Pat Mattes
Oct 23, 2002, 01:00 AM
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<td width="50%" align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete_t2.jpg" border="2"></a></td>
<td width="50%" align="left"><strong>Specifications</strong>
<ul>
<li><strong>Wingspan:</strong> 1320 mm (52") </li>
<li><strong>Wing Chord:</strong> 140 mm (5.5") at root, 108 mm (4.25") at tip </li>
<li><strong>Wing Area:</strong> 16.1 dm sq. (235 sq.in.)</li>
<li><strong>Airfoil:</strong> S-3021 modified</li>
<li><strong>Length:</strong> 730 mm (28.7")</li>
<li><strong>Weight:</strong> 360 gram (12.75 oz) as Electric </li>
<li><strong>Wing Loading:</strong> 7.8 oz/sq.ft</li>
<li><strong>Power:</strong> Speed 280 (27 watts)</li>
<li><strong>Power Loading:</strong> 34 watts/lb</li>
<li><strong>Prop:</strong> Graupner CAM 12 x 6 (4.7" x 2.3") folder </li>
<li><strong>Battery:</strong> 7-cell 500mAh NiMH</li>
<li><strong>Other equipment provided for the review:</strong><br>
Deans polarized pins<br>
Speed 280 6.0 volt motor<br>
GWS-100 5 amp ESC with Brake<br>
Quick Capacitor Set for 280/300</li>
</ul>
</td>
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</table>
</div>
<blockquote>I first saw the Kelly at the 2002 Toledo R/C Exposition in April, but it was a "behind-the-scenes" look since it hadn't been released through Hobby Lobby yet. It was such a beautiful looking sailplane that I couldn't wait to get a chance to review it. Good looking sailplanes always fly better, right?</blockquote>
<blockquote>I knew the Kelly was going to be a small sailplane, but I was still surprised at just how small the packaging box was when it arrived.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/box-contents.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/box-contents_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Even more amazing was the fact that even after the plane was assembled and flown, it could be disassembled and stored (or transported) back in its original box. With outside dimensions of 30.5" x 8.5" x 2.5", the box and contents could easily be taken as carry-on luggage on an airline trip, strapped on a bicycle, or better yet, disguised as a briefcase and taken out during an "off-site lunch meeting". Hmmm, not a bad idea...</blockquote>
<blockquote>The parts were packaged well, and free from any shipping damage. The instruction manual is decently illustrated, and the provided text is one of the better English translations I've seen as of late. Also included is a 16" x 23" plan for referencing equipment placement. The hardware package was complete, providing all control wires, linkages, and miscellaneous balsa and plastic parts required for assembly. (control rods and sleeves not shown in picture)</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/hardware.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/hardware_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Wing</p></big>
<blockquote>The aluminum tubes that receive the wing joiner are epoxied into support blocks extending inward from the root rib.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wings.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wings_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The instructions call for plasticine (modeling clay essentially) to be placed into one end of the aluminum tube so that epoxy doesn't migrate up the center of the tube when inserted into the wing. I thought I'd be "smarter" and glue tiny balsa plugs into the end of the tube, but I had to drill these out later. I hadn't figured the wing joiner rod to be longer than the aluminum tubes, and the wings wouldn't seat properly. If you use the plasticine as recommended, then it just pushes out the end of the tube when you join the wings the first time.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The holes in the fuselage for the wing joiner rod and wing alignment pin are marked, but need to be cleared out to the proper size for a snug fit.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wingrod-holes.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wingrod-holes_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Start small and go slowly to avoid making too large a hole and having a loose fit. The alignment pins are inserted into the fuselage and left protruding a bit so you can mark the location of the pin on the root rib. Align the wing with the fuselage, mark the spot, and then carefully epoxy the pin in place in the wing.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The wings have a preset amount of washout in them, and the instructions take you through the steps of checking it.</blockquote>
<blockquote>After putting it all together, you get a fit and finish that is just extraordinary!</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wing-fit-fuse.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wing-fit-fuse_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Stabilizer</p></big>
<blockquote>The elevator is attached to the stabilizer with clear tape. </blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/tail-feathers.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/tail-feathers_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Cellophane works well since the Kelly is a light glider and control loads will be minimal. A centerline is made for alignment purposes, and the existing mounting bolt hole enlarged.</blockquote>
