Electric Free Flight STRIX Timer #2

I have been having so much fun experimenting with electric free flights using the cheap STRIX motor timer and a 7 mm coreless motor. It will only run up to 10 seconds but that gives you a real good view of how the airplane is flying. You can really notice the slightest stall or if it is turning too tight. Making tiny adjustments to get the climb and glide paths just right can make a huge difference in the height of the climb and length of the glide.

This winter I finished a new plane for the electric combo a Sig Cub which looks to fly really well but I have been hesitant to make longer flights with it on the hard surfaces. Instead I have been flying a plane I made up from wing and tail of Flying Aces Moth, which is rather beat-up anyways. The wing is angled giving it too much stab tilt but I just do not seem to get around to fix it.

Sig Cub over Snow

The optimum size appears to be about 24" wingspan. Joshua Finn experimented with a plane using STRIX timer that appeared to be around that size. He even tried using the 8.5 mm motor used in E20 planes but found the battery was out of charge real fast. It would be fun to try a geared propeller too and see if the climb improves.

AMA Maxi Jr Electric

Dog Retrieved the Plane and this was the only Damage

One session flying the FA Moth type plane I had it in lift for a time and was happy it didn't fly any better. Recent flights have been from a frozen lake which gives a huge area to fly from but a crash into the bare ice would not be good. At some point I would like to design my own plane for the electric combo or maybe a couple planes with one using foam sheet.

The timer is now being sold for $5.99 https://www.banggood.com/STRIX-3_7V-1S-Free-Flight-Motor-Timer-For-6mm-7mm-Motor-p-1363923.html?akmClientCountry=America&cur_warehouse=CN 

Joshua Finn video on STRIX timer    https://youtu.be/kBThvOBYUzc 

First article
https://scienceguyorg.blogspot.com/2018/10/experiments-with-strix-free-flight.html

Bill Kuhl

I had much longer flights than this one but this is close.