Using Parkjets.com - What You Need to Know

Parkjets.com gets a lot of traffic.  Nearly 3 million page views a year.  And lots of downloads.  So sometimes we get questions along the lines of "where do I start?"  Some free RC airplane plan sites can be confusing, so we thought a little guidance would be helpful. 

Steve Shumate Designed SU-37 TerminatorFirst, its important to understand that all the plans on Parkjets are available freely in the public domain.  Check out our post about it in detail.  We have posted them here with the permission of the designers and don't provide direct support for any of the plans.  Basically, we created Parkjets because it was difficult to find all the great designs out there in an easy to navigate website.  We do try to answer basic questions we get, but sometimes we have never tried to build some of the designs, so we really don't know much about them.  

The number one thing you need to know is that Parkjets is 100% free.  We like to say its the number 1 site for free RC airplane plans out there.  We don't require registration, we don't ask for your personal information or anything like that.  We put out a monthly newsletter (please sign up at the end of the post if interested) but we view Parkjets as an RC plan resource for the community.  So use it.  It doesnt cost you a thing.  We manage to get by on a few ads, but also largely from a generous site sponsorship from 6mmFlyRC.com (please visit them).  

Lets break down the site itself a little...

The home page is pretty basic but contains blog posts, twitter feeds and "I want to know more about" section in the center.  Just see something you want to explore and away you go.  The blog is divided up into different catagories "getting started," "motors," and "building."  You can click the top links in the top navigation to sort through the different posts quickly.  Check out the post on flying safety, it is a must read.

The most popular page is of course the "Free Plans" page on parkjets.  You will notice the grid layout and also on the right side bar a section that says "Show me Parkjets in" which is really just a fast way to sort though the various designs we have.  You can select by designer name, build matierial, if a kit is available, etc.  It's a fast way to narrow down your hunting.  You will notice at the bottom of the grid you can go to the next page of designs, or skip around.  Pretty standard stuff.

Once you click on an RC plane to view in more detail, the selector "show me parkjets" moves to the left.  It's not the best web design, but it gets the job done.  

On each RC plan page, you can see details on the design like pictures and video and also other information on the page too.  Some of the plans even have recommended electronic equipment.  Its important to note that some of these recommendations are quite old in RC years, like 3-4 years old, and the hobby has evolved with different motors and standards.  So do a little homework or just send us an E-mail and we should be able to help you out with making a more modern choice.  With parkjets, we compressed all the files and have them available for download in the standard .zip format, so anyone can get to them.  Once inside the zip file, all the plans are in the standard .pdf format that is widely used with a free reader from Adobe.  

We don't want to skip over an important part of the individual rc plans pages.  For most plans, there is an opportunity to donate directly to the designer via Paypal.  Parkjets doesn't get a cut of this donation.  Its just a nice way to say thanks to the designer of your favorite RC Parkjet.  So donate please!  Sometimes just a few dollars means a big difference.  

That is the short version of navigating around the site.  So now let's get to some of the questions we get from parkjets newbies or just people wanting to build for the first time...

So which plans do you recommend for beginners? 

If you have never flown and RC airplane before, we highly recommend checking out RC Powers for the awesome E-book and video series they have put together.  Full disclosure: we are an affiliate and will get a little commission if you buy through us, but the important thing is to get it.  It will save you money. It really is the best resource available for beginners.  Having said that, Parkjets has many options for great plans for beginners, and depending on how much time you want to spend building, the answer varies.  For some people, they like to build for months, doing a little at a time.  For others, they want to start the build on a Friday and be out flying on Saturday.  However you want to approach your first scratchbuild, we have some guidelines you should consider:
Tomas Hellberg Designed Eurofighter

• First, make sure the documentation is up to your abilities.  What we mean is that some plans on Parkjets are pretty basic RC plans.  An experienced builder can fill in the gaps, figure it out and come out with an excellent model.  But there are plans that include build instructions, comprehensive pictures, even build videos that will help the beginner be succesful.  Excellent examples include any of the Tomas Hellberg models, and Steve Shumate designed planes.  

