Lazy boy chairs now have an official buddy: the RC drinks cooler. An invention that would make Al Bundy proud takes a very simple idea and makes it extremely fun. It is a cooler on wheels, and even the bottle top shaped remote doesn't hide the fact that it is a very quirky product. It operates from up to 30 ft. away, and the four sure grip wheels can cover most areas.
This is great for small parties or big parties, if you get more than one. It might not have the wit of a sarcastic butler, but will get by on the coolness factor alone. With ice it will hold up to twelve bottles or ten cans, and if your kid decides to play with it I can guesstimate about 20 Capri Suns. Give or take. This won't win any award anytime soon, but it is the type of product that you see on T.V. that is so out there, that you have to have it.
The R/C drinks cooler requires 6x C batteries, and the remote control needs 1x 9v. Honestly I didn't even know 9v still existed, call me out of date if you want. The requirements are pretty modest, and so is the price-you're looking at a good 39.95 . Considering the stuff you'll probably have it doing besides hauling your drinks around, it is a safe investment.
At the present moment www.firebox.com is out of stock, for the unlucky U.S. and U.K. buyers. But preorders are available for the U.K. section of the site, but I have no idea for how long. Don't let such a great summer deal pass you up.
Friday, April 11, 2008
SCCMAS 2008 Show Report
The Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark (SCCMAS) airshow was held July 12th and 13th in Morgan Hill, California. This free annual show spans a wide range of radio control flight, from gliders to gas powered acrobats, and helicopters to turbine powered jets. It's a great chance for existing pilots and those new to the hobby to see a little of everything that RC has to offer in the air. Keep reading to see these planes and helis in action.
The club's field is located south of San Jose, with the runway parallel to highway 101. Although there weren't any vendors selling products at the show, there was a raffle with a good assortment of prizes, and hot food and drinks available all day. Century Helicopters also had a display of a variety of their larger models.
The SCCMAS show is designed for spectators, with a fixed program between roughly 10am and 3pm each day, with open flight before and after. Having a structured schedule allows the club to show off a range of models, mostly one at a time, and let the crowd focus on the featured pilots.
The morning had a variety of planes in the air including EDF jets and gliders. Reggie Dell Aquila flew his 110 inch wingspan Sig Rascal like he stole it. I have never seen anyone fly what is basically a large trainer like this, including some very adventurous knife edge flying.
Later there were a couple of impressive control line demonstrations. I admit I never understood the attraction of CL until seeing it in person, especially at 100 mph. These planes change direction incredibly fast and take a lot of skill to fly.
The warbirds segment had up to four aircraft in the air at a time. Chris Luvara demonstrated the lowest passes of the day which his beautiful Corsair. There were a number of other great scale planes out there including a Curtiss P-6E Hawk, and an assortment of bombers.
A Pitts Python piloted by Dantley Davis warmed up the crowd with acrobatics which hinted at the wild finale to come. There was also a pylon race demonstrating how hard it is to fly fast and precisely at the same time.
Without a question, the big draw of the show is the jets. These kerosene burning turbine planes can top 200 mph and easily cost up to ten thousand dollars. They all featured retractable landing gear and vibrant color schemes. Some had smoke systems which made the performances even more enjoyable.
Jim Mongiello led off with his red and white A4 jet:
One of my favorites was Russ Giordano's CompositeARF Flash jet:
This Blue Angels F-18 is a Jet Legend kit flown by Rafael Villeda:
There were also three Tam Jets F-16s which flew at the show, including one which lost an elevator in flight and crashed. Thankfully the plane was headed parallel to the crowd at the time, and went down harmlessly off the field. By shutting the turbine down as soon as he lost control, the pilot prevented the kerosene from igniting. The result was a nasty wreck but thankfully no fire or injury.
At noon the club opened up the flight line to let the crowd get up close and personal with the aircraft. In addition to checking out the models on the ground, there were three stations where experienced pilots offered anyone the chance to take the sticks and fly with a buddy box. The left-most station had a Century Predator helicopter while the other two had fixed-wing aircraft to try out. I applaud SCCMAS for bringing new pilots into the hobby this way.
There were a few novelty planes flown during the show, including the famous flying lawnmower. Reggie (the Rascal pilot) came back out to show off his flying stop sign, which was fully acrobatic and overpowered, the way he seems to like it. He also performed one half of a Snoopy and the Baron dogfight featuring a flying dog house, which he told me later was quite a task to land.
Although planes dominated the show, 17 year old Brian Linderman put on a great display with his nitro powered Freestyle helicopter. He flew a full 3D performance and kept it low and in control - well done Brian!
