How to Fold a Paper Plane for Electric Paper Plane Kit

...step-by-step guide 


The Electric Paper Plane Kit comes with one pre-folded sheet to get you started. Once you've used that up, here's a handy step-by-step guide to make as many planes as you'll ever need.

The design is called the Eagle, and it's a stable floating type, the kind commonly launched from the back of large lecture theaters and perfectly suited to the cool rechargeable kit...

Stinger. The Second Reconstruction.

...going to be better than new

Reconstruction of the Stinger EDF, after its ultimate smash, has begun with the wings and tail being removed from the buckled fuselage in preparation for being transferred onto the smart new fuselage I've got for it.

I have managed to reconstruct the fuselage before but, having been smashed again, I didn't think that I'd be able to get it straight again. The wings were slightly dented in the mid section from the impact, but a little hot water got that straightened out easily enough.

I've also bought a replacement EDF fan, the stock units that comes in the Stinger, but the big news is I've upgraded batteries from the previous Zippy 1800 4S 40C to a 2200 4S 45-90 Nanotech pack. Now I'm not sure exactly what difference this will make, but Nano's I've used previously, especially the 45-90 variety, pack extra punch and the larger capacity should help with slightly longer flight times.

So I'm looking forward to getting the Stinger looking smart, ready for a double-test flight; reconstruction and more power...

In the Clouds

...and up the tree

Following a weekend of truly mixed up weather, this morning was a gift for flying - cool and overcast with a steady gentle breeze wafting in from the southeast. Launching into the breeze the Phoenix 2000 took to the air with consummate ease, its long slim wings shown in beautiful contrast to the grey skies.

It was the perfect sort of morning for easy flying, so the Phoenix made lazy climbs into the breeze, big swooping approaches over the paddocks and, of course, gentle loops...

Where to Next

...contemplating the future

I've been looking at new companions for the Phoenix 2000, craft that compliment the old girl without threatening the role of stately flyer.

I've narrowed down the candidates (for now) to the anomalously-named Radjet 800 pusher-prop and a small fun-fighter, the Rarebear. The latter seems an excellent proposition, capable of 120mph top speed with a 850mAh 4S 45C power pack for a very modest outlay. I must admit though that it is a little daunting, with the capability to fling itself into the ground or disappear from sight in a millisecond.

The reviews of it, however, are enthusiastic and recommend it roundly. Comments that it flies on rail are most encouraging. 

The Radjet is another interesting proposition. Initially I was interested in getting it as a kit to transpose components from the crippled Floater Jet. However, having now located pushrods to replace the cracked and bent originals, I'm going to get the ready-to-roll version and hopefully get the Floater Jet into the air decked out in enough LED's to light up the neighbourhood.

The tailless Radjet looks like a sprightly performer with a ridiculously-high roll rate and  all-round enthusiastic performance.

Looking forward to getting both...

Another Beautiful Morning

...and more airborne therapy

A beautifully fresh morning, sun shining and with the visual contrast of a heavy grey rain cloud illuminated by the warm morning sun...

Finally Some Calm

...and a peaceful flight

The week of wildly turbulent weather, actually the third windiest ever, finally ended in a beautifully calm morning. A perfect excuse to dust off the Phoenix 2000 and get a bit of air time.

Fully enjoying the mild conditions and gorgeous morning I had a few launches, ending up flying for nearly three quarters of an hour. A most therapeutic start to a Friday morning...

Touch and Go

...in a plane with no wheels

The forecast was for a breezy day however the early morning was calm and inviting for a bit of flying. Barely a breath of wind on the ground, the occasional wobbles of the Phoenix 2000's wings indicated the breeze was starting to develop.

I flew the glider in big lazy circuits around the field and over the surrounding farmland, bringing it back in for a few sweeping fly-bys and low-altitude passes.

During one of these low passes I made a late decision to bring the plane in for a landing, but it was going way too fast to stay on the deck. I also misjudged the landing flair, with the combined effect that the Phoenix bumped down then floated back into the air.

