radio control - great hobbies

A Beginners Guide

FREEPlease take one

RADIO CONTROL

Presents

vol.3

C a n a d a ’ s L e a d i n g R a d i o C o n t r o l D e a l e r

GREAT HOBBIESWelcome2

Our 20th Anniversary Catalog

Jim EwingPresident and Founder

We are proud to have:

· Lowest Prices

· Largest Stock

· Widest Selection

· Best Technical Assistance

· Friendly, Bilingual Service

· Warehouses to serve you from both ends of the country

· and the best customers...

...Thank you!

All material in this publication is copyright © 2006 Great Hobbies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Order part # GHPRCBG01 to qualify


At 320 pages, it’s North America’s Largest and Most Complete Radio Control Catalog!

At Great Hobbies we are pleased to offer you the most complete catalog available to the radio control consumer. Our 20th Anniversary Catalog is 320 pages packed full with the industry’s best products including radio control aircraft, sailplanes, electric aircraft, helicopters, boats, cars & trucks, radios, engines, parts, accessories, books, simulators, wooden ship models, free flight models and control line models.

Our catalog is free with your first $50 order or you can purchase one for $7.00 (including taxes and shipping to Canadian addresses), fully refundable with your first order of $50 or more within 90 days. You can order your copy by calling our 1-800-839-3262 toll free order line, or by visiting our web site and placing one in the shopping cart.

Order your Great Hobbies20th Anniversary Catalog today!

1-800-839-3262

Limited to one per customer and only while quantities last.

Welcome to Great Hobbies and the wonder-ful world of Radio Control! If you are new to the hobby, you will most certainly have an exciting journey ahead of you. There is an aspect of radio control for just about everyone and we hope this publication will help you find your niche and give you an idea of what you will need to get started. We are also happy that you have found Great Hobbies, Canada’s largest and leading dealer for radio control products. Our goal is to help you attain the most enjoyment from your hobby as possible.

We have been serving modelers, like yourself, from coast to coast and around the world for 20 years now, and endeavor to give you the best service, selection and pricing possible. In Radio Control, A Beginners Guide we will briefly introduce you to all forms of radio control modeling. We will touch on the basics of each discipline and help you become familiar with some of the con-cepts, equipment and jargon. We will also suggest products that would be ideal for the first time modeler. The products shown here are just a small fraction of the prod-ucts that we have available. For a more complete view of our product selection be sure to order one of our 320 page catalogs or visit our very extensive web site at www.greathobbies.com. All products can be purchased on-line and there are thousands of pages of hobby and product information. We hope you enjoy your new hobby and please let us know how we can help get your started—and thank you for your interest in Great Hobbies!

Get a FREE Hat!When you buy your complete beginners package

worth $200 or more from Great Hobbies!

w w w . g r e a t h o b b i e s . c o m

1-800-839-3262

Pricing All pricing in this publication is accurate only at the time of printing. We will en-deavour to keep prices as constant as possible, however, all prices, descriptions, specifications and availability are subject to change without notice. Please confirm pricing with either our 1-800 operators (1-800-839-3262) or on our web site (www.greathobbies.com). All prices are in Canadian dollars.

Ordering You can place your order by phone, fax, mail, or on-line using the secure shopping cart on our web site. Orders are shipped from both locations.

Payment We accept payment by Visa & Master Card for phone, fax and on-line orders. We will also accept C.O.D. payment for orders within Canada. A Canada Post COD charge (currently $6.50) will be added to your bill. For COD orders, you will have to provide cash payment when the package is delivered. You may also pre-pay your mail-in or-ders by cheque, money order or wire transfer. Please ensure there is enough funds to cover the amount of the goods, all applicable taxes, and $20 for shipping. Please allow three extra weeks for cheques to clear and any NSF cheques will be charged $25 processing fee. We do not service open accounts.

Taxes Orders to destinations within Prince Edward Island will be charged 7% GST and 10% PST. Orders to destinations within Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland will be charged 15% HST. Orders to destinations within all other Canadian locations will be charged 7% GST only. Orders to addresses outside of Canada will have no taxes applied. Taxes or duties may be due upon delivery for importation of goods to another country. Check with your local customs agent for more information.

Shipping All orders are shipped Canada Post Expedited unless requested otherwise. Express Post and Priority Post are also available for faster delivery times—shipping charges will be higher, however. All credit card and COD orders will be charged actual shipping costs which may include applicable COD, over-length, or insurance fees. All orders are sent insured for loss.

Returns If you receive a product which you have ordered and it is not what you had expected, you may return the product within 30 days from date of invoice for a refund on the price of the product or credit to an alternate purchase. Fuel, glow plugs, batteries, paints, adhesives, and opened software cannot be returned. Any item being returned must be in new, unused condition and include the original packaging. Also, you MUST call our 1-800-839-3262 line to obtain return authorization. Do not use a product unless you intend to keep it! We will not accept used merchandise and we will not accept packages sent to us COD.

When returning an item, include a written explantation for the return as the person pro-cessing your package will not necessarily be the same person you speak to on the phone.

If, by error, we have sent you a product which was not what you had ordered, we will be happy to replace the item for you. Call our 1-800-839-3262 line for authorization and return instructions.

Defective Merchandise If you receive a product and find that it is defective right out of the package, you may obtain return authorization from Great Hobbies and return it within 30 days for repair or replacement. If you receive a kit and there are parts missing, you must approach the manufacturer directly for replacement parts. Once an item has been used you must re-fer to the manufacturers warranty. The manufacturer, not Great Hobbies, is responsible for all manufacturing defects and liabilities.

Limit of Liability Great Hobbies accepts no responsibility for crash damage, liability, and/or loss of kits, radios, engines, accessories, etc. incurred during operation of a model. In most cases, it is very difficult, if not impossible to determine whether crash damage was actually due to equipment failure or operator error. Great Hobbies maintains no re-sponsibility for inadvertent errors in our promotional literature. All prices, specifica-tions and availability are subject to change without notice.

Policy & Index 3

Policy...

What’s Inside

Visit Our Stores

Getting Started in R/C Aircraft .................... 4

Introduction to Model Engines .................... 7

R/C Aircraft Glossary ................................ 8

Getting Started in R/C Sailplanes ............... 10

Getting Started in Electric Aircraft ............. 13

Getting Started in R/C Helicopters .............. 16

Introduction to Radio Systems .................. 19

Radio Glossary ..................................... 20

Simulators .......................................... 22

Getting Started in Model Boats ................. 23

Getting Started in R/C Cars & Trucks ........... 26

Introduction to Batteries ......................... 30

Model Aeronautics Association of Canada .... 31

StratfordPrince Edward Island

EdmontonAlberta

17 Glen Stewart Drive Stratford, PE C1B 2A8

5144 - 75th Street Edmonton, AB T6E 6W2

Tel: 780-466-3388Fax: 780-466-3305

Tel: 902-569-3262Fax: 902-569-5373

Toll-Free Order Line ............................................. 1-800-839-3262Technical Assistance/Ordering .................................1-902-569-3262Assistance Francophone ........................................1-902-569-628524-Hour Toll-Free FAX ........................................... 1-888-478-2580Web site: ........................................www.greathobbies.comOrder by mail: ...................................................... Great Hobbies 17 Glen Stewart Drive Stratford, PE C1B 2A8


GREAT HOBBIES

Safety StickHOBP3335

$5.69Fuel Pump

HANPUMPH

$15.99Kwik Start Glo-Plug Igniter

DUB666

$17.99


$5.69Fuel Pump

HANPUMPH

$15.99Kwik Start Glo-Plug Igniter

DUB666

$17.99

Wingspan: 63 in • Wing area: 710 sq. in • Length 52½ in • Weight: 5¼ lbs. Radio: 4-ch Quatro (included) • Motor: Evolution (included)

Aircraft4

Getting Started in R/C aircraft...

A comprehensive guide to flying radio control model airplanes, covering basic to advanced flying techniques—something for every level of experience. Over 190 pages with lots of photos and diagrams covering most aspects of the hobby including training, racing, aerobatics, combat & hot-dogging!

Gerry Yarrish —an editor of Model Airplane News magazine who has a lifetime of experience in the hobby—writes specifi-cally for the novice who wants to learn to build and fly model airplanes quickly and successfully. Learn about joining a club, choosing an aircraft & meeting the challenges of the hobby.

• Model comes pre-built with only 20 minutes of final assembly required• Pivot Flex™ wing mounting combines advantage of both elastics & bolt on• Center Core™ main wing rib for securely joining wing halves & mounting aileron servo• Easy Align™ tail mounting system; Snap Gear™ quick landing gear mounts• Spin Control™ airfoil extensions; Speed Brakes™ training flaps; Iso Smooth™ engine mounts

A Futaba 4YBF 4-ch radio system is included and comes pre-installed in the aircraft.

A Futaba Active Flight Stabilization(AFS) unit is included to constantly detect and correct any signs of uneven flight through the use of so-phisticated on-board sensors. Let go of the sticks and the model will return to level flight.

An OS.46 FXi, a special version of the proven .46 FX, is included and pre-installed. The engine features limiters on the needle valve preventing it from being leaned out too much.

A special NexSTAR Edition of the RealFlight RC simulator is included so you can develop piloting skills before you go to the field. It is taylored specifically to the performance of the NexSTAR.

• Comes completely built• Quality all-wood construction• Comes pre-covered in genuine UltraCote• Includes a flight simulator• Only minutes of assembly required to complete• The Alpha is an ideal first aircraft• Includes Quattro 4-ch radio –installed, complete with a JR/Futaba trainer cord.• Includes EVO 2-cycle engine—installed

Required to Complete

Plus you will also need fuel


Plus you will also need fuel

Wingspan: 68¾ in • Wing area: 722 sq. in • Length 56 in • Weight: 6½ lbs. Radio: 4-ch Futaba 4YBF(included) • Engine: OS.46 FXi (included)

Welcome to the world of radio controlled model airplanes. This certainly must be one of the most exciting and enjoyable hobbies in existence, encompassing so many different interests. What other hobby involves aerodynamics, woodworking, composite materials, electronics, mechanics, small motors, drafting, artistry, fresh air and the outdoors, and club activities—practically all at the same time? If you have not already seen an R/C aircraft in action, head to the local club field when there is some activity, meet some of the fliers and get to enjoy it first hand. Once you see it, you’ll be hooked! The first thing one must realize about a radio controlled model aircraft is that it is not a toy. The model, is a real aircraft which flies and operates by the same principles as its full-scale counterpart—the only difference is size and weight. Models fly at speeds between 10 and 160 MPH with the average trainer flying between 40 and 60 MPH! These are not slow vehicles, nor can they be flown in an aver-age backyard—they require space! And just like their bigger broth-ers, they require a learned skill to be controlled properly. It is not simply a matter of pushing a button to take off, another to land, etc. Most people, after they have become acquainted with the hob-by, realize it is more complex than they may have first believed — it is more than just boys playing with their toys! By the same token, the challenge of learning the new skills required makes the hobby that much more enjoyable and satisfying. It is not a hobby with which one easily gets bored! You will garner years of enjoyment from the hobby, especially if you get started on the right foot.

There are two steps you should take to get yourself flying the fastest and in the most enjoyable way. The first is to get involved with the local club or group of people that fly in your area. Their experience and help will be invaluable to you in both building your aircraft and learning to fly. The second is to outfit yourself with a good trainer aircraft for your first plane. This is not the time in your modeling career to build and fly that P-51 Mustang you’ve been fantasizing about.

Alpha Trainer Combo

R/C Pilot’s HandbookMAN2020

$29.99

Getting Startedin R/C PlanesMAN2025

$29.99

Only$459.99

HOBA17XX

Only$339.99

HAN2475


1-800-839-3262

Build your own!

Wingspan: 70 in • Wing area: 900 sq. in • Weight: 5½-6 lbs. Radio: 4-ch, 4 servo • Engine: .30 to .40 2-C, .40 to .50 4-C

Additional Items for Kit

Aircraft 5

The following is a description of the items required to start flying a glow-powered, radio controlled model aircraft. Keep in mind, there is a wide selection available for each one of these items.

The Plane As mentioned previously, you should select a model that is de-signed specifically for training the new pilot. Typically these aircraft will have a high wing, simple sturdy construction, excellent plans and instructions, and be easy to fly. In this guide, we show you some of the best choices for a model and what you will require to go with it. Perhaps the first decision to make with regard to your first model is whether you want to build a complete kit or just do some simple assembly with an “Almost-Ready-to-Fly” (ARF) model. An ARF model will usually have the bulk of the construction completed and it will even be covered. Usually the only assembly to be done is joining the wing halves, adding the tail surfaces, mounting the radio system, engine and landing gear, and connecting the control surfaces. The building of a complete kit is more involved, and certainly takes more time, but on the same token, it is usu-ally more satisfying to those so inclined. Also, when you build your own model from a box of wood and plastic parts, you become familiar with air-craft construction and if the day comes when you have to do some repair work, you may find it easier, having done the building in the first place. You will notice on the previous page that you can also get an ARF combo which comes with just about everything you will need, plus it has more of the work done for you—the engine and radio come installed! Generally it will take less than an hour to get it flying! Another consideration when choosing your first plane is how many control functions or channels (one radio channel—not to be confused with frequency—for each function) you wish to use. Trainer aircraft are available in both three channel and four channel configurations. Most aircraft fly with four channels, these being the Rudder, Elevator, Throttle, and Ailerons. Trainers, however, can also fly without the use of ailerons. A greater dihedral (angle of the wings from the horizontal) on these trainers makes them more stable and can also produce gentle turns using rudder only. Usually a three channel model flies more slowly and is easier to fly than one with four functions and a flatter wing. Four channel models can usually handle the wind a bit better, however, and most trainers tend to be configured this way. Check with your local instructor to see which type of model he recommends and is more comfortable teaching with. If you are learning on your own—which we strongly do not recommend— you should have a much better chance with a three channel model than a four. We would also recommend using a simulator for learning (page 22). There are generally a number of additional items that will be necessary when building a kit. Most kits supply the airframe of the model and do not contain such things as the radio system, the engine, wheels, covering material, and items related to the engine such as fuel tank, fuel tubing, propeller, spinner, etc. ARF models usually contain most items except radio, engine and propeller. With each model we offer here, we will show you all the items necessary to complete it.

The Radio Along with your aircraft, you will need a radio to control it. Most aircraft radio systems have four or more channel capability and come with just about everything you need including the rechargeable bat-tery packs. Refer to our Introduction to Radio Systems section (page 19) for more information on this. One thing you may want to look for when buying your first radio is “buddy box” capability. The “buddy box” is where two ra-dio transmitters may be connected together through a cable—the instructor holds one and the student holds the other. The student can have control over the model as long as the instructor holds a spring loaded trainer switch on his transmitter. If the student gets into trouble, the instructor releases the switch and regains full control of the model. This can greatly decrease the learning time and also be good insurance against accidents with the novice pilot. Check with the local club or instructor to see if they have “buddy box” capability and if so, you may wish to purchase a compatible radio system.

What You Will Need...

Model Engine Fuel

In addition to the items shown with the models, you will require glow fuel for the engine to operate. Glow fuel is made up of an alcohol base with nitro methane, synthetic and/or castor oils, and special additives. You cannot use

gasoline in model glow engines!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Fuel is considered dangerous goods and must be shipped as dangerous goods. It CANNOT be sent in the mail.

1 oz. Flash glue NHP311—Thin

$5.99

2 oz. Flash glue NHP322—Medium

$9.99

Plus you will need the basic tools as described on the following page.

MonoKote covering. (3 rolls min. required)

$14.99


$5.69

Required to Complete Both Versions

Fuel Filters (3)MAS4500

$2.39

Hitec Laser 4Radio System

HIT156721

$134.99

Glow PlugsHAN3006

$7.49

Thunder Tiger .46 Pro EngineTTT46PRO

$114.99

10 x 6 PropMAS1060

$3.09

Silicone Tubing2 x DUB197

$1.19 x 2

Fuel PumpHANPUMPH

$15.99

12 Minute EpoxyHANEPX12

$11.99#67 Rubber BandsGHP#67

$5.99

Kwik Start Glo-Plug IgniterDUB666

$17.99

½” Foam RubberDUB514

$6.19

Kadet LT-40 ARFSIGRC67ARF

$149.99

Kadet LT-40 KitSIGRC67

$109.99

Kadet LT-40 Almost Ready-to-Fly & Kit Versions

• Pre-built all wood construction• Pre-covered in genuine Oracover• Includes complete hardware package

Wingspan: 70 in • Wing area: 900 sq. in • Weight: 5½-6 lbs. Radio: 4-ch, 4 servo • Engine: .30 to .40 2-C, .40 to .50 4-C

• Quality all wood construction• Precision die-cut & laser-cut parts• Extensive Du-Bro hardware included


GREAT HOBBIESAircraft6

The Engine To power your model airplane you will require an engine. The most common type of engine for model aircraft is the glow engine. Gas engines are not common in trainer aircraft. For more information on engines refer to our Introduction to Model Engines section (page 7).

Tools and Adhesives Whether you’re building a complete kit or just assembling an ARF model you will certainly need a few basic tools and some adhesives. The most common tools used in building kits include a modeling knife (such as a #1 Hobby Knife), T-pins (for holding parts over your full-size plans), a small razor plane, a fine razor saw, small screw driv-ers, pliers, etc. A sealing iron will be needed to apply covering to the completed airframe. A drill with standard size bits can come in very handy as well. Other, more expensive tools such as a Dremel® rotary tool are also of benefit to the modeler but are not absolutely necessary to the beginner. There are a variety of adhesives used in building models and you will need some of these for completion of your project. The most com-monly used adhesive today is the cyanoacrylate (similar to the famous “Crazy Glues”). These are now specially formulated for working with wood in various thicknesses and setting speeds. The thin cyanoacrylate is the fastest curing (usually 3 to 5 sec-onds!) and is best suited to balsa wood where the joint is good fitting and has a solid contact surface. The parts should be joined first and then the thin cyanoacrylate applied to the joint. The glue will wick into the joint and form a solid bond. The thicker or “gap-filling” cya-noacrylate is great for general purpose building where balsa, spruce or light plywood is involved. Apply the adhesive to the parts and then join. Drying time is in the order of 5 to 10 seconds. The thickest cya-noacrylate, also referred to as “slow-setting”, can be used like the “gap-filling” cyanoacrylate where slightly longer cure times might be desired. Drying is in the order of 30 seconds to a minute. All cyanoacrylates may be cured more quickly with the aid of an accelerator or “kicker” which is sprayed onto the joint after gluing.Another family of adhesives which is very popular in constructing models is Epoxy. This is a two part adhesive which is mixed and then applied to the surface to be bonded. Epoxy is especially useful when working with foam parts as it will not attack the Styrofoam. Epoxies are very strong and many kits recommend it specifically for certain parts of the construction.