<blockquote>A centerline is also made on the fuselage stabilizer seat. Set the stabilizer on, checking the plan for correct placement fore and aft. Mark the stabilizer seat using the stabilizer hole as a guide, and then drill the hole as instructed. Don't use the parting-line of the mold as a centerline; it's not always the case. Even though it looks close, it isn't.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-seat.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-seat_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The nut for the stabilizer bolt is to be installed next. The manual calls for filing flat spots in the fillets so the nut can sit flat against the underside of the seat. I attempted this operation, but it was extremely tedious and time-consuming work. I attempted to use my Dremel tool, but I couldn't get the proper access. Finally, I resorted to filing flat spots on the nut. This worked great, and I wished I had thought of it before working on the fiberglass. It took longer to find my safety glasses than it did to reshape the nut! Filing flat spots on opposite sides of the nut allows it to seat properly, yet retains sufficient contact area for joint strength.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>In order to keep the epoxy under control and not get into the threads, I mixed some micro-balloons with it and then epoxied the nut in place.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut-instl.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut-instl_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The stabilizer alignment pin is created from pushrod sleeve material. Mark and drill where the pin goes into the stabilizer seat, and then glue it into the stabilizer.</blockquote>
<p><big>Motor Installation</p></big>
<blockquote>The Kelly can be flown as a non-powered sailplane or as an electric. The fuselage is very nicely done and I really had a hard time chopping its nose off for installation of the motor.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/fuselage.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/fuselage_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>This operation should be done slowly, as it's easy to mess up the gel-coat and/or cut the angles wrong. The manual shows marking the cutoff point by using a circle template, but I found it difficult to align the circle template perpendicular or parallel to any reference points on the fuselage. I opted for cutting a smaller section of the nose off further ahead on the fuselage, then slowly working back to the right size and angles. You want to end up with a smooth transition from the spinner to the fuselage. Cutting too little of the nose off is okay, you can always cut more, but cutting too much of the nose off is a bit harder to rework. After this is complete the motor mount is aligned and glued in place. The stock setup is balsa-wood only, so I cut up a 280 sized laser-cut mount to add some extra strength behind the balsa wood.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-mount.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-mount_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The next step is to cut cooling holes in the fuselage. Plastic vent covers are to be glued to the inside of the fuselage, and the finished product looks really slick in the instructions. I skipped this step since the Kelly uses a low-wattage 280 motor, and also because I was reluctant to do cut into the fuselage any more than what was absolutely necessary. Flight testing shows that the motor does get hot, but not to levels I felt that would be terribly detrimental. The batteries were happy, the speed controller was happy, so if the only component doing a bit of complaining was the motor, I wasn't concerned. I still may put these vents in anyway, though; they'd be handy when using a higher capacity battery or a more powerful motor.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I've been so used to mounting motors this size with tape (grin!) that this one had me stymied for a second. There are no threaded holes in a Speed 280 motor casing and no details in the instructions as to how to accomplish this. Searching through my scrap bins yielded a couple of sheet metal screws that would make their own threads in the face of the motor. Keep in mind the case is thin material, so don't over-torque the screws.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I did not set the motor mount back the required distance (having concentrated too hard on getting a good cut on the fuselage), therefore had to countersink the screw heads to clear the blade hub on the propeller. This was another good reason why it was good to add the plywood backing plate.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-installed-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-installed-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Servo mounting</p></big>
