This picture shows the same carburetor with a new choke disk fitted to suit an inverted engine. This would place the choke bleed at the bottom of the intake area, thus would be most effective in blowing the petrol into the carburetor throat.
The tips and tricks that have a name credited next to the heading is with thanks. None named items are borrowed from other web sites or forums with the same intention as this club...... to help fellow modellers get the best from our hobby, and to be safe in your building and flying.
Improving the starting of 3W engines - submitted by Derek Martin
3W engines are usually very good starters provided you adhere to the method suggested by the manufactures. However, there are some situations where the engine is not installed in the traditional manner (upright or turned anticlockwise) which can give rise to difficulty in starting.
This difficulty is due to the choke bleed cut-out being to far from the bottom of the carburetor, thus not allowing the petrol to be blown into the engine throat by the incoming air during the prime cycle.
| This picture shows the standard choke plate in it's normal position. Ideally it should be at the bottom of the carburetor for best effect. As it is; with a vertical engine this would be at the side, or at the bottom if the engine is installed rotated anticlockwise. |
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This picture shows the same carburetor with a new choke disk fitted to suit an inverted engine. This would place the choke bleed at the bottom of the intake area, thus would be most effective in blowing the petrol into the carburetor throat. |
| Here we see the original choke plate (right) against the new choke plate (left), both have the same area of bleed, but differing positions and shape. |
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Test have shown that using this mod on inverted engines improves the choke to fire starting procedure from 30+ flicks to a mere 7-8.
Although not yet tried, an alternative choice would make the choke plate a true circle (instead of an oval) and rotating a full 90 degrees when applied. Then retain the retaining screw in position by slightly peening the end over to stop it coming out. Then the bleed hole can be rotated to any position to suit the engine installation.
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Disposable mixing pads for adhesives - Submitted by Robin Woodhead
I know when I am building a model and I need to mix some epoxy resin, the mixing is usually done on the nearest scrap of ply or balsa wood to hand, I have even used the toolbox lid on occasions and then regretting it later when cleaning up was required. Unfortunately; this has lead to a number of problems which all go to slow you down later on, as an example, the piece of scrap ply you used for mixing turns out to be part of the model which now has to be re-made.
Some
years ago, quite by chance I had a scrap paper pad given to me which was just
ideal to mix on (see picture) and then just rip of the used layer of paper and
things are ready for the next mix.
I go to quite a few large trade exhibitions and always take the time to seek out loads of free samples, such as the ones shown, sometimes they are presented in a plastic holder which makes things very tidy.
Alternatively, go to any large stationary store where you can purchase one fairly cheaply.
Keep one to hand on the bench, its so much cleaner.
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LED switch for Model Aircraft - submitted by Webmaster
Why
not buy some Ultra Bright LED’s for your model, and have them switched
remotely whilst in flight.
This
is surprisingly easy, and very cheap if you crash planes as often as me…..
If
you have purchased any LED’s, you will need to buy a resistor to drop the
voltage and current so that you can use your Rx battery for its power.
On
your receiver there are three connection pins (Where the Servo’s plug into)
One is +, one is -, and the other is
the signal that tells your servo to turn one way or the other.
All of the + inside the receiver are connected together, and all of the
– are connected together inside that little black box. This is why you can
plug your battery pack into ANY of the channels on the receiver, and it works.
|
If that is then the case………… then ANY of the spare channels you have left, will be presenting a + and a – to you on two pins. If you have an old servo, that may have been in a bit of a tussle with the trees, then cut off the plug, and solder your LED’s onto the positive (red or brown) and negative ( Black). When you turn your receiver switch on, your LED’s will come on. If they don’t, you have just wired the + and – the wrong way round. Turn the switch off as soon as you realise, and re connect them the right way round. You will have done no damage. |
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If you have an old servo
that you have stripped the gears, or the motor shaft is bent……….
Get your watchmaker drivers out, and take the casing off it.