The last two performers of the day surpassed even the jets in my opinion. Mike Conrardy flew an incredible demo with his huge Ultimate Bipe, starting off his routine at high altitude and diving with the smoke on. This thing hovered, tumbled, climbed, and did it all.
Finally, Greg Milosevich closed the show with his 39 pound Yak, featuring a 170cc 3W gas engine. In addition to the amazing airbrushed paint job, this plane was packing some serious hardware. Note the three servos per aileron, and four servos total on the elevator. All of this added up to some fantastic acrobatics.
The SCCMAS show was a lot of fun to attend, with a wide variety of aircraft to watch. If you live in northern California I recommend coming out and spending a day at the show. Thanks to Xavier Ducrohet for loaning me camera equipment and Chris Luvara for his help identifying the planes and pilots.
The club's field is located south of San Jose, with the runway parallel to highway 101. Although there weren't any vendors selling products at the show, there was a raffle with a good assortment of prizes, and hot food and drinks available all day. Century Helicopters also had a display of a variety of their larger models.
The SCCMAS show is designed for spectators, with a fixed program between roughly 10am and 3pm each day, with open flight before and after. Having a structured schedule allows the club to show off a range of models, mostly one at a time, and let the crowd focus on the featured pilots.
The morning had a variety of planes in the air including EDF jets and gliders. Reggie Dell Aquila flew his 110 inch wingspan Sig Rascal like he stole it. I have never seen anyone fly what is basically a large trainer like this, including some very adventurous knife edge flying.
Later there were a couple of impressive control line demonstrations. I admit I never understood the attraction of CL until seeing it in person, especially at 100 mph. These planes change direction incredibly fast and take a lot of skill to fly.
The warbirds segment had up to four aircraft in the air at a time. Chris Luvara demonstrated the lowest passes of the day which his beautiful Corsair. There were a number of other great scale planes out there including a Curtiss P-6E Hawk, and an assortment of bombers.
A Pitts Python piloted by Dantley Davis warmed up the crowd with acrobatics which hinted at the wild finale to come. There was also a pylon race demonstrating how hard it is to fly fast and precisely at the same time.
Without a question, the big draw of the show is the jets. These kerosene burning turbine planes can top 200 mph and easily cost up to ten thousand dollars. They all featured retractable landing gear and vibrant color schemes. Some had smoke systems which made the performances even more enjoyable.
Jim Mongiello led off with his red and white A4 jet:
One of my favorites was Russ Giordano's CompositeARF Flash jet:
This Blue Angels F-18 is a Jet Legend kit flown by Rafael Villeda:
There were also three Tam Jets F-16s which flew at the show, including one which lost an elevator in flight and crashed. Thankfully the plane was headed parallel to the crowd at the time, and went down harmlessly off the field. By shutting the turbine down as soon as he lost control, the pilot prevented the kerosene from igniting. The result was a nasty wreck but thankfully no fire or injury.
At noon the club opened up the flight line to let the crowd get up close and personal with the aircraft. In addition to checking out the models on the ground, there were three stations where experienced pilots offered anyone the chance to take the sticks and fly with a buddy box. The left-most station had a Century Predator helicopter while the other two had fixed-wing aircraft to try out. I applaud SCCMAS for bringing new pilots into the hobby this way.
There were a few novelty planes flown during the show, including the famous flying lawnmower. Reggie (the Rascal pilot) came back out to show off his flying stop sign, which was fully acrobatic and overpowered, the way he seems to like it. He also performed one half of a Snoopy and the Baron dogfight featuring a flying dog house, which he told me later was quite a task to land.
Although planes dominated the show, 17 year old Brian Linderman put on a great display with his nitro powered Freestyle helicopter. He flew a full 3D performance and kept it low and in control - well done Brian!
The last two performers of the day surpassed even the jets in my opinion. Mike Conrardy flew an incredible demo with his huge Ultimate Bipe, starting off his routine at high altitude and diving with the smoke on. This thing hovered, tumbled, climbed, and did it all.
Finally, Greg Milosevich closed the show with his 39 pound Yak, featuring a 170cc 3W gas engine. In addition to the amazing airbrushed paint job, this plane was packing some serious hardware. Note the three servos per aileron, and four servos total on the elevator. All of this added up to some fantastic acrobatics.
The SCCMAS show was a lot of fun to attend, with a wide variety of aircraft to watch. If you live in northern California I recommend coming out and spending a day at the show. Thanks to Xavier Ducrohet for loaning me camera equipment and Chris Luvara for his help identifying the planes and pilots.
