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While on the subject of flying off of water, we recently received a letter from Mr. Charlie Viosca of Frisco, Texas. It had been some time since we last heard from Charlie and were pleased to hear that he was still very active in R/C. The following is part of the information in Charlie's letter where he covered the subject:

"How To Protect Your Radio Equipment and Engines From Water and Corrosion."

Some time ago, I read an article on a product that prevented corrosion in electronic devices. After trying to run down the company, with no luck, I happened to try the yellow pages in Dallas and, to my surprise, there was a company called Corrosion Technologies. I called the company and spoke with Mr. Jim Van Gilder, its president. Jim invited me out to see what their product, Corrosion X, is all about and how it can be used in radio-controlled models.

Corrosion X is used widely by the military for corrosion control. It has a mil-spec number and is used in a variety of applications where corrosion is a problem. But, it's more than just a corrosion control product ... it's a super lubricant and absolutely the very best penetrant I've ever laid my hands on. It can also be used on electronics without causing any problems. Jim showed me a small TV sitting in nearly a gallon of Corrosion X in a clear, Plexiglas container. The TV was plugged in and working fine. The Corrosion X liquid did not interfere with its performance one iota!

Jim gave me a sample to experi-ment with and I immediately took a receiver, switch harness and battery pack and completely immersed them in Corrosion X. I had a servo plugged in (left outside of the container and product because I thought it would slow down the movement of the servo) and I even had the antenna immersed in Corrosion X. I must say I was quite surprised to see that everything worked just fine. I left the radio in the container and showed it to several of the Dallas area R/C clubs.

My next test was to spray the receiver in one of my floatplanes to see how the product reacted when the plane got dunked in water. That test did not take long. After retrieving the model and dumping all the water out of it, I took it to the shop and, much to my surprise (again), it worked. I then removed the receiver and opened it up. It was pretty well saturated with water, which I blew out and let dry under a lamp. Corrosion X leaves an ultra-thin film behind that acts as a barrier to water ... it actually keeps moisture from getting to the wires and boards so it can't mess with the circuitry.

Two of my experiences with using Corrosion X were perfect examples of what it can do for you.

Recently, I dove my Northstar into the water and got the radio equipment all water-soaked. Upon checking the radio, nothing worked. I removed the receiver and blew out most of the water and sprayed it with Corrosion X along with the battery and switch. After plugging all the servos into the receiver and checking the radio again, I found that one servo and the gyro did not work, so I removed them and opened the cases and sprayed Corrosion X on the circuit boards. Yes, after spraying with Corrosion X they both work. In another incident, I was flying my electric Playboy in a rather gusty wind and, during the landing, a gust of wind caused it to land in the lake in about eight inches of water. The motor, speed control, battery and switch were all in the water. The servos were dry as they are high in the fuselage and did not get wet. I picked the model out of the water and nothing worked. I removed the wet items mentioned above and sprayed each item with Corrosion X and they all worked perfectly. I sprayed the motor through the holes in the case and also the gearbox. It is nothing short of amazing when you see just what this product can do for you. If I had not used the Corrosion X I'm sure these units would have been ruined. Electrical items and water do not mix well.

After introducing the product at many float-flys and local hobby shops, many of the R/C pilots use Corrosion X on their receivers, switches, batteries, and plug connectors. It is recommended for all climates but especially where there is high humidity.

In short, this one product can replace the variety of maintenance items in spray cans that most of us have in our shop."

info@corrosionx.com.br

www.corrosionx.com.br

Thanks for the information Charlie, it looks like you've found something that all us float fliers can use, we'll give it a try in the near future.

Well that's about all the space I have for this month, but before I close, we have a few corrections to make.

Corrections:

In the July 2004 issue we published a product review on the Herr/Sig Mfg., Co. "Cessna 180". Unfortunately, the suggested retail price was listed incorrectly. It should have read $89.95. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

In the September 2004 issue, in Jim Oddino's column, the RC-100 electronic switch from RCAT Systems was mentioned. However, the phone number listed at the end of the article has two digits swapped. The last four digits should read: "9794".

That's it for this month fellows; just remember to keep building and flying because that's what keeps us young, no matter how old we are!