<blockquote>It's easier to mount the servo rails if you attach the servos to both of them, making a single servo unit. Using the reference sheet as a guide, trial fit the servos and rails into the fuselage at the location marked. If you get the servos too far back, the battery will be further back as well and you'll push the CG aft of where it should be. Trial fit the battery pack and receiver, and once you're satisfied with the placement of the servos, glue the rails in place. See the picture later in the review for more details.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I then marked the location on the fuselage for the rudder cable sleeve exit, per the reference picture, and cut a slot so the sleeve would lie close to the fuselage. I ran the metal pushrod through the sleeve to check for binding, and everything was smooth. At the top of the fin spar (rudder post) a slotted groove is cut into it. I then ran the outer cable into position and taped the rudder post in place temporarily. Once the metal pushrod was in place, though, the efforts were very high due to the "S" bend the sleeve needs to go through. I tried softening the bend radii and it didn't help. I changed the exit angle, but that didn't help either. I even oiled the pushrod, which helped some, but still the efforts were too high. Too much binding can cause the BEC output of the speed controller to overheat and/or fail, so you want as smooth a system as you can get. Having tried all possible solutions I could think of, I finally set the solid pushrod aside and dug out some braided flex-cable of equivalent diameter. With the more flexible cable, the efforts dropped dramatically. I would highly recommend you go with this method and not mess with the solid wire pushrod.</blockquote>
<p><big>Rudder and post installation</p></big>
<blockquote>Now it was time to glue the rudder post in permanently. Here's where you have to be careful, though. When gluing the rudder post in, it's possible to move the two sides of the fuselage opening relative to each other in a parallelogram fashion. If this happens, you'll roll the fiberglass fin off to one side and then the stabilizer seat on top of the fiberglass fin will point off in a different direction as well. You'll forever have a plane that wants to turn one direction better than the other. I'd recommend you glue the rudder post in on one side only, and then tape the other side while you do trial checks of the stabilizer. Sight down the nose of the plane and ensure you didn't put any twist into the fiberglass fin. If all looks well, then glue the other side. Cut slots for the hinges in the rudder and the rudder post, and glue them in place. Create small slots in the rudder and elevator where the control horns go, and glue them in place securely. Don't make the final installation of the pushrods yet.</blockquote>
<p><big>Cockpit/Canopy</p></big>
<blockquote>The vacuum formed cockpit and canopy are well done, and if trimmed carefully create a system that fits the fuselage like a glove. Trim the cockpit to the lines as specified, paint to your liking, and trial-fit to the fuselage to ensure a good fit. Trim further if required, and then attach the canopy. After the glue is set, the canopy can be trimmed to match up with the cockpit plastic. Then the assembly is ready to be attached to the fuselage with the rubber band retainer.</blockquote>
<p><big>Final Adjustments</p></big>
<blockquote>The instructions call for an L-bend in the pushrod, which is then secured to the control horn with a piece of plastic tubing CA'd to the rod. However, I fail to see the advantage of a removable stabilizer if you can't disconnect the control horn easily! Even though it's not as clean looking, it's a lot more functional to put the EZ-connector at the tail end rather than on the servo end, which allows for quick removal of the stabilizer.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/elevator-horn.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/elevator-horn_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Center the servos, center the control surfaces, and then secure all points. Make sure the outer pushrod sleeve is firmly attached at both ends as well, as noted in the instructions.</blockquote>
<blockquote>If you haven't already connected the speed controller to the motor, do so now. Hobby Lobby included their "Quick Capacitor" board for 280/300 sized motors, and I placed that on the back of the motor before soldering the speed controller wires to the motor terminals. This little board is incredibly easy to install, and works great. Install the prop too; the next steps go a lot easier that way!</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-capacitor.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-capacitor_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/prop-installed.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/prop-installed_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>I elected to place the battery on the bottom of the fuselage, and then the receiver against the top of the fuselage. Velcro holds everything in position.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/servo-placement.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/servo-placement_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>I charged up the 500mAh NiMH battery provided and used my Mini-Whattmeter to get some readings on power. At full throttle I measured current draw at 3.3 amps, and the wattage reading was 27 watts. With the ready-to-fly weight sitting at 12.75 oz, this results in 34 watts per pound for the power loading.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I did a final check of the balance point, performed the range check, and then took pictures before I went any further.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete-front.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete-front_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-nose.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-nose_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-back.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-back_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-front.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-front_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-under.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-under_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>And of course, after the pictures were taken I realized I hadn't put the decals on yet...</blockquote>
