Most engineers are thinkers than doers. It's fucking easy to get something done than think about getting it done. That's how things worked in the 60s 70s, the era that produced great aircraft.
Saif Hakeam yes, it's a bit misleading since a trainer is for someone that's not in the hobby and they don't own a transmitter or other parts that can be reused and repurposed
I've just been watching a few of Samm's videos and I came across the comments. So Sad 😢 to hear about it. My heart goes out to his Family and Friends ❤️
I have recently made my own rc plane with a hot wire and Styrofoam. It fly's decently but I'm still a beginner pilot and crash it a lot. I cover my wings in paper but have to add vortex generators to prevent stalling. This is the first rc plane I ever made and the second I've ever flown.
Interesting. I'm an old man, who learned this stuff in the early '70s with balsa wood and rice paper. You method is certainly cheaper again, but I liked making an airfoil with ribs and spars and stuff... It's a lot more work, yes, but what you get is a lot more like a full scale (WW2 sort of vintage) aeroplane... The radio gear and motor cost some money. Balsa and glue and covering cost almost nothing. I started with a Cox .049 ThimbleDrone glowplug + control line, and I was about 10. And no, I didn't have a father or uncle to walk me through it, I worked it out as I went along. Working out how to cover a wing with rice paper and then dope it, that took some trial and error... By the time I got to 4 chan pattern ships and OS45s, I also got to leaving home and riding 750cc motorcycles, and rc 'planes kind of went on holiday. That was about 40 years ago...
Very cool man! I have made some wings from balsa and modern plastic covering film. There is something very therapeutic about just sitting and cutting out ribs! I've worked as an assistant to an aircraft mechanic and helped to recover a full scale super cub wing and so the "scale" ness of it is also nice if that is the reason that you like model airplanes.
I watch this video so many times. Love the simplicity. Awesome video! thanks Sam Sheperd for sharing your air plane planes and mostly the power supply info.
+Eric William -MKme Tech Thank you sir! My hope in making video's is to inspire people to try it out for themselves. Thank you very much for being my first supporter on Patreon! What I do on youtube is not financially profitable in any way, that's not what I do it for and I'm not going to beg for handouts. But your pledge is worth over 1000 advertised views of my content, so thanks!
Nice! The fuselage could have used some more love and passion... but I am not here to judge! I like the overall idea of it. By the way the slow motion video in the beginning is awesome.
+Kniroid: Daniel (rctestflight) has the same style. In fact there are times when I can't tell the difference. Both have great presentation skills, great RC plane ideas, and great flying skills.
David Jensen I started making planes and watching rctestflight around the same time (summer 2013) and I always resonated with his content and style the most. Even his other hobbies like skiing and mountain biking. I grew up in a surf town, he in a ski town. He's been at it a lot longer than I have and because our styles are so similar I try to avoid accidentally being TOO similar.
If you make the fuselage as a tapering triangular tube it's more resilient/robust than just foam, you can attach the wings to the top side of the triangle which ensures they are horizontal, you can put battery and RC inside the triangular tube so are safe, and it looks nicer.
Hot wire! Back in ca. 1982 I was using it to shape polyethylene honeycomb (visualize soda straws glued side to side) for NACA section daggerboard cores. Nice to see that it's still around.
Lovely! Thanks for showing the hot wire cutting. I'm planning to make a cutter my self. I can see you love the landings! That's what I have been doing to. Landingrounds, getting it perfect 1,3 X stallspeed. This is good training and will save your ass one day whenm one needs emergency landing :-)
Wonderful vid and idea behind it. I don't throw out dull blades though, but sharpen them to better than new. A little Buck kit with 4 inch stone is more than adequate. Be careful, with your progression into hot wired forms you walk the slippery slope of sophistication. Ha! I like any construction method that builds planes. Your family, being with you and sharing your interest made me jealous.
good video, i would like to know some specs -total weight of the plane -weight of the motor, weight of the battery -wingspan and how long it is -length of the wing(front to back) and maybe the thickness at the thickest point
For cutting a straight line free hand, simply have a thin piece of wood along with the foam. Use your meat clamps (hands) to lock the wood to the foam, and cut along with the wood as a guide. When you need to change angles just let loose a bit and shift the foam vs the wood, then tighten and keep going..
+Chilarai B Thanks! I just got home from flying this same airplane with FPV gear for the first time. I do appreciate all the effort people put into high quality builds, it's just not quite my flavor of the hobby.
Maybe some Home Depot stir sticks that are temporarily double sided taped to the fuselage to make the cuts straighter? I love this video. This has helped me immensely. Now I can fly these and save my commercially made planes for special days. I was struggling with the best way to make solid foam airfoils. THANK YOU!
