Young Guns Reach for the Sky

Gerard Feeney's been helping some youngsters fly their models
over in County Roscommon just lately

Radio controlled aeromodelling is a hobby/sport/obsession that's suitable for people from 8-80 - almost literally. It's nice to see people of any 'age profile' taking up the game (?), but it's especially encouraging seeing the younger age group taking to the sky. Just recently in the 'Feeney Zone' a couple of high-flying bright young things have been doing just that…

Dancing Lessons

16-year-old Donagh Cummins from Co. Mayo is 'into' R/C flying since early 2000. At this stage, after only minimal tuition here at Ballybeg, and also over at Ballina, he's a truly accomplished stick twiddler. Donagh has not only mastered the fixed-wing model flying routine with almost no crashes whatsoever, he has also during the past year taken to R/C chopper flying solo with minimum hassle and - so far - no crashes!!! Is this guy from this planet at all, one wonders?!

However, to be on the safe side, Donagh called to Ballybeg a couple of months ago for the long-awaited 'test-fright' session with his brand new 'Limbo Dancer' fun-fly machine. It was the first time I actually had to fly one of these specimens, so one did wonder what it would be like.

The model flew very well in the flat-calm but heavily overcast conditions. Needless to say, solo hand launching is no hassle and it is essentially 'interrupted free-flight' after that. But, the airborne vibe will get very 'rock 'n' roll' if needed as soon as those 'barn door' control surfaces are moved off-centre! I was quite happy doing the usual 'standard' aerobatics - but I couldn't master the 'prop hanging' routine without more practice and/or some Valium and/or an onboard gyro unit!

Of course, the model could fly very slowly but I was surprised at how fast it was at full chat - quite like a 'normal' sports model - and it needed some throttle/elevator work to actually slow it right sown. The landings were fine with good control surface responses, but it tumbled tail-over-nose quite heavily in the rough grass when the wheels touched despite the almost stationary touchdown. That was annoying! It did this on all the landings; luckily the wire undercarriage stayed in one piece! (Donagh has since flown it extensively at his place and has achieved very smooth landings with the model remaining upright most of the time on the better surface.)

Donagh was happily 'dancing' on the second flight and of course he had no trouble at all making it do just what it was supposed to do. He was chuffed to see it flying after almost a year's building and I was pleased to have the opportunity to fly my first 'Dancer' thus far!
I personally was amazed at all the nose weight that was needed to balance Donagh's Limbo Dancer before the first flight. Because the tank bay is so confined, this lead ballast had to be epoxied outside on top of the nose to a ply plate, the plate itself glued/screwed to the model. This looks terrible and, if I were building it myself, I'd modify the nose by extending the forward fuselage sides. I'd also fit a thick ply 'mount extension' base plate 'twixt mount rear and firewall front, and I'd use a metal mount as well. A silencer extension unit on the engine would help 'tip the balance' in one's favour too!

However, David Furneaux, CFI of the Longford Model Flying Club, says that he flies his own Limbo Dancer with incredibly gay abandon with the balance point a few miles behind the recommended range. David says his model goes just great in this configuration, so perhaps Donagh's model would have flown well in its apparently tail-heavy initial state? One does wonder, though, why the kit manufacturer bothered putting a balance point range on the plan at all in the first place if it flies so well without one fitted…

The other thing that irritated me was the extremely confined radio bay. Donagh used a sub-micro 'Jeti' receiver which eased the radio installation considerably. My advice to prospective Limbo Dancer purchasers is: make damn sure that your equipment is as small as possible before getting the kit!!!

Before leaving Donagh and his models, it must be said that he deserves yet more credit because, since taking up R/C flying, he's now teaching his 10-year-old neighbour to fly R/C planes as well! Young Michael O'Toole has been flying a Multiplex electric-powered 'Pico-Cub' with Donagh's help during the last year and, come 2002, one is confident that even more 'uplifting' model flying sessions will be on the cards over in Co. Mayo! More power to their model flying elbows, I say!

Trainer Tamer!

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Eoin Grenham from Co. Westmeath has arrived on the scene with a bang - and an ARTF 'Tutor 40' trainer! Eoin looks like another committed aeromodelling youngster, having already made significant progress at Ballybeg. Now, Eoin's got his new flight box unit sorted and hopes to return to the 'Tutor tutorial' in the near future after his recent enforced layoff. And that's not all. Eoin's expecting an exciting Xmas delivery in the shape of an ARTF P-40 'Warhawk' which, all going well, should be flying sometime in 2002! But, there's the remaining basic training to get through yet. With Eoin's outlook/attitude, I'm sure he'll get through it all with 'flying colours' ASAP!

I should mention that, having flown the Tutor 40 in both flat-calm, very choppy, and downright intimidating weather conditions, it hates the windy conditions!!! Eoin's model was absolutely beautiful in the flat-calm weather, but it was horrible in the wind! It became unsmooth and jerky and, whilst I could handle it okay myself, its airborne manners weren't conducive to relaxed/laid-back model flight training. The slight tailplane/mainplane misalignment on this particular model may have been partially to blame; but if you have that trainer, do choose the calmer weather conditions for your lessons in the early learning stages.

Personally speaking, I detest ARTF models, but the build/finish quality of the Tutor 40 seems quite good, and the full-colour photo-illustrated assembly manual appears encouragingly well laid out. Even the control surfaces are factory-fitted and pre-pinned, which is a major beginner's headache taken care of already! The kit seems ultra-complete too with literally just the radio and engine to be got and minimum assembly work to do - as far as I'm aware, at least.

Last Contact!

Before I go, just a reminder that I can be contacted at: Ballybeg, Tulsk, Co. Roscommon; phone/fax: 078-39037. So, should you have any aeromodelling enquiries, feel free to get in touch. TTFN!

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