Indoor Fun Fly Preparation!
Winter time is the perfect time to design, build and repair all types of hobby flying models. From RC Airplanes / RC Helicopters, Model Rockets, Kites and a wide variety of Free Flight models. This winter, the design and build efforts are focused primarily around preparation for an Indoor Free Flight Fun Fly Event given by IF IT CAN FLY for the sole purpose of introducing STEM concepts to kids and young people. The desire to share the fun in our hobby while also planting seeds for the future just seems to be a natural fit, so why not!
Chapter 1: The Obsession
It is not uncommon for design and build efforts in the cold months to cross the line from fun to obsessed and this year is no different! The desire to show the kids a slow flying, multiple minute flight time, indoor free flight model has gone from a one or two model build, to a multi-month event! (read…obsession!) 8 different full design / builds occurred and multiple partials, to arrive at two models to be flown. The obsession comes in when trying to hit the crazy weight targets derived from competitive level models. For example, the two model designs fall into an FAI Class known as F1L-EZB, which has specific wing length, chord, ratio of wing area to stabilizer area and weight minimums. It is the weight minimum of 1.2g (without rubber motor) that led to the obsession, with the first Indoor Free Flight design coming in at 4.17g! It is crazy to think that 4.17g is heavy, but for these models, it is! After learning both design and build techniques, the final two model designs settled on are coming in at 3.21g and 3.25g. For the Fun Fly, this will be fine, however, the obsession remains and efforts will continue to get the weight to minimum specification!
Here is a short video of one of the first designs in flight:
Here are the two designed and built Indoor Free Flight models which will be flown at the Fun Fly:
Additional Flying Models
Next UP, identifying the other flying models which will be used along with a fun Fun-Fly build of some sort. Some models under consideration include the Blade 70 RC Helicopter and a few different indoor rockets.
Updates to follow…