Inside there is circuit board that converts your stick movement into a
direction command for the motor to turn. If you un-solder the motor, and
now connect the led’s
to the point that the motor was………
the led will light when you move that control. If you have
six channels, connect this newly modified
servo to that channel on your receiver,
and when you flick that switch, the led will illuminate. Told you it was
easy. |
If the LED does not come on at the right point of moving your switch, or it is not as bright as you think it should be, here is what to do. There is a potentiometer on the circuit board.( a volume control), just turn that slowly until the lights come on at the right place, then super glue the shaft of the “Pot”. All that remains to do is to either put it back into the servo casing, or heat shrink it (this is lighter of course).
Not all servos have a volume control that is easily moved when the servo is
apart, some need the lid on the servo to operate. I would not even bother with
this type, as it is too much effort. Of course the smaller the servo, the
lighter the LED switch becomes.
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Depron - what's that all about then ? - submitted by Webmaster
Ever had a pizza from Tesco's, and threw away the tomato covered white polystyrene circular base (or worse, left it under the pizza and put it in the oven)? Well don't do any of those............ save them. The material used is called Depron, and is structurally strong enough, and light enough to build flying aircraft from. Take a look at the indoor planes on the photos section.
If you want a more readily available supply of Depron, you can buy it in 1200 x 800mm sheets in thickness's from .5mm to 12mm for about £10. this way of course, you don't get to make a collection to be proud of yourself....... nor of course is there an excuse to eat lots of healthy pizza.
Depron shares some of the properties of Polystyrene... namely, bring solvent into the same room and you get a pool of Depron on the bench instead of a sheet. If you use polystyrene cement, or standard Cyanoacrylates (superglue), you may get a reaction that looks like it is "taking". and the two pieces of Depron do stick for a few seconds, then they start to melt further into a white blob. It is however more rigid, being a lot more dense.
To construct your Depron masterpiece, you will need to use a foam friendly adhesive. UHO make a tube of clear glue called "POR" that is intended for modellers of foam craft, and there also foam safe Cyanos on the market..... but do check on a scrap first. If you are sticking flat sheets together, water-based wood glue like resin W can be utilized, but you will have to wait half a day for the liquid to evaporate because it will not sink into the Depron, just float.
10 step guide to trimming by John Koptonak
This is a topic that gets beaten to death and I'm sure that the method presented here will open up a flood of comments.
I will say this method has worked for me quite well for some time and allowed me to save many a model from trimming disaster. It can be used for any type of model, from No-Cal to Jumbo Scale. The important thing to remember is not to skip any steps and to follow them carefully and patiently. Do not go on to the next step until you have met the requirements of that step.
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS BUT THIS METHOD DOES WORK!
There are two concerns with trimming that must be satisfied; CG and thrust line. The CG (center of gravity) of the model must be at the right location to provide stable flight and provide maximum aerodynamic efficiency. A CG that's too far forward spells loss of aerodynamic efficiency. A CG that's too far back spells stability problems. The thrust line determines how the model is pulled (or pushed) through the air. Many modelers try to juggle each of these two problems at the same time causing unnecessary trimming confusion. The trimming procedure presented separates the two variables and treats them individually. You first get the most efficient "glider" you can with compromises allowed for free flight stability, then power the "glider" and adjust the thrust line. It's actually nothing new. We will assume that your model has been built straight and true. Take the time to check this. I won't go into details on how to do this but make sure you have no warps. This method of trimming also assumes the model has the right amount of dihedral and that all flying surfaces are adequate size, but it does have some leeway to compensate for this since it checks stability. Your model will also need a way to adjust stab incidence. Here are the steps for trimming. Each will be discussed in the text that follows:
There you have it. Ten steps to successful free flight. Perform each step and your model WILL fly. Let's look at each step in detail.
NO NONSENSE TRIMMING
1. Locate CG
2. Balance model W/O prop or motor to locate CG
3. Glide model
4. Adjust stab for smooth glide
5. Check stability by launching into slight dive and slight climb
6. Readjust CG for stability if necessary
7. Mark location of new CG (if changed in step 6)
8. Install prop/motor and rebalance to established CG
9. Test fly under power
10. Adjust flight pattern with thrust line
1. Locate CG. If the plan you are using shows a CG location then start there. If the CG location is not known, then “guesstimate” the CG. Thirty percent of wing chord is a good place to start. Step 6 may adjust this later.
