy “fun” flying? If
so, which airplane is your favorite to
play with these days?
JM: Thank God I still have fun
piloting the models, and that is
despite the fact that model building
has been my main job for the last
21 years. Since my childhood, I have
always preferred to fly the latest
model that I constructed.
LE: What is your favorite airplane of
all time—the one that left the biggest
impression on you?
JM: Birds.
I have to admit that last answer
caught me off guard, but the proof is
in the product, and Jaro has quite a
legacy of amazing products.
See you at the field!
Sources :
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Did You Know …
That most donations
you make to AMA are
tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3),
not-for-profit
association. This
means that any
funds you donate
beyond your regular
membership dues
can be deducted
from your taxes.*
Please consider
donating to AMA.
Your gift will help us
continue our efforts
to improve your
organization.
*Please check with your financial
advisor for details.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 105,106,107,108
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 105
rc soaring
Welcome to the Soaring column. This month, I have some interesting
detail from two master builders.
Vladimir Gavrilko, maker of the
Blaster, Supra, and Maxa, is now using a new type
of carbon material: Spread Tow Carbon (STC),
which is essentially a thin mat of carbon fibers. He
Barry Kennedy and Vladimir
Gavrilko explain Spread Tow
Carbon
by Lee Estingoy
[email protected]
contributed the following through
his US distributor, Barry Kennedy of
Kennedy Composites:
“STC was developed to overcome
some of the disadvantages of woven
carbon-fiber fabric. There is the
complete absence of crimp, giving a
better surface finish and no place for
epoxy to accumulate, lowering the
total weight of the composite parts.
“The fiber orientation is superior.
The fibers can be lined up for
maximum tension, or compressive
qualities of the material [can] be
utilized for the part.
“In 2010, we began a series of
experiments on [the] creation of
extra-light, carbon fabrics. After
numerous experiments, we managed
to design and make a machine
for flattening carbon fibers to the
thickness of 0.02 mm. It has allowed
us to create a biaxial fabric from
extra-strength, carbon-fiber tow. We
achieved an ultra-light density of 38-
40 gr/m². We are now also making
a triaxial fabric at 58 gr/m². We use
this fabric to make the parts stronger
and highlight small details easily.”
This fabric is used in select
versions of the Blaster, Supra, and
Maxa models sold by Kennedy
Composites. Vladimir, who is based
in Ukraine, also sells the material to
other modeling companies and firms
that make sports equipment.
Jaro Muller
It’s taken a while, but I’ve
PLUS:
> Interview with
Jaro Muller
The author is nearly slapped by the wing as he tries to
photograph Cody Remington plucking his Egida out of the air.
Vladimir’s Spread Tow
Carbon (STC) technology
is visible in this picture.
Note the placement of the
fibers on an angle to the
span, and how flat the
fiber placement becomes.
Right: Jaro Muller’s determination to build a
unique airplane is apparent in the Egida. Note
the V-tail, two-piece wing, and the slightly
unorthodox polyhedral he employs to achieve
light weight, strength, and maneuverability.
106 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
managed to get an interview with
Jaro Muller. Jaro is based in Slovakia
and is one of the finest innovative
RC Sailplane builders.
LE: Jaro, for as long as I can remember,
you’ve been the name for exquisite,
composite airframe work. How long
have you been in the business, and
how did you get started?
JM: I started with model building
in 1961 when I constructed my
first airplane as a boy. Since then, I
worked my way up to free fly [FF]
models and then to RC models in
the ’70s. [In 1978,] I started to focus
on the F3B contest gliders category.
Back then, we had to manufacture
all parts on our own, whereby I
gained great practice in building the
airplanes and I learned a lot about
construction of models and their
technology. I built my first whole
composite model called Avant in
1985 with [the] great help of Ralph
Decker from Germany. There was a
big demand for this model, not only
in my home country but also abroad.
Avant was followed by Ellipse 1,
which I launched in the World
Championship of F3B in Paris. That
was the breakthrough moment in
my model-building career. Ellipse 1
was even more requested on the
market than the previous one, which
made me think of starting my own
business. I launched my company
in 1990, and by this the history of
my operation in this business was
started.
LE: Can you tell us a little about
how the advancements of composite
materials have changed your way of
working or designing airframes?
JM: Composite materials caused
a revolution in the model building
[world]. The whole construction
philosophy changed and caused
a great leap forward in the
development and production of
models.
It was clear to me that the future
will be in the composite materials
and therefore I decided as early
as 1985 [to be] among the first to
use only [this] construction. I have
produced a classical balsa model
before.
There has been a big advancement
in the composite materials in the
course of the last 20 years of my
operation in this business. A lot more
was done in the development of the
technology and the numerous ways
of utilization and usage of these
materials. I think there is still room
for some progress.
