This is an attempt to collect the common (and some what uncommon) jargon that is used in RC (and aeromodelling in particular).
It is preferred that each term be introduced in a separate post. Also put in a small description, a picture or two if needed, and how it affects the performance of a model. Should be useful to everyone, especially beginners.
It is good to know about dihedral, sweep and drift ! :thumbsup:
some of them are
rolling takeoff or ROG (right off ground)
= Basically, it's just the taxiing to, and turning onto the end of the takeoff runway, and commencing the the takeoff roll, all in one continuous movement, without stopping
simply put
take off from the end of a runway or a runway and not hand launch
a video to support what i just said
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N2n4VP6W20&feature=related
subbu
Subbu
I could also say that ROG means "Rise of the ground"...
Another jargon is
LIPO = Lithium Polymer battery pack... The most common rechargeable and dependable battery pack suitable for Electric planes which require utmost care in their handling and charging. Capable of overloading to a high degree... eg. a 2200maH (milli ampere hour... unit of charge) 3S1P LIPO today is capable of being overloaded to 25times its nominal capacity i.e. 25*2.2amps = 55amps for a short duration.
before the next one here is the pic for the one mentioned by saju uncle
lipo
(http://www.electric-rc-helicopter.com/pic/lipo_acro/EFLB0995.jpg)
ok guys here comes a big one
TX and RX
TX = transmitter (in nearly every case). well transmitters are used to control the motors rpm and the control surfaces and much more
(http://www.rcsmart.com.my/webshaper/pcm/pictures/RDS8000-2.jpg)
RX = receiver. it is the most integral part of your planes system as it receives and processes the commands from the tx and converts it into the movement of servos or rpm of motor, etc
(http://the-radio-controlled-airplane.com/image-files/receiver.jpg)
subbu
ESC : Electronic speed controller
BEC: Battery eliminator circuit
a bit of expansion to the above post
BEC = Battery eliminator circuit = it is a circuit which supplies power to the receiver directly and uses up one channel in the rx (mostly). these days the bec's are built into the esc's which directly power the system through the rx's throttle channel hence the same channel can be used for both supplying power to the rx and controlling the throttle
(http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/catalog/HK-18-20.jpg)
ESC = Electronic speed controller = An electronic speed control or ESC is an electronic circuit with the purpose to vary an electric motor's speed.An ESC can be a stand-alone unit which plugs into the receiver's throttle control channel or incorporated into the receiver itself.
(http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/catalog/HXTUBEC2.jpg)
subbu
ps.
anyone with better explanations please come up
please help by contributing more of these as they will help many
DIHEDRAL
Dihedral-what are they?- the upward bend of the wings from their center in sync with the horizontal plane from the center of the wing is called a dihedral.
probably you did not understand hence a picture to help you understand
(http://www.littletoyairplanes.com/theoryofflight/images/whyplanesfly/fullsize/10dihedral.jpg)
what does this dihedral do??
it is a very good stabilization mechanism on the roll axis. that is it stabilises the plane to fly straight and level.
why do we need it ???
in most cases we use planes with dihedral to teach people to fly planes as it becomes very easy for them to handle and the plane itself becomes very forgiving.
any disadvantages??
yes it reduces the effect of ailerons on the plane as it continuously tries to keep the plane level.
some examples -
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Dihedral.airliner.arp.750pix.jpg)
(http://anjo.com/rc/aircraft/gwstm/gwstm.dihedral.jpg)
POLYHEDRAL
polyhedal has the same effect but provides much more better stabilization. polyhedral are the upward bends at the wing tips.
for example -
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Mc_Donnell_Douglas_F4-F_Phantom_v.jpg)
subbu
hey anwar bhaiya can we have a jargon cum dictionary in this same thread please reply (:|~ (:|~ :thumbsup:
subbu
More of the RC jargon...........Whats Dual rates and Exponential. Never understood it right yet! Maybe cos its bcos of the very basic radio that i use...................
Edwin
Subbu - You might want to clarify your post about BECs with information on "built-in BEC"s versus "external BEC"s. Also, what exactly are we "eliminating" ?
Onto dual rate and exponentials.
DUAL RATES
Dual rates can be easily understood as the reduction of throw/deflection/movement of a control surface for a given amount of stick input. Let us say the ailerons on a plane has 30degrees of upward and 30 degrees of downward deflection by default, giving a total 60 degrees of deflection between the two extreme positions of the control stick input. If we enable "50% dual rates" on it, we restrict the movement of the control surface to 15degrees on each side, thus helping to "tame" the model down (which is particularly helpful for beginners), at the same amount of maximum stick input.
EXPONENTIAL
In this case, if we go by the same example above and we had say negative expo, the total deflection between the full control inputs stays at 60 degrees, but the amount of control surface deflection is lower towards the center of the control stick movement range and higher towards the extremes of control stick movement. So at half stick movement in either direction, instead of the control surface deflecting 15degrees, it would deflect say around 7.5degrees. But at full application of the control stick to any side, the control surface would deflect the full 30 degrees. So for a given amount of control stick movement, the control surface movement is "tame" towards the centre of the stick movement range, and remain "wild" towards the extremes of stick movement.
Anwar
Maybe this chart would make it clearer
Thanx Anwar and Saju.
QuoteMaybe this chart would make it clearer
This is just to represent what expo is. Varying the amount of expo would change the curve leaving the end points ( 1.0 & 2.0 ms.) the same. Do note that it is also possible to "reverse" the expo curve where you would get increased response around neutral.
QuoteSubbu - You might want to clarify your post about BECs with information on "built-in BEC"s versus "external BEC"s. Also, what exactly are we "eliminating" ?
What one is "eliminating" is the need for another battery for the receiver. The power is derived from the motor battery and regulated o a lower level.
External "BECs" are effectively the same but not part of the ESC. They are regulators that use a LiPo battery, again regulated to the lower level (5V or 6V) needed by the receiver. Most ESCs have the BEC included. But external ones would be needed to power the electronics of non electric models with a LiPo battery.
Quote from: sushil_anand on October 15, 2009, 11:23:25 AM
Most ESCs have the BEC included. But external ones would be needed to power the electronics of non electric models with a LiPo battery.
