Size .15 engines for orphanage

[Dave Nyce]

Hi. I've been working with the kids at an orphanage in NC since 2005 (www.mhc-oxford.org). I supply them with airplane kits, engines, and supplies to build and fly control line planes. There are usually about 20 kids in a group. We build several times per year, and each child gets to keep their own planes that they build. Up until now, we have only built 1/2A planes with .049 engines. But I just bought some Sig Akromaster plane kits, so some of the kids can move up. I need to buy some .15 size engines to go with these plane kits, but the ones I've seen so far are fairly expensive (e.g. Fox .15 =$61). Please let me know if you have any .15 engines w/muffler in good working order that the kids could use. Thanks!
Dave Nyce, Apex, NC 

[Tim Wescott]

I don't want to stop anyone from donating you some engines.  You may, however, want to consider the following:

Electric motor, 480 sized: $22 (http://www.hobby-lobby.com/480_size_brushless_outrunner_1000kv_528690_prd1.htm)
Battery, 1600mAh, 3S: $20 (http://www.hobby-lobby.com/3_cell_11.1v_1600mah_20c_lipo_pack_1033748_prd1.htm)
ESC, 25A: $20 (http://www.hobby-lobby.com/erc_25a_brushless_programmable_esc_w_bec_1035820_prd1.htm)
Charger: $11 (http://www.hobby-lobby.com/10_watt_lipo_balance_charger_for_2_3_lithium_cells_1034385_prd1.htm)
Timer: $10 (http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLA172)

Total: $83.

BUT:

Fuel:  $0
Glow plugs:  $0
Noise complaints:  0
Glow starter:  $0
Fuel tank: $0
etc.

And they can share the chargers.

[Tim Wescott]

And check cheaper places than Tower: Hobby King has ASP 21 engines for $40; the quality won't be as good, but the price is lower.  There's others (Hobby Partz?) that may also have engines you could use.  They're not USofA, but they may be more affordable.

They'll also help you to understand that "inexpensive" and "cheap" are two different words (i.e., you'll hope for an inexpensive engine, you'll get a cheap one).  If you go this route I'd suggest running each engine in before handing it over to the kid, or running it in with the kid.  I'd also suggest budgeting for one extra engine out of every four or five that you buy, to account for the fact that -- well, they're cheap.

http://www.hobbyking.com/
http://www.hobbypartz.com/

[Geoff Goodworth]

Great project David, but remember that the Akromaster is not very big. Modern 15s are too much mumbo. There is one at our club with an FP 15 and the tongue muffler has only two holes open to tame the thing down

Modern 10s are fine, as are old style 15s.

[David M Johnson]

I have a couple of enya 15s but they don't have mufflers. I'll donate one If you can get a muffler.
David Johnson

[Dave Nyce]

Thanks.  I don't know if mufflers are available for the Enya .15, but I'll look.  A local R/C group flew for the kids to watch, and some were electric.  I mentioned to the kids that we could try electric, but they liked the engines that use "gas".  They have a large expanse of fields, with no neighbors, so there is no noise problem with neighbors.  I suppose that I could use an .09 or a .10 engine for the Akromasters?  I also bought a few Skyray 35s, but maybe they would also use a modern engine smaller than .35?

Dave

[Tim Wescott]

The standard engine these days for a Skyray is an OS LA 25 -- and that's because OS stopped making the FP 20.  A modern 25 should do fine on the Skyray.

If you have some money but not a lot, you can look on Craigslist -- engines come up on there from time to time, and there's nothing to keep you from wiring open the throttle of an RC engine and calling it "CL".  The big problem with a Craigslist engine is that unless you know what you're doing and you're willing to dink with it you may just be spending money on disappointment.

[ChrisSarnowski]

Hi Dave,

I can send you the muffler if you still need it and a couple of Enya 15-IV's.