2. Balance model - without prop or motor - to locate CG. “What?! Without the prop? You’ve gotta be kidding!” Nope. Leave the prop off! Have you ever seen people trying to test glide a ship with the prop on? One toss goes into a stall; one toss goes into a dive; next toss looks OK. The problem is that it's difficult to get a free-wheeling prop up to a consistent speed similar to when the model is flying at a consistent glide speed. One toss may not have enough RPM and will provide additional drag and stall the model. Another toss might have too much RPM which means the ship is being launched at too great a speed to give realistic, usable results. The model will be much easier to test glide without the prop. Oh, I hear you theorists out there, the spinning freewheeling prop contributes to drag so will effect the glide. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! Glide the ship at best L/D and when the prop is added it will bring the ship into the best sink rate portion of the polar curve! (that was for all you theorists; the rest of you who just want to get your models to fly can ignore it) So leave the prop off for now so we can establish CG/decalage. Remember? One thing at a time!
3. Glide model. Of course this is the easy part. Now you have a glider so glide it! Launch the model smoothly towards an imaginary spot somewhere out in front of you on the floor (grass). If you're working on a small, light model such as a No-Cal or peanut, this can be done right in your living room (if the wife will allow it...and don't hit the dog). The trick is to launch the model at its glide speed. Do it a number of times to get the hang of it and to get some usable information on the gliding flight characteristics. If the model is turning then you have a warp! A slight amount of turn is OK but hard turns must be tracked back to a warp and eliminated.
4. Adjust stab for smooth glide At this point the glide is adjusted using only the stab. DO NOT CHANGE THE CG BY ADDING OR REMOVING CLAY! The most efficient method for stab adjustment is to re-glue the stab with positive or negative incidence. Cement-type glues work great for this since the joint can be unglued with solvent and re-glued. Adjustable elevators can be used but produce more drag and risk being bumped out of adjustment. Take your time to obtain a smooth but not too “floaty” glide (best L/D not best sink rate theorists)
5. Check stability by launching into a slight dive and slight climb. This is the tricky step that requires some patience. If you are using a CG from a plan location then you might be able to skip this step but it's worth checking. This idea came from flying R/C sailplanes. A neutrally stable sailplane when put in a slight dive will remain in that dive at a constant angle. An unstable sailplane when put in a dive will remain in the dive while increasing the dive angle. A stable sailplane when put into a dive will not stay in the dive but will return to its original attitude. This is all based on center of lift, decalage and CG location. I'm not about to attempt a lesson in aerodynamics (theorists) but I hope the idea comes across for trimming purposes. Ideally, for maximum performance, neutral stability is desired. Of course, for a free flight model, neutral stability may not be the best way to go. Some amount of stability is desired because of the possibility of being upset during free flight (i.e. air, ceiling, wall other models etc.). The closer you can get to neutral stability the more you'll get out of your model, but you'll sacrifice stability to do so. So glide your model and experiment with dives. The model should gently pull out of a dive. If forced into a stall it should easily recover. If it doesn't then it's time to move the CG!
6. Readjust CG location for stability if necessary. For a model that seems to stay in a dive add nose weight and negative stab incidence. (leading edge lower) For a model that acts like a falling leaf or is overly stable (pulls out hard from a dive) remove nose weight and add positive stab incidence (leading edge higher). Continue gliding and adjusting until satisfactory results are obtained. Avoid TOO MUCH stability.
7. Mark location of new CG (if changed in step 6). Easy enough. This is your permanent CG for your model! From this point on you will not change this!
