Orting Valley Flyers aka the "No Club Club..."

Another great night at the NCC!

2013-06-05T23:12:00.002-07:00

Let's just say I'm making the most of the long summer days and sneaking in flights after the kids get tucked into bed. Here's just a quick pic of my 100cc Aeroworks Ultimate Biplane after another great flight as the sun goes down! The V4 DLE-111 and ProFlow canisters not only perform well, but do it quietly so I can squeak out 8:30pm flights like this one here without upsetting the neighbors...

Back in the saddle again!

2013-06-03T09:48:00.001-07:00

After bunch of life altering changes (new work, new house, new transmitters...) I'm back in the saddle again! Summer is starting and there's a lot to catch up on so hoping to update weekly going forward. For now here's a great shot of a sunset flight with my Valley View RC 50cc Slick! Long live summer nights!!!

First Run and Flights with the DLE-85!

2013-02-04T22:55:00.004-08:00

Alright guys, I picked up my DLE-85 from Valley View RC a few weeks ago and FINALLY got around to getting it in the air! Got a chance to bolt it up to the airframe last week but due to January weather had to wait to get her airborne and dialed in. Didn't take long to see the 85 is a beast of an engine but to make sure we ran a few tanks on the ground. A few months ago I bolted a DLE60 twin to this same Aeroworks 33% Extra 260. It flew fine and power was smooth and predictable but with the release of this powerhouse I had a feeling this would be a little more my style...

Due to the depth from the front of the cowl to the firewall we opted to hard mount rather than use the included soft mount. The only modification was opening up the hole in the firewall a little more to allow the carb to sit in unobstructed. Had we used soft mount this would not have been necessary but then the backplate would have sat about 3/4" too far out and that sucks. It was all done last week but finally made it to the field today. One thing you'll notice on the exhaust is something we're seeing on a lot of the new DLE's now. Rather than a long down pipe that you generally have to cut a huge access slot for to get the cowl on, the new exhausts have a short exhaust base on the muffler and a teflon downpipe that you attach with a spring clamp (like on a canister or pipe header/exhaust.) Once the cowl was on I simply slid the teflon pipe on and secured the spring clamp. Apparently the downtubes can be trimmed down but with this baby running the way she is, I had no plans to change a thing!

The time had finally come around... Choke on/4-5 flips/pop/choke off/2-3 flip/fire! Same old DLE starting ritual and this one didn't deviate from the recipe! Not really having a ton of experience I went with the middle of the road for props. The 26x10 Xoar Beechwood is a great all around prop with snappy spool up but still great top end speed. As the 85 breaks in I may eventually try a 27x10 but REALLY love the way it performed as it is. Smooth idle lived around 14-1500rpm with peak around 6200, I can live with that out of the box!

Overall the 85 was much, much smoother than expected compared to it's prejudice as an 85cc paint mixer. I imagine the soft mount may even improve it some but realistically it shakes about the same or less than my 55cc engines. 4 flights was nowhere near enough for me today and with spring coming around you better believe more flights with this baby are in my near future!!!

New year, new big bird!

2013-01-24T19:42:00.001-08:00

A few months ago I stumbled across a deal I couldn't refuse on a 3DHS 103" Extra 330sc. I've seen a few of these up close and just loved the way they looked and performed. Even worse is that it's been team pilot Joe Smith's weapon of choice the last 6 months and after watching every video at least a dozen times I knew I had to have one!!!

Assembly was a breeze as 3DHS planes are not just designed, but engineered with all the proper hardware included in prelabled bags. My weapon of choice was the newest version of the DLE-111 with a 27x10 Xoar carbon fiber prop. This combo has been great in the past for me and now the 111 not only starts easier it also runs smoother with more power than ever!

As for electronics I went with my trusty Hitec HS-7954sh on all surfaces. I'm running dual 2300mah A123 packs for power and at 6v each servo pumps out 333oz/in!! As HV/digital/steel gear servos go they are priced great with unparalleled performance. AND if I ever wanted to run a 2s lipo pack they are all HV ready! The receiver is a JR922x powersafe receiver. Designed to provide serious current to high voltage receivers when they need it most, it was a no brainer. One of the most important features to me is the "soft switch." In the event the power switch fails the receiver fails in the ON postion rather than off like traditional switches. Only took me wearing out one regular switch to realized how big a life saver this really is!

