::slopeflyer.com:: Weasel Pro

From slopeflyer.com

Weasel
Weasel Pro
By Greg Smith
Oct 10, 2006, 21:56

If you read these pages at all you'll know that the Richter Design Weasel is among my favorite RC slope planes. Every RC pilot ought to own at least one. I now have two with the recent completion of my Weasel Pro.

I picked up my Weasel Pro on the way through Santa Barbara last year when I stopped by at Michael's then shop in the garage of his family's home. Recently Michael built a standalone shop to improve production and to keep us all in Weasels!

Michael updated the original Weasel design a while back bringing us the Weasel Pro. He uses new materials and construction methods to make this little sloper even better. Some re-working of the original Weasel design seems to have improved both the axial roll and the inverted flight characteristics when compared to my original Weasel.

My new Weasel Pro

Like my first Weasel, the Weasel Pro is great in a wide range of conditions. I've flown my original Weasel in winds from 5 or so up to about 30, combatted it, raced it and DSed it. It is good at aerobatics with the range of maneuvers limited mostly by the pilots skill. For beginners it is very stable with the rates turned down and the CG moved a bit forward. The CG range is pretty sensitive, about a 1/8 or less. Mine is currently trimmed to fly inverted with no forward stick necessary and the control throws are low for less drag but it still has a decent roll rate and is very tractable.

I used a Mikro Design SPF-5 receiver, a 600mah NiMh pack and HS-81mgs in my Weasel Pro and the ready to fly weight is about 12-1/2 ounces.

New Weasel Pro and my Original Weasel

By the way the old Weasel is still going strong and extends my flying enjoyment since I added a 5-LED light set so I can fly it at night. What a hoot! I got the light kit from the Canuck at http://www.canuckengineering.com

The info below if from Michael's website at http://www.dream-flight.com

Specifications:

Wingspan: 35.4 in (900mm)
Wing area: 362 sq.in (23.3dm)
Weight range: 11-13 oz (312-370gm)
Skill level: Novice to expert
Kit building time: 5 - 10 hours
Radio requirements: elevon mixing with dual rates and/or ATV (Adjustable Throw Volume), micro radio components (see below for details).

Kit Includes:

Computer-cut EPP foam parts:
Wings are cut in a single pass - no leading edge shaping required. All parts have been cleaned of cutting residue, and feature factory-cut cavities for servos, battery, and receiver.
Lightweight, easy to install carbon-fiber spar system
Balsa elevons (pre-bevelled for hinging)
Coroplast(TM) fin with carbon fiber reinforcement
Lightweight fiberglass pushrod system
Complete hardware package
Construction manual

Kit Price: $55.00 (plus S&H)

What you will need to complete and fly a Weasel-pro (items not included in kit):

*Transmitter with elevon mixing, Dual Rates, and/or ATV (Adjustable Throw Volume) on channels 1 and 2 (Hitec Neon single stick with ATV upgrade, Optic 6, Flash 5x, or transmitter with similar features).
*Two micro servos. Use of metal gear servos is highly recommended, as servo life is greatly increased.
*One micro receiver (Hitec Electron 6, Berg 4 microstamp Rx, or the MIKRO DESIGNS SPF-5 RXO, or similar size receiver.
*One 270 mAh flat NiCd or a 700mAh NiMH pack (or battery of similar weight and size - max allowable battery size: 2.3 x 1.3 x 0.6 inches).
3M-77 spray adhesive, 5-minute epoxy, Thin CA (cyanoacrylate) glue, medium grit sandpaper, sharp hobby knife, 3/4" wide strapping tape, colored packing tape or low-temp iron-on film for covering*, various hand tools. (*Recommended low-temp films: Solartex, Econokote, BlackBaron Film, Oracover)

*Special note on radio equipment - PLEASE READ

In order for the Weasel-pro to maintain the flight characteristics described above, micro size radio equipment is required to keep the weight down. The Weasel-pro is a very pitch sensitive aircraft and therefore requires dual rates or ATV (Adjustable Throw Volume) on at least the elevator channel (channel #2 in most cases). You will need to have the capability to reduce the throw percentages down to 20%. Most computer radios have this function. Unfortunately, the inexpensive 2 and 3 channel radios with just v-tail mixing do not have these sensitivity adjustments, making it difficult to fly this glider with them. So please invest in a radio with dual rates and/or ATVs.