In this special edition of DIY Radio Control Hobbies, Chris Chianellli attends the Las Vegas Hobby Expo and gets a first-hand look at some of the latest products and developments from the world of radio-controlled models and other hobbies. The Expo takes place at Las Vegas' Riviera Hotel and boasts 40,000 square feet of displays and demonstrations, and more than 350 manufacturers of innovative RC products from around the country and around the world. In this segment, Chris does some indoor aviation with slow flyers and park flyers that are small and precise enough to be flown indoors (figure A and B).
Indoor Park-Flyers and Slow Flyers - These electrically powered airplanes are fairly recent addition to the hobby industry. They are lightweight, easy to build and operate very quietly. Because they are so maneuverable, they can be flown just about anywhere -- even indoors. And the plane bodies are so lightweight that crashes are no big deal.
- One popular competitive challenge for park flyers is a flying "limbo contest" -- in which two people hold a long streamer of crepe paper between them. Park-flyer operators then compete to see which flyer can be flown the lowest -- clearing the streamer from below. Another challenge is a simulated aircraft-carrier landing on a tabletop.
- One of the models shown in our demonstration, the Merlin, is an ideal beginner airplane. It comes in a kit with everything required for operation and assembly -- including the plane, radio transmitter, receivers, battery and chargers. The plane parts simply snap together, and no tools are needed. The leading and trailing edges of the wings are made from carbon-fiber rods that plug into nylon brackets in the fuselage (figure C).
- The Horizon GWS Tiger Moth (figure D) is another good beginner plane, though slightly more advanced than the Merlin. This biplane is extremely maneuverable, and can be purchased, with all the elements necessary for flying, for around $200. The plane and gear-drive motor alone can be purchased for around $55.
- More advanced models like turn-of-the-century scale replicas from Sig (figure E) require a little more time and experience to build, but with modern quick-drying and spray glues can still be assembled fairly quickly.
- For the office-bound business type with a kid inside, the "Executive Diversion" from Megatech (figure F) is a tiny indoor flyer that comes in a kit with everything needed for flying. It weighs only about 48 grams and flies by means of thrust vectoring, allowing it to be flown and maneuvered accurately in a relatively small indoor space.
For those who've never flown an RC airplane, park flyers and slow flyers are an ideal place to start. They can be flown in a large indoor area, or outdoors in a backyard or park, as long as there is very little wind blowing.
RESOURCES :
Merlin (TM) Park-Flyer RC airplane
RC Modeler magazine
RC Modeler magazine
Sierra Madre, CA 91025
Fax: 626-355-1476
Website: www.rcmagazine.com
Tiger Moth RC flyer
Horizon Hobby
Website: www.horizonhobby.com
Executive Diversion RC flyer
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