-Chris

[Dave Nyce]

Chris said he can send some Enya .15s and also an extra muffler.  So, Dave, if you still can send the Enya .15 without muffler, the kids would appreciate it!  Thanks everyone!

David Nyce
2633 Whistling Quail Run
Apex, NC  27502

[David M Johnson]

No problem I'll send it along.
David Johnson

[John Fitzgerald]

Our Akromaster flies fine with a OS .10 FP on .012 x 50 foot lines.  I think a normal .15 on it would be too much motor for a beginner, especially.

[Guy B Jr]

Tim,
What size plane (span and area) would be right for the 480 size motor you mentioned? That is the cheapest collection of electric goodies I have ever seen.

[Tim Wescott]

Tim,
What size plane (span and area) would be right for the 480 size motor you mentioned? That is the cheapest collection of electric goodies I have ever seen.

It should be about right for the Akromaster, if you can built it to 20oz or below, total weight.

The "List your Setup" thread in the electric section shows a plane at 236 square inches and 16oz, it should fly that just fine, too.

Note that the big thing that's missing from the above setup is that the engine isn't governed: I asked myself "what could I do if I lowballed this as much as possible while still having a decent chance at a good plane?"  So you'd get a nice sport model, but not one with the rock-steady motor speed that you can get from an ESC with a governor.

(And I was surprised, too -- it made me want to whip out my credit card and order up some stuff from Hobby Lobby!)

[Howard Rush]

I'd think a glow engine would survive crashes better than an electric motor. 

[Tim Wescott]

Very possibly -- but then, at $20, maybe that's not so bad.

Clearly someone with deep pockets and poor flying skills needs to step up to the plate and do some experimentation.  I have the poor flying skills, but I'm a tightwad -- so I'm out.

[Bill Heher]

With the 2 kits you mentioned ou can put a lot of different engines to use.

A standard kit built Akromaster will fly as a good trainer with just about anything from a Cox. 09 Medallion to an OS .15, and even some of the older .19s like a McCoy or Fox.  Do the wing span mod and stretch the fuse an inch or so back for balance and it will do all the basic stunts pretty well. My buddy and I have 4 now, with everything from OS .10FP to old OS MAX .20 loop scavenged engine.

Not needing mufflers is a good way to simplify things, stock ones can be heavy. you can also make tounge mufflers fron Du-bro small muffler extension stock and JB weld.

SkyRays fly good with newer .25 like the OS LA .25.  They also fly fine with standard .30-.40 size C/L motors. R/C motors with carbs fixed open / or adjustable-lockable + venturi restrictors let you dial the power in.  A Skyray can get heavy fast, for a program like yours I would go plastic film and Rustoleum to be cheap and repairable.

Prop / fuel / line length to get good solid tension and keep kids from spinning into the ground or losing it up high.


I'll dig around, gotta have something I can send you. Lets all p

[Dave Nyce]

Thanks a lot everyone.  I'm going to the orphanage this Saturday.  We'll be flying Brodak trainers with Cox Babe Bee engines.  Brodak gave us a discounted price on the trainer kits, and Cox International gave us a discounted price on the engines.  We finished them with clear and color spray paint that was on sale at K Mart.  They actually came out well.

Dave

[Dave Nyce]

Thanks Chris!  I received the engines and mufflers.

I went to the orphanage on Saturday and about twenty boys flew half-A planes.  In past years, both boys and girls participated.  But this year, there are new house parents for the girls' cottages, and they don't think that girls should like building and flying airplanes (but I know that the girls did enjoy it in years past!).  I've mentioned it a few times, but only the boys have participated this year.  Anyway, we had a great time on Saturday, and good weather. 

This was probably the last flying session until March, 2012.  The management staff always says that they are too busy from Thanksgiving through back-to-school after the new year.  We'll do some building in January/February.  Then we can fly again starting in March.

Dave

[john e. holliday]

Any girls left from the past?  Let them speak up or get a female(wife or girl friend) to talk to them.