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  Issue Date: January 2004, Posted On: 1/1/2004
Hobbico NexSTAR Select
By: Rick Bell | |
The ultimate RC flight trainer!
The folks at Hobbico are convinced that the NexSTAR Select will transform the way new RC’ers learn to fly. “How?” you ask, “when there are many almost-ready-to-fly [ARF] trainers on the market today?” Well, a few of these have the radio system and engine installed to get you into the air quickly. But how many ARF trainers have an “Active Flight Stabilization” system that helps new pilots keep the model straight and level? And how about an engine that has been broken in at the factory and has a mount that absorbs vibration to protect the airframe and radio components and so ensure a long life?… and aerodynamic enhancements designed by NASA to prevent the wing from stalling and spinning at low speeds (for example, on landing approaches)? This trainer even has speed brakes that allow the model to fly more slowly!
Hobbico guarantees flight success with its NexSTAR Select, so we decided to put it to the test by using it to teach one of Air Age Media’s RC Car Action magazine’s associate editors to fly. Although Paul Onorato has a lot of RC car experience, he had never even touched an RC plane, so he was perfect for our purpose. Paul is typical of many RC’ers who want to try an RC airplane. To see whether the NexSTAR would really live up to its manufacturer’s claims, we had Paul assemble and set up the model without any help.
Groundbreaking Innovations
The NexSTAR has many advanced features that have never before been included in any model trainer. Here’s a quick rundown of them:
• CenterCore Main Wing Rib. The wing has a CenterCore Main Wing Rib that aligns and joins the wing halves and also holds the aileron servo. Most trainers use rubber bands to attach the wing to the fuselage, but not the NexSTAR; it has the unique PivotFlex mount. This mount attaches the wing securely with just one nylon bolt, and it cushions the wing against the impact of minor jolts (which beginners usually experience). In more serious mishaps, the bolt will break and allow the wing to pop off and escape major damage.
…Hobbico
guarantees you’ll
learn to fly
with the
NexSTAR Select. | • SpeedBrake Training Flaps/ Spin-Control Airfoil Extensions. The wing also has two aerodynamic features never before offered on a trainer. As its name implies, the SpeedBrakes slow the plane down for easier control, especially during landings. The SpinControl Airfoil Extensions are droops developed by NASA, and they’re attached to the wing’s outboard leading edge. They allow the NexSTAR to fly at extremely slow speeds and at high angles of attack, both of which usually result in an unexpected spin. When you’ve learned to fly, the Speed-Brakes and SpinControl Extensions can be removed to allow faster flight speeds and aerobatics.
• SnapGear Landing Gear Mount. This is also special because it “snaps” into a nylon mount—a process that takes about three seconds. The landing gear is made of extra-thick Duraluminum to absorb the shock of those less-than-perfect landings.
• Easy Align Tail Mounting. On a lot of models, installing the tail requires a certain amount of finesse. Thanks to the NexSTAR’s innovative tail-mounting arrangement, you don’t need any tools to install it. Just screw in two nylon bolts from the bottom of the fuselage, and the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer are securely held in place and aligned.
• IsoSmooth Engine Mount. All model planes suffer from damaging vibration. Hobbico addresses this with its unique IsoSmooth Engine Mount. It helps to prevent vibration from damaging the radio components and airframe.
• O.S. MAX .46 FXi engine. The included engine is a newly developed O.S. MAX .46 FXi that has been optimized for easy starting yet still delivers peak rpm for great performance.
• Automatic Flight Stabilization (AFS) system. The Futaba 4YBF radio system is completely installed, but by far one of the NexSTAR’s most innovative features is the radio’s AFS system. This makes the NexSTAR the ultimate trainer. The AFS will return the model to straight and level flight if you lose control. Simply let go of the control sticks, and the AFS will take over. It is not an autopilot, so you still need to guide the NexSTAR around your flying field.
• Instructional video/NexSTAR Edition of the RealFlight flight simulator. These features make this aircraft a complete training package.