Awesome video. I totally agree that landings and taking off are the best parts! Also as a real life pilot too, I love kinda listening to how you think as you are flying these models too, I'm the same way!
hey, great idea with the hot wire cutting. I use a razor, hack saw and alot of sand paper lol. I'd love to see how you hooked up your nose gear. I have stuck with tail draggers because I struggled with steerable nose gear.
Thank you very much for the information packed video. Also for giving servo, motor and battery information for another question below. I watched your snow flying video, too and can see why you wanted to make the ski landing gear. I'm wondering if the same skis - maybe a little bigger - might work for water landings. I see over to the side a video you made for begginers and electronics. Thanks for that one, too and I'm off to watch that one. Thanks again for sharing. Your videos are getting me closer to making my own plane.
+southernexposure123 Thanks for the kind words! I have wondered what would happen if I tried to skim water with those skis. I think that some thicker blocks of insulation foam would be a better way to go. I haven't tried water stuff yet because I know I will get it stuck out on the lake
You're welcome for the well deserved positive comments. I'm watching your videos as I write this and I'm getting the information I need to be much more confident about which parts to buy. Without your guidelines I might have had to research for months longer. It might be found in a video of your I'll find later tonight, but I'm wondering how to pick a motor based on plane size. I'll want to make a 4 channel high wing trainer first, but I prefer a large wingspan - maybe up to 4 ft across. I think you're right about the water skis. Skis on real planes look wider and thicker than the thin snow skis on your snow plane. I have a few small ponds nearby is why I wondered about the skis.
***** That is a good question, and a hard one to give a perfect answer to. But I think that it doesn't really matter. Let me explain: My very first airplane that I built, I powered with a big inrunner motor from an RC car and a random, poorly matched propeller held on with zip ties, The motor was hot glued in place and controlled with a car ESC (which means it has forward and reverse) all powered off of a small NiMh battery (also from the car). Picture here: imgur.com/1cf6M9P That plane had a 30 inch wingspan And it actually worked! It was nowhere near ideal, and I remember when I finally bought a proper airplane power system, I was super impressed with how much better it was. Since airplane building materials are so light, most of the weight will come from the power system. So smaller power system will weigh less, and it won't need as much power. But a larger power system will weigh more, and it will have more power. The lighter one will fly slower, and the heavier one will fly faster. A good way to measure performance is using thrust to weight, however that is pretty inconvenient to try and predict and measure. If it looks like an airplane, and its balanced in the right spot (1/4 to 1/3 back from the leading edge of the wing) than it will probably fly. I found though that the smaller motors tend to damage easier. Their shafts would bend very slightly, making the propeller impossible to balance, and so I like larger power systems because they are more durable and faster/bigger planes are possible. In one of my really old videos here: ua-cam.com/video/MhIE_ddr1gU/v-deo.html That plane is not that big, only 40 inch wingspan, and it used the newer, bigger motor. And like I said, it went 75mph. however In the flying portion I only filmed it using a lower voltage 2s battery, and so it had much less power than it would on the 3s battery and It still flew beautifully even being heavier. The motor used was this one: tinyurl.com/h3x8taz It is about twice the price of the smaller motors I talked about but I'd say easily twice the value tinyurl.com/h5vhg2t Actually here is a playlist of all my videos featuring that bigger motor. I just realized that it is most of them... ua-cam.com/play/PLuYy5ij8a6_cPitUbqTw3CBIt-3LhmSk1.html As always, feel free to ask any other questions you have.
You may never realize how helpful you are to my questions. You go to great pains to give a good answer to a question that doesn't have one pat answer. The kind of detail you gave turns on so many lights that now I can see the hobby and the process from a few different angles. Basically what you're telling me is that no matter what I try - well within reason - it will have a workable outcome at least to some degree of success. Then if whichever motor etc I pick isn't the greatest that I can make a different size or style of plane and get another workable result - to some degree. And it seems you promote experimentation. It seems you especially promote experimentation. ((-: I like that. It'll take some time to watch every link you included, but I'll watch them all with interest and apppreciation for the trouble you took including the links and making the videos along the way and sharing your experiences. These days its not exactly easy to find someone who is willing to share or is able to communicate in suh a helpful way. I appreciate that you are able and willing to give pointers that help me relax about the process. Thank you so much and I'll definitely remember your kind offer to clarify any questions I have along they way. Thanks again very much.
Hi, I am going to make one similar to this but need simple help.can you please tell me the ratings of all electronics used in your plane like motor rating,ESC rating,battery rating,propeller size and servos.please I am waiting for your answer....
great tutorial... I'm a 1st time builder so I'm brand new to this. stupid question for you: how can I determine the size do the airfoil? how big should I make it for a trainer plane?
+Taraut Romain do you mean how big to make the wing in total area? In general, I'd say it's all proportional. My saying is: if it looks like an airplane, has good power to weight, and is balanced a quarter of the way back from the leading edge of the wing (don't overlook this), then it will fly. My advice for a trainer, is to make it simple, lightweight, and relatively big, and don't be afraid to make the wing long. I also just made a video overview of electronic components if you aren't used to those yet.