Field Equipment There will also be a few basic items needed for airplane support at the field when you are actually ready to fly your model. First, you will need fuel (usually sold by the gallon jug) and a way of getting it from the container into the fuel tank. This could be as simple as a bulb fuel pump or hand pump, or more complex like a battery powered electric fuel pump. The second basic necessity is power for your glow plug. As described in our Introduction to Model Engines section (page 7), a glow engine needs to have current flowing through the element in its glow plug before it can start running. This current is supplied by a 1.2 to 1.5 volt battery or by an adjustable circuit called a glow driver, frequently found on power panels. The power panel gets its power from a 12V battery. Additional field support items should include a prop/glow plug wrench, a safety-stick for starting your engine, and a few basic tools. Once into the hobby, most modelers will go with field support consisting of the following: A flight box to hold everything; a power panel; a 12 volt battery to power the power panel; a charger to charge the 12 volt battery; a glow plug clip to apply power to the glow plug from the power panel; an electric fuel pump which can be operated from the power panel; fuel line, filters, and cap fittings for the fuel container to connect to the pump and the fuel tank; a 12 volt electric starter which can be powered from the power panel; a 4-way glow plug/prop wrench; miscellaneous tools; spare glow plugs; and spare propellers. The level of field support you choose initially will usually depend on how much you want to spend right away.

Basic Tools

Cyanoacrylate Adhesives

Optional Field Gear

#1 KnifeHOBRO100

$2.79

Sealing IronHANIRON

$19.99

Mitre Box &Razor SawHOBRO240

$18.99

1¼” T-pins (100)DUB253

$4.19

Razor PlaneMAS4100

$9.19

FlashtacAcceleratorNHP208—2 0z.

$7.99

1 oz.NHP311–ThinNHP321–MediumNHP331–Thick

$5.99@

2 oz.NHP312–ThinNHP322–MediumNHP332–Thick

$9.99@

This is great stuff!You’ll use it on everything around the house too!

Buy any 3and refer to our Great

Deal #GHPHD20when ordering

Save 17%

Flash BackDebonderNHP210—1 oz.

$4.99

Du-Bro Final FilterDUB162—$4.59

Thunder Tiger 4-Way WrenchTTT102—$6.99

12V Sealed BatteryGHP12V7A—$26.99

Du-Bro Cap FittingsDUB192—$4.39

Hangar 9 Glow Plug ClipHANLOCSOC—$7.99

Hangar 9 Recoil Fuel LineHAN151—$8.99

Hangar 9 12V ChargerHANCHG12V—$14.99

Hangar 9 Electric StarterHANSTARTER—$39.99

Hangar 9 Electric Fuel PumpHANPUMPE—$19.99

Hobbico Pre-Built Field BoxHOBP5025—$44.99

Hangar 9 Power PanelHANPANEL—$26.99

Prather Large Fuel Line2 x PRA7090—$1.39


1-800-839-3262 Engines 7

Introduction to Model Engines...

Zenoah G38 gas engine

Saito FA 100 4-cycle engine

OS 46 AX 2-cycle engine

Radio controlled models may be powered by various types of engines in-cluding electric motors, 2-cycle glow engines, 4-cycle glow engines, and gas engines. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages and all are widely used by thousands of modelers all over the world. Refer to the section Getting Started in Electric Aircraft (page 13) for more information on electric motors.

Glow Powered Engines Model glow engines come in two forms 2-cycle and 4-cycle. Both use “glow fuel” which is a methanol based fuel with castor and/or synthetic oil as a lubricant. The major difference in the two types is the way fuel is de-livered to, and exhaust is expelled from the engine during operation. In a 2-cycle engine the fuel/air mix-ture (as metered by the carburetor) is forced into the combustion chamber during the down stroke of the piston. During the upstroke the mixture is com-pressed and when the piston reaches the top of its stroke, the glow plug ignites the compressed gases, forcing the piston down. On the way down exhaust gases escape through the exhaust port while the fuel mixture enters the chamber. The entire power cycle takes 2 strokes of the piston. In a 4-cycle engine the fuel/air mixture (as metered by the carbure-tor) is brought into the combustion chamber during the downstroke of the piston through a valve operated by the crankshaft. On the upstroke the valve closes and the mixture is compressed. When the piston reaches

the top of its stroke, the glow plug ignites the mixture forcing the piston down. On the next upstroke of the piston, a second valve opens and allows the exhaust gas-ses to escape. The fuel mixture again enters on the down stroke. The entire power cycle takes place in 4 strokes of the piston. The glow plug is common to both 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines and is made up of a tiny little coil of platinum wire. To start the engine, an electric cur-

rent, supplied by a 1.5 volt battery, must run through the coil to heat it. The engine is then turned over to get it running. Once the combustion cycle has started, the coil in the plug can retain heat between firing and current is not necessary. The mixture for both types of glow engines is usually adjusted by two needle valves on the carburetor. One needle valve adjusts mixture for idle and low speed operation while the other is for high speed mixture adjust-ment. Engines for control line models do not usually have carburetors and operate only at full throttle. A needle valve is mounted at the air intake and adjusts mixture at high speed only. Throttle control for R/C engines is usually accomplished via a rotating barrel in the carburetor. This barrel controls the amount of fuel/air mixture going to the combustion chamber and is activated by a small arm mounted on the side of the carburetor. Two-cycle engines are the most common model aircraft power plant. They are simple, light, easy to operate and easy to maintain, and are gener-ally inexpensive. They operate at a high RPM with a high pitched sound. Four-cycle engines are growing in popularity and produce a lower, more scale-like sound. They produce their power at lower RPM than two-cycle engines. Because of their valves, they have a higher part count and thus are usually more expensive than two-cycle engines. They may also require a bit more maintenance and adjustment than their two-cycle counterparts but they are not difficult to operate and maintain and they sure sound great!

Gas Powered Engines Gas powered engines (using gaso-line) are becoming very popular in pow-ering larger model cars, boats and planes. They don’t usually come in sizes suitable for medium and smaller size models, but for the large models they provide good power at a reasonable cost and are inex-pensive to run. A spark plug provides the fire and no external power is required in starting. Fuel is usually a gas and oil mixture. Boat and car versions are usually equipped with a recoil pull starter for an easy start.

Where Do You Start? For straight simplicity, ease of maintenance, overall performance and lower cost, we generally recommend that the beginner choose a two-cycle glow engine for their first model aircraft. Choose an engine that is in the upper portion of the displacement range recommended for the model. You can always throttle back and you have reserve power if you need it to get out of a spot.

Ball Bearings or Bushings? You can get engines with either ball bearing supported crank-shafts or with just bushings. Ball bearing engines usually have better performance, run smoother, and last longer with proper maintenance but are more expensive than those with bushings.

Ringed or ABC? The piston and cylinder for model engines are generally co-structed in one of two methods—ringed or ABC. At one time, ringed engines were the norm. In a ringed engine, an aluminum or iron pis-ton with a steel ring around its perimeter, moves in an iron sleeve. The ring provides the compression when operating. More recently the majority of engines utilize what is known as ABC construction. The term ABC comes from the fact that the first en-gines produced this way consisted of an Aluminum piston moving in a Brass cylinder that was Chrome plated. More recently, different com-binations of metals have be used in their construction such as using an aluminum piston in a chrome-plated aluminum cylinder or using an aluminum piston in a nickel-plated brass cylinder. These engines are still often referred to as ABC, however. In all cases the piston and cylinder are matched at the factory to give a perfect fit and provide optimum compression. Ringed engines are easy to flip start, they generate good power, are inexpensive to restore compression after long usage by simply replac-ing the ring, and are generally slightly cheaper. ABC engines start easily by hand, give more power than their ringed counterparts, have a good lifespan, and are less susceptible to damage with a lean run. They are slightly more expensive to buy and more expensive to restore compres-sion if required as the entire piston/cylinder assembly must be replaced. No extended break-in is required for an ABC engine.

Schnuerle Porting Schnuerle porting refers to the way the fuel/air mixture enters the combustion chamber in a 2-cycle engine. Rather than a single port opposite the exhaust as with conventional porting, Schnuerle porting has several ports on three sides of the cylinder giving great-er power. Most model 2-cycle engines are now Schnuerle ported.

Glow Plugs There are two lengths of glow plugs available. The short ones are generally used on engines of .15 cu in displacement and smaller. The long plugs are used on all engines larger than .15. Please follow the manufacturers recommendations when choosing a glow plug.


GREAT HOBBIESAircraft Glossary8

The following are some terms related to model aircraft with which you may wishto become familiar.

Semi-Symmetrical Airfoil

Symmetrical Airfoil

Flat Bottom Airfoil

Undercamber Airfoil

Nosegear

Aileron Fin

Propeller

StabilizerEngine

Fuselage

Wing

WheelWing Tip

AileronSpinner

Elevator

Rudder

Main Landing Gear

Main Wheel

Spinner

Propeller

Fuselage

Nosegear

Aileron - An Aileron is a moveable surface on the trailing edge of the wing which provides directional control of the roll of the aircraft. A Strip Aileron is an aileron that is narrow and usually takes up the entire, or most of the trailing edge of a wing. A Barn-door Aileron is wider and takes up a smaller portion of the trailing edge towards the wing tip.

Airfoil - The Airfoil is the shape of the cross section of the wing. The front of the airfoil is the leading edge and is usually a rounded sec-tion. The back of the airfoil is the trailing edge and usually tapers to nearly a point. The distance between the two is the wing chord. The top surface of the airfoil is usu-ally always curved to allow smooth airflow and produce lift.Ballast - Ballast is extra weight added to a glider to help it pen-etrate better in windy weather or to increase its speed. Ballast is usually added in tubes in the inner portion of the wings or in the fuselage at the center of gravity.Center of Gravity - The Center of Gravity is the position in the aircraft where if a point was placed, the plane would balance. The “C of G” should usually be found along the centerline of the aircraft at a distance approximately 1/3 of the way behind the leading edge of the wing.Clevis - The Clevis is a small fastener at the end of a pushrod, usually made from nylon or metal, which connects the pushrod to the control horn. Clevises may frequently be re-ferred to as links.Control Horn - The Control Horn is a small brack-et mounted on a control surface to transfer the movement of the pushrod to the control surface.Control Surface - A moveable surface, at-tached to the airframe of an aircraft, which controls the direction of the aircraft.Conventional Tail - A Conventional Tail is one with the stabilizer mounted directly on the fuselage and is the usual configuration of an aircraft. These are the simplest to construct and seem to be most popular.Covering - The covering of an aircraft is the skin which is applied to the airframe, closing it in. On R/C aircraft it is commonly a fabric or plastic film which is heat applied with an iron. Plastic covering, once applied, gives a durable, shiny finish and requires no further treatment. Fabric covering usually requires a

included in a kit while the molded type may or may not be included, depending upon the kit. It is possible to get mounts specifically for a particular engine, although many generic type mounts are available to fit certain engine size ranges.Fin - The Fin, also known as the “vertical stabilizer”, is the fixed vertical surface at the rear of an aircraft. It provides yaw stability for the aircraft.Flap - The Flap is a control surface found on some aircraft, usually located on the inboard trailing edge of each wing. Flaps may be low-ered to increase the lift of the aircraft by simu-lating an under-camber airfoil. Flat Bottom - A Flat Bottom Wing is when the lower surface of the wing is primarily flat between the leading and trailing edges. This type of wing has high lift and is common on trainer type aircraft.Flex Cable -A Flex Cable is a special type of pushrod which is very flexible and can bend around corners even more easily than a flex-ible pushrod. These are generally made with a metal cable running inside a plastic tube and are popular in controlling

layer of paint to finish it and make it resistant to the exhaust of the engine. Covering materi-als come on a roll and in many different colors and may be cut to rough shape before being ironed onto the airframe.Crucifi x tail - Crucifix tail refers to a stabilizer that is mounted part way up the fin. This is a compromise between the conventional tail and the T-tail, combining some of the major advantages of both.Dihedral - The Dihedral of a wing is the V-shape the wing makes or the angle between the wing and the horizontal. Usually the greater the dihedral angle the more stable the aircraft will be (to a point) and is common in trainer type aircraft. A flat wing with little or no dihedral is less stable and more suited to aerobatics.Elevator - The Elevator is the horizontal moveable control surface at the tail of the model connected to the stabilizer. It controls direction in pitch.Engine mount - An engine mount supports the engine in an aircraft. Some aircraft use wood-en rails to which the engine is mounted while others require a shaped nylon or aluminum mount. The wooden rail type would usually be

the engine throttle.Flying Stab - A flying stab is where the sta-bilizer/elevator is one complete unit which all moves to control the pitch of the aircraft.Foam Rubber - Foam rubber is used to wrap the radio receiver and receiver battery pack in the plane so that they will be isolated from the vibration of the running engine.Fuselage - The fuselage is the body part of the aircraft which holds the passengers, cargo, or in the case of an R/C aircraft, the radio system.Glide Ratio - The glide ratio is defined as the distance traveled in a horizontal direction compared with the vertical distance dropped on a normal glide. A 10 to 1 glide ratio means that the aircraft would loose one foot of alti-tude for every ten feet of distance traveled.Hinges - The hinges are used to connect the moveable control surfaces of the aircraft to the fixed surfaces and allow smooth, easy movement. They may take several forms including hinge points, pinned hinges, “living” hinges, etc.Landing Gear -The landing gear of the aircraft refers to the support between the wheels and the wing or fuselage. It is usually formed from

metal, wire or a nylon/fiberglass combination. Pitch - The pitch refers to the angle of the aircraft in the up or down direction. Polyhedral - Polyhedral refers to the multiple angles that wing panels make with the horizontal. A wing with polyhedral has more than two wing panels and the angle of the wing changes at each joint.Propellers - The propeller is the device that converts the rotational action of the motor into movement of air that creates the thrust to power the aircraft. The size of an aircraft

propeller is described by two numbers—the diameter in inches times the pitch in inches. For example, a 10 x 6 propeller is a prop of 10” diameter and having 6” of pitch. The di-ameter is simply the length of the prop. The pitch is described as the distance the propel-ler will move ahead in a perfect or solid me-dium, at 100% efficiency, in one revolution. That is to say, if you were to rotate your 10 x 6 propeller exactly once, your plane would move ahead 6”, assuming this could be done with no slippage.

Different sizes of motors require different size propellers to keep their operating RPMs in an optimum range. You can refer to our web site at www.greathobbies.com for a chart that indicates which size propellers are generally suitable for various sizes of engines—both 2-cycle and 4-cycle.


1-800-839-3262 Aircraft Glossary 9

Great Atlantic Fun Fly 2003

Fin

Stabilizer

Fuselage

Polyhedral Wing

Elevator

Rudder

Canopy

Tow hook

T-tailFuselage Tow hook

Rudder

Some aircraft or airboats may require a pro-peller that pushes the air rather than pulls it. These are called Pusher Propellers and they are also available. A given engine would re-quire the same size pusher prop as it would a “tractor” type. Pusher propellers are required as most glow engines will only operate cor-rectly in one direction, so reverse operation is not possible. The main exception to this is the Cox reed valve engines which will usually run as comfortably backward as forward. 3-Blade propellers are also available for use in model aircraft. They are not quite as efficient as the 2-blade props, but the may be useful in certain applications. A general rule of thumb for selecting a 3-blade prop for your engine is to reduce the applicable 2-blade size by one inch in the diameter measurement.

and the pushrod wire is secured by a set screw.Pushrods - The pushrods are part of the control linkage which connects the servo part of the radio system to the control sur-faces of the aircraft. Pushrods may consist of a firm piece of balsa or fiberglass rod with threaded wire and clevises fastened to both ends, or they may be the flexible type and take the form of a wire or one plastic tube running inside another with the ability to turn around corners.Roll - The roll refers to the rotation of the air-craft around it’s centerline (one wing up and one wing down).Rudder - The Rudder is the moveable control surface at the tail of the model connected to the fin. It controls direction in yawSemi-symmetrical - A semi-symmetrical airfoil has a curved wing bottom surface but to a lesser degree than the top surface. It is a compromise between the flat bottom and the symmetrical airfoil. This is a very popular air-foil on sport type aircraft.Spinner - The spinner is the cone shaped ob-ject mounted to the engine prop shaft on the

hook mounted on the bottom of the glider fuselage at approximately the center of gravity and to which the hi-start or winch is connected.Tricycle Landing Gear- Tricycle refers to the landing gear configuration with a single steer-able nosewheel mounted in front of the center of gravity, and a set of main landing gear with two wheels positioned just behind the center of gravity. Tricycle landing gear is usually a little easier to use when learning.T-tail - The T-tail refers to a stabilizer that is mounted on top of the fin. This brings the stabilizer away from the turbulent air-flow of the wing and makes pitch control more responsive. It also gets the stabilizer out of harms way when landing on rough terrain. The T-tail construction is usually more fragile than the conventional tail, though, and are more difficult to build.Under-camber - An Under-camber airfoil has the lower surface of the wing curved in-wardly almost parallel to the upper surface. This type of airfoil produces a great deal of lift but is not common in R/C models. Undercarriage - Another name for landing

nose of the aircraft. The spinner may be made from plastic or aluminum and functions pri-marily to improve looks and aerodynamics.Spoiler - A Spoiler is a control surface more commonly found on gliders and jet aircraft which is used to slow down the aircraft and decrease lift. They are rarely found on conventional aircraft. They may be mounted on either the top or bot-tom of the center portion of the wings.Stabilizer - The Stabilizer is the fixed hori-zontal surface at the rear of an aircraft. It pro-vides pitch stability for the aircraft.Symmetrical - A Symmetrical airfoil is curved on the bottom to the same degree as it is on the top. If a line was drawn from the center of the leading edge to the center of the trailing edge the upper and lower halves of the airfoil would be symmetrical. This is ideal for aerobatic air-craft and most lift is created by the angle of in-cidence of the wing to the flight path.Tail Dragger - This refers to the landing gear configuration where the main landing gear with two wheels is placed forward of the center of gravity and one small wheel, called a “tail wheel”, is mounted under the tail of the aircraft.Tow-hook - The tow-hook is a small metal

gear (see landing gear, page 8)V-Tail - A V-Tail is a special tail surface con-figuration where the horizontal stabilizers and elevators are mounted at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees in a V-shape and the vertical fin is eliminated entirely. The stabilizers pro-vide stability in both pitch and yaw while the moveable surfaces provide directional control in both pitch and yaw.Wheel Collars - Wheel Collars are small metal collars fastened with a set screw to the axle of an aircraft on either side of the wheel. This prevents the wheel from coming off the axle or rubbing against the landing gear.Wheels- The wheels for an aircraft come in several styles including treaded, non-treaded, scale tread, air-filled, and super lightweight. Most brands of wheels are available in sizes from 1¾” to 6”, in 1/4” increments.Wing - The wing of the aircraft is the large horizontal surface which produces the lift and allows the aircraft to fly. Wing place-ment may be on the upper part of the fu-selage known as a high wing plane. This is more common on trainer type aircraft as a high wing model is more stable due to the pendulum effect of the fuselage. A wing

front or “leading edge” of a wing to the back or “trailing edge”Wing loading - Wing loading is defined as the weight of the aircraft divided by the wing area. It is usually expressed in ounces per square foot.Wing Seating Tape- Wing seating tape is mounted on the fuselage wing saddle where the removeable wing fits and isolates the wing from vibration as well as to form a seal to keep exhaust gases from entering the structure.Wing Span -The Wingspan of an aircraft is the length of the wing as measured from wing tip to wing tip.