RC Drinks Cooler Overview
Lazy boy chairs now have an official buddy: the RC drinks cooler. An invention that would make Al Bundy proud takes a very simple idea and makes it extremely fun. It is a cooler on wheels, and even the bottle top shaped remote doesn't hide the fact that it is a very quirky product. It operates from up to 30 ft. away, and the four sure grip wheels can cover most areas.
This is great for small parties or big parties, if you get more than one. It might not have the wit of a sarcastic butler, but will get by on the coolness factor alone. With ice it will hold up to twelve bottles or ten cans, and if your kid decides to play with it I can guesstimate about 20 Capri Suns. Give or take. This won't win any award anytime soon, but it is the type of product that you see on T.V. that is so out there, that you have to have it.
The R/C drinks cooler requires 6x C batteries, and the remote control needs 1x 9v. Honestly I didn't even know 9v still existed, call me out of date if you want. The requirements are pretty modest, and so is the price-you're looking at a good 39.95 . Considering the stuff you'll probably have it doing besides hauling your drinks around, it is a safe investment.
At the present moment www.firebox.com is out of stock, for the unlucky U.S. and U.K. buyers. But preorders are available for the U.K. section of the site, but I have no idea for how long. Don't let such a great summer deal pass you up.
This is great for small parties or big parties, if you get more than one. It might not have the wit of a sarcastic butler, but will get by on the coolness factor alone. With ice it will hold up to twelve bottles or ten cans, and if your kid decides to play with it I can guesstimate about 20 Capri Suns. Give or take. This won't win any award anytime soon, but it is the type of product that you see on T.V. that is so out there, that you have to have it.
The R/C drinks cooler requires 6x C batteries, and the remote control needs 1x 9v. Honestly I didn't even know 9v still existed, call me out of date if you want. The requirements are pretty modest, and so is the price-you're looking at a good 39.95 . Considering the stuff you'll probably have it doing besides hauling your drinks around, it is a safe investment.
At the present moment www.firebox.com is out of stock, for the unlucky U.S. and U.K. buyers. But preorders are available for the U.K. section of the site, but I have no idea for how long. Don't let such a great summer deal pass you up.
SCCMAS 2008 Show Report
The Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark (SCCMAS) airshow was held July 12th and 13th in Morgan Hill, California. This free annual show spans a wide range of radio control flight, from gliders to gas powered acrobats, and helicopters to turbine powered jets. It's a great chance for existing pilots and those new to the hobby to see a little of everything that RC has to offer in the air. Keep reading to see these planes and helis in action.
The club's field is located south of San Jose, with the runway parallel to highway 101. Although there weren't any vendors selling products at the show, there was a raffle with a good assortment of prizes, and hot food and drinks available all day. Century Helicopters also had a display of a variety of their larger models.
The SCCMAS show is designed for spectators, with a fixed program between roughly 10am and 3pm each day, with open flight before and after. Having a structured schedule allows the club to show off a range of models, mostly one at a time, and let the crowd focus on the featured pilots.
The morning had a variety of planes in the air including EDF jets and gliders. Reggie Dell Aquila flew his 110 inch wingspan Sig Rascal like he stole it. I have never seen anyone fly what is basically a large trainer like this, including some very adventurous knife edge flying.
Later there were a couple of impressive control line demonstrations. I admit I never understood the attraction of CL until seeing it in person, especially at 100 mph. These planes change direction incredibly fast and take a lot of skill to fly.
The warbirds segment had up to four aircraft in the air at a time. Chris Luvara demonstrated the lowest passes of the day which his beautiful Corsair. There were a number of other great scale planes out there including a Curtiss P-6E Hawk, and an assortment of bombers.
A Pitts Python piloted by Dantley Davis warmed up the crowd with acrobatics which hinted at the wild finale to come. There was also a pylon race demonstrating how hard it is to fly fast and precisely at the same time.
Without a question, the big draw of the show is the jets. These kerosene burning turbine planes can top 200 mph and easily cost up to ten thousand dollars. They all featured retractable landing gear and vibrant color schemes. Some had smoke systems which made the performances even more enjoyable.
Jim Mongiello led off with his red and white A4 jet:
One of my favorites was Russ Giordano's CompositeARF Flash jet:
This Blue Angels F-18 is a Jet Legend kit flown by Rafael Villeda:
There were also three Tam Jets F-16s which flew at the show, including one which lost an elevator in flight and crashed. Thankfully the plane was headed parallel to the crowd at the time, and went down harmlessly off the field. By shutting the turbine down as soon as he lost control, the pilot prevented the kerosene from igniting. The result was a nasty wreck but thankfully no fire or injury.
