Flying the pulstar

[Shaun]

Happily being nudged around the sky..

Shaun

[Igull]

Happily being nudged around the sky..

It's plain to see that this has been photoshopped and these are cardboard sheep - I think this is a ruse by Mr Garrity to sell more Pulstar parts - it's probably not even taken in Yorkshire n'either

As Phil Green once remarked to me, "If it's not on video, it didn't happen"

Nice try Shaun

Cheers

Neil

[Shaun]

Is yours pulse rudder Shaun?

Yes pal, pulse rudder. I love the look on new world modellers faces when they see it clacking away.

I have increased the rudder area by about 25% tonight as an experiment but it was flyable as designed by Vic.I'll try it again tomorrow.

I would use 1/16" ply dihedral braces if you want to chuck it about and make the center rib from 3/16" or 1/4"....

Neil... I photographed it while flying hands off... It's very stable and would no doubt make a great model for free flight.

Shaun.

[Mike_K]

Hi Shaun

I think most of the comments about the Pulstar are down to the expectation of what it will do. Yes it is controllable as designed, but more in a guided free flight sense than say a Weekender, let alone a Sharkface. As it was designed as a radio control model from the outset and not as a converted free flight model, I think some of us (well me at least) were expecting a less lethargic rudder response. Obviously Ron too. But others will prefer this characteristic.

After one evening session I got bored of nudging it around the sky, so modified it to suit my taste more. OK I got it wrong and over-stressed the model, but that was not Vic Smeed's design fault as he didn't design it to be thrown about how I was. And he fitted the motor fairing on top of the wing to add strength to the wing joint, which I omitted. But for me, some of the fun of modelling is tweaking things for my taste, how many of us really build exactly to plan? As I'm not an ace designer I often need a few goes at getting it right, but I'm on the right track for me.

Is it a good choice as a mass build model? A definite yes. It is simple, quick and cheap to build and has development potential for those who don't like it as per plan. And somebody suggested adding extra dihedral. There is no absolutely need, just a larger rudder gives enough control for any taste.

Right off to the flying field to make the most of the weather.

Mike

[Shaun]

Great overview Mike. I'm hoping that every one will be a little different and have the builders own spin on the original design or even redesign like the Ebaneezer series of models.

Ok who's up for a pulsar ornithopter.. come on Mike.. there's a challange.

I've just got tiny combined camera and 5.8GHz video transmitter so I going to try to FPV fly mine....


Shaun.

[Mike_K]

Hi Shaun

I'm half way there with the ornithopter, I've mastered the wings going upwards and meeting together, now I just need to work out how to get them back down again during flight...

Mike

[Shaun]

Hi Shaun

I'm half way there with the ornithopter, I've mastered the wings going upwards and meeting together, now I just need to work out how to get them back down again during flight...

Mike

[RON]

That’s easy, do a bunt.

Ron.

[Wayne_H]

Happily being nudged around the sky..

Shaun

I think you are onto something Neil!

Having just been sitting watching teli with some of the grand-kids, I'd swear that the background in that picture is from Shaun the Sheep (what else could it be????? )

[Carl]

After flying my little Pageboy for a while and finding it a little breezy for it, I decided to test glide the Pulstar. Some may remember my Mattel equipped version was badly damaged on it's first test glide but now the damage is repaired ready for a motor. What I'd also decided was to build a second fuselage using more modern, lightweight radio gear as I felt with my lack of piloting experience I would find it easier and then try flying the Mattel one at a later stage.

I had the motor probably between 50 and 75% and launched into the breeze and it was clear it was tail heavy as it climbed, stalled, dropped, climbed, stalled, dropped,climbed, stalled, dropped..... I had no option but to try and get control and managed to get it down without too much of a thump The good news is that my second fuselage proved to be very tough

Added some weight on the nose (blue tack) and went for launch number 2 and decided to just fly it and it was much better, but still required a little more nose weight. Some more blue tack and launch number 3 - PERFECT! Had great fun flying it as it was happy with the level of breeze. I could even bring it down with a soft landing on its belly not far from where I was standing.

I'm using the exact same power setup as Shaun, but with my own 2S lipo and found it plenty powerful enough. As I need nose weight I'll make space for a larger 2S lipo and get the benefit of longer flights. My rudder throw was deliberately set for small movement and it could do with increasing. I used the shortest servo arm, and will swap that for the next one up in length and see how that goes next time.

This was a great experience for me being a novice pilot and has helped me to see that a bigger, heavier model (compared to the Pageboy) is so much easier to fly at the site I use. I reckon the Pulstar will be a good trainer for me to try flying of the slope at the same site.

Here's a few pictures taken with my action cam mounted on my cap. I need to position it to point a little more up as I miss a lot of shots when the model comes in close to me.

Carl