Product Spotlight
New products that are Worth a Closer Look
SERVO MOUNTING SCREW ASSORTMENT
In June 2001, RTL Fasteners began providing quality hardware in the quantity needed to satisfy the wants of hobbyists and modelers. The company offers hardware made up in assortments, or the items can be purchased separately.
The new Servo Mounting Screw Assortment includes 100 pieces each of the following socket head/washer head screws: 2 x 5/16, 2 x 7/16, 2 x 9/16, 3 x 7/16, and 3 x 5/8. All of the screws take a standard 5/64-inch hex Allen wrench or balldriver. Having the washer attached to the screw makes mounting servos easy and it distributes the load over a larger surface to better keep your servos in place.
Also included are 50 each of #2 and #4 nylon washers with a 1/4-inch outside diameter. The washers are helpful when you want to prevent damage to components such as cowls and canopies.
The good-quality hardware comes separately bagged by size and has many uses, even outside of the hobby. The Servo Mounting Screw Assortment comes with 600 pieces (500 screws and 100 washers) for $27.85.
RTL Fasteners: 708 Battlefield Blvd., South Ste. 107, Chesapeake VA 23322; Tel. 800) 239-6010; website: www.rtlf fasteners.com
HOBBICO MINI DIGITAL TACHOMETER
A tachometer is a useful tool to have, regardless of whether you prefer electric, nitro, gasoline, or diesel power. Knowing your engine’s rpm is often vital when selecting the optimum propeller, or troubleshooting performance issues. Hobbico’s new Mini Digital Tachometer provides that capability in a convenient, pocket-size unit with some interesting and helpful features.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Mini Digital Tachometer is that it can take rpm readings from propellers with anywhere from two to nine blades. Propellers with four or more blades are becoming popular with electric models, so this is sure to be an often-used capability. Configuring the tachometer to read the number of blades on your propeller is as simple as pressing a single button.
When using the tachometer, it displays the current rpm reading on its large LCD display. The unit also shows the maximum rpm reached during the trial, so you do not have to worry about keeping your eyes glued to the screen while your motor is screaming at maximum power. You can safely shut down the engine and read the peak rpm afterward.
The Mini Digital Tachometer is powered by a single lithium coin cell. If you forget to turn off the device, it will automatically shut down after one minute of inactivity. The display also has a blue backlight to make it easier to read in different lighting conditions.
The Hobbico Mini Digital Tachometer is available for $24.99 and includes a CR2032 battery for power.
Hobbico: 3002 N. Apollo Dr., Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 637-7660; website: www.hobbico.com
PELICAN 3315R-RA RIGHT ANGLE LIGHT
You don’t have to be a hobbyist to need a good flashlight. However, the Pelican 3315R-RA has some nice features and should easily tackle your flashlight needs.
It’s made by Pelican, which is a brand that many of us trust to protect our camera gear, radios, and other sensitive and important equipment.
It’s rechargeable and includes a 1,500 mAh LiFe battery that allows the flashlight to run for five hours on high (132 lumens) or 34 hours on low (15 lumens). It has three LED light modes: High, Low, and Flashing.
The charger unit, which the flashlight clamps into, has provisions to be mounted to a flat surface. The charger’s AC adapter comes with several plugs, allowing for use with many types of power outlets. Charging can take up to five hours.
When you receive the flashlight, you have to unscrew the top portion, tap the handle on a hard, flat surface to dislodge the switch mechanism, insert the battery and press the switch mechanism back into place, and screw the top back on the flashlight. It’s then ready to charge.
The articulating head makes it handy to use in small spaces, such as the inside of a fuselage, to help illuminate servo cutouts. It also has a clip and a lanyard. If you plan to use it around water, fear not, it’s waterproof.
The flashlight reminds me of the right-angle flashlight I was issued in the U.S. Army, but this one is much nicer.
One handy feature is the full-time battery level indicator built into the power switch, so you’ll always know when it’s time to recharge. The 3315R-RA is also Safety Certified Class I, Division 1, and has an antistatic design.
Pelican Products Inc.: 23215 Early Ave., Torrance CA 90505; Tel.: (800) 473-5422; website: www.pelican.com
PRO GRIP RADIO TRAY
Using a strap and/or a radio tray is a personal preference. I’ve always used a strap with my radios, but rarely a tray. I like the idea of a tray, but they often didn’t feel comfortable.
The Pro Grip Radio Tray is made of all-aluminum construction, with a black anodized finish. It has comfortable, soft pads for your hands and where it contacts your radio. The included neck strap is adjustable woven nylon with a reversible nonslip or soft neck pad.
The Pro Grip Radio tray provides a lot of flexibility, allowing it to easily hold radios from different manufacturers. The hand rests allow for vertical adjustment, front to back, as well as swiveling to various angles, or they can even be removed completely! They can also be adjusted in or out to set the perfect distance on the sides of your transmitter.
After some testing with my transmitter, I have found that I like the rests slightly loose. This allows them to move under pressure—making them comfortable and providing easy access to the transmitter’s switches.
Another nice feature is that the upper arms that attach to the neck strap are adjustable. This allows a pilot to tilt the angle of the tray with the transmitter sitting level, up, or down. Simply loosen the wing nuts with one hand, adjust the tray tilt, and tighten them.
Attaching or removing your radio from the tray takes less than a minute, even if you are switching to another radio. With some minor adjustments to the length of the strap and the tray, I was happy with the feel of the Pro Grip. The strap rests on your neck and is comfortable, as long as you don’t put too much weight on the tray by resting your hands. Overall, I was impressed and look forward to using the tray more this flying season.
The Pro Grip Radio Tray provides flexibility for those who want the benefits of a radio tray that is also comfortable to use. It is available for $99.