Wing Tip - The very outer edge of a wing.Yaw- The yaw refers to the angle of the air-craft in the side to side direction.

For example, if you are running a .40 size engine you would usu-ally use a 10 x 6 2-blade propel-ler. If you wish to run a 3-blade propeller, a good choice would be a 9 x 6 3-blade. Three blade props are quite often used where they are more scale looking than 2-blades, or when a smaller di-ameter propeller is required due to restricted clearance.Pushrod Connectors - The pushrod connector is another means by which a pushrod may be connected to a servo. The con-nector is mounted onto a servo arm

mounted on the bottom of the fuselage is referred to as a low-wing aircraft and is more suit-able for aerobatic type aircraft as stability is more neutral and ma-noeuvres such as rolls and loops are more easily done.Wing Area - The Wing Area is the total surface area of the wing of the aircraft, usually cal-culated by the wingspan times the wing chord, although more complex calculations re used on unconventional wing plans.Wing Chord -The wing chord of an aircraft is the distance from the

Wingspan

Chord Flaps

Ailerons


GREAT HOBBIES

Wingspan: 78½ in • Wing area: 676 sq. in • Weight: 48 oz. Length: 39 in. • Radio: 3-ch, 3-servo (included)

Sailplanes10

One very popular category for Radio Controlled aircraft is the glider or sailplane. It is also an excellent way to get into the R/C aircraft hobby as it is less expensive and somewhat less complex than pow-ered aircraft. Even though a glider is not powered, it can sustain flight for quite long periods of time and some glider designs can reach quite high speeds. Many gliders are light and very stable making them an excellent choice for a beginner to learn to fly. There are two basic ways for a glider to retain or gain altitude once airborne and these are thermal lift and slope lift.

THERMAL SOARING Thermal lift is created by areas of warm air rising from the land. As the land heats up with the warmth of the sun, the air above it will begin to warm by the heat radiating from the land. This is especially true over terrain such as a freshly plowed field or a paved parking area. As the air heats, it will begin to rise and allow cooler air to move in to replace it. This air, in turn, will heat up, rise, and you will get a con-tinuous current of rising air. As long as the air is rising at a rate greater than a glider sinks while in flight, the glider can sustain lift. Gliders designed for thermal soaring are generally of similar shape with long, slender wings for greater lift and a sleek body for low drag. Many will have wings with polyhedral (a multiple dihedral) and the tail surfaces may take several forms such as a conventional tail, crucifix tail, T-tail, or V-tail. Thermal gliders are generally grouped into four different classes.

Hand Launch — The smallest is the “hand launch” glider with a span up to 1.5 meters (59”). These models are, as the name implies, launched by hand and it is up to the pilot to remain airborne for as long as possible. It would certainly help to have a good throwing arm with these models! “Hand Launch is perhaps not the best class with which to start for the begin-ner as generally these models are small enough to require miniature radio equipment which is more expensive than the standard size equipment.

Two Meter — The second, and most popular size of glider is the “2-Me-ter” with a wingspan of up to 2 meters (78”). These models will usually accommodate standard radio equipment and require 2 channels of con-trol – the rudder for steering and the elevator for pitch. Many have de-tachable wing panels for easy transportation and storage. Launching is best accomplished by either hi-start or winch as will be discussed later.

Standard Class — The third class of sailplane is the “standard class” with wingspans of up to 100”. These models will accommodate stan-dard radio equipment of 2 to 4 channels, the additional options being flaps and spoilers. Again, launching is best accomplished by either hi-start or winch as discussed later.

Open Class — The fourth and largest size of sailplane is the “open class” and this encompasses all gliders including those over 100” in span. Again 2 to 4 channels of control are the norm and launching is best accomplished by winch as will be discussed later. Once airborne, if lift is poor or the pilot is unskilled, the glider may only remain aloft for a couple of minutes. But if there is reasonable lift and the thermal pilot has a bit of experience, he should be able to keep his craft aloft for 5, 10, 15 minutes, or as long as there is lift.

SLOPE SOARING Slope lift is generated by a breeze hitting the face of a cliff or sloping land as depicted in the accompanying diagram. As the breeze hits the vertical surface, it has no where to go but up. As with thermal soaring, as long as the upward movement of the air is greater than the sink rate of the glider, the craft will remain aloft. All classes of glider will work well in slope lift although some are suited better than others, depending on the amount of wind. Glid-ers designed for thermal soaring are better suited to light winds when slope soaring unless they can be ballasted for a higher wing loading. When there is lots of wind available, take out a glider that is designed specifically for slope soaring for a really exciting time. These craft are usually designed with shorter, swept wings, sleek fuselages, and are extremely fast and agile. Many look like jets, are capable of most aero-batic manoeuvres and will sustain flight as long as there’s a breeze!

Getting Started in R/C Sailplanes...


12 AA alkalinesGHPAA4 – (4)

$3.99 x 3

horizontal airflow hits the slope and goes vertical


#64 rubber bandsGHP#64

$2.99


$3.99 x 2

• Quality all wood construction• Pre-covered in genuine MonoKote™• Includes clear canopy & pilot figure• 2-piece wing for easy transport • An ideal first model for slope or thermal soaring

Prophet PlusAC/DC Charger

DYM4054

$59.99

Spirit SelectAlmost Ready-to-Fly Combo

Spirit sailplane with 3-ch radioalready installed. Comes pre-built

with only 20 minutes of assembly required.

Wingspan: 78½ in • Wing area: 676 sq. in • Weight: 32 oz. Length: 39 in. • Radio: 3-ch, 2 servo (included)

Spectra SelectElectric Powered Ready-to-Fly Combo

• Quality all wood construction• Pre-covered in genuine MonoKote• Comes with radio already installed!• Comes with electric motor already installed! • Includes spinner, prop & 7-cell battery pack!

Only$189.99

GPMA16XX

Only$259.99

GPMA17XX


1-800-839-3262

Save an Additional $10Choose a sailplane kit and everything needed to complete it

and you can take $10 off the total (Refer to Great Deal number GHPHD13 when ordering).

Expertly written by long time glider guider, Alan Gornick, this bookcarefully takes you through the entire process–from choosing the type and class of the sailplane that suits you, to the final step of flying it. Flying techniques are described in easy to understand terms, and you’ll find information on which tools and adhesivesto use during the construction and finishing. All R/C enthusiasts will find this book enjoyable and informative.

• Quality all wood construction• Pre-covered in quality iron-on film• Includes complete hardware package

• Quality all wood construction• Pre-covered in UltraCote™• Easy to build and fly• An ideal first model for slope or thermal soaring

Sailplanes 11

Launching a glider in slope lift is as simple as tossing the model out over the slope, however, launching for a thermal flight takes a bit more equipment. There are four basic ways of getting a thermal model into flight, a hi-start, a winch, a glow engine power pod, and an electric motor.

HI-START The hi-start is basically a very long sling-shot. It consists of a length of surgical tubing (usually 50 to 100 feet) staked to the ground at one end and fastened to about four times as much nylon line (200 to 400 feet) at the other. A parachute/ring assembly on the end of the nylon line is clipped to a hook on the bottom of the glider at ap-proximately the center of gravity. The tubing is stretched to almost four times its length. When the pilot lets go of the model, it will soar at a very steep angle until the tubing has relaxed and the model is at peak altitude (anywhere from 250 to 400 feet). At that time, the line will drop off the hook and the parachute will guide the line back to the ground. Since launches are always made into the wind, the parachute will carry the line back toward the general location of the launch. The hi-start is an excellent choice for the beginning sailplane pilot.

WINCH The winch will launch a glider in a manner very similar to that of a hi-start, but the mechanism to accomplish this is much more com-plex and much more expensive. Generally winches are homemade and consist of an electric motor, powered by a 12 volt car battery, driving a drum onto which the nylon towline is wound. Again, a para-chute is used for retrieval of the line. The motor is operated by a foot switch which is quite often pumped by the operator so as not to over-power smaller gliders. The power of a winch is substantially greater than that of a hi-start and that is why it is more suitable for the larger models found in “open class”.

POWER POD The third method of glider launch is by glow engine power as-sist. This is basically a small engine mounted in a pod atop the center of gravity of the model. It is used to bring the model to altitude and then it is shut off or runs out of fuel. This is a great way for attaining very high altitudes with your model but gliding performance will suf-fer with a pod mounted engine due to the extra drag.

ELECTRIC MOTOR A fourth method, which has become very popular with the ad-vancement in NiCd technology, is an electric motor launch. The elec-tric motor is mounted in the nose of the aircraft and will quite often have a folding prop which will fold back against the fuselage to reduce drag when the motor run has completed. The motor is powered by a 6 or 7-cell rechargeable NiCd battery pack and will run for between 3 and 5 minutes. If a separate motor control is utilized, the motor may be turned on and off during flight to regain altitude if lift is poor. The disadvantage of the electric motor launch is that the extra weight of the battery will increase wing loading and reduce the glide ratio.

Launching Methods...

THE GLIDER Just as with powered aircraft, there are some glider kits that are better suited to the beginner than others. A good choice would be something in the 2-meter class requiring only 2 channels of control, a kit with a sturdy construction, and good building instructions. This type of aircraft is rec-ommended regardless of whether you plan to thermal or slope soar. Mod-els designed specifically for slope soaring are quite a bit faster and not as conducive to learning to fly. Save one of these for your second model.

Required to Complete these ARF’s

Futaba SS3 AMRadio System

FUT3FR

$69.99

12 Minute EpoxyHANEPX12

$11.99

1 oz. Flash glueNHP321 – Medium

$5.9912 AA alkalines

GHPAA4 – (4)

$3.99 X 3

#64 rubber bandsGHP#64

$2.99

½” Foam RubberDUB514

$6.19

Windstar ARFTTT4107

$144.99

Gentle Lady ARFGOL060A

$129.99

What You Will Need...

• Quality all wood construction• Pre-covered in genuine MonoKote • Includes clear canopy & pilot figure • 2 piece wing for easy transport • Only a small amount of assembly required • An ideal first model for slope or thermal soaring

Spirit ARFGPMA1045

$125.99

MAN2003 $19.99

Radio Control Sailplanes

Build an ARF!

Windstar Mk IIAlmost Ready-to-Fly

Wingspan: 77.3 in • Wing area: 574 sq. in • Weight: 32 to 39 oz.Length: 44½ in. • Radio: 2-ch, 2 servo (required)

SpiritAlmost Ready-to-Fly

Wingspan: 78.5 in • Wing area: 676 sq. in • Weight: 32 oz.Length: 39 in. • Radio: 2 to 3-ch, 2 to 3-servo (required)

Gentle LadyAlmost Ready-to-Fly Version

Wingspan: 78¼ in • Wing area: 663 sq. in • Weight: 22 to 28 oz.Length: 41 in. • Radio: 2-ch, 2 servo (required)


GREAT HOBBIES

Hi-Start Launch for 2-Meter Sailplane

• Quality all wood construction• Suitable for novice or expert• Ideal for slope or thermal soaring• Requires building

• All-wood constructed kit• Suitable for novice or expert • Ideal for slope or thermal soaring • Requires building

• All wood constructed kit• Suitable for novice or expert• Ideal for slope or thermal soaring• Requires building

Required Items for These Kits

1 oz. Flash glue NHP311—Thin

$5.99

Plus you will need the basic tools as described on page 6 and the items requiredfor an ARF sailplane on page 11.

MonoKote Covering(2 Rolls Required)

$14.99

Spirit KitGPMA0530

$64.99

Sailplanes12

As with powered aircraft, you have the choice of building a mod-el completely or just doing the final assembly of an Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) kit. Your choice should simply be driven by your desire to build. There are a few additional items you are bound to need to complete your model, but the list is much shorter than that required to finish most powered aircraft. Refer to the Getting Started in RC Aircraft section (page 4) and Aircraft Glossary section (page 8) for more discussion on accessories, components and definitions.

THE RADIO Along with your sailplane, you will need a radio to control it. Since many sailplanes have only two moveable control surfaces (rud-der & elevator) you can often get away with a simple, inexpensive 2-channel system. Refer to our Introduction to Radio Systems section (page 19) for more information. Although your first glider will most likely only need two channels of operation, you may wish to opt for buying a four channel system. Most four channel systems come complete with rechargeable batter-ies while the two and three channel systems do not. It is safer to fly ra-dio controlled model aircraft or sailplane with rechargeable NiCd bat-teries. If you recharge before you go flying each time, you will know the condition of the batteries and won’t end up with radio malfunction due to dead batteries mid-flight—not pretty. There are some nice 2 and three channel systems available now with a single stick for sailplane operation. You may wish to convert them to NiCds, however. One thing you may want to look for when buying your first ra-dio is “buddy box” capability. The “buddy box” is where two radio transmitters may be connected together through a cable, the instruc-tor holding one and the student holding the other. The student can have control over the model as long as the instructor holds a trainer switch on his transmitter. If the student gets into trouble, the instruc-tor releases the switch and regains full control of the model. This can greatly decrease the learning time and also be good insurance against accidents with the novice pilot. Check with the local club or instruc-tor to see if they have “buddy box” capability and if so, you may wish to purchase a compatible radio system. There are some radios available with special functions included that are useful with more sophisticated gliders. These certainly are not necessary for the beginning modeler, however.

TOOLS AND ADHESIVES Please refer to the “tools and adhesives” section of our Getting Started in R/C Aircraft (page 5). The requirements are the same.

FIELD/LAUNCH EQUIPMENT If you plan to do primarily slope soaring with your model, you will need virtually no field support equipment short of a few tools for minor repairs/adjustments. If you are planning to do some thermal soaring, your needs will vary depending upon which method you choose to get aloft.

Hi-Start — Launching with a Hi-start is probably the simplest and cleanest way to become airborne and, as a result, it is the most popu-lar. The only item you will need is your hi-start. Refer to the opposite diagram for hi-start operation.

Glow Engine Power Pod — Most 2-meter gliders require a .049 en-gine for power pod launch. You will require one of the Cox or Norvel .049 engines, a power pod, paint or finishing material for the power pod if required, and a ½A starter kit, which usually has everything you need including fuel, starting battery, wrench, and glow head clip.

Electric Power Launch — Many electric powered gliders come with the electric motor and prop assembly as part of the kit. The only ad-ditional items needed would be a battery (usually two, so you can fly with one battery while the other is on charge) and a fast charger that will operate from your 12V car battery while at the flying field.

Gentle Lady KitGOL060

$59.99

2-Meter Hi-StartDYF5001— Launches to 500 feet

$89.99

2-Meter UpstartDYF5005 — Launches to 200 feet

$49.99

• 25’ surgical tubing• Nylon line • Parachute recovery • Plastic spool, stake, rings

• 100’ surgical rubing• Nylon line• Parachute recovery• Plastic spool, stake, rings

OR

Parachute Recovery

Surgical Tubing

Nylon Line

Riser KitSIGRC52

$56.99

Save an Additional $10Choose a sailplane kit and everything needed to complete it

and you can take $10 off the total (Refer to Great Deal number GHPHD13 when ordering).

Build a kit!

Wingspan: 78½ in • Wing area: 676 sq. in • Weight: 33 to 35 oz. Length: 39 in. • Radio: 2 to 3-ch, 2 servo (required)

SpiritKit Version

Wingspan: 78½ in • Wing area: 663 sq. in • Weight: 22 to 28 oz.Length: 41 in. • Radio: 2-ch, 2 servo (required)

Gentle LadyKit Version

RiserKit

Wingspan: 78 in • Wing area: 620 sq. in • Weight: 24 to 28 oz.Length: 41½ in. • Radio: 2 to 3-ch, 2 servo (required)


1-800-839-3262 Electric Aircraft 13

One of the fastest growing areas of radio control in recent years is electric aircraft. Many factors have contributed to this growth including quickly advancing battery technology and construction techniques, cou-pled with a shortage of good flying sites for larger, noisier aircraft, such as those that are glow or gas powered. Electrics are quiet. They produce no exhaust fumes, and can be quite small and light—some small enough, in fact, that they can be flown indoors in a large gymnasium or hangar. An improvement in motor technology has also provided greater interest in the field. Motors have gotten smaller, more powerful, with better magnets, and now there are brushless motors with less friction, less wear, and less maintenance. There are several components to electric flight and we will touch on each briefly.

The Aircraft Although just about any model aircraft can be electric powered, performance will be far superior if the model is designed specifically for the purpose. The key factor for a good performing electric model is lightness—the airframe must be strong, but more importantly light. Electric models can be of almost any size, but the most popular are in the small to medium size range. The smaller models may be only a couple of feet in wingspan, weigh merely ounces, and have only a stick for a fuselage. For a model to be classified as an “Indoor Flyer”, it should be ex-tremely light (ounces, in the single digits!), fairly small wingspan, be eas-ily controlled, and fly very slowly. There are some exceptions where the model may fly faster, but it must be extremely agile and quick on the controls to contain its movement in the confined space—not for the faint of heart! Indoor models are meant to be flown indoors in such facilities as a large gymnasium, an arena, or a hangar. They may also be flown outside, however, they should be restricted to almost calm conditions. Their slowness in flight also means their wind penetration is almost nil. The next step up is the “Park Flyer”. These models are heavier and slightly faster than their indoor counterparts, penetrating wind slightly better (not very strong winds, mind you), but are still able to fly in a reasonably confined area such as a park or large yard. This is a very popular category of electric model and currently accounts for almost half of the selection available. There is another term used to describe light electric models and that is the “Slow Flyer”. Different people use this term in different ways, however, it usually refers to both Indoor and Park Flyers. Some consider it a category between indoor and park, where it is slightly larger and heavier than a standard Indoor model, but can still be flown in a reasonably large venue indoors or outdoors.

Power Systems There are three basic types of power systems used in electric flight. These are: direct drive, where the propeller is fastened directly to the motor drive shaft; gear drive, where the prop is connected to the motor through a series of gears to reduce the speed of the prop compared to the motor speed; and ducted fan, where a multi-blade fan unit is mounted directly to the motor and operates inside a shroud or duct. Ducted fan systems, although less efficient than prop systems, are ideal for jet-style projects. Direct drive systems use smaller propellers rotating at the motor speed and are suitable for models that fly faster. Gear drive systems turn the prop slower, allowing for larger props and suitable for slower flying models. The motors that drive these systems vary widely in size and power and newer technology is offering some interesting design changes. The standard electric motor is that developed by Mabuchi, one of the worlds largest electric motor manufacturers. These motors carry des-ignations that are based on the physical size of the motor—the length of the motor come in millimeters, times ten. Two of the most popular sizes are 38mm and 54mm which are designated 380 and 540, respectively. Often, these get rounded up and get prefaced with “SPEED”, a name coined by Graupner, one of Europe’s most prominent model manufac-turers. The “380” motor would then be referred to as a “SPEED 400”.

Getting Started in Electric Aircraft...