Even electric fliers go for external BECs occasionally as a an added safety measure. This is particularly applicable to electric helis that are in the 325mm blade size or higher (more common the 425mm blade size or higher). Since lipos can drop their last bits of charge pretty quickly if one is not careful, a separate lipo+BEC setup allows the receiver and servos to work to land the model safely (even if the main lipo has lost its charge, enough to drive the electronics only otherwise).
Next set of terms.... what are these ?
Sweep
Revo Mix
High Alpha
SWEEP : Angular deviation from the spanwise axis. Could be forward or backward.
HIGH ALPHA : It is the angle of attack or the deviation from horizontal or flying axis. HIGH ALPHA would be a very nose high attitude.
These are basic and not detailed explanations.
SWEEP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swept_wing
REVO MIX
When gyros were not common (especially heading hold ones), the radios were used to alter the pitch of the tail rotors in helicopters to counter the torque effects of changes in throttle. In other words, Revo Mix adjusts the tail rotor pitch as throttle increases or decreases. Many radios provide a "curve" for Revo Mix, allowing it to finely controlled over the various throttle inputs. Since the advent of heading hold gyros, this is practically never used.
This has many on 1 page: :)
http://www.futaba-rc.com/glossary.html
Quote from: anwar on October 14, 2009, 09:43:41 PM
Subbu - You might want to clarify your post about BECs with information on "built-in BEC"s versus "external BEC"s. Also, what exactly are we "eliminating" ?
Getting Back to BEC's it works this way as I understand it :
Normally ESC's upto 30-40 amps have built in BEC's and above 40 amps External BEC's are used .
Many manufacturers will use the term
OPTO in the Specifications of an ESC this normally means the ESC does not have a BEC . In this case it implies the ESC cannot power the receiver and you need to use either an external BEC or Battery to power the receiver thru the battery channel.
The wiring diagram can be seen here for using an external BEC :
http://scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/_wiring.html
In case OF BEC's it is important to understand the voltage they can handle eg the RCFORALL 30 amps can handle 14.8 V power with the built in ESC but the 40 amp cannot go beyond 11.1V . The internal BEC can be disconnected by cutting the positive wire ( red )
Sai
Camber: Camber is typically used on sailplanes and refers to the function of lowering the entire trailing edge of the wing to change airfoil of the wing, and therefore, the flight characteristics of your aircraft. Camber is typically used during launch to maximize lift.
Camber Point: The Camber Point function allows you to define how Auxiliary Lever (VR6) controls Camber. Based on the Camber Point setting, you can control both Camber and Reflex, or you can control only Camber or Reflex. When programmed to control only Camber or Reflex, the amount of servo travel will be doubled. This is useful for those pilots who want more overall travel, but in only one direction.
CCPM: Collective, Cyclic, Pitch Mixing. CCPM is software-controlled mixing that allows control of the collective, cyclic and pitch using three (and sometimes four) servos. This allows lower mechanical complexity and greater control precision. In this configuration the cyclic and collective controls are mixed. 3-Point and 4-Point mixes are featured.
CCPM Servo End Point Adjustment: The CCPM End Point Adjustment function allows you to adjust servo travel in each direction for the elevator, aileron, and pitch servos independently. Unlike standard End Point Adjustment, which affects all the cyclic servos, CCPM End Point Adjustment allows you to adjust each cyclic servo independently without any affect on the other cyclic servos.
CCPM Servo Linear: The CCPM Servo Linear function converts the rotary output of the servo(s) to a Linear approximation and helps correct any abnormal cyclic movement caused by off-center control arms when at full positive or negative End Points and allows you to adjust the overall Rates for the elevator, aileron, and pitch servos independently.
CCPM Servo Delay: The CCPM Servo Delay function allows you to adjust the speed of the elevator, aileron, and pitch servos independently. Even though the servos may be of the same type, not all servos operate at the same exact speed. If one or more servos controlling the swashplate is operating faster than another servo, this can cause swashplate geometry issues and even result in binding of the swashplate linkage assemblies. Slowing down the faster servo(s) to match the slower servo(s) helps to fine-tune the swashplate, ensuring the most accurate and smoothest movement as possible throughout the entire deflection range.
Crow: The Crow function allows you to use the ailerons and the flaps simultaneously to control the lift of the aircraft, while still allowing aileron roll control. Crow is typically used to quickly reduce lift, ensuring pin-point spot landings in nearly any situation. When the Crow function is Activated on the radio, all of the ailerons should move Up and all of the flaps should move Down.
Flaperons: Flaperons is a mix of flaps and ailerons, allowing you to use the ailerons as flaps if your model does not feature separate flaps. When Activated, both ailerons are moved down at the same time to provide the function of flaps, while still providing aileron roll control.
Governor: A Governor is an electronic device used on glow-powered helicopters, that, coupled with a high-speed servo, is used to control a helicopter's rotor head speed.
Gyro: A Gyro is an electronic device, that coupled with a high-speed servo linked to the tail rotor control arm, is used to stabilize a helicopter's yaw axis.
AUW ? WOT ?
Quote from: anwar on November 10, 2009, 08:36:31 PM
AUW ? WOT ?
AUW = All Up Weight. ie., weight of the ready to fly plane.
WOT = Wide Open Throttle i.e., throttle at its maximum position.
Spinner ? Prop Saver ?
QuoteGyro: A Gyro is an electronic device, that coupled with a high-speed servo linked to the tail rotor control arm, is used to stabilize a helicopter's yaw axis.
Commonly, yes. But a gyro can be used even on an airplane, on any axis.
Someone, in Germany, has developed a complete package with 3 axis gyro+software to fly 3D. All you need is to pull the plane vertical, control the throttle, and it will hover BY ITSELF! Check it out at:
http://www.lf-technik.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3564_GyroBot-900-Wing.html
Simply mind blowing.
that 3 axis gyro i have done it here on the lead feather yak 55 from rcg and it works great but you need to fine tune it and when you enter normal mode you get gyro shakes or tail wobble. i had a lot of gyro around to do this experiment
subbu
Guys at our field make fun of each other for doing this, as they consider it "cheating" :P Add two gyros on rudder and elevator, and torque rolls are so much easier !