For the final touch I HAD to do some custom graphics. I wanted to make sure to give the team out at B and E Graphix a huge shout out for their help making my dream 103 Extra 330sc/FOG eyesore come true! If you've ever used them you know how great they are as well as their website. If not, don't hesitate to check them out. The website provides the ability to customize any of their premade graphics to any size and color you can imagine and see it instantly on screen before you pull the trigger. They've got a ton of predesigned packages but I really wanted something a little different based on a recover that Air Ralley did a few years back for their Huckfest.

Lacking the skills to recover or cut my own graphics I shot them a message with a rough description of what I wanted to do. Even after regular business hours I received a quick "no problem" response email. I needed a logo made that they didn't have, "no problem." How about making a them 3 colors instead of just 2, "sounds cool, why not!" About a week later a nice thick tube of vinyl goodness arrived ready to go! The vinyl is nice and thick and best part is they had CHROME!!! It's still January and dismal skies at best in Seattle but even so this baby glitters like a disco ball on the slow rolls.

This is definitely a bird to be proud of and performance is amazing. Now if I can just keep it around until "the big show..."

Indoor flying with the Barn Owls

2012-10-28T01:43:00.003-07:00

Tonight was my first indoor flying experience and it was AWESOME!!! The "Barn Owls" are a group of Seattle based flyers that normally fly at Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park in Seattle. This season they've been temporarily relocated to the Magnuson Community Center but even that is a fantastic facility. The community center was big enough for plenty of rc mayhem as well as a perfect obstacle course for crack yak/mqx follow the leader. Besides shelter and warmth, they provide tables, chairs, and most importantly power for chargers!

Not knowing what to expect, I brought the arsenal of Crack products including the Crack Yak, Crack Pitts, and new Crack Yak Lite! There was a good mix of plane and heli guys and even with the dozen + flyers the night went smoothly.

Kind of a fun surprise was finding access to a handball court that had the lights off. Was another great opportunity to try something new and the pics and experience were both amazing!

Overall it was a great evening and with winter weather moving in hard and fast I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time I make the drive up for an evening of fun!

Thanks to Mike Partain for all the great pics!

Another Twisted Hobbies Crack Yak Addict!

2012-10-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

As much as I'd love to, I just can't fly my big gas birds every day. Sometimes I've only got 10 minutes to spare due to work, life, weather, etc. Smaller electric planes help feed the need, but even then those require more space to really wring them out and enjoy. Up until a few months ago I had a sever case of "need-a-foamie-itis." The perfect foamie always seemed to be just one more build away. Either they were too heavy, too expensive, or just flew like crap! Until now...

I was on Flying Giants a few months ago when the buzz of the ultimate foamy was just too much too bear. I ended up pulling the trigger on the latest/greatest foamie to hit the market yet, the "Crack Yak!" Until the maiden I just kept thinking what a stupid name it was, and why would they call it that? Well Bobby Brown was wrong. Crack ain't whack, it's amazing!

This EPP kit from twistedhobbies.com was not only very complete compared to most foam kits, it also included all the necessary hardware and wood pieces. I've built a few other kits that were a little less pricey but by the time you bought the necessary items it was almost double the money. On the TH kit all annoying little slots were precut or marked. All surfaces were prehinged and beveled for ridiculous rates and throws. Most important is the kit was STRAIGHT and the 9mm EPP helped assure that all the way through the build. In the past I'd used hot glue or CA to build foamies but TH recommended Welder's contact cement. I'll never go back to CA again! While the Welder's process makes it a little longer to assemble it's better in the long run in that it allows for a little "re-aligning" while it sets up, but still cures quickly. Even better is that even when cured it remains flexible for those unexpected little bumps and bruises.

Once you've got the plane you're going to need power. The easiest solution is to purchase the power package from TH but due to popularity is usually out of stock. I am also pretty frugal (OK cheap) when I know I can save a few bucks and reallocate it to more batteries or a receiver or other great things. There's 1000 ways to skin a cat but below is what I got and where. I like to shop domestically as I think China warehouses can be a waste of money and time:

