The Knightflyer page III
Model Of the Month goes to ... Marvin Chase for his Great Planes Rapture 40 with a Thunder Tiger Pro .46 ARF Of the Month goes to ... You have to bring them to be nominated Tips & Tricks Cooling Your Engine If your engine is running hotter than you would like, how can you cool it down? Most people make the mistake of thinking more is better when it comes to the air inlet at the front of the cowl. This is a common error and, while it seems logical, the reverse is actually true. To properly cool your engine, you need more outlet, not more inlet. You want at least 2:1—preferably 3:1—air out to air in ratio. Otherwise, it makes a dam and the air cannot come into the cowl because it has nowhere to go out of the cowl. If you engine is not cooling properly, try blocking off the other air inlet or opening the belly of the cowl further.   Wing/Tail Alignment Get an old telescope antenna (the same type as found on transmitters). Use it as an adjustable-length measuring rod to compare critical measurements on airplanes during construction. This can help you compare the distance from one wingtip to the stabilizer and to make sure this distance is equal on both sides of the airplane. This ensures that the stabilizer is parallel to the wing. —Both from the South Bend Radio Control Club, South Bend, Indiana     Page 2		Soldering Advisories Someone suggested that the use of a soldering gun was safer than other types because it would not roll off the workbench and burn you. It should also be mentioned over and over that soldering guns have a very strong alternating current magnetic field around the tip. When brought in proximity to electric motors and servos, this magnetic field de-gausses (demagnetizes) the magnets inside the motors and servos and causes permanent damage.   I have seen several people come to the flying field with a new electric-powered airplane that does not have enough power for flight. When asked if they soldered the wires to the motor with a soldering gun, the answer is usually “yes.”   Also you should never stick the tip of a soldering gun into the airplane’s radio compartment while soldering pushrods and etc. as it will presently damage the motors inside the servos.   If you must use a soldering gun, you should stay well away from electric motors and servos, meaning at least 24 inches just to be safe —From the Rogue Eagles RC Club, Medford, Oregon Those Handy LEDs Those ubiquitous light emitting diodes (LEDs) are so handy they need to be used in even more places. Every RC transmitter should have a prominent red one on its faceplate to greatly reduce the incidence of switches being accidentally left on. And you can also use one exposed up front in your ship to assure that your receiver is or is not turned on. All you have to do it plug one into an unused channel on your receiver. And for the coil protection on a spark ignition system, a red “on” LED up front is useful as well. Not all wall chargers have them but they should! Dubro Ni-Starter chargers have handy LEDs, but for some reason I’ve had two of them fail. The chargers still work, but the LEDs stutter and kick off. Disappointing. —The Central Coast chapter of the Society of Antique Modelers, California FOR SALE GARY’S VINYL CUTTING Custom Frequency Pins $3.00 EA (1/16 aluminum screwed to a clothespin with vinyl lettering} Your AMA number 1`" High $1.00 EA (1/2” to 1” high)Custom Cutting from 1/2” - 6" High816-452-8476 or ghimes@kcnet.com

Last changed: 11/09/2008, 20:07:23