• Make sure you understand what it will take to build the model.  This typically not only includes the necessary foam and the equipment to put into your model, but also the right kind of paper or printer.  A lot of the plans on parkjets are available in what is called "tiled" plans, meaning you can print them out on a home printer and put them all together.  However, some plans are available in the A4 format (Europe and elsewhere) and some are available in "8.5" x 11" sheet format common in the U.S..  A lot of plans offer both, but just check out that detail as well, right by the link to download, it typically says what format the plans are availabe inside the .zip file.  

• For beginners, we also recommend going with a profile or shock style model.  You can see examples here and here.  They are easy to build and are very stable in flight because of their design.  And WHEN you crash it, it won't really be too depressing because you only spent a few hours putting it together.

Which models do you generally tell beginners to stay away from?

This is a sensitive area because we don't want to sugguest that any of the models are too difficult, but there are some really challenging models on parkjets.  One of the more complicated builds is the Steve Shumate F-14.  The swing wing is awesome but it can mean an extended build time.  Same for the Steve Shumate F-22 and SU-37.  Complicated builds.  There are other similar models too, all with long build times and complicated finishing processes.  Does that mean those RC plans should be off limits?  Absolutely not.  Just consider what you want and what you are willing to sacrafice when the model gets a little damaged. 

How much does it cost to get started in RC Airplanes?

One post that is a good read is our "Buy or Build" post.  It helps outline some of the differences between an out of the box solution found in a local hobby shop or online and building from scratch.  But let's assume you are building from scratch.  The cost of the plans are free.  But you have to buy some foam, typically a couple of large sheets of Depron can be had for about $20.  You need a motor and speed controller: About $40.  A transmitter and receiver:  About $200  Battery and battery charger: About $150  Servos and misc gear: $50.  All told you can see that there is some upfront costs involved.  But after that, you can take that gear and put it in just about any suitable airframe and have some fun at your local park.  If you do it right, purchase the correct equipment up front, yo will save yourself a lot of lost money and frustration. 

Getting started in RC, especially RC airplanes can be overwhelming. But if you take a little time, you can learn a lot real fast. And if you want the extreme short cut, again, check out RC Powers Online Course. 

The important thing is to keep building, crashing, and learning!

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F-14 BY MAYBZ

We just added in the awesome profile style F-14 by Maybz.  Honestly, we have no idea why haven't posted this great plan before to our Free Plans Page.  It is one of the best designs for the F-14 that combines a fully functioning swing wing as well as a simple design.

This particular RC airplane plan has been around for several years now with lots of people building over time.  In fact, you can find more than 100 pages of discussion on RC Groups on this one model. 

The performace is excellent with a mid-mount prop that is a little rearward than most of the designs we have on Parkjets.  The plane performs well with as little as a 4 channel radio but those with more channels will have more options for the wing swing.  The design allows for excellent high-alpha and drill bit rolls.  The speed is excellent for an airframe that can tend to get a little draggy. 

So check it out.  Download and build!

Top 10 Plans on Parkjets

We have over 100 different RC plans for free download on Parkjets.com and the most popular plans have changed over time. So what is the most popular download on parkjets.com. Ahhh, well, why don't we review the top 10 free downloads on parkjets? Easy enough. For the month of April, here is the list.

10. The F-14 Tomcat by Steve Shumate. This design has been on Parkjets since nearly the beginning and has held a top spot for a long time. With the ability to go swing wing, just like the real deal, the F-14 is an all time favorite. The plans are very well documented, with build instructions and drawings. And over time, so many RC flyers have built the F-14 there is plenty of support; everything to decals, build videos, clear canopies and even laser cut kits straight from our site sponsor 6mmFlyRC.

9. Bandit by Steve Shumate. This download is one of the few fictional RC parkjets on the website. But it's a proven design and looks good in the air. Many modelers have built this great and versatile design. Everything from a prop pusher to an EDF has been put through the paces with this RC jet. The bandit features good speed and above average acrobatics. But more than that, this one of the easiest of the Steve Shumate designs.

