Flying Sites

Fortunate to have multiple FRIA sites within 10 to 45 minutes from my front door in Cypress, TX.

http://www.sparksrc.com

https://www.modelaircraft.org/club/space-city-rc

Best grass runway combined with a perfect overfly area for pattern I have ever flown from in my 30+ years as an RC pilot. Been a member since 2005.

http://www.bomberfieldusa.com

www.bayoucityflyersrc.com

http://www.nwrcc.com

Strato and Angel's Shadow V20

SE Texas Autumn weather is perfect for getting a jump start on next year's pattern season. Conditions on 11/19 were ideal for testing and continuing the trimming process for two of the newest planes in the fleet.

BJ Craft Strato

I wrote in an earlier post that the BJ Craft Strato has been a challenge for me to trim to my preferences.  Even though, to my surprise, I've already logged 60 flights on the Strato, I'm still testing and changing setups.  Most recently, I've added wing fences to improve the spin entry.  Before the fences were added, when slowing and increasing the angle of attack, an unexpected wing would drop in a direction that wasn't planned.  Adding the fences, along with mixing flaperons in the spin conditions, has made spin entries more predictable. The fences also improved the overall tracking throughout the flight, especially when executing radii. The trimming process continues.  Following the 11/19 flying session, I decided to recheck wing incidence and CG. Using the Sky RC Gauge, I reset the balance point to the midpoint of the suggested CG range (160mm-220mm), measured from the wing's trailing edge. I'm also considering changing out the PCK 4-bld drive for a PAP Precision Low KV 2-bld drive.

Angel's Shadow Bipe V20

This was the 2nd outing for the V20. Flying a biplane is going to take some getting used to. First, the positives.  It's very stable but responsive.  Rolls and pitch feel are good.  No real coupling is detectable with rudder. The size of the silhouette, combined with the color scheme, makes it very visible.

Adjustments and or change. 

• Very draggy, with the reduction of power, there's a rapid loss of airspeed. 
• Much slower snap-roll rate compared to mono designs.
• Excessive braking with the current power system. Will change from 22x13 to a 21.5x13 next outing, plus some throttle curve fine-tuning.
• Considering swapping out the Hacker C54 for a Contra system

Angels' Shadow Bipe

The Angel's Shadow Bipe v20 (ASB) has been ready to fly since mid-2022.  At the time, I had other solid performing competitive airframes and didn't feel the need to take on the task of flight trimming another one. Especially a biplane, with which I have limited experience in flight trimming. The ASB was configured with my go-to power setup, Hacker C54, with the D3 controller. I wanted a change, so I ordered the PCK 4-bld drive system from CK Aero. However, I didn't invest the time or have the motivation to retrofit the ASB's power system. This past Saturday, I decided it had sat long enough collecting shop dust.

After assembly at the field, I thoroughly reviewed the radio setup and ran up the motor to check amp draw.  All systems worked as expected.  I carried it out to the runway, took a deep breath, and powered down the runway.  The ASB lifted off beautifully.  I did a couple of circuits around the field, adding small amounts of trim to achieve hands-off level flight at cruise speed. This was followed by a few basic aerobatic maneuvers to evaluate CG, incidence, and thrust alignment.  The maiden went so well, I flew through the P-25 sequence for the next 3 flights.

My initial impression is that it will not take much effort to flight trim the ASB for competition. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with the ASB, getting it ready for the 2026 season to fly the AMA Masters P-27 sequence.

Construction

Equipment List

Strato Trimming Continued

Unlike the previous BJ designs I have owned and competed with, the Strato has presented the most challenge to trim to my liking. Not sure why.  The two outstanding differences are the 4-blade PCK power drive plus the additional sweep in the wings. 

To date, ~40 or so flights have been logged where I have changed wing incidence, throttle curve, CG, and other variables to achieve the overall feel I desire. I am a firm believer that at some point, you have to settle on the changes made and log numerous flights to become accustomed to and compensate for the plane's behavior throughout the sequence.  I believe I have reached that plateau.  Any further setup changes will be minimal from this point forward.

Positives

• Predictable negative snaps
• Constant speed control
• Pitch and roll feel
• Low flight weight with 6000mAh batteries
• Super quiet PCK 4-bld drive/prop

Negatives

• Narrow fuselage, minimal equipment space
• Flight trimming challenges
• Transition to the lack of sound feed from PCK drive
• Relocation of the rudder servo from tail-mounted to a traditional pull-pull location for CG purposes

Strato Revoc Protective Covers

This is my third set of Revoc covers. As before, the quality is outstanding. The Strato was not in their catalog, so I submitted dimensions. They sent test covers to validate fit. Production turnaround time exceeded expectations. If you want/need protective covers, I highly encourage contacting Revoc.

Strato by BJ Craft

This past Sunday evening, I maiden the Strato by BJ Craft.  Yeah, I know it looks like all the other planes I fly, which is a good thing for these aging eyes. The initial test flight was uneventful.  This was followed by three more flights during which a few settings were tweaked.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue trimming flights this week in between forecasted afternoon rain showers.

Strato equipment/specs

Futaba 32MZ SBus

2-Futaba 7108 RXs on FASST Multi linked using PowerBox PBR-12X

Ail = 2-A704

Rud = A501, changed from tail mounted to pull-pull

Elev = 2-BLS 173

Motor = PCK 4-Bld

ESC = D3 v2.1

Batteries = TP10S 6000/TP 2S 910

Landing gear/pants = PT

Colors = WingsWest RC paint fuse/wings, stabs, and rudder Monokote

Spinner = Falcon

Takeoff weight = 4920grams

BJ Craft Strato Progress

The Strato, first cousin to the Anthem, is nearing completion. All that's left is to complete the radio installation, primarily the location and positioning of the two receivers and RX battery, followed by a CG check.

BJ Craft Strato Progress Update - Paint Process

The paint process has begun. Again, I'm using Wings West RC paint.  It's a base/clear coat system that is very easy to apply.  This is the only paint I see on the market that meets the following criteria: 

• available in Monokote and Ultracote, matching colors
• available in small 4-oz bottles
• pre-mixed ready to spray

Currently, the Wings West RC website is down for maintenance.  However, Kevin, the owner, is taking orders by contacting him directly at kevin@onebuttoninc.com

Web  wingswestrc.com

Facebook  Wings West RC

    

BJ Craft Strato Progress Update

Wings and stabs done. I recently picked up an H9 digital iron, which made applying Monokote so much easier vs the original TopFlite iron I've used for years. Even though Monokote instructions say 150F, I have learned different colors like Dark Red require lower heat, like 115F, to achieve the results I'm after.  The digital indicator makes setting the iron to the desired temperature a breeze.

The colors and scheme layout work so well for visibility on the Anthem, I decided to duplicate it on the Strato.  Simple works best for me.

Honda Odyssey Pattern Plane Hauler

In December 2024 I replaced the trusty 2008 LX Odyssey plane hauler. Because of the outstanding, reliable performance of the 2008 LX, it was an easy decision to go with a new 2025 Odyssey EXL model. I'm slowly configuring it for road trips for the wife and me in future years, in addition to local and long-distance airplane events. This time, the plane rack is made from black PVC to match the van's interior.