If anyone has a RealFlight sim, they can see the difference in response with and without the gyro if they try the "Yak 55" and the "Yak 55 with Gyro" models.
A
ABS A type of plastic often used for vacuum formed components such as cowlings.
ACTUATOR A device for moving a control surface or throttle by electro-mechanical means.
ADVERSE YAW A turn in the direction opposite to that introduced by the ailerons, caused by the drag of the down-going aileron exceeding the turning moment introduced by the up-going aileron.
AERIAL On a transmitter a metal rod, usually collapsible, which radiates the transmitted signal; or a trailing or rigid wire on a receiver which collects the signal.
AERODYNAMICS The science or study of the forces acting on an aircraft in motion.
AEROFOIL The cross-section shape of a wing taken at right angles to the wing span. Also known as the wing section or rib section.
AEROTOW A method of launching a glider by towing it to altitude behind a powered aircraft.
AIRBRAKE An aerodynamic control which can be extended to increase drag and slow down an aircraft
ALL FLYING TAIL Horizontal tail surfaces which do not have a separate elevator. The whole surface moves as one to give pitch control.
AMPHIBIAN An aircraft capable of operating off either land or water.
ANEMOMETER A device for measuring windspeed.
ANHEDRAL Where the wings are set an angle such that the tips are lower than the centre. The opposite of a DIHEDRAL
ANGLE OF ATTACK The angle at which a wing strikes the air stream.
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE Angle of the wing in relation to an arbitrary line fore and aft in the fuselage.
ASPECT RATIO The relationship of the wing span to the wing chord, expressed numerically by the number of times the span can be divided by the chord.
AUTOGYRO An aeroplane that flies by virtue of the lift generated by freewheeling rotating wings set 'windmill'' fashion above the fuselage. The forward motion of the autogiro provides the force to keep the rotors turning so unlike a helicopter the autogiro cannot hover.
AUTO-RUDDER (A/R) A system used in free-flight models either to keep the rudder of a glider straight during tow and then automatically to set the glide turn on release, or, on rubber- and power-driven aircraft, to alter the rudder setting in flight, usually to re-trim from power to glide.
B
BALSA WOOD Very light wood with excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Grown mainly in South America and used extensively in model aeroplane construction.
BALLAST Weight carried by an aeroplane to increase the Wing Loading.
BANK A turn made in flight with one wing lip lower than the other.
BATTERY A means of storing electrical power chemically.
BEAM MOUNT Engine mounting consisting of a plate or beams to which the engine is mounted by means of the lugs on either side of the crankcase.
BELLCRANK The pivoted wood, metal, or plastic arm which converts the motion of the control lines to up-and-down movement of the elevators in a control line model aeroplane.
BOOM A wood tube or strip that extends rearward from the wings or from a short fuselage to support the tail surfaces.
BULKHEAD A former within the fuselage used as internal support for longerons, sheet sides, stringers and so on.
BUNTER A free-flight aircraft, either engine-assisted or a glider, which uses a quarter outside loop to effect the transition from climb or high-energy tow-launch into the glide, and thus maximise the possible altitude and hence duration.
C
CABANE The strut assembly at the centre section of a biplane or a PARASOL monoplane.
CAMBER The curvature of the wing or horizontal tail, from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
CANARD An aeroplane designed to fly with its tailplane in front of the wing.
CANTILEVER A wing built in such a way that it does not require external bracing. Model scale aircraft may have dummy external bracing to replicate the original even though the wings are actually strong enough not to need it.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY OR WEIGHT (CoG) The spot where the mass or weight of an aeroplane may be said to centre.
CENTRE OF LIFT (CL) The spot where the lift of a wing (or wings) is said to centre.
CENTRE OF PRESSURE (CP) The point on the upper surface of a wing, relative to the chord, where the lift can be said to centre.
CHORD The width of a wing or tailplane from front (leading edge) to back (trailing edge).
CIRCLE TOW A system by which a free-flight glider may be held captive on the towline and circled until the flyer detects a thermal into which to launch.
CIRCUIT A rectangular flight path around the runway in use; the flight-path used by aircraft approaching for landing.
CLEVIS A sprung link connecting a control rod to the surface being controlled.
CLOSED LOOP A means of operating a control surface by means of flexible wires, under tension, attached to either side; sometimes known as pull-pull.
CLUNK TANK A fuel tank where the fuel pickup is at the end of a flexible tube. Gravity ensures that the clunk is always at the bottom, enabling fuel to be collected whatever the orientation of the fuel tank.
CONDENSER TISSUE An ultra-light paper, originally used for insulation in electronic capacitors, used for covering some types of indoor free-flight aircraft.
CONSTANT-CHORD-WING One that has parallel leading and trailing edges, with no taper.
CONTROL-LINE (CL) FLYING A method of flying a model aircraft by means of two thin wires connecting the model to a control handle held by the pilot. The model flying in a circular path and its elevation is controlled by the pilot.
CONTROL HANDLE Device held in the hand, to which control lines are attached; vertical rocking movements of handle are carried via lines to the aeroplane elevators.
CONTROL HORN An arm fastened to a control surface to which is connected the control rod.
COUPE HIVER The F1G small free-flight rubber duration class, originated in France during World War II.
COWLING A specially shaped nose to enclose an engine.
CRYSTAL A component used to determine the operating frequency of a Radio Transmitter or Receiver. The frequency or Channel of R/C equipment can be changed by plugging in the appropriate crystals.
CYANOACRYLATE A type of instant acting adhesive.
D
DATUM A reference line or point from which measurements are taken.
DEAD STICK A term used to describe a power model making a glide approach after the engine has stopped.
DELTA An aircraft with a wing of a triangular planform.
DETHERMALISER (D/T) A device operated by a slow-burning fuse or by a mechanical or electronic timer that puts a free-flight aircraft into a super-stalled condition to bring it down after a pre-set flight time.
DIHEDRAL The uptilt of wing panels toward the tips. Dihedral is applied for purposes of stability and to provide a turning moment for rudder-only models.
DIFFERENTIAL (ailerons) When ailerons are set to give more up movement than down movement. This is to reduce the effect of adverse yaw.