From Twisted Hobbies
Crack Yak: http://twistedhobbys.com/TH-32-EPP-Crack-Yak-55-Blue-Twisted-Crack-Yak-55-Blue.htm
Motor: http://twistedhobbys.com/Outrunner-Crack-Series-24g-1450KV-Brushless-Motor-Crack-Series-24g-1450KV.htm
Prop Saver: http://twistedhobbys.com/Prop-Saver-Bands-HQ-5-Prop-Saver-Bands.htmProp: http://twistedhobbys.com/Prop-Slow-Fly-9-x-47-Tuff-Prop-SF-9x47.htm (buy 3-4)

From Hobbyking:
ESC: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__23606__TowerPro_9g_w12A_Brushless_Speed_Controller_USA_Warehouse_.htmlBattery: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__20415__Turnigy_nano_tech_460mah_3S_25_40C_Lipo_Pack_USA_Warehouse.html

From Hobbycool.com
Servos (x3): http://www.hobbycool.com/towerpro-mini-9g-servo-for-rc-helicopter-and-rc-airplane-p-190.htmlESC Plug: http://www.hobbycool.com/jst-connection-wire-l150cm-p-59.html

Bottom line is don't be afraid to tackle this build. It was my first experience with welder's and took me about 5 hours including trial/error and waiting for glue to dry. Take your time to make sure everything is straight and MAKE SURE TO CENTER YOUR SERVOS BEFORE YOU GLUE THEM IN! My only deviation from the online instructions was the addition of landing gear. For me it was worth the extra $20 for the ability to take off and land like a regular plane.

Flight performance is EXCELLENT to say the least. Although the whole thing weighs in at around 6-7 oz with a battery it still carries momentum in and out of maneuvers. Mine required only a click or two of elevator for hands off flight both upright and inverted at the recommended CG. Flight times with the 460mah 3s pack are between 5-8 minutes depending on throttle management. The only downside is that you're going to want more batteries as one flight is never enough!

First run and flight with my DLE-60 twin!

2012-10-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

Who likes new engines? THIS GUY!!! Valley View RC recently received 3 awesome new engines from DLE and I'm finally getting a chance to give them all a run. The DLE-35ra has been an awesome engine so far so thought I'd give the DLE-60 twin a try. Only problem is that at 10 3/4" from cap to cap it's too big for most 50cc planes on the market. In the quest to just get this engine bolted up to anything and see how it flies, we paired it up with the 75cc Aeroworks Extra 260. At a 96" w.s. and roughly 20# it's definitely larger than the intended application but figured if I kept it light and simple I could be a nice setup. When it was all done I got lucky and didn't have to add weight and somehow got CG within the recommended range.

After it was all bolted up it was time to let her rip! I tried a 23x8 and 24x8 Xoar prop and had amazing results with both! Low idle was still smooth at around 1400 with both props and high was around 7k with the 23x8. The 24x8 swung around 6500 but didn't touch the needles, could have probably tuned more out of it, but for the first 10 minutes of run time I'm thoroughly impressed! BTW the ignition on the 60 has the 90 deg caps and saw no interference issues.

After one big final push I finally got the big bird wrapped up and ready for the maiden. With the cowl on I had to richen both needles almost half a turn but apparently they needed it. Low idle could have remained the same but I set it at a 1700rpm flight idle just in case. At that speed it ticks like a swiss clock! Definitely smoother than a 55 at the same rpm's and has a unique purr to it like it's on cans? I logged 5 10 minute flights today and they each got better and better. Due to the size and weight of the plane power felt just right, a lot like a 42%'r on a 150 rather than a 170. Throttle was snappy in all attitudes and the motor pulled it out of heavily loaded turns with ease. Once I knew she was running like a champ I hung on the prop just above half throttle and pulled straight up til eventually it was a speck in the sky! Wasn't ballistic like a DA-60 but for a twin it was as smooth and graceful as you could hope. Sun went down quick but had a buddy snap just a quick vid of the sunset flight.

Is it another great DLE, YES! Would it be great on a 50cc plane, HELL YEAH! Is it great on a 85cc plane, YOU BET! (as long as you aren't looking for rag doll performance.) Looking forward to putting more time in on her and getting her broken in ASAP so I can swing the bigger wood!

Sequim Valley RC Plane Charity Event

2012-09-17T14:15:00.003-07:00

Flying for fun is one thing, but flying for a cause is another. I was invited to come fly at the Sequim RC Show this next weekend and can't wait to see what it's about. Held at the Sequim Valley Airport once a year, it's a charity event that benefits a local volunteer hospice center. It's free for spectators and generates revenue with a small fee to fly and auction by local companies and club members.

