Paper airplanes are cheap, easy to make, and fun for both children and adults. This article will show you how to make excellent paper airplanes, and allow you to download and print some exciting models. All of the paper airplanes shown here are free for download, so click, print, and enjoy!
- The Best Paper Airplane In The World – Michael O’Reilly provides instructions for folding an excellent paper airplane on his website. This plane is a little challenging to fold, but it flies as well as the balsa wood gliders found in craft stores. Once you get the hang of folding this paper airplane, other paper airplane designs pale in comparison. After you manage to fold it, try downloading some printable patterns and making colored airplanes.
- Scale Piper J3 Cub – Building this scale model makes a great weekend project, and while it’s not a flying model it makes a great display piece. The model prints out on one sheet, and includes instructions. You will need: scissors, a hobby knife, a ruler, a pencil, and some white glue. Print the model off on card stock – available at most craft stores.
- World Record Paper Plane – This paper plane design holds the current paper airplane flight duration record, at 27.6 seconds. Folding this paper airplane is relatively easy, but try to crease the nose folds firmly – it helps prevent crimping the nose later in the folding process.
- Flat Nose Paper Airplane – The flat nose is extremely easy to build, and flies well without much adjustment. The flat nose flies best indoors, tossed gently from an elevated platform. Try bending one wing slightly downward, which will cause a gentle downward spiral and very long flight times.
We hope that you enjoy folding and flying these great paper planes.
Spread spectrum technology represents the latest advancement in RC radio control systems. This article will show you how spread spectrum technology works, and introduce you to some of the technical terms which you may encounter.
Unlike conventional PPM (pulse position modulation) and PCM (pulse code modulation) radio systems which operate on distinct frequencies, spread spectrum radios broadcast over a large range of frequencies simultaneously. These frequencies are all members of the 2.4 Ghz band, which removes them from the frequencies often used by other communication devices. Because of this, spread spectrum radio systems are already immune to interference caused by non RC radio systems.
Spread Spectrum technology has another advantage though: there is no need for frequency control.
Spread spectrum radio systems broadcast over a multitude of radio frequencies, and the user is never aware of what they are. This works because:
- The transmitter is assigned a unique identification code when it is manufactured.
- The receiver is programmed to seek and lock to this same code.
- After the transmitter is powered on, it encodes the signals it sends with its identification code.
- The receiver scans for this code, and locks to the frequencies that the transmitter is operating on.
Each identification code is globally unique, meaning that no other radio system is using it. Because of this, the individual frequencies that the radio is operating on are irrelevant, so as a result an unlimited number of spread spectrum radios can operate simultaneously.
The most noticeable consequence of this technology is that spread spectrum radios are immune to radio interference. Spread spectrum radios also allow an extremely fast servo response time, because the entire encoding, decoding, and execution of radio commands happens in milliseconds.
Spread spectrum technology is becoming more prevelant in RC radio systems, and will shortly replace conventional FM radio systems entirely.
RC Airplanes August 5, 2008
Takeoffs are one of the easiest maneuvers to perform with your RC model airplane, but some pilots still have difficulty executing smooth and consistent takeoffs. This article will show you a surefire way to perform smooth, controlled takeoffs – no matter which model you’re flying.
- Plan the Takeoff – All takeoffs are performed into the wind. Most flying fields have a windsock near the runway so that pilots can accurately judge the direction and intensity of the wind. Be sure to check the windsock before flying and position your RC model airplane accordingly. You should also look for a landmark (a bush, tree, or other object) over which to complete the initial turn after climb out.
- Position the Aircraft – Position the RC model airplane on the centerline of the runway so that it’s nose faces into the wind
- Choose a Pilot Station – Some RC model airplane flying fields have marked positions for RC model airplane pilots to stand on when flying. If this is the case at your location, choose one close to your RC model airplane.
- Advance the Throttle – Smoothly and rapidly advance the throttle to full. Advancing the throttle quickly gives you better control during the takeoff, because it moves air over the control surfaces faster.
