Overview:

Boost glider with radio control, designed for beginner RC fliers.

Rob Edmonds is renowned for his well-engineered, simple-to-build gliders. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' Arcie II is Rob's attempt t' move radio control from a specialty niche into t' mainstream. Blimey! T' Arcie II is designed t' be simple t' build, arrr, easy t' fly, me bucko, and rugged enough t' survive novice pilot errors.

T' glider glides down under radio control, me hearties, while t' booster pod returns t' t' ground with its own parachute.

Kit Specifications

I couldn't find specifications in t' manual or on Edmonds' web site, so these are t' approximate values that I measured:

• Glider Length: ~21.25 in
• Wingspan: 18 in
• Fairin' Diameter: 0.98 in
• Weight:
  • Glider, raw parts: ~2.3 oz
  • Glider, arrr, built, w/ RC gear: ~3.5 oz
  • Full stack, no engine: ~5.0 oz
  • Flight ready, D12 engine: ~6.5 oz
• Altitude: ~500 ft on D12, ~1000 feet on E9
• Recovery: R/C Glider
  and 12 in (30 cm) Parachute
• Recommended Engines:
  D12-3, ya bilge rat, E9-4, ya bilge rat, me hearties, C11-3

Background:

I have built several Edmonds kits (CiCi, Deltie Airshow, about a dozen Tinees), so I know what a great job Rob does designin' gliders. I had no experience with RC flight, me hearties, but I do know that novice RC pilots can smartly turn a beautiful plane into an expensive pile o' balsa kindling. Begad! Blimey! Rob's description o' t' Arcie II intrigued me and eased most o' me concerns, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, so I asked me mother for this kit for me 40+th birthday. Begad! I usually don't ask for rockets as gifts because it gets too confusin' for t' buyer, matey, but t' Arcie II Purchasin' Page was simple enough that Mom didn't have any problems placin' t' order.

T' kit came from Balsa Machinin' Service packed in two triangular USPS Priority Mail tubes. Ya scallywag! One tube contained t' Arcie II, t' other tube was empty. It may be kind o' surprisin' if you open t' empty tube first, arrr, but t' dual mailin' tube did protect t' parts from shippin' damage.

Parts List:

Glider

Component	Material	Raw Weight
Fairin' Nose Cone	BCN50J	0.06 oz
Fairin' Tube	BT50 ~8.5" , slotted	0.17 oz
Fuselage	1/4" balsa	0.57 oz
Hook Holders (2)	Laser Cut Wood	0.03 oz
Battery Holder	1/4" balsa
Wings (2)	Balsa, ya bilge rat, matey, Pre-airfoiled, 3" chord,~3/16" thick	0.86 oz
Winglets (2)	3/32" balsa	0.01 oz
Ailerons (2)	1/16" dense balsa	0.21 oz
Aileron Hinges (2+1 spare)	Strappin' tape	0.05 oz
Control Horns (2+1 spare)	Laser Cut Wood	0.02 oz
Servo Mount	1/4" balsa	0.01 oz
Rear Stabilizer	3/32" balsa	0.20 oz
Vertical Tail Fins (2)	3/32" balsa	0.05 oz
Total Glider (No R/C Gear)		2.24 oz

Booster

Component	Material	Raw Weight
Booster Tube	BT50 24"	0.76 oz
Booster Nose Cone	Balsa BNC50K	0.08 oz
Screw Eye	Metal	0.09 oz
Shock Cord	18" Elastic	0.05 oz
Shock Cord Mount	Paper	0.02 oz
Parachute Kit	12-inch Plastic	0.40 oz
Launch Lug	3/16" x 2"	0.01 oz
Booster Hook	Laser-cut 1/4" Plywood	0.14 oz
Total Booster		1.55 oz

• Hitec Feather Receiver with crystal
• Hitec HS-55 Servo
• Battery Pack (50 mAh 4-cell NiCd pack recommended)

Instructions:

T' instructions are printed on ten 8.5x11-inch pages, matey, with plenty o' computer-generated illustrations. Arrr! T' directions are written in a friendly conversational tone. Begad! It's almost like havin' Rob leanin' over your shoulder explainin' everything.