Hello again, I've been having loads of trouble with my hot wire cutter. I have a similar frame you have (it's spring loaded.) I'm using 24 gauge nichrome wire that is being fed 18 volts by 3 semi used lantern batteries (6volts each, 3 in series.) The problems I have involve the cutting. I'm having a difficult time establishing the center line to line up my pink insulation foam. I believe I've e the problem is due to the uneven edges of the foam, but I think I can solve that with a new uniform block. A big problem I have is that the wire, even though it is stretched, tends to slightly bow, giving the profile of the wing a slightly curved shape. Last but most certainly not least is the leading and trailing edges. I always screw them up and I don't really know how to fix it. Do you have any tips to help avoid getting a crummy jagged leading edge, and uneven trailing edge. I'm going to get a new block of foam because I just burned through a $22 one and I feel defeated. Please help.
Hey Samm! I love your work and you've really inspired me to start making Airplanes. I've made about 2 that have soared straight into the ground. I can't really afford more crashes now. I feel like giving up but the hobby seems so fun lol. For an airplane like the trainer, could I use a 1000KV brushless with a 3s 2200 mAH battery or would that be too heavy. Haven't had any success with that combo yet. Also since you made a piece of foam board fly, does the airfoil shape and efficiency even matter?
Hello Samm Sheperd, What would you say is the slowest flying plane design? Can you make a video with some cool ideas to make a plane such that. I ask because I live near a field that isn't exactly huge and I am curious to explore the hobby given my constraints. Thankyou, A curious Stefan
There are lots of forums out there for your questions. To see what the components are and how they interact, watch this m.ua-cam.com/video/7uOr0nMv0-8/v-deo.html I think a great first project to figure out RC electronic components would be one similar to this one m.ua-cam.com/video/lb7DPmaW8qs/v-deo.html
+MultiPuma1234 Thank you, and if you hadn't noticed, I recently made my own version of the video I referenced for you, incase that helps at all. ua-cam.com/video/j61Q3e8AFR4/v-deo.html
Yours is so light and lofty... i made a gigantic monstrosity with 3 layers of wings, float plane hull and Italian ww2 style top engine mount. I used too much hot glue and its heavy. how do you use less hot glue while making your plane strong and how to decide where to place your wing?
im a noobie and cant wait to build my first foam plane. I am going to purchase a transmitter and some servos and have about 70 bux to buy that with, Any place on line I can get that for that much?? Or maybe a used one instead of new.......HELP
So... homemade paper is made from scraps of cloth and I have been using old coffee filters, grind with water... ==>> paper... it requires some more effort, but I am adding shellac made from non poisonous alcohol and acetone... it's a very excellent bio plastic... cover with silk from a parachute and add a pinch of AuPt dust to all of it... which creates covalent bonds throughout the biodegradable, light as a cork, stronger than steel ==>> plastic...cost is a few pennies per square meter
Petroleum means petrified oil... it's long chain hydrocarbons that are welded together with sulfur ions to make a very soft material almost unbreakable... which is why it doesn't break down in the environment... we MUST stop using petroleum products.. they are toxic at all levels I was a factory floor automation software engineer for a subsidiary of Boeing oh so many years ago... we made the high tech fibers and composite materials for our military weapons... this is the same sort of material, all non proprietary... as it should be
Old technology from China, using the lingin and cellulose of bamboo... and paper can be molded like plastic, printed with a printer... a 3D printer that makes things... and add silk and spray shellac with AuPt dust.. It can be cured in an oven to establish more covalent bonds and a harder material... it's possible to obtain 5.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness
Rubber bands are my favorite way because they're not only easy to use and they work, but they allow the wing to move when crashed, making the whole plane pretty invincible
Instead of heavy landing gear that include tires and metal fixtures just use light weight skiis made of foam. For a little extra durability - put tape over them in the same way that you made the wings.Yes - they will get scuffed up and eventually need replacing. But so what? It's a $5 Trainer, right?Make them so that they are easily detachable and replaceable.Perhaps you can use the same wide masking tape to hold them in place.Using Land-Skiis will weigh much less that typical metal and rubber wheels and basically serve the same purpose for a $5 Trainor.
Haha, I love how that the plane is so ugly from the beginning :D Few years ago I spend a lot to buy Easy Glider and then few more buck to paint it with hi reflective paint. After few flights it looks horrible. First I lost a foam cabin, so I am using plastic bottle instead, then I lost battery during flight and crash badly. So I needed to recreate the whole nose of the plane... I used a plastic cover of grave candle because it has a cone shape.The reflective paint just don't stick the plane and it's constantly peeling off. The the plane is so ugly that I was ashamed to fly it when some more experienced guys where near. Now I feel silly about that :-)
Hey Samm it seems like you really know what your doing. So I have a question/problem. I'm flying in about -5 degrees Celsius and I use a 6 channel hobbyking radio. I made a simple soarer from Flitetest and every time I try to fly it, I'll hand launch, and then every single time I completely lose all control of the plane, the motor shuts off, the servos stop working and I won't have control until I'm about 5 feet away from the plane.m I do don't know what the problem. I use a 30a turnigy esc with a 3a bec. Please tell me what I am doing wrong, it is driving me crazy. Thanks
I am confused because how do you choose the motor power? also how do you decide the horizontal stabilizer size and the same for the vertical? also what angle do you put in the motor according to the horizontal line of the frame?