The Sequim Valley Airport boasts a 3500 sq. ft. as well as a lit runway. It'll probably be the biggest space I've ever flown and should be amazing! It'll be a fun filled day with the guys as well as a chance to contribute to something great!

2012 Flying Giants Wenatchee Huckfest!!!

2012-09-11T10:44:00.008-07:00

For the guys that didn't make it out there's just 3 words, BEST WEEKEND EVER!!! Everyone that was there knows what I'm talking about! The caliber of pilots and talent was amazing and the event was just bigger and badder than before. Non stop flying from kids to pros and everything in between. It was awesome to see the boys again as it's been way too long. Even better to meet the new guys and welcome them to the unregulated, no size or noise restriction world that I love so dear...

Nothing but big sky at the Red Apple Flyers club! The facility is first class with power at every table, full clubhouse with his/hers bathrooms and showers, and even full RV hookups for up to 20 campers or RV's. Thanks Dman for the panorama!

I had the privilege of coming to the huck with the Valley View RC team. Even with a packed row of tents from individuals and major sponsors we still stood out in the pack! I went last year and had a blast and thrilled that Tom Denney even had a blast with this year's pack of animals!

Just a few great shots of my bird making a pass, the 4 way "cluster" hover, and David Mahan gettin dirty low with his 42%'r.

One event that I'd never tried before but is always a hit is the "dunking for apples." Essentially it's a shot to dunk your rudder in this teeny tiny pool of water for a high five and a nod as a badge of honor.

A few stepped up but even fewer actually nailed it! Here's my run at it.

Another great thing about this event is it attracts the TRUE GIANTS. Just a few of the 100cc+ monsters that were tossed around like ragdolls this weekend. Kyle Woyshnis with his new 170cc pride and joy, me with the 42% Aeroworks 260, and Harv with his 100cc Slick prototype.

At the fun doesn't stop when the sun goes down! The big sky and flood lights provided a midnight sun and coupled with Aurora RC Lights, RC just went to the next level.

Now it wouldn't be the Huckfest without a little carnage. Every year we have to make a balsa sacrifice to the Huck and this year there were many... For those less fortunate airframes we gave them the goodbye they had earned by way of the Viking Funeral...

One thing that was surely not forgotten was the future of the hobby. Not only were the kids encouraged to attend, there events exclusively for them through the course of the weekend.

It was long exciting weekend filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows (literally!) For me it was a success as I made it home with everything as it arrived. This may be my favorite pic but it sums it up perfectly. It's just a snapshot of Little Tim taking a break from the sun but is a perfect representation of how I feel even a few days later.

Thanks again to the Flying Giants, the Red Apple Flyers, PAU and all the great sponsors. I can't wait til next year!!!

35% Aeroworks Extra 260 and Aurora RC lights!

2012-07-25T22:59:00.001-07:00

Chalk up another happy customer to Valley View, Aeroworks, and Aurora RC!!! A few weeks ago I maidened my 35% Extra 260 from Aeroworks with my trusty DLE-111 and DLE canisters. My goal was to have a giant scale plane that still flew like a 50cc "hucker" but met the 90db noise restrictions enforced by a few local clubs. Along with Hitec HS-7955tg servos all the way around, it far surpassed my expectations and is easily the best flying 35% plane I've flown yet!

Since it's part of their "Quick Build" series the whole thing went from box to air in less than a week! They claim 8-10 hours, but I'd hate to see what one looks like that got pumped out the quickly... In true Aeroworks fashion fit and finish was perfect and CG was exactly where expected. The only hiccup along the way was correcting the airflow over my overly sensative carb with the provided baffling kit.

I only had a dozen or so flights on her before I took her to the 2012 IMAA event this last weekend, but that is where I finally had the chance to stretch her out and let her shine! The Red Aero scale pilot and Sulliven Skywriter were just a few of the finishing touches. Little Tim was the best pit crew ever and couldn't help but shine Dad's plane and tow it back after every flight! (Look at his hand...)

When I was confident she was dialed in and ready, the fun really began with the Aurora RC lights! The visibility is excellent and even far away can easily be oriented. This is the 3rd plane these lights have been on, but so far they have been tough and bright, even when stress tested on a "hard landing..."

Thanks to Tim Roy for shooting a great video of my maiden night flight on this big bird! The big 260's color scheme was easy to orient in the sky and could be easily seen even on the widest passes.

