Helio Courier (oz12055)

About this Plan

Helio Courier. Simple profile rubber scale model.

Quote: "Profile Helio Courier, by Joel Rieman. Fine flying semi-scale profile rubber-powered free-flight for fun and games. Exciting flyer patterned after the full-scale STOL-type machine.

Semiscale, yes - but who's out to win the Nationals, anyway? Unfortunately, profile models do not require days on end of cutting and gluing, hours of tedi-ous detailing or a hopeless search for reference material. (What's so unfortunate about that?) Quite the opposite of this, all that is needed is a third-rate three-view, a couple of sheets of wood and a ball-point pen, not to mention a few hours away from the 'boob tube' and, before you know it, you have a model that is scale-like in appearance and flight without having endured the temporary state of insanity associated with building a more complex model.

Some might say this is simply the case of a lazy modeler, but some of us, the jet set, just don't have the time (ha! ha!) to invest a hundred hours or so in a fine scale model that would probably come to grips with an unrelenting bituminous (the stuff from which runways are made) surface.

The Hello Courier, which evolved from a two-seat monoplane, the Koppen-Bollinger Helioplane, made its maiden flight in 1952. This was soon followed by the delivery of the first four-place Couriers, designated H-391, in 1954. Designed as a C/STOL (controlled/ short takeoff and landing) airplane, capable of leaping over tall buildings in a single bound, the Helio Courier began making a name for itself in the growing market of STOL aircraft as it hopped in and out of bean patches throughout the world. The amazing low speed and short field performance, coupled with its option of adapting wheel-skis or floats, make the Courier extremely versatile, enabling it to work out of jungles, swamps and snow-covered wilderness areas.

The military was also quick to catch on, with the Air Force ordering three of the H-359 Super Courier, the first model to be built in quantity, for evaluation and in 1962 an order was placed for a number of them. The US Army and the Air National Guard also obtained a number of Couriers, given the military designation U-10A.

The only real difference between the Helio Courier and the Super Courier is a Lycoming 295 HP engine, as compared to a 250 HP in the standard Courier. I think you will find that Pirelli is a more economical power plant. Both of these aircraft employ the same trailing edge slotted flaps and automatic leading edge slats which double the lift of the 39-foot cantilever wing for take-off and landing and make it possible for the Courier to fly at (would you believe!) a safe and maneuverable 30 MPH, while eliminating any risk of a stall or spin, The airplane is actually stall/spin-proof. When retracted, these high lift devices add no drag to the clean airplane in its high speed configuration.

Excellent lateral control is supplied at low speeds and in turbulence by spoiler-type interceptors located on top of the wing, which are operated automatically by the normal use of the ailerons.

Six people, baggage and 60 gallons of fuel (360 pounds), or 120 gallons (720 poungs) if the wings are outfitted with the optional long range tanks, can be packed into the Courier to make up the maximum useful load of approximately 1,320 pounds. Even with this load, the Courier can still cruise at 165 MPH and climb to its service ceiling of 20,500 feet. With all these fine flight characteristics and its long tail moment, the Helio Courier is a natural subject for a profile or built-up scale model.

In no particular order, cut the fuse-lage and nose doublers from 1/4 in medium hard sheet, the wing, stab, rudder and landing gear strut fairings from 1/32 C-grain sheet and the wing ribs from 1/16 sheet. If an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade is used, rather than a razor blade, you will find it much easier to cut around the curves. I find that using a fine sandpaper in the tight spots leaves a greater margin for error and gives a better end result. Make sure the grain is running the right way! Hang in there, you're almost done!

When cutting out the fuselage, make sure to cut on the outside of the wing root profile or you may find it difficult to mount the wings. Sometime before as-sembly, the slot for the rubber motor must also be cut out. Make way for the aluminum tube bearing by drilling a 1/16 diameter hole or by cutting out the indicated portion of the fuselage. When the bearing has been glued in place, glue on the nose doublers as shown on the plan. This is a very important part of the model; without these, the fuselage will surely end up in two pieces.

The motor hook shown on the plan is simply a pin inserted through the bottom of the fuselage. An optional method would be to bend a couple of zig-zags in a piece of 1/32 in diameter music wire..."

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