Paper Airplane World Record Broken
Takuo Toda targets 30-second barrier after hand-folded paper-only plane stays in air for 26.1 seconds in Japan. "I will get the 30-second record," he said. "It's just a matter of time." Sunday 27 December 2009Water Rockets
I was just chatting with Bill Kuhl and he shared this water rocket video. Very interesting.Bill Kuhl of AMA Dart page and Science Guy
Bill Kuhl just released an article on my activities promoting model airplanes. Bill Kuhl has been one of my supporters and his support has given me the drive to come this far with it. ArticleModel airplanes are a great idea for a summer camp
Here is a place to take model airplane workshops as part of a summer camp. thehobbyquest
Economical improvement to model airplane design
I was talking to my friend Bill Khul and we were agreeing that the cost of balsa really adds up when you're making a lot of airplanes. We discussed some alternate materials but right after the conversation I made this alternate motor stick for the Squirrel that uses less balsa.
You can make a motorstick out of 1/16 x 3/8 inch balsa rather than 1/8 x 3/8 inch. That's pretty thin but if you put a doubler for the first inch and a half or so, then it fits the standard propeller mount. If you then add a wing mount on top of it all the way back to the fin, then it stiffens the motor stick. The idea is to run it back to the rear motor hangar (toothpick). I added a doubler to the motor stick at the rear of the wing mount as well, just ahead of the toothpick. I then glued the toothpick and fin (don't forget to add the tissue to the fin before attaching it to the motor stick). So the rear doubler and fin stick brace the toothpick fairly well. In this case I didn't underhang the toothpick under the motor stick. Instead, it is flush and that is the location to glue to the horizontal stabilizer. After the Stabilizer is in place, you can glue a small block behind the toothpick to help get the elastic motor far enough from the motor stick if necessary.
I think there might be a weak point just behind the front doubler. Also, the toothpick is a bit flexible because it is not secured by sewing thread.
Interestingly, the motor stick is stiffer than a plain one but it's more twisty. I wonder if this twistyness will provide some Stabilizer Tilt that will counteract torque? Food for thought!
Workshop Tip: You can tear tissue to reduce need for sissors!
I did a workshop for the Leadership Ottawa group on Friday night (see Gallery).
At the step where I tell people to cut the Fin and Stabilizer from the tissue for mounting on the Motorstick, I observed a lady tearing the tissue using the motorstick as a guide! Wow! What a cool idea! It worked very well and she didn't have to go looking for a pair of scissors!
This makes me wonder if there's a way I can eliminate scissors all together?
Calm Day in Ottawa
I just may sneek out for some flying today. The wind is calm. We don't seem to get much calm weather in this season. Anybody want to come?
Worksheet for Building Model Airplane
I'm making revisions to the worksheet from the download. So now is a good time to give any feedback. Feel free to send me an email if you've built a Squirrel from the worksheet. I may also make a Web version of the plans. What do you think?
Ready for Model Airiplane Workshops!
Here's what 50 Squirrels look like just before a workshop! (Minus propellers, tissue, sewing thread and elastic rubber motors).
I bundle them into groups of 10 Squirrels. This makes it easy for me know if I have enough parts for a workshop.
Contact me or your nearest community center to inquire about Squirrel workshops!
Revised List of Materials to Build a Squirrel
The Squirrel take only 12 sticks of balsa plus the motor stick. It should take a few minutes to cut the parts out with a ruler and sharp hobby knife. Once you have the balsa cut it should only take a few minutes to build a Squirrel! When using a hobby knife be careful! Precut lots of parts so you can show your friends and they will not need to use a knife! If you precut the tissue, you will not even need scissors! Also, with the precut parts, you can then build lots of Squirrels! They fly well so you'll lose one once in a while!
The parts in the picture are slightly different than the list below. The picture shows 4-4 inch motor stick thickeners and it's missing the 2 inch fin. But you get the idea of how few parts are needed.
