A couple years ago I saw Thomas and Steffen fly a couple of LET DG-1000s at Torrey.

I fell in love with the tandem canopy platform and decided I need one.

After looking far and near for a used DG, nothing was available with a reasonable cost shipped to my door.

Thomas hooked me up with a crashed LET DG-1000.

The wings and canopy were toast. The fuse had quite a bit of damage but could be repaired.

With Thomas encouragement and advice I was given the damaged DG-1000.

I did order a new set of wings, canopies and stickers from LET which arrived at a local FEDEX safe and sound.

Here are photos of the fuse to repair....Continue Reading

I bought this ASH-26 from Paul in December 2020.

I found out this model is from the late 1990's made by a company called Schular-Fleckstien.

The scale is 1/3 and has a span of 6 meters.

The maiden was at Torrey. Mike Lance flew it for me. Thomas Moller launched it and made this nice video:

6m ASH-26 Maiden (9 min 20 sec)

Here is another video at Torrey after adding graphics from Callie, from 2022 where Tom Drake launched it. The registration is Philippines for sailplanes. RP happens to be my initials.

SCHULAR 1/3 Scale ASH-26 Over Torrey April 22, 2022 (3 min 54 sec)

...Continue Reading

A few years ago Gary Fogel told me that Cliff Hunter was selling an old school TD plane called the Sapphire. I picked it up because I loved the looks of the wood wings.

It was a plane Cliff competed with back before Internet. So it had old school electronics.

I ended up putting new servos, Hitec receiver and a 2SLiFe battery.


Flew it at Poway and Torrey

Here is a short vid zip launching it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/xIVRo6VfIxE?feature=share

List of links for RTH implementation on fixed wing.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...Return-To-Home

First Espada R. Used from back in 2016 ish. Fuse was repaired before I bought it some time and painted blue. A couple years ago I started to find fatigue cracks on the fuse. I wrapped some carbon tow. Last year the rudder was damaged in the garage. Replaced it with a yellow one. Then last month the nimh Receiver battery failed when I pulled flaps on landing. Broke the fuse. I should have changed it out years ago but I was complacent. I have a spare blue fuse that I’m fitting out. New life battery new receiver too....Continue Reading

5-6 years ago I built a 450 flamewheel quadcopter with an APM board. Followed the painless360 videos and everything worked out. Did not have long flight times, maybe 7-8 mins if I remember right but it did get me involved with mission planner and simple waypoint missions.

After crashing the thing 3-4 years ago and having a chance to fly an Inspired Flight IF1200 Hexacopter for comms testing at work using QGround Control I decided I needed to build a small hexacopter and learn QGround Control better.

I ordered an S550 hexa kit and assembled it about a month ago. But I could not get the Pixhawk to work with QGround Control, some issue with the compass. So I got an old pixhawk that someone gave me and gave that a try with Mission Planner. Was able to get that Pixhawk to arm after two weeks of on and off tinkering.

I could not get the props to turn at first. After another two weeks of tinkering and finding about a forum, whos members got me be going (plugged the escs into the aux ports instead of the main - felt stupid).

Got the thing in the air a week ago using Mission Planner. The first few flights playing with the battery alarm and critical voltages and trying to test how long the thing will stay in the air with a 4S6200 Lipo , about 14 min, with some spare capacity (700 mah).

Last couple days I've had some issues with uncontrolled drift and yaw., so bad the damm thing flew into a tree. I tightened the GPS stalk, recal compass and accels and it...Continue Reading

I sent a DX 18 Gen 2 and a AR20 12 channel Power Safe Receiver in to HH for service.

The DX18 started getting holds on planes which had no issues before. The Receiver was in a plane that crashed (not due to a radio problem), so I wanted to make sure this receiver was OK.

Sent them back to HH after contacting them on the process.

A week later the tech emailed me saying they replaced an RF module in the DX18 and checked the receiver and found no issues.

A few days later I got an email with the invoice. Total = $0.00. They didn't even charge me for shipping.

Can't get any better than this.

(Actually Hitec service is even better cause I can drive to Poway and they will mail me the fixed parts).

Super happy with HH.

BSBD/EFS

Ray

A friend of mine got me this plane from a swap meet 4-5 years ago. It was missing the landing gear, pushrods, control horns, Clevises, the CAHinges, any screws that were included and a manual.

It’s had three Hitec standard servos, power switch fuel tank and a size 35 engine. The 35 engine was missing a muffler, needle valve and prop nut.

Built it, adding landing gear steerable tail wheel aileron servo pushrods and Clevis and control horns.

Added a 0.46 Magnum engine from who knows, prop and spinner. 900 mah spektrum 2 cell life for power.

Hitec receiver.

Biggest pain was finding control rods and clevis’..

I have not flown power in years, and nitro power since the Bonsal RC field closed.

Anyway some build pictures. Not much to do.

My poor orange CX 5 has had a rough life in my hands. I got it second hand about 18 months ago.

Had a faulty zepsus switch summer of 2019 with 4 or 5 uncontrolled landings/crashes with no radio control.

Then I treed it early 2020.

Then during the first contest after a 6 month covid no fly, round 1A, with no pre round practice, I threw the plane right into the ground. I probably had the wrong plane selected on the transmitter. Did nt have time to troubleshoot cause I had to grab my trusty Flitz 2 to finish the round.

That flitz is a great plane.

Any way the damage.

End of 2019 I ordered a CX5. I have used CX5, and I like the plane. So for a birthday, Christmas, Father’s Day, gift to my self I ordered a green CX5.