Try 2 degrees right thrust & 1 or 2 deg down thrust. Use appropriate sized washers behind the motor. No secret trick to this, add or remove washers as needed.
Samm was a great engineer...every degreed engineer should watch his videos. RIP brother!
Most engineers are thinkers than doers. It's fucking easy to get something done than think about getting it done. That's how things worked in the 60s 70s, the era that produced great aircraft.
Shashank H R you tried but, you know you’re dumb.
When did Sam died
@@riyanrangoonwala9667 2 years ago.
@@riyanrangoonwala9667 ...he had a fatal motorcycle accident...
So sad watching his content now. :( I hope his channel never gets deleted so he can share his knowledge from the afterlife
skylinevspec000 did he die or something
@@davitohacks9289 yeah he passed away in a motorcycle accident
@@loganreuter6072 RIP
@@loganreuter6072 damn that’s actually sad
Still learnibg
RIP my fellow pilot, may you fly through the skies forever. I still watch your video's regularly, they have such entertaining and educatinal value.
RIP Samm (1994-2018)
Uf
When and how did he died
@@riyanrangoonwala9667 Motorcycle accident :( Watch his recent video. Very sad.
@@rishi0299omggg i didn’t know he died 😭😭 I barely discovers his channel
we miss you mate :'(
my first rc build was inspired by this video. thank you, sam. May you rest in peace
I’m really gratefully there was a conclusion so we had closure, thanks for the final video
This video, flying door, and rc electronics for noobs are my favorite videos.
Rest in peace, Samm.
We all miss you!
very impressive for a $5 build and appears to fly like a dream.......
unfortunately , look at the description. $5 only for the sheets of foamboard. motors and other electronics costs more.
true but I think $5 for the airframe still fits the description......
Saif Hakeam yes, it's a bit misleading since a trainer is for someone that's not in the hobby and they don't own a transmitter or other parts that can be reused and repurposed
Niall Duncan i love rc airplane more than quadcopters but dont have access to a park or open place anywhere close :( so i cant make one 😭
++Saif Hakeam - ass. wr.wb saif! right..right! it's impossible builded by $5 cost only. wht about the electronics..:( hehee...
Sometimes I'm frustrated that I waste so much time on shitty YT videos, but then I stumble upon a gem like this and it's all good again.
Vondr Albra until you find our he died....
I really didn't want to build the same plane twice. So I hope this is okay.
When you're making the fuselage couldn't u just hold a wooden ruler up to the foam??
Samm Sheperd mate, may I get the PDF on how to build this please?
@@LX._.R4ZZ *fuselage
I've just been watching a few of Samm's videos and I came across the comments. So Sad 😢 to hear about it. My heart goes out to his Family and Friends ❤️
I'm still watching your videos Samm. I hope your family is recovering.
I have recently made my own rc plane with a hot wire and Styrofoam.
It fly's decently but I'm still a beginner pilot and crash it a lot.
I cover my wings in paper but have to add vortex generators to prevent stalling.
This is the first rc plane I ever made and the second I've ever flown.
Interesting. I'm an old man, who learned this stuff in the early '70s with balsa wood and rice paper. You method is certainly cheaper again, but I liked making an airfoil with ribs and spars and stuff... It's a lot more work, yes, but what you get is a lot more like a full scale (WW2 sort of vintage) aeroplane... The radio gear and motor cost some money. Balsa and glue and covering cost almost nothing. I started with a Cox .049 ThimbleDrone glowplug + control line, and I was about 10. And no, I didn't have a father or uncle to walk me through it, I worked it out as I went along. Working out how to cover a wing with rice paper and then dope it, that took some trial and error... By the time I got to 4 chan pattern ships and OS45s, I also got to leaving home and riding 750cc motorcycles, and rc 'planes kind of went on holiday. That was about 40 years ago...
Very cool man! I have made some wings from balsa and modern plastic covering film. There is something very therapeutic about just sitting and cutting out ribs! I've worked as an assistant to an aircraft mechanic and helped to recover a full scale super cub wing and so the "scale" ness of it is also nice if that is the reason that you like model airplanes.
GREAT video. You're not breaking the mold. You're Making the mold. Fantastic scratch build.
just got me back into rc selfbuilds thanks for sharing..