At noon the club opened up the flight line to let the crowd get up close and personal with the aircraft. In addition to checking out the models on the ground, there were three stations where experienced pilots offered anyone the chance to take the sticks and fly with a buddy box. The left-most station had a Century Predator helicopter while the other two had fixed-wing aircraft to try out. I applaud SCCMAS for bringing new pilots into the hobby this way.
There were a few novelty planes flown during the show, including the famous flying lawnmower. Reggie (the Rascal pilot) came back out to show off his flying stop sign, which was fully acrobatic and overpowered, the way he seems to like it. He also performed one half of a Snoopy and the Baron dogfight featuring a flying dog house, which he told me later was quite a task to land.
Although planes dominated the show, 17 year old Brian Linderman put on a great display with his nitro powered Freestyle helicopter. He flew a full 3D performance and kept it low and in control - well done Brian!
The last two performers of the day surpassed even the jets in my opinion. Mike Conrardy flew an incredible demo with his huge Ultimate Bipe, starting off his routine at high altitude and diving with the smoke on. This thing hovered, tumbled, climbed, and did it all.
Finally, Greg Milosevich closed the show with his 39 pound Yak, featuring a 170cc 3W gas engine. In addition to the amazing airbrushed paint job, this plane was packing some serious hardware. Note the three servos per aileron, and four servos total on the elevator. All of this added up to some fantastic acrobatics.
The SCCMAS show was a lot of fun to attend, with a wide variety of aircraft to watch. If you live in northern California I recommend coming out and spending a day at the show. Thanks to Xavier Ducrohet for loaning me camera equipment and Chris Luvara for his help identifying the planes and pilots.
The club's field is located south of San Jose, with the runway parallel to highway 101. Although there weren't any vendors selling products at the show, there was a raffle with a good assortment of prizes, and hot food and drinks available all day. Century Helicopters also had a display of a variety of their larger models.
The SCCMAS show is designed for spectators, with a fixed program between roughly 10am and 3pm each day, with open flight before and after. Having a structured schedule allows the club to show off a range of models, mostly one at a time, and let the crowd focus on the featured pilots.
The morning had a variety of planes in the air including EDF jets and gliders. Reggie Dell Aquila flew his 110 inch wingspan Sig Rascal like he stole it. I have never seen anyone fly what is basically a large trainer like this, including some very adventurous knife edge flying.
Later there were a couple of impressive control line demonstrations. I admit I never understood the attraction of CL until seeing it in person, especially at 100 mph. These planes change direction incredibly fast and take a lot of skill to fly.
The warbirds segment had up to four aircraft in the air at a time. Chris Luvara demonstrated the lowest passes of the day which his beautiful Corsair. There were a number of other great scale planes out there including a Curtiss P-6E Hawk, and an assortment of bombers.
A Pitts Python piloted by Dantley Davis warmed up the crowd with acrobatics which hinted at the wild finale to come. There was also a pylon race demonstrating how hard it is to fly fast and precisely at the same time.
Without a question, the big draw of the show is the jets. These kerosene burning turbine planes can top 200 mph and easily cost up to ten thousand dollars. They all featured retractable landing gear and vibrant color schemes. Some had smoke systems which made the performances even more enjoyable.
Jim Mongiello led off with his red and white A4 jet:
One of my favorites was Russ Giordano's CompositeARF Flash jet:
This Blue Angels F-18 is a Jet Legend kit flown by Rafael Villeda:
There were also three Tam Jets F-16s which flew at the show, including one which lost an elevator in flight and crashed. Thankfully the plane was headed parallel to the crowd at the time, and went down harmlessly off the field. By shutting the turbine down as soon as he lost control, the pilot prevented the kerosene from igniting. The result was a nasty wreck but thankfully no fire or injury.
At noon the club opened up the flight line to let the crowd get up close and personal with the aircraft. In addition to checking out the models on the ground, there were three stations where experienced pilots offered anyone the chance to take the sticks and fly with a buddy box. The left-most station had a Century Predator helicopter while the other two had fixed-wing aircraft to try out. I applaud SCCMAS for bringing new pilots into the hobby this way.
There were a few novelty planes flown during the show, including the famous flying lawnmower. Reggie (the Rascal pilot) came back out to show off his flying stop sign, which was fully acrobatic and overpowered, the way he seems to like it. He also performed one half of a Snoopy and the Baron dogfight featuring a flying dog house, which he told me later was quite a task to land.