8. Install prop/motor and rebalance to established CG. You might want to start with a bit of down thrust for most models. Also, a slight amount of side thrust. Which direction? This depends. In fact, of all the steps in this trimming method, this is the one which is the most difficult to call. First, which way do you want to turn? Most indoor flyers turn left for low wingers and right for high wingers. That is only a starting point. Torque can play a big part in this decision. The author has been flying many of his models with what would be considered small props and/or low pitch. This has provided many benefits. Problems with torque are almost nonexistent. Small props turn at a higher RPM and use smaller size rubber. Smaller size rubber means the model is carrying less weight and flying at a lower wing loading. I agree that for maximum performance and duration a large prop is the ticket. But why struggle? Start with a small prop. As an example my 24 inch span Cessna C-34 is flying with a 6 inch Peck plastic prop and a VERY long loop of 3/32 rubber. Start with a prop 1/4 to 1/3 the wingspan of your model. So with a smaller prop use a touch of down thrust and left thrust. Rebalance the model to the CG you have established.
9. Test fly under power. Crank her up and let her go. Start with just a few hundred turns. Rubber size is a separate topic that will not be discussed here. Better to start with a smaller motor than a larger one. Just remember to check CG after changing to motor. Observe the flight. Does it turn? Does it stall or dive? Remember how it looked when you were gliding it? What's the different now? Ideally, the model should simply have an extended glide with a slight turn in the direction you desire. If everything looks good, try more power. Otherwise...
10. Adjust flight pattern with thrust line. Adjust powered flight through the following adjustments:
• stalling - add down thrust
• diving - add up thrust
• excessive right turn* - try small amounts of left thrust otherwise go back to step 3 and glide to adjust for left turn
• excessive left turn* - try right thrust otherwise go back to step 3 and glide model for right turn *(these may also require modification of model fin area.)
All models will require varying amount of thrust line adjustment. Some none at all; some excessive. What ever you do, AVOID REMOVING OR ADDING CLAY AT THIS STAGE OF TRIMMING! Small amounts may have to be added to compensate for propeller drag but if you're using a smaller prop as suggested, then clay will not solve your problem. Look at the thrust line! Phew! So there you have it. Give this a try with your next model. Or, if you have one of those pesky models that just doesn't seem to want to fly, take it back to Step One. THIS DOES WORK and really is a simple method for successful trimming. I don't consider it a cure-all but you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
John Koptonak
Handy oil dispenser - submitted by Webmaster
A couple of years ago an incident occurred, whilst a much respected pilot was offering a kind helping hand to fellow flier.
Whilst indoor flying, a pilot, with an electric powered radio controlled model was experiencing a little motor friction. Well if you have ever experienced indoor modelling you will know that every ounce of thrust is appreciated with this discipline of flight.
A well equipped and experienced modeller rushed to his assistance with one of those small oil dispensers (a tube like tub with a narrowed nozzle in the lid). After a few seconds the motor went from having a slight resistance to a SOLID one piece lump.
Puzzled, the pair attempted to read the label in the ambient lighting of the sports hall. The word Cyano jumped out at them rather than the expected 3-in-1
Cyano super glue - submitted by Webmaster
When you next need to make box sections in an aircraft and you have not got enough pins to hold the bits whilst the glue dries, get out your Cyano bottle. Offer the clean and dust free parts together for a fit, then run your preferred glue into the joints. Now get your thin Cyano and run a spot onto the joint on both sides. Hold it in place until it sets, and then move on to your next joint. Your "real" glue will set in the same time, but you can now move around the ever increasing model without fear of the joint moving. If you cannot wait for traditional glue set times, you could use a variety of Cyano products.
On a right angle box section, run a line of medium or thick slow setting glue along the joint, and offer the parts together and apply pressure. You can then spot the joint on the outside with a quick setting version.
If offering complex parts together with glue applied is risky, offer them together dry, and run a thin Cyano down the joint. it will suck itself into the joint and the parts by capillary action.
If you need a strong joint that is a little "gappy", use a thicker mix, or use a bottle of gap filling glass beads. These are also available from glue manufacturers. Either run the glue into the joint, and quickly apply the beads on top of the glue line, or put the beads into the joint and then drop the thin Cyano onto the filler. Capillary action once again pulls the glue in.