Wingspan: 37¼ in • Length: 26¾ inRadio: 3-ch (included) • Motor: 370 geared (included)

PKZ1100$179.99

J-3 PiperReady-to-Fly Park Flyer

Includes:• One-piece wing with struts• Factory applied decals• Mode Change Flight Control System• Fully proportional rudder, elevator & throttle controls• Aluminum landing gear with foam wheels

Comes with everything you need!

Slow-VReady-to-Fly Electric

Wingspan: 46 in • Length: 36 in • Weight: 14½ oz.Radio: 3-ch (included) • Motor: 370 Geared (included)

PKZ1300$169.99

Includes:• One piece wing• Carbon fiber fuselage• Powerful enough for the park• Slow enough to fly in a gymnasium• X-port enabled for aerial combat and bomb dropping • Two transmitter-selectable flight modes

Flies slow enough to be flown in a gymnasium!

Red HawkElectric RTF

Wingspan: 41 in • Length: 28½ in • Weight: 16.9 oz.Radio: 3-Ch (included) • Motor: 380 motor (included) • 8 “AA” batteries (required)

SkyFlyElectric RTF

Wingspan: 40 in • Length: 32¼ in • Weight: 17.3 oz. Radio: 3-Ch (included) • Motor: 380 motor (included) • 8 “AA” batteries (required)

• Stong tricycle landing gear for first time pilots• Electronic Speed Control with Auto cut-off• AC wall charger and 12V DC peak charger• 7.2V, 900mAh NiMH battery • Free instructional DVD• Intelli-Flight Control: dual programed selectable flight modes

• Electronic Speed Control with Auto cut-off• AC wall charger and 12V DC peak charger• 7.2V, 900mAh NiMH battery• Free instructional DVD

Only$99.99

HOBA1961

Only$69.99

HOBA1960

The perfect modelfor the first timer!

Sky Pilot EP3-Ch RTF

Wingspan: 34.8 in • Length: 26.5 in Radio: 3-Ch, 2-Servo • Motor: 380-size

• High quality RTF foam construction• White Plastic wheelpants included• Electronic speed control, with auto cut-off protection.• Fixed frequency receiver • Requires 8AA batteries for radio transmitter

Only$159.99

HOBA1985


GREAT HOBBIES

• Quality all-wood construction• Pre-covered in genuine MonoKote• Lightweight—excellent flight characteristics• Modeled after a 1960’s homebuilt• Requires approximately 5 hours to assemble

Electric Aircraft14 Astro Flight makes cobalt motors especially for models using rare earth magnets. These motors have a different designation which is based on the size of a glow engine of equivalent power. Their Cobalt 05 would be, in theory, equivalent to a .05 glow engine, or a typical ½A. This is only an approximation and should be taken with a “grain of salt.” Other variations on electric motors include “brushless motors” and “External Rotary Brushless Motors”. Brushless motors have windings that remain fixed (so the wires that send power to them can be soldered directly) and the magnets rotate with the shaft. The disadvantage of these motors is that a special con-troller is required to supplied pulsed current to the windings to provide the changing induction and thus motion. Early versions also required “sensors” to sense the position of the armature to aid in supplying the proper pulse. Newer versions are able to accomplish this without the additional sensor and are called “sensorless” brushless motors. External Rotary Brushless Motors are unique in that the entire outer can rotates with the shaft. The windings are mounted on a sleeve to a backplate, which is essentially a motor mount. The drive shaft fits into the sleeve, supported by bearings and is fixed, along with the magnets, to the outer can. Although brushless motors require a more complex controller, they have the great advantage of having no brushes to wear out, mean-ing less maintenance, and a lower friction. Dirty brushes and poor contact is never an issue.

Batteries Batteries have come along way in the past number of years and continue to evolve, almost monthly. Capacity per size/weight unit is al-ways increasing, meaning you can get either greater performance or lon-ger run times for the same size pack as you may have used in the past. Your battery pack supplies the power that runs your motor. Battery packs are made up of cells of batteries and come in a wide range of sizes and capacities. The voltage of a battery pack depends on the number of cells and the type of cell. You now commonly find battery packs with Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) cells, Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells, or Lithium Polymer (Li-Po). All of these cells are rechargeable and have a reasonably long lifetime of many charge/discharge cycles. NiCd batteries were developed by Sanyo in 1963, have been in use with model aircraft the longest and have evolved greatly since first intro-duced. Capacities and charge rates have improved dramatically and the cells are available in a wide variety of sizes. Each NiCd cell has a nomi-nal voltage of 1.2 volts and is generally considered discharged when reduced to 1.1 volts. Some variations of NiCds have the ability to deliver quite high current rates and, can be recharged at a high rate. Generally, NiCd batteries can be charged and discharged over 500 times. NiMH batteries were developed in 1990 and are very similar to the more common NiCd. A Nickel Metal Hydride cell has a voltage of 1.2V and cell shapes and sizes are similar to NiCds. One of the major differences between NiCds and NiMH cells is that for a com-parable size cell, the NiMH will have a higher capacity (double in some cases) and be a bit lighter, but cannot be charged or discharged at as high a rate due to a higher internal resistance. This is of concern in high-demand current applications. NiMH packs cannot deliver as much current and would be better suited to models where duration and light weight are more of a factor than power and speed (the trade off between performance and duration will be discussed later). NiMH, like NiCd cells, can be charged and discharged over 500 times. Li-Po batteries are the most recent addition to electric flight and are quite different from the previously mentioned types. Their claim to fame is high capacity, light weight. Li-Po have 3.6 volts per cell with a high energy density, minimizing battery size and weight. They are also not packaged similarly to the NiCd or NiMH, but are typically square and flat. The newer versions of these polymer based cells are also ca-pable of over 500 charge/discharge cycles.

Wingspan: 45 in • Wing Area: 270 sq in • Length: 27 in • Weight: 9 to 11 oz. Radio: 3-ch, 2-servo (required) • Motor: 280-size (required)

Hitec NeonRadio System

HIT148722

$94.99

Piranha AC/DCDigital Peak ChargerDTXP4005

$69.99

#64 Rubber BandsGHP#64

$2.99

8 AA AlkalinesGHPAA4 — (4)

$3.99 x 2

Piranha AC/DCDigital Peak ChargerDTXP4005

$69.99


$3.99 x 2

1 oz. Flash Glue NHP321—Medium

$5.99

1 oz. Flash Glue NHP311—Thin

$5.99

GPMA1101$79.99

Micro E/Z Link DUB849 — (4)

$1.89

8-Cell PackGHP075M8FB

$44.99

12 MinuteEpoxyHANEPX12

$11.99

VelcroDUB348 — 1’

$4.99

T-280 Motor SystemGPMG0430

$69.99

Wingspan: 48¾ in • Wingspan: 402 sq in • Weight: 2¾ lb Radio: 3-ch, 2-servo FM (included) • Motor: T-601 (included)

HOBA14XX$249.99

Bob Aberle, world-renowned electric flight expert, explains everything you need to know to get started and succeed. The author explains the fundamentals of power systems, batteries, radio control systems and how these all work together. Bob explains the relationshp between power, weight, wingloading and performance. This is a comprehensive guide comprising 128 pages.

Getting Started in Backyard FlyersMAN2028

$29.99

BEC ConnectorHIT6210

$2.99


Headwind “B“ ARF Park Flyer


SuperStar EP SelectARF Park Flyer

• Quality all-wood construction• Pre-covered in durable plastic film• Comes with Futaba radio installed!• Comes with T-601 motor installed!• Includes 7-cell, 2100 maH battery pack• Includes speed control, prop & all hardware• Requires only 20 minutes to get flying!


1-800-839-3262 Electric Aircraft 15 In most cases, the battery pack that powers your motor, also powers the radio components mounted in the aircraft. This saves the weight of a separate pack. The on-board electronic components have a function called BEC (battery eliminator circuit) that ensures the proper voltage to the receiver and servos from the battery pack. Obviously, you would not want the battery pack to become so fully drained from powering the motor that the receiver and servos would no longer be able to function. Protection to prevent this from happening is provided through an “auto cut-off” feature in the speed control. Once the voltage level of the battery pack is reduced to a certain level, this function will turn the motor off leaving enough battery power to keep on-board electronics functioning until the plane can be glided in for a landing.

Performance vs Duration This would be a good time to discuss the trade-off between per-formance and duration. Any given battery contains a certain amount of electrical energy or power. You can either take a lot of power out of a battery for a short period of time or you can take a small amount of power out for a longer period of time. This is the trade-off between performance and duration. If you want to go fast and have all kinds of climbing power you are going to do it for a short period of time. If you want to have long flights, you are going to have to preserve power. You cannot have your cake and eat it too! Of course you can also compromise where you can get some moder-ately hot performances for a medium length of time. In any case, the goal is to have the most efficient setup possible with the smallest amount of wasted energy so that almost everything goes towards your flight performance.

Chargers Given that all batteries used to power electric aircraft are rechar-gable, a charger will be necessary for continued enjoyment of the hobby. If life was simple, there would be one charger that will fast charge any type of pack quickly and without supervision, have all the features you need including reporting each pack’s capacity, and sell for less than $20 . . . . alas, life is not simple. There are countless chargers available, each with their own set of features in ranges from simple to complex, from cheap to expensive. The charger you need will depend on many things—the type of cells you are charging, the number of cells in the pack, the capacity of the pack, whether you want a discharge or cycling function, whether you are charging in the field or from an AC source, and not least of which, your budget. Some chargers can only be used where there is 110VAC power available. These are called AC chargers. Others are powered by only a 12VDC source and these are called DC chargers. Some have the capabil-ity to operate from both power sources and are called AC/DC chargers. DC chargers are ideal for keeping you flying at the field but will be of little help at home to maintain your batteries if you don’t have a 12VDC source there. Likewise, AC chargers are great for home use but will do you little good while out at the field. AC/DC units are good choices if you only want to buy one charger! Some chargers can only charge up to a certain number of cells while using 12VDC as the power source. There are three types of chargers you can buy and many varia-tions on each. These are a fixed rate charger, a timed charger, and a peak charger. The fixed rate is usually AC powered, you plug it in the wall, plug your battery into it, and it charges at a fixed current rate. They have their place when charging at low rates, however, caution should be taken as these fixed rate chargers can overcharge your bat-tery pack. Most have no provision for reducing the charging current to trickle once fully charged and your pack can be damaged. Timed chargers are usually basic high-rate chargers. They are cheap and not very sophisticated in design. They may be powered by either AC or DC or both. You simply connect the charger to the power source, attach your battery, and set the timer (usually 15 to 20 minutes). The charge current is supplied to the battery until the timer runs out at which time it simply shuts off. These chargers are not the best solution in most situations. The main thing they have going for them is that they are generally inexpensive. If your battery is not fully discharged before charging with these timed chargers, it can be overcharged, damaging the battery. Also, you are never sure that your battery gets a full charge.

Peak chargers are the ideal solution, but again there are many variations. Usually peak chargers are designed for a specific type of battery, i.e.. NiCd, NiMH, or Li-Po as the operation has to be different for each. Some chargers are designed to handle more than one type. Taking NiCd cells as an example, the charger monitors the voltage of the pack while the charge is taking place. When a NiCd is fully charged it will stop increasing in voltage and will actually drop back in voltage slight-ly. The charger detects this drop in voltage and automatically shuts off or reduces to a trickle charge rate. This is called a “Peak Detection Charger”. Peak chargers have many benefits: They are simple to use—usu-ally just connect the power source and battery and push a button. They will not overcharge your battery pack. They always give your battery the maximum charge possible. Peak chargers cost a bit more but they are very much worth it! They are simpler, safer, and will generally save you the difference in cost in ruined battery packs from overcharging with the other types of high-rate chargers. When choosing a charger there are many things you must con-sider. Some of these include: What power source do you have—AC or DC? What types of cells do you have? How many cells are in the packs you are charging? How fast do you need these packs charged? When using anything other than an overnight or trickle charger, en-sure that the charger is being attended should something go wrong. High-rate chargers always have the potential for overheating a pack, or worse, and someone should always be around to intervene if a problem arises.

Radio Equipment Some electric aircraft can use the same radio equipment normally used for combustion powered aircraft while others require equipment with smaller components. Receivers and servos are now available in incredibly small sizes and this has contributed to the popularity of in-door electric flying where size and weight are critical. The main airborne components of a standard radio system are the receiver, a servo for each control function, a battery pack, and a switch harness to control the power going to the components. For electric models, an electronic speed control is necessary and replaces one servo to control the throttle of the motor. As mentioned earlier, a Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC) is usually used so that power can be obtained from the battery powering the motor, eliminating the need for a separate pack to power the radio. The size of the aircraft and the power required to execute a specif-ic function will determine the size of the servos required—larger servos have more torque. The same holds true to the speed control—the bigger the motor and the more current it will require, the larger the speed con-trol will have to be both in size and in its current carrying capability. Receivers will vary in size in relation to the number of channels (functions) they can handle—7-channel receivers are generally larger than 4-channel units. Also, some receivers have been made smaller by having limited range. Indoor models do not require long range ca-pability as the model will rarely get more than a couple hundred feet from the person flying it. Receivers used strictly for this purpose can be smaller, lighter and still operate perfectly at that distance. It should be noted, however, that these receivers should not be used outdoors where the model flies at any distance, and they are definitely not to be used with combustion powered aircraft as range can quickly be lost endangering the aircraft, people and property in the vicinity. Electronic speed controls also come in a variety of sizes and power capabilities. Some are so tiny that they appear to be merely an “interruption” in the wire going between the receiver and the motor! These would generally be suitable for the smallest and lightest of mod-els, requiring minimal power. The greater the power handling capabil-ity of the motor controller, usually the larger it will be physically. Speed controls may have many added features including: built-in BEC (as described earlier); auto-cutoff (also described earlier); safe power-on arming that ensures motor will not accidently turn on; soft-start; auto-shut-down on loss of signal; and others. Brushless motors require different speed controls than brushed motors.


GREAT HOBBIES

Deluxe UniversalBall Link PliersRVO1005

$18.99

Remote HeadlockMOD021

$15.49

Helicopters16

The helicopter is probably the most challenging form of radio control model, being mechanically complex in nature, and requiring 100% concentration while operating. Flying a model chopper is not unlike balancing a metal bearing or a marble on a piece of glass. If the mechanics of the chopper have been adjusted and aligned very well, it is similar to having a flat piece of glass. If the chopper is not set up just right, it is like having a convex piece of glass where the bearing wants to keep rolling off to one side.

The first thing the budding helicopter pilot must realize is that the model works on the very same principles as the full-size and controlling the chopper is just as difficult, if not more-so due to size and orientation. It is not simply a matter of pushing one button for up, and another for for-ward flight, etc. Flying a helicopter, just like flying a model aircraft, is a skill that must be learned and that can only happen with practice. Although building and flying a model chopper can be complex, it is also extremely satisfying. Being able to accurately control a vehicle which you can hover, fly forward, backward, sideways, and do all kinds of interesting manoeu-vres and aerobatics, as well as land at your feet, is very exciting. Unlike learning to fly a model airplane where flying with an in-structor is a must, you basically learn to fly helicopters by yourself. Be-fore you start flying, however, some time with an experienced helicop-ter pilot will be invaluable. He can help you set up your helicopter (it is extremely important to have the mechanics set up accurately for safe and easy flying) as well as give you some tips on flying; what to expect from your model and how to operate the controls. Another extremely useful tool is a flight simulator. Although a bit of an investment in the beginning, it will probably save you even more in replacement parts for your heli. A simulator will shorten the learning curve incredibly.

Getting Started in R/C Helicopters...

How a Chopper Works...

Combo Packages! Choose one of the helis and the accessoriesshown below to complete your package!

Combo Includes• Raptor 30 Pro V2 ARF w/engine (TTT4839A11)• Radio, gyro & all accessories shown below

VENTURE 30

Pricing reflects applying Great Deals GHPHD09, GHPHD12, & GHPHD13. You must refer to these special Great Deal numberswhen ordering to receive the package price.

Combo Includes• Venture 30 (JRP9005)• Thunder Tiger .30 Pro Heli Engine (TTT39PROH)• Radio, gyro & all accessories shown below• Thunder Tiger Muffler (TTT9219)• Drive Washer (TTTAA0221)

Combo

$1366.58HAWK PRO

Pricing reflects applying Great Deals GHPHD09, GHPHD12, & GHPHD13.You must refer to these special Great Deal numberswhen ordering to receive the package price.

Combo Includes• Hawk Sport kit w/muffler (CHPHK1000C)• Thunder Tiger .39 Pro Heli Engine (TTT39PROH)• Radio, gyro & all accessories shown below

Combo

$1265.80Hardened Hex Driver SetTTT1103

$27.99

Fuel Filters (3)MAS4500

$2.39

Pitch GuageROB405

$49.99

Heli-maxTraining GearHMXH2111

$18.99

Precision Blade BalancerRVO1001

$29.99

ICG 180 Piezo GyroCSMG180

$109.99Piston Locking ToolRVO1003

$9.99

Velcro Cable TiesGHPVCT12 — 12” (4)

$2.99GHPVCT6 — 6” (4)

$1.99

Carry Master Field Box ComboTTT1263

$155.99• Brief-case style caddy• Electric Starter• 12V Battery• Glow Igniter• Electric Fuel Pump• Recoil Tubing• 4-Way Wrench• 3L Fuel Can• Chargers for 12V battery & glow igniter

Universal Blade HolderHMX1000

$6.49

Hex Shaft StarterTTT3801

$19.99

Ray’s HelicopterManualRCMCHM

$25.99

Heli Performance Plug (2)HAN3020

$13.99

JR XP6102 Heli RadioJRP6644

$339.99

RC Foam RubberDUB513

$4.59

There are basically two different types of helicopters, those that have collective pitch and those that do not. Collective pitch is where the pitch of the main rotor blades may be simultaneously increased or decreased to change the amount of lift. This gives a quicker response to changes in vertical thrust as controlled by the pilot. On helicopters without col-lective pitch, the amount of lift is controlled entirely by the speed of the rotor blades or in other words the speed of the engine (throttle control). The reaction time is longer and thus the control is less responsive. There is a trade-off, however, and that is the cost and complexity of the rotor head. There are a great deal more moving parts in a collec-tive pitch rotor head and thus, they are more expensive. Most current choppers are of the collective pitch variety. On a standard, collective pitch helicopter there are four controls and these are operated by five channels of your radio system. These controls are the collective pitch, the fore and aft cyclic pitch, the side to side cyclic pitch, and the tail rotor pitch. The collective pitch must also be coupled with the throttle of the engine so that when more load is put on the main rotor blades by increasing the pitch, more throttle is applied to help overcome the additional drag. The left stick of your radio transmitter controls the collective and throttle in the vertical direction and the tail rotor pitch in the side to side direction. Your right stick controls both cyclic operations; up and down for fore and aft control and side to side for the cyclic side to side control. There are also mixing functions which mix the throttle and collective functions, and the throttle/collective and tail rotor functions. The engine of a helicopter drives both the main rotor shaft and the tail rotor via a series of gears and a clutch. As the motor comes to speed, the clutch engages and begins to turn both rotor systems. Generally, at this point, there is no pitch on the main rotor blades and thus no lift. The throttle is increased until the main rotor blades are brought up to

RAPTOR 30V2 PRO ARF

Pricing reflects applying Great Deals GHPHD09, GHPHD12, & GHPHD13.You must refer to these special Great Deal numberswhen ordering to receive the package price.

