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Check out this video featuring a team of engineers—brilliant, inventive, and maybe just a little bit crazy—as they put a cardboard airplane to the test for human flight. Would you trust a plane made primarily of cardboard? Would you fly it? There’s only one way to find out how this story ends, watch the video and see how it all “unfolds!”

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Assuming that there is a willingness to take steps to increase flying activity at your club, please don’t let perfect be the enemy of good! That is, just because you can’t do everything that has worked for other clubs doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do anything. Giving a few of these strategies a try is certainly better than doing nothing at all.

>All successful clubs promote a policy of never allowing a spectator to sit off to the side by themselves; rather, they encourage their members to introduce themselves and, if the spectator expresses an obvious interest, invite them to check out the planes and to sit with the members. Furthermore, it’s counterproductive to send a new visitor/potential member home with instructions to search for the information they’ll need to get started in the sport. Newbies don’t yet know what questions to ask, so have all the printed forms needed to join the club and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (and, if possible, a printout of an RTF basic trainer) ready to hand out to interested spectators before they leave.

>When talking with a potential member, current club members refrain from airing dirty laundry and discussing tales of failure. Instead, they accentuate the positives of how technology is making it easier than ever before to fly and that, by joining the club, he or she will have access to a dedicated flying site and experienced pilots who can offer advice when needed.

>As long as a person’s equipment is airworthy, leaders of clubs with high retention rates hold off on pointing out everything they would change or improve upon, and do their best to help that person experience as soon as possible the thrill of seeing his or her airplane in the air.

>Unless it’s appropriate, leaders of active clubs avoid framing a member’s equipment as inferior and trying to persuade him or her to purchase ever more complex/expensive equipment under the guise that it will make that person a better flier. Instead, they emphasize that the main things are to have fun within the flier’s comfort zone and that, while good equipment is important, correct practice is a lot more important.

>Rather than promoting 3D flying and complex 3D equipment setups as thebe all and end all after learning to fly, leaders of successful clubs give practical recommendations based on what they feel gives each member the greatest likelihood of success based on that person’s immediate skills and interests. That is, effective leaders correct the impression that the route to becoming a better pilot is to mold oneself after the club’s best 3D flier; they, instead, hype the fact that the awesome (unique) thing about the hobby is that there are so many different options available to pilots and that they can change their interests any time they want.

BYDAVE SCOTT / R/C Flight School

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X0126A Hi-Max Materials List

Hi-Max FF Sheet (24 x 36)

Hi-Max Electric Sheet 1 (36 x 48)

Hi-Max Electric Sheet 2 (36 x 48)

The post Free Plans! Build Your Own Hi-Max appeared first on Model Airplane News.

I made the louvers using 30-minute epoxy glue and a 2-ounce fiberglass cloth. I made a forming mold so that all the louvers would look the same. Using a Dremel Moto-Tool with a Robart carbide grinding bit, I cut the shape of the louver into the edge of a hardwood block.

I coated the mold with wax to act as a releasing agent so that the epoxy would not stick to the mold. I melted some candle wax in a disposable aluminum foil dish simply by placing the dish on top of my covering iron. I turned the iron to full power and held it in a bench vise, then placed the dish filled with ordinary sealing wax on top. Once the wax had melted, I dipped the wooden forming mold into the melted wax to coat the surface. I did this several times until the surface was smooth and completely sealed.

With the wood form held in a small vise, I laid three layers of 2-ounce glass cloth on top of the mold. I used a disposable acid brush to apply the resin and to press the fiberglass layers neatly into the recess in the mold. Once the epoxy had cured, it was easy to remove the formed louver from the mold. I trimmed away the excess fiberglass using a sharp pair of scissors, and then I lightly sanded the edges smooth. After making two louvers, I recoated the mold with another dip into the hot wax.

To install the louvers on the model, mark the position for your louvers and cut the air-vent openings so that the louvers neatly cover them. Depending on the paint scheme of your model, you can prime and paint the louvers separately, or simply glue them into place and paint the model. This technique is quick and easy to do. Properly molded louvers add a lot to a scale model, and having functioning louvers will keep your model’s engine happy, too.

ONE
The louver shape is formed in a hardwood block using a Dremel Moto-Tool and a carbide bit.

TWO
The wax is melted in an aluminum foil dish on top of a covering iron.

THREE
Dipping the plug into the melted candle wax forms a smooth surface, which acts as a parting agent.

FOUR
The hardwood plug is coated with candle wax.

FIVE
Thirty-minute epoxy is brushed onto the mold, and three layers of 2-ounce fiberglass cloth is added. Apply epoxy between each layer so that all the layers are fully saturated.

SIX
Once the epoxy has cured, the louver can be easily removed. The louver can now be trimmed using a sharp pair of scissors. Be sure to leave a small mounting flange around the base of the louver.

To make the louver functional, air-vent openings have to be cut into the fuselage skin where the louver will be
located.

Here, you see the louvers glued over the openings. For the Albatros, there are two louvers on the right side and two on the left.