8. SU-37 by Steve Shumate. This is one of the most impressive parkjet designs out there. It features twin engine design, but you can adapt it to a single motor, twin thrust vectoring, awesome scale design and a size a little larger than most. As with all Steve Shumate designs, the plan drawings, the build instructions and the parts drawings are all very well documented. Not a beginner plane, but one of a kind RC parkjets. If you want to cut down on the build time, there is a kit available as well.

7. EADS Barracuda by Sabastian Gulde. Obviously the last few weeks have been pretty busy for the Barracuda. It's been downloaded a lot in April. It's still a new design, so time will tell if it will remain popular. Our guess? Because its an EDF and because it's a design that is not seen out there very much, it will be on the top 10 list for quite a while. The instructions and build drawings are excellently put together and provide RC modelers the opportunity to build it full size or go smaller with mini plans also available for download. The Barracuda is designed for a 68mm fan or larger and looks great.

6. F-14 by Jason Swisher. A great alternative to the Steve Shumate F-14, the profile F-14 gives builders the ability to fly a great looking RC airplane without the extended build time. This download doesn't offer the ability to have swing wings, but the stability and great looks more than make up for the moving wings. An excellent design and easy to understand plans make this a popular download.

5. Ultimate by Mr. Flash. While 3D flight peaked a few years ago, the Ultimate remains a popular download on Parkjets. And why not, it's a fantastic design with great stability and great looks. If you are looking for a 3D style parkjet, look for the Ultimate.

4. Eurofighter by Tomas Hellberg. The profile style Eurofighter is one of the best designs for a parkjet out there. It has a lot of great features. The large delta wing give it exceptional stability, the easy to set up control surfaces make it ideal for a simple RC set up. Here is a great video of the rock solid flight characteristics of the Eurofighter. The drawings are easy to follow and the build is an easy process. And as a bonus, there are some decals out there ready for you to print off your computer and apply for a little extra polish on your model.

3. The Hydro plane. Another design that has been on Parkjets for years, the hydro plane is an oldie but goodie. Mixing the hobbies of boats and airplanes, the hydro gives modelers as little bit of both and a lot of fun. This is one case where you have to watch the video to see exactly what we are talking about. The concept is pretty neat, so give the hydro a try.

2. The profile F-35 by RC CAL. This really makes sense. The F-35 Lightening II is the newest multi- role fighter from the U.S. and features some pretty unique looks. The design here is easy to build and easy to cut out. The documentation is good as well and there are a few decals and other goodies for those downloading this great little design. It's a mid-motor mounted pushed that works well with a cheap brushless motor and 6 x 4 prop. Laser cut kits are also available for this model.

1. F-22 by Steve Shumate. It's no surprise here. The F-22 is one of the best looking jets out there and this RC design is one of the best. The design features thrust vectoring, super scale looks and excellent performance. It's not an easy build, but the challenge is worth the effort. Like a broken record, the documentation for this parkjet is top notch. It has a lot of parts/pieces, but for the scratch builders out there, this one is a crown jewel.

Do you have a favorite design or parkjet? And if you have a design, be sure to shoot us an E-mail and we can get it posted. And check back in early June and see if the deck gets shuffled. And remember, you can pick up quite a few of these design in kit form from 6mmFlyRC. So be sure to check it out.

BARRACUDA EDF VIDEO

For those of you that haven't had a chance to get on over to and check out the newest RC plan on Parkjets, here is the video of the EADS Barracuda.  The plan file contains plans for a 68mm (or larger) EDF fan and also a mini version of the EADS Barracuda that is roughly 60% size and fits a 50mm EDF fan. 

For those of us watching the RC trends out there, we know that EDF is taking over the scene, but for those of us watching the avaition industry, we know that drones are the future.  The Barracuda is a combination of both.  An excellent RC airplane design of the real drone. 

Check out the plans on our FREE PLANS section.  You won't be disappointed.  The plans are very well documented, with computer drawings of the plans as well as assembly instructions and set up guidelines. He built his out of EPP foam, but you could use just about any kind of foam including the popular Depron as well as simple foam board. 

If you want to learn a bit more about the design, be sure to check out the interview with the designer as well. 