Combo

$1375.81


1-800-839-3262 Helicopters 17speed. To lift the helicopter collective pitch is applied. Because for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, when the engine is forcing the rotor blades to turn in one direction, the body of the helicopter will want to rotate in the opposite direction. The function of the tail rotor is to correct this tendency. The tail rotor blades provide enough thrust to the side to keep the helicopter point-ing in one direction. By increasing or decreasing the pitch of the tail rotor blades the direction the helicopter is pointing can be changed. The cyclic control permits the main rotor blades to be varied in-dependently making the helicopter move in a horizontal direction. If one of the rotor blades increases pitch as it approaches the rear while the opposite blade decreases in pitch while approaching the front dur-ing its rotation, more lift will be produced in the rear, tilting the heli-copter forward, and thus moving the helicopter in a forward direction. The same principle applies for side to side and rearward, allowing the helicopter to fly in any direction. The control of the cyclic and collective pitch is transferred from the radio servos to the rotor blades via the swash plate. Part of the swash plate is stationary while the other part is allowed to rotate with the rotor head. Control linkage is connected from the servos to the stationary part of the swash plate as well as from the rotating part of the swash plate to the rotor head. When flying a chopper, small control inputs are continually required by the pilot to correct for deviations in the flight path. That is why 100% concen-tration is required in chopper operation. The more accurately the chopper is set-up, the fewer the number of corrections that are required by the pilot.

What Happens If the Engine Stops? Auto-rotation is a way for helicopters to land successfully after a loss of power from the engine to the rotor drive systems. This is ac-complished with the aid of a special device known as an auto-rotation clutch which allows the rotor blades to free-wheel. As soon as power has been cut, the throttle/collective control is brought back all the way. This will usually bring the main rotor blades to have slightly nega-tive pitch. As the helicopter starts to descend, the air moving through the blades will keep them spinning. The spinning blades will act like a parachute in reducing the helicopters descent. When the helicop-ter nears the ground, the pilot increases the collective pitch making the pitch of the blades again positive. The momentum of the blades is converted to lift, slowing the descent of the helicopter down further, enabling it to land softly.

What You Will Need...The following is a description of the items you will require to start fly-ing a radio controlled model helicopter.

The Helicopter When choosing your first helicopter you first must decide which type of chopper you wish to purchase, a collective pitch machine, or a non-collective pitch machine. If you are starting the R/C hobby from scratch and must buy everything, I would strongly suggest the collective pitch machine. Although it is a bit more expensive initially, it is by far the more versatile of the two and will help you enjoy more advanced stages of the hobby after you have learned to fly. You will also find the learning process easier with a collective pitch machine. On the other hand, if you are already into radio controlled aircraft and have an aircraft radio, and an aircraft engine in the range that would fit a non-collective machine, this route may be desired to drasti-cally reduce the start-up cost and to get you involved in the sport with less money. Once hooked however, you are bound to want to move up to a collective pitch machine. We will assume you are starting from scratch and will continue with the idea of starting with a collective pitch helicopter.

Micro Electric Helicopters Micro helis are very small and usually have fixed pitch. An extra bonus is that they are relatively inexpensive. You can get a complete package, ready-to-fly, for under $220. Micro helis are best flown indoors (in a room without breakables!) or outdoors when it is close to being calm. Although you can learn to fly on one of these mighty midgets on your own, you will be way ahead of the game if you first get some experience on a simulator. See our Simulator section (page 22)

Required to Complete the MX400

Basics of RC Helicopters IIMAN2019

$29.99By Paul Tradelius, this book covers all aspects of heli-copters, from selecting the correct model and radio sys-tem, to flying aerobatics. Helicopter theory is presented in terms readers can really understand, what tools to use and how to make repairs. Photos and detailed illustrations. Second edition.

MX400 HelicopterEP

EFLH1200$219.99

Blade CX Coaxial RTF Electric Heli

Main Rotor Diam: 13.6 in • Length: 15¾ in • Weight: 21-26 oz. Radio: 4-ch, servos (included) • Motor: Dual 180 main motors (included)

• Counter-rotating blade rotor head provides stability • Pre-installed E-flite S75 servos and 4-in-1 control unit• No installation or assembly required• Li-Po battery pack is low weight, high power & provides flights of 10-15 minutes per charge

• No assembly required• Includes everything except for 8 AA batteries• Excellent flight performace indoors & outdoors• Optional hop-up & full replacement parts sold separately

EFLH1100$274.99

Blade CP Micro HeliRTF Electric

Rotor Diam: 20.75 in • Tail Rotor Diam: 5.875 inWeight: 12 to 14 oz. • Motor: 370 Main, N30 Tail

• Comes 90% fully assembled• Aluminum frame, tail-boom and skids• Carbon fiber tail-boom supports• Symmetrical wood blades• 22 Full ball-bearings

HMXE0200$174.99

Length: 25 in • Height: 9 in • Main Rotor: 30 in • Tail Rotor: 6 inFlying Weight: 20½ -23 oz. • Weight: 11.3 oz.

DX6 DSM 6chSPM2460

$224.99

LiPo 2100mAh 3-Cell 11.1v 16GA

THP21003S

$109.99

Brushless 6 Pole MotorHMXG1001

$94.99 Pheonix 25 Brushless ESCCCRPHX25

$84.99

Button Hd Screw#2 x ½” (8)DUB526

$2.19

DC Li-Po Charger 1-3CPRL3834

$49.99G-190 Micro

Piezo GyroFUTGY190

$84.99

Ultra Plug 2-pin m/f

DEA1300

$4.99

Ray’s Authoritative DVD Series

RHTDVDSET

$59.99

• VOLUME 1: Transmitter Theory and Setup• VOLUME 2: Helicopter Bench Setup• VOLUME 3: Helicopter Flight Trimming


GREAT HOBBIESHelicopters18

Unlike aircraft where there are specific trainer models geared solely for the first time modeler, the differences between helicopters is more subtle with the major difference being size and precision. The larger and more precise a machine is, the better it will fly. These machines would make great training helicopters but they are usually a lot more expensive, with high precision parts, and would be very costly to re-pair in the case of a crash. They are better suited toward competition and the experienced modeler where accidents are fewer. Keep in mind, when learning to fly a helicopter you are bound to have a crash or two and parts are going to have to be replaced. Replac-ing parts on a precision machine could really run you a bill! A good choice would be a machine designed for a .30 size engine, a stable flyer with collective pitch, and one with a good availability of parts.

The Radio As mentioned earlier, a proper helicopter radio differs from a standard aircraft radio. There are certain helicopter functions that must be mixed electronically and these are found only in radios designed for this purpose. More and more often, one is able to find radio systems that have functions suitable to both aircraft and heli-

that a gyro be used in every helicopter. Controlling an overly sensitive tail of a helicopter is most frustrating and the gyro can help make the flying much easier and more pleasurable. Gyros are made by most radio manufacturers for operation compatible with their systems.

The Engine The helicopter engine is similar to a 2-cycle aircraft glow engine except that it has a larger heat sink head for better cooling, and a car-buretor with improved mid-range adjustment. Different motors facilitate different starting methods. Some come with a pull start system for very simple starting. Others use a cone start where an electric starter is used in a manner similar to starting

an aircraft. Still others use an electric starter and a belt for starting. When purchasing the helicopter engine, the muffler is not included. Usually the muf-fler comes with the helicopter kit. Please refer to our section Introduction to Model Engines (page7) to learn more about en-gine operation.

Tools Since the helicopter is purely a mechanical device, tools required for assembly include items such as screw drivers, ball drivers, nut driv-ers, wrenches, pliers, etc. In addition to these there are a couple of specialty tools that come in handy when assembling and setting up the mechanics of your helicopter. One tool you may want to consider to assist in assembly is a set of ball link pliers. The ball link is the most popular linkage piece on a helicopter and virtually all choppers use them. The ball link pliers greatly assist in the removing and adjusting of these links. A second tool that is extremely valuable during set-up is the rotor blade pitch gauge. This device can help you line up your rotor blades so that your pitch is correct. A blade pitch gauge can go along way to helping avoid costly crashes and frustration down the road. So much of your chopper’s well being depends on how well it is set up initially and maintained throughout its lifetime.

Field Equipment The field equipment you require will depend largely on the type of motor you have chosen for your helicopter. If you have a glow motor with a recoil pull-starter, you will only require the basics of a fuel can & pump for carrying and pumping fuel to your chopper, and a glow plug igniter to supply current to the glow plug during starting. If you do not have a pull start, in addition you will undoubtedly need an electric starter powered by a 12 volt batter to turn the engine over. Please refer to the Introduction to R/C Aircraft section (page 6) for more information on field support equipment. It is virtually identical.

copters. If you think you may be involved in both aspects of the hobby, you may wish to choose one of these for your system. Other things to think about when purchasing a helicopter system are the servos and the battery pack. It is desirable to choose servos that have output shafts that are ball bearing supported. Since the pres-sure and vibration on the servos in a helicopter is usually greater than in a plane, bushing servos tend to wear out very quickly and lose their precision which is extremely important in the controlling of a helicop-ter. Because you are using a minimum of five servos and a gyro (to be discussed later) in a helicopter, and more frequent control inputs, it is desirable to have a larger battery pack than the standard 600 maH pack that comes with most aircraft radios. A pack in the range of 1000 to 1200 maH is a better pack to consider. Many helicopter radios take both of these concerns into consideration and come packaged with five BB servos and a large battery pack.

Gyroscope A gyroscope, or gyro, is an electro-mechanical device used in a helicopter to help semi-automate the response of the tail rotor. In the case of an R/C chopper, the device fits electrically between the receiver and the servo that controls the pitch of the tail rotor blades. A sensor measures any unwanted change in yaw of the aircraft and will correct the situation by increasing or decreasing the tail rotor pitch to stabilize the movement. Although not absolutely necessary, it is strongly recommended

Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing (CCPM) With the advance of radio control systems, more complex mixing functions are capable within the electronics. This has helped simplify mechanical linkage requirements for both aircraft and helicopters. Initially model helicopters utilized what is now considered to be “standard mixing” to control the swash plate of collective pitch machines. This system utilizes one servo to control roll (side to side cyclic), one servo for pitch (fore and aft cyclic), and a third for collec-tive pitch. A complex combination of levers and linkages is required to connect the servos to the swash plate in order to accomplish the correct control input. A special mixing function called CCPM or Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing is now available with most current helicopter radio sys-tems. CCPM allows the servos to be mounted in such a way as to be directly connected to the swash plate with no complex mechani-

cal levers and linkage to create the mixing. The electronics within the radio control the proper mixing to accomplish the correct control. CCPM greatly simplifies the helicopter, reducing the parts count and increasing the precision of the model — simpler link-age means less play and slop! It also makes the he-licopter easier to set up . Because all three servos used in CCPM are used to raise and lower the swashplate, greater lifting and holding power is available for more accurate control.

Main Rotor Blade

Canopy

Rotor Head

Fly Bar & Paddles

Swash Plate

Main Rotor Blade

Landing Gear Skids Muffler

Clutch

Engine

Tail Boom Support

Tail Rotor Assembly

Vertical Stabilizer

Main Rotor Blade

Horizontal Stabilizer

Tail Rotor Blades


1-800-839-3262 Radios 19

Introduction to Radio Systems...

ReceiverThe receiver is the small electronic unit in your model which converts the radio signal from your transmitter into electrical control signals which can be sent to your servos.

ServosServos are the devices in the model which actually produce the control movements. They convert the electrical signals from your receiver into physical movement to control your model. A different servo is required for each control function or radio channel.

Servo AccessoriesMost radio systems will come with additional servo arms and hardware for mounting them.

BatteriesVirtually all 4-channel and greater systems come com-plete with rechargeable NiCd battery packs for both re-ceiver and transmitter.

Futaba 9C PCM Air & Heli Radio

JR XR3i 3-Channel Pistol Radio

Dual ChargerA dual charger will come with any system that is complete with NiCd batteries. It will charge both the receiver pack and the transmitter pack at the same time.

Switch HarnessA switch harness is provided to turn off the power to the rev-eiver and servos in the model. It goes between the battery pack and reciever and also has a lead for charging.

What Comes With Your Radio...

TransmitterThe transmitter is the control box which you hold that convertsyour human control movements into electrical impulses and sends them via radio waves to the receiver in your model.

The radio system is your link between you and your model. They may seem complicated at first but with a little study, all aspects of the radio system can be easily understood. We will attempt to introduce you to the radio system here and explain a few of the features found on many of the systems available today. Radios are separated into two groups, those used for model aircraft and those used for surface models. Although the operation, electronics, and mechanics for both types of systems are virtually identical, they operate on different sets of frequencies. The separation is stipulated by law and it is to protect the safety of the modeler and those in the vicinity. A flying aircraft can be dangerous if it becomes uncontrolled and the frequency separation helps avoid an aircraft being interfered with by someone operating a car or boat. In addition to a difference in frequencies, some surface radios are also available as a pistol grip control which is ergonomically easier when controlling cars and boats. A pistol grip for aircraft would be impractical. The first criteria one usually looks for when choosing a radio is the number of control functions or channels. (Note that the term channels here refers to the number of controls and does not have anything to do with the frequency on which the radio operates.) Generally modern radio systems are available with anything from 2 to 10 channels.

Surface Radios Radios used for surface models generally have from 2 to 4 channels with 2-channel units being the most popular. One channel would be for the steer-ing of the model while the other would be for control of the speed and direction (forward or reverse). Although 2-channel radios can be found with 2 sticks for control, pis-tol grip radios are most popular for controlling surface models. They feature a wheel for steering and finger trigger for throttle control. Brakes are activated by using the throttle channel by pushing the trigger rather than pulling it. More than 2 channels might be desirable if your vehicle has a multiple speed transmission.

Glider Radios Gliders usually require 2 channels of control, one for rudder and one for elevator and any 2 or more channel aircraft system would be suitable. Additional channels may be utilized for ailerons, flaps, spoil-ers, etc. on more sophisticated models. These same models may also require special mixing for additional functionality. In this case, one should choose a radio with the proper mixing. For the first time glider pilot, however, a simple 2-channel system should do just fine. At one time, these 2-channel radios took the form of 2-stick units such as those used for surface models. This was not the best arrangement for controlling an aircraft because the elevator was on one stick with an up-down action and the rudder was controlled with the other stick—side to side action. Now, single stick 2 and 3-channel radios are available with both rudder and elevator functions on the one stick. Most radios with fewer than four channels don’t come with Re-chargeable NiCd batteries. It would be a good idea to convert to re-chargeables for glider use.

Aircraft Radios Model Aircraft may require anything from 2 to 8 or even 10 chan-nels of control, depending on complexity. The average aircraft will generally require at least 4 channels of control, one for rudder, one

for elevator, one for ailerons and one for throttle. Simpler models may omit the ailerons and some even the throttle (common with smaller ½A models). With no throttle in in an aircraft, the model would be flown with full throttle until the fuel has run out. It would then be glided in for a landing without power. Addi-tional radio channels may be used for things such as retractable land-ing gear, operating flaps, bomb drop, camera actuation, glider release, etc.

Helicopter Radios Model helicopters usually require different functions in a radio than model aircraft. Their controls are different with more mixing functions required. Usually a helicopter will operate with a mini-mum of 5 channels, the throttle and collective pitch channels both being controlled by one movement of the throttle control stick. Gen-erally, radios capable of helicopter control will also have aircraft ca-pability as well. It is simply a matter of selecting either the helicopter or aircraft program. Typically, the right stick would control the cyclic function of the heli with the up-down movement controlling the fore-aft cyclic and the side-to-side motion controlling the left-right cyclic. The left stick would control the tail rotor with the side-to-side motion while both throttle and collective would be the up-down motion through a mixing function.


GREAT HOBBIESRadio Glossary20

The following are some terms used in regard to radio systems with which you may wish to become familiar.

As mentioned earlier, there are different frequencies used for controlling aircraft and surface models. Government has allotted one aircraft frequency band (72 MHz) and one sur-face vehicle band (75 MHz) for use in control-ling models. The separation is for public safety. Each band has quite a number of individual frequencies. In addition, some equipment may be available on 27 MHz which is the CB band or on 50 & 53 MHz which is for Amateur Ra-dio operators and a Radio Amateur’s operating license is required to use equipment on these frequencies. These Amateur Radio frequencies may only be available on some equipment and would always be on a special order basis only. Frequencies have been given channel numbers (not to be confused with the function channels of a radio system). For each frequency for model use, there is a corresponding channel number. Please refer to the chart on the adja-cent column for the radio frequencies which are currently allotted for model control use in Canada along with their channel number.