The post Easy DIY Scale Louvers appeared first on Model Airplane News.

Kudos to CARF-Models on this remarkable scale achievement. Just as they are in the full-size jet, the turbines are mounted low and forward in the fuselage, feeding specially designed dual-wall thrust tubes that exit above the wings. Stainless heat shielding and cooling airflow protect the composite structure, resulting in a model that’s as smartly engineered as it is stunning to watch fly.

The post Stealth at the RC Flying Field? appeared first on Model Airplane News.

By coordinating rudder deflection with the aileron (rudder moving in the same direction), you prevent the nose from skidding to the left. Adverse yaw is thus prevented; banks and corrections, even rolls, will be smooth and axial, and you will feel more connected to the plane.

When a loop-or any maneuver related to one-is performed in a crosswind, the airplane will drift sideways with the wind during the slower portion of the loop. This drift will generally happen as the plane rounds over the top of the loop. Consequently, a loop that was entered on a parallel flight path with the runway will exit downwind-no longer tracking parallel. If you don’t use the rudder, you will have to do a number of corrections afterwards to reestablish the preferred parallel track taken at the start of the loop.

To correct cross-wing drift, apply rudder in the opposite direction the wind is blowing. For example, if the crosswind will blow the plane to the left, a right-rudder wind correction would prevent it. Ailerons are for keeping the wings level before and during a loop. Don’t try to correct wind drift by creating a new [wing] deviation using aileron; sideways wind drift is a function of yaw, not roll.

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The Tufnut was born out of the frustrations of many first-time builders who struggled with their early attempts at rubber-powered models. Its designer set out to solve those common pitfalls, offering step-by-step instructions and practical tips—especially when it came to covering with tissue and finishing with dope, two of the trickiest skills for beginners. By tackling the problem areas head-on, the article helped countless hobbyists achieve a warp-free, flight-ready model.

What makes the Tufnut stand out is its unique solid balsa fuselage, cleverly slotted to contain the rubber motor inside, instead of the usual stick with a motor dangling beneath. The result is a model that’s sturdy, forgiving, and quick to put together. Perfect for newcomers eager to build their first successful flyer—or for experienced hobbyists who want a fun project to share with a child or grandchild.

Whether you’re here to relive some nostalgia, discover a hidden gem, or simply add another build to your workshop, the Tufnut is proof that a well-designed model never goes out of style. 

Tufnut Plan & Article

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The post 10-Foot-Span Tankbuster appeared first on Model Airplane News.

I used my CAD program to draw up a simple box structure with an attachment rim and then I had my buddy Pat at LaserCutUSA.com cut the parts for me. Of course you can just as easily make a similar design and reproduce similar the parts with a band saw and a drill press. The assembly is very easy to install and it took me about an afternoon to hang the engine.

I am using a Fuji 43cc with electronic ignition to power the Skyraider so I made the engine mount box/tank shelf long enough to accommodate the tank and throttle servo, with the idea that I would attach the ignition module and battery pack in front of the firewall.

I started by placing the engine over the side-view of the plans. The engine fits nicely in the cowled area of the reduced plans.

After aligning the prop hub position so it would clear the front of the cowling, using the engine’s attachment tabs I marked the new location for the firewall in the front of the mount box.

For strength, I made the sides of the box from 1/4-inch ply and the top and bottom from 1/8 inch lite-ply. I added notched the fronts of the four sides to key the 1/4-inch firewall face into place. Alignment tabs on the firewall and the aft bulkhead fit the slots as shown.

I made the firewall just wide enough to fit the engine attachment bolts, and you see here the blind nuts have been ground back to clear the sides. I also doubled up the firewall with a second layer of 1/4-inch plywood to properly seat the blind nuts. The total thickness of the firewall is 1/2 inch and the two layers are laminated together with Zap 15 Minute Epoxy. The firewall is also glued to the plywood sides with epoxy.

Once the box was glued together, I placed the box on the plans to mark the front of the main firewall.

Here are the two main parts of the engine box ready to be epoxied together.

I also had a new F-1 firewall cut with the required rectangular opening to clear the tank support section.

I then epoxied the new F-1 firewall to the front of the fuselage with slow setting epoxy and clamped it into place until the glue had cured.

I left off the bottom fuselage sheeting aft of the firewall so I could clamp the new F-1 firewall to the F-1 bulkhead.

Test fitting the box through the firewall, it  slides easily into place. The fuel tank fits snugly inside with some thin foam placed between it and the box.

I also added triangular balsa stock around the attachment rim to increase the gluing surface.

Looking through the cockpit opening, the two aft attachment points will use blind nuts and bolts to anchor the box to the fuselage’s vertical side structures. The bolts can be easily accessed through the wing saddle should you want to remove the engine and fuel system for maintenance.

Using scrap 1/4-inch ply, I set all the blind nuts so I could glue them into place for each of the six attachment bolts.

So the bolts installed, the engine is finally attached to the firewall and the engine mount box is attached to the main firewall for a solid installation.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY GERRY YARRISH

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