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	Finally test flew the Skybug Friday evening, attached image (left) taken just before the big event. What a lovely little model she is to fly (but you knew that already?!) Model weighs in at a smidgen over 20 oz with 6v sp400 2.5 : 1 gearbox 8 x 6 prop and 7 x 500AR pack. The esc is a Kontronic 30amp thingy, but I will replace it with a Rondo 400 which should get the weight to under 20 oz. I also flew several sorties with 8 x 800 packs which was giving me 12 to 14 minutes.
I was so impressed with my first 'Bug that I decided to build another but lighter and with a built up wing. My red one (above) now flies with a 6v 400 with a 6 x 3 doing the work, whilst the 'Yellow Peril' sports the 2.5 : 1 gearbox and 8 x 6 prop. I normaly fly on 8 x 800AR packs. Flight time, direct drive about 8 minutes, 13 minutes for the gearbox. I have been using the yellow one to teach a friend to fly. Its slow flight gives lots of thinking time for the both of us! We have been using the local parks cricket square as our airfield.

	Sky-Bug (Spy Bug) experiences. Since last time I've done rather a lot of time on the SB and have built another wooden wing, fitted a wrap round canopy (from an OHP foil) and today finally flew it with a camera on board. Brilliant flight, no problems carrying the extra weight.....only problem another member flew straight through me at a couple of hundred feet and down the lot came. All except one servo survived....my poor old SB was not so lucky and is now resting gently in the kitchen bin. The greatest impovement to performance was achieved by the fitting of the canopy...a startling perk in performance. Camera is a MiniPencam 1.3M on a Texy switch. Anyway must go, as I'm off to start building another SkyBug.
More on the canopy, it is made from an overhead projection foil and has a rear and lower frame but no front frame. The canopy has a half inch diameter hole in each side for the Aiptek Pencam 1.3M to shoot through. I use a Texy camera switch which gives me the option of shooting individual frames or one frame every 9 second continuous.
For information my current set-up is 6v Permax Speed 400, 6 x 3 prop. and a Rondo 400 speed controller. Energy comes from a 8 x 800AR battery pack. Take off weight is 24 oz including camera, of which 9 1/2oz is battery. I normally ROG from grass without problem. The built up wing saved just under two ounces...having said that it still flew fine on the foam wing, but was a little sluggish to get airborne from grass. The foam wing met its end after a mid-air with a Mugi......