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Sorry I was gone... but I was doing some other hobbies.

Dr Honda

Dr Honda

Well-Known Member
Hi All.

I know I've been gone the last couple days... but I was up in Titusville PA for a jet rally.

It's nice to get away from the kids, and just hang out, and fly RC stuff. Since this was a jet rally... the models were all turbine powered (including turbo props) or EDF. Nothing quite like smelling Jet-A all day long.

There was a few mishaps, but only one fatality. There was a F4 Phantom that had issues on takeoff, and wound up in the tall grass. Unfortunately... a 40 Lb RC jet, on takeoff is already doing 80 mph... so there isn't any way to recover. (it was probably $8k worth of RC jet)

The first pic is my little T-45 Hawk, and my Falcon 120. The T-45 was supposed to be an electric model... but I shoehorned a very small turbine engine in it. (Wren 44) Because of the heat, and thrust... I was worried that I would either set it on fire... or rip the wing off... but it took the power without an issue.


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WOW, those plane are aaaaawesome, but $8K yikes.
How far away from you can they fly and still be under control?

I remember my first plane, you controlled it by guide lines and flew it in a circle. It was a beginners type. All the part were held together with big rubber bands, so if you crashed it it just "blew" apart instead of breaking apart. Then you just put it back together and flew it again.
 
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Control is line of sight. SO... if things are working... if I can see it... I can control it.

As far as the price tag... the Jet's are very expensive. There was a large Viper Jet at our rally... and it was worth close to $20k. I'm sure the large Hawk (5th pic, in the black/red britt flag paint) it was +$10k. Also... that red and yellow Tuono was over $15k. (4th pic)

My jet's were built on a budget, and with used parts. But a typical turbine engine is between $2k and $6k. And these high end composite airframes are a few thousand.
 
Dr Honda said:
Control is line of sight. SO... if things are working... if I can see it... I can control it.

As far as the price tag... the Jet's are very expensive. There was a large Viper Jet at our rally... and it was worth close to $20k. I'm sure the large Hawk (5th pic, in the black/red britt flag paint) it was +$10k. Also... that red and yellow Tuono was over $15k. (4th pic)

My jet's were built on a budget, and with used parts. But a typical turbine engine is between $2k and $6k. And these high end composite airframes are a few thousand.
Click to expand...

Not to mention the thousands of tears shed should one have an argument with the ground. :ack:
 
lamajama said:
Not to mention the thousands of tears shed should one have an argument with the ground. :ack:
Click to expand...

Yeah we had a guy flying one of those newer fiberglass composite rigs have a flameout way out in the pattern on the downwind leg, and try to make it back to pavement. He didn't make it and the whole airframe was a write off from what looked like heavy hangar rash.
 
I'd say... half the time when a turbine hits... it's a total loss. (The fuel tank ruptures, and becomes a fire ball)

I've worked in hobby stores my entire teen, and early adult life... and Iv'e always said.... "There are 2 types of planes. The ones that have crashed... and the ones that are going to crash."

It's just something you have to accept in this hobby. BUT.. a good pilot will make sure everything is 100% before going to fly. If the batteries aren't charging properly... or you find loose links... or a glitchy servo... it's best to not fly the model. I personally haven't lost a model due to mechanical reasons in a very long time. (knock on wood)
 
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there seems to be hangar gremlins that sneak around while the planes are sitting and loosen random screws, even when they've been CA'd in place. last time out was the first flight on my slick in a couple months, and the wood that the elevator horn glues into had split and the covering was the only thing holding the elevator on. i couldn't figure out why it wouldn't hold elevator trim so i landed and started looking things over.

thing about the guy that wrote off his 2500 dollar airframe - i had been out in the woods looking for a guy's plane about 20 minutes before and heard him flameout once, and he made it back to the runway then. i guess they didn't find the issue or didn't look, sent it back up and lost the engine again, this time not making it back. it didn't burn though, just had a hard landing, which apparently caused it to be a write-off.
 
Strizzo said:
there seems to be hangar gremlins that sneak around while the planes are sitting and loosen random screws, even when they've been CA'd in place. last time out was the first flight on my slick in a couple months, and the wood that the elevator horn glues into had split and the covering was the only thing holding the elevator on. i couldn't figure out why it wouldn't hold elevator trim so i landed and started looking things over.

thing about the guy that wrote off his 2500 dollar airframe - i had been out in the woods looking for a guy's plane about 20 minutes before and heard him flameout once, and he made it back to the runway then. i guess they didn't find the issue or didn't look, sent it back up and lost the engine again, this time not making it back. it didn't burn though, just had a hard landing, which apparently caused it to be a write-off.
Click to expand...

First.... that's just dumb. If he had a flame out in fight... there is going to be a reason why. SO... find it !! If you have a flame out, on a small turbine, on the ground... it could just be a couple air bubble getting pushed out. The little wren 44 in my Hawk can have a flame out, at idle... if I hit a good bump. BUT... past 70,000 RPM's (just off idle) there should be no reason for the engine to quit. Even if a small bubble passes... it should stay lit.

Now... the beauty of a turbine is... NO vibration. So loose bolts are never an issue.


As an FYI... yes... that was 70K RPM's. (just off idle) The little Wren 44 Turbine idles at 55,000 RPM... and is full throttle at 195,000 RPM. (the bearings are about $100 each, for ceramic hybrids)

El Toro 33809 said:
Tony,

Very cool. What a great hobby. What's the story behind the plane in your last photo?

Tim
Click to expand...


I didn't get the full story... but I watched it come off the runway, and it was very "wollowy"?? Basically... it looked like he yanked it off the ground, with too low of an air speed... and not enough power. Then... it rolled over, and hit the tall grass. Actually... I didn't think there was going to be that much damage. It must have tumbled on impact.
 
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I don't think I posed this... but here's a quick test start on the little T-45. Up until recently... the engine I have in it was the smallest commercially available turbine. (Now there are a couple smaller)



[video=youtube;z7m2qjkxFBc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7m2qjkxFBc&feature=share&list=UUolQNncUzg7XlXEOCrEIPOA[/video]
 
Snowbord? That would be sweet !!! Yes... I will strap a turbine to a snow board !!!!!!!!!!! :lol:



I guess you meant snowbird. I'm not sure what he had inside, or who's model it was... but it's a good size... so I would think it's in the realm of $6k to $10k
 
haha yea meant snowbird, i was actually just at a aeronautics show the other day and they flew! i really like them! i would def own a small scale one for my office if i could find! holy 6-10K i geuss i better start saving for that hobyy, i am actaully in the RC car hobby we run 1/5 scale nascars baja f1 and so one! they are total fun
 
It could actually be more.

One of the most inexpensive turbines right now is a 18 Lb thrust engine from KingTech. It has a street price of about $1800. That Snowbird is probably a 30Lb model... so you are looking at a price for about $3000 to $3500 just for the engine.
 
Dr Honda said:
That's got some size to it ! I think it's using a fan for propulsion.



Well... it's been a year since the last post (almost to the day)... so that means, I'm heading up to Titusville again. I probably wont' check in until Sunday.
Click to expand...

Titusville? We are leaving for a cruise out of Port Canaveral tomorrow. Wish we could cross paths so I could meet you in person (I did meet Racerxxx and his family yesterday. They are vacationing in Florida). Enjoy your time away.
 
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