I jump on a plane tomorrow morning for 7 weeks off after working for 6. I built a plywood case just big enough for my wing so that I can check it into my baggage without worrying about it. I was already varnishing a set of oars for our launch, so I put a few coats on the case as well! I also added some bubble wrap, as if EPP really needed it. But hey, never underestimate the destructive power of baggage handlers! Photos are attached.

Friday, weather permitting, I'll finally get to maiden it at the local schoolyard! I was very tempted to try it out on the tug, but all our decks on the tugboat have abrasive non-skid on them, which would shred anything that slid over it quickly. That and all sorts of hard metal objects surrounded by salt water makes for a very unhappy place for RC craft. Must... Be... Patient!

Following the advice of users here on RCGroups, I completed my search for a portable electric sloper with a Mini Speedwing RTF. This is my fourth RC craft:

1) My first was in the mid-80's, and was a balsa sailplane called a "Pussycat". I have fond memories of building that over Christmas break with my dad. I was around 10 at the time. I also have less fond memories involving some pretty severe crashes, sometimes involving exploding balsa parts. One particularly bad one was after a launch on a bungee cord, and after that I started thinking about powered craft.

2) Not wanting to get into fuel powered planes, my second craft was an early electric-powered model called an "Electra". It was basically a sailplane with RC car parts onboard, very heavy but with enough wing to carry the load. It wasn't particularly powerful on NiCad batteries, but it was enough to get you in the air and fly around a little. That was in the late 80's / early 90's. At the time I was living at the foot of Mt. Diablo in Alamo, California. The terrain was hilly, and I soon figured out that the best flying spots were where the wind was blowing up a slope. That craft met an untimely demise when I was flying at range and didn't realize I was inverted until too late. It had a nasty habit of violently disgorging all the heavy RC car parts on the hard landings, and a serious velocity crash completely crushed it.

3) My third craft was made with durability in mind, and...Continue Reading