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MTA Ter-Apel
Sinds 1979
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Why interesting ??
What makes flying with model airplanes so interesting?. First, in the summer we are always outside in the open air, and in the winter there is always something to do. In model construction, you work with very modern materials and techniques, and get involved with wood (balsa), paint, electronics, engines and naturally aërodynamics. So even for general knowledge it is a hobby with a lot of potential.
How do we build our models
In most cases we buy kits, for example from Robbe , or Graupner These kits are very complete, all parts are pre-manufactured in the box and you only have to glue them together. Also the little parts such as fuel-tank and wheels are included in the kit. There are also model pilots, who are building their planes completely from scratch. To build a plane this way takes a lot more time, but at the end it gives a lot of satisfaction when everything is working and flying perfectly well. At last there are also ready to fly planes for sale (look at our link site), but these are more expensive. When there is no time to build a plane, this is of course the perfect solution to fly anyway.
How much time does it take
When a particular model has been chosen, we can start the construction. Do not think that a kit can be put together in just one day. Cessna skymaster under construction Mostly the construction takes place in the winter, and it takes anywhere from several weeks to months to complete the plane depending on the type of plane. The more accurate you build, the better the plane will fly. After the plane is roughly built (see picture on the right) it has to be sanded as smooth (and nice) as possible, and after that it has to be finished.
The finishing touch
Nowadays there are modern coverings (foils) on the market, that can be shrunk by heat. With help from a heat gun or an iron the covering (foil) will shrink around the parts. With care this will result in a smooth finish, and the parts are at the same time fuel resistant. Of course the planes can also be painted the old-fashioned way, with a brush and paint. But there is always the same golden rule, the more accurate you are, the better the plane will look and fly at the end.
Engine / rc-control
Lastly, the engine, steering engines (servos), receiver and battery packs Listen to the sound of a wankel! are placed in the model. The servos will control the position of the rudders and the throttle of the engine, and can even be used to operate flaps or retracts. The receiver catches the signal of the transmitter and sends the signals to the servos, all of which are powered by the battery pack. You can choose among a variety of engines. There are electric engines and fuel engines. The fuel engines can be divided again in 2 stroke and 4-stroke and methanol and gasoline engines. OS-MAX is a good engine supplier. The choice of the engine is naturally always dependent on the kind of model. When the engine is too small, it can't get the plane in the air, but too much power is no good either. When you fly a Cessna as an F-16 it is not realistic anymore. So a good choice of engine is one that matches the chartacteristics of the chosen model.
OS-MAX engines Saito engines RCV engines
Costs
Model flying is not so expensive as it might seem. Today there are models for beginners that sell for between 30 and 80 dollars, and will provide for many years of fun. Look at Tower hobbies. The costs of transmitter, receiver and servos is a bit more expensive but there are complete and good sets for sale from 100 dollars. Usually you have to buy a transmitter just once, because it can be used with many new models.
Questions ??
When you want more information about model flying, take a look at a club in the neighborhood. The members can inform you, and you can always ask your questions to them.

Of course you can always e-mail our club