A1 26.995 14 72.070 40 72.590 66 75.510A2 27.045 15 72.090 41 72.610 67 75.530A3 27.095 16 72.110 42 72.630 68 75.550A4 27.145 17 72.130 43 72.650 69 75.570A5 27.195 18 72.150 44 72.670 70 75.590A6 27.225 19 72.170 45 72.690 71 75.610B1 53.100 20 72.190 46 72.710 72 75.630B2 53.200 21 72.210 47 72.730 73 75.650B3 53.300 22 72.230 48 72.750 74 75.670B4 53.400 23 72.250 49 72.770 75 75.690B5 53.500 24 72.270 50 72.790 76 75.710B6 53.600 25 72.290 51 72.810 77 75.730B7 53.700 26 72.310 52 72.830 78 75.750B8 53.800 27 72.330 53 72.850 79 75.77000 50.800 28 72.350 54 72.870 80 75.79001 50.820 29 72.370 55 72.890 81 75.81002 50.840 30 72.390 56 72.910 82 75.83003 50.860 31 72.410 57 72.930 83 75.85004 50.880 32 72.430 58 72.950 84 75.87005 50.900 33 72.450 59 72.970 85 75.89006 50.920 34 72.470 60 72.990 86 75.91007 50.940 35 72.490 61 75.410 87 75.93008 50.960 36 72.510 62 75.430 88 75.95011 72.010 37 72.530 63 75.450 89 75.97012 72.030 38 72.550 64 75.470 90 75.99013 72.050 39 72.570 65 75.490

FrequenciesChannel # Frequency MHz Channel # Frequency MHz Channel # Frequency MHz Channel # Frequency MHz

Adjustable Function Rate (AFR) - Ad-justable Function Rate (AFR) - Similar to ATV, AFR allows end point adjustment indepen-dent of dual rate or exponential settings.Adjustable Travel Volume (ATV) - An adjustment that lets you preset the maximum travel of a servo to either side of neutral.Aileron Extension - The aileron extension (servo extension) is a cable with connectors on either end which goes between the receiver and a servo. This allows the servo to be placed at a greater distance from the receiver than the cable that comes on the servo will allow. It also permits easier removal of a wing when the ser-vo that controls the aileron is mounted in the wing and the receiver is in the fuselage (which is usually the case). One aileron extension is usually included with a radio system of four or more channels. Aileron Extensions of various lengths are available from different manufac-turers. Please note: long aileron extensions can sometimes cause radio interference problems unless “noise traps” are used.Amplitude Modulation (AM) - Was ini-tially the primary means of radio modula-tion used in R/C until recently. The control information is transmitted by varying the amplitude of the signal. AM is now used in only less sophisticated systems.Buddy Box - The ability to connect two transmitters together for training purposes.Channel - There are two definitions for the word channel in radio control. It can refer to the channel number or frequency of opera-tion of a control system. It may also refer to

one of the operating functions of a radio sys-tem. For example, a 4-channel radio system would have four control functions: aileron, rudder, throttle and elevator.Crystal - An electronic component of the radio that determines the frequency of op-eration. There is one in the receiver and one in the transmitter.Digital Trims - Digital trims utilize a spring loaded slide switch rather than a potentiom-eter to adjust trims using digital messages.Direct Servo Controller (DSC) - Allows full function of an aircraft’s servos via an um-bilical cord. This permits adjustment of radio functions without switching on the RF portion of a transmitter.Dual Aileron Extension - The Y-Harness is a cable which plugs into a single channel in a receiver and two servos. This allows both servos to be operated from the same channel.Dual Conversion - Dual conversion refers to the method in which the receiver processes the incoming signal. Generally a dual con-version receiver is less prone to outside inter-ference and is the preferred type of receiver.Dual Rates (D/R) - Dual Rate allows the modeler to choose between two different control sensitivities. With the dual rate switch in the “OFF” position, 100% servo throw is available for maximum control response. In some more sophisticated systems this “OFF” position may be adjusted to provide anywhere from 30% to 120% of normal full throw. In the “ON” position, servo throw is reduced and the control response is effectively desen-sitized. The amount of throw in the Dual Rate “ON” position is usually adjustable from 30% to 100% of total servo movement. The mod-eler can tailor the sensitivity of his model to his own preferences.

End Point Adjustment - The ability to ad-just one end of a servo travel only. Similar to Adjustable Travel Volume, but for adjustment on one side of neutral only.Exponential Rate - Exponential Rate is where the servo movement is not directly proportional to the amount of control stick movement. Over the first half of the stick travel, the servo moves less than the stick. This makes control response milder and smooths out level flight and normal flight maneuvers. Over the extreme half of the stick travel, the servo gradually catches up with the stick throw, achieving 100% servo travel at full stick throw for aerobatics or trouble situations.Fail Safe (FS) - An electronically pro-grammed mechanism in most PCM radios to automatically return a servo or servos to neutral or a preset position in case of radio malfunction or interference.Flight Modes - The ability for a radio system to switch between different types of flying, particularly in helicopters. Different parameters may be committed to the trans-mitter’s memory and selected using a “flight mode” switch.Frequency Flag - The frequency flag is a marker that is mounted on your transmit-ter to indicate what frequency your system is operating on to alert other modelers so as not to cause interference. See the section on frequencies below for more information on radio frequencies.Frequency Modulation (FM) - Now the most common method of radio modulation in RC, FM is less prone to interference than AM. Information is transmitted by varying the frequency of the signal

Please note that radio frequencies for model aircraft and radio frequencies of surface models like boats and cars are different! DO NOT use an aircraft radio for a surface vehicle and vice versa.


1-800-839-3262 Radio Glossary 21

Idle Up -The function of a helicopter radio to first bring the throttle and rotor speed up before adding collective pitch.Mixing - See Programmable Mixing belowMode I - The control stick configuration with the rudder and elevator being con-trolled by the left stick while the right stick controls the throttle and ailerons. This is popular in Europe.Mode II - The control stick configuration with the ailerons and elevator being con-trolled by the right stick while the left stick controls the rudder and throttle. This is the normal set-up for aircraft in North America.Mode IV - The control stick configuration with the rudder and elevator being controlled by the right stick while the left stick controls the ailerons and throttle. This is similar to Mode 1 except that the sticks are reversed. Some find this mode more desirable for flying aerobatics than the default Mode II.Model Memory - Allows the storage of information for more than one model. Very convenient for only having to set reversing, trim, mixing, etc for a model once and still be able to use the transmitter for more than one model.Modulation - The way the electronic con-trol information is sent from your transmitter to the receiver through radio waves.Noise Traps - A noise trap is a small elec-tronic device which is wired into a long servo extension to reduce radio interference and to boost the control signal going to the servo. These are recommended for use where long servo leads are necessary.Pitch Curve - The pitch curve is the rela-tion between the position of your transmit-ter control stick for collective pitch and the actual pitch of the rotor blades. It is desirable

to have adjustable pitch curve points on a he-licopter radio—the more the better. That way one can customize the collective response according to the type of flying.Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM) - A spe-cial digital encoding of a frequency modu-lated signal. FM is still utilized, however, the control information is in the form of a digital word rather than just a pulse width, as is used with standard AM or FM. Using PCM adds additional protection against interference from various sources.Servo Control Arms - Servo Control Arms are the plastic output horns which are mount-ed to the output shaft on your servos. These come in various sizes and styles for different control applications. Most servos will come with an assortment of arms so you can cus-tomize to your own specific control needs.Servo Extension - Same as aileron extension.Servo Reversing - This feature allows the modeler to reverse a servo’s rotation direc-tion at the flip of a switch. Permits servos to be mounted in the most convenient way without concern for their rotation direction. The proper movement can then be selected when the installation is completed.Servo Torque - The measure of power of a servo as measured in ounce-inches (the number of oz. the servo can push with a 1” control arm)Servo Tray - A Servo tray is a plastic tray which facilitates mounting your servos eas-ily in your model. The tray is molded to hold your servos securely and ensure positive con-trol to your control surfaces. Different trays may hold anywhere from one to four servos and are shaped for different uses and servo positions in your model.Snap Roll Button - This feature is found

on more complex radios and is used to per-form a snap roll maneuver by simply pressing one button. The function is usually program-mable to give a combination of rudder, eleva-tor and aileron control.Sub Trim - A radio function which allows very precise electronic centering of servos.Switch Harness - The switch harness is mounted in your model and it connects be-tween your receiver and the NiCd battery pack. It provides a power ON/OFF switch to the radio in your model and it also allows your charger to be connected to your model’s battery pack for charging.Synthesized Frequency - A more sophis-ticated method of controlling the frequency of a radio control system than crystals. Synthe-sizing is more expensive than crystals, how-ever, it gives you the opportunity of selecting from a whole band of frequencies on which to operate. This allows you to obtain a clear frequency at the field—no more waiting for a crystal controlled frequency to become clear.Trainer System - The trainer system fea-ture allows two transmitters of similar design to be connected together via a cord (trainer cord) so that one transmitter may be used by an instructor and the second one by a stu-dent when learning to fly. The instructor sim-ply has to hold a switch on his transmitter to give the student’s transmitter full control. If the student gets into trouble, the instructor can release the switch and he has full control of the model.Variable Trace Rate (VTR) -This radio function is similar to exponential except it uses two linear responses to determine the servo sensitivity on the first and second half of the control stick movement.Y-Harness - Same as a Dual Aileron Extension.

Programmable MixingProgrammable Mixing is the electronic cou-pling of one channel to another. One control input will yield output to two different servos.

Aileron/Rudder Mixing - Adds rudder control when aileron is input from the trans-mitter aileron stick.V-Tail Mixing - Used when there is a V-Tail on the aircraft rather than the conventional ele-vator and rudder. Each control surface of the V is connected to a separate servo. Operating the elevator control stick will move both surfaces up for back stick or both surfaces down for for-ward stick. Moving the rudder control stick left will move the left surface of the V down and the right surface up. Moving the rudder control stick to the right will move the left surface of the V up and the right surface down.Flaperon Mixing - Mixes the Flap and Aileron functions so that when each aileron is connected to a separate servo (one servo plugged into the aileron channel and the oth-er plugged into the flap channel), the surfaces will act as both ailerons and flaps, depending

on the position of the controls.

Elevon Mixing - Mixes the elevator and aileron functions, especially useful for delta-wing models where the elevator and ailerons are the same control surfaces. Each surface is connected to a separate servo (one servo plugged into the aileron channel and the other plugged into the elevator channel), the surfaces will act as both ailerons and elevator, depending on the position of the controls.Flap/Elevator Mixing - Couples the flaps and elevators such that when the flaps are lowered, the elevator will be automatically adjusted to prevent pitching of the model.Elevator/Flap Mixing - Couples the eleva-tors and flaps such that when control is input to the elevators, the flaps will move in the op-posite direction. This permits the model to per-form tighter maneuvers in the pitch attitude.Crow Mixing - Primarily used in gliders for spoiler action by mixing the flaps and ailerons. It is necessary for the ailerons to be using sep-arate servos, plugged into separate channels and the flap servo to be independent of both

aileron channels. Upon applying Crow Mixing, the flaps go down while both ailerons go up.CCPM Mixing - Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing is used exclusively in helicopters and eliminates much of the complicated linkages required on a conventional setup. CCPM is a system which mounts 3 servos below the swashplate, with short, straight linkages direct-ly to the swashplate at 120 degree intervals. With CCPM, complex collective and cyclic mixing is accomplished electronically, rather then mechanically. As a result, many parts are eliminated, along with excessive control sys-tem play—not to mention the quicker build-ing time and lower required maintenance.Differential Ailerons - This type of mix-ing is accomplished by having separate ser-vos on each aileron, plugging one into the aileron channel and the other into another unused channel. The two channels can be programmed to both operate from the aileron control stick, however the travel volume for each aileron may be adjusted separately giv-ing more deflection in one direction (usually up) than in the other.


GREAT HOBBIESSimulators22

To simulate or not to simulate—is that the question? Well, for more and more modelers, the answer is yes! R/C flight simulators have be-come a mainstay of the industry and for some very good reasons. First, and foremost, simulators can go a long way in teaching you how to fly. We have consistently found that beginners who have spent some time on an R/C simulator will solo faster and have fewer prob-lems when at the field controlling the real thing than their counter-parts that have had no simulator training. Even if you already know how to fly, simulators can help in ad-vancing your skills. There are many manoeuvres of aerobatics, for in-stance, that one may be very hesitant about trying with your actual model (or perhaps you have not yet built the model capable of doing a specific manoeuvre). With a simulator you have the opportunity to attempt the manoeuvre with no consequence to the outcome—other than a bruised pride—and the chance to repeat the manoeuvre over and over until it becomes second nature. You can even program your virtual aircraft with certain characteristics to closely model what you would be flying when at the field. If these reasons weren’t enough, just the entertainment value alone is worth the price of admission—especially during those long months in the winter when many choose not to fly. You can keep your fingers and reflexes sharp by executing a flight whenever you choose, regardless of weather. And speaking of weather, you can program that into the simulator too—just about any conditions you want! The bottom line — simulators could save you a lot of money in broken models or replacement parts!

Features

Simulators, just like computers themselves, have come a long way in the past few years. The additional power of the hardware has allowed simu-lator developers to come out with some pretty sophisticated modeling.

In every case, the model is represented by a graphic on the screen moving against a graphical background, the complexity of graphic de-pending on the sophistication of the modeling being used. The more detailed and realistic the model and background, the more computer power that is required to produce it.

Some simulators provide a transmitter for you to control the virtual model while others allow you to use your own transmitter. The benefit of using your own system is that you can retain the same feel you are used to in flying and also utilize the same features of your transmitter that you are accustomed to using. Of course, those that come with transmitters are ideal for people that do not yet have a radio control system.

Every simulator gives you a wide range of variables to control your model, its shape and flying characteristics, the background or flying field you fly from, as well as environmental variables such as wind. You can basically specify just about everything about your mod-el and the conditions in which you are flying.

Most simulators let you fly the model from different perspectives. Usually, when using the simulator for training, you will want to fly the model from the ground, just as you would an actual model. But you are not limited to that. Try flying from the cockpit, from a chase plane, or even from above the model—the choice is yours.

Another feature you will find is a wide selection of pre-pro-grammed models all ready for you to fly. You are not limited to flying just one type of aircraft. Perhaps you would like to try a trainer, a biplane, a ducted fan, or a glider. Perhaps you are primarily an aircraft pilot but would like to try a helicopter, just to see what it is like. No problem, most simulators give you lots of different models to choose from as well as locations from which to fly them!

Simulators can be an invaluable tool for improving your flyingskills or learning if you are just beginning. Here’s why...

Included Aircraft: AT-6 Texan, Bird of Time, BLT, Cap 232, Cessna 182, Electro Streak, Extra Special, EX Glider, F-86 Super Sabre, Fundango, P-51 Mustang, PT-40, TwinStar, Ryan, Simple Flier, Spacewalker, Spirit, Ultimate Bipe, and Ultra Sport.Included Helicopters: Dolphin (.46), Ecureuil Finch (.049), Foiler (Competition 60), Huey (.60), Impala (.30 Trainer), Impala 30, Jet Ranger, Schweizer, Spritzer (4-C), Sun Dog (Sport 60), Watt Not (EP)Included Flying Sites: Black Rock, Fun-Fly, Green Valley, Rainbow Canyon, RealFlight Park.

Minimum system Requirements • Intel® Pentium® 1.0 GHz or equivalent • Windows® XP*, 2000, ME, 98 (Local administrator access required) • Direct X™ 9 (or above) compatible video and sound cards • 3D accelerated video card with 32MB (or more) RAM (e.g: Nvidia GeForce 5200, ATI Radeon 9600)) • 64 MB RAM • 1.3 GB hard drive space • 4X CD-ROM driveOptimum System Requirements• Intel Pentium 3.0 GHz or equivalant • 128 MB RAM • 3D accelerated video card with 128 MB (or more) RAM (e.g: Nvidia GeForce 6800, ATI Radeon 9800) • 1 GB RAMMultiPlayer System Requirements• Intel Pentium 1.0 GHz or above • 64 MB RAM • LAN: IPX/SPX or TCP/IP protocol• Internet: TCP/IP connection requres an Internet account and 28.8 Kbps (or faster) modemSystem Requirements InterLink Controller• USB Port • Compatible FM or FM-selectable transmitter (if using the interface)

GPMZ4103 — Add-Ons Volume III Includes 13 Aircraft: B-17 Bomber, Chipmunk, Extra, F-15, Giles, P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt, Warthog, Sukhoi, Slowpoke, Spirit Elite, Stinson, and Tracer. Includes five new flying fields plus an Extended Power Plant Module as in Volume II.

GPMZ4104 — Add-Ons Volume IV Includes 13 Aircraft: Albatross, Harrier, Electro Streak, Ryan STA, 1/3 Pitts Special, Edge 540, P-40 Warhawk; Special Select, RC Nobler, Tutor, Stuka, RV4, T-Craft 20. Includes 3 Helis: Kyosho Caliber 30, Kyosho Concept EP, and a Huey. Includes four new flying fields and a few extra options for Gen 2 also!

GPMZ4105 — Add-Ons Volume V Includes 11 Aircraft: Gee Bee, Lancair, Contender, Shoestring, BVM Jets King Cat, Wiper, Sea Fury, Double Whammy, T-34, Tiger Moth, and Osprey. Includes 2 helis: MD500E, Jay Hawk and three new flying fields. Compatible only with G2 and Gen-2 Lite. Sharpest graphics resolution yet with greater detail.

Real Flight G3w/USB InterlinkGPMZ4400

$239.99

• Over 41 aircraft to fly! • RealPhysicsTM 3D: Bringing real-world physics to simulation science! • 12 new airports with over 5,000 square miles to explore. • Most realistic PhotoFields in R/C sim history! • Unprecedented realism! • Powerful, flexible aircraft and airport editors! • USB InterLinkTM Plus: Fast, easy set-up and more! • Fly split-screen with a friend on one PC. • “Full Coverage” collision detection! • Soar with R/C’s most realistic wind model! • Virtually unlimited editing power for aircraft and scenery! • Expanded 3D modeling everywhere you are. • 15 gateways to aviation adventure! • Learn more — share more — with G3’s enhanced instruction aids

Features:

GPMZ4100 — Add-Ons Volume I Includes 14 Aircraft: Giant Aeromaster, Big Stik, Bonanza, Cap 232, Space-walker, Corsair, Piper J-3 Cub, Extra 300S, Easy Sport 60, Learjet, Patriot, Super Sportster, AT-6 Texan, and TwinStar. Includes five new flying fields with editable terrain to change background color and shape, obstacles, sky conditions, etc.

GPMZ4102 — Add-Ons Volume II Includes 13 Aircraft: DR-1, F-4, F16, F-86, Skybolt, Spitfire, DC-3, PT-19, Flybaby, Dazzler, Spirit Glider, Bird of Time Glider, and Sopwith Camel. Includes five new flying fields plus an Extended Power Plant Module for choosing and editing engines and motors for power and engine sounds.

RealFlight Add-Ons

RealFlight Add-Ons take RC simulation to a new level, giving you more flying fields, the ability to alter many as-pects of the terrain and your surroundings, and more airplanes to pilot. Add-Ons work with all versions of RealFlight Except Volume 5 which, is G3/G2 Lite only. Some functions limited with Gen-2 Lite.

Your Choice$39.99


1-800-839-3262

Boats have been a popular aspect of R/C Modeling for many years and they take several forms: scale replicas, racing hydroplanes, deep vees, airboats, and sail boats. These may be powered by electric motors, glow engines, gas engines, or even steam engines and their construction may be from wood, fiberglass, or molded plastic. Wooden hull boats are usually the most intricate to assemble as the hull is generally made up of many pieces of wood fitted or planked onto a framework. Care must also be taken to ensure the hull is water-tight and that the wood is finished with a paint or resin to protect it from the water. Wooden boats are usually the least expensive boat kits but require the most work to finish. Fiberglass models will come with their hulls preformed with very little construction necessary. Most of the work consists of detailing or constructing the deck and installing running hardware and radio equipment. Fiberglass kits tend to be the most expensive as much work is done by the manufacturer in laying up a fiberglass hull. Boats preformed from ABS plastic are becoming very popular as they combine simplicity and ease of assembly with lower production costs giving you a boat that is Almost Ready to Float (ARF) costing much less than a fiberglass equivalent and requiring less work to fin-ish. With these boats, both the hull and the deck are molded and quite often will be already joined at the factory. Not only that, many of these kits come with motor and running hardware installed with only the radio to install and the decals to be applied!

