Aileron
A horizontal control surface located along the rear edge of each wing.
Controls banking, and rolls.
Air Worthy
A model that has been given a COMPLETE examination and deemed to be
air and ground safe. Following the AMA’s safety code will help to make
your ship airworthy.
AMA
Academy of Model Aeronautics. This is the largest formal association
of model aircraft builders in the U.S. The AMA promotes model aviation
in a variety of ways.
Angle of Attack
The number of degrees between the line of thrust and vertical wing
plane. The greater the angle of attack the greater the lift and the greater
the drag.
ARC
Almost Ready to Cover. A kit with the main assemblies (wing, fuselage,
tail, etc.) already built but not covered.
ARF
Almost Ready to Fly. A kit with the main assemblies (wing, fuselage,
tail, etc.) already built and covered.
Axes of Flight
Aircraft move around 3 axes of motion.
Longitudinal axis: an imaginary line passing through the plane's
nose and exiting its tail. The aircraft rolls (banks right or left) along
this axis, as controlled by the ailerons.
Lateral axis: an imaginary line passing through the plane's
left side and exiting out the right side. The aircraft pitches its nose
up, level or down along this axis as controlled by the elevator.
Vertical axis: an imaginary line passing through the plane's
bottom and exiting out the top. The aircraft turns left or right on this
axis as controlled by the rudder.
Ballooning
During a fast or steep landing, the rubber tires may cause the model
to bounce into the air.
Bellcrank
An L-shaped piece of hardware that may be mounted in a model to change
the direction of force exerted by a pushrod or servo.
Binding Servo
A servo connected to a push rod that does not move freely while in
use. Sometimes, when the receiver and transmitter are active, a binding
servo will make a buzzing sound. This is the servo using up battery power
trying to force its way back to normal position.
Bleed Screw
A screw adjustment on the carburetor. Slight adjustment of this screw
adjusts the low setting of an engine by closing off a tiny air hole in
the carburetor.
Blind Nut
A special type of nut that has several sharp protruding points around
its edge. These points will "bite" into the wood, holding the nut in place.
This makes it possible to remove bolts or screws as needed without having
to disassemble the model just to put a nut on! These are widely used for
engine mounts.
Buddy Cord
Sometimes called a trainer cord. A long cord that plugs into two Transmitters
allowing the instructor to pass control over to the student's Transmitter
so he/she can fly.
CA or CyA
Cyanoacrylate glues. Quick setting glues used in model construction.
There are two main formulas used, Thin, and Gap Filling.
An accelerator, sometimes known as a kicker, may be used with this type
of glue. These accelerators, make the glue harden instantly.
Cabane
The center support found on a biplane. This support is directly in
front of the cockpit, and supports the upper wing of the plane.
Caster Oil
Oil that can be added to fuels to help reduce engine wear. Caster oil
can burn and leave brown lacquer on the engine. Newer fuels use a synthetic
oil or synthetic/caster mix.
C.G.
Center of Gravity. The balancing point under the wing where the weight
of the front of the aircraft and the rear are equal.
Channel
(1). Radio transmitter/receiver frequency.
(2). Each control function, ie ailerons, elevator, rudder, throttle,
flaps, etc. operates on a separate signal (channel) from the radio transmitter.
Clevis
A connector used on a push rod to connect the push rod to a control
horn on a flying surface or to a servo arm. A Clevis can be nylon or metal.
Some can be soldered in place while others can be adjusted by screwing
them onto the push rod.
Clunk
The weighted end of the fuel line inside the model's fuel tank. This
keeps the flexible fuel tubing submerged in fuel regardless of the aircraft's
flying position.
Control Arm
A plastic (or aluminum) arm attached to the servo with a screw. The
control arm moves a control surface by moving a connected the push rod
forward and back. Designs vary but most have several holes drilled into
them allowing you to change the push rods position which will change the
amount of "throw" the servo gives to the connected control surface.
Control Horn
Connector that joins a control surface with a pushrod.
Covering
The lightweight, self-adhesive, plastic material used to cover a model.
Monokote is a popular brand covering, and comes in a large variety of colors.
Other types of covering, include cloth, fiberglass, tissue and dope, brown
paper, paint, metal, or any combination of materials.
Cross wind
Wind that blows at a 90 degree angle across a fixed runway.
Dead Stick
This term means that an engine of an airborne plane has stopped running
and it’s pilot needs to land immediately. A pilot with a dead stick must
yell "dead stick" then he has priority to land his plane before any other
airborne plane. All planes in the air should give the pilot more room by
moving their planes away from the approach area.
Dethermalizer
D.T. A device used on some Free Flight & Sailplane models to induce
the model out of rising warm wind currents to prevent the plane from flying
away.
Dihedral
The upward angle of the wings from the fuselage. Dihedral increases
stability and decreased aerobatic ability.
Doubler
A piece of material that is used as a reinforcement around stress areas
such as the firewall, wing saddle, & landing gear area.
Down-Elevator
Position of the aircraft elevator in which the control surface is lowered
from neutral. This position will cause the aircraft to loose altitude.
Downwind
From a stationary reference point to a point anywhere in the direction
the wind is blowing.
Drag
A force acting on a moving object that resists its motion or generates
friction. This force acts opposite thrust.
Elevator
A horizontal control surface located on the stab. Controls climbing,
and descending.
Flaps
A horizontal control surface located on the bottom of the wing. Adds
extra lift for takeoffs and landings.
Flight Pack
Another name for the battery pack in the model connected to the receiver.
Frequency Flag
A white lettered number, designating the channel and frequency of a
model transmitter.
