Those of you who visit regularly will know that it has been a while since the last update of FlightImages. Stated simply, I have been really busy...part of that heavy-duty work time has been devoted to getting the MISS KITTY project finished. I now have the airplane flying the way I really want it to, in both fixed gear and retract gear versions, and I have revised the format of my plans to include complete parts patterns. I have the plans and fiberglass cowl and wheelpant accessories ready for sale and have provided a detailed look at the airplane in the SCALEVIEWS section. Take a look at what I have put together for you there, then check out the PLANS page and think about getting a set of drawings for yourself. Everyone who has seen the prototypes so far has been very interested.

I have also included some info on the original TigerKitten...just a few weeks ago I had a chance to see another modeler flying one on a high-end brushless set-up and decided that I should remind all of you that the design is alive and well, and that I still have CAD copies of the original plan along with fiberglass cowls and wheel pants for sale, right here at FlightImages. I also have a special deal for you...check the PLANS page.

A New Direction

As the old song said, '...there's been some changes made !' I am going to revise the format and intent of FlightImages somewhat. I have been fortunate enough over the past several years to have been able to devote a lot of my working time to various aeromodeling activities, including writing for many of the publications and operating a small video production business. As you might suspect, I also have some other activities that require attention, and it is to some of those that I am going to be devoting more time in the future. In 'real life' I am a writer, and the time has come to get very serious about one of the projects I have been planning for a long time. I have re-arranged many priorities to permit spending a major amount of my time on the completion of a book length memoir intended for the general public. Dealing with the experience of growing up as a gifted child without adult recognition or validation, it addresses the issue of being different in our society and the ways in which I was able to turn this into a positive experience. This is a very timely issue and I consider myself to be under an obligation to get the work completed and into publication.

The book is not about model airplanes, but there is a lot about model airplanes in it, and I think aeromodelers everywhere will enjoy it when the time comes for publication. Needless to say, I will keep all of you FlightImages readers up to date on progress.

All of this means that I may not update the editorial content of FlightImages or SCALEVIEWS as often as I might like. However, there will be no changes in the availability of plans, accessory parts and video programs that are offered for sale here. Perhaps more important, I want to ensure that all of you are aware that I will continue to welcome questions about your own projects, especially those dealing with electric powered scale airplanes. I spent many years in a public school classroom teaching math to young teenage kids, and although I am no longer working in a formal classroom, I can't leave the calling behind. Don't hesitate to share your questions via the email response page here on the site.

A Successful Competition Season

As many of you know, my aeromodeling interests center on competitive scale flying and this past season, the spring and summer of 2001, has been a good one for me. Long time FlightImages visitors will recall that I have been working for several years on a 1/4 scale Aeronca 'K' vintage lightplane. This model was in fact completed last spring and immediately subjected to the 'acid test' of all-out competition...after about a dozen test and trim flights I took her to TOP GUN 2001. The stories that you may have heard about the STRONG WINDS at this year's TOP GUN are true...it was a wild and wooly experience of hard flying that brought out the best in all who flew there. Unfortunately, the extreme conditions contributed to some of those crashes. The 'K' handled the unpleasant weather very well, probably much better than many observers would have expected of a lightly loaded high winger, and I was fortunate enough to place 7th in the Designer Scale class with her, with no damage to the airplane.

Subsequently my wife Teryl and I took both the Aeronca and the 'old reliable' 1/4 scale Taylorcraft to the AMA Nationals in Muncie, Indiana in July. Again flying in some interesting weather, we ended up with a 6th in Designer

Scale with the Taylorcraft. The Aeronca fulfilled her original purpose by serving as the model I needed to finish 3rd in the FAI Scale Team Selection Trials and win a place, along with Steve Sauger and Hal Parenti who are flying glow engine powered models, on the 2002 US F4C team that will represent our country in the World Championships in Toronto next July. As far as I am aware, our presence there will mark the first appearance of an electric powered R/C Scale (F4C) model at the World Championship level. Watch the magazines for reports.

Only a few weeks later we took the 'K' to the Evergreen Scale Masters Qualifier in Oregon and then finished up the season at the Scale Masters Championships in September, again in Oregon, just squeaking into the Top Ten in a very hard fought, close contest. Remember, all of these contests were by 'wet power' rules, against fields that with the exception of George Mairorana, Jerry Holcomb, and Art Newland's models consisted exclusively of fuel powered recip and turbine engines. It was a good season!

I have prepared a very thorough article and photo gallery on the Aeronca K...check the PLANS section for this material along with more detailed info on the availability of plans.

Big Plane Problems?

I'd like to 'sign in ' on another issue that has recently been introduced in one of the model airplane magazines, if possible without getting into a prolonged debate. Not long ago a report was published by an electric modeler who described a whole series of problems he encountered in getting reliable performance from a large model using a 36 cell battery pack along with good quality motor and radio equipment. He explained the complicated measures he found necessary to overcome problems of inconsistent motor/controller operation and described measures that included conversion to the use of a PCM radio and RF shielding of the receiver, among others, and suggested that 'high cell counts' of over 24 cells are likely to be troublesome.

I will not dispute the validity of any of the experiences reported by a dedicated fellow electric scale modeler, and I agree with him that in designing/developing/building any large model using motor/battery combinations at the high end of the range of choices available to us, extra care should be taken to ensure that everything works as we intend it to. However, I feel that I need to report that in nearly ten years of flying large electric powered models using battery packs of 28-36 cells, and lots of flight time on over ten different large models, either my own or those of other modelers who asked for my help in development and test flying, I have not encountered any of the problems described with my models or those for which I was responsible.

I have seen one instance of a model that exhibited control problems until a poorly designed power wiring harness was replaced, and I have watched one other model exhibit severe problems similar to those described in the article. In this case the model was one with which I had been asked for help by a modeler new to electric power. After I had indeed flown the airplane quite successfully, the owner made changes at the advice of several would - be experts with no electric power experience and lost his model as a result.

I do not want to begin a public discussion, but I am here to report that based on the hands-on experience I have had with many electric powered airplanes using up to 36 cells, the advice that models using over 24 cells are likely to be troublesome 'ain't necessarily so...'. I would be happy to discuss individual projects or experiences you may have had privately, by email. If enough information comes to light that promises to be helpful to the entire e-flight community, I will offer to share it here.

An Oldie - But - Goodie...

While on the subject of power systems I need to mention that the essay on matching motors to models that I wrote and posted here some time ago was inadvertently hidden in a recent update of the site. I have reactivated that link for you.

VIDEOS AVAILABLE

Model Video Productions is devoted to producing quality video material relating to aeromodeling in general and to electric flight in particular. Initially a partnership, MVP is now a sole proprietorship in my name, and has produced a series of instructional programs on electric flight as well as several public relations programs for the AMA. Take a look at the video library page and see if there might be something there of interest to you. If not, let me know what you might like to see. There are several all-new programs relating to scale modeling and electric power now in the planning stage, and your input can have a very real effect on which of them are actually produced and offered for sale.

Model Video Productions is devoted to producing quality video material relating to aeromodeling in general and to electric flight in particular. Initially a partnership, MVP is now a sole proprietorship in my name, and has produced a series of instructional programs on electric flight as well as several public relations programs for the AMA. Take a look at the video library page and see if there might be something there of interest to you. If not, let me know what you might like to see. There are several all-new programs relating to scale modeling and electric power now in the planning stage, and your input can have a very real effect on which of them are actually produced and offered for sale.