Scale Boats Scale boats encompass just about all kinds of boating where the model is designed to look and perform like its full size counterpart. Al-though a few scale boats are powered by glow, gas or steam, the major-ity of scale boats are electric powered. Unlike the electric hydroplanes and deep vees where speed is of a concern, the scale electrics are gen-erally powered by lower RPM, lower amperage, higher torque motors. Six or twelve volt lead acid or gel type batteries are generally used and will give long running times of from a half hour to several hours on a single charge. Speed is controlled by either a mechanical or an elec-tronic speed control with forward and reverse. The radio controls the speed with one channel and the steering, via a rudder, with the other. Boating lends itself nicely to operational accessories such as lights, winches, cranes, and water pumps as the additional weight is not a det-riment to performance; in fact, quite often additional weight is neces-sary to make the boat float at the scale waterline. These accessories can be powered with the same 6 or 12 volt battery that powers the motor and additional channels on the radio can be used for activating them. Devices are available that can be added to your radio system to allow several different functions to be controlled by one channel. In addition to the boat kit you will usually require a two or more channel radio system (on a surface frequency), an electric motor, a speed control, running hardware including shaft and propeller, a bat-tery, and a charger for the battery.

Down East Lobsterboat Almost Ready-to-Run

Boats 23 Almost Ready-to-Run Almost Ready-to-Run

Getting Started in Model Boats...

MID996$419.99

• Painted fiberglass hull with pre-finished wood & detailed cockpit• Painted ABS cabinhouse with pre-installed windows• High torque 5-pole motor and complete running hardware• Mechanical speed control with 2 speeds forward, 1 speed reverse

Length: 30 in • Beam: 10 in • Height: 20½ in • Scale: 1:12

• Scale rigging, fishing gear and other fine details• Pre-painted fiberglass hull• Servos, forward/reverse 50A ESC, 4.5A Pb-Acid sealed battery, charger and radio all included in the box

Length: 21.65 in • Beam: 8.1 in • Height: 18½ • Motor: 550 incl.TTT5301GA1

$339.99

WhiteHOBB14A1

BlueHOBB14A2

YellowHOBB14A4

PurpleHOBB14A5

OrangeHOBB14A6

Reef RacerReady-to-Run

• Includes radio and motor system—already installed• Includes electronic speed control, 1 battery & charger• Comes assembled, ready-to-go!

Length: 15 in • Beam: 6 in

RedHOBB14A3



$3.99 X 2

Wall ChargerDYM4051

$14.99

Futaba 2ERRadio System

FUT2DR

$59.99

6-Cell Battery PacksDTXC2030

$19.99 X 2


$3.99 x 2

1 oz. Flash glueNHP321 – Medium

$5.99

ElectronicSpeed Control

PRB2314

$58.99

Required to Complete Down East Lobsterboat

King Fisher Ready-to-Run

Only$99.99


GREAT HOBBIES

Required to Complete Blast

DYM4054

$59.99

Prophet PlusAC/DC Charger


$3.99 X 2

6-Cell BatteryPack

DTXC2030

$19.99

Racing Boats Racing Boats take several forms including hydroplanes, tunnel hulls and deep vees; each being classified by the shape of the bottom of the hull. Tunnel hulls and hydros have flatter bottoms and ride on a small surface area when up to speed. Hydroplanes ride on two side sponsons and the very aft center portion of the hull. They may use either inboard or outboard power. Tunnel Hulls run on two long spon-sons which extend much of the length of the hull on either side. They are usually outboard powered as there is no center portion of the hull to support running hardware. Both tunnels and hydros require a very smooth water surface and are not suitable for choppy conditions.

The deep vee is a popular racing boat, available for either in-board or outboard power. The hull is “V” shaped and can cut through the water, maintaining speed in rough conditions. Although not as fast as the hydro or tunnel hull, it may be a better choice if your rac-ing site has a lot of chop. In the past, the glow engine has been the most popular power for racing boats, however, with the rapid growth in R/C car technology, electric power has become quite popular in smaller models giving ex-cellent results. Large, gas powered deep vees are also becoming popu-lar. They usually come with very little assembly necessary and opera-tion is simple with pull recoil starters on converted “whipper snipper” motors! What you need in addition to the boat kit will depend on the type of boat it is and the amount of prefabrication that has been done. Gen-erally you will require a two channel radio (on a surface frequency), a motor appropriate to the model, running hardware, and if electric, a battery pack and charger. Electric set-ups for racing boats are usu-ally very similar to R/C cars and you can find more information on the required support equipment in our Getting Started in R/C Cars section (page 26). Many of the electric racing boats come almost ready to run in which case the running hardware, motor, and speed control are quite often included. A few even come packaged with a radio. If you choose a glow powered boat, you will also require field support equipment for starting the engine. Please refer to our Getting Started in R/C Cars sec-tion for more information on this. Most of the equipment is identical.

Great Hobbies Regatta 2002

BlastReady-to-Run Electric

TRX3810$219.99

Boats24

Length: 27½ in • Beam: 14 in • Scale: 1:12PRB2500

$369.99Required to Complete Nitro Miss LLumar

Kwik start glo-plug igniterDUB666

$17.9912 AA alkalines

GHPAA4 – (4)

$3.99 X 3 Plus you will need fuel!See page 5

Super TapePRA8091

$5.39

Required to Complete Shockwave 5512 AA alkalines

GHPAA4 – (4)

$3.99 X 3 Plus you will need 2-cycle oil and gas!

Great Hobbies Regatta 2001

Length: 23.75 in • Motor: Stinger 20-turn (included)

• Shaft-driven• Steerable outdrive and surface piercing prop• Includes exclusive Nautica™ electronic speed control• Comes with Stinger™ 20-turn motor• Can be ready-to-run in only a few minutes • Radio systems and electronic speed control installed

Miss LLumar 1/12 Scale Nitro Ready-to-Run

• Bright yellow color scheme• Reliable and easy-to-start Dynamite .15 engine• Fiberglass hull• Includes a JR Python radio• Ready to run, right from the box

Length: 55 in • Beam: 15 in • Prop Size: Prather B270Radio: 2-Ch, JR® XR3i (installed) • Engine: Zenoah G26M (installed)

PRB2650$1199.99

Shockwave 55Super Sport RTR• No assembly required RTR

• High-performance Zenoah® G-26M gas engine & tuned exhaust installed• High-quality, pre-painted, fiberglass composite deep-V hull with Super Sport trim scheme• Stainless steel dual rudder design offers incredibly sharp handling and durability• Clutch and water pump let the ShockWave idle safely without overheating• Enhanced engine mounting system makes maintenance and adjustment easy

ThunderCat 31 RTR

PRB2750$399.99

Length: 31.8 in • Beam: 11.6 in • Prop Size: Prather 215Radio: Pro Boat 2-Ch (installed) • Engine: Dynamite .32 (installed)

• Painted Fiberglass Hull• Electric Starting System with Sullivan Tiger Drive• Stainless Steel Hardware and Prather Brass Propeller• Custom Boat Stand Included• Tuned Exhaust

(due April)

Kwik Start Glo-Plug Igniter

DUB666

$17.99

Required to Complete ThunderCat 31


$3.99 X 3

6-Cell Battery PackDTXC2030

$19.99NiCd Wall ChargerDYM4051

$14.99

Plus you will need suitable

glow fuel!


1-800-839-3262

These kits are designed for static display and are not radio controlled.

Fuel PumpHANPUMPH

$15.99

Boats 25

Airboats Airboats are a great introduction to boating, especially for those already involved in R/C aircraft. They use almost all the same equip-ment used in model aircraft, including an aircraft engine, propeller, and support equipment. (Please note, you cannot use an aircraft fre-quency radio in your boat. Your must use a radio on a frequency for surface vehicles.) The engine is mounted on a pedestal on the back of the boat and steering is accomplished by either an air or a water rud-der. In addition to your airboat kit you will require a 2-channel radio (on a surface frequency), an aircraft glow engine, and support equip-ment to start and run the engine. Please refer to our Getting Started in R/C Aircraft section (page 6) for more information on field support equipment.

Sailboats The sailboat is another popular form of boating which offers scale realism, relaxation or excitement—whichever you choose—and inexpensive operating costs. Sailboats are completely wind powered and operate the same as the full size. One channel of the radio controls the sails (main and jib) via a winch or sail arm servo. The sails can be taken in or let out according to your point of sail. A second channel controls a rudder for steering. In many places, regattas and races are held with the boats grouped into classes where similar boats race. Sailboats are usu-ally classed by the amount of sail area they have. In addition to your kit, you will require a two channel radio (on a surface frequency), and for the larger models, a sail control servo or winch. There is virtually no field equipment required for most sailboats.

GreenHOBB27A1

RedHOBB27A3

YellowHOBB27A4

GreyHOBB27A5

OrangeHOBB27A6

1/12 scale • 16”

Peterboro CanoeMID982

$42.99

1/12 scale • 16”

Chesapeake DoubleMID994

$49.99

Indian Girl CanoeMID981

$42.99

1/12 scale • 21”1/12 scale • 17”

Chesapeake 17MID989

$42.99



$5.69


$3.99 X 3

Length: 36 in • Beam: 7½ in • Overall Height: 69inSail Area: 52½ sq. in • Radio: JR 2-ch Beat (included)



$3.99 X 3

Plus you will also need fuel (see page 5)

Great Hobbies Regatta 2001 Static Kits1/12 Scale

BlueHOBB27A2

Kwik Start Glo-Plug igniterDUB666

$17.99

Length: 36 in • Beam: 13½ in Air Force Ready-to-Run

• Comes with pre-painted gel coat fiberglass hull & engine cowl• Includes Futaba 2-channel radio — already installed • Includes .46 ABC ball bearing aircraft engine — already installed• Includes all required hardware and display stand

• High-quality, handcrafted fiberglass hull and deck• Includes 2-channel JR Beat radio—already installed • Sail is controlled by a powerful sail-winch servo• 2-piece anodized aluminum mast that is detachable for transport• Lightweight, water-resistant nylon sails• Attractive detailing for scale look• Only a small amount of rigging required—ready to sail in 2 hours!

Sanibel 36 Ready-to-Run

Only$329.99

PRB2400

Only$299.99


GREAT HOBBIES

• Simply the most popular R/C vehicle ever!• 4WD with 2-speed transmission & reverse • Includes Traxxas 2.5 Nitro Engine • Includes Traxxas TQ3 3-ch radio• Everything is assembled & ready to go

• 1/8 scale, Nitro Star S-25 engine • True ABC construction• Push button Roto Start system• More power, faster speeds, new features • Takes the popular Savage 21 to the next level• Billet heatsink head • Pre-painted body, pre-glued tires• Comes Ready-to-Run with radio installed• Have it up and running in only 15 minutes

Traxxas T-Maxx

HPI Racing Acura RSX

Team Losi XXX Buggy

Cars & Trucks26

Getting Started in R/C Cars & Trucks...


Turbo FuelerDYM2000

$12.99

Backyard Basher 20% MORSWBB15Q

$13.9912 AA Alkalines

GHPAA4 — (4)

$3.99 x 3

NiCd Wall ChargerDYM4051

$14.99

XL Glow IgniterDUB668

$24.99 Flash medium CANHP321

$5.99 (Required only for T-Maxx)

McCoy Power Plugs (2)DYM2508

$14.99

Ready-to-Run

Reg. Price–$659.99• 3D semi-monocoque aluminum chassis• Twin Hi-torque steering servos• Flywheel acces for starter boxes• Sealed pivot ball suspension• TRX 2.5R racing engine— installed• Traxxas TQ-3 3-channel radio system— installed• High volume aluminum shocks mounted inboard in a lay-down configuration

Savage 25 Ready-to-Run Nitro

Cars and Trucks have been the fastest growing category of radio con-trol in the past decade and rightly so. They are fast, exciting, and something everyone of all ages can take part in at their own level. R/C land vehicles fit into four main interest categories: Off Road Bug-gies, On Road Cars, Monster Trucks, and Stadium Race Trucks. In addition, you can find any of these types of vehicles powered either electrically or by nitro/gas.

Off Road Buggies The Off Road Buggy has been a very popular R/C vehicle and is the vehicle that started the R/C car craze. They are of open-wheel

common size is 1/10 scale although you can also find them in 1/8 through 1/4 scale. Off road buggies are both electric and nitro pow-ered. Larger versions would normally be powered by gas.

On Road Cars On Road car racing has really become popular and in many ar-eas has exceeded Off Road in popularity. On Road racing has branched into two streams of activity, one

very smooth surface for running, usually a paved outdoor or carpet indoor track. A gym floor or concrete surface is not suitable as they are too slippery and the car will “spin out” too easily. The second is the newer parking lot racing, known as sedan or tour-ing car racing, where cars are fashioned after a broader range from sports cars, to Indy cars, to stock cars, etc. They are designed to work well on pavement and are more capable in the dirt than the original On Road. The On Road cars can reach very high speeds and both oval track racing and road racing are popular. Electric on road cars are generally 1/12 and 1/10 scale while the nitro-powered versions are 1/10 and 1/8 in scale. More recently, the “micro” size vehicles have come into their own, being only 1/18 scale in size.

Monster Trucks Monster Trucks are the big boys of off road and although not as fast as the buggies, they can climb, pull, crush, and generally make themselves known on any terrain. Monster Trucks are characterized

being the original On Road cars which are extremely low to the ground and are fash-ioned after the full size NASCAR and Indy style cars. They must have a

by four huge, deep tread tires, usually in 4WD con-figuration, and some even with four wheel steering. Quite often two electric mo-tors will power these brutes for lots of torque. Nitro ver-sions are also popular. The common size for these ve-hicles is 1/10 scale although models are inching towards the larger size of 1/8 scale.

design with lots of ground clearance, full-travel suspen-sion and knobby tires for lots of grip. They can travel al-most anywhere; the rougher the terrain the better. Off Road Buggies can be found in both two (2WD) and four wheel drive (4WD). The most

T-Maxx 2.5Ready-to-Run Nitro

Only$539.99

HPI832

Only$529.99

TRX4910

Only$589.99

TRX5310

6-Cell BatteryPack

DTXC2030

$19.99


1-800-839-3262

• Shaft driven 4 wheel drive w/ adjustable ball differentials• 2-channel radio w/electronic speed control installed• Oil filled shocks • 1100 mAh NiMh battery & charger included• Aluminum motor mount• Interchangable lower suspension arms

Futaba 3PM Pistol Radio

Cars & Trucks 27

What You Will Need for Electrics...


8 AA Alkalines GHPAA — (4)

$3.99 x 2

Written by John Huber, it discusses how R/C cars work, the different types of cars available, how to build and tune your R/C car, how to get the most out of the electric motots and glow engines, driving tips, as well as what you need to know about batteries and installing your electronics.

Team Associated T4 Stadium Racer

RC18T 4WD Truck1/18 Ready-to-Run Electric

Getting startedin R/C CarsMAN1007

$22.99A collection of some of the best R/C nitro related articles from Radio Control car action and Radio Control nitro mag-azines. Written by the pros, they cover every aspect of R/C Nitro including setting up your own nitro vehicle and tuning your engine for optimum performance. Well illustrated.

R/C Nitro BasicsMAN1010

$29.99

Stadium Racers Stadium Racers are a combination Off Road Buggy and Monster Truck and they have become just about the most popular facet of R/C vehicle. They sport truck bodies and knobby truck tires on 1/10 scale

chines have come along way in the past number of years and have surpassed electric in popularity. They are very dependable, quite rug-ged, and very fast.

The Vehicle Vehicles are available pre-built and packaged with a radio system or in kit form that requires assembly. The model will usually include all parts necessary to assemble the car. Some kits, especially on road cars, may require the motor, body, and electronic speed control as an extra purchase. Ready-to-run packages come with just about everything. The body is usually a clear Lexan plastic that requires being cut out and painted with a special polycarbonate paint. It is painted on the inside leaving the smooth and shiny plastic surface on the outside. The remainder of the chassis goes together with simple tools such as screw drivers, nut drivers, pliers, etc. and rarely needs special shap-ing or finishing. Purchasing your model in kit form is advantageous as you learn how the car works during assembly. This experience can be valuable when it comes to maintaining and tuning your car.

The Radio Most radio systems for R/C cars and trucks are simple, 2-channel units that are much less expensive than those used for aircraft. They will usually not come with rechargeable batteries so it will be

Introduction to Radio Systems section (page 19).

The Battery Pack A rechargeable battery pack is required to run virtually all electric cars and trucks. These are typically made up of 6 or 7 NiCd cells wired together in a pack which is removable for charging. Most racers will have several battery packs, running with one while another is charging. Charge times are usually about 20 minutes. Matched battery packs are also available and these give you the most power right till the end of the pack’s discharge. All NiCd cells are not created equal and some will have more capacity than others. A 6-cell pack, made up of six different NiCd cells, will only give good power while all six are delivering their best. If one cell drops off first, the pack will have lost its oomph and that could be critical in a race (not so serious for sport running).

off road cars, and boy, do they move! They are available in both electric and nitro-pow-ered versions. The electrics have performance similar to their buggy counterparts and they share many of the same parts. The nitro ma-

necessary to purchase 8 alkaline cells to power the transmitter. Most systems today are equipped with a Battery Elimi-nator Circuit (BEC) in the receiver so that the radio in the vehicle can be powered by the motor’s battery pack. Recharge-able NiCds may also be used for the transmitter and are available separately. The biggest decision in selecting a ra-dio system is whether to go with a 2-stick or pistol grip transmitter. Pistol grip is more popular with the racing crowd as it gives the driver better control over the car and has a more natural feel. For more in-formation on radio systems, refer to our Futaba 3PM Pistol Radio

Only$224.99

ASC20100

Mini LST 1/18 RTR Electric

Only$229.99

TMLB0215

Mini T 1/18 RTR Electric

• Looks and runs like a minature Losi XXX-T• Completely RTR with painted body• Digital proportional radio system and electronic speed control• Potent RS-280 motor• Features extended travel, long arm suspension with friction dampers, digital proportional radio system w/adjustable rate steering and electronic speed control with reverse

Only$149.99

TMLB0200



$3.99 x 3



$3.99 x 2

• Twin Frenzy-370 Motors & dual-motor Sport ESC• 4WD with Slipper Clutch with 3 Differentials• Dual Deck Aluminum Chassis & dual steering servos• Mini-Magneto Chrome Wheels and Mini- Claw Tires• Extra-long Suspension Travel & Oversized, Oil-Filled Shocks• 27mHz FM Synthesized Radio System• 1100mAh Ni-MH Battery Pack and Charger


GREAT HOBBIES

• Completely pre-built and Ready-to-Run• Includes JR XR-2i radio with high torque servos • TL sport forward/reverse speed control • Sleek ALFA racing body• 19-turn motor • Single belt drive • Full ball bearings

• Completely fully assembled and Ready-to-Run• Includes Airtronics Blazer Sport radio system & LRP electronic speed control• Features 95% content of the team kit • Includes 17T motor • Includes pre-painted/trimmed body• Full set of 14 sealed-rubber ball bearings • Standard blue-anodized aluminum shocks• Double-sided slipper clutch • 2.6:1 hi-torque capacity• Rugged steel dogbone rear axles

Dynamite Prophet Plus Charger

• Comes completely built and Ready-to-Run• Futaba 2-channel pistol radio — installed • Includes Intellispeed 12T reversible electronic speed control • Team Orion Havok 15T double wound modified motor• Pro-line 2.2” ribbed front and 2.2” spiked rear tires • Pre-painted and pre-trimmed body• Includes a full set of ball bearings

• Comes completely pre-built, Ready-to-Run with pre-painted/trimmed body• Includes Traxxas pistol radio system with speed control• Powerful stinger 20T modified motor • full ball bearings • Planetary gear diff with adjustable ratios • Tough 272 Magnum transmission• Adjustable slipper clutch • High volume, oil-filled shocks

Cars & Trucks28

Required to Complete All of the Above

Prophet Plus AC/DC Charger DYM4054

$59.99 8 AA Alkalines

GHPAA4 — (4)

$3.99 x 2

Trinity Green Machine

XXX-S Sport II Sedan 1/10 Ready-to-Run Electric

Evader ST Pro 1/10 Ready-to-Run Electric

Stampede 1/10 Ready-to-Run Electric

RC10 B4 1/10 Ready-to-Run Electric Buggy

In other words, a pack is as good as its weakest cell! A matched pack is assembled from cells that have been tested for capacity, all cells be-ing more or less equal, delivering the same power and lasting about the same duration. See more about batteries (page 30).