Tim Hanstine flying his giant plane at night from Tim Roy on Vimeo.

Overall it was all a great success and I hope to keep this one around for a while! Even the last few tanks have become more comfortable, and the way I outfitted her I know it'll be a while before I outgrow her (if ever at all!)

Gary Weaver's Field 2012 Fly In!

2012-06-25T21:56:00.001-07:00

SupaTim here just checking back into reality! I can honestly say I've never experienced anything like the weekend at Weaver's field. Located in Othello, WA (about 4 hours away from me) I knew if I was going to make the drive I'd better make it worth it! Packed to the brim in a borrowed trailer (thanks Tom Denney) and pulled by a borrowed RV (thanks Mom and Dad) I was on my way all by myself for 3 days with no kids or distractions (thanks to my super awesome wife!)

First of all it's not a club field, it's one amazing guy who had the dream of creating the best place for him and his buddies to fly! It's an amazing spread and my only complaint is that my feet are sore from having to wear shoes again as I spent most of the weekend barefoot on the hard packed fairway grass... The "pits" were lined with longer softer "soft rough." It was tough to not just lay down in it and take a nap every time I sat down to take a break from almost nonstop flying!

The range of planes was probably the most unbelievable part of the trip. I've never even seen a Moki Radial running in person let alone 2 at the same time!!! Top shelf planes lined the runway the whole length of the field. Here's a few of my favorites but there were so many HUGE warbirds both composite and scratch built as well as 24 ft. + gliders, giant scratch built cubs, and much much more! BTW the Shrike in the pics below was electric and swung twin 24x10 Mejlik props, and could climb indefinitely...

The full scale hangars were multipurposed. Stocked with spare props, every tool you could ever need for both RC and full scale, as well as a full kitchen they were always a buzz with activity. Even during a 15 minute freak monsoon/hailstorm they were instant shelter! At night the "energy efficient" rolled their birds in so they wouldn't have to break them down. "Chef Mike" was on duty making the best breakfast $5 could buy as well as lunches for anyone who needed burgers and dogs on the grill! It truly was an all inclusive weekend.

Part of what really made the weekend was the hospitality of all that were in attendance. Gary and friends welcomed me as a stranger with open arms and after a brief demonstration that I wasn't just a knuckle dragging 3D guy I knew I was welcome to come back! Pro Bro Steve made it out and I'm glad he did. He brought our new mascot and we all had such a good time it wouldn't have been the same without him. He probably ripped more flights on his 42% Raven this weekend then he did all last year!

Gary Weaver was kind enough to extend the indefinite invite to all who came. I can guarantee It won't be the last time I go over there and the next time you guys are definitely invited and have to find a way to make it out! BTW there's plenty more pics and video to come and LOTS of high res of the Mokis...

DLE-35r and Slipstream RV8 from Valley View RC!

2012-06-15T13:28:00.004-07:00

Hey there boys, thought I'd post a few pics of the new bird I maidened this morning with the new DLE-35r from Valley View RC!!! We got the engine in on Wednesday afternoon at Valley View RC and promptly bolted it up to run it. 20 minutes of bench running and tuning later it seemed like we couldn't get a plane together fast enough to fly this new beast!

There's a few other threads on the engine itself so I won't bore you with that. Instead here's a few pics of it on the new Slipstream RV-8. The "build" was quick and painless and although the bolt pattern is as little different than the DLE-30, the standoffs and general dimensions are the same. Angled plug fit between the down tubes of the stock muffler and the whole thing was a slam dunk. One more neat thing on the 35r vs the 30 is there is a precast choke slot/guide on the right side of the engine. Made a manual choke geometry stupid simple!

First flight was ridiculously smooth. Even on a first flight the DLE-35r idled smoothly at around 16-1700 rpm with a 19x8 Xoar Sword. Top end rpm was 7700 on the ground and unloaded who knows?! I have a stack of planes I've stashed away waiting for an engine like this and now that I know it's an absolute brute, it looks like it's time to dust them off..

Lift off was about 1/4 throttle and vertical was unlimited just above half! The RV-8 is comfortable at both high and super slow speeds with no bad stall habits. The flaps aren't necessary for landing but incredibly effective. I snuck in 5 flawless 10 minute flights before it was time to go. The last few flights the engine picked up a few rpm so I know it'll be a quick break-in. Having flown a DLE-30 I can easily say it's a smoother, sleaker DLE by far, not to mention the extra "grunt" from the extra displacement. It's not my typical style of plane but I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of me with this baby!