Frequency Control Pin
A pin used in a system of policing, who is using a certain frequency
at a model field. NOTE: NO ONE WILL TURN THEIR TRANSMITTER ON, UNLESS THEY
HAVE THE FREQUENCY CONTROL PIN IN HAND.
Fuel
A mixture of synthetic oil and nitro-methane that is used to power
model engines. They come in ranges of 5% to 50% nitro mixtures. RC airplanes
usually use 10 or 15% mixtures.
Fuel Bulb
A large rubber bulb used to fill gas tanks when a fuel pump is not
available. NOTE: The rubber bulb types have been known to decay inside,
over a period of time. Be aware of small rubber chips that could get into
the engine because of a decaying bulb.
Fuel Proofed
An area that is painted or designated so as to not allow raw or burned
fuel to penetrate the area.
Fuselage
The main body of an airplane.
Glow Battery
A dry cell or ni-cd battery that is rated at a high current capacity,
and a voltage of 1.5 volts, to ignite the glow plug of an engine, and enable
it to be started.
Glow Plug
A device containing an element, that is screwed down into the engine
from the top, to ignite the fuel when a glow battery is connected to it.
Some types have an idle bar across it underneath to allow the engine to
perform better at slower speeds. They come in two sizes, a long reach and
a short reach. Most engines will use the long reach types ranging from
.20 to .90 engine sizes. The short reach is for the smaller engines .10
to .15.
Glow Plug Wrench
Tool used to remove glow plugs from engines.
Hi-Start
A device resembling a huge sling shot, used to launch gliders and sailplanes.
High Wing
A wing that is on top of the fuselage and the weight is such that it
hangs from the wing in flight. Hi wing planes are more stable and can be
made more "self correcting." Therefore, hi wing planes are used for flight
training.
Incidence
The angle at which the wing or stabilizer is mounted with respect to
the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
Landing Approach
The final setup point in the air before an airplane lands. Also known
as "final approach."
Lean Setting
The setting of the needle valve in which the engine begins to overheat
and slow down because not enough fuel is getting to the engine to keep
it cool. Backing the needle valve out will solve the problem, and allow
more fuel flow to the engine.
Low Wing
A wing that is underneath the fuselage and the weight is such that
it rests on the top of the wing in flight. A low wing airplane is MUCH
more maneuverable and does not have the "self correcting" ability the high
wing plane does. It is more of a "go where you point it" type aircraft.
Micro-balloons
Small lightweight beads that when mixed with CA or epoxy, produce an
excellent hole/crack filling material.
Mixer
A way of controlling two servos at one time with the flip of a switch
on your transmitter. Example: Larger models may wish to have the ailerons
and rudder move at the same time to insure better stability and smoother
control of the model. So, a mixer switching device would allow the two
surfaces to be controlled on one stick, instead of two. Transmitters without
mixing capabilities can still mix servo control by using a "Y" harness
to connect to servos into one channel.
Pit
Where you set up your equipment to start your model or to perform maintenance
on it. The pit is at a safe distance from the runway. *THERE WILL BE NO
FLYING IN OR OVER THE PIT AREA*
Power Panel
A metal panel that provides all the necessary voltages needed to start
your model, including a glow battery, an electric starter battery, power
for electric fuel pumps and the necessary meters to measure the voltage
and currents coming from it.
Procedure Turn
A left or right, in flight, turn usually made on the return leg of
a race track pattern.
Prop Lock Nut
A small rounded safety nut used to secure a propeller to an engine
when a plastic spinner is not used.
Prop Nut
A small nut used with a washer to fasten the prop to the prop shaft.
Prop Reamer
A tool that makes larger holes in wood propellers to accommodate the
prop shaft of the engine it is mounted on.
Prop Spinner
A plastic (or aluminum) nose cone that is used to secure the propeller
to an engine and to allow the use of an electric starter on the engine.
Prop Wrench
A wrench used to remove propellers from the engine. The nuts used on
the engines are usually metric in size but the threads are standard.
Rich Setting
Where the needle valve is backed out too far (feeding too much fuel)
causing the engine to run sluggish with no power. Turning the needle valve
in will solve the problem.
ROG
Rise Off the Ground. ROG is a aircraft powered take-off as opposed
to using a hand launch or Hi-Start to get the plane in the air.
Receiver
The radio signal (Fm / AM) receiver located inside an RC model aircraft.
Sends signals to the servos operating all control surfaces.
Rudder
A vertical control surface located on the stab. Controls left and right
turns.
Saddle
The saddle, sometimes known as the "wing saddle", is the cutout in
the fuselage where the wing fits into position.
Servo
Device hooked up to the receiver that sends control inputs sent from
the transmitter to a control surface or accessory (landing gear, flaps,
etc) in the airplane.
Stab (Stabilizer)
Control surface grouping located at the rear of the airplane. Made
up of the elevator, and rudder.
Stall
Condition where all lift on the wing stops. Most often caused by too
high of an angle of attack, or not enough throttle. This condition is corrected
by pitching the nose of the airplane downward to obtain a gentile dive
and increase airspeed, or when the plane comes in contact with the ground.
Tail Dragger
Airplane that has it's main gear placed forward of CG so as to have
the steering wheel placed at the rear (below the rudder).
Tricycle (Trike) Gear
Airplane that has it's main gear placed aft of CG so as to have the
steering wheel placed at the front.
Torque
Force generated by the engine that acts counter to the rotation of
the propeller.
Transmitter
Handheld unit that sends input commands to the receiver.
Tuned Pipe
A long special pipe, that is tuned to feed back shock waves, (audio
waves), into the engine chamber at the precise time, to enable the engine
to turn more rpm. and give more power.
Wheel Collar
Used to secure wheels in place on landing gear.
Back to The Hints page
Back to the Wingmasters Homepage.