Cyanoacrylate wont set unless it is deprived of oxygen....... so the joint becomes one only when you apply pressure. This too is when the joint between the model and your fingers is made. To break the joint, an electric carving knife at the joint, an scalpel or a better solution is Cyano De-bonder Read on
Cyanoacrylate de-bonder - submitted by Webmaster
What a brilliant aid to model building, Cyanoacrylate glue was originally created for battlefield medical repairs..... this liquid was DESIGNED to stick human skin together, it just happens to also stick balsa, plastic, rubber and metal. It should be no surprise then that if a little glue happens to touch your skin and another object it might stick together. This tip is to try and alleviate you from the embarrassment of getting into a taxi with a 1.8 meter glider attached to your thumb.
I was watching a demo of the range of super glues at a show earlier this year, and the expert applied too much to her samples, and it attached itself to her fingers. We did not laugh too much, and when I asked how she was going to get that off, she showed us. If you keep the joint moving, the glue wont set she said...... so she just pulled it around a little and it fell off. That is great if you notice in time, but you probably wont know until you release the pressure on the joint. If it is too late, read on.
The manufacturers that produce the glue, also make the next best thing in adhesive technology........ DE-BONDER. It is not as instant as super glue, but it certainly works as it says on the bottle. At your next show, when buying a new bottle of glue, buy yourself of de-bonder at the same time, and keep it in your glue draw.
Read the instructions to familiarise yourself with its requirements before you need it...... it will stop the panic and screaming the next time you cannot let go of a 2lb hammer.
Try this web site for info Five star
A magnetic helping hand - submitted by Webmaster
Whilst at work on day, a plumber asked me if I had any broken, un-usable and spare computer hard drives that I could let him have. We had a few, so I passed them to him. He unscrewed the lid, and then stripped out the flat chromed metal plates from the sides of the drive heads. What the............... He explained that these were extremely strong magnets, and that he uses them to magnetise screwdrivers, and to retrieve screws and small objects inside small holes or under floor boards. They are in fact "Rare Earth" magnets, or technically known as Neodymium Magnets
Now, every time we get a faulty hard drive, I rob the magnets for a slightly different use. My hanger is a concrete sided unit, having extreme difficulty to fix objects to. All I do now is use the wonderful liquid nails, and glue these magnets in strategic places. I now hang my tools, and other metal objects around the hanger out of the way. I have hammers, pliers and screw drivers just where I need them, and don't have to search inside a draw to find them.
The magnets can also be used to fix cowlings and battery covers to models....... either use a pair, buried into the two components, or use one magnet and a piece of flat steel for smaller aircraft. You can of course break the magnets into smaller pieces, ensuring that you wrap them inside a cloth and breaking with a hammer (to protect yourself from the brittle magnets flying).
Another use....... glue or otherwise fix a steel plate to your bench, and then use the magnets to temporarily trap model parts whilst you work on them, or while glue dries.
Ensure you can always find your model pins....... throw them at a fixed magnet.
Read about them on this UK web site Click here Also limited availability and sizes from Maplins
Warning
If anybody would like a play with some of these larger magnets, drop me an email, and I can let you have a couple.
Folk are always selling on, and buying used transmitter and receiver Xtals at Swapmeets and other sites like ebaY. Be warned...... Don't buy them unless you know their source and history. This tiny metal box looks strong enough to withstand a bash, but once you understand what it actually is, you may have a different opinion on the matter.
The circuit involved in producing the 35MHz transmission is known as an oscillator. This circuit produces an alternating current at a particular frequency. The circuit is made to oscillate by alternately charging a component, which stores energy, and then discharging the energy via a resistor. The energy storage can be either in a capacitor, an inductor, or both. The resonant frequency depends on the value of the capacitor or inductor and the resistance. The problem with this type of circuit is its stability.
The frequency will alter with variations in both temperature and voltage. A crystal is therefore used which acts like an electronic tuning fork. Inside the casing of a crystal, there is tiny and very delicate piece of piezo material. This material has the characteristic that when a charge is applied it changes shape. With the charge removed it reverts to its original shape. When a crystal is put in an oscillator circuit it acts as a regulator, maintaining a very precise frequency. This becomes the channel number that we all know.