EG Aircraft 100cc MX2

2012-06-10T00:30:00.002-07:00

It's been a few weeks since the Big Bird meet and there's so much to catch up on! First and foremost is my new Big Bird Hucker from EG Aircraft. With the death of my SBach I was in need of replacement in the 100cc class. Good fortune presented me with a deal I couldn't refuse on an MX2 that was all up and ready to go with little to nothing for time on her. From the videos I've seen and feedback from other locals I wasn't going to be disappointed!

The new bird is a 100cc class EG Aircraft MX2. It's a slight color variation of the Gary Ward scheme but the true patriot in me fully embraces the homage to Captain America! The DLE-111 and canister mufflers yank the 27 lb plane around like a rag doll while Hitec HS-7955TG's keep it locked in with literally double the torque necessary.

Initial flights revealed that CG is dead on with the factory recommended position. Even with the weight of canisters mufflers to keep her quiet and a scale pilot from Red Aero RC she tracks straight as an arrow both upright and inverted. A little tuck to the gear in a true knife edge, but nothing a 3% rudder to elevator mix couldn't fix!

With the plane all dialed in a few dozen daytime flights under my belt, why let the fun stop when the sun goes down?! I'll keep it short and sweet and let the pictures and video tell the story, but the lights by Aurora RC are AMAZING!!!

Bottom line this is one of the best 100cc birds I've owned yet and I'm looking forward to many, many flights to come. Stay tuned for more catch up on the last 30 days of mayhem at the NCC!!

2012 Zillah Big Bird Opener!

2012-05-04T10:46:00.001-07:00

It's taken me almost a week to recover from the incredible weekend at Ben's Field in Zillah, WA. I was fortunate to make it out there for the Spring Big Bird Opener and all I can say is what an event! Located on the other side of the Yakima Valley, the YVAM boasts a 400ft paved runway with just as much runoff on either side. Be warned, the sun comes up early! This shot was at 5:15AM but I couldn't be more pleased with the field or weather.

It's rare you find a field with a paved strip, plenty of soft grass, utilities, and unlimited sky, but I found them all in one place. For the pure spectators there's also elevated parking on the hill, best view of the valley by far!

And now for the good stuff, the planes! The Spring Opener attracts all types from all over the Pacific NW. Giant scale aerobats, warbirds, jets, helis, pylons, flying lawnmowers and more flock by the hundreds. Here's a few of my favorites (that I didn't bring.) I didn't get as many pcitures as I'd like since I spent most of my time flying...

You better believe I came well equipped for the long weekend. I was lucky enough to borrow a trailer so I packed it with everything I could! Tough to see but there's 9 planes, 4 gallons of fuel, 5 gallons of smoke, a sample of every prop Xoar makes (for show and tell), and more batteries than I care to admit to.

Nothing like flying with your buds! The Huckfest 3 musketeers (SupaTim, Dirty Low Dave, and Matt-tastic) laid down another great session of follow the leader for the Saturday noontime demo. JetMan Joe and Vitter made a cameo and little did they know they were "volunteered" for noontime demos as well, in true 3D Flashmob fashion they didn't fail to wow the crowd! Joe saw 162mph on one pass on his EDF jet, not bad for a maiden! Poor Vic stunned the crowd with the biggest Electric plane most of they'd ever seen and was forced to answer the endless "how big, how much, how fast...)

Even with a few "incidents" it was still the greatest RC weekend I've had yet. Will I go next year? Try and stop me!!!

Let's try this again!

2012-04-12T15:00:00.001-07:00

After a lot of searching finally found the real life reset button on my Yak55SP! A few weeks ago had an "incident" with old faithful and went from hovering and a strong pull out to a big pile of kindling...

Work has been a real inconvenience on my RC life but after a few long nights here's 2.0 in all her glory! Thanks again to Valley View RC for helping me get her back on her feet. Snuck in a maiden + 4 flights and she's just as sweet as the first one! Only difference is this one doesn't have 300+ flights on it so the hinge pins are tight and now there's NO slop! Now that Spring is here you better believe this is just the beginning of a great season!

