This was born out of necessity.  The shop I use for hobby stuff was starting to become impossible, with planes all over the ground and hanging from the ceiling.  I used 3/4 PVC pipe, T’s, caps, and some pipe straps.  It took about 30 minutes, mostly because I used a hacksaw. 

Shopping list:

20 feet 3/4″ PVC’
12 T’s
12 caps
12 3/4 straps
screws for mounting to wall
(optional) pipe insulation for padding
pipe cement

All you will need is a screwdriver and a hacksaw.  Cut the pipe into 10″ lengths, and assemble per photo.  I cut the pipes that the airplanes sit on to variable lengths to match the airplane.  I didn’t even bother to glue the PVC, although I may later.  I am also thinking of putting pipe insulation on the rack for addl padding, but it works fine as is.

I’m hoping this will reduce some of the ‘hangar rash’ that tends to occur in my workshop

Image from Hobbyzone.com

I headed out on my annual Fiat gathering in Oregon last week.  I had been looking forward to the trip all Summer, and I started thinking about how much fun it would be to have  a micro flyer out there.  I already own a Kyosho Cherokee, but I don’t really enjoy flying it because it is so twitchy.

I really enjoyed flying Zeke’s Vapor, so that was what I had decided on when I headed to my LHS. 
While there, Dennis showed me the new Ember 2. 

It reminds me of a sleeker GWS Slow Stik in appearance.  It looks good, and it’s nicely finished.  The CF rod that makes up the fuselage is of high quality.

In flight, it’s a dream.  It will ROG in still air from a 3 foot hunk of plywood quite easily.  It flies very well, is surprisingly agile and fun for 3 channel, and has great hands-off glide characteristics.  Slow flight is, well, very slow. 
I think it stands up to a little breeze better than the Vapor does, but I have yet to fly them head to head.
Finally, you can land it on a picnic table.  It’s nice and slow, and also so light that you can stuff it lightly a few times without doing any damage.

Over the weekend I got bold, and let a guy that had never touched an RC plane fly it.  The guy did surprisingly well save for stick dyslexia – the plane is actually suitable for beginners!

All in all I’d call the Ember 2 a resounding hit, and well worth the money spent. 

Happy Flying,

- Eli