ATIS
03-30-2009, 09:23 AM
A123: Newest battery technology just entering the hobby. Heavier then lipos, however can be fast charged in 20 minutes.
AOA: Angle Of Attack. Describes the angle of wings LE in reference to its direction of travel. Too severe and a plane can stall.
ARF: Almost Ready to Fly (usually requires all electronics)
AUW: All Up Weight (total weight with lipo ready to fly)
BEC: Battery Eliminator Circuit (removes the need for a RX only battery)
BELLY FLOPPER: Term to describe a plane that lacks landing gear and lands on the bottom of its fuselage. Common with WWII parkflyers, EDF's, and sailplanes/gliders.
BL: Brushless, describes a motor that lacks brushs, they last longer and tend to perform better over brushed motors (BL motors have 3 wires instead of 2)
BNF: Bind and Fly (A plane/heli that includes everything and only requires you to bind your Spektrum TX and charge the lipo to fly)
BRICK: brick is a term used to describe a "all-n-1" board. This is a board the contains the RX and ESC and in some cases the servos and gyro. (PZ uses a brick in their mini planes like the "Vapor" whichs brick contains the RX, ESC, and 2 servos. Bricks save weight and space however if any part breaks the entire brick has to be replaced.
BUDDY BOX: Connecting two transmitters together with a trainer cord. Allows an instructor to regain control of the airplane/heli by releasing a switch. Commonly used at flying clubs to protect the other flyers... and the plane.
BUILDERS KIT: A kit plane that requires more building skill then just glueing foam together. Normally requires lots of sanding/shaping and cutting.
BUNGEE: A stretchable line made of material similar to surgical tube used to launch planes.
CANARDS: Resemble mini-wings in front of the planes main wings. They serve as the elevator. Most often mixed with elevons.
CG: also seen as COG or CoG ...Center Of Gravity, the balance point of the plane usually about 25% back from the LE of the wing...different wing designs cause variations
Chicken Stick: Stick used to crank prop on a glow/gas engine to prime it.
CO-AXIAL: type of heli that has two sets of main blades that rotate in opposite directions... removes the need for a tail rotor. Usually VERY stable and easy to fly.
CP: Collective Pitch. Heli changes pitch of main blades to change altitude
DEAD STICK: Motor off flight, usually used to describe a landing without the motor running
DF: Ducted fan (electric powered jet)
DIHEDRAL: The built in angle of the wings in which the wing tips sit higher then the wing center. This helps create a plane thats more stable and wants to "self right" itself back to level flight.
DR: Dual Rates, great for setting up 2 different max throw amounts on a control surface...IE Low Rate and High Rate. Low for smooth easy flying, highs for crazy manuevers/3D.
DROOPS: plastic covers attached to the leading edge of a planes wing to increase the lift and cause the wings center to stall first, preventing the dreaded tip stall. Often seen on trainers or PTS aircraft.
EDF: Electric Ducted Fan (think small high speed desk fan...inside your plane)
ELEVONS: Most common on Delta Winged aircraft. Elevons function as both aelirons and elevators via mixing.
EPP: Expanded Polypropolene (tough type of foam, takes abuse well)
ESC: Electric Speed Control, most have a BEC built in. It provides the power to the RX and servos as well as regulating the power to the motor
EXPO: Exponential, used to soften the area around the center of the stick making any slight stick movements almost unnoticable to the plane...smooths out a pilots inputs making his flying look better.
FLAPS: Section of the wing usually between the aelirons and fuselage that angles down creating extra drag and lift. Reduces ROG distance and reduces landing speed.
FP: Fixed Pitch. Heli has main blades pitch FIXED and altitude is controlled my changing motor speed.
FPV: First Person View...flying via a camera using a monitor or goggles to see and fly the plane.
FULL HOUSE: Describes a plane that has all 4 control functions: aeliron, elevator, rudder, motor.
GB: Gear box
GLITCH: A split second control error caused by radio electrical interference common on 27 and 72mhz radio systems. Severe glitchs can cause crashes.
