Composite-ARF Extra 330L 2.3M ARF
- ARF
Seller:TheEdge Details:
$495.00
| 10/3/2008
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Posts: 252
Joined: 7/8/2008 From: Rochelle, GA, USA Status: offline
Without any instructions I stripped the servos, switches, battery, and receiver from my Heli and successfully transplanted them into the Senior Falcon (my father-in-law made some mods to the internal frame that made working a little tight). I took a little trial and error to make sure the fitment was right and the control surfaces were moving in a full range of motion, but I got it done! ( I tested it against the transmitter and every was copacetic!) The only thing left is to mount the aileron servo, trim the control surfaces to spec (thanks to the specs provided by the original designers of the Falcon), and tune the glow engine (thanks to help on this board)
It looks like I might get this bird in the air sometime soon!!!!!!!!! And I think I might have proved that I actually have an engineering bone in my body (despite having a degree from Georgia Tech )
I'm pretty stoked that I actually managed to pull this off without breaking something. (I also took the time with a dremel tool etcher to mark where the servos and parts actually came from off of the Heli, so if I ever get "the Heli bug" and want to put it back together, I won't be lost in the woods
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I did not crash! I was just flying half of a Split-S.....
Congratulations. Make sure that the surfaces have the correct amount of displacement or "throw" and not just a full range of motion as a full displacement might make the model very difficult to control.
Posts: 252
Joined: 7/8/2008 From: Rochelle, GA, USA Status: offline
I've got the measurements for (+) and (-) throws for all the surfaces -> That's this morning's project! I FINALLY figured out how the aileron servo was mounted to the wing - it's a really ODD setup, but it works great and it's solid as a rock > I often forget that my father-in-law - in addition to being a surgeon - thus why I call him "Doc" - also has a degree in Electrical Engineering and used to work for IBM (before it stood for "Invented By Monkeys"
I went ahead and pulled the engine on the plane to look for any "obvious damage" to it or the connected washers/etc..., but everything "looks" ok; I guess the best way to tell is put fuel in it and DUCK in case it explodes or something - if you think this can't happen, you obviously are not aquainted with my "Luck God"; I've invented 37 different obscene names for him over the years
I HOPE I can get over to the Flint River Sunday afternoon club fly-in today! (a little past Cordele, Ga; about 20 miles away, then another 10 past that) Apparently they have alot of instructors there and use a WHOLE lot of "buddy cables". We'll see how things go.
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I did not crash! I was just flying half of a Split-S.....
Posts: 23
Joined: 12/14/2006 From: lilburn, GA, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: Spacemonkey71
Without any instructions I stripped the servos, switches, battery, and receiver from my Heli and successfully transplanted them into the Senior Falcon (my father-in-law made some mods to the internal frame that made working a little tight). I took a little trial and error to make sure the fitment was right and the control surfaces were moving in a full range of motion, but I got it done! ( I tested it against the transmitter and every was copacetic!) The only thing left is to mount the aileron servo, trim the control surfaces to spec (thanks to the specs provided by the original designers of the Falcon), and tune the glow engine (thanks to help on this board)
It looks like I might get this bird in the air sometime soon!!!!!!!!! And I think I might have proved that I actually have an engineering bone in my body (despite having a degree from Georgia Tech )
I'm pretty stoked that I actually managed to pull this off without breaking something. (I also took the time with a dremel tool etcher to mark where the servos and parts actually came from off of the Heli, so if I ever get "the Heli bug" and want to put it back together, I won't be lost in the woods
Congrats... If a guy working on his finance degree from UGA can do it I would like to think a Tech grad could as well... but then again.. ... Lets see some pics of when its done.. Good luck!
Posts: 252
Joined: 7/8/2008 From: Rochelle, GA, USA Status: offline
It rained cats-and-dogs all day today at the Lake Blackshear field in Cordele where the Flint River Club flies (luckily I happened to have made a phone call and found this out before rushing to leave b/c it was 100% sun-and-roses 30 miles away where I live!) so I didn't get a chance to make it there and meet the club, find an instructor, or watch the other flyers. Besides, despite my "heroic" efforts in trying to get everything assembled, aligned, and touched up, I wasn't able to complete it by a reasonable hour.
I had a HECK of a time today putting the "finishing" touches on the bird.... Setting the control surfaces to spec (rudder, elevators, ailerons -> ESPECIALLY the ailerons!!!! ) was a MASSIVE headache thanks to the rough-and-tumble engineering of my father-in-law and the fact that the plane, the Senior Falcon, hasn't been made in 20+ years so plans/instructions/guidelines/etc... are all dust in the wind ( a good dose of having to figure out all of the "fun" stuff on my own contributed to 3x as many problems as I probably SHOULD have had ! ); so in the end, I really had to "fly blind" (to use a bad pun ) in assembling the electronic components. Also, the plane is on it's 3rd set of wings; these are symetrical foam-filled with a COMPLETELY different servo hookup/design than the original wing, so this part was REAL challenge (just trying to figure out WHAT he was thinking and how he did it was a MAJOR challenge!)
But FINALLY, I got all of the control surfaces in-line, I removed the engine and checked it out as best I could, reinstalled it, set the throttle position, laid out all of the electronics (the Rx, battery, and antenna) and PRAISE BOB I EVEN GOT IT TO BALANCE CORRECTLY !!!!!!!!!
