Well, I decided it might be a good idea, so I made one with a HobbyKing windsock ($3/ea) and had a spare. This way, if we fly at a field without one, I can take it along. The unit stands just around 2.5m/8' fully extended.

I made this with some golf poles (for practice chipping) that I had laying around. 3 sections around 2.5 feet long. They assemble like tent poles. On the top pole, I slid off the flag and end cap and put in a 3/8" SS rod 12" long into the 1/2" pole. I used graphite epoxy to secure it, and Cut a 7/16" aluminum Heli tail boom I had laying around that was damaged but I had enough to cut to cover the 3/8" SS rod. I glued this over the hollow rod by using GE as well, and 3/8" heat shrink to center the two. The sock base has 8" of nylon rod from a plastic coat hangar, and this was glued into the hollow sock shaft. I used a small steel washer with a 3/8" hole to act as a stop, and this was also glued onto the sock base. It provides a pivot point when inserted into the top of the modified pole.

Pictures below. Works great, is in four pieces (sock plus 30" poles) when disassembled, and will work in grass, snow, etc.

SkyCadet.

Well, I had a brownout on my 20A ESC last Sunday when flying my older super Decathlon. I found out that my 2200Kv motor system, even governed at 90% throttle, still runs around 21.7 Ap! The system cut out, and took 6 seconds to reboot - during which time I had NO control. The system came back too late, and the plane crashed, nose-first.

My previous airframe I had before this one had the landing gear rip out upon an overly hard landing (weak point of the plane anyway), so I had this cut out, and trimmed, and used a Mini Funtana gear form E-Flite put in place. The gear assembly fit my axles and wheels no problem, and I used a piece of foam plate shaped to act as a cover after affixing the gear strut. This was done by bolting it onto the underside of the carriage, using 2.5mm, 15mm long capscrews and lock nuts/washers. Epoxy-Graphite was used to reinforce the system. It is rock-solid, a bit heavier (about 4g) than stock, and 2" wider, and almost 1" taller than the stock gear. Pictures are below.

The plane required some rear tail counterweights to balance, but this was no problem. Maiden showed that the thrust axis (from stock) required a lesser down angle and just a touch less right thrust. Landings are solid and sure, even in depper grass to about 3". Plenty of prop clearance for the 8x6 E-Flite prop on there now. The plane has a bit more lateral momentum due ot the larger struts, but this is not a problem and may make it handle windy conditions a bit...Continue Reading

Hi all!

Well, I recently added a UMX Beast (w/AST3X) to the hangar! (Thanks to Remi and Shelley for their gift - they bought one of my micro champs, and then got me a UMX beast in lieu! You two rock!

As with all my foamy planes, I used 1:1 Weldbond glue:water (~40-50% diluted) to cover ALL surfaces except the hinges. This tightens up the pores of the foam and adds a sort of plastic coating on the surfaces to strengthen them - yes it adds about 0.3g of weight, but it's worth it!!!

I added some Dubro 1" microlite wheels to replace the stock gear and used two plastic ends from my Dubro 1/2" tail wheel kit, and placed the 1/2" Dubro tail wheel in place of the stock foamy wheel as well. The 1" wheels weigh in at around 0.6g heavier than the stock pants/wheels, but are nicer, and fit on the gear shaft perfectly!!!

I have yet to maiden: I ordered some 260mAh Turnigy Nanotech 2S 20C batteries from HK, and they won't be here for around 10 days. So, I opted to run 2x1S 160mAh batts (Turnigy Nanotechs) in series with a custom harness. I also replaced the custom E-Flite plug on the plane with a Deans micro 3-pin connector instead. This way, I can run whatever good batteries I want, and just add the female on the batteries. About the same size as the stock plugs. Easier to uncouple, and work superbly!!!

Below are some pixs of the new plane, ready to fly! I should be able to try it out later today!!! Can't wait! Bound to the DX6i, FYI...

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I have added a flight video with selected excepts from a dusk flight demo I did for a friend. This thing is a total hoot to fly now - it is WAY more plane than stock, and a lot of performance for the size and type of plane it is. It is a plastic-covered foam material, and is reasonably strong and light. I have 600+ flights with this airframe, and two spare whole airframes to play with when this one goes. I just love this plane. I can't explain it other than it finds use in fields where some of my faster planes might be a real workout trying to land crossfield or on shorter landing spots than is generally wise to use. The Decathlon really does it for some types of flying I do...

Super Decathlon BL souped up!!! (4 min 4 sec)

Enjoy!

The plane is almost quiet except for the wind noise of the propeller as it goes zinging by!

As mentioned previously, this plane has an RCTimer 2200Kv 335W motor (50g) a direct size/weight replacement for the stock motor, which sucks. It has a 20A ESC, and I run 56g, 1200mAh 2S 25C Lipos on it. I use a Powerflow 8x6 prop on a 3.2mm collet, and Dubro spinner. It looks as great as it flies. I run around 140W WOT with the 2S setup, and limit the throttle to 80% to avoid over-taxing the 20A ESC during long WOT manoeuvers - this runs right around 18-19Ap during WOT now.

(**However: using batteries at over 20-25C discharge capabilities may exceed a 20A draw. I recently had a new 2S 1200mAh cut my ESC out during a high...Continue Reading

This weekend has been FANTASTIC!

Lots of great flying with near perfect conditions. YEAH!

Just finished posting a Youtube video shot by my friend Remi (also an RC enthusiast!) - he forgot to set HR on his iPhone4 so the video is vertical instead of widescreen. Still, a few good looks at the Pitts in action!

SkyCadet

Pitts 12 15e Duskfun flights (5 min 1 sec)