DOLLY A wheeled frame which a model sits on to effect a take-off. The dolly either remains on the ground or drops off almost immediately.
DOUBLER A second sheet of material fixed inside {or sometimes outside) the main fuselage side sheets on each side for added strength.
DOUBLE-SURFACE WING A wing which is covered on both top and bottom with paper, cloth or other material.
DOWNTHRUST The slight tilting down of the engine or propeller thrust line to exert a slight downward pull under pressure.
DOWNWIND In the circuit flying parallel with the runway in the opposite direction to take-off.
DRAG A force acting on an aeroplane resisting its acting on an aircraft in motion resisting the movement through the air.
DUCTED FAN (DF) A small diameter multi-bladed fan, operated at high rpm inside a tube or duct. The ejected air provides thrust in the same way as a jet engine, which why the DF is often used to simulate jet models.
DUTCH ROLL A side-to-side wallowing motion of a model, often caused by insufficient fin area.
E
ELEVATOR The hinged control section of the tailplane, used to control pitch.
ELEVON An elevator split into 2 halves which can be operated independently so that the same control surfaces can be used to control the roll of an aircraft as well as the pitch. Often seen on Flying Wings and Delta planform models.
ENGINE BRAKE A timer-operated device to stop the propeller of a free-flight duration aircraft at the end of the permitted engine run.
F
FF Short form of Free Flight
FAIL SAFE A system which closes the throttle and moves the control surfaces to pre-set positions in the event of loss of signal from the transmitter. Required by larger models and is intended to bring the model to earth quickly in the event of radio interference or transmitter failure.
FAIRING A streamlined cover over a joint or around angular parts of an aircraft intended to reduce drag.
FILLET A rounded contour used at the junction of vertical and horizontal surfaces on an aeroplane, to reduce wind resistance.
FIN The fixed forward portion of the vertical tail surfaces.
FINAL APPROACH The last phase of a flight when lined up with the runway during the landing approach.
FIREWALL A strong bulkhead immediately behind the engine on a powered aeroplane.
FLAPS Hinged surfaces attached to the trailing edge of a wing, either to increase manoeuvrability (as on a control line aerobatic model) or to increase lift at the expense of drag (as on most full size aircraft and some radio control aeroplanes).
FLAPERONS Ailerons which can be moved both up or both down to act as SPOILERS or flaps.
FLUTTER Rapid oscillation of a wing or control surface. Usually appears only at high speed and is often caused by excessive gaps between wing and control surface, or by inadequately stiff control rods, or in the case of a wing insufficiently stiff structure.
FLYING BOAT An aeroplane with a fuselage shaped like a boat. For operation off water.
FLYING SCALE MODEL A flyable miniature of a manned aeroplane.
FORMER See BULKHEAD.
FREEWHEELER A propeller with a special device that allows it to windmill after the rubber motor is unwound.
FREQUENCY MONITOR Multi-channel radio receiver used to check for interference on model radio control frequencies.
FUSELAGE The body of an aeroplane.
G
GEODETIC A latticework or basket-weave construction.
GLIDER A highly efficient engineless aeroplane. Capable of flying for long periods in gently rising air currents (thermals).
GLITCH A colloquial word to descrive the momentary uncontrolled operation of control surfaces caused by electronic interference or equipment malfunction.
GROUND LOOP A rapid circular rotation of a model on the ground, usually performed while taxying or during take off TAILDRAGGER aircraft are particulalrly suceptible to this as they are sensitive to crosswinds.
GUSSET Small strengtheners fixed at points of heavy stress in an aircraft structure.
H
HAND-LAUNCH (HL) To start a model in flight by releasing it or throwing it from the hand.
HELICOPTER An aircraft that can rise or descend vertically, by means of large overhead power-driven rotor or rotors.
I
INCIDENCE The angle, relative to the fuselage datum, at which a wing is set.
INDUCED DRAG Resistance of a wing to forward movement due to disturbance of the surrounding air and related to the lift produced by the wing.
INVERTED Flying upside down.
J
JAPANESE TISSUE A very light paper, usually made from rice straw, used for covering some free-flight aircraft.
JIG A fixture or form for holding parts together for assembly.
K
KNOCK-OFF A way of mounting parts such as wings, tailplane or undercarriage so that they will knock-off without damage in the event of a crash landing.
L
LANDING GEAR See Undercarriage.
LANDING WIRE Bracing wires which take the non-flying loads on a wing or wings; usually found on bi-planes.
LEADING EDGE The front or entering edge of a wing or tail.
LEADOUT The wires that are attached to the BELLCRANK and which extend out past the wing tip, to fasten to the control wires on a control line model.
LIFT COEFFICIENT An indication of the relative lift of an aerofoil.
LIFT-DRAG RATIO The relation of total lift to total drag of an aerofoil, expressed as a mathematical proportion; 6 to 1; 15 to 1 and so on.
LOMCOVAK An aerobatic manoeuvre which combines extreme roll pitch and yaw changes to produce a violent movement of the aircraft. The name is derived from a Polish word which describes the effect of too much liqueur spirit.
LONGERONS The main fore-and-aft strips in a fuselage
M
MAX An abbreviation for the maximum time for which the flight of a free-flight aircraft is recorded, typically three minutes.
MICROFILM A cellulose lacquer solution poured onto the surface of a tank of water to form an extremely thin film used for the covering of certain types of free-flight indoor aircraft.
MID-AIR Collision of 2 models in flight.
MIXER A mechanical or electronic device which allows two different inputs to operate a control surface; flaperons for example.
MOMENT ARM The distance between the point at which a force is applied and the point of action of the force. For example, the distance between the CoG and nose, or CoG and tail.
MONOCOQUE A form of fuselage construction with rounded exterior and very little internal structure in which the skin carries virtually all stresses.
MOTOR BEARER Hardwood (or plywood) strip mount for model aeroplane engines.
MOTOR STICK A strong strip used to support the rubber motor; the body of stick-type models.
MUSH A nose-high, slow-speed flight attitude resulting from a slightly tail-heavy trim.
N
NEEDLE VALVE Fuel mixture adjustment on a model engine.