PROP TO EDF CONVERSIONS

Probably the number one question we get in our inbox is whether we have documentation to convert some of our excellent RC "pusher" prop plans into EDF, or electric ducted fans power. Since we get the question all the time, we thought we would spend a little time discussing our feelings on the whole subject. If you are roaming around your local hobby shop, you will notice a lot of the boxed RC airplanes come set up for EDF. So it has a lot of RC builders wondering if its a right fit for them. Let's break this down a little.

First, several of our plans are excellent candidates for EDF conversions. The excellent F-14 and F-22 designed by Steve Shumate both will accommidate EDF fans. Both of these parkjets require dual fans, which works out great anyway. And don't forget, parkjets offers several models designed specifically for EDF. So check those out too. But with each of these conversions, the builder will have to make some adjustments to the original design like moving some pivot rods, perhaps enlarging some areas and of course working on ways to mount up the system inside the airframe. The result is pretty neat. They look and sound just like a mini version of the real thing. The F4D Skyray is also an excellent candidate for EDF conversion and in this case is pretty well documented with instuctions and pictures.

For the profile type RC parkjet, we have seen a very simple and very effective EDF conversion. It doesn't really offer the scale look, but offers an alternative to the mid mounted pusher prop that most of the designs have been built around. Below is an excellent video of the Tomas Hellberg F-22 with an EDF fan strapped to it. Most of the Tomas Hellberg plans would work well for this type of simple conversion.

You can see the builder just made a little modification and everything worked well. There are other videos of him flying the jet and it works quite well. The F-22 is a very versitile airframe.

So what do we think about conversions? Well, its complicated. We know there are some modelers out there who would rather not have an airplane than stick a prop on the back of a jet. It just seems so...wrong. We get that all the time. The EDF offers a lot of speed, no real torque and good speed. Some modelers are just looking for something different too. And we can certainly appreciate the attitude. Sometimes a builder wants to venture into a little different RC hobby.

However, for us, we like to stick to the prop. The 6 x 4 prop on one of these parkjets performs so well. The effeciency is through the roof, especially compared to EDF. Your battery will last longer, you need a smaller electronic speed control, the battery doesnt get as hot, and flight times are generally longer with the prop. Also, the thrust off the bat is so much better that a prop driven plane is often easier to hand launch. The reason is that the prop just grabs and moves so much more air in a single rotation that it leads to more bang for the Watt. EDF has to work so much harder than the prop to move the same amount of air. Of course, we all know that sometimes giving up a little gas mileage is worth the cool factor right? I mean, not everyone wants EFFECIENT when you can have a SLEEK right? So what about those RC pilots out there that want and must have and EDF driven airplane?

Well, luckily, EDF is getting better. And frankly, its darn near taking over the industry. At least from those models that come out of the box. Our recommendations is to stick to the bigger fans (68mm and up) and make sure you have a good wide airframe like the F-22, F-18 or even a delta type wingspan like the F4D.

And remember, when you toss that EDF for the first time, give it a heave, because that fan won't start to really push the air until it winds up and gets the plane moving through the air. Your thrust is limited at first.

You have heard our thoughts, now tell us what you think. EDF or Prop? There is no wrong answer as long as you are out there building RC airplanes from scratch or plans. You can't go wrong.

MIG 29 VIDEO

This is a great video of a scratch build MIG 29.  The video starts at the beginning, from the traceing process, the cutting, the assembly of the components, the installation of the electronic equipment, painting and finally the first flight.  A great example of a hobbyist taking a piece of foam and transforming it into an RC airplane that looks awesome in the air. 

BARRACUDA UP CLOSE

We recently got a plan submitted to parkjets.com via E-mail that caught our attention, the EADS Barracuda. Being that it was all the way from Germany, of a German design, it was immediately pretty unique. Here is the meat of it:

Hi...a few weeks ago I got bored of flying RTF-models, so I decided to design and build my own aircraft. Parkjets.com helped me a lot in that process so thanks for that. I based my design on the EADS-Barracuda, a prototype drone aircraft. It ended up working better, than i thought it would, and the final model is an easy to build, unique looking EDF....Sabastian.

We decided to talk to the designer a little bit more about his design and got some excellent feedback. We think it will provide you with some insight and ideas about designing and flying. So here we go.

