LE Foam Cutting

In this video I hot wire the foams for 20 Streamer Shuttle LEs. First the spars slots are cut then in the second jig the airfoil. You can find the link to the hot wire transformer I used on the left.

Final Frame Up

Here is the heart of the plane - the final frame up. This is where all the pieces come together to form a straight wing without the need for a jig. It really goes just about as quick as the dry frame up in the video!

Papering the LE

A couple of notes about papering the the LE. The basic idea here is that we end up with a "D" tube and that makes a huge difference in the stiffness of the LE. The paper will shrink a bunch so as long as you get the paper wet all over  (only on one side if you have graphix) so it is not necessary to get it super tight when you wrap it. I also like to have the joint be on the underside of the air foiled section of the LE, that way the covering is also helping hold the joint together once the plane is finished.

Cutting the Bladder Tube Relief

To cut the bladder tube relief in the back of the LE I use a soldering gun fixed with a piece of solid copper wire. Hand shape it by bending it around a bladder tube. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the length right so that the wire does not get too hot. Simple.

Leading Edge Construction

Ok I am going to try and get up some of the videos that I have on my computer. They are not going to be in order right now as I want to get them up then I will organize and maybe event edit them a bit. 

Here is the leading edge going together.

PIT BOXES

I have had a few requests for some pit box kits. If you want to get in on the order shoot me a note or post a comment on here. 

2nd place podium in PHX season opener!

Just back from the season opener in Phoenix, Lance the the PHX crew delivered a great contest again. Smooth officiating, good contest pace, tons of killer matches and the usual perfect PHX weather! I really had a great time hanging out at the field and flying for the first time in 2 years. 

Thanks to my pit crews Alex - Andre and Bob - Andy. Thanks to Allen for loaning me shut-offs and 6mm mufflers!! Without them I would not have been able to make the contest at all.

It was a great test session for the new models that have been sitting unfinished. I was trying to remember what all the variances were... some the the neater stuff that was in testing was a Kevlar laminated center rib, film laminated ribs, new banding around the LE rib TE, new commercially available control horn and Bob Mears sourced PVC covering film. Reports to follow.

Andre and Alex keeping me covered in the pits with  ELES1 Models planes and pit boxes.

I QUIT!!

My JOB that is!!!

Man after 2 years of 12+ hour days, 7 day weeks, 200000+ airline miles -  I have left the company I was working for. Thankless and arrogant - good riddance to them!! 

I flew for the first time in 2 years a couple of weekends ago, wow I missed it. The wind was up 20+ so we didn't fly any matches but I did get some neat pictures that I have been wanting to get for like 6 years. I was hoping to go to Phoenix for the F2D contest that Lance and the PHX crew puts on but last minute looks like I am not going to make it.  

I am hoping to get back to producing kits and promoting control line combat. I looked at my files for the plane that would have been new in 2011 and it still looks like the goto design moving forward. It is a bit smaller and thinner to help with the 6mm muffler rule. The last set of prototypes I had cut needed some adjusting for the laser that I was using but should come together pretty quick. Drop me a line if you need some.

 I will keep the blog updated more often and hopefully get back into the swing of things like a normal human again.

Eles1

WOW!! Look how far out my streamer is compared to Allen's plane. He is standing just to my left with his handle lined up right next to mine.

Wingover at the famous Garland Hobby Park

I think my streamer is flying over the left wing