NICAD Nickel Cadmium rechargeable battery.
NORDIC The World Championship class for free-flight gliders, the specification for which originated in
Scandinavia.
NOSE PLUG A shaped wooden block used to support the propeller bearing in many rubber powered models.
Continued....
Source: http://entertainment.vsnl.com/aeromodelling/gloss.html
Continued from previous post...
O
OLEO A shock absorbing system used in an undercarriage.
O.O.S. Out of sight of the timekeeper.
ORNITHOPTER An aeroplane that flies by flapping its wings like a bird.
P
PARASITIC DRAG Resistance to a forward aeroplane movement caused by any non-lifting components of the aeroplane.
PARASOL An aeroplane in which the wing is mounted above the fuselage on struts.
PEAK DETECT CHARGER A battery charger which uses the measured voltage of the battery pack to shut off charging rather than a timer.
PITCH (1) The forward distance theoretically travelled by a propeller in one revolution.
PITCH (2) A rotation of an aircraft up and down around the wing axis. This effect is caused by the elevator.
PITCH-DIAMETER RATIO The relation between the propeller pitch and diameter, expressed as a mathematical proportion, as 1.5 to 1, and so on.
PITCH STABILITY Stability of an aeroplane in climb and dive.
PLANFORM The outline of wing or tailplane when viewed from above.
PLANKING Sheet-wood covering accomplished by glueing thin flat wood strips side by side on a fuselage.
PLYWOOD Sheet wood made by glueing together two or more very thin layers of wood with the grain of adjacent layers at right angles.
POD A short streamlined fuselage fitted with a boom to support the tail surfaces.
POD-AND-BOOM A model that derives its name from the appearance of its short fuselage and tail-support boom.
POLYHEDRAL A form of dihedral in which there are one or more changes of dihedral in each wing panel.
PROPELLER An airscrew that pushes air backwards as it rotates, thus pulling the aeroplane forwards.
PUSHER A plane in which the engine is mounted ahead of the propeller, so that the propeller pushes instead of pulls.
PVA A water based type of adhesive.
Q
QUICK LINK A sprung clip, of metal or plastic, used to connect a pushrod to the actuator or control surface.
R
R/C Radio Control.
RADIAL MOUNT A moulded plastic or metal mount which is fastened to the mounting lugs of an engine and then bolted directly to the engine bulkhead or firewall.
RATE SWITCH A switch on the transmitter which changes the amount of movement of a control surface when the STICK is moved.
RANGE The maximum distance over which radio control can safely be maintained.
REFLEX A reversal of the CAMBER on a flying surface. Often used on flying wing or delta planform aircraft.
RESISTANCE Air drag, or the opposition of the air to being displaced by the forward movement of an aeroplane.
RIB SECTION The cross-section shape of a wing, from leading to trailing edge.
RISE-OFF-GROUND (ROG) Used of a free-flight aircraft, usually to an obsolete specification, that takes off as opposed to being hand launched.
ROLL A rotation of an aircraft around the longitudinal axis. This effect is produced by the ailerons.
ROOT The part of a wing where it meets the fuselage.
RUDDER The moving part of the vertical tail surface of an aeroplane which provides yaw control.
S
SAILPLANE See GLIDER
SERVO A motor-driven device for moving controls of a radio controlled aeroplane.
SIDE THRUST Offsetting the propeller thrust line, so there is a slight sideways pull.
SIDEWINDER A colloquial expression describing an engine mounted on its side.
SINGLE-SURFACE WING A wing formed from a single sheet of balsa, or one that has a framework covered only on the top.
SLIPSTREAM The column of air pushed rearward by a rotating PROPELLER, it always moves faster than the aeroplane itself.
SOLID MODEL A non-flying model formed from solid pieces of wood or plastic.
SPARS Spanwise load-carrying members of a wing or tail.
SPIRAL DIVE An ever-tightening downward corkscrew flying path.
SPIRAL STABILITY The characteristic of an aeroplane that permits high-speed banked turns without diving to the ground.
SNAKE A type of flexible pushrod consisting of a plastic or braided metal wire inner, inside a plastic sleeve.
SPOILERS Controls which can be deployed into the airflow to spoil the lift. Usually found on gliders and used to aid landing.
STABILITY The tendency of an aeroplane to return to level flight, after having been disturbed by an upsetting force.
STALL The complete loss of lift resulting from too steep an angle of attack.
STALLING ANGLE The particular angle at which a wing abruptly loses lift; usually expressed in degrees.
STICK The operating arm on a transmitter which is moved to make the control surface move.
STOL Short Take Off and Landing. Describes an aircraft with special high-lift devices to keep the take off or landing run as short as possible.
STREAMLINED The shape of the exposed contours of an aeroplane for the least possible air drag; usually rounded in front, pointed at the rear.
STRINGER Light, lengthwise fuselage strips intended more to give the desired shape than to add strength.
STRIP AILERONS Ailerons consisting of simple strips along the full length of the wing trailing edge.
SWEEPBACK The angling back of the wings from the centre, to increase directional stability or reduce
drag at high speed.
T
TAB A small adjustable surface on wing or tail surfaces, used to make small trim changes.
TAIL The surfaces (tailplane and fin) at the rear of a conventional aeroplane fuselage.
T-TAIL Arrangement where the tailplane is mounted on top of the fin.
TAILDRAGGER An aircraft which has an undercarriage arrangement where the mainwheels are under the wing with smaller wheel at the tail end of the fuselage. The aircraft sits on the ground with a nose-high attitude.
TAILPLANE The fixed horizontal tail surface.
TAILSKID A fixed angular fixture use to support the tail end of an aircraft on the ground instead of a wheel.
TEMPLATE A stiff pattern for marking the outlines of pieces to be cut from sheet wood or metal.
THERMAL A rising column of relatively warm air.
THRUST The propulsive force developed by a driven PROPELLER or jet engine.
THRUST LINE An imaginary line drawn along the propeller shaft and extending rearward through the aeroplane.
TIMER A lightweight clockwork or electronic device fitted to free-flight aircraft to operate in-flight systems and to control the dethermaliser.
