Wright Stuff Woes...

[kinghong1970]

so Div B wright stuff...

we got a bunch of hyper kids that are supposed to fly these delicate kits that breaks at the seam when someone looks at it the wrong way...

how many kits did you guys go through last year?

[coachchuckaahs]

For B last year, we built 4 total planes: Our first attempt, one I built for testing a few new ideas, and then two contest planes. We utilized our own design because in our State, Regionals are in January, which means it is difficult to wait for the kits. I did help a few schools that used Dave's kits, which were excellent and are somewhat robust with the carbon parts he utilized. We spend a LOT of time emphasizing plane handling and operations. The sooner we get into the gym, the better, as it is all about procedures, data collection, and improvement. All four planes are still in flyable condition.

The prior year, C division, was my first year coaching, and we went through 12 planes, more as the design evolved than due to damage.

In my experience, when the kids have invested a number of hours into building, they are careful in handling. Mistakes happen, but so does CA glue. Damage can be your friend. If they learn to repair in practice, then if they get damaged at the event they are prepared to make repairs.

Interestingly, at Nationals they did NOT allow the kids to bring the plane to check-in in the clear transport tote (fully assembled). They had to stand in line holding the planes. Ours had been trained to only remove the plane to measure/weigh, and return to the tote immediately. Fortunately nothing got bumped, but this was the only time of the year I worried about the plane.

I think I did more damage due to inadvertent movements than they did! I broke my own rules and moved suddenly while at the table in the practice gym.

So, with proper discussion/instruction before opening the totes, and constant reminders during handling, you should be OK to get the two-plane kit, since the design is already worked out. Perhaps a second two-plane short-kit if you have significant time between Region and State.

Chuck

[SPP SciO]

Would strongly suggest buying kits from Laser Cut Planes. In particular they sell the "Mountain Lion Mark III" - the 6-pack is affordable and more than enough to get kids started.

http://lasercutplanes.com/index.php?p=1_2_Kits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nCqe8Eec3Q

Last year, we started with the Freedom Flight kit, and while I'm sure it's absolutely excellent, it's insanely hard for 12 year olds to build independently. The instruction manual is dense (which is a good thing .. but it makes it inaccessible for many children) and the pieces are delicate. We didn't have much success. Once we switched to Laser Cut Planes, our troubles were over. They assemble much quicker, breaks are fixed up with a quick spot of super glue, and there was a lot more flying going on.

We've found that devastating breakage is most likely to happen during storage/transport, then possibly during winding, and very rarely due to flying into something.

[kinghong1970]

lets see... i think we went through 6 kits?
we did buy the lasercutplanes kits, they are much easier to build, i actually built one just so i can sound "intelligent" with the kids... hahaha

but the kids tend to have some difficulties with those finer details. different generations? i used to make many plastic models in my youth... nowadays everyone's great at FPS games or MMORPG's but when it comes to these things... hmm...

the gym in the school is also quite small and ceiling height was very limiting... not to mention they did not know how to turn off the ac... which pretty much blew the aircraft all over...

yea woe is me...

[Froggie]

I don't know the exact count but we made a LOT...
I remember one time I went into the gym and the bleachers were covered in those plastic long containers.

[cool hand luke]

28

[JasperKota]

Surprisingly managed to get away with two kits, (freedom flight kit, one from lasercutplanes), without breaking any of them beyond repair, a few times mylar covering tore, planes got stuck, or covering flew off but it wasn't anything that required more than some spray adhesive and small strips of scotch tape. Part of me thinks that buying the extra laser cut planes kit wasn't necessary, all my winning flights were made with freedom flight planes, but the Vanguard could have definitely achieved the same flight times, had I spent more time with it (bought it only a few weeks before States).

[SahilS]

I made a few of planes last year. My 5th one was the best. It flew for around 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Then some hyper kid on my team accidentally stepped on it and I wasn't able to fix it. My 7th plane also had around the same flight time. I was testing it with my partner in the gym the day before the competition and there was this air intake thing that just sucked the plane out of the air as it flew near it. There was a grill on the intake but some of the wing ribs got inside. I wasn't able to fix that plane so I had to quickly make an 8th one that night. We didn't have time to test it and all it did was fly up and then stall during the competition. Its overall flight time was 5.38 seconds. Yet, we still got 13th place! Our team still laughs at the fact that we got 13th.

[kylg]

That's why you tell the janitor to turn off the HVAC system when flying your plane. Also, either your plane was really fragile or the ventilation was really strong because that never happens to me.

[SahilS]

That's why you tell the janitor to turn off the HVAC system when flying your plane. Also, either your plane was really fragile or the ventilation was really strong because that never happens to me.

The ventilation was pretty strong and my plane had flown right next to it. Then one side of the wing got inside the grill but the other was on the outside so that ripped the balsa in the middle leaving half the wing inside the grill and half outside. The balsa was broken in too many places.