Our RC field is affected by the FAA Temporary Flight Restriction surrounding the Trump Golf Course in Bedminnster NJ. Usually the TFRs just last a weekend, but the most recent is a long one - almost all of August. So some of the club members are thinking about trying CL at our RC field. CL is not prohibited by the TFR.

I have not flown CL in about 45 years, but I remember liking it as a kid. We can put a CL model together in a few days and we all have spare glow engines with RC carburetors. Is there a reason not to use these for CL? We are thinking of just a simple mechanism to allow manual adjustment of the throttle. Crack it open a little to start the engine and then set it to full throttle to fly. Or is there something that we are overlooking?

OK. I see that this question has been asked and answered many times. I found my answer with a search. My apology, I should have searched before posting.

Yes you can and my preferred setup is an RC engine with a conventional clunk tank. I currently am using an OS .40FP, OS .35AX and a Saito .30FS all throttled engines. Actually I do not bother with dead ending the throttles but instead use 2.4 radio and utilize the throttles. those endless touch and goes made possible by that is a true joy.

John

Sure can, I replaced the carb. with a Venturi and spray bar on my os40la. A Great running engine

Here is another solution, install a bellcrank and an elevator servo. If you wan to fly RC have the elevator pushrod connected to the servo. If it is connected to the bellcrank it's a CL model. All of my models except for the speed models have throttle control and they are a typical RC glow or electric setup. install the leadout guide and wingtip weight if flown as a CL model.

We are allowed to use 2.4 Ghz with CL so I use a typical RC transmitter and my scale models have a 2.4 Ghz receiver in the model.

Fred Cronenwett

Glow Engine Operators - if you prefer a venturi (Needle Valve Assy) carburetor set-up ... then see BRODAK, JUST ENGINES or MECOA for their line-ups of venturis (NVA's) or search for other web-based sources for such parts. You will need to know the engine case carburetor mount bore (usually in mm) and some NVA mounting information for your specific application. My experience has been that most RC carburetor glow engines will respond very well to such conversion treatment.

Of course the very easiest , method of using an ex RC engine (something that is becoming more and more common these days as the perceived disadvantages of doing so is for most almost imperceptible) is illustrated in the first photo, a simple rubber band and a few seconds later you are ready to go. Alternatively the second photo shows another simple extenstion on the throttle arm with a band around the fuselage to secure your settings.. This method makes starting easier and opens up a selectable performance control.

Of course like clscale-Fred above using a modern 2.4 system is almost effortless and opens up the sport of controlline unlike any other advance over the years.

Although I have a rather large hanger of RC craft I do keep active with a Magician, Skylark, Nobeler, Ringmaster Jr, Ringmaster S-2 and a old school Bearcat carrier plane. Of those six, all are absolutely equipped with throttled RC engines and of those three are operated with 2.4 systems. The Bearcat is a three line system and will stay that way (and excellent reminder to the superiority of the 2.4 systems. The Ringmaster S-2 being the newest to my controlline hanger for now the new Hirtenberger .25 RC is just fixed throttle I will soon be adding a 2.4 set up.

John

when I was younger (young teen in the 70's), there were belcranks and handles made for a third line to control the throttle of your plane and r/c engines were used all the time. the handles had a trigger in them that you squeezed to idle the engine and the belcranks slid to compensate for the cable movement. I have looked around and not seen them anywhere anymore, wondering if people still build u-control with controllable throttles.

Check with Melvin or Brenda MBS Model Supply

Rc engines work just as good on control line. After 41 years I started flying control line again. Forgot how much fun it is. I usually just spring loaded the throttle if I wasn't using it.

TO: JPMacG, Post #1.
It might help to have some FAA documentation along, and a polite buddy to explain it to Officer "Friendly" if he shows up uninformed and with a low tolerance for backtalk.
I was among a group flying CL near a big golf course, and run off with threat of arrest, when a duffer complained we were buzzing him, about a quarter mile away.
Didn't matter to the badge wearer.

How do you hold the 2.4 Ghz transmitter whilst doing U-control to vary throttle settings from take-off to landing ? A basic transmitter tray would probably work well I guess. Why not have the rudder operable to control line tension?
Why not have flaps and retracts and other scale features operable by RC? Wouldn't old time Ukie fliers have loved to have hybrid scale and stunt models with RC assist? Imagine electric powered RC assisted control-line scale models!!
No noise, no oil mess, no need for large open RC type flying field.

Pistol grip car transmitters.

I use a standard two stick trans hung from a neck strap and attached to the sides of the tx, where I have bonded two support rings. Not the center point on most txs. The tx hangs on my chest with the sticks pointing to the airplane and throttle control is easily effected by either left or right hand.

A few of my fellow flyers do use the car radio simply held in the free hand. But I do not because I fly from a wheel chair as I need the free hand to help control the chair intermittently.

John

yes you can i tried it before

I had done this long time ago, and it worked flawlessly.
No problem as long as the carburettor is opened.

Yes you can I did that a lot back in the day.But you can get a venturi for most rc engines if not make your own venturi if you have a metal lathe you can make them and get a needle vale to fit in it.I'm thinking about getting a metal lathe my self here.

The field is big enough for CL. We have a 60 foot wide runway. The grounds are fairly well manicured and we have a lawnmower. I would have to think that you could get the model to take off and land on the grass. Any opinions on this?

Welcome to the forum If there is physically enough room to take off and land, then grass is no problem, depending on the size of the plane and wheels. 2" + wheels are usually OK. 1/2A planes are usually hand launched and do not need landing gear because they will just cartwheel on landing.

I’ve got several RC engines in-my modest collection. I’ve never used them and I really stopped flying RC. When our club went electric and banded 72. I went back to U Control. Still have several of my original UC planes. Now the problem is where to fly. In my town lots of interest but it’s very aged. Most of the guys are in there 70s including me. Yes I get dizzy. But running a smaller fuel load and gradually increasing it helps, but it’s a slow process. Ops I just hijacked this post.AJ

If it's been sitting almost a year without use it's Resurrection not Hijacking though I suppose you could do both at one time. Seen plenty of folks with a club that have a spinning bar stool for center so the less then sure footed can sit and spin on the chair instead of getting dizzy on foot and risking a fall. You do build a tolerance up. I don't get many flights in between Ringmaster Flyathons though I did get out 3 or 4 times this year including to my RC club. But last weekend it does amaze me how during the first flight or two if I think about running over and picking the plane up how curved my path is yet by the end of the day, 25 flights later, even inverted isn't much of a problem. Much, of a problem, theres still the usual "think top and bottom not up and down" bit.

Yes, you can. i have done it also

Ya I hear ya. The times I ran my Engines Fox Stunt 35. And usually fly about 2 to 3 minutes. Is about my limit. Hey seen that Super Ringmaster behind that engine. That’s what I am building my Winter project. And repairing my 35 Ringmaster and my Veco Chief. Bought a Toung Muffler. For the Chief going to see how it works out and maybe get one for my other UC planes. Did the Bi Slob last winter. Flew it once. Crazy it’s a great flyer, but I could not get it to hover,! AJ.

I had a bi slob once, was flying it, and had the engine cut out at a wrong time and just trashed it. I had flown it dozen or so times, Gave up on it. Then found out I had been using 60 foot lines and people tend to use quite a bit shorter. Anyways, when they're synched up with it it's a crazy flying machine. But, fragile in rough hands like mine. Seen a guy do the whole Pampa pattern while standing still and flying one side of the circle, from a awning. It was raining. Just like Carnegie hall. Just takes practice.