TIP LOSS Reduction in lift near the tips of wings due to the leakage of the high-pressure air from beneath to the low-pressure area above.
TOP RUDDER Rudder used when an aircraft is flying on its side to keep the flight path horizontal.
TORQUE The reactive force generated by a revolving propeller that tends to rotate the aeroplane in a direction opposite to the direction of the propeller rotation.
TORQUE METER A device used when winding the rubber motor of a free-flight aircraft that measures the torque stored in the motor and thus enables the maximum energy to be stored in it.
TORQUE ROLL An aerobatic manoeuvre that uses the torque reaction to accelerate the rate of roll of an aircraft.
TOWHOOK A hook fixed to the underside of a glider fuselage for attachment of the towline.
TOWLINE The launching cord used for pulling aloft a glider or sail plane.
TRACKER A lightweight radio transmitter carried by some free-flight aircraft to aid their location by means of a highly directional receiver.
TRAILING EDGEThe rear edge of a wing or tail surface.
TRANSMITTER An electronic device for producing radio waves.
TRICYCLE (TRIKE) UNDERCARRIAGE
An undercarriage arrangement where the main wheels are set under the wing just behind the CoG point, with the third wheel positioned under the nose just behind the engine. The aircraft sits on the ground with the fuselage level.
TX An abbreviation for transmitter.
U
UHF Ultra High Frequency.
UNDERCAMBER The concave curve on the underside of some aerofoils.
UNDERCARRIAGE The wheel and strut assembly that supports an aeroplane at rest on the ground and during take-off and landing.
V
V-TAIL Tail consisting of 2 surfaces at an extreme dihedral angle. The elevator and rudder functions are mixed and the fin and rudder can be dispensed with.
VHF Very High Frequency.
VARIABLE INCIDENCE TAILPLANE (V.I.T.) An automatic device that alters the tailplane incidence of a free-flight aircraft in flight to re-trim it after its climb.
VENTURI A tube reduced in diameter at its centre. Air flowing through it is speeded up by the change in shape.
VORTICES Twisting air disturbances resulting from the movement of a wing through the air.
W
WASHIN Twist incorporated in wing tips to raise the leading edge, to give more INCIDENCE at the tip than at the ROOT.
WASHOUT Twist incorporated in wing tips to raise the trailing edge, to give less INCIDENCE at the tip than at the ROOT.
WINDING TUBE A removable tube surrounding the rubber motor of a free-flight aircraft during winding, which protects the fuselage from damage in case of a motor breakage.
WING LOADING Expression for the weight per unit wing area of a model.
WINCH A motorised towline spool for launching gliders.
WING The principal supporting surface of an aeroplane.
WING SECTION The chord-wise cross section of a wing.
X
XTAL Abbreviation for CRYSTAL.
Y
YAW A side-to-side; rotation of an aircraft around the vertical axis. This effect is produced by the RUDDER.
Z
ZOOM An abrupt and steep climb.
Source: http://entertainment.vsnl.com/aeromodelling/gloss.html
It is sort of good to have all the RC related terms in a list, so people searching can find them :)
But it would have been better if we took it slow, and discussed one item at a time ;) This avoids the blame for cut and paste also !
Yes Anwar, It was a good discussion {:)} over 1 or 2 terms at a time. But I realised it had stopped since November. :headscratch:
Moreover, being new, I was looking for a resource of this sort. I searched the threads for word "glossary" and I found only this thread. So as soon as I found a list, put it up here for all...
It was part of my grand plan to keep this an active place ;) So if we had nothing to discuss, we will pick a few terms and kick off the discussion again.
Guess we can still do that, as many of the explanations in the "glossary" posted are bare minimum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4_GsoN9hA8
Now what are VGs and slats ? What is STOL ?
Interesting to note that this plane has no flaps :headscratch:
Quote from: anwar on January 20, 2010, 11:09:28 AM
Now what are VGs and slats ? What is STOL ?
Interesting to note that this plane has no flaps :headscratch:
VG = Vortex Generators
Slats = Like flaps which work at the back of the wing to change the shape , Slats are at the leading edge of the wing.
This is indeed a lovely airplane. I have flown this several times, and popular with NCC .
This airplane is available in kit form as well, which has got me excited so many times. www.zenithair.com/stolch701/index1.html
Beautiful airplane indeed.
Quote from: gauravag on January 20, 2010, 12:02:39 PM
VG = Vortex Generators
And what do these do ? They also mention "Feathers" VGs ?
Want to ask this one here. What is Idle-up ? in relation to helis. I keep hearing about this term but do not yet know what it means.
Quote from: gauravag on January 20, 2010, 12:06:05 PM
Want to ask this one here. What is Idle-up ? in relation to helis. I keep hearing about this term but do not yet know what it means.
Idle-Up (also known as "Stunt Mode", especially on Spektrum/JR radios), typically refers to the mode of flying where inverted flight is possible on helis (although the same term can be used in VPP flight on airplanes).
It is controlled by a switch on the transmitter (which is either pre-fixed or programmed depending on model of radio). When we flip the switch from "normal" to "idle-up" (or "stunt-mode"), the following happens (typically, there are some choices here too) :
1. The main blades are made to rotate at a higher rpm (as if the heli is flying at the top of the throttle range).
2. Negative pitch is enabled.
Typically, there are separate pitch and throttle curves for normal and idle-up flight. The throttle curve for idle-up looks either like a "V" (with the lowest part somewhere near the 85% position of throttle on electrics and 60% for nitro models), OR it is a flat line at a very high throttle position. So once you enable idle-up, the heli will always be in high throttle position even when the throttle stick is brought all the way down, all you get is negative pitch that will pull the heli down fast towards the ground (if it is in upright position).
Idle-up is a dangerous thing when activated by mistake (as the blades go to very high RPM instantaneously), so most radios will beep and warn if the switch is activated when the radio is turned on.
QuoteWhat is STOL ?
Abbreviation for "Short Take Off & Landing".
QuoteSlats = Like flaps which work at the back of the wing to change the shape , Slats are at the leading edge of the wing.
Slats ARE at the leading edge of the wing but - when activated - move to create an air gap, or slot. I t is almost as if the leading edge has been split and moved forward leaving an air space. They do not really change the shape/airfoil of the wing.