GS: Ground Station. Its a FPV pilots ground equipment usually consisting of a monitor/goggles, vRX, and a recorder.
HH: Heading Hold, a type of gyro for helicopters that "locks" the tail into position and prevents it from drifting. It makes learning easier...sorta... LOL
HL: Hand Launch
KE: Knife Edge... flying the plane on its side using the rudder to control pitch.
KV: KV is the motors RPM per 1 volt of power (KV*V=RPM)
LE: Leading edge of the wing
LG: Landing Gear.
LIPO: (Lithium Polymer) Relatively expensive. The battery of choice. Lighter weight and more power then NiHM/NICD. (Needs a lipo charger and special care)
LOS: Line Of Sight... straight line between you and the aircraft/heli
LVC: Low Voltage Cutoff. A setting on the ESC to prevent Lipos from being overly discharged and damaged.
MAH: think of it as a fuel tank, the more MAH, the more gas in the tank...or in this case the battery. It does not change the batteries VOLTAGE!!
NICD: Cheap battery. Common is RTF's. Older technology.
NiHM: Cheap battery that needs to go from charger to aircraft and are common in RTF's. Significant voltage loss after several hours of sitting.
PIT: Pitch (heli's)
PLANKER: term used by heli pilots to describe planes (IE "He flys plankers")
PNP: Plug N Play (also known as Reciever Ready...just need a RX, TX, lipo)
PROFILE: A plane that consists of flat foam. Electronics are usually exposed. Light weight, easy to repair, quick build, and cheap. Easy to design at home or can be purchased.
PSS: Power Scale Soaring
PTL: Pitch with throttle lock (heli)
PTS: Progressive Training System. A aircraft thats been designed to take a beginner pilot from buddy box to basic acrobatics. Usually contain droops to prevent tip stalls.
PUSHER: Common amoung park jets. Aircraf thats prop is BEHIND the motor hence it "pushes" the plane.
ROG: Rise Off Ground/Rise Off Grass
ROS: Rise off Snow
ROW: Rise Off Water
RR: Receiver Ready (need a RX, TX, and Lipo to fly)
RTF: Ready To Fly (everything you need to fly is included in the box, next to no building needed, charge battery, attach wing and fly)
RX: Receiver
SEFF: SouthEast Electric Fun Fly. The largest all electric fun fly on the east coast located in Americus Ga. Tends to be the last week of April and draws close to 500 pilots. A must do event!!
SERVO: Small encased motor with gears that given voltage moves a control arm which is connected to a control surface or retracts.
SLIMER: Nitro plane because the exhaust leaves a slimey residue on the wings and fuse.
SPOILERS: Like flaps only they raise UP, killing the wings lift and increasing the rate of decent. Used on sail planes to reduce the distance to land.
TAIL DRAGGER: A plane that has 2 wheels up front and either a wheel or skid back by the rudder, more difficult to ROG as the ground handling is a little more touchy. Common with WWII warbirds, bad habit of nosing over on landings.
TE: Trailing Edge of the wing
THRUST LINE: The angle a motor is set at in reference to thefuse line. (See "Beginners Info" thread for more detail)
TRACTOR: Aircraft that gets "pulled" by its prop (props in front of plane)
TRYC/TRIKE: A plane that has a nose wheel and 2 or more wheels set back near the rear of the main wing. Easy to taxi and easy to land. A great set up for touch and goes.
TX: Transmitter
VPP: Variable Pitch Prop...it takes 3d flying to a new level...during a dive you can flip the pitch direction and stand the plane on its nose and fly BACKWARDS!!
vRX: video receiver...used in FPV to receive the video and audio signal from the plane.
vTX: video transmitter..used in FPV to transmit the video to the ground.
WBPU: Water Based Polyurethan, used to cover foam to protect from hanger rash, or provide a smoother surface for painting.
WL: Wing Loading. The lower this number is the more "floaty" a plane is, also the slower it can fly without stalling...however it usually means it wont handle the wind as well.
