Building an RC Pulse Jet Powed Airplane.

Control line still has its challenges and is still fun, I started in CL more than 50 years ago, and added RC 46 years ago. I do still fly both. My favorite CL is Combat. A good combat plane goes around 150 mph and can turn a 6 foot dia loop without loosing speed. That means that if the plane is directly overhead it is as far away from the ground as it can possibly get, 1/4 of a second later it will be planted in the dirt if you have not decided which way to go. But I am getting to old for that now, so mostly RC.
 
I grew up on control line. Someday it will be a lost craft, which will be too bad, 'cause it's fun.
 
That's a big acro plane there! I've never had sticks on a plane that big, but I bet it's smooth and easy to see. Was it a RTF, or a build?
 
Yes on smooth, yes on easy to see. It was/is an ARF (almost ready to fly). Unfortunately, no longer available except for secondary market.

 
I was at the point of test firing the pulse jet on a test stand to learn more about how to operate it so I don't burn the plane down while learning.
Then I had some major surgery and have not been able to do anything in the shop since Thanksgiving. For 6 months I have been a professional couch potato.
The weather is just now getting to be good enough to give that a try. And my healing is also just getting far enough along that the itch is starting to itch again.
 
I was at the point of test firing the pulse jet on a test stand to learn more about how to operate it so I don't burn the plane down while learning.
Then I had some major surgery and have not been able to do anything in the shop since Thanksgiving. For 6 months I have been a professional couch potato.
The weather is just now getting to be good enough to give that a try. And my healing is also just getting far enough along that the itch is starting to itch again.
Sounds interesting. Any progress??
 
I needed just a couple more parts, But being out of work for a year+ halted toy spending.
The good news is that I am back to work for a month now and have the remaining parts. The test rig is all ready to go. Now just need the weatherman to cooperate.
 
Well I did get it out to try to light it up today. I got a bunch of pops a few farts and a couple of really loud BANGS. The longest it ran was about 2 seconds. It was like it was just burning off the prime, I can tell it was getting fuel by watching the level in the tank go down.
I have no clue as to just what flow rate I should be using, so this is all trial and a lot of error. All of the batteries are charging now so I may give it another try tomorrow with a different fuel mix and see what happens.
 
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