Plank Evolution: Pursuing FPV's Easiest Build Plane

This might be too far down the rabbit hole - but this video takes you along on my quest to continually evolve my plank to it's simplest, most useful airframe.
I'd love to say we got there - but it's a journey, not a destination.
Grab a coffee (or a beer) and watch me work. It'll make you feel like a manager.
I'm always open to ideas - if you've got a suggestion for an improvement - drop it in the comments, as I can't hear you when you're yelling at the screen.
Enjoy.

Пікірлер: 32

  • @AdamWeatherall
    @AdamWeatherall16 күн бұрын

    My friend you need more subscribers, this is good content with top tier information contained within. Good work, keep it up, please. Thanks 👍

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    16 күн бұрын

    Thank you. I hope you like my other designs as well - I’ve got plenty more to share. Just give me the time to make some more videos. I appreciate your comment.

  • @user-tu7jo1hc3y
    @user-tu7jo1hc3y12 күн бұрын

    Thank you. You made resolved an issue i had on my own plank build.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    12 күн бұрын

    Planks ere a mysterious creature with a very finite balance. I hope your plane flies well. If not, I'll have a beer and chat with you about it. Thanks for your note.

  • @mikeb5556
    @mikeb555620 күн бұрын

    Interesting; simplicity evolving. Details and rabbit holes welcome!

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    20 күн бұрын

    Thank you. I'll have something else out in the days ahead that I hope holds your interest. I'm glad you enjoy.

  • @MrZeek101
    @MrZeek10122 күн бұрын

    Another great build video Brett . Going to be honest for the video as long as it was you kept my attention the whole time . As to the glasses thing I have the same problem myself and it is age I can find myself looking for the pair that's on top of my head . Again always a pleasure I think you have a pretty fine tuned plank already looking forward to the next video take care

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    22 күн бұрын

    Thank you. I'm glad I'm not the only one losing and somehow simultaneously hoarding my glasses. I'm on the road for the next few days, but I'll have more. I've got a host of different builds to share, and the process of improvement is never-ending, so I'll hopefully be able to keep you entertained. And one day, when it cools down, I'll bring y'all flying. Thanks again for the note.

  • @rcforall4842
    @rcforall484223 күн бұрын

    I like your build technique great 🎉

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    23 күн бұрын

    Thank you

  • @AndrewHollywood
    @AndrewHollywood21 күн бұрын

    This is very cool. Im subbed.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    21 күн бұрын

    Thank you! I hope to have other stuff to share when I get back from this trip. Sadly - the job takes me out of the shop from time to time.

  • @MatyasArby
    @MatyasArby14 күн бұрын

    Nice! Never did RC, but on reserve last week and thought to give foam boards a try after watching some Experimental Airlines vids. You have a lot invested, most will not invest so much. Good techniques and explanations from an aviation pro perspective.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    13 күн бұрын

    Thank you - I’m happy to share, and have a bunch of other designs - I just need to find the time to get in the garage, build and record videos. If you stick around - I’m hoping to have more for you to watch and enjoy.

  • @Kiromos
    @Kiromos4 күн бұрын

    Been watching your videos for the last week or so while on vacation to fill empty time and I have been enjoying your content. Just subscribed. Cheers. I played with foam board a few years back and am now building mostly with XPS foam. Now it might be harder to find in your climate but you can buy here in chilly Colorado 4'x8'x2"thick XPS. Hotwiring foam has been a great joy. I can make consistent 1mm or 2mm thick foam sheets for building even lighter. You can make stencils and cut out foam blocks for fuselage shapes then cut them full of holes and skin with the very light 1mm foam and it works great. I recently started using a CNC machine and am hoping to build bigger and more accurate.. cutting by hand is a huge time suck. But back to you. I love the simple designs and the goal to stay under 250. Stay cool.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    2 сағат бұрын

    Thank you! I’ve wanted to build a hot wire cutter, and a CNC - but I’m really limited on shop space, and my one car garage is very optimized for my current workflow. If I ever got a larger shop - I would LOVE a CNC hot wire cutter (as well as a lathe, mill, proper drill press, Tormach….). Either way - you work with the tools you have. I really appreciate your comment, and I’m jealous of your tools…. I’d love to see your designs as well.