With insufficient field left to put it down in, I applied power and took it round again. So a perfect touch and go, nevertheless I don't think I'll be adding that to the standard repertoire...

A Close Shave

...the phoenix almost bought the farm again

I flew again this morning at the local sports field, however this time I had a nasty scare on launch.

Despite dozens of launches without issue, this time the left stick got caught in the sleeve of my jumper as I launched the glider, with the result that the Phoenix 2000 had left rudder and down elevator as I threw it...

Previously this would have spelled disaster, however this time I managed to recover, although it wasn't pretty...

What to Learn to Fly With

...in my experience

AXN Floater Jet
Conventional wisdom suggests that pusher planes are ideal trainers, the mid-mounted motor and propellor being well protected.

However, my experience with this configuration in the Floater Jet has been annoying for two reasons:

• They want to fly into the ground when you launch them
• The flight characteristics vary with speed and acceleration

While the prop and motor are protected, the counterintuitive flight characteristics mean you end up crashing the nose. A lot. My example is now destroyed but the propellor and motor are still immaculate. My feeling is that if this thing flew more predictably you wouldn't end up crashing it so often...


Phoenix 2000
I had read somewhere that an important factor in choosing a training aircraft is to get a large one so that visibility and orientation is easier.

My experience with the Phoenix has been mixed:

• They head straight up if you launch them with too much power
• The flight characteristics vary with speed and acceleration

Completely alarming on takeoff to the inexperienced, it also responds very slowly to turns due to its long wingspan, and is susceptible to gusts for the same reason. Similarly, it's large frontal area and high-lift wings mean it doesn't do well flying into headwinds - it goes up as far as it goes forward.

Although an 1800mAh battery is the largest suggested, I'd definitely put a 2200mAh pack up front to weigh the nose down, especially for beginner pilots. It also gives you more power to manage tight situation easier.


Hobbyking Walrus

Someone made a comment on a forum that the Walrus wouldn't really be a trainer plane. I don't know why not, as this is the most benign of the three aircraft I've flown.

• They launch and fly as you'd expect, whether under power or not
• They're manoeuvrable but are as stable as you could hope

The standard propellor is crappy, but replacer that with a carbon 10x6 along with a 2200mAh battery and you have a nice performing all-rounder.

Lanyu Trainstar
The Trainstar is a fun and engaging plane to fly, however again I don't know that I'd choose this as a beginner's plane unless you are being tutored by an experienced pilot. 

The Trainstar is difficult to keep straight during takeoff, can give you a bend prop adapter if you don't keep the tail down and can be a little challenging to fly, like when it tightens in sharp turns.

Having said that, if you can negotiate it's peculiarities, you'll be rewarded with a fun and characterful plane to fly.

Programmable Transmitter
I've found it very useful to have a programmable transmitter, as this allows you to vary the stick sensitivity (expo), alter the transmitting power and also vary servo travel, none of which can be done with a basic transmitter. 

The expo helps make sensitive aircraft more manageable and the travel setting is great for things like setting flap deployment.

Phoenix Reconstruction Test Flight

...and all was well

This morning I managed to get the Phoenix 2000 out for a test flight. Conditions were not optimal, with a moderate breeze and some gusts. However, after standing in the field for a while assessing the weather, I decided to give it a go.

I'd fitted the Phoenix with the 2200mAh battery to counter it's nose-up characteristic under power and, considering how much lift this craft generates, had no concerns of it being too nose-heavy especially after how well the Walrus performed with the same power pack.

The larger battery also provides more power, making things more manageable when the glider  goes into a climb, as it will hold the climb better giving you time to react.

So, feeling quite confident about the state of the rebuild and the weight, I launched the Phoenix with a bit more than half power and it took to the air quite happily. I had set the controls to full travel (very daring) with about 50% expo, however with the breezy conditions it was difficult to get an accurate feel of the plane's responses. Nevertheless it flew very well, with the lazy and floaty characteristic of its long wingspan.