QuoteInteresting to note that this plane has no flaps
I think what they have meant is that the take off and landing have been without the use of flaps.
Quote from: sushil_anand on January 20, 2010, 04:56:06 PM
I think what they have meant is that the take off and landing have been without the use of flaps.
I see the slit/separation, but do not see them moving at all. Wonder if they are fixed !
If you follow Gaurav's link, yes. That aircraft also has full flaperons.
Got it... thanks ! It would be a shame not to put them to full use (flaperons) ;)
Wonder if there are full scale conventional planes (non-RC) without flaps :headscratch:
Just read a little on Vortex Generators. Wonder if anyone tried these on RC models !
VGs (Vortex Generators) used on wing root which makes root stall before tip, so that the aeroplane does not wing drop during stall. (Example:- Jet Provost) They are also used spanwise at about 20% chord, this makes the flow go turbulent and a turbulent air flow sticks to the wing more than a laminar (Non turbulent) flow. SO ? so the aeroplane stalls at lower speed and higher nose up, does aerobatics well. PRICE TO PAY? more Drag and fuel consumption. (Example:- B Ae Hawk). VGs on the root of the Pitot Tube energizes Fin and this keeps the aeroplane 'directionally Locked In' and does not roll left and right at low speed (Like what the RC Extra 300L does at low speed). Example MiG 29.
Not Cut Copy Paste, pure Wisdom.... Lol
VGs- Example of VG to allow root to stall first, to prevent wing drop at low speed, could be tried in a RC model
Quote from: sushil_anand on January 20, 2010, 04:44:05 PM
Slats ARE at the leading edge of the wing but - when activated - move to create an air gap, or slot. I t is almost as if the leading edge has been split and moved forward leaving an air space. They do not really change the shape/airfoil of the wing.
When activated Slats form a gap between themselves and the main wing.
Under a high AoA [Angle of Attack], the airflow is forced between the Slat & Wing and hence the wing can maintain a higher AoA before a stall condition is achieved.
So you can fly slower.
Quote from: augustinev on November 30, 2010, 01:32:51 PM
VGs- Example of VG to allow root to stall first, to prevent wing drop at low speed, could be tried in a RC model
VG are pretty common for chuck catapult gliders, if any one remembers building the Yellow Bird (kitted by Aurora in India) it has a thread leading edge which is a Vortex Generators. I had a fair size chuck glider built ( Proteus designed by John Buskell) from plans where the wing had a 90 degree drop of about 1/16 from HPCL. This was a prime example of VG's
thanx :bow: post this post :giggle:, isaw a rc aircraft wing with a sharp leading meant to stall the root first ,
Emphanage the entire tail section, Fin, Rudder, stab, elev, V tail etc
see below for alternative spelling, more like English and American.
PS
thanks VC
Also 'Empennage' means the same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empennage
there is a confusion regarding the Word 'Sortie', in fact this word came into proliferation in a Cavalry Attack,One Cavalry Charge was called a Sortie, (read 'The Far Pavilions'). this word means
1. An armed attack, especially one made from a place surrounded by enemy forces.
2. A flight of a combat aircraft on a mission.
The term has been adopted from the French word "sortir", meaning "to leave" or "to go out" with a specific purpose.
In the English-speaking world "Exit" is used to denote the way out of a public place; in the French-speaking world it is "Sortie". (see image)
Disclaimer A lot of people even today call it, 'sotri', this post is to clarify the same
Going thru various sites I get to see terms like v-tail, tailerons, elevon, stabilators etc. Are these different controls or is it different name for same type of control wherein two halves of elevator is mixed to function as either an elevator or aileron?
Folks are these the same thing or are they different? Going through sites I do come across these terms. Another term used is stabilator. some one please explain
Stabilator = complete horizontal stabilizer works as elevator (all flying tail).
Tailerons = elevator (generally a stabilator) split in half and each half can mover differentially to perform roll like ailerons do.
Elevon = Type of control generally used in flying wings and v-tail. In this configuration the same controll surfaces are used as elevator and aileron.
SLS,
??? still confused..
Elevon - is similar to elevator + ailerons - right? Seems to be the same as tailerons as per the explanation. So what is the difference?
Stabilator - rudder working as elevator ??? How is that possible ?
Any diagram or picture to help understand? Till then :banghead:
Quote from: PankajC on June 02, 2011, 02:58:12 PM
Elevon - is similar to elevator + ailerons - right? Seems to be the same as tailerons as per the explanation. So what is the difference?
The only difference is, elevon is on the wing and taileron is on the tail.
Quote from: PankajC on June 02, 2011, 02:58:12 PM
Stabilator - rudder working as elevator ??? How is that possible ?
No, I said complete horizontal stabilizer working as elevator instead of just a part of it.
Also do read these wikis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabilator (this article also includes taileron )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevon
Feel free to ask if you still have any doubts :thumbsup:
Thanks SLS..
BTW, not sure how the reputation thing works. I thought of giving you a + for explanation, but somehow even after I added a rep, the count remains the same
Got the rep, thanks :)
Rep system is a little complicated then that, read this
http://www.rcindia.org/rc-india-forum/suggestions/msg60125/#msg60125
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomical_terms_of_location - Imagining an airplane to look like a fish
Dorsal - The upper portion of the wing (towards the back) - upper side on the dorsoventral axis
Ventral - The lower portion of the wing (towards the belly) - lower side on the dorsoventral axis (thanks VC)
Fore - front
Aft - rear
Port - standing at the rear and looking towards the front, the left side is the port
Starboard - standing at the rear and looking towards the front, the right side
If you get mixed up between Port and Starboard, here is an easy way to remember - Port and Left both have 4 letters.
In fact there is an interesting story about the origin of the word POSH (high class). In the good old days when sea travellers journeyed to the United States from the Continent, the rich would book Port side cabins on the outward journey to safeguard themselves from the icy winds that blew over the Antarctic and came in from the North. On the return leg while journeying back home, they would book Starboard side cabins. All this cost money and could only be afforded by the rich and thus the term POSH originated - Port Outbound Starboard Homebound!