<p><big>Flight Testing</p></big>
<blockquote>I did the first test launch without power. I made sure the control throws were going the right way and then just gave it a light toss into the wind. Even against a light breeze, that gentle toss resulted in me walking over 100 feet to retrieve the Kelly. I was impressed already. The next toss proved that the rudder and elevator had sufficient authority, so on the third toss I went to full throttle and proceeded to fly it. The rate of climb is a bit low, but the Kelly does get to a comfortable altitude in decent time. After climbing for a minute or so, I shut the throttle off and flew it around. The Kelly glided very nicely; it penetrates well for its light weight, and it circles well. It responded to inputs quickly, and I had no problem maneuvering it even in the tighter areas of my landing field. I powered back up and climbed out much higher this time than the first. It wasn't long before I crossed through a thermal and started climbing. The Kelly is so light that I found it responded to thermals and downdrafts vigorously, so it wasn't hard to stay with the thermal. It rose quickly in this thermal, but I was already running late for an appointment and had to force it down and land. The first flight was great!</blockquote>
<blockquote>The second flight was that evening, with just a hair more wind than the first flight. The wind didn't seem to affect the climb any, but I did notice the Kelly picked up and "read" all of the ground-based turbulence this light wind was creating by my house and trees. This is a function of its light weight, so you'll want to watch how much wind you fly the Kelly in. It is a small airplane, and certainly handles any wind that your everyday parkflyer electric will handle, but recognize there is a point where you will need to take into consideration how many obstacles you have around the field that will create rotors and eddies. The Kelly will let you know about every one of those it finds! I proceeded to check stall behavior. With the power off and the gliding speed stabilized, it's actually hard to stall the Kelly. If you gradually feed in up-elevator, it will slow down and finally reach a point where the nose just drops somewhat, and then it picks up speed. With the motor running, if you slow it down too much trying to point the nose higher than it wants to climb, that same stall will be accompanied by a left yaw, and it's now pointing about 90 degrees from where it was previously. If you keep forcing it to climb at a higher angle than it is able, you'll continue to stall it and get into a porpoise routine.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I utilized the third flight to test the flight duration of the Kelly. I made three climb-and-glide runs to about 150 to 200 feet, but didn't receive any lift aid from a thermal, since it was evening and the sun just about to set. I spent a fair amount of time with its throttle at half, just cruising around and enjoying myself. I put it through more climb-and-glides, and returned to cruising around at partial throttle settings. After seven minutes, I landed the Kelly and checked the motor temperature. It was a bit warm, but not enough to keep it grounded, so I threw it back into the air. At 15 minutes, I landed it again and the motor was the same temperature as before, so I figured it had reached steady state temperature and wasn't going to get any hotter. The final landing occurred after there wasn't enough battery pack left to keep the low voltage cutoff from kicking in. I landed and looked at the timer, which read 28 minutes 50 seconds. The battery and controller were nearly cool to the touch, and the motor was no hotter than it was at the seven and fifteen minute checks.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The fourth flight of the Kelly occurred during our Fort Wayne ElectriFly on August 10th. We always hold a Limbo All-Up-Last-Down contest; the "limbo" portion of it keeps the event from being a thermal duration contest lasting several hours. Every five minutes, the pilot must bring the plane back down below a prescribed altitude before climbing out again in search of thermals. No one really successfully caught a thermal and rode it much, so it quickly became a throttle-management contest. I flew the Kelly in this event, competing against other Speed 280 and Speed 400 equipped planes, and even a high-power brushless plane with large wingspan. I ended up coming in third place with a time of 24 minutes 30 seconds, which was not bad considering there was no help from thermals. I used a 500mAh battery, so it would have done quite nicely with a 720mAh pack. Larger batteries than 720's will start to throw the CG more aft, but if you can work them in without affecting the CG, I'm sure you could approach 50 minutes to an hour flight.</blockquote>
<p><big>Conclusion</p></big>
<blockquote>The Kelly goes together well and finishes off beautifully due to the high quality and fit of parts.