CONSTRUCTION:

T' main win' is a solid slab o' balsa that has an airfoil cross-section. Ya scallywag! T' first step in t' instructions calls for bevelin' t' tailin' edge o' t' main win' t' a sharp 45-degree edge. Begad! Aye aye! This sharp edge is critical, me hearties, as it allows t' ailerons t' pivot freely. Ahoy! After that, any roughness in t' wings can be lightly sanded smooth.

In contrast t' what t' directions say, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I would recommend doin' t' sandin' before t' beveling, me bucko, arrr, since t' sharp edge could be easily dinged durin' t' sandin' process if done in t' recommended order.

T' next step calls for t' win' sections t' be glued together with a 3/4-inch dihedral. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I found that a spent 18mm engine works well for settin' t' dihedral. I used Tightbond II wood glue.

I tried t' get fancy by bevelin' t' tabs where t' wings joined together, thinkin' I could achieve a better joint. Ahoy! I shouldn't have bothered. Avast, me proud beauty! T' tabs fit better before I started messin' with them and just required extra glue t' fill in t' gaps I created.

T' black diamonds near t' win' roots are important. Avast, me proud beauty! They are used t' set t' balance point o' t' glider once it is fully assembled. They are lightly marked on t' surface by a laser. Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! Be careful nay t' remove them when sandin' t' wing.

At this point, ya bilge rat, I took a detour in t' build process and painted t' parts, ya bilge rat, after first maskin' off all t' areas that would need t' be glued later. Blimey! Ahoy! After t' paint dried, me bucko, me bucko, t' winglets were glued t' t' wings.

T' ailerons were then attached t' t' t' trailin' edge o' t' wings usin' strappin' tape as t' hinge material. A small amount o' trimmin' may be necessary t' ensure that t' ailerons do nay rub against t' winglets over their range o' motion. Begad! Blimey! T' control horns are glued t' notches cut from t' aileron.

T' rest o' t' glider goes together like most o' Edmond's other gliders. Blimey! T' horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, boost hook holders, matey, and main win' assembly are glued t' t' fuselage.

Next comes t' installation o' t' radio gear. I used t' recommended Hitec Feather receiver and t' Hitec HS-55 servo. T' receiver fits into a slot in t' fuselage after just enough light sandin' t' maintain a snug fit.

I ran into one o' t' few difficulties o' t' build process while mountin' t' servo. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' mountin' screws caused splits on both ends o' t' servo mount bracket, me bucko, despite first usin' a fine drill bit t' enlarge and clear t' pre-cut screw holes. Well, blow me down! I believe t' mount bracket should have been made from plywood or hardboard instead o' balsa t' prevent splitting.

T' battery pack is supposed t' mount in an oval battery holder, which can then be positioned in t' front slot t' adjust t' balance point. Arrr! I did nay use t' recommended Sanyo 50mAh rechargeable battery pack. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Instead I used a 4LR44 alkaline 6V battery (Radio Shack #23-469) mounted in an N-size battery holder (Radio Shack #270-405). This battery is a little wider than an N battery, me bucko, so t' edges o' t' holder had t' be trimmed t' fit. Aye aye! A wrap o' maskin' tape held t' battery securely in t' holder. Aye aye! Aye aye! This battery weighs about 7g less than t' rechargeable pack, shiver me timbers, which mostly makes up for t' additional weight o' t' paint I used.

T' final steps in t' glider assembly process are t' route t' antenna along t' fuselage, me hearties, slide t' fairin' into place, and adjust t' balance. Avast, me proud beauty! T' battery is moved in t' slot t' acheive t' desired balance point, which is inside t' diamonds printed on t' tops o' t' wings.

Helpful Hint: Before gluin' t' fairin' cone t' t' fairin' tube, matey, me hearties, test-fit it. T' shoulder length on t' cone may be too long, me hearties, preventin' t' fairin' from slidin' far enough rearward. Begad! If so, trim t' shoulder until t' slot in t' fairin' ALMOST touches t' bottom o' t' slot in t' fuselage. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Don't trim too far, or t' fairin' tube will be vulnerable t' splittin' durin' hard landings.

T' booster is dirt-simple: A long tube with a nose cone, launch lug, matey, parachute, shock cord, matey, and t' booster hook. Avast, me proud beauty! T' booster hook is supposed t' be mounted flush with t' bottom o' t' tube. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I sanded off about 1/4-inch from t' aft o' t' hook so that I would have a better surface t' use for tapin' t' engine in place.

