Actually, this brief 'report' is an amalgam of my last few brief outings, nearly all of which have been a quick dash to the field for only 1 or 2 test(?) flights
PageBoy Micro:
As much as I'd love to be able to say it's been another success, it hasn't (yet). More details in that thread.
UMX Super Cub & ASK21:
Not really retro, but sufficiently different to be worthy of mention.
Both fly well, but anything more than a light breeze and the fun factor goes south quickly. The Cub can "hover" in only the slightest breeze especially with 50% flap, but due to it's light weight, it gets
seriously bounced around.
The wings on the ASK21 flex
considerably when using the supplied bungee. Given it's light weight and reasonably good glide, I don't think it would take much thermal activity to turn an already small model into a speck.
Both UMX models are bound to my
Taranis using a 4in1 Tx module. Range on both is limited, the RSSI alarm routinely going off at about 100m (airborne). Off course, at this distance, both appear rather tiny
KK Senator:
On my next outing, there was a gentle breeze blowing by the time I got the Senator out, which freshened while I was flying. This meant thermals could only be enjoyed for a little while before getting too far down wind - the Senator does not penetrate!
Regardless, still reliable & relaxing floating around - everybody should have (at least) one!
Amigo II with Reeduino Tx:
When I saw the Amigo sitting on the shelf, I thought why not? So I dropped a FrSky rx in then dialed in the TX - it was so easy, I have no clue why I didn't do it sooner
.
Powered by a hot brushed ferrite buggy motor turning a 13" Cam prop through a 3:1 gearbox, the Amigo used to go up pretty quick! The drive train was well matched to the 7cell Nimh packs I used back when, however I only had a 3S LiPo this time. The extra voltage provided more oomph but now the motor has a distinct odor, obviously over-propped for 3S LiPo packs. Better go back to a 2S pack, ignore the smell & enjoy a more sedate climb!
However I did have a major "oops" on the first flight. I started the motor after flying around for a little while & the climb steepened rapidly. It was going through vertical when I pulled the throttle back - I thought - but I actually hit the elevator switch. It flicked over
very quickly & accelerated downwards while I fumbled to kill the motor. Alas, I wasn't quick enough or coordinated enough using the new reeds tx and the dihedral joiner bent to about 30-40 degrees of dihedral. While "controllable", the "Dutch roll" oscillations were extreme if anything other than the briefest blip of rudder was used. I managed to get it onto the ground 100m or so away unscathed.
After straightening the joiner I had another flight of over 12min off 2 short climbs - very nice.
Having built the TX a year ago, but only just flown it for the first time, the combination worked so well, I really have no clue why I didn't think of it sooner!!
PageBoy
Reliable & fun as usual, that sums up the
PageBoy. The highlight for me this outing was having my 5yo grand-daughter successfully launch the model
twice. Having been a fetcher mite for several outings as well as having successfully flown the
PageBoy on the button previously, she asked if she could launch it. After 2 "almost" launches she mastered it with 2 near-perfect launches!