AEROBAT

A favourite model of mine, the Mad Slide by JR Models, after that of original designer BPLR in France, flew to the happy hunting grounds in the sky and this is its replacement. I call it an Aerobat (Classical Greek: ἀεροβατῶ = I walk in the sky). It has massive movement on the elevator +/- 75º for so called 3-D manoeuvres. Hitec digital servos, a 5 cell Sanyo NiCad 2400mAhr battery pack and a new Multiplex 2.4GHz. radio will see it on the slope in 2010. It sports my favourite Ritz 1-30-10 section at 1.8m. span and, I guess, weighs in around 2kg. for the waterslide decal graphics I used Photoshop.

I've had the opportunity to fly this model now on two different sites, on the cliff and the slope, with and without ballast, and frankly it didn't live up to my expectations. It flies OK but it's just not I wanted. It is a little sluggish for my liking. I thought the roll rate would be uncontrollable, it wasn't, but the rudder is excellent. Landing is relatively easy because of the large fuselage, I guess, so that's a plus point. This model is for close-in flying on the edge of the slope. Perhaps I'll get just the right day, one day. Anyway I ordered myself a Mini-Vector from Jim Hammond in China. Here's hoping that will be more to my liking...