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Ever since the age of 10 I was interested in Model Helicopters, I saw a friends Jetranger that had the Kalt Mechanics. There and then I vowed one day, I would own and learn to fly a model helicotper. So in 2003 I bought my first Model helicotper a Raptor 30v1,off Ebay along with an Excell 60 Sport trainer.
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After buying the Raptor, it became apparent that I needed to join a club, i found my local club by using the BMFA web site, i joined the Gravesend Aeromodel club back in 2004, at the time there was only 3 Heli pilots myself included. I was recommended to get lessons, so after doing a google search I found Dave Fishers Flying School My first lesson on the buddy lead system soon got me up and hovering, and this where the journey really began. I was exposed to comp practice, and other top UK F3C pilots who used Daves field for practice and sharing info and tips on set up manouvers etc.
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Due to family commitments i was unable to practice and attend comps as much as i wanted to, but i still wanted to enjoy flying in that style, After speaking to Dave he said "why dont you go down the scale route" So after doing some research we decided to utilise the Xcell ST mechanics i had in pod and boom and put them into a Centry Funkey fuse, the infamous Airwolf. I loved the 80's series and would rush home every saturday to watch it at 1.20pm So this is the route we went down.
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The only Fault i had with the Century fuse space was so tight, and due to my large hands it was hard work to adjust the mechanics So someone recommended the Vario Large Carbon Airwolf. I orderd a catalogue and DVD and was in Awe of the immensity of the Vario range. I searched ebay for weeks, and finally one came up, so i bought it. All i can is say is WOW, the size of the gasser mechanics was incredible.it had working guns, opening doors, slow retracts, it was the business.
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My Airwolf's First set up flight http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=13130722">
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But as with any new machine i had to learn a lot of new flying techniques, this model was heavier, so i had to learn to fly with the nose down i also had to learn to anticipate when turning down wind, the biggest learning curve i had was how to setup the mixture, as gasser engines unlike Nitro do not like to be messed around with. I put out a plee on Runryder and Dennis Stretton answered, an F3C pilot himself but a scale guru with years of experience, down to this day He is a respected scale pilot and will go out of his way to help- for a bottle of Scotch :-)
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Well after flying the scale airwolf i was at a comp for F3C and met up with Ian Contessa (Coolice) he was flying his turbine, the sound and the smell was aweinspiring. And it was the closest i would ever get to flying the real thing. I did loads of research and spoke to many people, i ended up buying a VARIO EC135 with the JETCAT PHT3 turbine. This machine was a class in its own, it had been built by a proffesional scale Builder and it did look the business. So i bought it and then the learning how to fly process started again. I had alot of trouble with the Fenestron tail, it would not hold, So Dennis Stretton tried to help, and we still could not get it to work. But i tried to fly it for a year all with no success.
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This was my first attempt at building a scale Cockpit.
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After a year and spening a lot of money on upgrades, different gear ratio's etc, i gave up, i had a PM from a runryder member, Peter Robertson, he offered to help me, well he struggled to get it working in its present state. So he came up with a deal, to take the turbine mechanics out, and put it into a pod and boom formatt, he had 2 HOTCAT kits, these were designed around the PHT3, i decided there and then to go for it. So i spent a lot of time with Peter down in Plymouth, i learnt an awful lot on turbines, picked up a lot of scale tips, and saw some lovely scale flying. I also met other scale flyers and was introduced to the full size world via one of Peters friends Phil George. So we built the HOTCAT
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I met up with Peter Wales, who was due to move back to the states, he was selling his Predator Wren he had hovered it but found it was difficult to get the head speed right. Unlike Jetcat the Wren does not have a governer, so it relies heavily on a correctly set up Throttle/Pitch curve. I have set up many pitch and throttle crves in my time, and i felt it wold be nice to have a smaller pod and boom that is right hand rotation. I bought it, but sadly was given a redundanct notice, so i had to sell it. But i did recieve a lot of feedback about the wren, saying apart from the Mechanics the Wren is a great turbine. But the setting up of a pitch and throttle curve is so critical. This is i did find frustrating as with the Jetcat it is plug in set the speed you want and off you go to fly. This constant head speed is critical especially when flying multi bladed heads,
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When i first was learning i bought a hummingbird V1, i had alot of fun on this mahcine, despite making marks in the front room and on furniture,it taught me the moves. Even today 4 yrs later i still use these models purely for fun and to learn other manouvers. On a calm day i will fly these models in my back garden, and practice backward flying, which is good as these do not use Heading hold gyro, i have also managed to land one of them on my chimney stack atop of my house. On the winter nights, and the British weather being what it is, i tend to fly them to keep my eye in. The are great fun, the come with their Own transmitter and are pre built and set up to fly. Some have even been pre flown - so plug and fly is something you literally do. I would recommend anyone who is learning to get one.
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Well this year after being very ill myself, i have had to really re-learn flying again, i was setback by trying to master too many different types of flying with my limited time for the hobby, i have decided this year to make an earnest effort with the F3C, i often will practice the hovering and precison fast circuits the Avro is well up for the job, At my local club they have commented on what a stable precise machine it is and how locked i keep it.. Straight fast flight lines with accurate turns at each end are coming on, as are the loops and rolls.. I try and get 4hrs of practice a week, but the british weather has not been too kind,
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Well it is May 2008, and finally my hotcat is ready for its first test flight, A big thanks to Peter Rob for working solid for 2 weeks, some new mods have been done, and Peter has designed some good additional mods. The biggest change on this one compared to my first one is this is 100% brand new, the turbine JETCAT PHT3 had Zero hours on the clock. So this was indeed a new build. The biggest change was the addition of the Quick UK Raptor 90 head, this head is one piece engineering, top quality and very strong. I did not like the Robbe head with the funny 45o off set, the raptor head is built for 12mm main shaft, something which Peter had to machine for me. There is loads of other bits and bos Peter has imprved for me, when i left it with him it was just a shell. We have managed to build it and i flew it for the first time last weekend Sat10th May 2008. Within in a short time 2 mins i was flying it side on, this is in NON HEADING HOLD, and doing small forward flights. I am very happy with this machine, it is currently sitting in my work shop, i have used 800 grit paper and gone over the canopy and fitted a sprin clip for the lid to fit onto the canopy. I am ready to add primer tomorrow.
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