28" Pilatus PC-6 Porter Model Airplane - Anatomy of a Trim Session

A series of photos and movies showing the trimming process of this 28” rubber-powered free-flight model airplane, the Pilatus PC-6 Porter. Designed and built by Tom Hallman in 2020. Inspired by the plans of Bill Hannan, Walt Mooney and Micro-X. Calm conditions allowed for productive initial flights on a beautiful evening in Wawayanda, on June 14th, 2020. Filmed and photographed using an iPhone 6s, iPhone 11 Pro, and a Canon PowerShot SX20 IS. Music: “Gentle Documentary” by LEXMusic via motionarray.com.
Here's some of the documentation and plans that inspired the build. hallmanstudio.c...
*** 10 steps to trimming a rubber model, by John Koptonak: www.flyingacesc...
Making Balsa Tubes for 28" Rubber-Powered Pilatus Porter: • Making Balsa Tubes for...
Start to Finish, which documents the build: • 28” Pilatus PC-6 Porte...
Check out my Geneseo FAC Nats Journals from 2016 & 2018: www.maxfliart.com
For more info on free-flight rubber-powered models, check these websites:
www.easybuiltmo...
www.volareprodu...
www.flyingacesc...
Outerzone - outerzone.co.u...
National Free Flight Society - freeflight.org/
Mike Stuart's Flying Scale Models - www.ffscale.co.uk/
www.freeflight...
Flying Aces Club merchandise: www.cafepress....
Center of Gravity merchandise: www.cafepress....

[@geoffballe8766]

I’d never have dreamt that I’d find such pleasure watching rubber band powered planes,,, wow is all I can say,,, thank you

[@pakasit1812]

Tom, I sincerely admire your workmanship and your expertise in trimming your beautiful models. Not only that, your videos are finely shot, edited with serene background music. Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand.

[@RcAircraft]

As a child i could not get my models to look that good nor fly that well. still would struggle to achieve anything anywhere that. I admire your skill level and patience. 👍

[@allanegleston4931]

lovely little ship. loved how it scared the birds away when it came in for a plop landing.: whoop , whoop, pull up. pull up. flare flare . keep up the good work.

[@vancegilbert8466]

I am the love for this airplin. It put me big happy! We throw the joy to us, yes¿. You are the explains for us learns.¡Very good!

[@sailsoar]

😂

[@oldAdger]

Superb model, what a fabulous scale speed flight. You are an outstanding modeller, thank you for sharing 😊

[@davidfranklin5270]

Just like the real plane, very stable. Smooth flight on rails.

[@bobgreen3116]

Wow.. That sunrise flight was so Majestic. Thank you for explaining what you do to the model to make her fly better. I am a complete novice to this part of the hobby. Flew stick and tissue when I was a kid. At 69 years old I am building a Hellcat and hope she will do a 1 minute flight. Thanks again. Looking forward to the build and flight trimming.

[@terryboehler5752]

I'm 68, building a P-40 and a Corsair.

[@craigh3381]

Thank you for letting us fly with you! It brings back my memorable times on the tuff farm in the mornings flying,,,some of the most enjoyable times in my younger life....thank you..will be looking forward for the next time.

[@chrisbailey4254]

I was thinking the first couple of flights looked good but those last two clips were perlas,very good looking model in the air.. Regards Chris Bailey

[@SteveNeill]

Magic! Thanks Tom.

[@youtube.youtube.01]

Highest praises for your building, flying and video skills! I never knew that rubber could get tired, but your plane never got tired of flying and making easy landings. Well done sir!!

[@davegoodridge8352]

Thank you, really appreciate seeing how you set it up to fly. I’ll take all the information I can get. Great job!

[@paperalex5835]

Thank you so much for showing us the nose block, pure genius. Gorgeous plane, beautiful flights as usual. Thanks also for explaining your strategies for trimming too :)

[@tcsyme]

Spectaular Tom, well done.

[@robedmunds7163]

Beautiful flights. FF modelling is almost a lost art now.

[@randall4411]

Sooooo nice ! Thanks for sharing that flight with us .