WOT: Wide Open Throttle or full throttle
WS: Wing Span, the measurement from wing tip to wing tip
AOA: Angle Of Attack. Describes the angle of wings LE in reference to its direction of travel. Too severe and a plane can stall.
ARF: Almost Ready to Fly (usually requires all electronics)
AUW: All Up Weight (total weight with lipo ready to fly)
BEC: Battery Eliminator Circuit (removes the need for a RX only battery)
BELLY FLOPPER: Term to describe a plane that lacks landing gear and lands on the bottom of its fuselage. Common with WWII parkflyers, EDF's, and sailplanes/gliders.
BL: Brushless, describes a motor that lacks brushs, they last longer and tend to perform better over brushed motors (BL motors have 3 wires instead of 2)
BNF: Bind and Fly (A plane/heli that includes everything and only requires you to bind your Spektrum TX and charge the lipo to fly)
BRICK: brick is a term used to describe a "all-n-1" board. This is a board the contains the RX and ESC and in some cases the servos and gyro. (PZ uses a brick in their mini planes like the "Vapor" whichs brick contains the RX, ESC, and 2 servos. Bricks save weight and space however if any part breaks the entire brick has to be replaced.
BUDDY BOX: Connecting two transmitters together with a trainer cord. Allows an instructor to regain control of the airplane/heli by releasing a switch. Commonly used at flying clubs to protect the other flyers... and the plane.
BUILDERS KIT: A kit plane that requires more building skill then just glueing foam together. Normally requires lots of sanding/shaping and cutting.
BUNGEE: A stretchable line made of material similar to surgical tube used to launch planes.
CANARDS: Resemble mini-wings in front of the planes main wings. They serve as the elevator. Most often mixed with elevons.
CG: also seen as COG or CoG ...Center Of Gravity, the balance point of the plane usually about 25% back from the LE of the wing...different wing designs cause variations
Chicken Stick: Stick used to crank prop on a glow/gas engine to prime it.
CO-AXIAL: type of heli that has two sets of main blades that rotate in opposite directions... removes the need for a tail rotor. Usually VERY stable and easy to fly.
CP: Collective Pitch. Heli changes pitch of main blades to change altitude
DEAD STICK: Motor off flight, usually used to describe a landing without the motor running
DF: Ducted fan (electric powered jet)
DIHEDRAL: The built in angle of the wings in which the wing tips sit higher then the wing center. This helps create a plane thats more stable and wants to "self right" itself back to level flight.
DR: Dual Rates, great for setting up 2 different max throw amounts on a control surface...IE Low Rate and High Rate. Low for smooth easy flying, highs for crazy manuevers/3D.
DROOPS: plastic covers attached to the leading edge of a planes wing to increase the lift and cause the wings center to stall first, preventing the dreaded tip stall. Often seen on trainers or PTS aircraft.
EDF: Electric Ducted Fan (think small high speed desk fan...inside your plane)
ELEVONS: Most common on Delta Winged aircraft. Elevons function as both aelirons and elevators via mixing.
EPP: Expanded Polypropolene (tough type of foam, takes abuse well)
ESC: Electric Speed Control, most have a BEC built in. It provides the power to the RX and servos as well as regulating the power to the motor
EXPO: Exponential, used to soften the area around the center of the stick making any slight stick movements almost unnoticable to the plane...smooths out a pilots inputs making his flying look better.
FLAPS: Section of the wing usually between the aelirons and fuselage that angles down creating extra drag and lift. Reduces ROG distance and reduces landing speed.
FP: Fixed Pitch. Heli has main blades pitch FIXED and altitude is controlled my changing motor speed.
FPV: First Person View...flying via a camera using a monitor or goggles to see and fly the plane.
FULL HOUSE: Describes a plane that has all 4 control functions: aeliron, elevator, rudder, motor.
GB: Gear box
GLITCH: A split second control error caused by radio electrical interference common on 27 and 72mhz radio systems. Severe glitchs can cause crashes.
GS: Ground Station. Its a FPV pilots ground equipment usually consisting of a monitor/goggles, vRX, and a recorder.
