New hot-rod toy - ultra-high performance RC aircraft

[Fast One]

Since the wx sucks too much for a cruise in the GN this weekend, I've been working on another hobby of mine - R/C aircraft. I've got one of these just about ready for flight. Just finishing up the electronics installation: Precision Aerobatics Extra 260

It's an ultra-high performance aircraft that uses a 0.56 HP 3-phase AC motor. It has a composite airframe - a carbon fiber/plywood/balsa laminate that's stronger than titanium. Its wingspan is 48", but it weighs only 2 pounds ready to fly. Thrust-to-weight ratio is nearly 3:1, and the flight speed range is 0-70 MPH. Here's a video compilation showcasing its capabilities. There's some on-board video too: PA Extra 260 - extreme 3D aerobatics

With ~0.28 HP per pound, this is gonna be fun!

[Z28SSMAN]

Cool!

[MR.hp]

That is pretty neat

[waterbug1999]

My RC truck will do 70.

[Fast One]

My RC truck will do 70.

Cool. What do you have?

I raced a 1/10th-scale electric RC-10 Team Graphite 2WD buggy back in the early 90s. I raced mostly off-road, but I had an on-road conversion kit for it and raced on-road as well. The technology has come a long way. Before brushless & LiPo, 70 MPH RC cars & trucks were usually either gas or nitro-powered. I remember being happy to get 45 MPH out of my RC-10 after modding the crap out of it, and now I see electrics that can do over 70 MPH - in stock trim, no less. I haven't had an RC car or truck for a few years (spent my RC budget on aircraft & helicopters), but the technology available today has piqued my interest again...

[smooth_358]

sweet, i always wanted to get into rc planes or helicopters.. however i just settle for my nitro truck that might hit like 45 in its old age

[Fast One]

Pics

Finally finished it. Took it up for the first flight today. I wish I had a car with handling as precise as this little airplane has. Feels like the airborne equivalent to a Lotus!

Here are a few pics.

[Z28SSMAN]

Wow!Nice! Looks expensive though. But if you enjoy it.....what the heck.

[Fast One]

Wow!Nice! Looks expensive though. But if you enjoy it.....what the heck.

Thanks. Expensive? Just like the car hobby!

This one's about the price of a TA-49 turbo, or an Edelbrock Performer manifold & 800 CFM Thunder AVS carb for your typical old-school hot-rod.

It flies even better than it looks. The carbon-fiber/laminate airframe and the way the control surfaces are designed (like the full-scale version's) make it fly like a dream. It handles like it's on rails. Because of the light weight, it handles like that from 10 mph up to its top speed of ~70 MPH. At WOT, it pulls 3 Gs of acceleration on take-off. It can pull up to 30 Gs in the turns.

The 16 kHz speed control with automatic timing advance and the 3-phase brushless motor respond instantly to throttle changes. The torque is so instantaneous that it can accelerate from 0 to 12,000 RPM in less than one second. The throttle is like a digital caliper. It is perfectly repeatable and linear throughout the entire range - much like an F1 engine.

It would be like having a car with steering and throttle that's surgically precise.

And, yes - I do enjoy it. I can do stuff with these planes that I'd never be able to do in a full-scale plane.

[HOTCIVIC]

Very cool!

[FatTony]

http://www.atomicmods.com

For anyone interested in some of the smaller/mini RC's.


Check the vid with the XMods Skyline doing some 42 MPH.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kc8N...layer_embedded