The Charger There are various types of chargers available for R/C car packs and these are powered from either 110 VAC or 12 VDC or both. Overnight chargers are inexpensive and give a good charge, equal-izing the cells in the pack (every pack should be slow charged at an overnight rate every four to six charges). However, they are slow, taking 10 to 15 hours for a complete charge. This makes them im-

the pack completely. This ensures that all cells are in the same charge state and that you will not overcharge the pack. After discharging, a timer is turned on and the pack charges for as long as the timer is set. Most chargers will take between 15 and 25 minutes to charge a 1400maH pack. These chargers usually also have a trickle charge mode where the pack may be charged at the overnight rate. Another popular charger, used by most competitors and ad-vanced racers, is the “peak detection charger”. These units have elec-tronic circuitry which can detect when a battery has had a full charge. You can plug the battery in, activate the charge, and leave it until the unit kicks back to the trickle charge rate. These also take approxi-mately 15 to 25 minutes to charge.

The MotorElectric Motors for R/C cars and trucks are almost all of the “Ma-

buchi 540” design with a many different kinds of winds and number of winds of the armature. The different winds give a different com-

practical for use at the track unless you have a lot of packs charged and ready to go. Most beginners to the sport will get a timed charger that will operate from both wall current and a 12V car battery. That way you can charge from your home or at the track from a car if no AC is available. After the battery is connected, a dis-charge circuit is turned on discharge

promise between speed and torque. They are broken down into two main classes, stock and modified. Stock motors must be run as is and cannot be opened for modifications. Modified motors can have their timing changed (position of the magnets with respect to the armature) or whatever modifications the driver wishes to make. Modified motors generally have more power than stock mo-tors but will drain the battery pack faster. Be careful when installing a modified motor in a vehicle meant for a stock one. The gears and the speed control may not be able to handle the extra demands of the greater torque and higher current.

Speed Controls There are two basic kinds of speed controls used in R/C vehicles, the mechanical kind and the electronic kind. Many of the kits (but not all) will come with a mechanical unit. These are generally 3-speed for-ward, 3-speed reverse and are less expensive than the electronic ones. Electronic speed controls are far superior to the mechanical ones as they give precision control of the current going to your motor, fully proportional from stop to full speed; they almost always have brakes and may or may not have reverse. Some electronic speed controls are available with radio systems as a substitute for one of the servos.

Stampede w/electronic Speed Control TRX3606

$219.99

Only$299.99

ASC9050

Only$189.99

TRX3610

Only$359.99

TMLA0285

Only$329.99

DTXC0027R

6-Cell BatteryPack

DTXC2030

$19.99


1-800-839-3262

Required forRustler & RS4 3 EVO

• Completely pre-built and ready-to-run• Includes Mach 15 engine• Includes JR XR-2i computer radio system• Team Losi “Spin Start” remote starter system • Chrome wheels & ”Fury-NT” truck body • Rigid aluminum chassis • Fully-tunable independent suspension • Hard-anodized oil-filled shocks & race quality coil springs• Full ball bearings • Alum tuned exhaust

• Completely pre-built and ready-to-run• Includes Traxxas TQ pistol grip 2-channel radio (installed)• Includes Traxxas TRX 2.5 engine (installed) • Magnum 281 transmission with ball bearings • EZ-start electric start system• Adjustable gear ratios • disc brakes • Extra-long, high volume, oil-filled shocks

Required forXXX-NT & RS4 3 EVO

Cars & Trucks 29

The Vehicle Just as with the electric cars and trucks, you can get your model already pre-assembled or in kit form. These models are built very sim-ilarly to the electric ones except the transmission and gear train are sturdier to withstand the added stress of the more powerful glow or gas engines. The engine may or may not come with the model.

The Radio Your needs for a radio system will be the same as for an electric model except you will need batteries to power the radio in your vehicle. There is no battery pack for the motor to run a BEC. You will also have to make the decision of either a stick control or pistol grip set-up. Refer to our Introduction to Radio Systems section (page 19) for more information.

The Engine Most combustion powered vehicles are currently using 2-cycle glow engines unless the vehicle is 1/6 scale or greater in size where gaso-line motors are common. Glow car engines are similar in operation to model aircraft engines. Refer to our Introduction to Model Engines sec-tion (page 7) for a more detailed description of glow engine operation.

Track Equipment Nitro-powered cars and trucks are very similar to model aircraft in their support equipment needs. First you will need fuel (usually sold by the gallon jug) and a way of getting it from the container into the fuel tank. This could be as simple as a bulb fuel pump, a hand-pump, or as elaborate as a battery powered electric fuel pump. The second basic necessity is power for your glow plug. As described in our Introduction to Model Engines, a glow engine needs to have cur-rent run through its glow plug before it can start running. This must be supplied by a 1.2 to 1.5 volt battery or by an adjustable circuit called a glow driver, frequently found on power panels. A third item that is sometimes required is an electric starter. Some glow powered vehicles come with recoil pull starters and some do not. If the engine you choose does not, you will need a starter, a 12V battery to power it, and a battery charger to charge the battery. Once into the hobby, most modelers will go with field support consisting of the following: A field box to hold everything; a power panel; a 12 volt battery to power the power panel; a charger to charge the 12 volt battery; a glow plug clip to apply power to the glow plug from the power panel; an electric fuel pump which can be operated from the power panel; fuel line, filters, and cap fittings for the fuel container to connect to the pump and the fuel tank; a 12 volt electric starter which can be powered from the power panel; a 4-way glow plug wrench; miscellaneous tools; and spare glow plugs. The level of field support you choose initially will usually depend on how much you want to spend. True gas-powered vehicles are always equipped with a recoil pull starter and require very little in the way of field equipment. Gasoline and a method for getting it into the tank is about all that is necessary.

Replacement and After Market Parts Just about every individual part is available for every vehicle that we carry. Many of the parts we will carry in stock for quick repair and even if we don’t have it in stock, we can get it for you quite easily. Along with the stock replacement parts, there are many aftermar-ket parts available for R/C cars and trucks. These many parts include wheels, tires, bodies, suspension, steering assemblies, transmissions, decals, etc. Some are made specifically for a given car while others are generic and will fit many different models. Most aftermarket parts are designed to improve the performance of your car in one way or another. After you get into it, give some hop-ups a try!

What You Will Need to Go Nitro...

• Completely assembled with pre-painted/trimmed body• Comes with 2-ch radio system installed• Comes with T-15 ABC engine installed • Included push-button Roto start ignition • Aluminum header & composite turned pipe• Includes 18 rubber-sealed ball bearings • Full time, shaft-driven 4WD

Viper GTS— HPI10002

BMW M3GT— HPI10001

Required to Complete All of the Above

NiCd Wall ChargerDYM4051

$13.49

XL Glow IgniterDUB668

$24.99

Turbo FuelerDYM2000

$12.99

Backyard Basher 20% MORSWBB15Q

$14.99

After RunPRA7140

$3.69


$3.99 x 3

McCoy Power Plugs (2)DYM2508

$14.99

Only$399.99

TRX4410

Your Choice$419.99

Only$429.99

TMLA0887

Nitro Rustler 1/10 Ready-to-Run

Nitro RS4 3 EVO 4WD Ready-to-Run Nitro

XXX-NTII Ready-to-Run

6-Cell BatteryPack

DTXC2030

$19.99


GREAT HOBBIES

• Cycle NiCd and NiMh receiver & transmitter packs• Cycles both simultaneously or independantly• AC-powered & simple push-button operation• Discharges at 400mA • Charges Tx at 100mA & Rx at 50 or 150 mA • LCD displays capacity, voltage & charge time• Automatically charges after discharge is complete • Connectors included for most radio brands

• Two completely independent charge circuits• Ideal for charging both transmitter & receiver at once• Input power of 10 to 15 VDC• Charges 1 to 8-cell NiCd and NiMh packs • Charges 1 to 3-cell Li-Po packs• Peak charge NiCd & NiMh at 0.2 to 2.0 amps• Trickle charge at 0, 50, 85 or 100 ma• Charge Li-Po at 1A with constant current/voltage

Brings your receiver’s charge jack to the outside of your aircraft. Use it for checking your battery with an ESV!

Batteries30

Most of the batteries we use in our hobby today are the recharge-able type. There are several kinds of rechargeable batteries and these include NiCd (Nickel Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride), Li-Po (Lithium Polymer), lead-acid, sealed lead-acid, and gel-cell, among others. NiCds are used to run our radio systems as well as power our model cars, boats, and planes. Generally they are wired together in packs of four or more cells, depending on the application. NiMH are relatively new and are being widely accepted for the same applica-tions as NiCds. Li-Po cells are very new technology and are quickly finding their way into model applications, particularly in powering electric model aircraft. The lead acid and gel-cell batteries are usually 6 or 12 volt and used to power flight boxes and electric scale boats. Since NiCds are the most commonly used in radio control, I will limit discussion here to that type only. For more information on bat-teries, please refer to our web site or our full, 320-page catalog.

NiCd Batteries Battery packs to operate our radio systems and to power our models are made up of individual NiCd cells. The size of the pack is determined by both the number of cells and the capacity of those cells. The cells in a pack are wired in series with the overall voltage of the pack being determined by the number of cells. Each NiCd cell has a nominal voltage of 1.2V so the nominal voltage of the pack will be 1.2 times the number of cells. The capacity of the pack is determined by the capacity of each cell and this is rated in milliamp-hours (maH)—the average current drawn times the time in hours. A NiCd cell of 1000maH capacity will ideally sup-ply 1000ma of current for one hour, although efficiency is usually some-what less (about 5 to 8% less). It will also ideally supply 2000ma of current for a half hour or 500ma of current for 2 hours (again, less about 5 to 8%). When operating a radio control system it is very important to know the condition of the batteries powering it. The life of your model, and the safety of those around it, depends on this. Always be certain your transmitter and receiver battery packs are fully charged before you op-erate your model. Your transmitter will usually have a meter indicating the current state of your transmitter battery making it easy to monitor during operation. One way you can determine the state of your receiver battery is to plug an expanded scale voltmeter (ESV) into your pack and measure the voltage under load. Doing this after each flight during a flying session is a good habit to acquire. Consider using an external charge jack on your model to more easily facilitate this. All radio systems that come with rechargeable NiCds will also in-clude a dual charger for charging both the transmitter and receiver packs. This is an overnight charger and will generally take about 14 hours to get a complete charge. Fast chargers are also available for charging at the field which can be convenient for having a long day of flying or if your system got left on by mistake and your batteries are drained. If a NiCd battery is repeatedly fully charged and then used an amount that is less than full capacity (let’s say you charge and regu-larly have three or four flights in a session), after a period of time, it may not be able to deliver any more than the capacity frequently used. This is called NiCd memory. To get maximum potential from your NiCds it is desirable to avoid this condition. Discharging your batteries completely on a periodic basis will help. There are devices available called cyclers that will automatically do this for you. In addition, they will measure the capacity of your batteries so you will always know the condition of them. This is ideal for detecting bad batteries before they destroy a model. Cyclers, used properly, will usually pay for themselves in saved aircraft. NiCd batteries are not environmentally friendly. They contain Cadmium which is dangerous to the environment. These batteries must be recycled and cannot be simply discarded in the waste.

Introduction to Batteries...

• High quality analog meter• Measures both 9.6V transmitter and 4.8V reciever packs• Tests packs under simulated servo load to give accurate readings• Comes with probe style test leads

Alkaline Batteries

FutabaERN124

$3.89

JR / HitecERN147

$3.89

Universal ConnectorDYM1910

$32.99

JR ConnectorDYM1900

$32.99

AAA Alkalines (4)GHPAAA4

$4.99

AA Alkalines (4)GHPAA4

$3.99

9v Alkalines (1)GHP9V

$4.99

C Alkalines (2)GHPC2

$4.99

D Alkalines (2)GHPD2

$4.99

HANESV$16.99

HAN9525$74.99

HOBP0290$64.99

External Charge Jack

Expanded Scale Voltmeter

A definite must for your flight box!Can save your plane from unduecrashes when used regularly.

Sure Cycle Battery Cycler

Quick Field Charger Mk II

Transmitter NiCd Conversion

Quickly converts your transmitter to rechargeable status! Includes 8 ‘AA’NiCd cells and charger


1-800-839-3262

It’s Aeromodeling and it’s been around since man’s early at-tempts at flight. In the past fifty years Aeromodeling has come a long way from kid’s toys. Today you can build model airplanes of incred-ible realism and fly them as expertly as a pilot sitting at the controls. So if video games don’t offer you the challenge they once did, you’re ready for live action in three dimensions. Turn off your TV, grab a friend or the whole family, and come to the wild blue world of aeromodeling. It’s a wonderful form of self-expression. And, as you will see, it has something for everyone.

Why Aeromodelers Join MAAC The Model Aeronautics Association of Canada is here to help you get started, answer your questions, provide guidance, and make aeromodeling a hobby and sport that will be safe and fun. There are many chartered clubs in Canada, each with one or more airfields for its members. MAAC helps its clubs by working with local zoning boards, parks and school districts to get and keep prop-erty for flying. Through MAAC, members are protected by liability insurance that covers them while building and flying their models, insures its clubs, and also the owners of the flying fields. Contact MAAC for information on the club near you. Your local club would be happy to get you started.

Direct Benefits• Full liability insurance coverage for all your modeling activities• Ability to join any MAAC Chartered Club• Ability to participate in any MAAC Chartered Club activity• Ability to participate in activities of related international clubs• Ability to compete nationally and internationally• You will receive Model Aviation Canada magazine bi-monthly

Indirect Benefits• MAAC gives modelers a single, national voice• Provides an avenue for information exchange between modelers• Acts as a liaison to government• Contributes to regional, national, and international competition• Provides assistance in obtaining and retaining flying fields• Provides safety and field guidelines• Acts as a liaison to the radio control industry• Acts as a liaison to similar organizations in other countries• Compiles Canadian records• Provides a museum and archiving of related material

MAAC 31

Model Aeronautics Assoc. of Canada...

Model Aeronautics Association of CanadaUnit 9, 5100 South Service Road, Burlington, ON L7L 6A5

Tel: (905) 632-9808 Fax: (905) 632-3304E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.maac.ca

ANNUAL FEES: Payable January 1st each year. GST included in fees shown — R127633378. Th e rights of membership shall terminate on December 31st of each year. Current year fees are non-refundable.

PUBLICATIONS: Model Aviation Canada, known as MAC Mag, is the offi cial publica-tion of MAAC. Publications are supplied to members on a bi-monthly basis.

DECLARATION: I will abide by the rules and regulations that have been established, or will in future be established by the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. I understand that my failure to comply with the Safety Code may result in failure of liability for any damages or claims. I also acknowledge that while operating a model aircraft in any of the 50 United States, insurance coverage will only be provided by Model Aeronautics Associa-tion of Canada and I will abide by the offi cial AMA safety code and use only approved United States frequencies for radio control aircraft while fl ying in the 50 United States.

Name:____________________________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________________________

City:______________________________________________________________

Prov:____________________________ Postal Code:______________________

Tel:_____________________________ Fax:______________________________

E-mail:____________________________________________________________

Birth Date:________________________________________________________

2006 Membership Form

Junior Membership (under 18 yrs as of Jan 1) $21.00

Junior Membership without magazine $10.00

Open Membership (18 yrs or over as of Jan 1) $75.00

Visa/MC:____________________________ Exp: _________________________

Signature:____________________________ Date: ________________________(parent or guardian must sign if applicant is under the age of 18)

Copy this page. Fill it out and fax or mail it to address at top. Enclose payment by cheque or credit card. Please allow 3 to 5 weeks for processing.

provided by

Proud supporter of RC CanadaCanada’s Premier Radio Control Website

w w w . r c c a n a d a . c a

The Official Governing Body of Model Aviation in Canada

Stratford, Prince Edward Island

Edmonton, Alberta

5144 - 75th Street Edmonton, AB T6E 6W2tel: (780) 466-3388 fax: (780) 466-3305

17 Glen Stewart Drive Stratford, PE C1B 2A8tel: (902) 569-3262 fax: (902) 569-5373

Payment by Visa, MC, COD accepted or send cheque/money order with your order. Only GST, shipping and insurance

charges apply. No handling fees.

PEI residents add 10% PST. NB, NS & Nfld. residents no GST,

only add 15% HST.

Product Index, Quick & Advanced search capabilities.

Secure shopping cart

Control line, rubber powered free flight, plastics & dicast, wooden

ship models, model rockets, kites, books, tools and neat toys.

On-line catalog with over 50,000 items

Loads of product information

Radio Controlled Aircraft, Sailplanes, Electric Aircraft,

Helicopters, Boats, Cars & Trucks and all related accessories

World’s Most Extensive Hobby Shop Website!

17 Glen Stewart DriveStratford, Prince Edward IslandCanada C1B 2A8

We will be closed on statutory holidays

Monday TuesdayWednesday Thursday FridaySaturday Sunday

Toll-free order hours(Atlantic Standard Time)

9 am - Midnight9 am - Midnight9 am - Midnight9 am - Midnight

9 am - 9 pm9 am - 5 pm

Closed

Store hours(Atlantic for PEI, Mountain for AB)

10 am - 6 pm10 am - 6 pm10 am - 6 pm10 am - 9 pm10 am - 6 pm 9 am - 5 pm

10:30 am - 4 pm(Edmonton), Closed (PEI)

TECHNICAL ORDER L INE

ASSISTANCE FRANCOPHONE

FAX 24 HOUR ORDER LINE

T O L L F R E E O R D E R L I N E1-800-839-3262For orders with part numbers, order status inquiry, current pricing and non-technical as-sistance.

1-902-569-3262For technical assistance, help with product selection, regular and special orders, and product information. Monday through Satur-day during shop hours. (see below)

1-902-569-6285Pour de’lassistance technique en Français, de l’aide sure le choix de produits, commandes régulières ou spéciales et de l’information sur les produits en général. Du Mardi au Samedi seulement.

1-888-478-2580

Prices, specifi cations and availability are subject to change without notice. Some quantities may be limited.

www.greathobb ies.com

radio control - great hobbies

Documents