Hey, despite the gold-navy and red-black yearly warfare, I lived in Athens, Ga for almost a year and I'll be 100% honest: I had a FREAKING BALL!!!!!! The women were gorgeous, the food was great, the drinks were strong, and the bars were ALWAYS a BLAST!!!! I can honestly say I know why UGA students don't like Tech students! I didn't even like them myself and I've got a degree from there! (and so does my Dad AND my brother!). Give me a life in Athens ANY day over a life on North Avenue! Less stress+more women=Paradise in Georgia "Athens, Ga: A Drinking Town with a Football Problem" (all that being said, when it comes to the day after Thanksgiving, it's time for WAR !!!!!! ) And here's the proof (as much as a picture can show) that the Falcon WILL fly AGAIN !!!!!!!!
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I did not crash! I was just flying half of a Split-S.....
Posts: 473
Joined: 8/11/2003 From: hingham, MA, USA Status: offline
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is a membership to ama. most clubs will not let you fly without one. It provides suplemental insurance in case you crash and damage someone. it protects the landowner of where you fly from being sued.
Posts: 23
Joined: 12/14/2006 From: lilburn, GA, USA Status: offline
The plane looks good! Best of luck to you on it, and I'll be thinking about you Tech fans while I'm stumbling the streets of down town every Saturday night in the fall!
Posts: 252
Joined: 7/8/2008 From: Rochelle, GA, USA Status: offline
Just remember Pitch19, that if you're arrested while wearing an "Athens Bail Bonds" t-shirt (I think that was the company...but I may be wrong, it was 15 years and several thousand beers ago....), it's 10% off bail ! Drink a pint of Paulaner at the Globe for me! I miss the heck out of that place.....
I've been meaning to ask about the AMA memberships and how to go about getting one, how much they cost, and the benefits of belonging to the organization. I'm already aware that to fly at the Flint River Club <at Lake Blackshear, Ga> I am supposed to be an AMA member. I was planning on speaking to members of the club while visiting the "Sunday Fly-In" about requirements such as this. Unfortunately, right now, I'm an unemployed engineer with a family to support, so paying dues to ANY organization will have to wait until I get "the big stuff" taken care of. (If it wasn't for the generosity of my father-in-law in giving me his hand-me-down plane, I wouldn't have ANYTHING RC related and my wife knows my spending habits WAY too well -> I'm a "little" impulsive..... so she's not even letting me buy FUEL!!!! I really love my wife and she takes great care of me and my son, but I'm still going to have to sneak a $10 for a small bottle of Go-Juice > this DOES NOT mean I won't feel appropriately guilty about it though.... So far, the lump sum of my RC plane build-up and prep has been EXACTLY $0
Fortunately, for the last 3 days, I've been getting absolutely HAMMERED by calls from over a dozen recruiters and no less than EIGHT different HR Managers at companies, and I've written so many cover letter replies that my keyboard has dents in it! As soon as things turn around a little, I'm going to have ALOT of fun!!!!! In the mean time, you really wouldn't believe how much you can learn by just reading articles and various publications! I've collected almost 100 pages on everything from "how to tune a glow engine" to "how to perform an Immelman Maneuver"! I may not be able to "actualy" fly right now (outside IL2:Sturmovik ), but I can still study up on the basics -I even read the FAA Flight Training Handbook!- all this is so I don't go out there COMPLETELY ignorant of at least the THEORIES behind the basics of flight!
I've got THREE more calls tomorrow with another group of managers, so y'all wish me luck so I can earn my wings!!!!!!!!!! (and take care of my family! their well-being comes 1st no matter what or how much fun I have to put on hold; Flying's great, but my 16mo old son's laughter is TRULY awesome)
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I did not crash! I was just flying half of a Split-S.....
Posts: 510
Joined: 8/24/2007 From: Dayton,
OR, USA Status: offline
Here is a link to the AMA website join page. (The first page of the online app) I believe it is $58 for full membership, but they have introductory offers for short term trials. Don't go with the park program if you are flying that nitro plane, I think its too big and therefore not covered. Academy of Model Aeronautics
Spacemonkey, Adui has given you a link to the AMA website. Membership has a few benefits, the major one being insurance that will cover you against 3rd party damages in the event the plane does something really bad, which does happen. You will be unable to fly solo at any AMA sanctioned field or event without the membership. Some clubs will allow you to fly on the buddy box without the AMA coverage, mine (well, being canadian, it's MAAC here) included. When a plane is flying on the buddy box, the instructor is technically in control at all times, and his AMA insurance covers the flight. Some clubs may not allow this for their own reasons.
The AMA also sponsors most funflies, competition events and stuff too. THey can also offer a club assistance in finding and keeping flying sites and generally act as something of a lobby group for our hobby with various gov groups, like the FCC (radio folks), FAA, etc. This is a seldom seen, but key and valuable service. We cannot exist as RC fliers without allocated frequencies for RC, and the understanding of the full scale folks. And everyone likes races, if not to compete, then to watch.
Membership's a good thing, and helps open some doors in this hobby. Good luck finding employment! To me, getting that first call or interview was always the challenge. Sounds like you might have that part beat!
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Beginners >> I actually did it! 
I actually did it! - 
(despite having a degree from Georgia Tech 
... Lets see some pics of when its done.. Good luck!
); so in the end, I really had to "fly blind" (to use a bad pun 
) in assembling the electronic components. Also, the plane is on it's 3rd set of wings; these are symetrical foam-filled with a COMPLETELY different servo hookup/design than the original wing, so this part was REAL challenge (just trying to figure out WHAT he was thinking and how he did it was a MAJOR challenge!) 
), but I can still study up on the basics -I even read the FAA Flight Training Handbook!- all this is so I don't go out there COMPLETELY ignorant of at least the THEORIES behind the basics of flight! 