+Chris Barrett Cool man be sure to upload a walk around of whatever you make and share it! I'd love to see.
I watch this video so many times. Love the simplicity. Awesome video! thanks Sam Sheperd for sharing your air plane planes and mostly the power supply info.
Py0
Well done. Love getting people into the hobby cheaply but learning too. Stellar job!
+Eric William -MKme Tech Thank you sir! My hope in making video's is to inspire people to try it out for themselves.
Thank you very much for being my first supporter on Patreon! What I do on youtube is not financially profitable in any way, that's not what I do it for and I'm not going to beg for handouts. But your pledge is worth over 1000 advertised views of my content, so thanks!
***** No problem at all. I know what it is like with UA-cam and Patreon as I have both myself :) Best of luck with all your builds.
***** Looks like you got a few more supporters ;) Cheers
I got hit by a reddit bomb, which is nice
***** Excellent!
Nice! The fuselage could have used some more love and passion... but I am not here to judge! I like the overall idea of it. By the way the slow motion video in the beginning is awesome.
Something about the way the video is edited and your monotone narration is hilarious. Real great work here.
+Kniroid I swear I feel like I'm really pushing myself to talk lively haha, but glad you liked it.
Yoiu dont even have to try man! Alot of character bleeds through and We get the info perfectly.
+Kniroid: Daniel (rctestflight) has the same style. In fact there are times when I can't tell the difference. Both have great presentation skills, great RC plane ideas, and great flying skills.
+David Jensen I agree! sometimes I'm waiting for him to say "bye" at the end.
David Jensen I started making planes and watching rctestflight around the same time (summer 2013) and I always resonated with his content and style the most. Even his other hobbies like skiing and mountain biking. I grew up in a surf town, he in a ski town. He's been at it a lot longer than I have and because our styles are so similar I try to avoid accidentally being TOO similar.
the unfogettable name is samm sheperd in DIY rc flight makers.his R & D are astonishing.great.we miss you samm.sad feelings from india.
Thought about you today. I hope you are flying high up there. RIP brother. You are always missed.
Miss you big man, RIP Benny Harvey
miss you brother.RIP samm.
0:59 The shwing, i'd say!! So cute!
Poor Carly. 😔
R.I.P. Samm.
dude this thing flies awesome, so smooth and perfect speed for a learner
Man, I really miss Samm...
If you make the fuselage as a tapering triangular tube it's more resilient/robust than just foam, you can attach the wings to the top side of the triangle which ensures they are horizontal, you can put battery and RC inside the triangular tube so are safe, and it looks nicer.
Gave up on the Armin wing. Awww...
Hi Ed. I wouldn't say I gave up, I just like real airfoils :)
'real airfoils'
Try KF airfoil has better lift than Clark Y.
Hot wire! Back in ca. 1982 I was using it to shape polyethylene honeycomb (visualize soda straws glued side to side) for NACA section daggerboard cores. Nice to see that it's still around.
Lovely! Thanks for showing the hot wire cutting. I'm planning to make a cutter my self. I can see you love the landings! That's what I have been doing to. Landingrounds, getting it perfect 1,3 X stallspeed. This is good training and will save your ass one day whenm one needs emergency landing :-)
+LA6UOA You talk like a full scale pilot :) 1.3*Vso= standard final approach speed. Feel free to ask any questions about hot wiring I'd love to help!
For me flying rc planes are about 2/3 of the fun, the other 1/3 is building, fixing and tinkering. Good video thanks for sharing
Wonderful vid and idea behind it. I don't throw out dull blades though, but sharpen them to better than new. A little Buck kit with 4 inch stone is more than adequate. Be careful, with your progression into hot wired forms you walk the slippery slope of sophistication. Ha! I like any construction method that builds planes. Your family, being with you and sharing your interest made me jealous.
Landing and takeoff is so satisfying.
Who cares how it looks it flys wonderfully,great job mate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
good video, i would like to know some specs
-total weight of the plane
-weight of the motor, weight of the battery
-wingspan and how long it is
-length of the wing(front to back) and maybe the thickness at the thickest point
For cutting a straight line free hand, simply have a thin piece of wood along with the foam. Use your meat clamps (hands) to lock the wood to the foam, and cut along with the wood as a guide. When you need to change angles just let loose a bit and shift the foam vs the wood, then tighten and keep going..
Minimum building, maximum fun. I like that. And I got some good ideas from your vids, thanks.
+Chilarai B Thanks! I just got home from flying this same airplane with FPV gear for the first time. I do appreciate all the effort people put into high quality builds, it's just not quite my flavor of the hobby.
Maybe some Home Depot stir sticks that are temporarily double sided taped to the fuselage to make the cuts straighter? I love this video. This has helped me immensely. Now I can fly these and save my commercially made planes for special days. I was struggling with the best way to make solid foam airfoils. THANK YOU!
