Air bag!!

[sdg111]

I noticed that my ESC had dislodged from its holder at the last crash.

Would an air bag, the type you get in boxes through the mail, inserted in with the ESC, servos etc protect them or would they melt or burst with any heat generated?

[flydiver]

Servos need to move. The bag might interfere.
Their damage is from the shock carried along the control rod from the control surface inertia which strip the gears. The only (decent) way out of that is metal gear servos.

To hold servos in I like (low temp) hot glue unless you live in a hot area (may soften/melt). Silicone works well if you can wait for it to cure. Cover the servo with masking tape first. CA is a bad idea, really bad IMO-may wick and get into everything, ugh.

The ESC (remember that BEC in it?) needs to bring down the 3S voltage (12v) to 5v for the RX and servos. It does this with resistors (read that Brown Out link I gave you) which produces heat. You don't want to impede airflow or insulate them. Worst case is they burn up. Best case is they go into thermal overload and shut down......but in both cases you crash without any control. Not all ESC have thermal overload protection. I don't think the Cub does.
Just hold it with Velcro.

Cooling electrics is critical. One of the biggest problems people have is trying to get more out of them then they are capable of, which generates heat, and they burn up. Electrics have the nasty characteristic of trying to do whatever you ask even if it's inappropriate. They'll fry trying.
Common issues are over propping, using an ESC that is too small, or a battery not up to the draw of the motor+prop combo. The entire system must be balanced properly to work well. This is one of the harder things for people to learn. You may as well hear it now...GET A WATTMETER AND LEARN TO USE IT! You'll be glad you did once you start messing with power plant mods.
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311574
It'll pay for itself in stuff NOT burned up.

Gas engines just bog down and stop, harming nothing.

[sdg111]

Thanks Fly. Stupid idea now I think about it. Lots of good info again though, thanks.

[flydiver]

Creative idea actually, you just don't know the limitations and problems yet.

Example - my buddy built up his first plane from a kit after I taught him how to fly on my slow stick. So he got to bypass the low end trainer stuff and go right to plane #2 with lipos and a decent TX and mid-grade electronics.

The SS flies.....slow. It lands.....slow. His plane was designed as a belly flopper but he added landing gear right away, a common mod that he got out of the groups. This plane flew quite a bit faster and first time he landed it he tore off the landing gear. So he reinforced them > and tore out more of the bottom > repeat several time with more frustration, more glue, more reinforcement, and more weight.
He did this until he realized that there was an inherent problem in trying to have no give at all in the LG for a new pilot still learning to land a much faster plane. He kinda knew how to fly but he didn't know how to land. The SS is pathetically easy to land, it just plops down. He changed the stiff, inflexible LG to a piano wire setup with some spring (like the Cub), and had immediate improvement. Yes, it bent, but it can be bent back. The bending clearly indicates the forces being absorbed. If not there....then somewhere. You get the picture.

So, even reinforcement, while it can be a good idea, needs to be considered for the consequences in the overall scheme of things. It seems counterproductive, especially in the beginning when you are auguring in to the ground but lighter planes crash softer, need less reinforcement, and generally fly better and slower-good traits for learning. They DON'T handle wind as well though.

New fliers tend to go towards re-bar, concrete and fiberglass in an attempt to make it bomb proof and end up with a bomb instead. Some folks have covered their entire Cub in packing tape. Maybe we need a show of hands... ;D

[sdg111]

Thanks Fly. You had me laughing there when you mentioned the packing tape. Mine's not quite covered but I will admit there's quite a bit on it. I suppose it gives us learners a safety net, a bit like walking with a crutch I suppose.

My Cub has no landing gear on just now, i removed it due to the stubble field I'm using. Have put some tape (yeah, more tape lol) on the bottom to protect it from the belly landings.....

[flydiver]

Packing tape is good, just be thoughtful where you put it. Middle/trailing edge of the wing? What for?
Middle/majority of the fuse-same. If it breaks in the middle of the fuse tape wasn't going to save that crash anyway.

Inside cowl, leading edge of the wing - you bet.
Bottom skid is a good use also.

[sdg111]

I've ordered a couple of new cowls, although my original one, although cracked, is holding up just fine now it's got a couple of layers of tape on it.

I found taping the inside quite tricky, although clearly preferable to multiple layers on the outside. Maybe a layer of tape on both sides will do the trick....

[flydiver]

Use small strips, works easier and better.

[luvofthagame]

Tape on leading edge of wing is almost a must do...great points fly...don't want to weigh down too much...mine turned out about an inch wide to make it from the blue decals to right underneath side...can really save from breaking off little pieces of foam...and I think it handles better in wind that way, but it could be wishful thinking,lol...