Model_Mann

i want to try and build a micro flyer, it will be for a school project, does any one have plans or very good hints and tips for a 10th grade physical science student

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

do you really want to invest $200+ for a project??? A micro rcplane will be easy to build, some sticks and plastic covering, all set. The expensive part is the radio, receiver, mini-servos, expensive charger for the little batteries (Lithium Polymer cells) you will need.
Lets start here, what is your project outline? What must be accomplished? What is the instructor looking for?

sean

Model_Mann

it's got to be able to fly (duh) and have pretty good directional controll,

im thinking about making mini coil accuators to replace servos, and using a reciever from my microsizer.

KidVermin

My Feedback: (3)

Micro's are too difficult for a beginner to keep stable. I'd suggest looking at the Slow Stick and maybe scale it down slightly and use the GWS Rx with their Nano servos and speed control. We fly all the sizes at our winter indoor sessions and even the experienced pilots have a hard time keeping the micro's under control. It's not worth the extra expense unless the project has to be under a 16" WS.

DustOffUH1

My Feedback: (2)

You might also want to try a free flight rubber powered kit. A lot less expensive. Anyway for micros here are a couple of sights;
[link=http://www.eflightdesigns.com/index.html]EFlight Designs[/link] Very nice guy!
[link=http://www.smallrc.com/dwehtml/iemicro.cfm]DWE[/link] Nice people too.

Joe

SaMx

i think you could at least try, it wouldn't bee to expensive using the reciever and transmitter from a microsizer, and just because a plane is small doesnt mean it is harder to control, some micro planes can fly like trainers.

Mike Taylor

My Feedback: (1)

Modifying a micro car has been well documented. Look here: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84771 and check out the threads listed under 'RC Car Conversions'. There are a lot of possible mods to get enough range and power from these little units. Do some reading, solder up a few parts and you are ready to go. The only draw back to these is they have limited range, limited number of functions, and almost all are 'bang-bang' systems (where controls are simply on or off, banging from one side to the other). I prefer real, proportional micro R/C gear myself, but for a school project, you may find it is just the ticket.

If you already have access to a real aircraft transmitter, you can get the RFFS or JMP RX for under $100. These radios are proportion control, 3 (or more) channels, and use actuators (kind of like in the micro cars)

Some of the motors in these little cars are quite adaptable to what you want to do, although most require making up a gear box so you can turn a reasonable sized prop. The 'pager' motors with gear boxes (like the PU-04 from Falcon, available in the US from Bob Selman Designs) are quite powerful, draw 1/3 amp and are less than $20.

Depending on how much room you have to fly your creation, you have a number of plane choices. The Guillows 16" Prairie Bird or One-Nighter, or most other similar sized rubber band FF models, even beefed up Penny planes are quite suitable for light weight R/C.

Read through some of the threads in the URL above, and all your questions will be answered...

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

I smiled when you said Prairie Bird. That was my first R/C plane. I crammed a .20 gas engine in it and flew it till the balsa was spongy. I still have the plane, although I dont think it will fly. Needs a new Non-fuel soaked fuselage.

I used to fly that thing out of a baseball field at my highschool with light poles, trees, chainlink fences, and powerlines everywhere. I remember I took off from the pitchers mound heading outfield. Pulled it up over a chainlink fence, but under the powerline, slow right turn around the powerpole, under the powerline, and then rapidly gained altitude to pass over the backstop and trees. I flew around for a while at high altitude, and landings were just as before in reverse. All that with a plane with NO ailerons. Just rudder and elevator. How I managed to miss all the obstructions, Ill never know. I went back to that field a few years ago, and I must have been NUTS to fly there. It made me realize just how much my reflexes have changed with age. I dont think I would try it with a parkflyer, much less a gas powered plane.

My recommendation for you would be to get a cheap parkflyer, like a piper cub or something and do your school project out on the football field. You can get a kit with everything in it for about $140-160 at www.parkzone.com
It would save you a lot of time and money, and you would get the skills you need to fly something more dynamic.

Deltageek2

If you do want to drop 2C+ on a micro project the Super Skeeter is a foam winged, carbon keeled, almost ready to fly micro that is far more durable than the balsa Skeeter kit. It doesn't glide quite as well with its thick foam wing compared to the original balsa sheet wing but is indestructable by comparison and handles very well.

The magnetic actuators are already installed and pushrods finished. Mount the battery and RFFS-100 receiver and wire it up. I got the base loaded Mini Antenna. Its about a foot shorter than the 18" standard. Charge it with a lipo charger and fly it.

Order it with your channel- its a teeny crystal- so you can use your tx. In your line of work I recommend a buddy-box to spread the airtime. There is nothing like a slowflyer for teaching people to fly.

The hurricane finally blew thru and I got some Super Skeeter airtime today, chased by swallows in the twilight as I stood under the sky and didnt even get wet.

Good luck w your project.


http://www.slowfly.com/cgi-bin/shop....re=rtfsandarfs

hobbydawg

im 11 and i made this one for $16 i used the radio gear from a walmart rc carand put them in it all i need is proplers

Benthehen

model mann, you will need to join rc groups if you want help faster than on this forum. there just isnt as many people as there are on rc groups. I think you should make the "bit cootie", do a search on rcgroups.

Benthehen