It's mesmerizing watching these planes fly. It's stressful doing it myself... :)
A genius engineer! RIP!
Bruh, your content is so good. Why the best ones get taken?
😭😭😭well said sir
Awesome video. I totally agree that landings and taking off are the best parts!
Also as a real life pilot too, I love kinda listening to how you think as you are flying these models too, I'm the same way!
this is very helpfull i really wish my home country has shops to supply me with servos
hey, great idea with the hot wire cutting. I use a razor, hack saw and alot of sand paper lol. I'd love to see how you hooked up your nose gear. I have stuck with tail draggers because I struggled with steerable nose gear.
Maybe for the fuselage you could set up the hot wire vertically like a bandsaw? It would make the cut much more smooth and accurate.
best video i've ever seen in my life
Cheers, Samm. Your videos are fun and informative. I'm not sacrificing my guitar strings, so I'll stick with the Arman wing for now. Happy flying!
+Brandon Cooper pick one up individually from a music store for $1!
AMAZING VIDEO.PLEASE COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE PROGRAME THAT YOU ZOMMED IN THE AIRFOIL
Have only built KF airfoils, gonna try your wood template technique.
Thank you very much for the information packed video. Also for giving servo, motor and battery information for another question below. I watched your snow flying video, too and can see why you wanted to make the ski landing gear. I'm wondering if the same skis - maybe a little bigger - might work for water landings.
I see over to the side a video you made for begginers and electronics. Thanks for that one, too and I'm off to watch that one.
Thanks again for sharing. Your videos are getting me closer to making my own plane.
+southernexposure123 Thanks for the kind words! I have wondered what would happen if I tried to skim water with those skis. I think that some thicker blocks of insulation foam would be a better way to go. I haven't tried water stuff yet because I know I will get it stuck out on the lake
You're welcome for the well deserved positive comments. I'm watching your videos as I write this and I'm getting the information I need to be much more confident about which parts to buy. Without your guidelines I might have had to research for months longer.
It might be found in a video of your I'll find later tonight, but I'm wondering how to pick a motor based on plane size. I'll want to make a 4 channel high wing trainer first, but I prefer a large wingspan - maybe up to 4 ft across.
I think you're right about the water skis. Skis on real planes look wider and thicker than the thin snow skis on your snow plane. I have a few small ponds nearby is why I wondered about the skis.
***** That is a good question, and a hard one to give a perfect answer to. But I think that it doesn't really matter. Let me explain:
My very first airplane that I built, I powered with a big inrunner motor from an RC car and a random, poorly matched propeller held on with zip ties, The motor was hot glued in place and controlled with a car ESC (which means it has forward and reverse) all powered off of a small NiMh battery (also from the car). Picture here: imgur.com/1cf6M9P
That plane had a 30 inch wingspan
And it actually worked! It was nowhere near ideal, and I remember when I finally bought a proper airplane power system, I was super impressed with how much better it was.
Since airplane building materials are so light, most of the weight will come from the power system. So smaller power system will weigh less, and it won't need as much power. But a larger power system will weigh more, and it will have more power.
The lighter one will fly slower, and the heavier one will fly faster.
A good way to measure performance is using thrust to weight, however that is pretty inconvenient to try and predict and measure.
If it looks like an airplane, and its balanced in the right spot (1/4 to 1/3 back from the leading edge of the wing) than it will probably fly.
I found though that the smaller motors tend to damage easier. Their shafts would bend very slightly, making the propeller impossible to balance, and so I like larger power systems because they are more durable and faster/bigger planes are possible. In one of my really old videos here: ua-cam.com/video/MhIE_ddr1gU/v-deo.html
That plane is not that big, only 40 inch wingspan, and it used the newer, bigger motor. And like I said, it went 75mph. however In the flying portion I only filmed it using a lower voltage 2s battery, and so it had much less power than it would on the 3s battery and It still flew beautifully even being heavier. The motor used was this one: tinyurl.com/h3x8taz
It is about twice the price of the smaller motors I talked about but I'd say easily twice the value tinyurl.com/h5vhg2t
Actually here is a playlist of all my videos featuring that bigger motor. I just realized that it is most of them... ua-cam.com/play/PLuYy5ij8a6_cPitUbqTw3CBIt-3LhmSk1.html
As always, feel free to ask any other questions you have.
You may never realize how helpful you are to my questions. You go to great pains to give a good answer to a question that doesn't have one pat answer. The kind of detail you gave turns on so many lights that now I can see the hobby and the process from a few different angles.
Basically what you're telling me is that no matter what I try - well within reason - it will have a workable outcome at least to some degree of success. Then if whichever motor etc I pick isn't the greatest that I can make a different size or style of plane and get another workable result - to some degree.
And it seems you promote experimentation.
It seems you especially promote experimentation. ((-: I like that.
It'll take some time to watch every link you included, but I'll watch them all with interest and apppreciation for the trouble you took including the links and making the videos along the way and sharing your experiences.