Although planes dominated the show, 17 year old Brian Linderman put on a great display with his nitro powered Freestyle helicopter. He flew a full 3D performance and kept it low and in control - well done Brian!
The last two performers of the day surpassed even the jets in my opinion. Mike Conrardy flew an incredible demo with his huge Ultimate Bipe, starting off his routine at high altitude and diving with the smoke on. This thing hovered, tumbled, climbed, and did it all.
Finally, Greg Milosevich closed the show with his 39 pound Yak, featuring a 170cc 3W gas engine. In addition to the amazing airbrushed paint job, this plane was packing some serious hardware. Note the three servos per aileron, and four servos total on the elevator. All of this added up to some fantastic acrobatics.
The SCCMAS show was a lot of fun to attend, with a wide variety of aircraft to watch. If you live in northern California I recommend coming out and spending a day at the show. Thanks to Xavier Ducrohet for loaning me camera equipment and Chris Luvara for his help identifying the planes and pilots.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Aircraft And Helicopter Calculators
One of the tricky parts of electric flight is choosing the right components for a new plane or helicopter. How do you know which motor to pair with which speed controller? What size propeller will give enough thrust without drawing too many amps? And what battery is going to be up to the task?
The problem of matching all of the pieces is further complicated by the fact that there is no one right answer for a particular plane. The electronics that are right for you may not provide enough power for a more advanced pilot, or may not fit in someone else's budget. Maybe you already own a motor and need to build a system around it. What to do? Fortunately there a number of calculators out there which will help you run the numbers and try out different combinations. Most of them are free and run in a web browser, while a few run on your PC. A good place to start is P-CALC by Diversity Model Aircraft. It has a very large collection of motors already programmed in. You can also specify a custom motor if you wish. There aren't too many options, so it shouldn't be overwhelming for new users.
Another powerful airplane calculator is the Motor & Prop Calculator by Adam One. It displays Imperial and metric units simultaneously, and one updates when you change the other. You can even enter temperature, altitude, and barometric pressure if you want to see what effect they have. The only thing which doesn't seem to work is the graphing feature, which I tried on Safari and Firefox. Perhaps it only works in Internet Explorer, or not at all. Not to be outdone, a well-named site called Flies Like A Beagle has two airplane calculators available. Click on Software in the left column, and then try WebOCalc and PowerCalc at the top. Both are available while you're online in a browser, or can be downloaded and run offline in your browser. Either way you get the same programs, and they can be run on any computer. I like the WebOCalc feature which tells you how a particular setup will fly in plain English, from "mild trainer" to "outstanding 3D". That leads me to MotoCalc , perhaps the mother of all flight calculators. This is a commercial application priced at $39 USD, with a free 30 day trial. The list of features is a mile long, including setup comparisons, graphing, and an export to spreadsheet function. MotoCalc is a desktop app for Windows, and doesn't have a Macintosh version. It has a long history and receives constant updates, including its data files (specs for motors, ESCs, etc.), which are the most complete of any tool here by a large margin. Lastly, Dark Horse RC has an impressive Helicopter Power & Setup Calculator available for free. You can enter values by hand or use the buttons at the bottom to drop in preset values for some of the most popular helis. If that's not enough, you can also try the beta version of his Advanced Calculator , which offers many more choices and controls. Flight calculators are very helpful tools, and there are lots to choose from. Remember that these programs can only come up with estimates, so don't count on drawing exactly 24.5 amps on your 25 amp speed control, just because the software told you to. However they are very useful to try out different combinations of gear without buying the equipment first.
The problem of matching all of the pieces is further complicated by the fact that there is no one right answer for a particular plane. The electronics that are right for you may not provide enough power for a more advanced pilot, or may not fit in someone else's budget. Maybe you already own a motor and need to build a system around it. What to do? Fortunately there a number of calculators out there which will help you run the numbers and try out different combinations. Most of them are free and run in a web browser, while a few run on your PC. A good place to start is P-CALC by Diversity Model Aircraft. It has a very large collection of motors already programmed in. You can also specify a custom motor if you wish. There aren't too many options, so it shouldn't be overwhelming for new users.