Circuits vary in configuration, and crystals vary to suit the type of oscillator circuit they are intended for. Different manufacturers have slightly different ways of creating the intended circuit, and hence the crystal required for the final channel. The crystal can be likened to the frequency tuning knob on the radio, but it will vary slightly from make to make of radio. Without getting too technical it is sufficient to say that the correct manufacturer crystal must be used in your radios. The use of another manufacturer’s crystal is a definite NO unless the packaging specifically states that it can be used in your equipment. In some cases the circuit will work on the ground and for a range check, but after take-off the frequency may be shifted, and / or, be unstable and may even radiate onto an adjacent channel.
Manufacturers quote the phenomenon of ageing, where the frequency is known to drift with age, and this differential gets worse over prolonged time. If the components are as delicate as described above, then it stands to reason that after a heavy landing, the Xtal may have been damaged without your knowledge.
For the sake of a £5 replacement, surely you aircraft would be safer with a new Xtal onboard. Some reported radio interference may actually be credited to poor Xtal management.
Change your dented, rusting and mismatched Xtals NOW before it is too late, you have been warned !
We take our batteries for granted, or at least those that sit in our models...... hidden out of sight, often never to be removed until the demise of the plane. The transmitter will usually sport a power / voltage meter and modern Tx's even have a beep to warn of low power.
The receiver pack however may get charged on a Friday, ready for a weekend flight, weather permitting. If we don't get to fly that model, do you check the power in the pack the next time you do fly that model? You may be forgiven for placing the pack on charge to just boost up the volts on the morning of the flight, but consider this.
The charger that you may have received with your radio set will probably be adequate for the 500 maH pack that cane with it. It was usually recommended to leave the charger connected for 14 hours for a full charge. Now ask yourself this ! What Milliamp hours rating has the pack got that you use today? 800 maH, 1200 ? If a 500maH pack took 14 hours with that charger then a 1000maH cell will require a 28 hour session. You will either need to modify your charging times or use a charger that can output a greater amperage rate. Maybe use your flight pack charger if you have one.
Some folk buy a new battery pack, be it for the Transmitter or the Receiver... charge it and expect better performance than their old cells. It is not always going to be the case that from an initial charge your pack will be great. The first charge needs to be at the lowest amperage rate that you can charge at, and for a considerably longer time than you would normally take. any cell will require a number of charging cycles to get it to its peak performance. If your charger can do an automatic cycle then that will prolong the life of the pack.
If NiCad's are used heavily for long flying sessions there is less need to cycle. However, if a battery has been stored for several months, say during a winter lay-up, it is a good idea to cycle them a couple of times before flying. It is advisable not to let the pack go completely flat, as a cell may be damaged beyond repair. This information applies to NiCad and NiMh cells, and attention to LiPo cells is addressed elsewhere on this site.
Wondering what is best to use for a hinge on your 'park flyer'? Well, you could use a thin lightweight pre-made hinge from a model shop...... a slit in the wing and the aileron, then glue the hinge into the slot.
You could use hinge tape... a tacky glue lined sellotape type material. This is far better than ordinary tapes....... more durable, and sticks to more materials than the make we all love.
The last option that I can think of is a home made hinge. Cut up an old floppy disk, and create strips of the brown material. This is very flexible, but structural enough to do its part in the aeromodelling world. Make sure you insert enough into the surface slots to adhere enough for its purpose. Make sure you you test your adhesive on the foam (if that's what your model is built from), and the disc material. You would not want to melt the foam, or allow your control surface so slip out. When you have cut the hinge shape, round off the square corners so that it slides into the slots easily. This material is Ultra light, very flexible but best of all..... free.
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The rods magnify any angle that might be present in the wing. Correct the wing twist until you have the angle you want. This doesn't work too well with wings that are rounded on the bottom, but is an excellent way of making sure flat-bottom wings are true.
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2. Foam: When epoxying to styrofoam, such as attaching leading or trailing edges to a foam-core wing, once the parts are coated well with epoxy and put together, wiggle
and slide them around some to work the epoxy into the pores of the foam. Then let it dry normally. This results in a stronger bond.
This method is commonly used in joinery to join strips of timber, and is called
a rubbed joint. It is the strongest wood joint.
