NewComers

Bob Underwood Box 40, St. Peters, MO 63376

NewComers

You've done it! You've soloed your control line or radio control model, or successfully flown your free-flight creation a number of times without a problem. Admittedly, a lot of the praise goes to the club program that helped you through this learning stage, but you did it! The arm patch or set of wings the club awarded you has become a proud addition to your flying cap.

But where do you go from here? The slightly oil-soaked and frequently patched model is still flyable, but each week when you take it to the field, it becomes less challenging and less satisfying. So where do you go next?

In an earlier column, I suggested that NewComers should think about their goals for the activity. But few actually do. So here you are, able to fly on your own now, and itching to expand your horizons. It's time to install a Slow — Proceed with Caution sign in your work area.

Let's assume that you gave some thought to your trainer's engine size, so it can be used in a more-advanced model. If it's an RC model, hopefully you were wise enough to buy a radio system that has an extra channel or two, so your second model won't constitute an additional major investment. You know that you'll spend a little more time building and finishing this model.

However, the key factor in all this is how you approach flying that next model. It's so easy to be lulled into a false sense of security regarding your skills. Often the training you've received doesn't include emergency situations. In full-scale training, the instructor will declare an emergency, shut down the engine, and force you to make critical decisions. Did that happen during your control line or radio training?

If your training involved only the development of comfortable reflex actions predicated on comfortable, predictable situations, you may be headed for an awkward, difficult time. Our basic ego level and expectations say, "I can fly!"

Unfortunately, reflexes and ability lag behind. As a result, you may suddenly find yourself doing a lot of building and/or repairing. That's why you need the caution sign. Work diligently at resisting the cockiness that often surrounds the "second-stage syndrome."

Purposeful flying

It's been suggested many times, but please let me repeat the importance of taking some portion of each flight and dedicating it to "purposeful flying." My definition of purposeful flying is simple: you tell the model what you want it to do. Often the model is flying the flier—this isn't so true in control line, but it is true in RC. The model goes somewhere and you bring it back. Then it skitters off somewhere else and you bring it back. You're always bringing the model back from some place you didn't tell it to go!

Take two or three minutes during each flight and practice a "maneuver." I'm not saying it has to be elaborate. (Yes, that is a real maneuver!) A figure eight (with the intersection right in front of you) is a great maneuver to practice. You'll have to adjust for wind, use the throttle, etc.

Another good procedure is a rectangular turn. In it, you fly a straight course in front of you, then make a 90° turn away from the flight line. This is followed by a 270° turn (the opposite direction of the 90° turn) back to you.

In RC you will find that you become accustomed to turning in only one direction. Don't let that happen! Don't let your fellow club members convince you that it's easier to turn left than it is to turn right. (Interestingly, right-handers almost always tend to turn left, if they aren't consciously thinking about the turn.)

You're the master! Direct the model to do what you want it to do!

Adhesives — a primer

I've had some questions about glues or adhesives. This can be a sticky subject (pun intended) due to individual preferences and experience. Let's look at some of the types of adhesives available, and consider their possible uses.

Aliphatic resins

• General-use "white" glues.
• Setup times vary with application thickness; setup can take several hours.
• The glue joint can be difficult to sand properly due to a tendency to "ball up."
• Generally water-soluble and may wash when wet; many of these glues have a tan color.
• User-friendly and good for general building—wing ribs to spars, fuselage sides to bulkheads, etc.
• Watch them carefully; they're slower to set and may run out of a joint (or off it) and make a puddle.

Epoxies

• Very strong; typically used for gluing in firewalls, wood-to-metal mounts, landing gear blocks, etc.
• Setup times range from a few minutes to a half hour or more. Generally, the slower the setup time, the stronger the bond.
• Setup time varies with air temperature and humidity (a five-minute epoxy used in the sun for field repairs may set considerably faster).
• Epoxies are generally considered "fuelproof" and are sometimes used to coat engine compartments.
• Epoxies have two parts that must be mixed (often 1:1 or 2:1) to begin curing.
• They do not sand well.

Cyanoacrylates (CA or "instant" glue)

• Usable for many building tasks. Setup times range from a second or so (very thin formulas) to several minutes (thicker formulas).
• An accelerator can be used to make them set up faster.
• Thin varieties will not bridge a gap unless used with a filler (e.g., microballoons). Thicker varieties can be used for gap filling.
• Thin CAs will "wick" along a joint—useful in most cases, but a disadvantage if the glue wicks into a hinge or anything that must move freely.
• CAs are very strong; usually the wood around the joint will break before the joint does.
• CA may be used on a wide range of materials. When it "fires" a significant amount of heat is generated—don't allow large quantities to touch your skin.
• If CA is used around plastic canopies, the setting process may "smoke" a portion of the plastic.
• Some individuals may be sensitive to CA and/or its fumes. (Proper workshop ventilation is important when using any adhesive, but especially with CA.)
• CA glues have revolutionized model building. Just don't let the bottle fall off the workbench and then step on it!

Contact cements

• Generally used to attach sheeting to foam wings or doublers to fuselage sides.
• Exercise extreme caution—a mistake with contact cement is usually permanent.
• Correct placement of the two parts before contact is essential.
• Make sure the contact cement you are using is compatible with the material you are bonding.
• Water-soluble cement can be used on foam; other types (like some hardware-store spray-can varieties) may attack and dissolve foam.

Traditional model glues

• If you're an old-time NewComer, the glue used 30 or 40 years ago is still around and still useful.
• Generally lacks the strength (and in some cases the versatility) of modern adhesives.
• If you use it, confine its use to low-stress joints or to smaller, lighter models. A 30-pound giant with a four-cubic-inch gas engine on the front is not a good candidate for the old glues.
• It's still fun to pick this glue off your fingers an hour after your building session. (But keep your pickings off the living room rug!)

Polyester resins

• Generally used to attach and/or fill fiberglass cloth.
• Like epoxies, these have two parts. They come in various thicknesses, from thin (for finishing surfaces) to thick (for filling or creating molded parts).
• Some experience is needed: resins are sensitive to heat and humidity, and setup times vary widely.
• The amount of catalyst used is critical. Never mix these in large amounts; setup time is much faster with large quantities.
• Resins produce heat as they set up and sand well, especially if mixed with microballoons.
• One disadvantage is the strong fumes they produce—some individuals are highly sensitive to them. They are not very user- (or wife-) friendly! If you mix resin in a disposable paper cup, use the small, unwaxed bathroom-size variety.

Other adhesives

There are a host of other specialized adhesives compounded for certain materials. As a NewComer, you probably won't use these right away.

An important factor to take into account is the reaction (or interaction) that may occur between your adhesives and other materials used on the model. I can't begin to describe all interactions here. For instance, certain finishes will not set properly over some adhesives. If you are using an unknown combination of materials, do a little testing ahead of time.

Next month I hope to have some interesting information on new AMA youth programs. Stay tuned!

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.