Another powerful airplane calculator is the Motor & Prop Calculator by Adam One. It displays Imperial and metric units simultaneously, and one updates when you change the other. You can even enter temperature, altitude, and barometric pressure if you want to see what effect they have. The only thing which doesn't seem to work is the graphing feature, which I tried on Safari and Firefox. Perhaps it only works in Internet Explorer, or not at all. Not to be outdone, a well-named site called Flies Like A Beagle has two airplane calculators available. Click on Software in the left column, and then try WebOCalc and PowerCalc at the top. Both are available while you're online in a browser, or can be downloaded and run offline in your browser. Either way you get the same programs, and they can be run on any computer. I like the WebOCalc feature which tells you how a particular setup will fly in plain English, from "mild trainer" to "outstanding 3D". That leads me to MotoCalc , perhaps the mother of all flight calculators. This is a commercial application priced at $39 USD, with a free 30 day trial. The list of features is a mile long, including setup comparisons, graphing, and an export to spreadsheet function. MotoCalc is a desktop app for Windows, and doesn't have a Macintosh version. It has a long history and receives constant updates, including its data files (specs for motors, ESCs, etc.), which are the most complete of any tool here by a large margin. Lastly, Dark Horse RC has an impressive Helicopter Power & Setup Calculator available for free. You can enter values by hand or use the buttons at the bottom to drop in preset values for some of the most popular helis. If that's not enough, you can also try the beta version of his Advanced Calculator , which offers many more choices and controls. Flight calculators are very helpful tools, and there are lots to choose from. Remember that these programs can only come up with estimates, so don't count on drawing exactly 24.5 amps on your 25 amp speed control, just because the software told you to. However they are very useful to try out different combinations of gear without buying the equipment first.
Aircraft And Helicopter Calculators
One of the tricky parts of electric flight is choosing the right components for a new plane or helicopter. How do you know which motor to pair with which speed controller? What size propeller will give enough thrust without drawing too many amps? And what battery is going to be up to the task?
The problem of matching all of the pieces is further complicated by the fact that there is no one right answer for a particular plane. The electronics that are right for you may not provide enough power for a more advanced pilot, or may not fit in someone else's budget. Maybe you already own a motor and need to build a system around it. What to do? Fortunately there a number of calculators out there which will help you run the numbers and try out different combinations. Most of them are free and run in a web browser, while a few run on your PC. A good place to start is P-CALC by Diversity Model Aircraft. It has a very large collection of motors already programmed in. You can also specify a custom motor if you wish. There aren't too many options, so it shouldn't be overwhelming for new users.
Another powerful airplane calculator is the Motor & Prop Calculator by Adam One. It displays Imperial and metric units simultaneously, and one updates when you change the other. You can even enter temperature, altitude, and barometric pressure if you want to see what effect they have. The only thing which doesn't seem to work is the graphing feature, which I tried on Safari and Firefox. Perhaps it only works in Internet Explorer, or not at all. Not to be outdone, a well-named site called Flies Like A Beagle has two airplane calculators available. Click on Software in the left column, and then try WebOCalc and PowerCalc at the top. Both are available while you're online in a browser, or can be downloaded and run offline in your browser. Either way you get the same programs, and they can be run on any computer. I like the WebOCalc feature which tells you how a particular setup will fly in plain English, from "mild trainer" to "outstanding 3D". That leads me to MotoCalc , perhaps the mother of all flight calculators. This is a commercial application priced at $39 USD, with a free 30 day trial. The list of features is a mile long, including setup comparisons, graphing, and an export to spreadsheet function. MotoCalc is a desktop app for Windows, and doesn't have a Macintosh version. It has a long history and receives constant updates, including its data files (specs for motors, ESCs, etc.), which are the most complete of any tool here by a large margin. Lastly, Dark Horse RC has an impressive Helicopter Power & Setup Calculator available for free. You can enter values by hand or use the buttons at the bottom to drop in preset values for some of the most popular helis. If that's not enough, you can also try the beta version of his Advanced Calculator , which offers many more choices and controls. Flight calculators are very helpful tools, and there are lots to choose from. Remember that these programs can only come up with estimates, so don't count on drawing exactly 24.5 amps on your 25 amp speed control, just because the software told you to. However they are very useful to try out different combinations of gear without buying the equipment first.
The problem of matching all of the pieces is further complicated by the fact that there is no one right answer for a particular plane. The electronics that are right for you may not provide enough power for a more advanced pilot, or may not fit in someone else's budget. Maybe you already own a motor and need to build a system around it. What to do? Fortunately there a number of calculators out there which will help you run the numbers and try out different combinations. Most of them are free and run in a web browser, while a few run on your PC. A good place to start is P-CALC by Diversity Model Aircraft. It has a very large collection of motors already programmed in. You can also specify a custom motor if you wish. There aren't too many options, so it shouldn't be overwhelming for new users.