While the flying went well, getting the Phoenix back on the deck proved more of a challenge, not helped by the fence running across the middle of the field. The problem was that on approach into the wind, the Phoenix doesn't make much headway. However, when it drops within two metres of the ground and the breeze slackens, it  floats on and on. I had a few goes at this, including some emergency power climbs to climb over fences it wasn't going to clear...

Phoenix Ready

...but the weather's not co-operating

I finally managed to get the Phoenix 2000 in flying state last night, installing the wings and setting the control surfaces, expo and travel. Unfortunately the completion of work also coincides with a shift to stormy weather, so there's no opportunity to fly this morning.

One small piece of work which I still need to do is to change one of the flap control horns, as I had over-drilled the attaching hole, with the result that there is a lot of play in the flap. I'd temporarily taped up the flaps to eliminate this in the event of getting into the air this morning.

However, as this did not eventuate, I'll work on the flaps this evening and have the Phoenix sorted for tomorrow...

Short Circuit

...toasting my electrics

I swapped out the Phoenix ESC's only to discover the new unit was overheating as well. During the brief window of functioning, I checked the controls and found no response from the ailerons, pointing to a short circuit of some description.

I thought the most likely potential to be a smashed servo, however it turned out to be stripped wiring on the servo lead as a result of the crash. Foraging around in my packets of spares I found enough extension leads to make up the length, so now everything seems to be going OK.

Unfortunately, having had to strip the propellor, motor and battery tray out and reassemble them, I wasn't able to finish the wing repair on time. However I am hoping that, with no major unforeseen issues (like not being able to get the wing back on), I should be able to finish the reconstruction this evening and hopefully have the Phoenix 2000 ready for its test flight tomorrow...

The Phoenix Rises...Again

...hardy bird readies for flight

I've started on the delayed, yet hopeful, undertaking of restoring the Phoenix 2000 to flying condition following its cart-wheeling crash into the duck pond some while ago.

The wings, which took the brunt of the crash, looked a bit sad with all four mounting points torn out, and the end section of one of the wings snapped off outboard of the flap servo mount. The flaps and ailerons had the hinge screws ripped out, but these should be  relatively easy to glue these back in place.

The tail section, on the other hand, is in remarkably good shape and somehow escaped the violent impact unscathed.

So the main concern, along with making sure everything is aligned so it flies straight, is to enure that the wing mounts are securely reattached so the wings stay on!

The nose-section of the Phoenix fuselage is a bit battered, although no worse I think than from its previous big smash. The propellor and spinner are ok, just needing a wash to get the grit out and so the blades can fold freely.

So far there has been nothing that looks unrepairable, so we'll just have to see how things go...

Frosty Spring Flight

...a lovely morning to send the Walrus to the heavens

A cold clear evening resulted in an unusually cold and frosty morning, almost still with a dusting of clouds.

This was a perfect morning to let the Walrus off it leash to explore the altitudes...

Drizzly Flight

...a quick flight before the rain moved in

I managed to get in a quick flight this morning before the showers reached the field in earnest. The odd speckle of rain was about as I prepared the Walrus for its morning run, but the heavy black clouds with tendrils of rain nearby portended the onset of heavy showers was imminent.

For the first time the kangaroos stayed on the field while I was flying, the lack of wind allowing me to launch from the near-side of the field without disturbing them too much. Sadly, turning off the road into the field I saw a dead kangaroo lying in the gutter - one of them had ventured to a reserve on the other side of the road but hadn't made it back...

First Flight with 2200mAh Battery

...and the carbon prop

The weather this morning had calmed sufficiently to venture out with the Walrus for a flight. Not just any flight, the first flight with the 2200mAh battery installed in the nose.

The Walrus assembly instructions do not provide any particular clues regarding location of the battery. In an attempt to resolve the packaging issues, I had fabricated a battery tray directly behind the motor. This layout is similar to the Phoenix 2000 and worked well with the 1800mAh battery I'd been using.