Finishing:

Normally I use magic marker t' color me gliders t' save weight, but thar be so much lumber here I didn't want t' mess with t' markers, matey, me hearties, plus I wanted a finish that would protect t' wood from moisture. Paint adds weight in a hurry, so it must be used sparingly in gliders. For this reason, matey, arrr, I made no attempt t' fill t' grain or make t' wings glassy smooth usin' sealer or primer.

After usin' 1/4-inch maskin' tape t' protect all t' spots that would be glued later, I sprayed a VERY light coat o' gloss red on t' win' and horizontal stabilizer, and a thicker coat on t' booster tube. Aye aye! After t' paint dried, I lightly sanded t' win' t' remove any excess paint. T' fuselage, ailerons, matey, stabilizers, me bucko, and winglets received a coat o' flat black. Well, blow me down! T' nose cones were both coated with thin CA, sanded smooth, shiver me timbers, matey, then painted with gloss black.

There are a few places that MUST NOT be painted, me hearties, since t' paint could interfere with proper operation durin' flight. Well, blow me down! T' first place be t' booster hook and t' notch on t' fuselage where it attaches. Well, blow me down! T' other place be t' control horns, which rub against t' servo output arm. Avast, me proud beauty! For these critical places, shiver me timbers, arrr, I used black Sharpie marker.

After takin' t' picture above, I wrapped t' fair tube with chrome Trim Monokote. This stuff has a beautiful mirror finish, me hearties, me bucko, but should be limited t' small areas t' keep t' weight down.

Weight
I weighed each o' t' key components at various points in t' build process. T' biggest weight change occurred on t' wings: 0.86 oz raw, matey, down t' 0.79 oz after sanding, arrr, arrr, then up t' 0.90 oz after painting. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! T' MonoKote on t' fairin' tube added 0.04 oz, arrr, arrr, from 0.17 oz t' 0.21oz.

My flight-ready glider weighs 3.44 oz, arrr, even with t' paint and MonoKote. Blimey! Begad! Based on comments o' others on T' Rocketry Forum, that's pretty good.

Construction Rating: 4.5 out o' 5

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Balance and Trim:

Unlike most gliders, ya bilge rat, t' Arcie II should NOT be hand-tossed for trimming. Avast, me proud beauty! Once t' balance point is inside t' diamonds, t' glider is good t' go.

Flight Preparation: Here are t' steps for flight preparation:

1. Insert waddin' and parachute into booster tube as you would in a normal rocket.
2. Insert motor into bottom o' booster tube and secure it with a band o' maskin' tape.
3. Install t' igniter.
4. Slide t' glider fairin' forward t' expose t' electronics.
5. Connect t' battery t' t' receiver.
6. Turn on t' transmitter. Blimey! Wiggle t' stick and verify that t' ailerons move freely. Adjust t' transmitter trim t' give equal deflection t' both ailerons.
7. Slide t' fairin' back t' cover t' electronics.
8. Put t' booster on t' launch rod. Use a long rod with a standoff (like a clothes pin) t' keep t' glider away from t' blast deflector.
9. Attach t' glider t' t' booster.
10. Connect t' igniter leads. Begad! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Make sure that after ignition t' leads cannot snag on t' glider tail or t' antenna.

Travel Limits: When t' servo is at its extreme position (which can happen with a combination o' full stick deflection and some trim adjustment), it is possible for t' servo arm t' move beyond t' end o' t' control horns and jam there. Ya scallywag! This will probably lead t' a death spiral, and is t' be avoided. Arrr! T' prevent this from happening, arrr, shiver me timbers, some transmitters have an ATV adjustment t' limit t' maximum deflection. Well, blow me down! For transmitters without ATV adjustment, avoid usin' a combination o' full stick deflection with a large amount o' trim.

Test Flights:

Edmonds recommends t' D12-3 for first flight, me bucko, and I absolutely agree with him. All three o' me flights on a D12-3 have been fantastic. Well, blow me down! Begad! Good acceleration off t' pad, me bucko, long boosts with little or no arcing, and ejection at just t' right point in t' flight. Arrr! Ejection is a bit scary as t' glider comes zoomin' out o' t' maelstrom o' ejection smoke and debris before settlin' into a smooth glide. After that, shiver me timbers, t' real fun begins.

