Ian.W

hi all

ive just got myself some streemers/ribbens for my flip to make it look snazy. Just need to know how long the should be for a good affect, mine are 2.5m long but wide enough to see high up.

Questions:

1)what would hapen if they got caught in my engine

2)how do i fix em sucurly?

3) would it cause the flight perfomance to drop?

Thanks

YNOT

I put some streamers on a few months back for a show. It really looks good.

Mine were close to 3 meters in length.

I saw zero performance drop.

During a tail slide, one side did catch the prop. The prop just cut the ribbon. No big deal.

I secured them to the wing tips with a very high tech material, 3M clear tape.

The ribbons also help me win the Pilots choice Award at the show.

Archie

I have used video tape in the past... very effective... very light and you dont notice it...

Dont expect to stick it back in your vcr afterwards though !

Oh, and you cant see the picture in flight either !

Ian.W

LOL

3D_CAP232

Hi,
Have used streamers in competition, I used them about 20m on a 30% which was enough to do one normal roll and still see it in the streamers.
I have also got it caught in the prop before and all it did was cut it...however be carefull Torque rolling since the engine revs are quite low and the tapes will do anything and everything!!! According to an article CPLR has had an incident which was caused by a streamer wrapped around a DA150 prop driver which stopped the engine!

Its definalty good fun though...just try a waterfall...lol!!!!!

Ian.W

heh heh, there on my cougar at the moment, flips in repair

Welsh3D

I'm using them on the 3styla, they look brilliant

Ian.W

how long? i'm gonna fly with them tommorow of the wind dies

JohnW

My Feedback: (6)

He he... this brings back memories. I flew a large fun fly last year and would often put streamers on it. Longest one I put on was 500 feet. Tied it to both wing tips so it was really just a big loop that was 250 foot behind the plane. Had all sorts of fun remembering my boy scout knots.

Lots of stuff you can use. VCR tape works good, Brick laying tape (find at local hardware store) also works good. Crepe paper ribbons work if not too long, even that "do not cross this line tape" works well, can also be found at many hardware stores.

1. If the tape gets caught in the engine it can shut the engine down. Even the wimpy crepe paper can wind up around the thrust washer and shut you down. However, if you get a clean ribbon cut with the prop, you'll be fine.

2. How to attach? For a small plane, tape actually works just fine. I've used tape to attach ribbons on planes as big as 120 sized. Larger planes and huge ribbons will need a more secure mounting, tie to landing gear, flying wires, etc.

3. Flight performance? Yes, it will drop. The amount and the actual effect will depend upon where you attach the ribbon, how much it weights, its width and length, etc.

A good place to start is with a single ribbon about 5-10 times the lengh of the plane tied to the tail wheel. Get a feel for how the ribbon effect your plane. The you can try longer ribbons, dual ribbons, etc.

Warnings... WATCH YOUR PLANE! It is easy to get worked up watching the ribbon... that's when accidents happen as you watch your pretty ribbon follow the plane into the ground. I've never crashed with a ribbon, but had some close calls because I watched the ribbon not the plane. With dual ribbons, if one side breaks, be prepared for some serious rudder. I intentionally cut my 500' ribbon in the air (without thinking about what could happen) making one side about 100 feet and the other 400 feet... boy-o-boy was that interesting. Tons of rudder was required to prevent the plane from spinning into the ground.

Have fun! Cheers.

Luke 3D returns

Or even better why not put some pyro technics on your plane like some guys have done at the TOC?

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Howabout that nylon survey tape?

Ian.W

luke: ive got a vid of CPLR (and chip hyde for that matter) flyin at TOC 2002, i like the bit where CPLR pulls up and the pyros explode out of the wing

Ian.W

right........i flew with them today, they wernt really long enough for a good affect, then the got wraped aroung my tail on my cougar.....DRAG OR WHAT?!?!??! land quick and take dem off!!! leethal, the yawing is terrible and when you counteract it with the rudder it both pitches and rolls!!!!!!!!!

Good fun though

cabanestrut2002

after seeing this thread yesterday i tried streamer flying today- two paper ribbons 1" wide from the tips of my panther funfly looked cool, managed to cut them all up in flat spins and tumbles!!

Cactus.

My Feedback: (1)

and then my Cougar cut up what was left blowing around on the patch

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

This thread and the TOC article in one of my Flying Models inspired me to try it on my own.

I used 1 inch nylon surveying tape. One on each wingtip. Mine were cut to about 20 feet I noticed no adverse affects.

My Laser's roll rate is set so high that the streamers looked like a big corkscrew. During hovers, the streamers got tossed around by the prop wash and wind. It frequently got wraped around the tail.. No big deal, just cut down on the show.

Next step: To set them up so I don't have to take off with them trailing and I can release them at will.