Lifting the Walrus out of the car I could really feel the extra thirty grams of the larger battery, located well in front of the wings. However I held my resolve not to change-out the new battery for the smaller unit sitting in the car, and headed out. There was a moderate breeze blowing which would help the Walrus to get flying quicker, which was good.

All connected, I set the throttle generously and heaved the Walrus up. I was prepared for various scenarios, being prepared to hit the flaps if necessary to get a bit of emergency height, and perhaps having to nurse the gravid Walrus onto a high-power approach to prevent it from nose-diving.

My concerns, however, proved groundless as the Walrus soared into the air without a hint of imbalance or labouring under the heavier load. If anything, the heavier battery gives the plane a more planted feel in the air, and the higher output combined with the larger carbon prop transform the Walrus from an intermediate trainer to a sports tourer. It's performance is now much more three-dimensional capable of higher speeds and sustaining steep climbs.

With the good news of power and speed one would expect a nasty compromise on approach. However I am relieved to report that the Walrus floated into the breeze for landing absolutely happily, for a landing as easy as any...

A Break in the Weather?

...I'm dreaming of a calm morning

Following a week of placid weather we're in the midst of a week of gusty change. There may be an opportunity, however, to sneak in an early fly here and there.

This evening the winds have moderated to the occasional slight breeze, portending well for prospects tomorrow morning.

The Walrus is all prepped and ready to go, with pre-installed 2200mAh battery with a reserve option of the proven 1800mAh unit if previously said battery proves excessively monolithic.

Aspirational Location

...but maybe not just yet

I have been doing some searching for places to fly on the weekends. The problems is trying to find a field which is large and open enough yet which is not overrun with people.

On the weekend we visited a park in a nearby suburb. It's an intriguing location to fly - quite hilly being almost an amphitheatre in shape, and with a lake in the centre, the lowest point in the park. There are also ranges of trees in various locations.

What makes it intriguing for flying is that. at a few points, you have a panoramic view over the whole park, which is pretty expansive. Also, whilst hills, some of the open areas are of a sufficiently small gradient as to make them land-able...

Power Up

...a battery of changes

My spare battery, having thus far survived several crashes in the Floater Jet, finally succumbed to serial abuse when I forgot to disconnect it after a flight. As usual with depleted batteries, I bumped up the voltage by charging it on the Accucell charger as a NiMH, then switching over to LiPO-charge. However, this time, the charger only recognised two cells.

I'm not sure what has happened, but checking the voltage on the balance lead of my good battery in comparison confirmed that one cell was giving no voltage. I have checked to see if perhaps there was a short or something with the leads on the individual cells but have had no luck.

So I've ordered two new batteries, opting for 2200mAh Turnigy units. This is the same rating but a larger capacity than my current 1800mAh battery. The main reason for the upgrade is not the capacity but the curious fact that the 2200mAh battery is shorter than my the 1800mAh, which only just clears the servos arms at full travel, even when pushed right up against the motor.

One concern, though, is that it weighs about thirty grams more than the 1800mAh battery, and it's located right up front. This is also the reason I didn't go for a higher C-rating, as these each weigh progressively more.

What may offer compensation for the increased mass is that I've noticed that the Walrus seems to generate more lift with the carbon propellor, perhaps because the larger spread of prop-wash from the bigger diameter generates more lift from the wings? Anyway, the batteries are still a few days away so we have time for some subconscious deliberation before then.

However, I'm generally thinking that the first launch will be with a good throw and plenty of power, just to make sure it doesn't plough in...

Carbon Fibre Propellor on the Walrus

...and it looks groovy

With the parcel safely retrieved from the post office, I fitted the 10x6 carbon fibre prop to the Walrus last night. It was really easy to change the blades, just two screws to be removed and taking only a couple of minutes.

The blades fit perfectly and look brilliant. They are quite a bit bigger than the standard Walrus blades but I tried running the motor and it handles the extra load quite happily.

The finish of the blade is much better than the plastic original which, to be quite honest, is quite crappy. And, of course, the carbon weave looks good...