Flight Times

[Draylon Fogg]

Ok just to verify, what is everyones prefered band size??

[eta150]

For rubber bands? you have to trim your plane yourself to find out. It seems like a lot of people are flying on rubber a little above 0.090" though.

[blue cobra]

I got my personal best time today with 2:14.50

[Chantofox]

Congratulations, mine was about 2:18

[YadoMestor]

Wow, those are really nice times.
How high were the ceilings?

[blue cobra]

Thank you. It was in a gym about... 23, 28 feet high? I know I could get more in a higher gym too.

[DanielleS]

If anyone here is in PA, do you know the flight times that were good in each region? Thanks.

[AlphaTauri]

Lemoyne won Central with at least a 1-minute, possibly approaching 2-minute flight.

[eta150]

BC won south with a 2:48 flight

[GitItWright]

does anyone have an idea as to where i can get curved wing ribs to create the aerofoil?

Here is another technique for making ribs. Mold them. Get a block of basswood that is at least 2" wide x 4" tall x 6" long. Lay the block on its side (4" side down) and draw a curve using a French Curve drawing template along its length, Bandsaw the block along that line. You now have two halves of a RIB SHEET MOLDING FIXTURE (RSMF).

Use either 1/20" or 1/16" balsa sheet. Cut 3 sheets to fit the width and length of the RSMF. Now, soak or slow cook the sheets (simmer) in water for about half an hour. Pull the sheets out, blot the excess water off and layer onto the bottom half of the RSMB. Press down the top half of the RSMF and clamp everything together- tight.

If you use a metal clamp, you can heat the assembly in a slow oven (200 degress) for an hour. If not, let dry for two days. When dry, unclamp the RSMF and remove the top half. Then carefully remove the 3 sheets of balsa. If really dry, they will remain curved. In fact, if you press them flat and then release them, they bounce back into their new curved state. The top and bottom sheets are the sacrificial sheets. Its the middle sheet that is important.

From here on its easy. 1) Cut a straight line to true the LEADING EDGE. 2) Mark that leading edge with a colored Sharpie marker. 3) Slice the ribs by pushing the sheet flat and cutting the length along a straightedge.
An Master Airscrew Balsa Stripper is a great tool for this step!

All the ribs will pop back to their curved shape and actually be tougher as their grain runs parallel to the camber of each rib. When you use them in building, try to trim them by only by cutting from the back edge which allows the curve/camber to be consistent throughout the wing or stabilizer. You can vary the camber of a rib sheet by choosing different places to make that primary, leading edge cut before slicing the ribs.

GOOD LUCK!