F3C > Velocity 2003

During the 2002/2003 winter, I worked on a new frame design and full fuselage design to be used with 95% Vigor CS parts. The new model would be very narrow, low profile and feature a tight fitting fuselage with retractable skids. The goal was speed, and this model has been clocked at over 110mph. I used this model in the 2003 Japan World Championships (5th place), and two US Nationals (1st place '03, 3rd '04).

The body was designed by my father Steve and I to use our tail shroud/body from previous years. Dad spent many hours that winter carving and molding the original plug for the canopy part of the fuselage. We used to do all the fiberglass work ourselves, but lately have been leaving that up to Steve Weber at Aeroglass to finish the dirty work. His parts always turn out very light and he is set up to do the work much more efficiently than our shop is.

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The mechanics feature a new servo layout to allow a very small tight fitting canopy section of the fuselage. The entire servo and front frames are 2mm carbon sheet and are fully isolated on 8 rubber isolators to reduce vibration transmitted to the electronics. 3/32" thick G-10 fiberglass main frames make up the chassis. G-10 was chosen because it does not have any issues with grounding and or RF transmission that carbon is sometimes prone to when used as main frames. 140 CCPM and shaft drive tail from the Vigor CS was used as well as all the internal frame spacers, BB blocks and Engine mount.

The flying characteristics of this model are more like an airplane than a helicopter. It tracks like no other helicopter I have flown… that is, like and arrow! Hands-off flight the full length of any field at full speed is possible with the Velocity.

I did a lot of back to back flying with these models and my new Sylphides before making the call to go with new machines for the 2005 season. To be honest, the difference came down to using something that is available (Sylphide) vs. upkeep and one-off parts supply of my own creation costing too much valuable practice time. I keep the twins (Velocity A & B) ready to go in the shop, but they don't get out much since the Sylphides are around! The retracts are the coolest part of the machine and it looks like a rocket flying, but one heavy landing after an auto on a calm day can bend the gear enough to ground me for an hour re-bendiung the fragile retract skid system back into shape. Sorry the retracts are not available as a kit.

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Also unique to the Velocity is the tail fin configuration. I chose a single horizontal fin mounted on a movable support. This allowed me to adjust the incidence of the horizontal fin. For F3C it is sometimes difficult to get a hands-off fast forward flight (FFF) without using your elevator trim. That's fine to get it to track at FFF, but once you go vertical for a stall turn etc, often this trim will show up as wrong for that moment as you glide vertically or fall vertically around zero pitch and low airspeed. With the adjustable fin, I could change the angle like an elevator on an airplane to keep the nose up or down during FFF, and use the cyclic elevator trim to get it to go straight up and down vertically.

Most impressive maneuver: Low, gear up, full speed pass 4' from my transmitter antenna tip. hey, it's fun…