My Blog and Updates Here.

I started modelling at primary school. Chuckies, rubber band etc and progressed to control-line and free flight models. My first R/C was a World Engines Blue Max and while it got me going it was rather a pathetic unit having very bad servo re-centering but at the same time really a big step forward in the learning curve. I couldn't afford a dream radio Skyleader SLX at the time but eventually purchased a Futaba set. Several more followed and then I tried HiTec and the back to Futaba and then HiTec again. Presently I have a Hitec Optic 6 converted to FrSky and a Turnigy 9X (FrSky) and am very content with those. Maybe one day a Taranis. (Now I have one) Woo Now I also have a new Spektrum DX6 (G3) as well. Too many planes on the Taranis.... And now... A new Taranis Q X7 has joined the Hanger. As @ 27th Oct 2017... Oooops, Picked up a virtually unused Spektrum DX8 with some 6 and 8 channel Receivers and a TM1000 telemetry module and sensors and a Phoenix Flight Sim for $100 the lot. Don't really need it but how could you let it go for that?
I have tried most modelling avenues and even competed in Old Timer, Glider and Pattern in the past. My favs are Glider, (thermal) and FPV and general sport flying. I have (at time of blog entry) several aircraft including Phoenix 2000, Radian, modified Raptor (twin engine, landing gear) , T180, BAE Hawk DF, PC9, Sukhoi 29, a T28 Trojan, Pietenpol and several own design and about 9 Wings including 2 x Skywalker X5s, Teksumo, Bonsai, Several Rainbows from 600mm to 1000mm Latest is a Reptile S800 Sky Shadow.
A recent addition is a little Le Petit Biplane from Hobby King. This thing is amazing. It can fly very slowly too and virtually takes off and lands by itself. It is a real sweety.
In the past I designed all my own Gliders and powered aircraft and built from scratch. Cost is prohibitive nowadays to continually follow that route. I gave up helicopters as too expensive and I lost interest in them anyway.
Future goals? I want to design and build a 3 meter Glider and get a larger FPV plane.

Well, I have had my Taranis for a while now. It is simply an amazing Transmitter.
Best investment I have made in years.
Added a Phoenix 2000 to my fleet and designed and built a Polyhedral wing for it. I did away with flaps and ailerons and it flies beautifully. The wing is 2.3 meters and has removable wing-tips for easy transport.

Phoenix 2000 with modified wing maiden flight (2 min 54 sec)

Also have some new aerial cams arriving this week so hope to be producing some much better quality videos in future.
I also did my first aerial with a gimbal on my quad. Well worth the purchase as the videos are nice and smooth.

Quads.
Well, quads have been a recent focus for me and I have built 3 so far and loving the fact I can fly in my own backyard anytime I wish.
Also, my son in law has been smitten and bought a quad from me but sadly it got sucked up in a vortex and all we could do was watch it disappear, eventually coming down in a heavily forested area when it was just a speck in the sky. My own quad was thrown to the ground by the same gust (luckily) and was damaged but at least I still had mine.
I just built another Quad for son in law and he is rapt.
The quad was fitted with TowerPro ESCs (18A) and motors could not be calibrated properly causing it to tilt / tip on lift off. If the quad was 'jumped' into the air, it then flew quite well.
I bought a programmer and re-programmed the ESCs with Simon K firmware. WOW! what a difference!
The motors are now dead smooth and it is a joy to fly. I wasn't aware how much difference Simon K firmware could make until now. Highly recommended if you are having problems.
There is plenty to keep me occupied for many years yet I hope.

My newest build is an own design. I call it Ziggy after my Pug.
It only took around 2 solid days work as I had an old wing on a sport flier that was not much good, so I cut the tips off it and added new tapered tips to make the glider wing. I added lighting in the wing tips as well.
It performs very well and I just fitted a folding prop assy to it.

Thanks to Photobucket, Images have been deleted.

Servos are built in the fuse rear.



Heaps of room in it.

Well I have built a number of planes lately, some own designs and a few kits as well as helping others with their builds.

Here are a couple of my own designs intended for indoor flying or outdoors when there is no wind.

Then I built a 'Bug' . Once again, my own design. It flies well outdoors and has lights built into the wings and looks great in the evenings.




Then there is the Nutball. This has to be the most fun plane ever in my 50 years of building.

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A few of us have them now and it is fun flying together.



Short Video

Nutballs (0 min 57 sec)

J3 Cub is a slow work in progress. Hobby King Laser Kit.



I finished this Hobby King Laser Kit Mini Stik a couple of days ago. It took a full day to build it. It flies real nice and will be a nice addition to my indoor flying fleet.

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Busy, busy. I like the Mini Stik so much I have already cut another set of ribs for another one. I have a spare motor and servos etc so it will be nice to have a back-up on hand.

HD Video of Raptor Twin

FPV Raptor Twin Motors (1 min 16 sec)

So I built another one but it is not for sale. These are gems.


# Fireflys at our Indoor Meeting.

A couple of days ago I built a Dancing Wings Pitts Bipe. I was very disappointed in the kit between bad design and warped wings and ailerons.
See my Review HERE

Dancing Wings Pitts Biplane from Hobby King (2 min 26 sec)

My newest project.

I fitted a Radian wing and brakes to my Phoenix 2000.

