CONTROL LINE SCALE
2.4 GHz RECEIVERS
By Fred Cronenwett | cls cale7@gmail.com
IF YOU ARE ALREADY USING a 2.4 GHz control system, you know that there is a variety of available receivers. They vary by the number of channels but also in how the wires plug into the receiver. The configuration can either make it easy or difficult to route the wires, depending upon the type of structure that you have.
The location of the model’s receiver will determine how easily you can route the wires. Remember that you will need to service all of these items at some point, so it’s good to make them easily removable and replaceable. This includes the wires, servos, receiver, battery, and the on/off switch. Running paper tubes through the wing or long sections of the fuselage makes it easy to put a new wire bundle into the aircraft if the wire or the connectors become damaged.
One type of receiver has the wires coming out of it vertically. The wires pointing upward can make it difficult to install into some locations in a model. This type of receiver fits nicely inside of a full-body fuselage, where you have lots of room to run wires.
The other type of receiver is flat and the wires plug into the end, making it easy to install into a profile fuselage. This, of course, assumes that your space inside the fuselage is large enough for the receiver. The wires would run through the hollow internal structure of the fuselage. The receiver battery could also be located inside of it.
Let’s say that your model has throttle control, flaps, and retractable landing gear. You will need a six-channel radio and receiver for this type of installation. The throttle will be on the left stick, while the flaps and retracts will need to be operated with a toggle switch.
I never use the rudder, aileron, or elevator channels with my radios, so three of the channels on the receiver are not used. The flaps and retracts will be operated on Channels 5 and 6 with a toggle switch. If you have more than two features that require a toggle switch, you will need to get an eight-channel radio system and receiver. Locate the on/off switch and the wire to charge the battery in a convenient spot.
AMA CL Scale Nats
The Control Line (CL) Scale Nats are scheduled for June 17-19, 2021. The contest will start with static judging on a Thursday then two days of flying on Friday and Saturday. I hope that you have a hotel reservation.
I don’t know about you, but I really missed not being able to fly at the 2020 Nats. However, the COVID-19 pandemic was a good reason to cancel the contest. I hope everyone is safe and healthy and you were able to get out and do some flying in 2020.
Day one of the CL Scale Nats is strictly for static judging. You will complete the final step of registration, weigh the model, and get all of the forms you need for static and flight judging. I find static day relaxing because you can talk with the other pilots and look at the aircraft that will be flown on Friday.
After your model has been static judged, you can get it ready for the flying portion. I recommend taking time that afternoon to put on the flight propellers and check everything out so that you can be ready for flying on Friday morning.
There will be a pilots’ meeting Thursday night, where you will find out which circle you will be flying on and what the flight order will be. On the first day of flying, you want to get out there early to set up, roll out your lines, and be ready to fly. Plenty
of people will be there who can help you launch the model when it’s your turn.
Before you arrive at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana, figure out what options you plan to use during the flight portion. Practice your contest flight at home and make sure your model is ready and working properly.
Some options are judged throughout the entire flight. You might fly a particular maneuver several times during a flight and again, it is judged each time. Flaps, throttle control, and retractable landing gear fall into this category.
For example, if you call out a flap maneuver, don’t forget to drop them for takeoff (half flaps), raise them after takeoff, lower them for the touch-and-go, and then for landing. How you use the flaps will be judged throughout the flight.
Make sure that you bring everything you need, including your documentation, static propeller(s), flying lines, extra flight propellers, and other spare parts that you might need.
Good luck, and I hope to see you at the 2021 Nats. If you have never entered before, consider flying in the Fun Scale contest to get a feel for how the event works. There is no Builder of the Model rule for Fun Scale, so you can fly a model that you purchased, an ARF, a profile fuselage model, or a full-body fuselage model.
You will need documentation for Fun Scale.
Contact me via the email address listed at the beginning of this column if you have any questions regarding the options or if you need help with your documentation.
Lafayette Esquadrille Broken Arrow CL Stunt & Scale Contest
The Lafayette Esquadrille club will host its 34th annual Broken Arrow CL Stunt & Scale Contest on September 18-19, 2021. All Scale events will take place September 18. Held at Buder Park in Valley Park, Missouri, one of the best flying sites in the Midwest, the club will host Fun Scale, Profile, 1/2A, and Sport Scale events.
Profile and Sport Scale will have both military and civilian categories, so you can bring two models. The civilian and military categories are determined by the paint job, not by the type of aircraft.
The Lafayette Esquadrille club will also host a fun-fly at Buder Park. Come and fly with us there. We have three paved flying circles.
2021 Contest Calendar
Following are the contests that I know of that are currently planned in 2021. Check the AMA Event Calendar in your area to confirm their dates and locations. With so many gatherings canceled in 2020, it’s important that we keep as many CL Scale contests on the calendar as possible. Try to support clubs in your area or volunteer to help run an event.
- Buder Park CL Fun Fly: June 5-6, 2021; Valley Park, Missouri
- CL Scale Nats: July 17-19; Muncie, Indiana
- Midwest Regional CL Championships: September 4-5; Aurora, Illinois
- Broken Arrow CL Stunt & Scale Contest: September 18-19; Buder Park, Valley Park, Missouri
- NASA Scale Classic: September 17-19; Muncie, Indiana
Land softly!
SOURCES:
National Association of Scale Aeromodelers (NASA)
www.nasascale.org
AMA Nats
nats.modelaircraft.org
AMA Event Calendar
www.modelaircraft.org/event-calendar
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
Lafayette Esquadrille CL Club
www.lafayetteesquadrillecl.wordpress.com
