Watch this beautiful video of Mathieu of Opale Paramodels flying the beautiful Opale Ultra 3.5 Aerobatic Wing along the coast at sunset!
Check out all that Opale Paramodels has to offer here!
After a beautiful summer day, a short evening flight along the beach with the Ultra 3.5. As in the previous videos, the Ultra 3.5 demonstrates smoothness and performance, a real treat for demanding pilots. In this light configuration, a single 4S 5000mAh battery, guaranteeing, as in the previous video, more than 40min of motor autonomy.
With the addition of the new Elite Falcon 145HV/SB came the addition of the Flacon ESC cooling fan fit to that ESC. The new fan is designed to fit the Falcon 120/130HV and the 145HV/SB electronic speed controls.
This airplane must go! It is new and in its original box!
The Hangar 9 XCub 60cc ARF is an officially licensed replica of the CubCrafters marvel. Working closely with the company, factory drawings of the full-scale aircraft were used to design the model. And, like the full-scale original, our giant-scale XCub model was developed by scrutinizing every element of the platform to make the tried-and-true design better at meeting the needs of the modeler. The result is a best-of-the-best contender for the RC pilot seeking a giant-scale airplane that can do it all. And even though it’s large in size, modern conveniences and performance factors make it easy to complete, easy to handle and easy to fly with rock-solid control. Laser-cut wood construction results in a rugged airframe designed to make onlookers second guess it from the real thing. Genuine UltraCote covering provides an exterior finish that replicates the CubCrafters original in its debut trim scheme and colors. Its outline is authentic with scale and other details that are practical and realistic, including sprung gear with aluminum wheels and tundra tires, a rugged tail wheel assembly, airfoil-shaped wing struts and operational LED lighting just to name a few.
From Horizon Hobby, Taken from FlyingGiants post CubCrafters XCub 60cc ARF (HAN5260) By Jim T. (2018)
The new Falcon 145HV/SW ESC by Elite is now in stock!
The Falcon product line represents advanced speed controllers for exclusive use in airplanes, drones, sailplanes or any kind of radio control application. With integrated telemetry and various possibilities of optional user configuration, the controllers offer high efficiency, low weight and precise motor control. The telemetry system in the Elite Falcon ESC lets you monitor in real time the Amperage (Amp), Voltage (V), and Capacity (mAh) consumed from the battery, ESC even calculates Power (W) output of the system. You can also measure the ESC Temperature and add external Motor Temperature and Propeller Positioning sensors. The Elite Falcon line of Brushless ESCs adds another revolutionary feature utilizing Backup Battery Integration. We have created a more robust hardware platform including increased cooling capability, smaller overall packaging, and selectable sensitivity to allow you to use any brushless motor that you choose. No matter which size you choose, the Elite Falcon series brushless speed controllers are right for your next project.
The new Esprit Elite HD Outrunners have a built in telemetry sensor to measure the core temperature of the motor. They are offered in 30cc, 35cc, and 40cc equivalents.
Elite series motors are the culmination of years spent designing and testing in extreme environments. Motors feature hardened steel shafts, built in fans, and a large radial bearing designed to carry the load placed on the open end of the rotor. Elite T125 (Jeti EX, Graupner HoTT, Futaba S.Bus2) micro telemetry sensor is installed in the motor to measure core temperature. These features, combined with an easy to maintain and repair design, promise years of worry free use.
Need batteries but hate soldering? No worries – we’ve got you covered! We will solder the female connector of your selected connector type to your battery before we ship it to you. Just pick which connector you need and we will take care of the rest! We offer Bullet, Jeti Anti-Spark, Multiplex, XT60 and XT90 connectors.
Opale recently announced an upgrade to their Auxiliary Motor Kit for the paraglider pilot Mike XL. The upgrade is now easier to assemble, stronger, and dampens the vibrations from the engine upon start-up. The upgraded kits are on their way, so keep an eye out for them to pop up on the site!
Check out these gems! 3D printed Jeti Rx holders! With five different models, there is one that will fit your Jeti Receiver. Type 9 will even fit your Jeti Central Box 100!
Models include: Type 3 (R3/RSW/900 REX), Type 9 (R7/R9/R11/Central Box 100), Type 14 (R14/R18), Type REX 7 (R7/R7 REX Assist), Type REX 10 (R10/R12 REX Assist).
