Another month has flown by - if you will forgive the pun - and again my work has kept me away from models more than I would like. Still I have done a few things worth reporting on this month.

Firstly an update on the powered parachute. It would appear that the size of the canopy is not enough for the total weight of the machine and batteries.Test looked really promising but it didn't have quite enough lift in the canopy to get properly airborne and so in the coming month or two it will be altered to use a Team Gear Sport Single which is one of the new range I am now producing.

This will reduce the weight by an amount equivalent to one engine, pinion gear and a 7 cell battery pack and I hope that that will do the trick.Tests of the Single motor units are very promising and using an 11 x 6 prop on the Sport version these seems to be ample power.

This leads me nicely on to my next matter of the conversion of my Butterfly trainer to electric flight.Basically if you remove the engine, muffler, throttle servo and linkage and the fuel tank, allowing for it being filled with fuel - as shown here on the left.

And replace it with a Team Gear Mini Single, Speed Controller and Battery Pack; the weight difference is not that great. I went to work on this and the whole conversion job only took me 30 minutes!I was able to use two of the existing engine mounting bars and just added a couple of quickly made aluminium strips as extra support for the motor unit. I wasn't sure if it needed these as the units run so smoothly.So this is what you add. (Picture on the right).

This is the end result, for those not familiar with the Butterfly, it is a 50 odd inch trainer of parasol type design, which comes with a pull start .15 i/c engine and 6oz fuel tank. This is a picture of the front end as it is now to give you an idea of how easy it was to convert .. This is usually the case as the units can be mounted either on the firewall with cut out to clear the gears, on a standard engine mount or on spacer to suit the position of the prop front end.

(Sorry about the mess in the background - must clear the garage out! - apart from the models hanging on the wall of course). I used to new Mini Twin unit for lightness as it uses an AP29BB engine. This gives loads of power with decent flight times and runs on a 10 x 6 prop. If you are considering one of these then let me just say that these are not you standard 400-size "Park Flyer" plastic gearbox unit! They are aluminium and steel with high strength nylon main gear and metal pinion gear that attaches with an Allen grub screw - roughing up the shaft and a dab of cyano would not hold one of these beasts!

This is a photo of the motor unit itself. If you imagine that the motor is an AP29BB (about the size of a standard 400) then it gives some idea of scale. The unit itself is 2 inches wide and really quite light.

Although it is replacing a .15 i/c motor it should be fine for models that would normally use a .20 to .25 - obviously one that can carry the weight of a pack of 7 "C" cells so the larger scale is great, but as I say Butterfly is only about 50 inch span, light and with a high lift trainer section so it gives you some idea.Check my web site out for more details on these new units.She flies great with absolutely ample power.

I have also had chance to fly the Skyflex I mentioned last month. I have converted her to use 35Mhz radio and a proportional BEC speed controller and she really is great fun. I don't know how she flew as original, I don't think I would have liked to fly her on just a switched controller, but for any one who has one sitting about I thoroughly recommend changing over to a proportional one as she is much more controllable. It was really easy with about 10 screws to get her apart, a mini 35Mhz receiver and an Xtra 30 speed controller with a little soldering.

Finally for this month I have a photo of myself - I really must do something about my weight! - Just about to launch the "Pushycat " which has had its' earlier problems solved by the change in incidence of the main wing.

I am going on holiday this month, - God knows I need one! However I will do my best for next month, but if I do miss a month please come back the next month to catch up on what has been happening.I still have the Pfalz and Spitfire Park Flyers to build and more flying with the Butterfly to fully play with the new Team Gear Single Units.The Jiant Jabberwock on the Sport Quad is also yet to review together with the powered parachute using the Sport Single unit, so watch this space.

Of course, if I come across anything interesting whilst on holiday - and Louise (my better half) knows that I will be looking - then I will just have to bring it back and tell you all about it.

Happy clean flying, keep the questions (and orders) coming and I will be back with more as soon as I can.

If you have any questions then please get in touch with Mark at:
ratby@bizonline.co.uk
or check out his web site at:
www.bizonline.co.uk/ratbyaeroplanes