Before we get going, can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Sebastian, I'm 29 years old, living in Germany and working as a helicopter pilot.

A helicopter pilot, wow. Okay, how long have you been in the RC flying hobby?

I've been into RC for a long time but just recently started with RC-flying. I own some RC-Helicopters, thinking i could control them easily, since i fly a real one for a living … but that wasn't the case. So I moved on to RC-planes. I'm still not an expert RC-pilot, but i can manage to keep a plane or a helicopter in the air now... mostly.

For the record, we can't fly helicopters very well either, real or RC!

It's a very unique looking drone and the design you have created looks very simple to build.  And its an EDF, something that a lot of RC pilots are getting into now. We have not seen the Barracuda modeled before and we think you really captured the look of the real aircraft.  You mentioned to us that you started to get bored with out of the box solutions so you decided to design your own airplane.  What made you decide on the Barracuda?

I just think the original Barracuda is a great design. It has the futuristic looks but was still simple enough for me to try to build it as my first scratch build.

What computer program did you use to design the EADS Barracuda because the build instructions and plans are very well documented.

I used solidworks for the 3d model. The instructions and plans were then made with Gimp and Acrobat Reader.

Your EADS Barracuda is an EDF, and our experience is pretty limited with EDF, just from a personal standpoint.  We tried it a few years ago, but really thought the performance was not as good as a propeller.  But today, things are getting cheaper and with a larger 70mm fan, EDF seems to be performing a lot better. Is EDF what you prefer?

The possibility of having a turbine-like drive at a tiny fraction of the cost convinced me of EDFs very early. You could probably get better efficiency using a pusher prop with the Barracuda, but that would not do the real jet justice, and I'm not even talking about the sound.

Any advise for people just getting into EDF?

They are way easier to use than you would think. You don't have to worry much about motor mounts, pitch etc. Just build a thrust tube and have fun. When first launching/throwing an EDF, you have to be aware of the lower static thrust. EDFs really shine once the plane reaches higher speeds, so throw a little harder.

You know, I'm glad you mentioned the learning curve, because with RC, there is so much information out there, and once a pilot has a good understanding of one type of power system, like a pusher prop, it can be a big leap of faith to try something like EDF. Especially because you already have money and time invested in another system. It's good to hear from someone that it's just not that hard.

Okay, tell us a little about your Barracuda. How long does it take to build?

Since it was my first build it took a little longer. I read a lot of the "Building" and "Getting Started" sections on parkjets.com … great help. I guess the pure build time to be around 20 hours for a beginner like me.

That's not a long build time at all, especially going from nothing to a fully flying machine. It looks like it involves some beveled cuts, any advise on how to achieve good beveled cuts?

I did build a hot wire cutter, however I noticed later that a utility knife and sanding paper works just as well if you take your time and mark the cutting line before. It is best to first cut out the part straight, and in a second step do the beveled cut.

What material did you use for your thrust tube?

I cut open a PET-Bottle, formed a cone to get the desired exhaust diameter and taped it back together.

That's a great solution, using a little material that you already have laying around. Nice tip. Does the Barracuda have any unusual flight characteristics?

It is very stable. It even tends to roll back to horizontal when letting go of the controls. As with any jet you have to maintain speed in turns to not risk a stall.

You built yours out of EPP foam, do you prefer EPP foam for your scratch builds?

It is my only build, so i can't compare EPP to other foam, but I'm more than happy with my choice since the Barracuda has bounced off the ground with no damage quite a times now.

Lastly, can we expect more designs in the future?

Yes, the building virus got me. My next project is already planned and I will start it as soon as I've finished the small version of the Barracuda.

That's exciting to hear, the Barracuda is already a highly downloaded plan on parkjets and I suspect your next design will be even better. I want to thank you for taking a few minutes to help fill in our readers on your design. We hope you allow us to post the plans to your future designs as well. Thanks again!

A lot of readers might be wondering how they can learn more about EDF systems and even learn a bit more about how they can learn how to design some parkjets on their own.  Parkjets recently took a good look at a product out there on the market that is by far and away the best tool out there for beginners in RC flying.  RCPowers has put out an excellent E-book series that answers just about all the questions you might have regarding EDF.  There is an entire section on it.  We liked the product so much, we became an affilliate for the product.  We recommend you check it out, and if you buy it through Parkjets, we make a little money on it.  We are confident you will find it well worth the money.  So check it out. Just scroll to about the middle of the page or so, and check out all the different moduals. 