It’s All About Control
A trainer package wouldn’t be complete without a high-quality radio, and the NexSTAR Select comes with one from the best in the business—Futaba. The Skysport 4YBF is the newest in Futaba’s popular Skysport series. This FM 4-channel system comes with rechargeable Ni-Cds for the receiver and transmitter, and it offers servo-reversing on all 4 channels. The servos are Futaba’s S3003 standard servos, but what sets this system apart is that the receiver has the AFS built into it. This means that you don’t need a separate module for the servos to be plugged into; all the servo connections are made in the receiver. The AFS system’s gain control and reversing switches are also built in and easy to use—very nice, Futaba!
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High-tech Aerodynamics
The wing is where most of the obvious new features are. On the leading edge, out toward the wingtips, are the NASA-designed SpinControl Airfoil Extensions—droops that were developed to prevent full-scale airplanes from stalling and spinning, and that’s exactly what they do on the NexSTAR. They allow the model to be flown very slowly and at high angles of attack without stalling and spinning out of control.
The aerodynamic SpeedBrake Training Flaps allow the NexSTAR to fly more slowly and reduce its top speed to make it easier to control. They also shorten its landing approach. As you can see, both enhancements work together to make for a super-stable aircraft. As your flying skill increases, you can remove the droops and the speed brakes to allow the NexSTAR to fly faster and perform aerobatic maneuvers.
After learning to fly it, those who are more daring and want to expand the NexSTAR’s flight envelope can follow the instructions and install dual aileron servos; for really quick takeoffs and steep, slow landings, they can even add wing flaps.
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 Advanced Electronics
The key to the success of the NexSTAR Select as a trainer is its Active Flight Stabilization (AFS) system. When you release the transmitter sticks, the AFS automatically levels the model in both pitch and roll, yet it allows you control whenever you move the transmitter sticks. The AFS has a sensor that’s mounted on the fuselage underside, and it works by sensing differences in light around the model to know its attitude. Keep in mind, though, that AFS is not an autopilot; it’s just a useful tool that will return the model to straight and level flight when you over-control it. As your learning progresses, the AFS can be desensitized to allow you more control.
For the AFS to function properly, you must follow these simple guidelines:
• Before you fly, make sure that the sun is at least 25 degrees above the horizon.
• Do not fly over reflective surfaces such as snow or water.
• It’s OK to fly on partially cloudy and over- cast days.
• On bright, sunny days, the AFS will tend to fly the model toward the sun, so be prepared for that. |
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Damage Control
The wing has a unique mounting system that’s dubbed the “PivotFlex Wing Mount.” It comprises a tough, molded-nylon center rib on the wing and a flexible mount in the fuselage. Most trainers use rubber bands or nylon bolts to attach the wing to the fuselage; rubber bands allow the wing to come off in a crash and avoid being damaged, while nylon bolts attach the wing very rigidly. The PivotFlex system is unique in that it provides the same solid mounting as nylon bolts, yet it allows the wing to absorb minor impacts or to come completely off the fuselage to reduce the chance of its being damaged. |
User-friendly Power System
Many beginners have trouble running a new engine. To remedy this, Hobbico has broken in the NexSTAR’s engine and tuned it so that it’s truly ready to fly. The needle valve is adjusted at the factory and a high-speed extender/limiter ensures that it can’t be adjusted out of its optimum operating range. To make fueling and defueling easy, there’s a three-line, color-coded system, and you never have to disconnect any fuel lines—pretty simple.
The NexSTAR’s O.S. MAX .46 FXi engine is a new version of the popular O.S. MAX .46 FX. It features a new head design that delivers more power—power that’s very evident when you fly the model.
To protect the other components against vibration, the engine is mounted in Hobbico’s new IsoSmooth Engine Mount. The engine-mounting lugs are surrounded by hard rubber boots that are screwed to the aluminum mount to isolate the engine from the rest of the model. The Iso system does work; when the engine is running, its sound is muted and the airframe is very smooth. |
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