Worth a Closer Look - 2004/08

Worth a Closer Look
14 MODEL AVIATION
This is the second of a two-part “Worth a Closer Look” devoted to some of the new items featured at this year’s Weak Signals show
in Toledo, Ohio. We can’t show everything in this limited space, but following are a few of the products we saw.
Fillin’ Station
When you fuel your aircraft
with the new Fillin’ Station
from Du-Bro, you will have
everything you need
onboard your bottle.
The Fillin’ Station
comes with a Du-Bro
Kwik-Fill Hand Crank
Fuel Pump, the Kwik
Fill Fuel Cap Fitting, a
Leak Proof Cap, Silicone
Tubing, Built-In Tool
Holders, Anodized Glo
Plug Holders, a Kwik
Start Glo-Plug Ignitor
with charger, a Glo
Caddy, and a 4-Way
Wrench.
You can also buy the
unloaded version of the
station, which includes
everything except the Kwik
Start Glo-Plug Ignitor and the
4-Way Wrench.
The complete version of the
Fillin’ Station retails for $64.95, and
the unloaded version retails for $39.95.
Du-Bro: Box 815, Wauconda IL 60084; Tel.: (800) 848-9411;
Web site: www.dubro.com
FPE 6.8 Twin
The Sig booth
featured one
of the larger
engines
introduced at
this year’s
show; this
6.8 cu. in.
monster is
one of the
latest
engines in
its First
Place Engines
lineup.
With a static
thrust rating of 75
pounds, this engine should easily be able to
fly any aircraft design you can think of using
AMA’s 55-pound weight limit!
The FPE 6.8 weighs 116 ounces including the mufflers. It has
an rpm range of 5,800-6,000 rpm using the recommended 28 x 10
propeller.
As do all First Place Engines, the 6.8 uses piston/cylinder
assemblies from world-renown small-engine manufacturers such as
Husqvarna and Sachs/Makita. First Place Engines then produces all
the other major components from high-quality gillet aluminum
and/or bar steel stock.
The FPE 6.8 Twin should have a street price of less than $1,000,
complete with mufflers and ignition system. Contact Sig for details.
Sig Manufacturing Co., Inc.: Box 520, Montezuma IA 50171;
Tel.: (641) 623-0215; Fax: (641) 623-3922; Web site:
www.sigmfg.com
Radio Programming Futaba’s 9CA
This book’s 89 pages and
1,300 step-by-step photos
make it simple to program the
Futaba 9CA radio for
airplanes.
Each step consists of a brief
written explanation and a
photograph of what buttons
to push, and a following
photograph shows the
display after the buttons
have been pressed. In
many instances, photos
of the model’s control
surface before and
after the
programming step
clarify it.
Radio
Programming Futaba’s
9CA is many times easier to
understand and use than an instruction
manual. It sells for $25.95.
Harry B. Higley & Sons: Box 532, Glenwood IL 60425; Tel.:
(800) 848-9411; Web site: http://members.aol.com/harryhig
Go-Slo III
The Go-Slo III has
been improved with
extra features. With the
precise performance of
an eight-bit
microprocessor, the
output is now “user
selectable.”
There are two models
available. One can drive a
single servo, two servos in tandem,
two servos with one reversed, or all three servos at
once. The other version drives one, two, or three
servos in parallel. Both models allow the servo speed to be
adjusted from two to 10+ seconds of travel in either direction.
The Go-Slo III is great for precise operation of flaps, retracts,
etc. The receiver cable is now a heavy 22 gauge for better power
delivery to one, two, or three servos. It is compatible with 4.8- or
6-volt systems and all proportional servos. The unit is 1.5 x 1.5 x
.75 inches and weighs .9 ounce. Contact Sonic-Tronics for pricing.
Sonic-Tronics: 7865 Mill Rd., Elkins Park PA 19027; Tel.:
(215) 635-6520; Web site: www.sonictronics.com
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August 2004 15
Reflex XTR Simulation
If you think the
accompanying two
pictures were
taken at the flying
field, you could be
forgiven. These
are screen
snapshots of a new
RC simulator that
Model Rectifier
Corporation
demonstrated at
Toledo: the Reflex
XTR. It looks to
be a milestone in
software development,
redefining the limits.
For the first time in
computing history, you will
be able to simulate your
flight in scenery from real
pictures. You can collide
with objects in it, and you
can move behind visible
objects using the new
PANOlusion engine.
Material properties such as grass, bushes, concrete, and
meadows show up extremely well. Direct light, indirect light, and
fog are adjustable—no more flying at high noon!
There is not enough space here to mention the Reflex XTR’s
dozens of features, so contact Model Rectifier Corporation for
complete information, computer requirements, and pricing.
Model Rectifier Corp: Box 6312, Edison NJ 08818; Tel.: (732)
225-2100; Web site: www.modelrectifier.com
Optic 6 Radio System
Hitec RCD showed its new valuepacked
Optic 6 FM/Q-PCM sixchannel
computer aircraft radio
system. It is available with
power airplane, sailplane,
and helicopter
programming, and it
has an eight-model
memory.
This system
offers great
features such as
assignable
switches, throttle
lock, dual timer,
and two slider
switches. With a
shift select
function and
Spectra synthesized
capability, the Optic 6
is one of the more flexible
six-channel systems available.
Among the Optic 6’s other features are FM/Q-PCM selectivity,
digital trims, dual rates, exponential, fail safe, engine cut, two open
mixes, gyro gain, throttle curves, pitch curves, revo mix, CCPM
mixing, CROW mixing, camber, and reflex.
The Optic 6 system is available in four configurations, so
contact Hitec RCD for complete information and pricing.
Hitec RCD: 12115 Paine St., Poway CA 92064; Tel.: (858)
748-6948; Fax: (858) 748-1767; Web site: www.hitecrcd.com
Pro-Driver III
Radio South is
known for its
products in the
Pattern world,
including the Pro
Drivers. This year
the company has
improved the driver
again, creating the
Pro-Driver III.
The new Pro-
Driver unit is pocketsized
and is supplied
with its own charger!
It comes in a brightyellow,
easy-to-see case
with a glow-clip mount
built in. It uses a fast-chargeable
four-cell 1100 mAh NiMH battery
pack for power and includes an
interchangeable glow clip.
The Pro-Driver III retails for
$109.99.
Radio South: 3702 N. Pace Blvd.,
Pensacola FL 32505; Tel.: (850) 434-0909; Web site:
www.radiosouthrc.com MA
Cockpit Kits and Pilots
Gary’s Just Planes, Inc. is
producing a full line of cockpit kits
under the banner Just The Pits to fit
Yellow Aircraft International kits.
These cockpits are fully
detailed and come prepainted.
They can be installed in most of
Yellow Aircraft’s kits in minutes.
All you need to do is glue the
instrument panel and side panels
into the cockpit tub that is included
in your model kit.
There are several varieties of
pilots to choose from and
cockpit kits for the F-15, the F
16, the F-18, the P-38, the
P-40, the P-47, the
Spitfire, the T-6, and the
Zero.
Contact the company
for pricing.
Gary’s Just Planes: 1310
Pamela Dr., Mission TX 78572;
Tel.: (956) 581-4340; Web site:
www.just-the-pits.com
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