BUY OR BUILD

Sometimes we here at Parkjets get the very good question related to whether or not its best to buy a ready to fly airplane or whether it best to strike out on your own and build it.  Most of the time, people want to know which is cheaper and what is the real difference (besides the obvious).

With ready to fly, or RTF, the RC airplane pretty much comes ready to go.  Sure, there are always a few things that have to be done to the plane but typically its very quick and can be done in a matter of a few minutes.  The same goes with almost ready to fly (ARF) RC airplanes.  With ARFs, the owner will have to do some glue up or some minor construction, but typically, anyone can do it, it takes very little skill other than reading through the instructions.  So what are the benefits of a pre-made RC airplane? 

1. It will look fantastic and scale.  Modern manufacturers go to great lengths to make their kits look great on the ground and in the air. 

2. The system will work.  In other words, the electronics and other necessary gear you need comes with the RC airplane, so you know it will work. 

3. You will have a great set of instructions and the whole process is pretty much fool proof. With an RTF, you will be up and running in no time.  With building, it can take a couple of days to weeks to complete a project.

Okay, so what are the disadvantages of an RTF or ARF RC Airplane kit? 

1. You will crash it.  And the electronics that came with it will probably not work in other applications. With RTF or ARF, the servos, motor, electronic speed controller, etc work well for that specific airplane, but won't work so well in other airplanes.

2. You have a limited canvas to customize your plane.

3. You have very little uniqueness at the flying field.  In fact, chances are, lots of other RC pilots will have had or do have the exact same RC airplane as you.

Why do we prefer to build our airplanes most of the time?  That is pretty simple actually.  We like to build for two main reasons. 

1. The money.  Up front, building you own will cost a little more.  After all, you are purchasing your own gear like motors, radio, receivers, electronic speed controls servos. You will need some basic soldering equipment too.  Maybe a bench in the garage, if you get fancy, some diagostic equipment.  You have to hunt down things like propellers and EDF fans, clips, control horns, push rods and a whole assortment of goodies to help you go from nothing to a fully flying machine.  But once you are up and running...it's cheap.

The airframes, like the ones here on Parkjets can be constructed with a few dollars in foam, usually around $10-15 dollars worth.  And all that gear you bought?  It will work just fine.

2. Creative Control.  Hey, its part of the fun and challenge.  Building something from nothing.  And with all the free RC plans out there, its easy to get the design that fits your style.  The paint job is up to you.  The decals, you can design your own.  Some guys out there go crazy and make their own creations that blow the doors off of anything you can buy.  For us, building offers something for everyone.  You have control.  You are not limited by what is on the shelf, only what is in your mind. 

So there you have it, the pros and cons of building vs. RTF and a few things in between.  And we don't mean to suggust this is an either or situation of course.  Lots of people have fun doing both.  And then there is the kit market, like the kits made by 6mmFlyRC.com that offer the builder a jump start on a project. 

The important thing is to keep flying, keep crashing, and keep learning!

NEW CAD SOFTWARE

We recently had a site visitor suggust we post a link to a new FREE CAD software location out there on the internet. 

Martin wrote:

"Thought I would share a new and very cool Free CAD package made by a very respectable CAD software supplier. Its called DraftSight, made by - yup, Dassault Systemes!

How cool is that - a 100% AutoCAD compatible piece of free CAD (that even writes and reads DWG's) made by the company whose main order of business is actual jet fighters !

Please do post a link on the site, I am sure the other guys will love it.

It is an awesome piece of code, but it requires modern resources - nothing less than a Core 2 Duo with 2GB of RAM will do, running Win XP. Works really well in 7."

So there you go folks, a new piece of great CAD software.

GOOGLE SKETCH UP & PARKJETS

We recently got an E-mail from a Parkjets.com visitor that was interested in putting some more plans on Parkjets.  We love this kind of E-mail.  However, the individual had no idea how to put his plans into electronic form.  