Here Post No # 8982

Phoenix 2000 Hybrid (0 min 39 sec)

FrSky SBus

Well you never stop learning.
When FrSky bought out the 3/16 Ch X4R receiver I couldn't get it in my head why a 3 Ch Rx? Why, when there was a very capable D4R-II Rx that I had several of and used them on quads and gliders and other things.
They were capable of showing GPS on my TX etc.
So why a new 3Ch Rx?
There was a 6 Ch SBus RX and a 8 CH Sbus RX so why a 3 CH? (whatever this SBus was)

What I hadn't realized was that technology had caught up in other devices such as Gyros and Quad Flight Controllers etc.
When you start looking around, more and more accessories have an SBus Port.

There was only seemingly old info on you tube etc which can be very misleading talking about SBus Inverters etc. I imagined having to buy SBus servos and programmers and inverters and hubs and spending lots of dough to get any benefit from this new fangled Sbus thing.
But, I was wrong, so wrong.

What I hadn't realised was that a lot of that information had long expired and SBus Inverters are no longer needed for the current equipment. (My Taranis anyway)

My A3 Gyros have an SBus/Gain Port. If using the A3 with a normal receiver the Port can be used to adjust the gyro gain depending on flying conditions.

I plugged in the X4R Receiver and pushed the button on the Gyro telling it that I had an SBus Receiver and .. wahlaaa. The Gain port was now dedicated to the SBus Rx and information to the Gyro came from one wire from the Receiver instead of the 5 wires I had.

So my RX now had 2 wires (throttle/BEC power and SBus) and my Gyro now had 4 wires instead of 8. (rudder,elevator aileron and SBus)

So one wire from the RX controls, Ailerons, Elevator, Rudder and Gyro Gain.

I only have myself to blame for being so negative about SBus in the first place and I think this is due mainly to the old information that lingers forever on You Tube and other websites and also from some forums where a lot of mis-information can be imposed on unsuspecting bods like me.
Now of course, some of the earlier gear may require SBus inverters and hubs but that is all first generation stuff, and like everything else, advances are made all the time and technology never sleeps.

Then I noticed on one of my Quads that there is a SBus Port on my QQ Super Flight Controller. Maybe I can adjust my Gain from the TX on that as well. I have yet to find out that one.

I am aware that a lot of large planes require more elaborate set-ups and require programmable servos and servo programmers etc, but for the average flier, this is totally unnecessary so do yourself a favour and check it out.

Anyway I hope this info helps some other old codger like me (or maybe a youngker) and they look at SBus in a different light.

As for me, In the past 2 days I have sold three 'old hat' D4R-II Rxs and a V8FR-II as well.

Guess what I have ordered??
And of course another benefit of this is that I have more model matched receivers. Can't go wrong there....

I converted my FPV Raptor into a twin motor beast. It flies really well. I also added a tailwheel so it can steer easily.
It has 2 x E-Max CF 2822 outrunner motors, Multistar ESCs and runs on either a 3000 mAh or a 2200 Graphene battery.
Hope to get a better video soon.

Raptor Twin Maiden (1 min 8 sec)

I recently fitted a Radian wing on my Phoenix. It really flies well.... into trees....

Phoenix Hybrid (Radix) (1 min 3 sec)

Since I won a voucher from RCG, I decided to purchase another Radio as a memento.
My Taranis is 16 Ch so I decided I wanted something a little simpler for some sports planes or gliders so that I am not constantly scrolling through dozens of planes in my menu looking for the next victim.

After lots of research I decided on the Spektrum DX6 G3 as they have made huge progress since the DX6i version. Apparently it is like a cut down DX9, just less channels. Anyway I have already installed it in a STIK parkflier with flaperons and I must say I am rapt in it.
The DX6 G3 uses diversity antennas. It has the normal antenna on top and a horizontal antenna built into the carry handle on the back of the TX.

The programming is very simple including the mixes etc.

I have had a few flights with the STIK and love the feel of the TX and any program adjustment can be made in the field quickly.
I can see why the Spektrum is such a popular system.
Other manufacturers are also making and developing new Receivers that work particularly well with the Spektrums.
Certainly happy to have it as a supplementary TX system.

Today I fitted a set of Turnigy simulated lighting to No2 Pitts.
I didn't fit the red beacons but the Landing lights and wing tip lighting and strobes are in and working well. Not sure how they will be in bright daylight, but thet are certainly bright in the evening.
Photo later on.
I also Received a couple of Lemon 6 Channel diversity Receivers so I have installed one in a X5 Flying Wing. Should have got the new 7 Channel stabilised one I think. Having fun trying to get the P1 gyro to work but I think I have to mix it with flaps as the Aux 1 Channel doesn't seem to want to switch the gyro.

All good and working well.

My new Spektrum had a good long range trial in my X5 today. I took it up and away till I could barely see it.
I also nearly lost my Radian today as well. It was almost out of sight as it was caught in a totally unexpected and very strong thermal.
I bought some Lemon Rxs and they are both working well. Range is not a problem, much better than my FrSky X8R Rx.

I wanted the best of both worlds and after some deep thought and lots of research, I ordered a Orange module for my Taranis.

Now that may seem odd, but it compliments my DX6 and I can use Lemon RXs and Orange RXs with my Taranis as well as the DX6.

The nice thing is that Orange make S-Bus Receivers and the Taranis has 16 channels so I can take full advantage of both systems.
Having DSMX of course also opens new 'horizons' with Bind 'n Fly models and Blades etc etc. The possibilities are endless.
I am very impressed with the finish and feel of the DX6. It almost makes my Taranis feel junky.

The postie came and had a package for me. Almost finished the Dancing Wings Poke already. I had a good run today.
2 x pushrods and horns to fit and a tailwheel. (half done)

Radio gear and gyro is all installed and working.