Balsa Strips
1/16 x 3/16" (or 1/16 x 1/8)
2-12" Wing Leading, Trailing Edge
2-6" Stabilizer Leading Edge, Wing Seat
1-4" Wing Mount
6-2" Wing Rigs, Winglets , Fin Leading Edge
1-1" Wing Shim
Motor Stick
-1/8 x 3/8 x 12" Motor Stick
(or 1/8 x 2/8 Stick and 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/2" Motor Block)
Other
-1/2 Toothpick
-Sewing Thread 3" (tie toothpick)
-#8 Elastic Band Wing Mount (or 2 tiny elastics such as Ouchless hair or dental)
-Propeller with mounting hardware (5-6")
-10" Elastic Motor Loop (Use 3/32" Rubber)
-Tissue Paper. Wing 17x2 1/2", Fin 3x3", Stabilizer 7x3"
Tools (All you need if you have precut balsa)
-Scissors
-Toothpick
-White craft glue (any white glue)
-Glue stick (such as UHU Glue Stick)
Improvements to the downloadable plan
For the wing seat, use a 6 inch instead of 4 (any size will work really) and glue it perpendicular and top aligned. The cross section will be an L shape. Use the alternate wing mount shown in the photo above. You don't have to get the two small elastics if you can't find them. You can still use a #8. Put the elastic on the motor stick, place the wing, loop the elastic on the rear wing mount, pull it under, twist it once and loop it back on the front and over the front wing mount. Also, you only need one winglet!
Technical vs. Creative Hobbies
I've always been under the impression that people who use Apple computers are more on the creative side. Also that those who like Linux computers are more on the technical side. Those are probably gross generalizations but that's the impression that I have. There would obviously be lots of exceptions.
I was just eyeballing the logs of the usage of this Web site and noted that Apple and Linux account for 16 -18 percent of the traffic.
That's really unusual because they say that Windows is about a 90 percent market share, Apple is about 8 percent and the bulk of the remaining 2 percent is Linux. Actually, that 2 percent has been growing very rapidly recently from a smaller amount. This could be in part because of the widespread adoption of Ubuntu which is a more usable distribution of Linux.
So we'd expect that the Apple+Linux should account for only 10 percent of this site's traffic.
Could it be that the kinds of people that are interested in free flight and rubber power airplanes are more and the creative space and/or the technical space? Interesting food for thought.
Flying Tip: Do not get hit by your Squirrel
An Introductory Guideline to Building and Flying Model Aeroplanes by George Benson
Introduction to traditional model building. Fairly thorough.
Squirrel FAT version
Here is a variation of the design that flies extremely well. I suppose, it will have a wing loading that is twice as favorable since the wing is about twice as wide. Here are the changes:
-Use 4 inch wing ribs (instead of the three 2 inch ones)
-Use a 6 inch wing mount (instead of the 4 inch one)
-Use a double shim because the wing is wider and needs twice as much shim
-I bottom covered it as per plans, then covered the top. I trimmed the top so that the bottom was used for the winglets as per plans.
The tail looks bigger but that's just because I cut the tissue on the horizontal stabilizer to an semi-circle rather than a triangle.
On this prototype, I did another thing different. I mounted the toothpick at the very back of the motorstick instead of on the leading edge of the rudder.
Squirrel Mentioned in the Ottawa Business Startup Blog
The www.StartupOttawa.com, an excellent blog run by Scott Lake and friends made a mention of the Squirrel project. (2009-05-19)
Simple Model Plane! Squirrel (2009-05-17)
The Squirrel is the easiest-to-build model airplane in its class (as you can see by the parts in the photo). After some more research it has been determined that only one winglet is needed. So that drops the parts list (and steps) down by one. It also makes the airplane look very different.
Another big advantage is that it becomes a Squirrel Stacker. In the photo above you can see that I have managed to get 9 Squirrels into a box that is small enough to fit in my motorcycle trunk!
If anybody has any feedback on which side the winglet should be on, please drop us a line. We've flown a few prototypes with the winglet on the left and that seems to be working well.