Climbing power with the Speed 280 motor is on the weak side, but it all depends on what you're used to. For only consuming some 30 watts of power, I thought the Kelly did decently well. Flight behavior is good, with no nasty habits. Turns are sharp and easily exited. Stalls are more pronounced with power on, but you'll only stall if you try to climb too fast. I found the glide ratio to be impressive and the landings even more so. It will definitely fly in windy weather and has no problem moving forward, but due to its lightness it does get tossed around some if there are wind rotors and eddies around.</blockquote>
<blockquote>As I said in the beginning of the article, it seems that beautiful sailplanes always fly better. And this review just confirms that statement. The Kelly is high quality through and through, goes together easily and quickly, flies well both powered and gliding, and is just one sharp little sailplane.</blockquote>
<table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="80%" bgcolor="#D5EAFF">
<tr>
<td width="50%" align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete_t2.jpg" border="2"></a></td>
<td width="50%" align="left"><strong>Specifications</strong>
<ul>
<li><strong>Wingspan:</strong> 1320 mm (52") </li>
<li><strong>Wing Chord:</strong> 140 mm (5.5") at root, 108 mm (4.25") at tip </li>
<li><strong>Wing Area:</strong> 16.1 dm sq. (235 sq.in.)</li>
<li><strong>Airfoil:</strong> S-3021 modified</li>
<li><strong>Length:</strong> 730 mm (28.7")</li>
<li><strong>Weight:</strong> 360 gram (12.75 oz) as Electric </li>
<li><strong>Wing Loading:</strong> 7.8 oz/sq.ft</li>
<li><strong>Power:</strong> Speed 280 (27 watts)</li>
<li><strong>Power Loading:</strong> 34 watts/lb</li>
<li><strong>Prop:</strong> Graupner CAM 12 x 6 (4.7" x 2.3") folder </li>
<li><strong>Battery:</strong> 7-cell 500mAh NiMH</li>
<li><strong>Other equipment provided for the review:</strong><br>
Deans polarized pins<br>
Speed 280 6.0 volt motor<br>
GWS-100 5 amp ESC with Brake<br>
Quick Capacitor Set for 280/300</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<blockquote>I first saw the Kelly at the 2002 Toledo R/C Exposition in April, but it was a "behind-the-scenes" look since it hadn't been released through Hobby Lobby yet. It was such a beautiful looking sailplane that I couldn't wait to get a chance to review it. Good looking sailplanes always fly better, right?</blockquote>
<blockquote>I knew the Kelly was going to be a small sailplane, but I was still surprised at just how small the packaging box was when it arrived.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/box-contents.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/box-contents_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Even more amazing was the fact that even after the plane was assembled and flown, it could be disassembled and stored (or transported) back in its original box. With outside dimensions of 30.5" x 8.5" x 2.5", the box and contents could easily be taken as carry-on luggage on an airline trip, strapped on a bicycle, or better yet, disguised as a briefcase and taken out during an "off-site lunch meeting". Hmmm, not a bad idea...</blockquote>
<blockquote>The parts were packaged well, and free from any shipping damage. The instruction manual is decently illustrated, and the provided text is one of the better English translations I've seen as of late. Also included is a 16" x 23" plan for referencing equipment placement. The hardware package was complete, providing all control wires, linkages, and miscellaneous balsa and plastic parts required for assembly. (control rods and sleeves not shown in picture)</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/hardware.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/hardware_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Wing</p></big>
<blockquote>The aluminum tubes that receive the wing joiner are epoxied into support blocks extending inward from the root rib.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wings.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wings_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The instructions call for plasticine (modeling clay essentially) to be placed into one end of the aluminum tube so that epoxy doesn't migrate up the center of the tube when inserted into the wing. I thought I'd be "smarter" and glue tiny balsa plugs into the end of the tube, but I had to drill these out later. I hadn't figured the wing joiner rod to be longer than the aluminum tubes, and the wings wouldn't seat properly. If you use the plasticine as recommended, then it just pushes out the end of the tube when you join the wings the first time.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The holes in the fuselage for the wing joiner rod and wing alignment pin are marked, but need to be cleared out to the proper size for a snug fit.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wingrod-holes.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wingrod-holes_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Start small and go slowly to avoid making too large a hole and having a loose fit. The alignment pins are inserted into the fuselage and left protruding a bit so you can mark the location of the pin on the root rib. Align the wing with the fuselage, mark the spot, and then carefully epoxy the pin in place in the wing.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The wings have a preset amount of washout in them, and the instructions take you through the steps of checking it.</blockquote>
<blockquote>After putting it all together, you get a fit and finish that is just extraordinary!</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wing-fit-fuse.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/wing-fit-fuse_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Stabilizer</p></big>
