It's a sad day, and yet very exciting, too!

[Derek]

How can this be? How can you have a sad day and be excited at the same time? I'll try to explain.

The sad part
Although I do, very much, enjoy flying my helicopters, I have decided to sell them. I've not flown any helicopter in 2017.....at all. I've grown a huge interest in FPV (quads and fixed wing). I just don't fly the helicopters...and there is good reason. I'm terrified of the cost for replacement or rebuild if I were to crash. I have already sold my Trex 450 Pro DFC to fun another project. I still have my Trex 500e (flybarred) and my Trex 600 Pro DFC. I also have an Assault 700 DFC Pro airframe that I never got around to building. There was a point in time that I was doing very well at flying them. My time on the simulator was displayed in my flights. I have had well over 100 flights on each helicopter and I've never had a crash. I've had a few hard landings and broke the landing gear, but that's it. I've never had to replace anything else. I consider myself lucky! But, like I said, I just don't fly them anymore. It's unfortunate...I've had a lot of fun with them...but my interest and excitement are very much in favor of flying FPV quads and fixed wings.

On to the exciting part
I love to scratch build, that's no secret. I like my inexpensive planes, even though some of them are rather big....the cost isn't very much. The actual "cost" is in the electronics. I have a plane in my garage, right now, that has about $200 worth of electronics on a $10 airframe, lol. In the event of a crash (as long as the electronics don't get broken), the repairs or replacements are cheap. I like that concept very much! That being said, I've decided to build a new plane based on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU0ZGcYdCjk

I find this plane to be very stunning and exciting. The designer of the plane does offer PDF plans, for $15. I've spoken with him several times about his plane and I just think this will be a great deal of fun. I already have most of the electronics for the plane. I'll have to get some esc's, pan and tilt mechanisms, and a few other things but I'm very much stoked about this build. I haven't decided if I will be doing a full balsa build, like he did. I'll be pondering that over the next few weeks.

So, there you have it. Sad and exciting. Life takes us on many turns....this was an unexpected turn, but it happens.

[Graham Lawrie]

Sorry and pleased for you Derek:) however i completely understand. You will always contribute on here with your knowledge and experience?

I have felt similarly over the years however until i can fly like Alan Szabo i will not give up:) The expense behind it you are 100% correct, and with your flying record you cant complain:) wish i could say the same its cost me thousands and i still cant fly. Quads and FPV has grown so big in such a short time. I was most impressed by how with a DJI Phantom you can fly 11 miles!!

Can wait to see this build. I can recommend long range antenna manufacturer who is independent.

[Derek]

I can fly like Alan Szabo on the simulator! Ok....no I can't, lol. There is a huge sense of challenge that I greatly appreciated when flying helicopters. The reward of landing the helicopter and being able to take it home in one piece was always gratifying. I think I'm just getting more enjoyment from my planes and quads, both FPV and LOS.

Who knows....maybe I'll get that "heli-itch" later on down the road. But....I'll surely continue to contribute my experiences and knowledge (however much knowledge I do have, lol) here at the Hangout.

[Stambo]

I'm right there with you Derek, my helicopters have not spun a blade for probably 2 years.
I can build another quad with the money it costs to crash my 500 helicopter.
Although I have been mainly in to quads, the past year has seen me delve deeper into fixed wing FPV.
I am liking the longer flight times and, if you choose to, the more relaxed flights.
Can't beat a good multi for stable video though.

[Derek]

Yeah...thats exactly how i feel. Going this new route, crash repairs cost less, longer flight times, relaxed flying, batterries are cheaper, etc. Like i said....i may get another helicopter someday....who knows.

[Derek]

I couldn't think about anything else, today, except the Gemini v2 build. The more and more that I thought about it, the more I realized that I was definitely going to be building this plane. So, I went to the website, where the plans are available for download for $15. On the website, they state that the plans will be sent to me, via Dropbox, within 24 hours. Ha ha ha...the plans were actually sent to my Dropbox in about 3 minutes. I couldn't believe it!

So, now I just need to get these plans put on a flash drive, go to a local office supply store, and get these plans printed out in full scale. No, I am not in a position, right now, to begin the build but I thought it would be beneficial to get the plans printed so that I could look them over.

