Worth a Closer Look
14 MODEL AVIATION
In each installment of “Worth a Closer Look” we do our best to
bring you new and exciting products from our industry. These
write-ups are not press releases, but are actually minireviews
written by the Model Aviation staff. In each instance the product or
service is actually built, tested, flown, used, etc. to give you a
firsthand account of how it performs.
We have found some of these items on our own, but many have
been brought to our attention from outside sources. If you have a
product or service that you feel might be “worth a closer look,”
contact Model Aviation Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt at (610)
614-1747, or send an E-mail to [email protected].
KingCat
The new KingCat from Bob
Violett Models is big, lightly loaded,
95% prebuilt, prepainted, and
attractive.
For the Aerobatics fliers, the
KingCat can perform almost any
maneuver from the International
Miniature Aerobatic Club schedule.
It also features positive slow-flight
stability so that learning to fly a jet
will be simple for the newcomer.
Short takeoffs and landings from grass make jet operation
possible from most Radio Control (RC)-club fields. The KingCat
helps pilots who prefer larger models ease into the world of turbine
flying.
In addition to the normal things jets do, the KingCat has
interesting 3-D capabilities. The large, fat wing and generous
control-surface size, along with its relative light weight, allows
entry into this realm of flight defined by extreme slow speed and
high-alpha maneuvering.
These same light-wing- and high-power-loading features allow
this model to operate at high-density altitudes and from more
confined grass fields with less challenge to the pilot. The huge flaps
produce rapid liftoff when set to approximately 15° deflection. At
40° they allow you to drag the KingCat around the landing pattern
at 40-45 mph and drop it in the landing zone with accuracy.
Construction is all-composite, and the model comes prepainted
out of the mold. Other features include huge landing flaps, one
large canopy hatch for easy access, and large fuel capacity (enough
for as many as 14 minutes of
flying) located close to the
center of gravity.
The KingCat retracts
have heat-treated, precisionground,
steel inner struts,
and the outer steel sleeves
are honed for a perfect fit.
Machined-aluminum sleeves
add detail to the outer
sleeves. The nose yoke is
cast steel, and each strut has been grass-field tested.
Bob Violett Models jet wheels and brakes are standard, with
31⁄2-inch wheels on the mains and a 31⁄4-inch wheel on the nose.
The KingCat spans 80 inches, has a wing area of 1,600 square
inches, and has a wing loading of approximately 37 ounces per
square foot. It is 94 inches in length and weighs 26 pounds, but this
weight varies depending on engine installation. Power is provided
by any turbine in the 19- to 35-pound-thrust range. The price was
not set at press time.
Bob Violett Models, Inc.: 3481 SR 419, Winter Springs FL
32708; Tel.: (407) 327-6333; Fax: (407) 327-5020; Web site:
www.bvmjets.com
Transmitter Tray
Several transmitter
trays have been featured
in this column in the past,
but this new version from
Madison Components is a
decidedly simple solution.
The tray can be used
with almost any transmitter
that has a wire handle. The
base is made from 1⁄4-inchthick
black acrylic. A neck
strap is included and attaches
to the adjustable 8-inch chrome
posts. An adjustable clamp holds
the transmitter securely using a quickrelease
system.
The Transmitter Tray assembles in
just a few minutes, weighs 14 ounces,
and sells for $29.95.
Madison Components, Inc.: 1059
Valley Crest Dr., Birmingham AL
35226; Tel.: (205) 985-4040; Fax: (205)
985-9466; Web site: www.qualityrcproducts.com
ARF Sport Floats
Great Planes’
.40-.60 Size ARF
Sport Floats are
constructed from
light and sturdy
fiberglass, and
final assembly is
quick and easy.
They come
finished for use
out of the box, and they can be
painted to complement any trim
scheme.
These floats are designed to
raise model airplanes off of the
water effortlessly and safely, and
low-speed flight stability and
straight tracking are preserved by
a ventral fin. The Sport Floats can
be steered with an in-float servo or rudder input.
Hardware is included for trouble-free installation and for
converting existing models to floats. The ARF Sport Floats are
341⁄2 inches long and have a street price of $84.99.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.greatplanes.com
November 2003 15
Ryan ST/PT-16
The Ryan ST/PT-16 is DJ Aerotech’s latest addition to its
Roadkill series of kits. It is a profile RC model for
indoor/backyard/park sport flying. It can be built as a three-channel
(coupled aileron and rudder) or four-channel full-house system for
more elaborate aerobatics.
The model handles and feels similar to a .40-size sport aircraft.
It has been flown successfully on an indoor basketball court, but it
is more of a backyard and park flyer.
As with the other Roadkill-series models, construction is of
laser-cut balsa and thin plywood, and assembly goes fast. A fairly
experienced builder should be capable of finishing the PT-16 in a
weekend.
The kit instructions for covering the wing’s underside provide
better top speed, inverted performance, more advanced aerobatics,
and allow for park flying in more wind.
The Ryan spans 28.1 inches, is 20.2 inches long, and weighs
4.5-5.5 ounces ready to fly. It retails for $59.95, which includes the
new MPS-2A twin-motor power system.