In the last Flight School segment we discussed the basics of batteries – key terms and what they mean. Now we are going to dive in a bit deeper and discuss the different chemistries that are out there and some of the differences between them.
All batteries, as explained previously, consist of a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. Through a chemical reaction (a redox reaction specifically), electrons flow through these parts creating an electrical current, which is then used to power any device that is connected to the battery circuit. The chemical makeup of the cathode, anode, and electrolyte can change aspects of the battery. This makes understanding battery chemistry a must when searching for the right battery for your airplane.
Lets take a look at the properties that will differ based on battery chemistry:
Cell Voltage - Battery voltage is a measure of the pressure from a power source that moves charged electrons (known as current) through a circuit. It is measured in volts (V). Batteries of the same chemistry will provide the same nominal voltage, but that nominal voltage will differ when comparing batteries of different chemistries.
Energy Density - Energy density is the ratio of energy stored to size of the battery cell. This can come into play when considering fuselage size and flight style. Energy density is energy stored per unit of volume, gravimetric energy density is energy per unit of mass.
Rechargeability - Some batteries are not rechargeable, and others are. The battery chemistries you will see in the RC flight industry will be rechargeable.
Self-Discharge - Even if you are not using a battery, it will still undergo chemical reactions that will result in a loss of charge. This process is known as self-discharge. Depending on the chosen battery chemistry, the amount of self-discharge over time can vary.
Cycle Life - In addition to self-discharge, batteries have a limit on the amount of times it can be charged and discharged. This is called cycle life, and again, differs based on chemistry.
Economics - Just like everything in life, based on the material inside, the cost of your batteries can be effected.
Safety - Some chemicals are very stable, others are very volatile. Battery chemistry plays a big part in how safe your battery is, and what practices should be employed.
Now that we have discussed some of the properties that can be effected by different battery chemistries, lets take a look at the chemistries found in RC Flight.
Nickel Based Batteries; (NiCd and NiMH)
NiCd – Nickel-Cadmium batteries are made with a Nickel Hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) anode, Cadmium Hydroxide (Cd(OH)2) Cathode, and an electrolyte of Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). While they are affordable, provide a large cycle life, and can charge quickly, they have a high self discharge rate and it is very hard to tell charge based on voltage. In addition, they are toxic and corrosive, so disposal is difficult. NiCd batteries also suffer from the “memory effect” which is where a battery, if not fully discharged, will “remember” the previous discharge level, loosing the ability to discharge past that level in the future.
NiMH – Nickel Metal Hydride offer many of the same pros and cons as NiCd, only it removes the toxic Cadmium and replaces it with a metal alloy hydride for the anode (which actually results in higher performance).
Lithium Based Batteries; (Li-Ion, LiPo, LiFe)
Lithium based batteries have high energy densities, making them a great choice when weight and size are of importance. In addition, they also have much lower self-discharge rates.
Li-Ion – These batteries, Lithium Ion, use a porous material for the anode (such as graphite or silicone) and an ionic lithium compound for the cathode. Multiple chemistries exist for the cathode, including Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2), Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn2O4), and Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2). The electrolyte used consist of lithium salts dissolved in an organic compound, which due to the properties of lithium as well as the compound, are highly explosive. These batteries come in a hard outer casing.
LiPo – Lithium Polymer batteries are much like the Lithium-Ion, however they differ in what the electrolyte is made of. In LiPo batteries, you will find a gel lithium polymer instead of a liquid. This provides less of a chance of the electrolyte leaking out. Although this is a safety improvement, LiPo batteries have a soft casing as opposed to their counterparts – Li-Ion.
LiFePO4 – Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are a type of Lithium Ion battery, but this particular chemistry has its own set of properties, differing from the other Lithium Chemistries. The energy density of LiFe batteries comes in a bit lower than that of the Li-ion or LiPo batteries, but better than that of the Nickel based batteries. In addition, LiFe batteries have a long cycle-life, are more affordable and safer overall.
The DC-24 Carbon represents Jeti’s new flagship, State-of-the-art, transmitter that sets a new standard for the RC Industry. Jeti’s final touches and finishes are outstanding. The front panel of the system is made of genuine Carbon Fiber with UV stabilized acrylic clear coating and the case made of anodized, CNC cut, solid aluminum. Unfortunately, with all that being said, the demand to test drive the DC-24 radio just isn’t what it used to be. With that knowledge, we have decided to sell (at a great price) our DC-24 Carbon Titanium transmitter that was used in the program.