...Continue Reading

This is from the Scale Soaring Forum. Not My ideas but want to show them here so I can find them easier and when I make a similar mod.

https://www.f3b.de/en/about-f3b

The past few months the EAA magazine Sport Aviation has had articles advocating RC flying in light of the NPRM for Drone ID.

If you ever have a chance to see the Oshkosh Airshow (AirVenture) go. Stay a week. It’s an Airshow for the people.

2020 AirVenture has been cancelled unfortunately.

Making a note here incase someone else needs to make a Plaque out of Black Granite with engravings.

Apparently Black Granite is not that popular for counter tops. So its seemed difficult to find cut offs for small plaques.

But Ward H gave me a tip to contact California Countertops. They have a fantastic facility where thy cut Granite from large sheets (10 ftX 12ft or bigger) using a Computer controlled wet saw or jet.

They location is 1340 Hill St El Cajon.

They have tons of Stone to pick from and they had Black Granite along with other black stone. More choices from other lighter colors.

So I picked up a 12 X 8 X 3/4 inch black granite rectangle for $20. (they gave me a smaller piece for free).


For the engraving, I went to Glaser Baily Throphys

Address: 2015 S Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA 92025
Hours:
Open ⋅ Closes 5:30PM

Phone: (760) 743-5551


Cost was $65 to engrave a memorial plaque for Oran, just like Dave's .

The gliderport can text you when conditions are favorable for sloping. Enter you phone number - set a wind threshold - speed and direction and you are good to go:

http://gliderport.thilenius.com/#/Home

This same page has a wind speed display with a Thumbs up or Down for PG/HG. Slopers will have to interpolate based on the planes they plan to fly.

Blue Skies

Ray

Here are my contest scores for LSF III

I need to get to 4,500 points counting the best 6 contests with 10 or more contestants.

Or place in one or more contests then fly a total of 6 contests.

Bought my self a Birthday/Christmas gift, Gregg Bolton built it for me cause I was too scared of wrecking such a beautiful plane. Setup from the start for a lefty.

Maidened today at Poway.

Everything I hoped it would be.

Maiden flight at Dave's Beach --- https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...2&postcount=33

DS Crash result at Parker --- https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...6&postcount=42

Remaiden at torrey ---- https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...2&postcount=44

Bluto Maiden flight Torrey -- https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...7&postcount=45

Last Summer I bought a factory second M60 kit from Matin. He would have given the kit to me but I offered $20 and he accepted reluctantly. Nice guy.

Matin is a perfectionist and will not allow subpar material leave his shop. Therefore he has parts that may have issues that are minor and would not affect the final product. Examples would be ridges in the wing or fuse where the wire catches on something momentarily, slightly warped aileron stock, balsa that is too heavy or twisted. You get the idea.

The "Kit" I received is just like a first level kit anyone could by other than the factory second parts. Some parts like the Carbon Rod, Tube, Aluminum Spar joiner are just like the first class kits, they are not defective.

The only parts missing were the Balsa for the Vert Tail and instruction. Most people have build an M60 or Moth if they want this type of kit.

So this build will briefly go over the steps I do to build an M60.

Below are the kit parts and some of the adhesives I use.

Note: This is a factory second kit so you'll need 1/8 inch balsa sheet for the vert and 1/4 X 1/2 X 36 balsa for the spar caps. The full kit will include all the parts.

Note: The picture shows tow 1/8 solid carbon rod. Not sure what they are for yet. Will contact Matin before I cover the wing.

Funny how some people post on forums. Example on the Slope forum with the subject "Fermin Death Missile".

Names are vague to protect the innocent.

One guy buys a short kit and documents the build on the thread. This guy is the good guy. Everyone is supportive and encouraging. The good guy is a very good builder, so he has nuggets of knowledge that he shares.

A long time sloper (LTS) who apparently knows the history of the plane and the planes designer posts words that infer that the good guy should not build the plane because the LTS thinks this kit maybe a copy.

No proof just accusations.

Others post back letting the LTS know the good guy is a good guy and not trying to hurt/harm anyone.

The LTS replies with what I consider a threat and the moderators hid the post.

So what makes people make threats over the forums about a model plane?

Crazy in my mind.

Ray

This past week have been fantastic for slope flying at Torrey Pines Gliderport.

Love flying PSS at Torrey.

PSS flying big halfpipes as high as you can get, with screaming dives. Throw in a few Cuban Eights and loops as well as Rolls on the upline and down line.

Last week:

Thursday Oct 29th winds were 15+ mph straight in. Good enough to fly the Engeric with Ballast and my Me-109 PSS. Oh yeah forgot about the P-51B, threw that out first to check the wind.

This week

Monday Nov 2 winds were again 15+ mph straight in. Flew the Espada with the light morning winds and my Seafire/Spitfire PSS when the winds filled in.

Tuesday Nov 3 winds were 20+ mph straight in. Flew the 2.5 M Carbon Speed/Spider with 16 oz ballast and my Zero PSS. The Speed was really ripping. Should have brought the MCT out.

Wednesday Nov 4 winds were 30+ mph straight in. Flew the P-80 PSS for almost 2 hours straight in the morning. Sky high Pumps to 300 ft and Giant 250+ loops. No one else in the air.

Thursday Nov 5 winds were down to 12-13 mph WNW. Flew the Espada and the Energic. Energic has wind spar ballast and was ripping like the Speed in half the wind.