- Accelerate – As the RC model airplane accelerates down the runway keep it aligned with small taps of rudder. If you are flying a tail dragger, then hold a small amount of up elevator during your initial takeoff roll. This can prevent the RC model airplane from nosing over into the ground.
- Climb – After your RC model airplane gains sufficient speed pull back gently and begin climbing. Do not climb too steeply, or you risk inducing a low altitude stall. Just hold the RC model airplane in a straight and gradual climb. Correct any bank by tapping the aileron (or rudder) stick briefly. Plan your climb so that you have sufficient altitude to make a turn over the landmark chosen earlier
- Begin the Initial Turn - After your RC model airplane arrives at the target location, level off and reduce throttle to ½. Turn in the desired direction by banking the aircraft and letting it turn while maintaining altitude.
Take a look at this video, which shows a takeoff done by the above procedure.
We hope that this procedure helps you perform great takeoffs, every time.
You should always balance your RC model airplane propellers before using them. Running your RC model airplanes with properly balanced propellers will increase motor or engine lifespan, prevent fuel from foaming, and even extend the life of your electronic components. This article will show you how to balance your RC model airplane propellers using simple and inexpensive equipment.
The best way to balance your RC model airplane propellers is to use one of the many prebuilt balancers available. Blade balancers usually come in two varieties:
- finger prop balancers – sufficient for most modelers, you can get good results using a simple blade balancer for 5 to 10 dollars depending on the supplier. Great Hobbies has a balancer which works sufficiently well to balance most model airplane props.
- magnetic prop balancers – produce highly accurate results and are usually more expensive than finger balances.
Use the blade balancer by unscrewing the two metal rings and then placing your propeller in between them. Tighten the metal rings so that the prop doesn’t move and support the entire apparatus with one finger tip on each hand. The prop is balanced if it remains motionless. If it tips forward or backward then you will have to adjust it according to the following procedure:
- Mark the heavy side (which tips downwards) with a felt tip pen.
- Sand one side of the propellers heavy end with medium to fine grit sandpaper. Do not sand the propeller tip – this will cause a dynamic imbalance when the engine is running.
- After removing a very small amount of material from the heavy side of the propeller, test it again using your blade balancer.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the propeller remains motionless while held in the blade balancer.
This procedure will balance your propeller accurately enough to eliminate the most severe vibration during flight. 3D aerobatics, racing, or other demanding flying requires propellers to be balanced more precisely. You can get a higher end magnetic balancer for 20 to 30 dollars. It’s usage is about the same as the finger balancer except that the propeller is held between two magnets.
Check your propeller’s balance using the above method and be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions when putting the propeller in the balancer.
RC Airplanes August 1, 2008
We all know the phrase “a good landing starts with a good approach”, but what exactly does it mean? This article will answer that question and show you how to consistently make accurate approaches and great landings with your RC model airplanes.
Mastering the Approach
If you can approach the runway straight on and at the right altitude, then landing will be extremely easy. Follow this procedure to get your models properly lined up for landing and avoid some of the common mistakes which can lead to crashes:
- Before flying, walk to the center line of the runway and face into the wind.
- Try to judge the best location to start your descent; and look for a tree, hill or other easy to see object near the spot that you choose.
- Plan to turn towards the runway as soon as your plane crosses the reference line you chose.
- Judge how much wind there is, and correct your approach path during during your descent as needed.
One major mistake that pilots make is beginning their descent so that the RC model airplane doesn’t face into the wind. When this happens, the wind blows the airplane off course and you will have to correct for it.
You can prevent having to make any corrections at all by properly lining up the RC model airplane with the field before you start your descent. The key is to “crab”, or turn the plane slightly, into the wind so that it flies straight. This way, you can focus on maintaining a good approach speed and altitude, instead of constantly correcting for deviations caused by the wind.
We hope that this article helps you make great landings every time.