Most of you know I only fly BP motors, and will use them in models up to the 1500gram LMR limit.
This is expecially true for Night launch vehicles. Many are 3, 4 and 5 motor cluster D12 upscales. but the model power level is only one of the thing to talk about.
Illuminaton, Materials, methods are all thing that several have expresses and interest in.
Last year I went about learning to fabriate Illuminted .030 polycarbonate fins. combining these with clear polyethylene mailing tube body parts and standard molded white or light colored transitions and nose cones to complete an almost completely illuminated Standard C6 powered Nike-apache.
I don't want to waste bandwidth repeating that entire build thread so those who are looking for all the details on building a Phantom Nike-Apache can see the build thread in the Low power section from last summer (july-Aug 2007).
Those who need sources for nigth vehicle materials, we'll talk about them in depth as requested.
FAA wants all our night flying models externally Illuminated from lift-off to touchdown. The rule of thumb suggested by our Eastern region FAA folks that our club has always found most resonable and easily done is to ensure each model flying on motor impluse over B to be fitted with some sort of constant on source that has a minimum 2000mcd output visible at 2000 feet.
More it fine but not less. this specifically as to due with the use of cylume (Glo-stick) type illumnation.
Please keep in mind the illumination on our models IS NOT intended to be seen by us the flyers on the ground, but are for the unaware Pilots in general avaition aircraft in the area, and Unsuspecting persons on the ground. ie a PUBLIC SAFETY issue. With these things in mind we can easily design
Night Illumination Tracking Equipment. (N.I.T.E.) systems that are both inexpensive, interesting and fit these simple requirements well.
Personally I like to use LED's as my main source for Nite model illumination as the variety, brioghness, color combinations, flashing and steady burn options are all but endless.
Strobes are FAR brighter but as with any filiment bulb area subject to unescpected breakage ALWAYS at the worst possible time.
Flashites and flashlite bulbs, mini bulbs and christmas tree lights can all be adapted for night flying along wiht some NEON, and electroluminescent panels and wires are new coming materials.
Glow-in-the-Dark paint, powders and vinyls while they begin lookng promising have proven to be both expensive and NOT very visible in the outdoor less then total darkness enviornment
Many of these product are wonderful as a secondary light source and/or backups but should NEVER be used as the sole soruce lighting system.
All that said: what do you folks want to build and or talk about?
Here are a few of my NITE Vehicle to get your idea going.
By the way one can fly LED systems in MICRO sized models to HPR. it just takes a little planning to get the package weight down to use something other then a 9volt battery to power your projects
This is expecially true for Night launch vehicles. Many are 3, 4 and 5 motor cluster D12 upscales. but the model power level is only one of the thing to talk about.
Illuminaton, Materials, methods are all thing that several have expresses and interest in.
Last year I went about learning to fabriate Illuminted .030 polycarbonate fins. combining these with clear polyethylene mailing tube body parts and standard molded white or light colored transitions and nose cones to complete an almost completely illuminated Standard C6 powered Nike-apache.
I don't want to waste bandwidth repeating that entire build thread so those who are looking for all the details on building a Phantom Nike-Apache can see the build thread in the Low power section from last summer (july-Aug 2007).
Those who need sources for nigth vehicle materials, we'll talk about them in depth as requested.
FAA wants all our night flying models externally Illuminated from lift-off to touchdown. The rule of thumb suggested by our Eastern region FAA folks that our club has always found most resonable and easily done is to ensure each model flying on motor impluse over B to be fitted with some sort of constant on source that has a minimum 2000mcd output visible at 2000 feet.
More it fine but not less. this specifically as to due with the use of cylume (Glo-stick) type illumnation.
Please keep in mind the illumination on our models IS NOT intended to be seen by us the flyers on the ground, but are for the unaware Pilots in general avaition aircraft in the area, and Unsuspecting persons on the ground. ie a PUBLIC SAFETY issue. With these things in mind we can easily design
Night Illumination Tracking Equipment. (N.I.T.E.) systems that are both inexpensive, interesting and fit these simple requirements well.
Personally I like to use LED's as my main source for Nite model illumination as the variety, brioghness, color combinations, flashing and steady burn options are all but endless.
Strobes are FAR brighter but as with any filiment bulb area subject to unescpected breakage ALWAYS at the worst possible time.
Flashites and flashlite bulbs, mini bulbs and christmas tree lights can all be adapted for night flying along wiht some NEON, and electroluminescent panels and wires are new coming materials.
Glow-in-the-Dark paint, powders and vinyls while they begin lookng promising have proven to be both expensive and NOT very visible in the outdoor less then total darkness enviornment
Many of these product are wonderful as a secondary light source and/or backups but should NEVER be used as the sole soruce lighting system. All that said: what do you folks want to build and or talk about?
Here are a few of my NITE Vehicle to get your idea going.
By the way one can fly LED systems in MICRO sized models to HPR. it just takes a little planning to get the package weight down to use something other then a 9volt battery to power your projects