Rubber Powered Planes and Scouts Canada (2009-05-17)
We are looking to do some demonstrations for Scouts in Ottawa.Rubber-Power Web Site Reorganized (2009-05-14)
This took a few hours of work, hopefully Google doesn't get too excited about it.
Youtube.com down (2009-05-13)
Youtube is experiencing an outage so many of the videos at this site do not work.
In the meantime contact Darcy@Siteware.com in order to get a copy of any of the videos by email.
Squirrel Metric Conversions (2009-05-11)
Thank you very much for all the great feedback. For those of you that don't have a imperial ruler on hand for measuring here are some metric conversions:
12 inches = 30cm
6 inches = 15cm
4 inches = 10cm
2 inches = 5cm
5.5 inches = 14cm
1/16 inch = 0.16cm
1/8 inch = 0.32cm
3/8 inch = 0.95cm
Squirrel Briefcase 2009-05-09
I wanted to carry a Squirrel on my motorcycle but space is limited.
I made a box out of some plastic from the scrap bin at a plastics company. (Canus Plastics on Lisgar in Ottawa). I found two sheets that were 12.5 inches by 4.5 inches. I glued some 1/8 x 3/8 basswood around the frame of one side using epoxy and then used elastics to hold the other side on.
I then made a flat version of the Squirrel. I made the winglets and horizontal stabilizer removable. I cut a slot in the motor stick for the horizontal stabilizer.
I decided to carry the propeller separate.
It turns out that it fits easily in any briefcase. Now I ALWAYS have a Squirrel with me. Even at a pub!
Squirrel Stacker 2009-05-08
The Squirrel is the simplest model plane to build in it's class. One thing I've noticed is that only one winglet is required.
I was able to stack the wings into a shoe box with this configuration. Further I was able to use an "L-Tail" to allow for stacking of the motorsticks with vertical and horizontal stabilizers in place.
Welcome to the first "L-Tail"!
Squirrels Adopted by Model Aeronautics Association of Canada 2009-05-07
The Squirrel is mentioned several times in the MAAC's 2008 Beginner Committee Report which came out on April 18th, 2009.
February 2008 a youth aviation workshop using Darcy Whyte's Flying Squirrel and MAAC/AMA Cubs was presented for 14 Scouts and 3 Adult Leaders of 20th Cambridge Scouts
March 2008 a demonstration of simple rubber powered model aircraft (6 MAAC/AMA Cubs, 15 Darcy Whyte's Flying Squirrels, a Hanger Rat and 2 versions of Bill Hannon's AM/FM ) was given for 75 Cubs & Scouts and 22 Adult Leaders at the Hamilton Warplane Heritage Museum. This resulted in an invitation from two groups (1 Cub Pack and 1 Scout Troop) to provide a model aviation workshop.
March 2008 a youth aviation workshop, based on Darcy Whyte's Flying Squirrel was presented for 12 Cubs and 3 Adult Leaders of 26th Cambridge Cubs
April 2008 a youth aviation workshop, based on Darcy Whyte's Flying Squirrel was presented for 12 Scouts and 4 Adult Leaders of 26th Cambridge Scouts
April 2008 a youth aviation workshop, based on Darcy Whyte's Flying Squirrel was presented for 8 Cubs and 2 Adult Leaders of 20th Cambridge Cubs
Workshops are back! 2009-05-07
I've been back at the drawing board and am excited about the summer! I've created a Squirrel that fits into my briefcase so I can take it with me on my motorcycle and to socials!
I've also sent out a ping to several community centers so by fall (or before) workshops should be offered.
In the mean time, don't hesitate to contact me if you know of a group that wants a workshop!
Squirrel made front cover of magazine!
March 2006, Chuck Young of Houghton, Michigan
Chuck sent in these photos. His 7th graders are going to build the Don Ross Canaries as well as the Squirrel. In fact he sent pictures of the Squirrel to Flying Models for Don Ross' column and it went in for this month. Credit for the Squirrel design it was mistakenly given to Chuck.