[@andrewretallick4614]

Great to see your thought process. Lovely looking (and flying!) plane 👍 Andrew🙂

[@sanpol4399]

01:35 I am quite sure at this point your thoughts were: "Flare ! Flare! Flare! Pull up ! " 😀 That is why it was a perfect landing.

[@abelincoln95]

Did I see that small craft encounter "ground effect"?? That was so cool.

[@maxfliart]

Perhaps. Air is funny, unpredictable at times.

[@matthewobregon4803]

super cool!

[@adrianoclincho1852]

So cool nice flying man thanks✌️♥️😎

[@billsomrak]

As always, beautiful model & flights. Amazed that you can somehow hold the camera & launch the model at the same time. You're not really an alien with 3 hands, are you? :-)

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Bill. It's rather simple to film the launch, since the SLR is around my neck.I usually have the model in view within 1/2 second or so. I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time...has become a natural move. I like playing with the worm's eye view tripod shots via the iPhones.

[@TheMendipman]

Perfection! Thanks Tom. Noel

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Noel. Bucket list....if I could travel the world, visiting various fields, sites that look ideal for free-flight...the Pilatus, along with my Gollywock would be at the top of the carry-on list. The destination list is endless. But one that keeps coming to mind is the Isle of Man, then there's Dorset, Northumberland...and that's just on the other side of the pond, for starters. Getting calm, Wawa-like air would be a concern for sure... Eternity of places here in the US once I look westward. Anyway, fun to ponder.

[@philup4947]

Perpect just perfect thank you

[@MrFraluisa]

Great!

[@robertrussellmd]

Marvelous

[@kmatch1]

You use a wire after the end of winding it to allow the blast tube to be slid off. Why not attach that wire to the winder as an extension? Wind, slip the BT out and up over the wire, release the rubber and go straight to the prop. Less risk of a slip with only one transfer.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Be neat to have a small sport plane or a modded to motor glider homebuilt like this plane

[@antoniosandoval62]

Very nice Pilatus, congratulations and I ask, what is it for and how to install the piece of metal placed behind the nose of the propeller fixed with a screw.

[@maxfliart]

Thx. It's an adjustable thrust plate. You loosen the screw slightly then reposition the prop shaft as needed. I freeze it in place with a small drop of CA on the side of the aluminum plate.

[@richardbrowne1217]

It flew great. Better than my Platis Porter. It's still in the kit box.😂🤣😂🤣❤! Why does your airplane always end up in the ditch?

[@maxfliart]

Ditches at Wawa are magnets. Just like lone trees in a large field.

[@richardbrowne1217]

@@maxfliart Ok, 🤣😂😁👍

[@jimmyhaley727]

ditch? Ditch? DITCH?,,,, ah ,, just stay out of the water,,,

[@clovisaraujocruz5921]

Oi amigo...meus parabens com seu aeromodelo...por favor me diga que tipo de elástico você usa pois o meu quebra sempre.

[@qiangqiangpan2362]

What size rubber band plane is suitable for flying in the field？What is the minimum size required to fly gracefully？

[@maxfliart]

This one uses 2 loops of .160" x 40", which is just a bit thinner than the stock 3/16" rubber. She can take over 2200 turns...which will run for around 80-90 seconds. Then she'll glide for another 30-40 seconds in dead calm air.

[@qiangqiangpan2362]

@@maxfliart Thank you very much, I mean, what size aircraft is more suitable for flying in the field

[@maxfliart]

@@qiangqiangpan2362 Ah, ok. We fly everything here, from 13" wingspan to 54" models...mostly rubber powered. Some also fly towline gliders, which are much larger. The field is roughly 1.5 miles square.

[@qiangqiangpan2362]

@@maxfliart My question may not be clear. I want to build a rubber band-powered airplane to fly outdoors, but I want to make the airplane as small as possible. I know that the bigger the airplane, the more stable and elegant it will fly. It's hard to decide how much size is right. thank you very much

[@maxfliart]

@@qiangqiangpan2362 I think the best size to start for even small fields is around 18"-20". There are many designs that work for small fields, that fit within that range. Of course, no matter the size, the thermals can grab the models and take them away. The lighter the model, the more graceful it will fly. Have fun!

[@wwill2516]

I bet you are an aircraft mechanic, by the construction of your stooge