Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Control Line Hardware 

Q. How long have you been designing control line parts?  

A. I have been modeling for 27 years and designing control line hardware for about fifteen years. Many of the ideas that I incorporate are ideas that other modelers send my way. There is no other event that I can think of that has a higher ratio of talented people than the control line aerobatic fraternity.

Q. Why are your Bellcranks molded instead of cut out of sheet carbon fiber plate?  

A. By constructing the bellcrank with continuous tow the loads are in line with the fibers. Carbon fiber is stronger under tension than any other direction. When a part such as a carbon fiber bellcrank is cut out of sheet stock the strength is dependant on the peel strength between the short fibers in each lamination. The peel strength is the weakest direction on a lamination.

Q. Why are your landing gear molded instead of laminated out of carbon cloth?  

A. The carbon fiber landing gears are constructed out of unidirectional tow to produce a cross section that is stiffer (slight airfoil or teardrop shape) than a flat plate. We add carbon cloth at the axle point to add extra strength but having the fibers oriented chord wise for the entire gear length adds weight without adding rigidity. It takes longer to produce a gear with a matched mold but we feel the effort is rewarded with a superior carbon fiber landing gear. 

Q. Are those leadout terminations strong enough?  

A. Yes, the leadout cable is swaged with a tool that is designed for that purpose. The cable, feral and swage are matched to provide a termination that will exceed the breaking strength of the cable, which is 185#