There are many different programs out there to help people with Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) but one program has pretty much cornered the market for part time designers.  Google SKetch Up.  It is a free program that allows you to draw your plans and print them out in PDF form.
That is the perfect format for distribution.  

One of the hardest things about CAD drawing is that there is a learning curve you have to overcome in order to use the software.  Thankfully, we found these excellent videos that outline exactly how to use Google Sketch Up for the purposes of drawing parkjets!  YouTube pretty much has everything.  

So sit back, get comfortable, and get a brief 101 on how to use Google Sketch Up to draw out your plans.  Don't forget to share them with the world through Parkjets.com!

SOLDERING IN RC

One of the essential skills to have when starting out in R/C is the ability to solder a few connections together.  It may come to the surprise of the new moderler that often times, connectors on the ends of batteries and motors require you to break out a little soldering iron and a few minutes of time.

First up is a great 15 minute how to on replacing bullet connectors on your electric motor. 

Next up is how to solder Deans connectors, an essential skill for anyone.

And to wrap up the great tutorial is a walk through on how to solder bullet connectors onto a speed controller.  Excellent!

INSTALL SERVOS, CONTROL HORNS

Many times, we get E-mails on how to install servos, push rods, control horns and all the various components needed to get a simple foam parkjet off the ground and actually be able to control it.  

As it turns out, we found an excellent video made by the guys at RCSUPERPOWERS that clearly explains the whole process, so why reinvent the lesson?  

One key message here, there is really no wrong way to do it, a lot of times, builders have their preferred methods of putting in the servo and control horns, but ultimately, there are just a couple of rules to follow and then installing the servos and control horns is a snap.  

For the advanced builder, many times hiding the servos and push rods is half the fun, figuring out how to route them through the plane and only expose small parts help give the plane a great scale look and keeps all the ugly bits out of sight.  

So here is the video, take a few notes and download some free plans and get to building.

HOW TO BEVEL CONTROL SURFACES

In an effort to expand the knowledge here on Parkjets, we thought this video is a great instruction on how to bevel the edges of the control surfaces and hinge them on your foam parkjet.

The video is produced by the guys over at RCSuperPowers (who have great plans on their site) and is a great example on how easy it is to work with foam.  

One note here is that Dave (in the video) uses a razor to simply cut away the excess foam, but it is very easy to use a bit of sandpaper and a block to simply create the necessary angle on the edge of the control surfaces.  Either way, a very simple way to make sure your control surfaces have the necessary throw to make your parkjet do what you need it to do.

FLAT PLATE WINGS

For the people that are new to RC and parkjets in general, the question always comes up - Does a flat plate wing work okay or should I spend the time and money to have a real airfoiled wing made?  Great question.  

One the things that makes parkjets so popular is the ease of construction. Throwing on a flat piece of foam and rounding over the leading edges is certainly a lot easier than getting an airfoiled wing made.  

To be sure, they do have a little more drag and a little less lift than an airfoiled wing, but on parkflyer jets, the difference is barely noticeable, especially when you consider the time and cost of putting a full airfoil wing on your parkjet.  Parkjets usually have swept low aspect ratio wings, high thrust-to-weight ratios, and have many elements that make the plane have high drag, like the intakes and flow-through inlets, so flat plates work very well and greatly simplify construction. 

The answer to the question, without getting too technical...On these kinds of models, go flat plate and don't worry about spending the time and energy on an airfoil.

NOTE ABOUT FREE PLANS

These plans are NOT owned by Parkjets.com, they are posted on the Internet and they are owned by the persons who created them.

We assume no responsibility for what you do with the plans, most creators want you to build them for your OWN PERSONAL USE.  DO NOT RESELL THE PLANS.

These plans are subject to removal or deletion at the whim of the owners. So, if you find a bad link, please send us an e-mail and we will try to take care of the problem. Most of these Parkjet plans can be found on the RC Groups E-Zone discussion boards. 

We HIGHLY Suggest you join the RC Group's and participate in the build thread discussions. 

The owners of the plans appreciate knowing there plans are being built, and they will gladly answer any questions you have about the construction, and flying of there creations.

