SCORPIO TECHNOLOGY CAPTIVE AIRPLANE User manual

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CAPTIVE AIRPLANE
CONTENTS:
Section 1: General and Planning Information
Section 2: Components and Material Required
Section 3: Construction
Section 4: Wiring
Section 5: Operation
DESCRIPTION
A small aeroplane is built from plastic
or wood. It is driven by a propeller,
which is powered by a small electric
motor. The plane is suspended from
an overhead point and flies in a
circle.
The basic CAPTIVE AEROPLANE is a very
simple model to construct. This has a
lot of scope for combining two
different areas of study: technology
and art (with a bit of woodwork
thrown in!).
The aeroplane is a simple model to make. However the components and ideas can
be used to make other devices. For example:
A witch on a broomstick
A flying pig (see if pigs can really fly?)
SECTION 1: GENERAL AND PLANNING INFORMATION
1. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1.1 DESIGN
The basic design is as shown in the drawing –wings, a fuselage and a power source.
The design allows each designer scope in the shape and size of the plane.
The student needs to make a full size drawing, before starting construction. This
allows planning the location of components and working out the size of the body and
wings. We made our prototype’s body from a 10 mm wide strip of plywood
approximately 220mm long. The wings can be made from balsa sheet, heavy
hardboard or plastic, with the dimensions to suit the fuselage. NOTE: If cardboard is
used for the wings, the use of a brace is suggested.
The aim is to design the plane, so that it is (ideally) balanced around the mid-point.
Note that:
The centre of balance is affected by the weight of the components and their
placement (relative to the centre), and should be placed with the aim of
balancing the plane.
The heavier components should ideally be mounted underneath the aeroplane’s
fuselage, for a better centre of gravity.
SCORPIO TECHNOLOGY VICTORIA PTY. LTD.
A.B.N. 34 056 661 422
17 Inverell Ave., Mt. Waverley, Vic. 3149 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Revised: 6 August 2015 www.scorpiotechnology.com.au [e-mail]
Issued: 17 February 2013 www.scorpiotechnology.com.au
[e-mail]

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SECTION 2: COMPONENTS & MATERIAL REQUIRED
2.1 COMPONENTS SUPPLIED
The following components are supplied in the kit:
2.1 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The following items are required and are available from Scorpio Technology:
Battery –AA, 1 required (BATTAA)
Fishing line (FLINE)
The following material is to be supplied by the student / designer:
Material for the components (balsa wood, PVC or acrylic sheet, thin plywood,
etc.)
Electric hook-up wire –Multi-strand
Snap swivel –as used in fishing to connect lures
Hot glue or double-sided foam tape
2.2 TOOLS REQUIRED
The following tools are required:
Assorted hand tools
Soldering equipment and solder
SECTION 3: CONSTRUCTION
Cut the material for wings and tail to the designed size.
Construct and attach the wings and tail to the body.
Press the propeller on to the motor shaft.
Attach the motor, switch and battery holder
underneath the body using double-sided foam
tape or hot glue (roughen the bottom of the
battery holder with sandpaper to improve
adhesion).
Drill two small holes in the body: one situated just behind the motor and one at
the opposite end, behind the battery holder. These holes should be along the
centre line of the body.
WARNING: If using hot glue, be very careful, as it
can burn you, if you get it on yourself.

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Thread some fishing line (about 400mm) through the holes and tie it off, to
connect the line to the body. Alternatively if using dowel for the body tie the
fishing line around the dowel in the positions mentioned. You could also try
using hot glue to fix the line in place.
Suspend the plane over your
finger. Adjust the plane so it is
horizontal. Your finger will be at
the balance point. Make a loop in
the fishing line at this point.
Take about 900mm of fishing
line. Tie a loop at one end. Put
the loop through the loop on the
plane. Thread the line through
the loop at the other end and
pull it tight. Your line is now
connected to the plane.
Tie the loose end of the line to the snap swivel. The snap swivel prevents the
line from twisting.
Attach the snap swivel to an overhead point, so that the plane is suspended.
SECTION 4: WIRING
4.1 CONNECTING THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
Solder the black wire from the
battery holder to the switch’s end
terminal.
Solder an additional black wire to
the middle terminal of the switch.
This will be connected to one of the
motor’s terminals - do not solder
the wire to the motor yet.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
Connect the battery holder’s red wire to the other motor terminal - do not
solder this yet.
Before soldering the wires to the switch and battery, you will need to find out
which way you need to connect the motor, to make it turn in the correct
direction.
Insert a battery into the holder and touch the wires onto the motor’s terminals.
When connected correctly the propeller will spin and blow air back towards the
battery.
If the propeller spins in the correct direction, solder the wires to the motor’s
terminals. If it goes in the wrong direction, swap the wires & then solder them.
SECTION 5: OPERATION
The battery should be inserted and switched on.
Hold the plane in your hand, pull the plane out towards the edge of the circle
that it will make, and launch it carefully - a little like launching a paper plane. It
should fly in a circle.
NOTE: With a new battery it will fly rapidly and quite high. A new alkaline battery will
last around 3-4 hours.

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