<blockquote>The elevator is attached to the stabilizer with clear tape. </blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/tail-feathers.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/tail-feathers_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Cellophane works well since the Kelly is a light glider and control loads will be minimal. A centerline is made for alignment purposes, and the existing mounting bolt hole enlarged.</blockquote>
<blockquote>A centerline is also made on the fuselage stabilizer seat. Set the stabilizer on, checking the plan for correct placement fore and aft. Mark the stabilizer seat using the stabilizer hole as a guide, and then drill the hole as instructed. Don't use the parting-line of the mold as a centerline; it's not always the case. Even though it looks close, it isn't.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-seat.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-seat_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The nut for the stabilizer bolt is to be installed next. The manual calls for filing flat spots in the fillets so the nut can sit flat against the underside of the seat. I attempted this operation, but it was extremely tedious and time-consuming work. I attempted to use my Dremel tool, but I couldn't get the proper access. Finally, I resorted to filing flat spots on the nut. This worked great, and I wished I had thought of it before working on the fiberglass. It took longer to find my safety glasses than it did to reshape the nut! Filing flat spots on opposite sides of the nut allows it to seat properly, yet retains sufficient contact area for joint strength.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>In order to keep the epoxy under control and not get into the threads, I mixed some micro-balloons with it and then epoxied the nut in place.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut-instl.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/stab-nut-instl_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The stabilizer alignment pin is created from pushrod sleeve material. Mark and drill where the pin goes into the stabilizer seat, and then glue it into the stabilizer.</blockquote>
<p><big>Motor Installation</p></big>
<blockquote>The Kelly can be flown as a non-powered sailplane or as an electric. The fuselage is very nicely done and I really had a hard time chopping its nose off for installation of the motor.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/fuselage.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/fuselage_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>This operation should be done slowly, as it's easy to mess up the gel-coat and/or cut the angles wrong. The manual shows marking the cutoff point by using a circle template, but I found it difficult to align the circle template perpendicular or parallel to any reference points on the fuselage. I opted for cutting a smaller section of the nose off further ahead on the fuselage, then slowly working back to the right size and angles. You want to end up with a smooth transition from the spinner to the fuselage. Cutting too little of the nose off is okay, you can always cut more, but cutting too much of the nose off is a bit harder to rework. After this is complete the motor mount is aligned and glued in place. The stock setup is balsa-wood only, so I cut up a 280 sized laser-cut mount to add some extra strength behind the balsa wood.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-mount.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-mount_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/firewall-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>The next step is to cut cooling holes in the fuselage. Plastic vent covers are to be glued to the inside of the fuselage, and the finished product looks really slick in the instructions. I skipped this step since the Kelly uses a low-wattage 280 motor, and also because I was reluctant to do cut into the fuselage any more than what was absolutely necessary. Flight testing shows that the motor does get hot, but not to levels I felt that would be terribly detrimental. The batteries were happy, the speed controller was happy, so if the only component doing a bit of complaining was the motor, I wasn't concerned. I still may put these vents in anyway, though; they'd be handy when using a higher capacity battery or a more powerful motor.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I've been so used to mounting motors this size with tape (grin!) that this one had me stymied for a second. There are no threaded holes in a Speed 280 motor casing and no details in the instructions as to how to accomplish this. Searching through my scrap bins yielded a couple of sheet metal screws that would make their own threads in the face of the motor. Keep in mind the case is thin material, so don't over-torque the screws.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I did not set the motor mount back the required distance (having concentrated too hard on getting a good cut on the fuselage), therefore had to countersink the screw heads to clear the blade hub on the propeller. This was another good reason why it was good to add the plywood backing plate.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-installed-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-installed-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p><big>Servo mounting</p></big>