Most of these plans are stored in Adobe PDF's. Most computer's come with an Adobe reader, but if you do not have one, just go to http://www.adobe.com and download the latest free copy of the Adobe Reader.

You will notice that some ZIP files contain "tiled" and "non-tiled" versions.  "Non-Tiled" are often referred to as "full size." 

"Non-tiled" plans are a single diagram that you need to take to a printer such as a Fed-EX/Kinko's and have them print the plans on a size "E" Draftsman sheet.

All of the Non-tiled plans should be printed on a 36" X 48" Sheet (Unless otherwise noted on the plans)

"Tiled" plans are the same as the "non-tiled" only they are "broken-up" into sections that you can print on your home PC, and then tape together into a large sheet.

FREE CAD PROGRAM

So what if you want to ditch the pencil and paper and move to a more precise form of drawing up your plans but don't want to spend a bunch of money just to draw them up?  Simple, download this free CAD program and get to drawing.  Sure, its a little limited, but should work well for most people.

FREE CAD PROGRAM

Google SketchUp

Lots of designers using Google's SketchUp program to design parkjets now too.  They have a limited free version and a paid version as well. 

GOOGLE SKETCHUP PAGE

PLAN PRINTING SERVICES

So you are ready to print your plans but don't have a Kinkos or other printing service around to get the job done.  Now what?  Well, there are a couple of options for you here.  

Winger Models is a great choice For Original and Reduced Size Plans.  Almost all plans offered on Parkjets are included.  You can pay via PayPal.  Buy On-line and have the plans mailed to you.  It's that easy!

WINGER MODELS PLAN PAGE

If you are planning on super sizing your parkjet, you can see if LBMiller5 of RC GROUPS can help.  He can print all of Steve Shumate's Parkjet Plans like the F-14, F-15, F-18, T-38, Saab Gripen, and Super Bandit are now available in Larger Sizes 133%, 150%, 166%, 175%, and 200%.  A portion of the sale of each set of plans will be paid to Steve Shumate as a royalty fee.

Contact LBMiller5 through RC GROUPS.  (Note, you will have to be a member of RC GROUPS to send LBMiller5 a message through RC GROUPS.  It's free to join.)

BUNGEE LAUNCHER PLANS

Sometimes it's easier to get your parkjet in the air if you can use a bungee launcher.  Sometimes the plane is too big, sometimes its just hard to hold.  There are plenty of stories out there about pilots getting their hand or arm cut in by the propeller and that usually requires a trip to the emergency room. 

Here is a great design for a home built bungee launcher that incorporates a foot pedel so the entire thing can be operated by one person. 

LINK TO RC GROUPS BUNGEE BUILD THREAD

FAN CALC 1.1

This is a great resource to help you figure out everything you nee to know about Radio Controlled EDF fan calculations. 

NOTE: This program only works for PC's.

DOWNLOAD FAN CALC 1.1 ZIP

TOOLS YOU NEED

Tools you might need:

Some basic tools you will need are:

• Hand Drill or Dremel tool, tiny drill bits, and grinding stones
• Small size Tap and Die Set
• Scissors, many shapes and sizes, and some specialty scissors like "Canopy Scissors"
• Tiny Screw Driver and Nut Driver set
• Knifes
• Utility knifes
• "Exacto" Knifes of all sizes and shapes
• Single Edge Razor blades
• Pizza cutter (Yes you read that right, a big round one on a handle)
• Straight Edge Rulers, measuring devices,
• Postal weight scale
• Saws and cutters,  Including mini-hacksaw, mini-scroll saw, Jeweler's saw
• Electrical Tools, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, strippers, Soldering Iron and stand
• Twenty pound sledge hammer (not really, Just seeing if your paying attention :-)
• Small files of all sizes and shapes (Jewelers files)
• Sandpaper from 80 grit to 400 grit
• Rubber gloves, masks, paint and epoxy mixing sticks, Clamps, and T-Pins (various lengths)

 Some optional equipment you may want:

Model Spray paint airbrush,  Small spray booth with exhaust fan,  Hot-wire Foam cutting equipment (for shaping wings and other large  foam pieces.)