Pixie (oz8992)

About this Plan

Pixie. Micro-electric RC model, using DC 5-24 motor with 4.2:1 gearing. Wingspan 20in, weight 2-3/4oz.

Quote: "The Pixie was not originally intended as a magazine project. Rather, it was to be my introduction to the application and use of the latest in micro multi-control for small outdoor models. Since I do not have access to a suitable indoor site, I built a machine that could be flown in almost any outdoor area and could also handle at least a modest breeze. The wing is one that I already had on hand from an earlier small gas model; it had demonstrated excellent performance.

Although I was determined to build the Pixie at the lightest weight possible, I still wanted adequate protection from moisture (dew and such), so I chose to cover my Pixie with transparent MonoKote. The weight still came out at 75 grams. As you can see, I left off the landing gear in my quest for minimum weight; this also resulted in reduced drag during flight. Because of the very slow landing speed of this little lightweight, I have never had any problem landing in grass. If you expect to operate off pavement, then a light gear assembly would be wise.

One motor stood out in terms of excellent efficiency: the WES-Technik micro DC 5-2.4 was just the right size for my purposes. The only problem was the limited choice of gearing options. After going through various catalogs, I found a 4.2-1 gear set available from Cloud 9 R/C that matched this excellent motor. The pinion gear fits perfectly on the motor shaft, and I installed a brass tube to carry the output shaft (check the plans for details).

Proper propeller matching is always important for best results, but this is especially the case for a limited-power electric model. I am quite comfortable carving a propeller to match an application, but I realize that many of you would prefer something ready-made. The best propeller I arrived at is a 5x3.75. The blank for this propeller is shown on the plan (for those who are willing ...). A very acceptable alternative can be made by cutting a 6-inch-diameter Peck propeller down to 5 inches..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 14/4/2023: Added article, thanks to theshadow.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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