Well guys, I think I have finally figured out what I will do. The UCD is now assembled. All that is left is servos (the actual ones, I put in some "dummies" for a control horn and pushrod "rough fit", but left it so that I can still add them easily), final radio bits and motor. I think I have decided on servos, Futaba S3010's are 72/90 Oz/in. running 0.20/0.16 sec. speeds on 4.8/6 volts. Not a bad price and a pretty flexible unit I can use in other planes I have in the "batter's box" (I already have the 100 Oz./in. rudder servo). As for power, I think that the OS .50 SX won't cut it, I will, (after talking to you guys) have to get me one of those Saito 82's! (I'll send you the bill ) I collect vintage vacuum tube gear and one sale will pay for all (thanks Ebay, for having a 20 cent listing sale today!). My old Sig 4 Star 40 needs a new wing and covering, I think I'll put the .50 on it and fix 'er up for my son. He turns 12 in 2 months and just was awarded his Arrow of Light in the Cub Scouts and is on his first ever "by his self" summer camp with the new BOY scout troop he joined two months ago! He's been buddy boxing with me on our good old Hanger 9 Alpha. I think I'll try to get him soloing asap and turn over this low-wing trainer to him. I couldn't kill it, maybe he can! (knowing him, he'll be out-flying me in no time!) He deserves it, he's such a great kid!

Since I started building the UCD 46, I have been putting my UCD EP through the wringer. I have flown it so much the wings are getting tired and I can see them reshape in the air! Kind of a poly-hedral thing! The dang thing flexes all over the place anyway. It has a remarkably fast roll rate and on a downwind leg can actually cover some ground! (It has a Himax 380 power, geared brushless and 3 cell LiPo. I hope the electric power doesn't spoil me! 20 to 24 minute flights on a fresh charge, unlimited vertical and NO CLEAN UP!) It can be a real hand full. I recently bought the Hitec Optic 6 with the Spectra synth module (dial-a-crash!) so that I could do the mixing I wanted to do on the UCD 46. I switched my UCD foamie from the old Futaba Conquest 6 channel to it. After reading some awful posts recently about the Optic 6 and a possible glitch problem myself, I decided to take the EP out yesterday to do some careful flying while I watch for trouble. Normally I like to keep things fairly "up there" in case of a bad call or slow reaction time. However with the radio in question, I didn't want anything going wrong where I couldn't at least get the remains. It was perfect flying weather! 3-5 mph breeze, 85 degrees and the sun was just setting on the western treetops at my field, (I jump 2 of my fences to end up in a 6 sq. acre, well manicured field) my batteries charged, I did my pre-flight, range checked the Optic 6 and holding the UCD at an almost vertical angle, I throttled up and opened my hand to allow the plane to harrier out into the breeze! I kept her at a max altitude of around 40 feet and flew a few circles around myself and did as much trimming as is possible with this plane. It is impossible to hands-off this plane! After about 5 minutes and upon noticing no real problems, I started doing some more daring manuevers and using up a little more sky. Typically, I fly this plane with wild abandon but with the new radio in question, I was flying a much more controlled pattern. A few spins, several rolls, inside/outside loops, inverted runs and a Cuban or a stall turn here and there. I suddenly realized, MAN IS THIS A BLAST OR WHAT!!! For some reason, the tight control and forethought (I was still nervous about the radio so I was still not letting it go as high or as wild as I normally do) showed me that I think I actually could fly just about anything now! My confidence level just got lifted up to the next rung! Having been shown how to fly R/C by a combat pilot, I had a tendancy to do a lot of my turns with lots of roll (with no rudder control, they call it "bank and yank" ) so rudder turns were something I had to teach myself. Last nite, I conquered it! I was doing some perfect coordinated turns and doing some sweet rolling harriers in the sky and keeping the plane no more than about 75 feet from me at any given time. My heart actually sank as I heard the rpm's drop and I knew that I was 22 minutes into the flight so I headed down wind and brought it back in for a perfect touchdown 3 feet from my transmitter case. What a sense of accomplishment! I am on the same prop now for more than 40 flights! (hard to say with no landing gear!)

I can only imagine what it will be like to fly the UCD 46! No flex, more control, split elevators and my first ever four stroke! If anything ever was to "kick start" me into making this all happen sooner, it was last night's flight with the EP! Plus I am sick and tired of hand launching and belly landings! Still not sure about the Optic 6. If you tap the module while in flight, it will glitch. I have heard that it can stop transmitting altogether! I think I may try to make the plug that holds the module make a more sure contact. Maybe a little foam tape might secure it in there better. Other than that, it seems to offer a big bang for the buck. It does a lot more than my JR 431, the next best radio I own.

Wish me luck on the Ebay sale, I'll list something today that will make enough to buy the servos and S 82! That way I don't have to ask the wife if I can spend some more money on toys! I'm just swapping them! I can justify just about anything if it means flying! You guys rock! I don't think that I would have ever set up this plane right with out the help from this thread. Kudos all around! I'll post some pics ASAP.

Gotta run, C'ya later!
Blisster