<blockquote>It's easier to mount the servo rails if you attach the servos to both of them, making a single servo unit. Using the reference sheet as a guide, trial fit the servos and rails into the fuselage at the location marked. If you get the servos too far back, the battery will be further back as well and you'll push the CG aft of where it should be. Trial fit the battery pack and receiver, and once you're satisfied with the placement of the servos, glue the rails in place. See the picture later in the review for more details.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I then marked the location on the fuselage for the rudder cable sleeve exit, per the reference picture, and cut a slot so the sleeve would lie close to the fuselage. I ran the metal pushrod through the sleeve to check for binding, and everything was smooth. At the top of the fin spar (rudder post) a slotted groove is cut into it. I then ran the outer cable into position and taped the rudder post in place temporarily. Once the metal pushrod was in place, though, the efforts were very high due to the "S" bend the sleeve needs to go through. I tried softening the bend radii and it didn't help. I changed the exit angle, but that didn't help either. I even oiled the pushrod, which helped some, but still the efforts were too high. Too much binding can cause the BEC output of the speed controller to overheat and/or fail, so you want as smooth a system as you can get. Having tried all possible solutions I could think of, I finally set the solid pushrod aside and dug out some braided flex-cable of equivalent diameter. With the more flexible cable, the efforts dropped dramatically. I would highly recommend you go with this method and not mess with the solid wire pushrod.</blockquote>
<p><big>Rudder and post installation</p></big>
<blockquote>Now it was time to glue the rudder post in permanently. Here's where you have to be careful, though. When gluing the rudder post in, it's possible to move the two sides of the fuselage opening relative to each other in a parallelogram fashion. If this happens, you'll roll the fiberglass fin off to one side and then the stabilizer seat on top of the fiberglass fin will point off in a different direction as well. You'll forever have a plane that wants to turn one direction better than the other. I'd recommend you glue the rudder post in on one side only, and then tape the other side while you do trial checks of the stabilizer. Sight down the nose of the plane and ensure you didn't put any twist into the fiberglass fin. If all looks well, then glue the other side. Cut slots for the hinges in the rudder and the rudder post, and glue them in place. Create small slots in the rudder and elevator where the control horns go, and glue them in place securely. Don't make the final installation of the pushrods yet.</blockquote>
<p><big>Cockpit/Canopy</p></big>
<blockquote>The vacuum formed cockpit and canopy are well done, and if trimmed carefully create a system that fits the fuselage like a glove. Trim the cockpit to the lines as specified, paint to your liking, and trial-fit to the fuselage to ensure a good fit. Trim further if required, and then attach the canopy. After the glue is set, the canopy can be trimmed to match up with the cockpit plastic. Then the assembly is ready to be attached to the fuselage with the rubber band retainer.</blockquote>
<p><big>Final Adjustments</p></big>
<blockquote>The instructions call for an L-bend in the pushrod, which is then secured to the control horn with a piece of plastic tubing CA'd to the rod. However, I fail to see the advantage of a removable stabilizer if you can't disconnect the control horn easily! Even though it's not as clean looking, it's a lot more functional to put the EZ-connector at the tail end rather than on the servo end, which allows for quick removal of the stabilizer.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/elevator-horn.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/elevator-horn_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>Center the servos, center the control surfaces, and then secure all points. Make sure the outer pushrod sleeve is firmly attached at both ends as well, as noted in the instructions.</blockquote>
<blockquote>If you haven't already connected the speed controller to the motor, do so now. Hobby Lobby included their "Quick Capacitor" board for 280/300 sized motors, and I placed that on the back of the motor before soldering the speed controller wires to the motor terminals. This little board is incredibly easy to install, and works great. Install the prop too; the next steps go a lot easier that way!</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-capacitor.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/motor-capacitor_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/prop-installed.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/prop-installed_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>I elected to place the battery on the bottom of the fuselage, and then the receiver against the top of the fuselage. Velcro holds everything in position.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/servo-placement.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/servo-placement_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>I charged up the 500mAh NiMH battery provided and used my Mini-Whattmeter to get some readings on power. At full throttle I measured current draw at 3.3 amps, and the wattage reading was 27 watts. With the ready-to-fly weight sitting at 12.75 oz, this results in 34 watts per pound for the power loading.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I did a final check of the balance point, performed the range check, and then took pictures before I went any further.</blockquote>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete-front.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-complete-front_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-nose.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-nose_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<p align="center"><a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail-2.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-tail-2_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-back.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-back_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-front.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-front_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-under.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2002/oct/kelly/kelly-comp-under_t.jpg" border="2"></a></p>