Another powerful airplane calculator is the Motor & Prop Calculator by Adam One. It displays Imperial and metric units simultaneously, and one updates when you change the other. You can even enter temperature, altitude, and barometric pressure if you want to see what effect they have. The only thing which doesn't seem to work is the graphing feature, which I tried on Safari and Firefox. Perhaps it only works in Internet Explorer, or not at all. Not to be outdone, a well-named site called Flies Like A Beagle has two airplane calculators available. Click on Software in the left column, and then try WebOCalc and PowerCalc at the top. Both are available while you're online in a browser, or can be downloaded and run offline in your browser. Either way you get the same programs, and they can be run on any computer. I like the WebOCalc feature which tells you how a particular setup will fly in plain English, from "mild trainer" to "outstanding 3D". That leads me to MotoCalc , perhaps the mother of all flight calculators. This is a commercial application priced at $39 USD, with a free 30 day trial. The list of features is a mile long, including setup comparisons, graphing, and an export to spreadsheet function. MotoCalc is a desktop app for Windows, and doesn't have a Macintosh version. It has a long history and receives constant updates, including its data files (specs for motors, ESCs, etc.), which are the most complete of any tool here by a large margin. Lastly, Dark Horse RC has an impressive Helicopter Power & Setup Calculator available for free. You can enter values by hand or use the buttons at the bottom to drop in preset values for some of the most popular helis. If that's not enough, you can also try the beta version of his Advanced Calculator , which offers many more choices and controls. Flight calculators are very helpful tools, and there are lots to choose from. Remember that these programs can only come up with estimates, so don't count on drawing exactly 24.5 amps on your 25 amp speed control, just because the software told you to. However they are very useful to try out different combinations of gear without buying the equipment first.
Top Flite B-25J Mitchell ARF Overview
I'll never admit to being lazy, so my reasoning for steering clear of most ARF models is due to taste. One look at the B-25J Mitchell ARF from Top Flite , however, makes me into a stressed riddled perfectionist. There are certain things in life that when you have them, you become the center of attention, the big shot. Like getting a 60 inch HD T.V. with over 3,000 worldwide channels.
The B-25J is an ARF model that will make everyone in the field you're flying in look like amateurs. Top Flite never skips over detail, and the B-25J is painstakingly done to perfection. They somehow managed to make it as authentic as possible, without getting in the way of the RC spec expectations. The plane is huge at about 17 lbs. with a length of 70.5 inches, and is backed by a lengthy 50 hours of assembly. Depending on your level, this assembly can range from easy to hair pulling.
Great care went into this, and with all the problems that come with twin engine models, they addressed most of them without too much user interaction needed. Both nacelles are built from laser-cut plywood, which means you should be able to fly with confidence. I also love all the extras they provided like functioning doors, ability to switch out the engines (.40s or 4 stroke .70s), and easy disassembly for transportation or storage.
The manual reads like a Stephen King novel, and may frighten little kids. This project requires extra purchases, but that is a minor problem to what seems to be a great plane. This is definitely one of the most incredible replicas to look at. It won't be long before men buy B-25J to cope with their midlife crisis in place of a new car.
The B-25J is an ARF model that will make everyone in the field you're flying in look like amateurs. Top Flite never skips over detail, and the B-25J is painstakingly done to perfection. They somehow managed to make it as authentic as possible, without getting in the way of the RC spec expectations. The plane is huge at about 17 lbs. with a length of 70.5 inches, and is backed by a lengthy 50 hours of assembly. Depending on your level, this assembly can range from easy to hair pulling.
Great care went into this, and with all the problems that come with twin engine models, they addressed most of them without too much user interaction needed. Both nacelles are built from laser-cut plywood, which means you should be able to fly with confidence. I also love all the extras they provided like functioning doors, ability to switch out the engines (.40s or 4 stroke .70s), and easy disassembly for transportation or storage.
The manual reads like a Stephen King novel, and may frighten little kids. This project requires extra purchases, but that is a minor problem to what seems to be a great plane. This is definitely one of the most incredible replicas to look at. It won't be long before men buy B-25J to cope with their midlife crisis in place of a new car.
New Sensors From Eagle Tree Systems Announced
Eagle Tree Systems has announced two new sensors in their line of data logger products. What makes these unusual is that they can be used either with a logger like the eLogger V3 or stand-alone, using the built-in LED display. For convenience the sensors can be powered by a spare receiver channel or a second battery.
Airspeed Sensor Features:
World's lowest cost Airspeed Sensor ($42.99 USD MSRP)
Measures from approximately 2 MPH to 350 MPH
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Includes Pitot Tube
Accessible static port
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Metric or English units
Altimeter Features:
World's lowest cost Altimeter ($37.99 USD MSRP!)
