I do in the simulators look quite lame.

No problem, This project started with typing on a keyboard.
It's all good.

X30

This is first flight of my new RCRG. It's a modification of the HobbyKing SkyFun foamy.

Aerotech E15-PW motor
~500 g lift-off weight (including motor)
339 ft peak altitude
122 mph max speed
24.5 s flight duration

Saturday 4/7/2012 at LUNAR Snow Ranch.

Ari.

Very nice Ari. Did you do any mods to account for CG shift or was it okay as is? Were you using your iPhone?

Richards
Were you using your iPhone?

Any closes ups of mods to plane!

This is first flight of my new RCRG

Nice.

X30

Thank you for your encouragement. The mods are surprisingly minimal. I can even go back to flying with electric power.

SkyFun uses a 10mm motor stick. It has a channel in the back where the stock motor mounts on an aluminum "stick." I remove that motor mount and replace it with a 24mm tube that I glue onto another 10mm square tube. The launch rod skewers the airplane; I make a hole in the nose and glue in a 1/4" launch lug and another one inside the fuselage to aid mounting on the rod. The bottom lug is the motor stick. My original plan is to drill out a wooden 10mm motor stick, but when I go to LHS to buy the wood stick, I notice these beautiful 6" carbon 10x10mm pieces with round holes through them--in the discount bin for $2.50 or so apiece. That's my motor stick.

Aside from that, the airplane is stock. I clip about 3/4" from each wingtip to square them up in preparation for gluing on additional vertical fins. I eventually omit the extra fins. My original worry is moving the center of pressure further away from the CG, but ultimately it turns out that the model is stable enough as it is.

My first SkyFun loses a wing in a hig-G turn. On this one, I add carbon rods to stiffen the wing, and overlay them with strapping tape. Probably overkill. The yellow stuff is Zagi tape, mostly to protect the foam on landing.

As I'm saying, I can switch from rocket to electric, even in the field. This is very helpful in trimming the model in a safe environment. I have two flight conditions in my TX, one for boost, another for glide. The boost setting has neutral elevator trim, very narrow travel limits and lots of expo. I find the neutral setting by climbing and diving vertically under electric power. This turns out to be close enough approximation. The model is only one click of elevator trim off the perfect "up" setting.

Ari.

Interesting build. I have a similar plane called a Vortex from a EU company forget the name right now which also has an interchangeable motor mount but requires remounting the firewall to do it. I've been too preoccupied to fly it.

If you get a vid post it.

Richard

Originally Posted by burkefj

Several people have done complete ET and boosters and shuttle with RC return, with varying degrees of complexity and success. I haven't really thought about doing that, too many other different things I'm working on, maybe in the future!

Frank

these guys did one. it didn't work out too well.

Top Gear - Reliant Robin space shuttle - Richard Hammond and James May - BBC (9 min 50 sec)

That Top Gear thing did exactly what they wanted it to do, i.e. it was all staged, but fun to watch. Just ask yourself, if all the fuel was used up in the boost, where did that massive explosion come from?

Richard

top gear is all about entertainment, not factual reporting. as long as you understand that, the show is enjoyable.

frankly I was amazed it flew as well as it did. they should be commended for accomplishing what they did.

Entertaining yes! The rocketeers were pros no doubt, but it still makes it look like rocketry leaves much to be desired and is unsafe. The statement was "these guys did one. it didn't work out too well. " when in fact it did exactly what they planned. That point should be made to prevent misconceptions about rocketry by the unknowing. Yes I noted the smiley but not everyone may have understood that. My post is for their education and to make us look like we really do know what we're doing.

Richard

Another flight on Saturday, this time on an F16-RCJ 32mm reload. Moffett Federal Airfield. 120 fps video, sadly unsteady.

Next goal: G12-RCT.

Also: planning my L1 certification for 5/5 (with a different model).

Ari.

Rocket Plane mk3 (0 min 53 sec)

Looks really cool in slowmo! Glad you shared the vid. Have to take another look at that Vortex. Was planning to add canards and drive them with a servo to accommodate the CG shift but may try without first. The G12 is heavier so tell us how it reacts to the weight difference.

Good luck on the level one cert.


Richard

The F is heavier, too. It's a big jump from single-use, 24mm E15 to reloadable, 32mm F16. The CG change is more noticeable--the model feels nose-heavy on the glide. Quite manageable mind you, but more noticeable. I want to move the motor forward, closer to the CG.

Ari.

Neat video Ari. Looks like old Edwards test footage or something.

One thing I couldn't see from your first pictures was how you vented the ejection charge when using the SU motors. Does it just blow forward past the canopy?

Mike