CONTROL LINE AEROBATICS - 2001/03
BY THE TImE you read this column, the building season will be
in full swing. I’ve been thinking about what to build, what I need in
terms of airplanes, and what parts, pieces, and materials will be
necessary to make these projects happen.
If what I just mentioned strikes you as the elements of a plan, it
should. To maximize the time you have available, you need to have
things thought out so you can make progress and accomplish your
goals.
Did I hear the word “goals”? This is starting to sound like a
management dissertation.
Each of us has a “life” outside our hobby/sport that has to take
priority, but the time we have available can be better utilized if we
know what we are going to do in our program.
That’s what we are going to discuss, build, and organize.
Hopefully I’ll give some of you a different “spin” you can use to
fully enjoy the building season.
One thing I’ve learned in the 50 years of building these
wonderful airplanes is that you don’t build light, accurate models in
a hurry, or in long sessions.
In my long-ago youth, I used to go to the hobby shop, get a Veco
Chief kit Friday afternoon, and fly it the next weekend. That was
before I had a family and responsibilities. And it wasn’t the best,
because speed became a driving factor to get it finished.
CONTROL LINE AEROBATICS - 2001/02
We MoDeleRS realize that without a place to fly regularly, it is
difficult to sustain interest. Too many of us have experienced the loss
of a favorite site, and have likened it to the loss of a loved one.
Without the focus of a dedicated site, organized activity and growth
cannot continue. We also see activities expanding and competing for
the same available “space” we are, such as youth soccer.
At the 2000 Nationals, John Brodak, president of Brodak
Manufacturing and Distribution Co., Inc., voiced his opinion on how
we in modeling should change our approach to selling our needs. He
had the following to say:
“There is a misconception that has been perpetuated for years,
that what we do as Control Line, Radio Control, and/or Free Flight
builders and fliers is a hobby.
“We need to clarify and present to all that we are involved in a
sport—a sport that requires hours of dedication to hone talents in not
only flying, but building the machines we take into local, national,
and international competition.
“Throughout Europe, aeromodeling is considered to be a sport. In
fact, there are many countries around the world where talented young
fliers are trained for international competition.
“In the United States, however, it is looked upon as a hobby. There
needs to be a change, and it must be done soon if we are to survive.
CONTROL LINE AEROBATICS - 2001/01
thIs mOnth I’ll discuss heat, and how it
affects your engine.
I may not cover each circumstance,
because there are so many different
combinations that can combine to create
problems. Likewise, you can make a series of
errors that are bad enough in the short term to
hurt the engine run.
However, this discussion is extremely
important; if you want your equipment to
perform the way it should, read on.
before I get into some problems and
solutions, general discussion on
engine/cooling configurations/installations is
necessary.
Probably the most important factor in a
Stunt engine that runs well is a stable
mounting system.
The mounting surface should be flat, and
the engine should mate perfectly to the
surface. The surface should be a hard
material, such as aluminum or pheonolic, to
transfer load, heat, and vibration, and should
last indefinitely. There must be sufficient
mass to absorb and transfer vibration to the
main structure.
The design of the internal structure should
be carefully analyzed, to ensure that it has a
direct line to the exterior skin of the airplane.
If you don’t examine this, you can expect a
stress crack where the continuity stops.
CL Aerobatics
WHEN I STARTED writing this column almost 13 years ago, I had no idea how long my tenure would last. I thought I'd do it for a year or two, until the ideas stopped coming. But as time passed, I kept making mistakes and solving problems, so there was material of interest to share. By now, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. As in all things, there is a beginning and an end. The time has come for me to conclude my stewardship. This will be my last column.
Control Line: Aerobatics
FOR MOST OF MY MODELING LIFE I've been fascinated by the superb transparent finishes common in Free Flight; the colors are beautiful and the sun shining through the structure gives me a thrill. I realize that plastic films can accomplish this, but I'm going toward the more traditional methods. With the exploding popularity of Old Time and Classic events, I was looking for a procedure with which to cover and finish transparent surfaces to high standards. For those of you who haven't tried a sealed finish, it requires quite a few coats of dope. I know I'll get comments, but my experience has been that it's difficult to get a good surface seal against heavy fuel exposure with a clear finish. Covering with dyed tissue requires quite a bit of technique and practice to get a high-quality job, free of visible seams and overlaps. Some of you who have tried it know that it takes time and effort, so I was looking for a better way.