These days its not exactly easy to find someone who is willing to share or is able to communicate in suh a helpful way. I appreciate that you are able and willing to give pointers that help me relax about the process.
Thank you so much and I'll definitely remember your kind offer to clarify any questions I have along they way. Thanks again very much.
This was sweet man. Cool video. Glad you made it.
2:31 omg that was satisfying
*Fancy Plywood*
I plan on ordering everything from your list you made. Thanks man
Hi, I am going to make one similar to this but need simple help.can you please tell me the ratings of all electronics used in your plane like motor rating,ESC rating,battery rating,propeller size and servos.please I am waiting for your answer....
great tutorial... I'm a 1st time builder so I'm brand new to this. stupid question for you: how can I determine the size do the airfoil? how big should I make it for a trainer plane?
+Taraut Romain do you mean how big to make the wing in total area? In general, I'd say it's all proportional. My saying is: if it looks like an airplane, has good power to weight, and is balanced a quarter of the way back from the leading edge of the wing (don't overlook this), then it will fly. My advice for a trainer, is to make it simple, lightweight, and relatively big, and don't be afraid to make the wing long.
I also just made a video overview of electronic components if you aren't used to those yet.
Very cool video, nice plane and a very attractive lady holding the wing ☺
very good built... and seems to be very simple and stable as well.. keep going.. it ll be good if you post correct dimensions of the plane. thanks
avinash khetmali he died... check his newest video
You know you got enough hot glue when the landing-gear is floating away XD
Sir can it go invert flying for long time, if there is less than 180° angle between 2 wings?...
sorry to say but he passed away.
Nice clear well spoken video thanks for that..
Hello again,
I've been having loads of trouble with my hot wire cutter. I have a similar frame you have (it's spring loaded.) I'm using 24 gauge nichrome wire that is being fed 18 volts by 3 semi used lantern batteries (6volts each, 3 in series.) The problems I have involve the cutting. I'm having a difficult time establishing the center line to line up my pink insulation foam. I believe I've e the problem is due to the uneven edges of the foam, but I think I can solve that with a new uniform block. A big problem I have is that the wire, even though it is stretched, tends to slightly bow, giving the profile of the wing a slightly curved shape. Last but most certainly not least is the leading and trailing edges. I always screw them up and I don't really know how to fix it. Do you have any tips to help avoid getting a crummy jagged leading edge, and uneven trailing edge. I'm going to get a new block of foam because I just burned through a $22 one and I feel defeated. Please help.
Thanks man. You made it look so easy.
Did you know what the final mass of the whole thing was? I'm sure it couldn't have been more than a kilogram or 2 but I know all the parts add up
Hey Samm! I love your work and you've really inspired me to start making Airplanes. I've made about 2 that have soared straight into the ground. I can't really afford more crashes now. I feel like giving up but the hobby seems so fun lol.
For an airplane like the trainer, could I use a 1000KV brushless with a 3s 2200 mAH battery or would that be too heavy. Haven't had any success with that combo yet. Also since you made a piece of foam board fly, does the airfoil shape and efficiency even matter?
He passed away and won’t be answering… I’m sorry. 💔
Hello Samm Sheperd,
What would you say is the slowest flying plane design? Can you make a video with some cool ideas to make a plane such that. I ask because I live near a field that isn't exactly huge and I am curious to explore the hobby given my constraints.
Thankyou,
A curious Stefan
+ssplintergirl slow speed = big wing + low weight. Sounds like a cool video but I'm pretty busy right now
I understand, I'm edging up against finals season and I'm also feeling the pressure. Thanks for the advice.
best Info yet for starting this :)
Any guides you could recommend that would help me set up electronics for the control surfaces? I am a total noob.
There are lots of forums out there for your questions. To see what the components are and how they interact, watch this m.ua-cam.com/video/7uOr0nMv0-8/v-deo.html
I think a great first project to figure out RC electronic components would be one similar to this one m.ua-cam.com/video/lb7DPmaW8qs/v-deo.html
+Samm Sheperd (SNRS) Crazily helpful links, just watched them and they have helped a lot. You sir are a scholar and a gentleman.
+MultiPuma1234 Thank you, and if you hadn't noticed, I recently made my own version of the video I referenced for you, incase that helps at all. ua-cam.com/video/j61Q3e8AFR4/v-deo.html
makes me want to fly again. thanks for the videos.
Awesome work, man! 😀
hi,its really nice. can you send me the dimensions of the plane pls, the body,wing,elevator etc.
Nice fly,low cost ,Gem...
Yours is so light and lofty... i made a gigantic monstrosity with 3 layers of wings, float plane hull and Italian ww2 style top engine mount. I used too much hot glue and its heavy. how do you use less hot glue while making your plane strong and how to decide where to place your wing?
starpilot 101 cg
Landing gear won't break bit heavy but solid.
im a noobie and cant wait to build my first foam plane. I am going to purchase a transmitter and some servos and have about 70 bux to buy that with, Any place on line I can get that for that much?? Or maybe a used one instead of new.......HELP
You safed my day. Thumbs up.