3. Temperature: Ever been caught with cold epoxy? It's much more workable and mixes better when its just above room temperature (about 80-85 F). I use a "Bed-Buddy" to warm it and keep it warm. A Bed-Buddy is like a long sock with some kind of granular chemical in it that stays warm for hours after you microwave it for two minutes. They're designed to keep your feet warm at night, and you can wrap it around your epoxy bottles too between each use. You can also put the epoxy bottles directly in the microwave oven for a short time, but be careful doing it.
4. Inverter: When your epoxy bottles start getting low, it can take a while to get it out, especially when cold. Build a simple wooden "inverter" to hold both bottles upside down, and keep them in it between each use. This way your epoxy will always be ready for use.
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These servo blanks will not only help in drilling the holes to mount servos, but will assure adequate clearance on all sides. In addition, the dowel is the correct size to press on an actual servo arm, which will help in aligning pushrods or cables. Using this method will help keep your real servos safe and clean during the building process.
You could of course use old and faulty servos. keep them marked up as faulty to save installing them by mistake.
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Something to pay attention to when learning to fly is control reversal. Control reversal is when the inputs on the transmitter sticks must be reversed when your plane is flying toward you, rather than away from you.
When flying away from you, there is no problem, just move the aileron stick (Or Rudder of flying 3 channel) in the direction you want to turn.
Many new pilots become disoriented when their plane is approaching them. To help with this, move the stick in towards the low wingtip. This will level the wing when your plane is coming toward you, avoiding a sharp bank, and possibly a crash.
Example: Say your plane is coming toward you, and the right wingtip is low, as if banked to the right. Move the stick to your left, toward the low wingtip. This will bring the plane's right wingtip up, and level the wing. Liken it to "Propping up" the drooping wing.
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Fill plastic zip-lock bags of various sizes about 3/4 full of fine sand, and seal each well. You could tape the top too.
Use these to hold down large parts while building, such as wings. The sand will conform to the shape of parts well. They also work good when gluing sheeting to foam.
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When adjusting air-bleed carburetors (the ones with the little hole in the front), a good rule to remember is the word "richen". Split this word in half (rich-en), and when you want the carburetor rich, turn the screw in. Of course leaning the carburetor would be turning the screw out.
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Knowing the density or weight of balsa pieces can be important. It's especially useful when making ailerons or wingtips, because you want the pieces to be "matched", which will result in a better balanced and better flying airplane. To do this, choose balsa that is similar in weight by weighing them on a gram scale. If you don't have a gram scale, use the deflection method: Take the balsa pieces, and using heavy weights or sandbags, hold down a few inches of one end of each balsa piece onto the edge of a table. Make sure that equal amounts of each piece of balsa overhang the edge. Place a smaller weight onto the other end of each piece, and measure how far each one bends from the floor. The one that bends the most generally is the lighter piece. Using this method, you can choose balsa that is similar in density. Keep in mind that if you build from kits, you don't have to use the supplied wood if you don't like it!
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After using a bottle of CA adhesive for a plane or two, the tip usually gets cured glue all over it. Remove the tip from the bottle and soak it in a closed jar of acetone. Nail polish remover also works, as long as it's the kind that contains acetone. After about an hour, the cured CA will gel, and is easily peeled off the tip.
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If you use a neck strap on your transmitter, beware of getting it caught in a rotating propeller! Some people leave the strap around their neck and detach the transmitter while starting engines. This is a perfect way for it to get caught in the prop, especially if you start your planes on the ground rather than a stand or table. Also, having the transmitter nearby while starting an engine is potentially a hazard. When you pick up the transmitter make sure the strap doesn't swing into the prop. It could ruin your strap.
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3-blade propellers are useful when you have a scale plane that's modeled after a plane that uses them. However, since the engine has more mass to turn, the maximum RPM is lower. The general rule is to use a 3-bladed prop one inch smaller in diameter than the 2-blade you would normally use. This will allow close to the same maximum RPM as you would have with a 2-bladed prop. You may also increase the pitch by one inch, but experi