Troy Newman

Sometimes our models can be in a harsh environment. I'm only speaking to the 160deg F. I don't want get into the Brand war issue. Everybody's product can suffer under extreme conditions. When you live in hot environments you still want to fly model airplanes and we do. You don't have to put things into an oven to reach these kinds of temps. Its unfortunate that any product would suffer in this environment. We all want to play with our toy airplanes. I will say the environment can be very harsh. As a design engineer that deals with heating and Cooling issues as a part of me career field...I can tell you extreme heat loads are not limited to the middle of death valley.

A few years ago I was flying Electric pattern and we really starting to watch heat. Lipo batts and electric motors suffer under these conditions. This prompted me to take a very accurate IR temp gun and start checking temps.

I fly in Phoenix and yes even in the summer. Using a Raytek Temp gun we would check the ambient temp of objects around us then check the temps of the motors and batteries after the flight.

I started to check the temps of many aspects of our flying field before the flight just for curious sake.

Take an example a 105deg F day. In the hottest part of the day

On the shaded pit tables it was close to 105deg F
The gravel ground in the sun 125-130deg F
The blacktop pavement runway and starting area 157deg F
The white stripe on the runway 140deg F

The white Ultracoated wing panel moved from the shade to the starting area on top of the 157deg F blacktop. Was at 135degF.

Dark painted Carbon Fiber and Glass canopy on the model again just after coming from the shade and sitting it on the starting pad, 150deg F

I didn't leave the model in the sun just carried it out there and checked the temps. It was only on the pad for maybe a minute.

So we flew the model and landed. Canopy that is painted a dark color was HOT at 165-170degF the wings were still about 135degF


The model showed zero signs of bursting into flames, nothing melted, and it was taken back to the shaded table area. The electric motor and batts cooled down to the 105-110deg ambient temp and it was flown again.


So temps can soar very high in the hot sun. Not just counting ambient temps. Then running with a glow or gasoline engine will produce even higher heat sources internally to the models. Even the heat can "soak" through the firewalls and to internal components like RX's and batteries. Its unfortunate any of us have problems with our equipment, but the environment can be brutal at times.

I have only lived in Phoenix now for about 4-5 years. Yes we fly all year long and even in the summer during these hot temps. Covering the models or some shade always helps, but the temps internally in the models can easily reach the temps that are being discussed.

Just two days ago it was 111deg F and the hottest day of the year so far. I was not out flying but my back porch which sees late day direct sun showed 128deg F on the stucco wall. It it painted the same color as every other house in Phoenix, light tan.


By the way we have even seen temps in the model where the Li-ion batteries we were using went dead. As they went to an open circuit and 0.00Volts. Go to turn the model on and it doesn't respond. Check voltage and nothing....

I guess what I'm saying is don't underestimate the power of of the sun. And don't think because the weatherman says its 100degs today that objects in the shade or in the sun will be that temperature. The thermal properties of objects and the sun can really affect the temps of our components. A black servo or RX case sitting in a canopy area inside a fuse. No breeze to pass through to help cool the components by convection. Temps can soar very high and its still not bursting into flames.


Troy Newman