HH: Heading Hold, a type of gyro for helicopters that "locks" the tail into position and prevents it from drifting. It makes learning easier...sorta... LOL
HL: Hand Launch
KE: Knife Edge... flying the plane on its side using the rudder to control pitch.
KV: KV is the motors RPM per 1 volt of power (KV*V=RPM)
LE: Leading edge of the wing
LG: Landing Gear.
LIPO: (Lithium Polymer) Relatively expensive. The battery of choice. Lighter weight and more power then NiHM/NICD. (Needs a lipo charger and special care)
LOS: Line Of Sight... straight line between you and the aircraft/heli
LVC: Low Voltage Cutoff. A setting on the ESC to prevent Lipos from being overly discharged and damaged.
MAH: think of it as a fuel tank, the more MAH, the more gas in the tank...or in this case the battery. It does not change the batteries VOLTAGE!!
NICD: Cheap battery. Common is RTF's. Older technology.
NiHM: Cheap battery that needs to go from charger to aircraft and are common in RTF's. Significant voltage loss after several hours of sitting.
PIT: Pitch (heli's)
PLANKER: term used by heli pilots to describe planes (IE "He flys plankers")
PNP: Plug N Play (also known as Reciever Ready...just need a RX, TX, lipo)
PROFILE: A plane that consists of flat foam. Electronics are usually exposed. Light weight, easy to repair, quick build, and cheap. Easy to design at home or can be purchased.
PSS: Power Scale Soaring
PTL: Pitch with throttle lock (heli)
PTS: Progressive Training System. A aircraft thats been designed to take a beginner pilot from buddy box to basic acrobatics. Usually contain droops to prevent tip stalls.
PUSHER: Common amoung park jets. Aircraf thats prop is BEHIND the motor hence it "pushes" the plane.
ROG: Rise Off Ground/Rise Off Grass
ROS: Rise off Snow
ROW: Rise Off Water
RR: Receiver Ready (need a RX, TX, and Lipo to fly)
RTF: Ready To Fly (everything you need to fly is included in the box, next to no building needed, charge battery, attach wing and fly)
RX: Receiver
SEFF: SouthEast Electric Fun Fly. The largest all electric fun fly on the east coast located in Americus Ga. Tends to be the last week of April and draws close to 500 pilots. A must do event!!
SERVO: Small encased motor with gears that given voltage moves a control arm which is connected to a control surface or retracts.
SLIMER: Nitro plane because the exhaust leaves a slimey residue on the wings and fuse.
SPOILERS: Like flaps only they raise UP, killing the wings lift and increasing the rate of decent. Used on sail planes to reduce the distance to land.
TAIL DRAGGER: A plane that has 2 wheels up front and either a wheel or skid back by the rudder, more difficult to ROG as the ground handling is a little more touchy. Common with WWII warbirds, bad habit of nosing over on landings.
TE: Trailing Edge of the wing
THRUST LINE: The angle a motor is set at in reference to thefuse line. (See "Beginners Info" thread for more detail)
TRACTOR: Aircraft that gets "pulled" by its prop (props in front of plane)
TRYC/TRIKE: A plane that has a nose wheel and 2 or more wheels set back near the rear of the main wing. Easy to taxi and easy to land. A great set up for touch and goes.
TX: Transmitter
VPP: Variable Pitch Prop...it takes 3d flying to a new level...during a dive you can flip the pitch direction and stand the plane on its nose and fly BACKWARDS!!
vRX: video receiver...used in FPV to receive the video and audio signal from the plane.
vTX: video transmitter..used in FPV to transmit the video to the ground.
WBPU: Water Based Polyurethan, used to cover foam to protect from hanger rash, or provide a smoother surface for painting.
WL: Wing Loading. The lower this number is the more "floaty" a plane is, also the slower it can fly without stalling...however it usually means it wont handle the wind as well.
WOT: Wide Open Throttle or full throttle
WS: Wing Span, the measurement from wing tip to wing tip