SOURCE TCT - Vol 17, Issue 4
Two model aircraft enthusiasts in the Netherlands, Ronny Janssen and Patrick Sloot, hope the development work they are doing on their own scale model jet plane could radically influence the future design and aerodynamic performance of many other remote control model jet aircraft — and they are using Araldite epoxy systems, supplied by Huntsman Advanced Materials, to help them achieve this.
The Jetco model is a radio controlled twin boom jet plane weighing 9 kg, with a 1.55 m wingspan, and powered by a gas turbine engine. Araldite LY 3297 / Aradur 3298 / Aradur 3299 epoxy composite system has been used to build the wings, elevator and some structural parts of the fuselage.
The jet’s wings are made from an EPS foam core covered with a sheet of balsa wood. However, to be able to withstand the dynamic loads of up to 40G reached during flight, the wings are reinforced with an 80 g/m2 woven glass fibre fabric, impregnated using the wet lay-up method with the Araldite epoxy resin system.
“We use Araldite because the epoxy systems deliver several advantages for us in terms of component weight, production time and variable cure cycles,” said Ronny Janssen. “We have been able to use different combinations with the Aradur hardeners to adjust the curing times in relation to the specification component application and the required assembly time.
“The components produced also have the necessary strength, rigidity and fatigue resistance required to withstand wind speeds of up to 400 km/h, while still enabling us to keep the weight of the aircraft to a minimum.” Araldite® LY 3297 / Aradur® 3298 / Aradur® 3299 is a cold curing epoxy system suitable for the production of a wide range of industrial components. The reactivity of this low viscosity, highly flexible system can easily be altered by varying the combination of hardeners. It can be processed using wet lay-up, Resin Transfer Moulding or Pressure Moulding production technologies. The Jetco model should take to the air at a number of air show displays around the Netherlands next summer demonstrating its speed and manoeuvrability. It will also be fitted with a telemetry system to measure data such as speed, fuel consumption and altitude which will help with future development. Ronny Janssen expects to complete flight trials and have the final, fully functional model completed later in 2009, when the sky’s the limit because as Ronny says “who knows, if an aircraft manufacturer notices our developments and becomes interested, they can always contact us for details!”