Strick Products: website: www.strickproducts.com
Bücker Bü 180 Student Scale Plan @ $45-$200 + S&H from Bob Holman Plans, Box 741, San Bernardino CA 92402; Tel.: (909) 885-3959; website: www.bhplans.com
The three 36 x 80 plans sheets for the ¼-scale aircraft are ideal for a novice or a professional to build at any fun flying or competition level. The complete details include the built-up cowl.
The plans are CAD drawn, while the laser-cut parts are cut from balsa and plywood with G-10 fiberglass composite for the flaps. The complete list of Jerry Bates plans is available at www.jbplans.com.
MicroVector (μV) Integrated Flight Controller and OSD @ $99.95+ S&H from Eagle Tree Systems, LLC, 4957 Lakemont Blvd. SE, Ste. C-4, Box 235, Bellevue WA 98006; Tel.: (425) 614-0450; website: www.eagletreesystems.com
Whether you are into FPV racing, freestyling, or using a multirotor as a camera platform, the MicroVector (μV) Integrated Flight Controller and on-screen display (OSD) are perfect for your FPV multirotor or fixed-wing model aircraft.
Fully set up and tune the
The MicroVector has standard 30.5mm mounting holes and is supported by pulse-width modulation (PWM), serial pulse-position modulation (SPPM), Spektrum satellite, or S.Bus receivers. The BLHeli ESC configuration is via the USB port.
The MicroVector is compatible with racing quadcopter, standard quadcopter, tricopter, Y6, and hexacopter frames, as well as traditional, elevon, and V-tail fixed-wing airframes. Each unit is fully tested and undergoes an 18-point hand calibration for the best performance possible.
Jeti Electronic Ignition Kill Switch SP 06 Opto @ $25 + S&H from Esprit Tech/Model, Box 360815, Melbourne FL 32936; Tel.: (321) 729-4287; website: www.espritmodel.com
Designed for a 0.1- to 16-volt input, the SP 06 Opto supports up to six amps continuous current or eight amps burst current for connected devices. The unit is most suitable for auxiliary functions such as the ignition, lights, or a camera shutter. The faceplate of the SP 06 Opto contains an integrated LED to indicate the on/off status.
Convergence VTOL PNP Park Flyer @ $219.99 + S&H from Horizon Hobby, 4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 338-4639; website: www.e-fliterc.com
The Convergence Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) park flyer is both a versatile multirotor and nimble sport airplane, with exclusive flight control software that makes transitioning between flight easier than ever before—and it’s FPV ready!
A simple, sleek, delta-wing design with three brushless motors, the Convergence has two rotating motors on the wing and a fixed-position motor on the tail. In multirotor flight, the wing-mounted motors rotate up into a vertical position, providing lift and flight control, along with the tail motor. In airplane flight, the wing-mounted motors rotate down into a horizontal position, and the elevons take over pitch and bank control. Yaw is provided by differential thrust from the wing-mounted motors.
With expertly tuned flight software, automated transition is as simple as flipping a switch. Stability and Acro modes provide a range of performance for every phase of flight.
The Convergence is designed to accommodate several of the most popular FPV camera systems, with a camera bay under the nose and a place to mount the video transmitter. The Plug-N-Play (PNP) version can be flown with any six-plus-channel aircraft transmitter using a conventional receiver with standard servo connections or a serial receiver. A 2,200 to 3,000 mAh 3S 11.1-volt LiPo battery is recommended.
Phoenix Model Westland Lysander .46-.55 EP/ARF @ $169.99 + S&H from Tower Hobbies, Box 9078, Champaign IL 61826; Tel.: (800) 637-6050; website: www.towerhobbies.com
The high-wing Westland Lysander .46-.55 EP/ARF has a 74.8-inch wingspan and weighs between 7.5 and 7.9 pounds. Covered in genuine OraCover, the top hatch is removable to easily change the LiPo battery and set up the radio, while its scale outline is enhanced by a lightweight fiberglass cowl. A high-quality hardware package is included.
The Westland Lysander requires a minimum four-channel radio, five standard servos, a 4.8- to 6-volt 800-1,200 mAh NiMH receiver battery, and a 1,000 to 1,400-watt 480 Kv motor with a six-cell 4,500 to 5,500 mAh LiPo battery and 60-amp ESC.
Hex-Edition Heavy-Lift Propeller Blade Adapter @ $38.95 + S&H from KDE Direct, 20760 Carmen Loop, Ste. 140, Bend OR 97702; Tel.: (360) 818-4215; website: www.kdedirect.com
Compatible with KDE7215X to KDE8218XF brushless motors and KDE-CF245-TP to KDE-CF305-TP propeller blades, the Hex-Edition Heavy-Lift adapter incorporates aerospace-grade AL7075-T6 materials and updated geometry for improved strength and durability. Designed around the use of dual sets of triple propeller blades, dynamic balancing is maintained. The advantages of higher thrust are significant compared to standard dual propeller blades, reaching upward of 70% more thrust in some instances, and upward of 30% compared to standard triple propeller blades.
The Hex-Edition Heavy-Lift Propeller Blade Adapter maintains portability, with propeller blades able to be folded for easy storage. The universal mounting pattern provides for simple installation for a range of multirotor and UAS applications.
RISE Mini High-Frequency Brushless Multirotor ESCs @ $15.99-$19.99 + S&H from Hobbico, 3002 N. Apollo Dr., Ste. #1, Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (800) 637-7660; website: www.explore-rise.com
The RISE Mini High-Frequency Brushless Multirotor ESCs are available in 12 amps, 20 amps, and 30 amps. All come with BLHeli firmware, in a voltage range compatible with 2S to 6S LiPo batteries.