LE: How many hours do you estimate
that it takes to make a modern
Thermal Duration F3J aircraft? How
many molds must be built to make a
new one?
JM: The development of a
model from the first thought
till completion takes about two
years. The first phase is where the
philosophy and technology are being
created. This takes the greatest
portion of time [one year], more or
less.
My goal is to bring an utterly
original model to the market. The
whole concept is very well thought
out, which makes the development
process so time-consuming. The
creation of a new thing is a long
and hard process. The production
of the molds and technology is a
rather manual, less creative, and less
complicated process, but still [a]
full-time job for two for less than
one year.
Many models on the market are
technologically similar to each other
RC SOARING
or even old-fashioned. The R&D
period—in this case “copying”—is
clearly much shorter. In my case,
copying as a method of development
is out of the question. I am still a
model builder in my heart and not
a businessman. That is why I don’t
make it easy for myself.
LE: How do you make the molds these
days? Are they CNC? Do you do the
CAD work yourself?
JM: I have the molds milled in
Germany, including the CAD work.
I am only providing them with the
technical basis data.
LE: I remember a technique that you
used with the Elita. You used multiple
strips of material laid in the wing,
running parallel to the span at such an
angle that they connected the top and
bottom wing skins. What happened to
that? Why didn’t that catch on in the
modeling world?
JM: This technology was unique, but
had its disadvantages because it was
quite challenging for production. The
wings were fairly heavy and crinkled
[in] the heat after some time. We
have abandoned this technology due
to these reasons. However, the biggest
advantage of this technology was the
relative firmness of the wings.
LE: What sort of aerodynamic work do
you do in the design of your aircraft?
JM: I try to design my models with
the least possible influence from the
competitors’ models. I also try hard to
avoid making something very similar
to the work of the others.
The main source of inspiration for
me is observing birds. I still think
they are one step ahead of us. Other
helpers in the creative process are
the feeling for model building and
experience gained throughout the
years. I am not concerned with any
theories in a particular way.
LE: Where are you located? How big is
your shop?
JM: My own company is based in
a rather small facility. The main
building has around 100 square
meters and it is the place where the
development of new models, last
check of the manufactured models,
as well as the packing and shipping
is carried out. The production is
operated separately in a few familyrun
small businesses. The people
who work for me are mostly former
model builders.
I create the models, develop the
molds and technology, produce the
first prototypes, and subsequently
hand them to the production
companies, which manufacture the
individual parts of the model. The
last check and finish work of the
products, as well as the shipping, is
also done by me.
LE: Most Thermal Duration pilots in
the US are familiar with the Espada.
It is unique in a number of ways.
The ones that jump out at me are the
fully molded control surfaces and the
incredible level of detail (such as servo
mounts) that you put into them. What
innovations does the new Egida offer?
JM: My goal is to increase the
standard of my models, which also
includes simplifying the finish work
carried out by the customer or
preventing any problems with the
servo mounts. One of the reasons
for this approach is the fact that
the new generations of the model
builders are pilots rather than
builders.
In my opinion, Egida is the biggest
step ahead in this area. I tried to
use my experience of many years
from the contest modeling. There
are many different situations which
occur during a contest where the
servos are damaged and need to be
replaced as soon as possible.
I came to the idea of servo mounts
done the way I used for Egida. The
replacement of a servo takes about one
minute. I tried to make every detail
as simple as possible, functional, and
reliable. It may not look like it at first
sight, but the creation of these details
costs a lot of time and effort. I think I
did well with Egida on this one.
The main goals that I set for
myself for the construction of Egida
were the following:
1. Construct a model for an extreme
speed launch.
2. Achieve autostability and easy
controllability of the model at the
same time.
3. The maximum achievable
concentration of the weight is
as close as possible to the CG,
which provides autostability and
sensitiveness of the model to thermal
gusts.
4. Technological optimization of the
model in a way that the materials are
used purposefully; for example, the
wings are not full carbon. Carbon is
only applied where necessary.
LE: Do you still enjoy “fun” flying? If
so, which airplane is your favorite to
play with these days?
JM: Thank God I still have fun
piloting the models, and that is
despite the fact that model building
has been my main job for the last
21 years. Since my childhood, I have
always preferred to fly the latest
model that I constructed.
LE: What is your favorite airplane of
all time—the one that left the biggest
impression on you?
JM: Birds.
I have to admit that last answer
caught me off guard, but the proof is
in the product, and Jaro has quite a
legacy of amazing products.
See you at the field!
Sources :
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Did You Know …
That most donations
you make to AMA are
tax-deductible?
AMA is a 501(c)(3),
not-for-profit
association. This
means that any
funds you donate
beyond your regular
membership dues
can be deducted
from your taxes.*
Please consider
donating to AMA.
Your gift will help us
continue our efforts
to improve your
organization.
*Please check with your financial
advisor for details.