Flight 1: Glider did a quick loop, arrr, then several tight turns. I suspect that one o' t' ailerons be stuck and this was t' beginnin' o' a death spiral. Arrr! However, a few quick taps on t' RC control unstuck it, me bucko, ya bilge rat, resultin' in a gorgeous glide. I flew a few figure-8's before skiddin' t' a perfect landin' about 40 feet from t' pad. Aye aye! Duration: 1:35

Flight 2: R/C glider flight was FANTASTIC. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! While flyin' into t' wind, t' forward airspeed almost exactly matched t' wind speed so t' glider appeared t' hang in mid-air. After several smooth turns, I brought t' glider t' a landin' about 15 feet from me. Duration: 2:09.

Flight 3: Glider flight was another stunner, passin' within 8 feet o' videographer and missin' range box by about 3 feet. Begad! Duration 1:51.

Booster: As enthusiastic as I am about t' glider performance, I must give poor marks t' t' booster recovery. All three o' me flights resulted in partial malfunction o' t' recovery system.

Flight 1: T' motor kicked out at ejection. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! This made t' booster much lighter so it drifted a long way. Avast, me proud beauty! >Also, ya bilge rat, t' short shock cord snapped back into t' booster tube, ya bilge rat, resultin' in a din' in t' tube and a sizeable chunk o' t' nose cone base torn away. Begad! After landing, t' screw eye pulled free o' t' nose cone while I was examinin' it. Avast! I'm just lucky it didn't fall off in mid-air.

Flight 2: At ejection, t' shock cord snapped in t' middle. Arrr! Ahoy! T' nose cone and parachute drifted t' t' far side o' t' field, ya bilge rat, while t' booster free-fell tail-first. Fortunately, it landed on soft grass and t' engine case took t' brunt o' t' impact.

Flight 3: I tied t' shock cord back together. Well, me hearties, blow me down! It survived ejection, but 6 o' t' 8 shroud lines snapped from t' chute. Begad! Again, t' booster landed on grass so no damage was done.

T' motor kick-out on flight 1 could have been prevented by usin' a motor hook. Begad! I don't know t' best way t' correct t' other recovery problems, though. Aye aye! A short elastic shock cord is very likely t' bounce back at t' end o' its travel. Avast! Here are some options, with their pros and cons:

• Make t' shock cord longer.
  + Less likely t' snap t' cord
  + Less likely t' bounce back into booster
  - Increases t' chance that it will get tangled with t' glider, matey, which would be a bad thing.
• Switch from elastic t' Keelhaul®©™.
  + No bounce-back into booster.
  - Hard jerk and thin line is likely t' zipper t' booster tube.
• Use a streamer instead o' parachute.
  + Reduces t' jerk when t' chute opens
  + No chance o' tearin' shrouds
  + Fast yet safe descent so less drift.
  + Makes t' booster easier t' find.
  - Streamer could tangle with glider.
• Add additional fins t' t' aft o' t' booster so that it glides tail-first like some SuperRocs (I got this idea from t' Alway brothers and VJP on T' Rocketry Forum). Possibly omit t' chute.
  + Less chance o' tanglin' with glider.
  + Less chance o' tearin' t' shock cord.
  - Faster landin' speed.
• Attach a Keelhaul®©™ shock cord t' t' base o' t' booster hook and run it t' t' nose cone along t' outside o' t' tube. Begad! Aye aye! Edmonds uses this attachment method on t' booster for t' Deltie Airshow.
  + No chance o' bounce-back
  + No chance o' Keelhaul®©™ zipperin' t' tube
  - Might jerk t' booster hook loose.
  - Cord might get tangled with glider.

I'm nay sure which o' these techniques is best, shiver me timbers, but I'm considerin' tryin' t' last one.


Glider Flight Rating: 5++ out o' 5

Booster Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Overall Flight Rating: 4.5

SUMMARY:
Rob Edmonds has succeeded in his mission t' make an R/C glider that is affordable, easy t' build, and easy t' fly. Aye aye! This is a fun kit t' fly.

PROS:

• Radio Control is wicked cool!
• Innovative single-channel R/C design
• Easy for beginners t' fly
• Well-engineered laser-cut components
• Clear instructions

CONS:

• No motor hook
• Servo mountin' bracket splits easily
• Booster recovery system is failure-prone.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out o' 5