DJ Aerotech: 719 Fisk St., Piqua OH 45356; Tel.: (937) 773-
6772; Fax: (937) 773-9494; Web site: www.djaerotech.com MA
Reflex RC Simulator
One of Europe’s leading RC flight
simulators for personal computers—
Reflex—is now available in the US.
Its selection of 12
helicopters and 15
airplanes includes
such unusual entries
as the VW enginepowered
Volksplane
home-built, the highperformance
Hotliner
EP glider, and many
popular Kyosho models such as the
Flip 3D aerobat, the F-86 Sabre GP
jet, and the Caliber 30 helicopter.
Numerous detailed parameters
make this simulator a good tool for
training. Photo-realistic graphics
add to the feeling that you’re out at
the field. Ground and weather
conditions are also reproduced.
The camera view can be adjusted
to zoom in or follow the action, and
you can evaluate your piloting
performance using flight recording and playback functions.
The Reflex simulator has a street price of $199.99. For details
about computer requirements, refer to Hobbico’s Web site.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.hobbico.com
RC Log
If you’ve ever had
trouble remembering your
inventory of RC goodies,
this program might be just
what you need. The RC Log
from j-holmes.com is a
database specifically geared
to track all of your aircraft,
aircraft accessories, and
support equipment.
Installation takes just a
few seconds. When you’re
finished, you’ll need to
obtain a serial number using the Web site. After the number is Emailed
to you, enter it and you’re ready to explore.
From the main menu you can access a variety of screens; the
Aircraft screen is shown. On it, you can import your own images of
aircraft, engines,
transmitters, batteries,
and all other items that
are tracked. Other
information such as
manufacturer, price,
radio equipment, etc. can
be entered with as little
or as much information
as you like.
The maintenance
screens allow you to
keep records and schedules for future maintenance tasks. Record all
of your flight sessions to build a flight history for each aircraft.
Record each of your battery’s charging information to identify a
faulty battery before it costs you an aircraft. Create your own
checklists for those important processes.
There are also 12 predefined reports that allow easy-to-read
access to all of your information and much more. About the only
feature it doesn’t have is the ability to find the logged items in your
shop!
RC Log requires a Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, or XP operating
system, a Pentium 300 or faster processor, 64 megabytes of memory,
and 25 megabytes of hard-drive space.
A trial version can be downloaded, and a key code to unlock all
of the features is available for $32.
j-holmes.com: www.j-holmes.com/
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/11
Page Numbers: 14,15
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/11
Page Numbers: 14,15
Worth a Closer Look
14 MODEL AVIATION
In each installment of “Worth a Closer Look” we do our best to
bring you new and exciting products from our industry. These
write-ups are not press releases, but are actually minireviews
written by the Model Aviation staff. In each instance the product or
service is actually built, tested, flown, used, etc. to give you a
firsthand account of how it performs.
We have found some of these items on our own, but many have
been brought to our attention from outside sources. If you have a
product or service that you feel might be “worth a closer look,”
contact Model Aviation Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt at (610)
614-1747, or send an E-mail to [email protected].
KingCat
The new KingCat from Bob
Violett Models is big, lightly loaded,
95% prebuilt, prepainted, and
attractive.
For the Aerobatics fliers, the
KingCat can perform almost any
maneuver from the International
Miniature Aerobatic Club schedule.
It also features positive slow-flight
stability so that learning to fly a jet
will be simple for the newcomer.
Short takeoffs and landings from grass make jet operation
possible from most Radio Control (RC)-club fields. The KingCat
helps pilots who prefer larger models ease into the world of turbine
flying.
In addition to the normal things jets do, the KingCat has
interesting 3-D capabilities. The large, fat wing and generous
control-surface size, along with its relative light weight, allows
entry into this realm of flight defined by extreme slow speed and
high-alpha maneuvering.
These same light-wing- and high-power-loading features allow
this model to operate at high-density altitudes and from more
confined grass fields with less challenge to the pilot. The huge flaps
produce rapid liftoff when set to approximately 15° deflection. At
40° they allow you to drag the KingCat around the landing pattern
at 40-45 mph and drop it in the landing zone with accuracy.
Construction is all-composite, and the model comes prepainted
out of the mold. Other features include huge landing flaps, one
large canopy hatch for easy access, and large fuel capacity (enough
for as many as 14 minutes of
flying) located close to the
center of gravity.
The KingCat retracts
have heat-treated, precisionground,
steel inner struts,
and the outer steel sleeves
are honed for a perfect fit.
Machined-aluminum sleeves
add detail to the outer
sleeves. The nose yoke is
cast steel, and each strut has been grass-field tested.
Bob Violett Models jet wheels and brakes are standard, with
31⁄2-inch wheels on the mains and a 31⁄4-inch wheel on the nose.
The KingCat spans 80 inches, has a wing area of 1,600 square
inches, and has a wing loading of approximately 37 ounces per
square foot. It is 94 inches in length and weighs 26 pounds, but this
weight varies depending on engine installation. Power is provided
by any turbine in the 19- to 35-pound-thrust range. The price was
not set at press time.