Here is a picture of the designer and his Gemini v2

Spike and Gemini v2.png (181 KiB) Viewed 2337 times

[Graham Lawrie]

The video was really good Derek it has plenty of advantages:) Looking forward to your build thread:)

[Derek]

This plane can be done in a few different ways. One way is a scratch build, meaning (I already have the plans) I can get whatever materials I want to do the build. The second way is a laser cut kit that is supplied by a really nice gentleman, named Wayne, in Canada. I've spoken to Wayne about pricing, availability, and shipping costs. YIKES! For the laser cut kit, it's gonna cost $440 plus $60 shipping from Canada....$500 total just for the airframe. Then comes along electronics....two motors, two esc's, 9-10 servos, as well as control horns, push rods, etc. Also, because I'd like to be able to venture out a bit further than I already have, I am wanting to get a Special Edition Taranis X9D with upgraded gimbals and I want to get an L9R receiver. There will be an onboard stabilization, GPS, and such...most like the same Omnibus/M8N GPS unit/Inav combination that I just installed on my fpv wing. So, as you can see....doing the full laser cut kit is going to get pricey. The cost is a bit unnerving....but, I've been speaking to the wife about this and she agrees with my following thought. My thought is that I already have a hanger full of different models. In 2018 (at least for a little while, lol) I won't be buying or building anymore new planes or quads. This Gemini v2 Project is going to be a "Project of Evolution", meaning that it's something that I can slowly add features to it as technology evolves (possibly different stabilization, different cameras, pan and tilt features, etc) as well as enough batteries to be sure that I can really have some fun with the project.

Something that I've been thinking about would be a scratch built process. I love to build. I was thinking, to help save some cash, would be to use some insulation foam sheeting that I can get from my local home improvement store for the fuselage and tail section. The sheeting would likely be 1/2" thick 4' wide 8' long. It's pretty robust stuff and can be reinforced with balsa and/or birch, just like the laser cut kit, and would be pretty strong. Neither the balsa build nor foam sheeting build would be indestructible. Both will shatter into pieces in the unfortunate event of a crash. I'd love to do the full laser cut kit because I've never done one before and I think the "end result" would really be quite gorgeous....however, I'd like to substitute some of the balsa for the insulation sheeting because it would help save on some of the cost and I think the plane would still really look quite good after it gets wrapped in monokote. Choices...choices.

I'm in the process of getting some other things sorted out. I'll likely be ready to begin this project next month....so, I've got some time to think about which route I wanna go.

[Graham Lawrie]

I saw in the video the mention of the laser kit, which crossed my mind if i was to get one but at that cost no way:) You have the ability to build your own much cheaper:)

[Derek]

Yeah, the laser cut kit is pricey, no doubt! Ive got some tasks in motion to help fund this project. We'll just have to wait and see what happens after the dust settles.

[Derek]

Ok.....after watching the Youtube videos of the Gemini, over and over, there is no doubt that i want this plane. Ive seen, in the videos, that its a big plane. Well, i just had the pdf plans printed out and......WOW! This thing is gonna be BIG! Im so stoked!.

This post may be one of the last few in this thread. Next will be its own build thread. Hopefully i can document the build well enough.

[DOG]

I cant wait for this build thread. That's going to be one bad a_ _ plane!

[Lee]

I felt the same Derek. I was always scared to fly my helis hard, incase I crashed and had to fork out the bill for new parts.
It has held back my improvement quite a bit.
So that why I made the decision to cull the fleet down to one affordable durable heli.
So the Goblin 420 fit the bill.
Hoping once things settle down for me here, I will start some scratch builds. I have unlimited supply of high density foam.
And the use of a CNC machine, so no excuses.
As long as your flying something, doesn't matter what it is.

[Derek]

As long as youre flying something, doesnt matter what it is......i am with you, Lee! Thanks! I hope you all are doing well!

[DOG]

I don't have the knowledge but mostly the patience to build like you guys so I just love to fly. As for quads vs heli, just my opinion, I love the power, challenge and the thrill of flying helis even when I crash. I just learn from my mistake and try not to do it again yeah right. The quad, in FPV view, just my opinion again, gives me the freedom to fly like a bird that doesn't have a worry in the world.