So... homemade paper is made from scraps of cloth and I have been using old coffee filters, grind with water... ==>> paper... it requires some more effort, but I am adding shellac made from non poisonous alcohol and acetone... it's a very excellent bio plastic... cover with silk from a parachute and add a pinch of AuPt dust to all of it... which creates covalent bonds throughout the biodegradable, light as a cork, stronger than steel ==>> plastic...cost is a few pennies per square meter
Keep the shiny side ^up ^ !!!
Petroleum means petrified oil... it's long chain hydrocarbons that are welded together with sulfur ions to make a very soft material almost unbreakable... which is why it doesn't break down in the environment... we MUST stop using petroleum products.. they are toxic at all levels
I was a factory floor automation software engineer for a subsidiary of Boeing oh so many years ago... we made the high tech fibers and composite materials for our military weapons... this is the same sort of material, all non proprietary... as it should be
Old technology from China, using the lingin and cellulose of bamboo... and paper can be molded like plastic, printed with a printer... a 3D printer that makes things... and add silk and spray shellac with AuPt dust..
It can be cured in an oven to establish more covalent bonds and a harder material... it's possible to obtain 5.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness
People live in our memories... it's the work that we do that lasts forever
The StarFire Family wishes you
Peace and Prosperity
Ad Infinitum
Peace ✌ 🙏
well it should be realatively easy to build a plane like this, but what about the electronics ?
how do you control the servos and the motor???
I have a video for you! Go to my channel
Samm Sheperd thanks
Great video, can you post the dimension of the plane?
I never even measured it when building it. Just make something that looks proportionally like an airplane and you'll be fine
The hardest part for me to get is that kind of foamboard... Nice video btw.
What's that kind of foamboard called btw?
Great inspiration!, please keep posting. Have you tried to make a glider that could be towed up?
I always liked your videos rip
Nice and simple.
Is there a better way to keep on the wings on the plane other than rubber bands?
Rubber bands are my favorite way because they're not only easy to use and they work, but they allow the wing to move when crashed, making the whole plane pretty invincible
Well is this important to put servo at back wing also
Instead of heavy landing gear that include tires and metal fixtures just use light weight skiis made of foam. For a little extra durability - put tape over them in the same way that you made the wings.Yes - they will get scuffed up and eventually need replacing. But so what? It's a $5 Trainer, right?Make them so that they are easily detachable and replaceable.Perhaps you can use the same wide masking tape to hold them in place.Using Land-Skiis will weigh much less that typical metal and rubber wheels and basically serve the same purpose for a $5 Trainor.
Haha, I love how that the plane is so ugly from the beginning :D Few years ago I spend a lot to buy Easy Glider and then few more buck to paint it with hi reflective paint. After few flights it looks horrible. First I lost a foam cabin, so I am using plastic bottle instead, then I lost battery during flight and crash badly. So I needed to recreate the whole nose of the plane... I used a plastic cover of grave candle because it has a cone shape.The reflective paint just don't stick the plane and it's constantly peeling off. The the plane is so ugly that I was ashamed to fly it when some more experienced guys where near.
Now I feel silly about that :-)
What should be the angle of attack of the clark y airfoil for max lift?
The airplane is basically just a big tool to control the AOA of the wing. You use the elevator to control AOA
Nice video and nice plane.
Hey Samm it seems like you really know what your doing. So I have a question/problem. I'm flying in about -5 degrees Celsius and I use a 6 channel hobbyking radio. I made a simple soarer from Flitetest and every time I try to fly it, I'll hand launch, and then every single time I completely lose all control of the plane, the motor shuts off, the servos stop working and I won't have control until I'm about 5 feet away from the plane.m I do don't know what the problem. I use a 30a turnigy esc with a 3a bec. Please tell me what I am doing wrong, it is driving me crazy. Thanks
Pls give the dimensions
Great job on this video. Who is that person @ 0:59?
Are there starter kits with engines, battery, servos and the rc controller on sale?
i have question .. is there claps on the wings ?
where can I get a hand on the motor, propellor, control motors for the flaps, elevator and...., also a remote?? :) :)
+Mattias Fosse I made this video ua-cam.com/video/j61Q3e8AFR4/v-deo.html
Thanks!
I am confused because how do you choose the motor power? also how do you decide the horizontal stabilizer size and the same for the vertical? also what angle do you put in the motor according to the horizontal line of the frame?
Try 2 degrees right thrust & 1 or 2 deg down thrust. Use appropriate sized washers behind the motor. No secret trick to this, add or remove washers as needed.
is it easy to fly after building it ? or did you have to make adjustments before being able to fly ?