Still running the trusty DLE-55 on the nose with the Xoar 23x8 carbon fiber prop. UNLIMITED power at a price you can't beat.

Hitec HS-7954SH digital steel gear servos on all surfaces guide this baby straight as an arrow and at 333oz or torque per servo provide more than enough power to keep it there!

Did the rudder horns different this time. Before I opted for the horns at the bottom of the rudder, worked fine but on inspection of the last carcass discoverd hardpoints in the center of the rudder. When I looked deep inside the fuse also found exit tubing for pull-pull above the stabs?! Figured geometrically it's more of a solid link, in the air it was even better than expected!

One of the reasons this bird flies soooo well is the fact it is stretched a little from scale. At 82" it's lean and mean! The Yak55 by nature has a broader surface on the side which helps it in low speed/high alfa flight, but the SP has a raised turtle deck compared to the M.

There's ample space in the fuse for whatever you want to put in there, but the one thing I like to do is KEEP IT SIMPLE! Good products properly installed shouldn't have to rely on multiple failsafes. With a little thought and planning it's easy to keep it all clean and simple.

All in all she's definitely a keeper. Keep your eyes peeled as this great plane should be in regular production this summer.

Finally some nice weather at the NCC!

2012-03-22T23:20:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung and that means liquid sunshine most of the week. I couldn't take it any longer so I played hookie on the last hour of my work day and snuck off to the NCC. I had some major RC catching up to do so I brought out the biggest, loudest, gas guzzler I owned and burned as much fuel as possible!! The trusty Yak has been put through wringer in the last year, but the TMM-106i still seems to gets better every flight out.

Had so much fun I didn't see the canopy monster sneak up on me until it was too late... Thank God for Spring and looking forward to way more to come!

3DHS 51" Slick and plug and play lights!

2012-03-02T23:51:00.001-08:00

It's been a cold, windy, wet spring but it won't stop me from having some fun! A few weeks back I picked up the new 51" AJ Slick from a buddy on RCG. I teetered between my faithful 48" Edge and the new Slick as they both use about the same power system and were similar in size. Boy was I wrong...

Not only is the Slick 3 inches bigger in both length and wing span, it's a much bigger fuselage. Don't get me wrong, the 48" Edge is an amazing platform for extreme aerobatics, but the Slick makes the same maneuvers seem effortless. You do sacrifice a few ounces in weight but it translates to just enough mass to lock into rock solid harriers and rediculous pop tops and KE spins.

Oh and it doesn't stop there! Thanks to Michael Holman (more info here) I lit this baby up in less than half an hour. He's in the early stages of an inexpensive alternative to strip LED's for night flying but and man what a result. The beauty of the whole thing is that the lights illuminate the plane instead of your face as you try and look at your plane! At 26 grams the weight is not even noticeable other than the fact that the world is dark and the night is your playground!

Northwest Model Hobby Expo

2012-02-16T15:15:00.000-08:00

For me it's just like waiting for Christmas, but finally it came... The Northwest Model Hobby Expo is the greatest gathering of all things RC and hobby related in the NorthWest. Hobby lovers from all over WA, OR, and ID gather to walk the aisles for the latest and greatest of all things RC. As well as the new vendors there are about 200 swap meet tables that are sold out months in advance!

This was the wide angle shot of the Valley View RC booth. I had the pleasure of helping out this year with making gas powered dreams come true! The display planes ranged from 20cc Aeroworks profile to the 170cc Aeroworks Extra 260!

Here's my 50cc Yak55SP on display with the newest addition to the SupaTim fleet. The "Sunkist" orange V3 100cc Goldwing Sbach 342 is ready and waiting for a little attention, but that build will happen sooner than later...

One of the most beautiful Cardens I've ever seen was on display and won top honors for paint and monokote scheme. This baby was a few years old, but was the first of it's kind to sport the Gary Ward MX airshow scheme.

At one point I swore off helis but if I were to jump into a biggun' this would be the one. 26cc two stroke gas swinging 6 ft of blades!!!

All in all the show was amazing. It was my first attempt at indoor flying (went well BTW) and definitely not my last... I picked up a few goodies while I was there so stay tuned as I put it all together in the next few weeks!

More great flying from Joe Smith!

