Will a Bubble Dancer work in the Tropics?

[Tisr]

Hi guys

I have my eye on ordering an EZ Bubble Dancer from Denny at PoleCat. In a couple of months I am moving up to live and work in Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately I won't have the time to have the kit built before then. My question is will a built up model like the BD stand up to a climate that has a high humidity? My fear is that it will warp...

The place where we will be living is up in the highlands where the temperature ranges between 15 and 30 (degrees C) and there is a definite dry and monsoonal season. Does anyone have any feel for the torsional stiffness of the airframe or any hints for building a wood model in that sort of environment?

Your thoughts would be much appreciated

Thanks

Dan

[arukum17]

Unless you live in the hottest part of the Sahara or are bungee launching with your histart anchored to the south pole, I think all well made RC models will stand up to any heat or cold that the human body can sustain. I assume you are not going to store it in your backyard with the sun beating down directly on it - this would be a problem in any country

[MarkusN]

Built up should not be a problem.

Carved from massive wood might...


Having read some stories my Markus Lisken from the tropics I'd be concerned if you can bring this type of model down in some situations. He writes about his Riser just achieving zero sink in vertical descent in one case...

[aeajr]

If you are concerned about dampness, get Denny's Themal Dancer. This is a composite constructed, bagged wing plane that is a real honey. I have one and I just love it.

[2motheus]

I've spent time in the Amazon basin. You don't need to worry about warping. It's the humidity that will seep into the balsa and possibly create mildew.

I wouldn't let that stop me from taking a built-up model, though. There are ways to combat the accumulation of humidity. Just make sure you don't put it away wet. You might also use silica crystals to combat the moisture if you keep it in an enclosed box.

[Tisr]

Hi guys

Thank you all for the replies. Unfortunately my budget doesn't quite extend all of the way to a Thermal Dancer at the moment :rolleyes: and anyway I really like the idea of a big RES model.

Do you have any advice when it comes to building in these sorts of conditions? Do you think continued humidity would affect aliphatic glue joints?

Also does anyone have any experience at launching large thermal models off a high start at high altitude - the valley we will be living in is about 5000 feet above sea level and the peaks range between 9000 and 14500?

Again I appreciate all of the input...

[Ollie]

The EZ Bubble Dancer flying air speed is proportional to the square-root of air density. The air density depends on temperature and altitude. So:
http://wahiduddin.net/calc/density_altitude.htm

The hi start launch depends on air speed too. So if you need more air speed use a more powerful hi start and a longer rubber compared to sea level. See:
http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articles/design/dickwilliamson_histartphysics.htm

[2motheus]

Hi guys

Thank you all for the replies. Unfortunately my budget doesn't quite extend all of the way to a Thermal Dancer at the moment :rolleyes: and anyway I really like the idea of a big RES model.

Do you have any advice when it comes to building in these sorts of conditions? Do you think continued humidity would affect aliphatic glue joints?

Also does anyone have any experience at launching large thermal models off a high start at high altitude - the valley we will be living in is about 5000 feet above sea level and the peaks range between 9000 and 14500?

Again I appreciate all of the input...

Works fine, but as Ollie said, you will need more speed.

I remember having a plane I was used to flying at 5,000 feet, and once tossing it off a mountain at 10,000 or so. There was a very noticeable difference. I felt like I was always flying downwind. Give yourself plenty of margin until you get used to the conditions.

Tim

P.S. Don't worry about the building process. Aliphatic may take just a little longer to dry, and your CA may absorb more moisture and not last as long.