  • @Kiromos

    @Kiromos

    Сағат бұрын

    My hotwire just hangs on a wall, they really don't take much room, I use folding tables in my 1 car garage to work off of and have to pack up to park the car. Space is always at a premium! Oh man, a drill press and a lathe would be awesome. But try explaining to the wife that you need 2k more of tools to make proper landing gear for your hobby lol "well yea, I just bend wire now by hand... And yea the planes land fine... But this would be so much better! Imagine tiny shocks!!" Lol

  • @hubba002123
    @hubba00212321 күн бұрын

    I like this design! I still can't figure out how your camera latches down the nose plate. You showed it in another video but it was off camera and you couldn't see how it worked.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    21 күн бұрын

    The camera arm passes under the piece of foam board at the front of the fuselage that bridges the left and right walls together. The camera itself then slides back into an indent in the bridge piece preventing the nose from sliding side to side. When the camera and its associated hatch are in place, and the camera is slid aft into the detent in the fuselage bridge, the arm prevents the lid from moving vertically. The camera arm’s ability to slide forward and aft allow it to be moved for installation and removal of the camera hatch. The sliding vent at the aft end of the camera top plate slides aft and engages a tab under the leading edge of the wing. When I get home in a few days I’ll try to get a better video of this engagement system to clarify things. It sounds complex as I write it out - but when you hold it in your hand it’s obvious. I’ll work to capture this system better. Thanks for your note.

  • @hubba002123

    @hubba002123

    19 күн бұрын

    @@usefulaircraft Very clever! I like your 3D printed parts to keep stuff neat. I also really like the idea of the re-useable O3 camera. I fly quads mostly. Gonna have to think of a way to do this with my quads too. Do you buy extra FC to O3 cables and leave the cables in your planes?

  • @hubba002123

    @hubba002123

    19 күн бұрын

    Oh, do you sell your planes cut out? I actually have access to several laser etchers and it never occurred to me to design planes and cut them out on the laser. Does the foam board cut well? Seems like it would burn and melt. I'd probably be as interested, if not more, in getting our design. SVG files?

  • @ltdorn
    @ltdorn22 күн бұрын

    hello, just wondering if we could get more information on your Laser cutter setup and why you picked the one you have.

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    22 күн бұрын

    It's a G. Weike LC1290 with a Rudia controller driven by Lightburn. I spent quite a bit of time in makerspaces trying different types, but found the Chinese CO2 lasers net my needs. I've got a 100 watt tube, and a spare 130 watt tube. A CW-5200 chiller, giant air extraction fan and a small compressor for the nozzle. Get a spare power supply, as they go out occasionally. They're an incredible tool. Just do it.

  • @richiebricker
    @richiebricker13 күн бұрын

    Love the design, Its almost a wing but just long enough to need horiz stabs i guess. How are ya at making a rounder, sportster type of open cockpit style. Ive scratch built a couple that look amazing but maybe dont fly so well

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    13 күн бұрын

    I’ve got some other designs that you may like - but I just need to find the time in the garage between work trips to build them and make videos. The horizontal stabs are an aerodynamic bandaid to help reduce an occasional pitch oscillation at high angles of attack (particularly in turbulence). Look at the tail end of a Beech 1900D, and you’ll see all kinds of aerodynamic attachments covering for any number of sins. Sometimes it’s just easier to add a fin than to correct instability. Thanks for your comment!

  • @jonnscott4858
    @jonnscott485821 күн бұрын

    sub'd, hope it helps 👍

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    21 күн бұрын

    I appreciate the support.

  • @rbc725
    @rbc72522 күн бұрын

    What type/brand of glue stick and glue gun do you use? Thanks

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    21 күн бұрын

    The glue gun is a Surebonder I picked up on Amazon way back in 2015. They changed their colors - but they’re still available, and I like the hand feel and extruded width of the glue line. That said - I’ve used plenty of different brands, and it’s whatever you get used to and feels good. The hot glue is AdTech - the 10” full sticks, also off amazon. They’re about $25 a box - but that’s a lot of hot glue. I really like the consistency of their glue. Thanks for the comment.

  • @rbc725

    @rbc725

    12 күн бұрын

    @@usefulaircraft Thank you for the info - appreciate it ...enjoy your channel and look forward to your PDF plans whenever they are available !!

  • @stephengould9385
    @stephengould93859 күн бұрын

    how come the paper on foam board did not come off?

  • @usefulaircraft

    @usefulaircraft

    9 күн бұрын

    I don’t often peel the paper off. Unless you really get it wet or work to peel it off - it’s pretty well stuck on there. Peeling it off would just be another step, and I’m a lazy man. Thanks for your comment!