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- Path: sparky!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!sbixby
- From: sbixby@cup.portal.com (Steven W Bixby)
- Newsgroups: rec.models.rc
- Subject: Re: out of control
- Message-ID: <72854@cup.portal.com>
- Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 10:23:33 PST
- Organization: The Portal System (TM)
- References: <rcb.725905722@news.ncsu.edu> <seanm.31m4@terapin.com>
- Lines: 34
-
- >>fhage@rap.ucar.edu (Frank Hage) writes:
- >>>Make sure the on/off switch is nowhere
- >>>near where your launch hand sits on the model. Always turn on the model
- >>
- >>And make sure that all ON is toward the tail!!! It feels wrong, but anything
- >>that hits the switch in flight will be moving toward the tail and won't
- >>be able to turn it off in flight.
- >>--
-
- >I disagree with you on a hand launched glider. How many times have you been
- >hit by something in flight that COULD have turned off the radio. I tink it is
- >best to have the switch ON in the forward position so if during lanuch you hit
- >it, it will be turning it on. Ever since I knocked my Segitta's radio off on
- >launch, I flipped all my switches. On powered planes, I set them the other
- >way.
-
- I would have to agree with this. But, I would also add another possibility.
- All my sailplanes and hand-launched powered planes (electrics) have the
- switch mounted inside the fuselage. On the sailplanes, I make the hatch
- 'quick-removable', and just open the hatch to flip the switch on/off.
- This way, there's less drag, and no chance of fingers or ??? flipping
- the switch unintentionally.
-
- On my power planes, I still mount the switch inside, but I run a wire
- to the outside to actuate the switch - this solves the problem of
- goo getting inside the switch mechanism. On one plane, I rigged up
- a tiny spring-loaded hatch to cover the switch - best of both
- worlds. The hinge was about 1/3 along the length of the hatch (about
- 1/2" by 1") and room was made under the 1/3 portion to be able to
- press on it to open the other side. (Does that make sense?) It
- was very clean and aerodynamic. It was also a hassle to make, but
- what can ya say? I enjoy my building efforts.
-
- -swb- (Steve Bixby, sbixby@cup.portal.com)
-