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THE PREZ SEZ
Hi everyone
Where did the year go, it's December
and the holidays have arrived. If you're like my wife Christmas shopping
is done already, but if you're like me you haven't started yet. Since
it's the end of the year I'm just going to wish a merry Christmas and a
wonderful new year to you and your families and I hope to see many of
you at the Christmas dinner. We'll get back to business next year.
For those of you who like to build
during the winter months I'm including this article about ARF building,
I know I'm not the only one with a plane on my Christmas wish list.
Bye for now
Mick
From the Long Island Aero Radio
Society, Bohemia, New York
The Secrets Behind Building and
Improving ARF Kits
By Jim Soque
I would like to contribute certain
ideas of how to make your ARF airplane more signature and a better built
ship. More familiarity with your model will only improve your piloting
skills and increase your confidence as a flier. In more than six months,
I have completed the following five ARF models: Great Planes Lancair ES
60, Great Planes Cessna 182, Jim Dymond Tiger Moth 120, Seagull Models
PC-9, and the Kangke Monocoupe 60. These are all well-manufactured ARF
airplanes, each having been tested by countless design pilots, and
manufacturer experts. I fly them all with great confidence and have the
utmost respect for each of their designers and engineers.
The suggestions I make in this article
are my own and from my own experience:
• Read your instruction manual from
cover to cover, then read it again.
• Take inventory of all the parts
listed in the instruction manual.
• Measure the engine mounts; change
them if you think they are too short.
• Mount the engine to the engine mount
with socket-head screws, washers, lock washers, and lock nuts.
• Use a ball-link for the carburetor
pushrod link on the engine.
• Change the tank to one you are
familiar with.
• If a third tube is used for
fuel-filling purposes, use additional hose and a clunk.
• Trim the cowl with a router/sander
tool, and use a vacuum cleaner with hose to vent the fiberglass dust
away from you.
Tech Editor’s Note:
Best if this is not done in an enclosed space. No one, not you or anyone
in your family or your neighbors, need to breath this dust.
• When drilling the holes in the cowl,
enlarge them using a drill bit wrapped with some 220-grit sandpaper;
enlarge gradually.
• Attach a flexible pushrod material to
pull the fuel hoses forward through the firewall.
• Cut the ventral vent hole three times
the size of the air intake hole. This allows for maximum cooling of your
engine.
• Measure the stabilizer tips to a
center point over the cabin using an aluminum ruler and take note in
centimeters, not inches. Measure twice and always use epoxy.
Tech Editor’s Note:
Do not use any string, line, cloth measuring tapes, or anything flexible
to measure with. If the measuring device sags or bends, support it so it
is straight over its length.
• Level any imperfect surfaces with
your eyes, then put a level on it. Take away any balsa gradually with a
hobby knife.
• Use a 90° angle device for your
vertical fin, or try a laser leveling device.
• If your kit comes with 2mm or 3mm
hardware, switch it to 2-56 or 4-40 hardware instead.
• Change the supplied wheels to wheels
with tread. Don’t use cheap wheel collars.
• Use a hinge-slotting tool (I prefer
electric) to widen the precut hinges on control surfaces. Use slow
cyanoacrylate glue on the hinge surfaces edge, then insert the hinge.
• Z-bend the links for the control rods
at the servo arm end.
• Mount your cowl with beefier screws
and washers.
Tech Editor’s Note:
Reinforce the part of the cowl where screws or bolts go through. Use a
small piece of cloth soaked in epoxy and placed on the inside of the
cowl or any other part that needs reinforcing. Fiberglass cloth is a
good choice but any woven cloth will do.
• Mount your switch harness and
charging jack opposite from the exhaust side of the aircraft.
• Use a glow-extension device for any
inverted engines.
• Use scrap fuel line pieces to secure
your clevises.
• Tape any servo extensions to the
servos main wire for insurance.
• Run the antenna wire inside the
fuselage and out the back whenever possible.
• After you finish, test run your
engine, high and low end, before coming out to the field.
• Fully charge everything before
packing it up and heading to the field.
November
Meeting Minutes
MMRCCINC MINUTES NOV 1, 2007
Meeting Opened at 7:00 PM
Officers: Pres: M. Fox, V. Pres: S.
Fox, Treas: T. Fenn III, Sec. T. Campbell, Safety Officer: Bill Hermes,
Members: Lynn Heishman, Rory Boyer,
Steve Mason, Bill Lewis, Dave Fields, Eric Fisher, Don Adams, Will
Hermann, Larry Weatherwax, Pete Harring, Rich Bouilly, Tommy Romanowski,
Jerry Fenstermacher, Rich Hotchkiss, Jeff Ochs, Jerry West
Guests: None
Treasurer’s report: $367.15 in check
account. $2,200.83 in savings account.
Motion to accept: Rory Boyer, Second:
Bill Hermes, Approval: unanimous
Correction to minutes of Oct. 4,
2007: Will Hermann requested reference to contractor visit to Bollin
air field be stricken from record.
Minutes: Motion to accept as
corrected: Rory Boyer. Second: Jerry West. Approved.
Safety: Bill Hermes proposed that we
post some safety signs at the field; “NO TAXI IN PIT AREA”, “ONLY
PILOTS PAST THIS LINE”, etc. Discussion tabled until the January 2008
meeting.
Flight Training: One person named Rob
(?) has made to landings.
Old Business:
Christmas Party: Reminder that
Christmas Party will be December 6, at Daisey Mayes’ Steak House.
Cocktails at 6 PM and diner is at 7 PM. Everyone to pay for own meals.
Steve Mason made a motion that those
not attending the Christmas Dinner could participate in the raffle.
Will Hermann proposed that the raffle ticket sales should be restricted
to MMRCC members only. Discussion ensued about who was going to sell
tickets at the field. Larry Weatherwax volunteered to sell tickets at
the field and turn the proceeds into the treasurer.
Motion was seconded and approved.
New Business:
BOLLIN FIELD PAVING:
Pres. Michael Fox said that, per a
discussion with City Parks and Recreation Director John Startt , paving
for Bollin Field could be happening shortly.
NOMINATIONS FOR CLUB OFFICERS:
Motion by Bill Hermes, Second by Dave
Fields to elect the following officers. Approved by all present.
Pres: Michael Fox to continue
as president
V. Pres: Ron Boyer (Sherri
Fox stepped out of running)
Treas: Tom Fenn to continue
as treasurer
Secretary: Tom Campbell to
continue as secretary.
7:40 P.M. Motion by Steve
Mason, Second by Ron Boyer for the meeting
to adjourn.
MEETING
The next meeting of the
MMRCC is scheduled for December 6, 2007 at 7:00 P.M, the xmas dinner. I
am guessing that if you have not signed up yet, you can probably contact
Mick and still get in on the fun.
PH 803 6794
e-mail
mikster55@q.com
This
years Christmas dinner will be held on
Dec 6th at Daisy Maes Stronghold. Members are
responsible for their own food and drinks and Tom
Fenn will be twisting arms for the raffle as usual.
I need feedback on who will be attending at choice
of entrees from this list
Steak, chicken,
pork chop, ribs, halibut or salmon.
Cost will be $19.95 per person tip is included.
Start time will be around 6:30 food at 7:00pm
See you at the
meeting……………….Will
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