CA Models VISA
 

Today I am happy to say that the Visa has arrived. I felt like a kid at Christmas all night waiting for Santa to come. Well this afternoon at about 1 pm he did and let me tell you it was the best Christmas ever. Before I go any further there are a few people that I would like to thank for all there help during this 6 week ordeal. First of all Marcelo Columbo and his family (Girlfriend Lorena, Miriam, Lorenas cousin, and Carmen/Juan Carlos, Marcelos mom and dad) for letting me come down and basically have the run of the place. (Todd said we would never make it this far because they would send me back) Hah WRONG. lol and secondly Daniel and his family for all the work they have done finishing the plug and making the molds. (Absolutely Incredible work)

Now on to the Visa. The first fuse came today as you will see from the pics below and due to its shape it came out 130 grams lighter then the lightest passport and 60 grams lighter then the Onas, and this is not even a bagged balsa fuse. (Due to my schedule we could not afford the extra day it would of taken) It is incredibly stiff! A lot of the weight saved was more then likely due to it not having a chin cowl as well the shape. I won´t go into much more detail at this time as I need to get back to work so we can fly it on Friday, but I will keep updating as the zero hour approaches.

C

Visa at more flying fields world wide

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Some more pics. Wing stab and canopy mounted motor in the morning and then paint and monokote. Time to eat and hopefully sleep a little tonight.

More tomorrow

C

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Beautifull !

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Lots of interesting ideas there Chip. I like it! I especially like the curved air inlet on the nose and the exits at the tail. Do you know if the curved inlet is going to be more efficient than a normal NACA duct, or did you do it just for looks?

RE: CA Models VISA
 

The air inlet is just something I have wanted to try for a few years now. I am not sure of the correct answer to your question but in my mind because of the rotation of the prop it should be more efficient. Today was a hard day as nothing went smoothly. Still we are ready to start covering and painting tomorrow. Its going to be a simple scheme as this is only a test plane and if tomorrow goes ok Friday should be the day. I will try to get a few pics of the plane all together in a couple hours

C

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Going to eat heres what we have done so far

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Wow, the lines on that thing are awesome. That has to be one of the coolest designs I've seen.

Nicely done Chip,

Arch

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Thanks Arch

It seems like forever ago when we were in Iraq together looking at the drawing while side stepping the incoming rockets. Anyway today is going much smoother then yesterday. The new landing gear arrived this morning as well as the laser cut parts. Marcelo is ultrakoting and I am off to the paint shop. I should have some more pics tonight and we are still shooting for tomorrow if the tail servos arrive today.

Later Chip

RE: CA Models VISA
 

I will say the actual plane looks a lot nicer than the drawings:) Did you change the wings and stabs from the Passport, or are they the same. I can't tell if they are tapered or swept. By the way, I'm actually working in the same office as Tim Hurley now, so if you are back in DC, let me know. He saw the K-factor with you and frack on my desk and told me you were his instructor years ago.

Arch

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Cool I talked to Tim a couple of weeks ago, but I had no idea you guys were working together. The wings and stabs are very close to the Passport with the exception of the tips and the Dihedral. We have changed the construction technique and now they are (Passport and Visa) wings 5.5 ounces lighter then what we have had in the past. We just weighed Mike Kliens new passport and it will come out at 10.75 easily with TP 5000´s.

Gotta run back to the paint shop. Heres a pic of the nose and the cooling on the Visa


C

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Chip, your new design is stunning to say the least. From your last picture with the lightened firewall and lightened Hyde mount, it appears you've decided to go with an outrunner(?). Also would you please take some addtional interior shots at you convenience. I know you are trying to finish the Visa and fly it tomorrow/Friday. Just one more question, can the new construction techniques you described be used to make another set of Genesis wings for me? Please tell Marcelo I'm intersted in another /new set of wings. Thanks__Everette

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Well my parts done and Marcelo has one more stab to monokote before we call it a night. Heres what it looks like at the moment.

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Finished for the night. We need to monokote the rudders and install the elev. and rudder servos, mount the rec. and speed control tomorrow then out to fly finally

C

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Looking good

Stephen

RE: CA Models VISA
 

I think some of the ideas in this model are going to be a breaktrough in pattern aerodynamics. looks really good and besides it is being desingned and built by two fine designers and builders. I can't wait to see the flight results. we'll be expecting your reports

can you tell us a little bit about the powerplant being used? Motor - ESC - LiPo's?

wish you luck!

RE: CA Models VISA
 

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing the motor is made by Neu, speed control is castle, and probably a set of Neu batteries. That was Chip's standard setup last year. I could be wrong, but that is what I would anticipate. He was very happy with that setup previously.

Arch

RE: CA Models VISA
 

I'm sure from the pictures that it is a Neu inrunner motor. You can see it extend through the firewall.

Arch

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Archie, you are right, it is the Neu F3A motor. Initally, Chip took a picture from the front of the plane and it was hard to tell. BTW, I've been running a couple fo the Neu F3A motors for the last 8 months and all I can say is_FANTASTIC! Not to speak of the outstanding/responsive service Steve Neu & Company have provided, what little I've needed them. I appreciate you providing the above info because I know Chip is busy trying to get the Visa in the air today. I'll contact Marcelo direct and order a couple of sets of the new improved/light wings for my 2 Genesis planes. Thanks__Everette

RE: CA Models VISA
 

From one of the earlier shots you can see it is a Neu inrunner.

The only thing I am wondering about is whether or not there is sufficient airflow for motor and battery cooling. All I see is the nose inlet and tail outlet. Is that enough? I guess we'll see.

I'm really curious to see how this all works out. Looks interesting for sure.

RE: CA Models VISA
 

He will also be pulling air in through the spinner. we should know something today if it needs more inlet or not

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Hello Chip,

I was talking to Marcelo last friday I think, and he mentioned how hard you guys were working, and the pace you set is amazing, talking about a new design while testing changes on the other planes ,wow.........

I wish you the best of luck with the Visa, so much hard work and knoledge will pay of for sure.

Alejandro Pereira

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Thanks we just finished it and are on the way to the field

More tonight

Chip

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Well we flew it 2 short times, and one full flight. The first flight I forgot to zero out the up elev mix the Passport takes on knife edge so I landed and inhibited that. The second short flight Marcelo remembered he forgot to set the wing at a positive half degree so I landed and we did that. The third flight I took off and rolled to knife edge both ways and it needs no mix of any kind. Then pulled the nose up and it went straight up, half loop and it came straight down, opposite snaps positive and neg unbelievably solid. At that point I was super happy and handed the TX to Marcelo who proceeded to smoke through P-11. Now we are taking the women to a nice dinner smiling all the way. Heres a couple pics and I will go into much more detail tomorrow after flying.

C

RE: CA Models VISA
 

Awesome, Chip!

You're a bigger man than me for being able to take the mosquitoes at the Newbery club field. I was out there for 15 minutes and had close to 25 bites.

RE: CA Models VISA
 

I always wondered where OFF was invented. Now I know. Lol

Chip