2012-02-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

Spring showers have finally caught up to our freakishly nice NW weather so it's time to turn to the web for inspiration. For you Futaba lovers, you'll love this video. It's the newest video of Joe Smith from 3D Hobby Shop and his 8FG showing stick movements. Totally inspiring me to the max even if he's a finger flyer! I love his style: Low, Loud (stock exhaust), and Huckin in a hayfield!!

Flying People?!

2012-01-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

Call me an egomaniac but I usually only post about my wacky adventures but when I saw this I had to share with the world. In hindsight homeland security probably frowns against this but I'm sure it was pretty cool to see!

Time to dust off the big birds!

2012-01-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

We're halfway through winter in the NW and that means one thing, water and lots of it. Water in the sky, water on the ground, water seeping into your bones... The beauty of living within 10 minutes of the NCC means that any time there's even a chance of dry weather I'm going to take full advantage of it! The big Yak 54 has been giving me sad eyes all winter long so I finally got a chance to dust her off and let her rip!

It's tough to tell from the pic but this is the 104" Yak about to dip her tail in the drink! I'm not sure what the allure is to keep trying to do it but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to "get wet!"

Capt Tom brought out the 100cc PAU Ultimate with probably the strongest running DA100 I've heard yet. To see it fly you'd never guess it was a 30 lb + plane. Maybe it was the fact that it's been waiting on the bench for the last few months to come out and strut it's stuff but as always it put on a great show for everone there.

Spring keeps peeking it head out once in a while so you better believe real flying season is almost here. Stay tuned for more mayhem at the No Club Club!!

HobbyKing Funfighters!

2012-01-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was up at Marymoore where I witnessed Robert's little white blur... Somehow I got bit by the go-fast bug but didn't know where to turn. Fast forward a few weeks to New Year's Day at Flaming Geyser and the sky was filled with these little monsters called "FunFighters" and from that point I knew I had to have one...

Long story short, USPS showed up with this bad boy and a half hour later she was ready for the skies! There are about 12 different warbirds in the series so knowing that anyone I fly with will most likely go with one of the classic US planes I opted for the BF-109 and the opportunity to rewrite history... Since it's receiver ready it was put together as quickly as it took the 2 4s 850mah nanotech packs to charge.

A quick peek at what's in the box. The fuselage and wings are one piece molded and painted EPO so it's just a matter of gluing tail feathers into the molded and cutout locations. Servos, motor, and ESC are preinstalled, elevator horns just needed to be glued in and connected. THAT'S IT!

Daylight couldn't come fast enough but when it did you better believe I didn't let the 28 degree morning hold me back! Although it only takes a 3s 850mah pack to fly, I opted for the 4s set up and all I can say is it is everything I'd hoped for and more! For a 3 channel setup it flies straight and smooth and at the recommended CG (50mm from leading edge) WOT flight is as smooth and uneventful as a creeping crawl.

So far today I logged 6 flights and am proud to say that not only is it still in one piece, it's put me into the 100mph club!!! Looking forward to all the high speed adventures to come...

Nothing like a great shot!

2012-01-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

When I'm out hucking a club or field, I'm so focused on making it look good that sometimes I wish I could just step back and see how it looks outside of the blinders... A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to have a local photographer capture a few GREAT shots on a clear December day in the NW at the Mt Ranier club. You gotta love a great backdrop too!

Great shot of the Valley View Yak55SP churning out another roller.

Jet Man Joe's old MX-2 locked into a nice harrier.

One of these days I'll find someone to take some great video. Guess I'll have to string together a sequence instead of just hovers and rollers... Time to start practicing!

Who needs a truck anyways, part II...

2011-12-30T23:17:00.000-08:00

I got the text for a 3D flash mob at Flaming Geyser and couldn't get packed fast enough, or could I? Santa dropped off a few planes for me to maiden over the winter break but I still had my go-to huckers that I don't leave home without. Rather than cram it all in and hope for the best I managed to get 4 planes (ranging from 40 size electrics to 55c gassers,) two helis, a radio box, and fuel can strategically placed.

I guess all those days of putting puzzles together as a kid finally paid off! A few of my favorites from left to right:

25% SD Models E-purposed Yak

Aeroworks .60 - .90 ProX260 QB "Freestyle"

Valley View Yak 55SP (new release for 2012)

3D Hobby Shop 48" Edge 540 (the Buck and a Half)

HAVE PLANES AND WILL TRAVEL...

Merry Christmas from the Supa's!!!

2011-12-25T14:59:00.001-08:00