1. Sean Henady Nick Setar Stephen Rees
Deep Thoughts and other Random Political Advise for building your Airplanes
Sean Henady
Nick Setar
Stephen Rees

2. Overview Safety Concerns Connections Mounting components
Building tools
Building Techniques
Plan out your build
Extra Time
Freaking ask questions

3. Safety Concerns Batteries
Li-Po batts very safe when properly handled
Use correct charger on correct settings
Charge at correct rates (C rating)
C_rating*capacity of battery
2000 mah has a rating of 3C for charge, can be charged at 6 Amps.
Do not Discharge past C discharge ratings
Typically most LiPos are in the 15C-20C range
If you short the battery the discharge rate will be significantly higher than this rating and possible lead to rapidly expanding gas fire

4. Safety Concerns Propeller
Ensure it is properly mounted to the motor
Proper propeller is selected
Balance the propeller
Even these small propellers will cut your finger off, end of story.
If a propeller comes off and hits you in a vital area, face, neck…ect…..the injury can be lethal.
Take your time when testing!!!
NEVER Stand in front of the plane when it is running. NEVER!!!!!

5. Safety Concerns Propeller

6. Connections Class Standards? Motor Connections Speed Controller
Battery
Receiver
Servos

7. Connections Motor Connections
Brushless will have 3 leads
Plug into Speed Controller in any combination. Change any 2 leads to reverse motor direction.
Recommend class standards
3mm bullet connectors (comes with most small motors)

8. Connections Speed Controllers
One end goes to motor (3 leads)
Other goes to battery (2 leads +,-) !!!!
Your team will need to solder ends from the speed controller to the motor and battery.
Recommend you use the 3mm female on the speed controller to the motor end and Ultra Deans male/Eflight batt male connector on speed controller to battery end
BEC, this will use the battery to power the servos/ receiver.
The throttle lead that plugs into the receiver.

9. Connections Battery
Many different types of batteries, sizes brands ect.
Ultra Deans female/Eflight female end
Less chance to short with this style of connector
Think interchangeability

10. Connections Receiver/Servos
Brand of Receiver will determine which channel (port ) the servo will plug into.
The White/Yellow will be the signal line for the servo.
Red will be POWER
Black/Brown are GROUND

11. Mounting Components
Try to use Velcro for battery, receiver, speed controller
Think ease of maintenance and interchangeability
Standardize use of Velcro!

12. Building Tools Xacto Knifes Screwdrivers Razor Blades
Glue
Accelerator
Foam
Wood
Small hand saw
Band Saw
Jig Saw
Table Saw (not likely)
Screwdrivers
Needle nose pliers
Hot glue gone
Solder Iron
Solder
Band Aids
Time
Practice

13. Building Tools Glues MUST USE ODERLESS WITH FOAM!!
Pro Thin CA
Joint with no gap
Cures in seconds
Pro CA+
Surface gluing
Filling small gaps
Cures in 20 – 30 seconds
Pro CA-
Use when extra positioning time is needed
Great gap filler
Cures in 1 – 2 minutes

14. Building Tools Glues MUST USE ODERLESS WITH FOAM!!
Epoxy
Longer Cure times
Bit heavier
5,10, 15 min
Hot Glue
Very easy to use
Don’t get too hot!!
Wood Glue
Sandable, heavy
Gorilla Glue
Sandable, expands, great for wing skins

15. Build Techniques Servo/Control surface linkage Hinging Motor Mount
Hotwire
Wing mounting
Tail mounting
Monokote/Ultracote
Landing gear mounting
CNC

16. Build Techniques Servo/Control surface linkage
Stiff
Straight
Plenty of control throw with no binding
Use as much of the servo travel as possible +/- 60 deg
Z-bend
E-Z Connector

17. Build Techniques Servo/Control surface linkage

18. Build Techniques Hinging
CA Hinge
Thin ‘top’ layer on multilayered foam
Tape(not standard scotch tape, use clear tape)
Monokote/Ultracote
Robart/Pinned
Need to get full deflection our of surface, freely!

19. Build Techniques Motor Mount
Lots of torque and forces acting here!
Pay attention to thrust angles
If anything a 1-2 deg of right thrust….
Make sure your mount can have washers placed on it to shim motor based on pilots request….will help tremendously in hover. Thrust vector is very important in this regime.
Don’t need to add lots of weight, just be smart in your design. Look at the planes up front.
‘Distribute’ your loads where possible

20. Build Techniques Hotwire
Practice a few times!!!
Very easy to do, with a few practice runs
Easy to make complicated shapes
Very dependent on type of foam used
Research some YouTube videos of people doing it
Be aware of fumes……
Highly tapered wings are challenging
Slow at tip, move fast at root…melts wing tip

21. Build Techniques Wing Mounting/Tail Mounting
Try to ensure it can break away, not always a possibility
Rubber bands
Nylon bolts
Aileron servo connections to receiver?
May need to brace tail

22. Build Techniques Landing gear mounting
Nylon bolts highly recommend (shear away) ~10-32 range <1/4-20
Wire, carbon, aluminum stock
All acceptable, try to pick lightest and most shock absorbent
Wheels need to rotate freely
Tailwheels need to be steerable

23. Build Planning
Build your plane on paper while waiting for parts. Develop outline and procedure so when parts arrive you can build fast. (A little critical thought will catch many errors later on!)
Realistically estimate how long it will take you to do something, then multiply that by 3. If it takes you 3 min to plug in 5 servo wires to receiver(about what it takes) triple that
Use this to plan your build process.
Utilize your teams strengths and abilities.

24. Deep Thoughts Make components interchangeable among groups
Standardize Velcro, and soldered ends
Plan your time
Ask questions
Measure twice cut once!!!
Servo to control surface linkage vital for ‘crisp response’
Research YouTube and other sites to gain more information
Balsa wing converting video (how to monokote)
Building Tutorial for building EPP RC Plane (ways to build)

25. Questions?