A convoluted way to remember which side is port:
Port means port wine. Port wine is red. Red is the communist party. That's left
@VC - POSH was good trivia
I also now understand that there is a reason behind having a red light on the port side and a green on the starboard side...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard
so is the same scheme applicable to airplanes? I see a number of people doing it the other way round on airplanes. Putting green lights on the left wing and red on the right wing for night flying. I am hoping someone from the community can help reason that.
GS
It should always be Red on the Port / Left side and Green on the Starboard / Right side. Same as Maritime vessels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigation_light
And passing is ALWAYS port to port.
@sushil_anand - Sorry sire, but I could not understand passing is always port to port. What is "passing" here? and is this only applicable when a vessel is approaching port? Request for help in understanding
Hello everyone
I found it tough for me to find all the meanings off these esc's, lipos, brushless, brushed, tx, rx etc.
But now after reading many beginners guides I know some of the meanings of some rc related stuff.
but I found it difficult in the beginning to do this so for those who are starting in this hobby (like me ;) ) I am taking the iniciative of starting one RC dictionary of RCIndia.
Here it goes
ESC - Electronic speed controller. It is a device which is used to control the speed of the motor.
LiPo - Lythium Polymer batteries. It's one of the most popular batteries used in the RC world.
Brushless motor - Brushless DC Motor does not operate using brushes. Only the outer cans of this motors spins. These are way more efficient and powerfull than brushed motors.
Brushed Motor - Brushed motors are less powerfull and efficient than brushless motors but they are very cheap.
Tx,Rx - Transmitter, Receiver. It is an device which transmitts signals and the receiver receives them they are binded using an bind plug. They react upon our stick movements.
Servos - These are devices which control your control surface like rudder, aileron, elevator, etc.
Experts please correct me if I am wrong and can add more things if they want or know
@rcrcnitesh - very good initiative and topic. I hope this will help lots of new members.
Anwar started the wiki also, but it get lost with time :(
http://www.rcindia.org/wiki - i hope this dictionary should be added there also.
here we go again,
http://www.rcindia.org/rc-general-topics/rc-jargon-the-mega-list/
A good topic so begineers can know about every part and every meanings. :)
Indeed. Good initiative Nitesh. However, please make an effort yourself to get the definitions perfect, rather than depending on others to edit them, or the whole purpose will be defeated
Control Surfaces:
Throttle- In electric planes a electronic speed controller is used to to control the speed of the motor hence the plane.
In fuel planes a servo motor is used to control the speed of the engine. It is connected via a push rod to the throttle hing.
Ailerons- It is a pair of movable surface(left and right opp. to each other) located at the outer edge of the wing. When used it cause
the plane to roll to its left or right.
Right role is caused when left aileron is down and right aileron is up.
Left role is caused when left aileron is up and right aileron is down.
Elevators- These moving surface is hinged to the outer edge of the horizontal stabilizer. It controls the pitch of the plane.
When we give up elevator, the plane nose rises/climbs.
When we give down elevator, the plane nose drops/dives.
Rudder- Rudder is hinged to the outer edge of vertical stabilizer. It controls the Yaw of the plane.
Left rudder cause left yaw.
right rudder cause right yaw.
Flaps- These are located at the outer edge of the wing on each side b/w ailerons and fuselage.
Flaps are lowered when landing.
Thanks for this aniket can i copy paste it in the top
Quote from: rcpilotacro on September 27, 2013, 06:02:52 PM
http://www.rcindia.org/rc-general-topics/rc-jargon-the-mega-list/
Absolutely.
Nitish - If you spend 5% of the time you are spending trying to come up with new topics instead on reading/searching existing threads here, that would save the forum of a lot of duplicate content.
Merging :banghead:
F.P.V. First person view
Flying using the help of the view recieved from the camera at the craft
Could anyone name the thing on the wings of the aircrafts which makes a slit or patch of mid wing open . And when the left is opened i.e. the wing have the plate shifted makes a ractangulas area open in the wing which disturbs the airflow and makes the plane do a left roll combined with a sharp altitude decrease with the nose pointing towards horizon.
It would be great if some one name that thing.
Here you go
Google before asking
The most common mistakes in the English learning
1. It's or Its-----As, simple it sounds, it requires clear knowledge while using it.
"It's" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has". Like, while defining the beauty of anything, we say, "it is a beautiful chair." So, it can be written as "it's a beautiful chair." So, whenever you are not sure where to use its or it's, just try to read the sentence if it sounds correct using "it is" or "it has". If neither of those phrases fits in a sentence, then you should use "its".
Quote from: ritabos on October 01, 2018, 03:07:42 PM
The most common mistakes in the English learning
1. It's or Its-----As, simple it sounds, it requires clear knowledge while using it.
"It's" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has". Like, while defining the beauty of anything, we say, "it is a beautiful chair." So, it can be written as "it's a beautiful chair." So, whenever you are not sure where to use its or it's, just try to read the sentence if it sounds correct using "it is" or "it has". If neither of those phrases fits in a sentence, then you should use "its".
What is the relevance of this post? What has it got to do with RC Jargon? Or is it just you wanted to use any opportunity to show off your scintillating language skills?
Quote from: ritabos on October 01, 2018, 03:07:42 PM
The most common mistakes in the English learning
1. It's or Its-----As, simple it sounds, it requires clear knowledge while using it.
"It's" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has". Like, while defining the beauty of anything, we say, "it is a beautiful chair." So, it can be written as "it's a beautiful chair." So, whenever you are not sure where to use its or it's, just try to read the sentence if it sounds correct using "it is" or "it has". If neither of those phrases fits in a sentence, then you should use "its".
Your post shows your lack of knowledge of English.
So why are you trying to teach others?
My suggestion to you is "Get lost". And don't come back.
Regards
Answer to the point made by: " Voice of Deaf"
I think you're pointing out to the "Spoilers" on the aircraft wing.
Heres a definition from web: "In aeronautics, a spoiler (sometimes called a lift spoiler or lift dumper) is a device intended to intentionally reduce the lift component of an airfoil in a controlled way. Most often, spoilers are plates on the top surface of a wing that can be extended upward into the airflow to spoil it"