Model Aviation 9-05 Free Flight Sport column
The Squirrel got a mention in the Free Flight Sport Column.
Rubber-Power.com Web site converted to Linux (January 8, 2007)
The Web system was converted to Ubuntu. This is an amazing distribution of Linux and also works for desktop computers!Rubber Powered Planes in the gymnasium and more! (March 18, 2005)
Hello Everyone! I haven't sent an update in a while so here it is!
1) Saturday evening starting at 7:30 pm there is an indoor RC flying activity at "Thunder Dome". This is an interesting activity to visit as you can see the massive impact new battery technology has had on model aircraft. The Thunder Dome is at the "Hornet's Nest" soccer field. When traveling on the Queensway East, take the Montreal ramp and take your first right. It will come up on your right and is across from the gravel pit.
2) This Monday evening a group of my friends are flying rubber powered planes in a gymnasium. If you haven't popped out to see this activity it is very worth it. There are usually about 10-15 flyers with planes ranging from miniature RC to competitive F1B which are capable of 40 minute flights. If interested, please get in touch with me.
3) I'm still looking for a place to meet regularly for indoor flying. Please let me know what timeslots are good for you. The Friday evenings at McNabb have been working out very well but I know there are a few people who can't make that timeslot. I'd like to get some feedback and then book another series of timeslots.
4) Stetson Flyers which is one of the local radio controlled flying clubs is having a rubber power workshop on March 29th. I've been asked to host this workshop. I really feel honoured and I'm looking forward to sharing the fun of rubber power with the radio controlled flying community. This will take place at the Aviation Museum in Rockliffe. We will be building Cloud Tramps. The Cloud Tramp is a great outdoor model which has a wingspan of nearly two feet. We've ordered some really nice Peck Polymers 8" propellers for this workshop. This will also be a chance to show off the models that you already have as well. I'm sure my friends at the flying club will be very impressed with the planes we have been building. There is no charge for the workshop but there is a small material cost. Please contact me for the details on what time to show up.
If you'd like to see what a Cloud Tramp looks like here are a couple of Web sites. http://website.lineone.net/~mike.denise.parker/ http://www.theplanpage.com/things/ct/ct.htm
5) Once you have your own Cloud Tramp (CT), you will be interested to know that there will be a Cloud Tramp Mass Launch this summer! Stetson Flyers is hosting a radio control fun fly for The Ottawa Valley Zone "G" of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. The title of the event is ?First Annual Upper Canada Fun Fly 2005 Ed Rae Memorial ?. This fun fly will include a Mass Launch of rubber powered Cloud Tramps! Rumour has it that there will be modelers from all over there and that there will be a lot of Cloud Tramps! It's worth coming out to see the various types of RC planes. I'd expect to see everything from helicopters to giant scale.
6) Another fun activity you can do with your Cloud Tramp is participate in the CT Postal Duration Competition. The details are at the CT Web site above but in a nut shell, you time five flights, discard the best and worst flight, and then total your times. You submit your time to an email address and you have made model aviation history as well as earn bragging rights! Let's put Ottawa on the model airplane map! I know of a nice field for this sort of thing and would like to organize a picnic there this summer.
7) I submitted a short article on the Squirrel (which I know most of you have already built in my workshops) to the newsletter of a local radio controlled flying club. The Stetsons Newsletter can be found at: StetsonFlyers.com . Click here to view.
8) I just received a note from my good friend Art Lane in London. They are having a postal competition as well. It is due at the end of March so if anyone is interested, please get in touch with me and we'll get crackin'! I'll give a hand to anyone interested. I have all the materials on hand. This competition is to build a "Hangar Rat". I actually built a couple of those when I was about 15 years old. In fact, it was my first indoor plane. They fly great and are easy to build.
Article in Stetsons Newsletter March 2005
An article was published in a local newsletter about it.