Bob Violett Models, Inc.: 3481 SR 419, Winter Springs FL
32708; Tel.: (407) 327-6333; Fax: (407) 327-5020; Web site:
www.bvmjets.com
Transmitter Tray
Several transmitter
trays have been featured
in this column in the past,
but this new version from
Madison Components is a
decidedly simple solution.
The tray can be used
with almost any transmitter
that has a wire handle. The
base is made from 1⁄4-inchthick
black acrylic. A neck
strap is included and attaches
to the adjustable 8-inch chrome
posts. An adjustable clamp holds
the transmitter securely using a quickrelease
system.
The Transmitter Tray assembles in
just a few minutes, weighs 14 ounces,
and sells for $29.95.
Madison Components, Inc.: 1059
Valley Crest Dr., Birmingham AL
35226; Tel.: (205) 985-4040; Fax: (205)
985-9466; Web site: www.qualityrcproducts.com
ARF Sport Floats
Great Planes’
.40-.60 Size ARF
Sport Floats are
constructed from
light and sturdy
fiberglass, and
final assembly is
quick and easy.
They come
finished for use
out of the box, and they can be
painted to complement any trim
scheme.
These floats are designed to
raise model airplanes off of the
water effortlessly and safely, and
low-speed flight stability and
straight tracking are preserved by
a ventral fin. The Sport Floats can
be steered with an in-float servo or rudder input.
Hardware is included for trouble-free installation and for
converting existing models to floats. The ARF Sport Floats are
341⁄2 inches long and have a street price of $84.99.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.greatplanes.com
November 2003 15
Ryan ST/PT-16
The Ryan ST/PT-16 is DJ Aerotech’s latest addition to its
Roadkill series of kits. It is a profile RC model for
indoor/backyard/park sport flying. It can be built as a three-channel
(coupled aileron and rudder) or four-channel full-house system for
more elaborate aerobatics.
The model handles and feels similar to a .40-size sport aircraft.
It has been flown successfully on an indoor basketball court, but it
is more of a backyard and park flyer.
As with the other Roadkill-series models, construction is of
laser-cut balsa and thin plywood, and assembly goes fast. A fairly
experienced builder should be capable of finishing the PT-16 in a
weekend.
The kit instructions for covering the wing’s underside provide
better top speed, inverted performance, more advanced aerobatics,
and allow for park flying in more wind.
The Ryan spans 28.1 inches, is 20.2 inches long, and weighs
4.5-5.5 ounces ready to fly. It retails for $59.95, which includes the
new MPS-2A twin-motor power system.
DJ Aerotech: 719 Fisk St., Piqua OH 45356; Tel.: (937) 773-
6772; Fax: (937) 773-9494; Web site: www.djaerotech.com MA
Reflex RC Simulator
One of Europe’s leading RC flight
simulators for personal computers—
Reflex—is now available in the US.
Its selection of 12
helicopters and 15
airplanes includes
such unusual entries
as the VW enginepowered
Volksplane
home-built, the highperformance
Hotliner
EP glider, and many
popular Kyosho models such as the
Flip 3D aerobat, the F-86 Sabre GP
jet, and the Caliber 30 helicopter.
Numerous detailed parameters
make this simulator a good tool for
training. Photo-realistic graphics
add to the feeling that you’re out at
the field. Ground and weather
conditions are also reproduced.
The camera view can be adjusted
to zoom in or follow the action, and
you can evaluate your piloting
performance using flight recording and playback functions.
The Reflex simulator has a street price of $199.99. For details
about computer requirements, refer to Hobbico’s Web site.
Great Planes Model Distributors: Box 9021, Champaign IL
61826; Tel.: (800) 682-8948; Web site: www.hobbico.com
RC Log
If you’ve ever had
trouble remembering your
inventory of RC goodies,
this program might be just
what you need. The RC Log
from j-holmes.com is a
database specifically geared
to track all of your aircraft,
aircraft accessories, and
support equipment.
Installation takes just a
few seconds. When you’re
finished, you’ll need to
obtain a serial number using the Web site. After the number is Emailed
to you, enter it and you’re ready to explore.
From the main menu you can access a variety of screens; the
Aircraft screen is shown. On it, you can import your own images of
aircraft, engines,
transmitters, batteries,
and all other items that
are tracked. Other
information such as
manufacturer, price,
radio equipment, etc. can
be entered with as little
or as much information
as you like.
The maintenance
screens allow you to
keep records and schedules for future maintenance tasks. Record all
of your flight sessions to build a flight history for each aircraft.
Record each of your battery’s charging information to identify a
faulty battery before it costs you an aircraft. Create your own
checklists for those important processes.
There are also 12 predefined reports that allow easy-to-read
access to all of your information and much more. About the only
feature it doesn’t have is the ability to find the logged items in your
shop!
RC Log requires a Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, or XP operating
system, a Pentium 300 or faster processor, 64 megabytes of memory,
and 25 megabytes of hard-drive space.
A trial version can be downloaded, and a key code to unlock all
of the features is available for $32.
j-holmes.com: www.j-holmes.com/