Any advice on where to look?

[Mark E]

My employer recently changed the dress code at work from bluejeans and sweats to "business". I was beginning to think it was the end of any lunch-time visits to the C/L field down the street (don't want to spill fuel on my nice clothes!).

Then I saw the article on the Hillsdale Flyers in Model Aviation and I thought electric C/L may be the answer. But, I have no idea where to turn for information on how to set a model up, power, equipment required, etc. etc.

Any recommendations on where to look?

[steve lewin]

Hi Mark,

I think it depends to some extent on your flying skill level and so what you want to fly. Most of us round here don't yet seem to have got very much past electric trainers (certainly I haven't). I haven't been able to find much written up about Electric C/L at all, so we're pretty much inventing it ourselves as we go along. Dr E. who designed the Hilldale PET model hangs round here sometimes and may help.

There were a number of good articles in "Stunt News" a year or two ago about people who were managing the full stunt schedule on electrics but like anything else it took a lot of money to get to that level. Technology has improved a bit since then so it wouldn't be quite so bad now but still not cheap.

So what type of model are you aiming for ?

Steve

[Mark E]

Definitely trainers to start. I really haven't done any C/L flying in YEARS. I was actually finishing a first model (1/2A) to practice with before I tried getting back into anything larger. Even when I flew regularly, I wasn't terribly proficient....just good enough not worry about crashing (too often :) )

I did some searching on the web and found two sites, but one concerned adding a bellcrank to an R/C model and the other was dedicated to a discussion on how power through the lines would require so much power that you'd electrocute yourself.

I noticed in the Model Aviation article though, that some of the models had power through the lines. But the Akromaster conversion (DR E's?)looked like it had a battery pack outboard on the wing. So I'm not sure what to think or try.

How did you set the trainer up? Is it a converted glow kit?