Pelta (oz6055)

About this Plan

Pelta. Single channel delta pusher sport model.

Quote: "Imagine a tiny single channel model that will perform like the big ones. Try this little .049 delta and see for yourself. Pelta, by Dave Greenfield.

I haven't been so excited about a single channel model since I first started flying radio 16 years ago. Perhaps when I think back to the beginning of my single channel days I was pretty excited if the air was nice and calm and the model flew around for 5 minutes or so and landed within walking distance. A peep at the tube showed that. it was still glowing, which meant we could risk another flight.

But never in our wildest dreams did we imagine a tiny, single channel model that could perform like the big boys. Having said that I don't know where to start, so I'll tell you a story.

A friend of mine, John, a keen slope soaring enthusiast, who had cut his teeth on the latest, sophisticated gear and who had never experienced the thrill of single channel flying, asked for a demonstration. So, one day on the way back from a slope soaring session (yes, I do that too!) we dropped off at the tiny field near my place to run Pelta through its paces.

Conditions were not exactly 'millpond' as we had just had out on the slopes. But with the high thrust line and low center of drag, Pelta keeps its nose down. in quite strong winds, even with a tired old .049 diesel it is quite flyable in 20 knot winds ii you feel like taking her out in that kind of weather.

Anyway, after a nice steady launch and a hedge-high circle of the field we went for altitude. A couple of seconds of aileron held full on produces a spiral dive which is the closest thing to a vertical spin that you could imagine. I showed John how this was done to produce a big open loop when the control was neutralized. He didn't seem too impressed, pointing out that any mug can loop the loop. However, I was quite pleased because I have never before had a model that will fly satisfactorily in high winds and loop on the same trim. At the bottom of the loop John was praying for a bit of down elevator (which we haven't got!) to level things out. But as soon as the nose poked itself up a bit, and John was expecting a wallowing stall, I gave it fun aileron to produce a roll as quick as you can blink, which killed the excess speed for Pelta to settle down into a well-behaved straight and level flight path.

To cut a long story short we really put Pelta through her paces, You name it and Pelta will do, it. She is quite happy with anything from stall turns to axial rolls, although what I swore were vertical rolls, John swore weren't anything.

But all the rolls were a delight, whether axial or barrel or just plain out of the top of the loop. Perhaps this is because the deep fuselage provides a large lateral area which seems to eliminate, or at least minimize, yaw. And with a large proportion of the lateral area in front of the CG there is little tendency (common in single channel deltas) to slip in or out of steeply banked turns..."

Hi Steve - Here is Dave Greenfield's Pelta from RCM magazine issue 03-80.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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