<blockquote>And of course, after the pictures were taken I realized I hadn't put the decals on yet...</blockquote>
<p><big>Flight Testing</p></big>
<blockquote>I did the first test launch without power. I made sure the control throws were going the right way and then just gave it a light toss into the wind. Even against a light breeze, that gentle toss resulted in me walking over 100 feet to retrieve the Kelly. I was impressed already. The next toss proved that the rudder and elevator had sufficient authority, so on the third toss I went to full throttle and proceeded to fly it. The rate of climb is a bit low, but the Kelly does get to a comfortable altitude in decent time. After climbing for a minute or so, I shut the throttle off and flew it around. The Kelly glided very nicely; it penetrates well for its light weight, and it circles well. It responded to inputs quickly, and I had no problem maneuvering it even in the tighter areas of my landing field. I powered back up and climbed out much higher this time than the first. It wasn't long before I crossed through a thermal and started climbing. The Kelly is so light that I found it responded to thermals and downdrafts vigorously, so it wasn't hard to stay with the thermal. It rose quickly in this thermal, but I was already running late for an appointment and had to force it down and land. The first flight was great!</blockquote>
<blockquote>The second flight was that evening, with just a hair more wind than the first flight. The wind didn't seem to affect the climb any, but I did notice the Kelly picked up and "read" all of the ground-based turbulence this light wind was creating by my house and trees. This is a function of its light weight, so you'll want to watch how much wind you fly the Kelly in. It is a small airplane, and certainly handles any wind that your everyday parkflyer electric will handle, but recognize there is a point where you will need to take into consideration how many obstacles you have around the field that will create rotors and eddies. The Kelly will let you know about every one of those it finds! I proceeded to check stall behavior. With the power off and the gliding speed stabilized, it's actually hard to stall the Kelly. If you gradually feed in up-elevator, it will slow down and finally reach a point where the nose just drops somewhat, and then it picks up speed. With the motor running, if you slow it down too much trying to point the nose higher than it wants to climb, that same stall will be accompanied by a left yaw, and it's now pointing about 90 degrees from where it was previously. If you keep forcing it to climb at a higher angle than it is able, you'll continue to stall it and get into a porpoise routine.</blockquote>
<blockquote>I utilized the third flight to test the flight duration of the Kelly. I made three climb-and-glide runs to about 150 to 200 feet, but didn't receive any lift aid from a thermal, since it was evening and the sun just about to set. I spent a fair amount of time with its throttle at half, just cruising around and enjoying myself. I put it through more climb-and-glides, and returned to cruising around at partial throttle settings. After seven minutes, I landed the Kelly and checked the motor temperature. It was a bit warm, but not enough to keep it grounded, so I threw it back into the air. At 15 minutes, I landed it again and the motor was the same temperature as before, so I figured it had reached steady state temperature and wasn't going to get any hotter. The final landing occurred after there wasn't enough battery pack left to keep the low voltage cutoff from kicking in. I landed and looked at the timer, which read 28 minutes 50 seconds. The battery and controller were nearly cool to the touch, and the motor was no hotter than it was at the seven and fifteen minute checks.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The fourth flight of the Kelly occurred during our Fort Wayne ElectriFly on August 10th. We always hold a Limbo All-Up-Last-Down contest; the "limbo" portion of it keeps the event from being a thermal duration contest lasting several hours. Every five minutes, the pilot must bring the plane back down below a prescribed altitude before climbing out again in search of thermals. No one really successfully caught a thermal and rode it much, so it quickly became a throttle-management contest. I flew the Kelly in this event, competing against other Speed 280 and Speed 400 equipped planes, and even a high-power brushless plane with large wingspan. I ended up coming in third place with a time of 24 minutes 30 seconds, which was not bad considering there was no help from thermals. I used a 500mAh battery, so it would have done quite nicely with a 720mAh pack. Larger batteries than 720's will start to throw the CG more aft, but if you can work them in without affecting the CG, I'm sure you could approach 50 minutes to an hour flight.</blockquote>
<p><big>Conclusion</p></big>
<blockquote>The Kelly goes together well and finishes off beautifully due to the high quality and fit of parts.
Climbing power with the Speed 280 motor is on the weak side, but it all depends on what you're used to. For only consuming some 30 watts of power, I thought the Kelly did decently well. Flight behavior is good, with no nasty habits. Turns are sharp and easily exited. Stalls are more pronounced with power on, but you'll only stall if you try to climb too fast. I found the glide ratio to be impressive and the landings even more so. It will definitely fly in windy weather and has no problem moving forward, but due to its lightness it does get tossed around some if there are wind rotors and eddies around.</blockquote>
<blockquote>As I said in the beginning of the article, it seems that beautiful sailplanes always fly better. And this review just confirms that statement. The Kelly is high quality through and through, goes together easily and quickly, flies well both powered and gliding, and is just one sharp little sailplane.</blockquote>