Aproximately 3 foot (1 meter) resolution
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Accessible static port
Metric or English units
The units are expected to ship in August. More information can be found on the Eagle Tree Systems website .
Airspeed Sensor Features:
World's lowest cost Airspeed Sensor ($42.99 USD MSRP)
Measures from approximately 2 MPH to 350 MPH
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Includes Pitot Tube
Accessible static port
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Metric or English units
Altimeter Features:
World's lowest cost Altimeter ($37.99 USD MSRP!)
Aproximately 3 foot (1 meter) resolution
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Accessible static port
Metric or English units
The units are expected to ship in August. More information can be found on the Eagle Tree Systems website .
Top Flite B-25J Mitchell ARF Overview
I'll never admit to being lazy, so my reasoning for steering clear of most ARF models is due to taste. One look at the B-25J Mitchell ARF from Top Flite , however, makes me into a stressed riddled perfectionist. There are certain things in life that when you have them, you become the center of attention, the big shot. Like getting a 60 inch HD T.V. with over 3,000 worldwide channels.
The B-25J is an ARF model that will make everyone in the field you're flying in look like amateurs. Top Flite never skips over detail, and the B-25J is painstakingly done to perfection. They somehow managed to make it as authentic as possible, without getting in the way of the RC spec expectations. The plane is huge at about 17 lbs. with a length of 70.5 inches, and is backed by a lengthy 50 hours of assembly. Depending on your level, this assembly can range from easy to hair pulling.
Great care went into this, and with all the problems that come with twin engine models, they addressed most of them without too much user interaction needed. Both nacelles are built from laser-cut plywood, which means you should be able to fly with confidence. I also love all the extras they provided like functioning doors, ability to switch out the engines (.40s or 4 stroke .70s), and easy disassembly for transportation or storage.
The manual reads like a Stephen King novel, and may frighten little kids. This project requires extra purchases, but that is a minor problem to what seems to be a great plane. This is definitely one of the most incredible replicas to look at. It won't be long before men buy B-25J to cope with their midlife crisis in place of a new car.
The B-25J is an ARF model that will make everyone in the field you're flying in look like amateurs. Top Flite never skips over detail, and the B-25J is painstakingly done to perfection. They somehow managed to make it as authentic as possible, without getting in the way of the RC spec expectations. The plane is huge at about 17 lbs. with a length of 70.5 inches, and is backed by a lengthy 50 hours of assembly. Depending on your level, this assembly can range from easy to hair pulling.
Great care went into this, and with all the problems that come with twin engine models, they addressed most of them without too much user interaction needed. Both nacelles are built from laser-cut plywood, which means you should be able to fly with confidence. I also love all the extras they provided like functioning doors, ability to switch out the engines (.40s or 4 stroke .70s), and easy disassembly for transportation or storage.
The manual reads like a Stephen King novel, and may frighten little kids. This project requires extra purchases, but that is a minor problem to what seems to be a great plane. This is definitely one of the most incredible replicas to look at. It won't be long before men buy B-25J to cope with their midlife crisis in place of a new car.
New Sensors From Eagle Tree Systems Announced
Eagle Tree Systems has announced two new sensors in their line of data logger products. What makes these unusual is that they can be used either with a logger like the eLogger V3 or stand-alone, using the built-in LED display. For convenience the sensors can be powered by a spare receiver channel or a second battery.
Airspeed Sensor Features:
World's lowest cost Airspeed Sensor ($42.99 USD MSRP)
Measures from approximately 2 MPH to 350 MPH
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Includes Pitot Tube
Accessible static port
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Metric or English units
Altimeter Features:
World's lowest cost Altimeter ($37.99 USD MSRP!)
Aproximately 3 foot (1 meter) resolution
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Accessible static port
Metric or English units
The units are expected to ship in August. More information can be found on the Eagle Tree Systems website .
Airspeed Sensor Features:
World's lowest cost Airspeed Sensor ($42.99 USD MSRP)
Measures from approximately 2 MPH to 350 MPH
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Includes Pitot Tube
Accessible static port
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Metric or English units
Altimeter Features:
World's lowest cost Altimeter ($37.99 USD MSRP!)
Aproximately 3 foot (1 meter) resolution
Weight 4 grams (0.15 oz)
Precalibrated no user calibration required
Accessible static port
Metric or English units
The units are expected to ship in August. More information can be found on the Eagle Tree Systems website .
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