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Free PDF
 I have always given away the basic 3-view design files for the JART, and after 3 years of doing so the requests keep coming. We are almost 700 in population, my friends!
It isn't easy to express how much I enjoy seeing people get turned on to scratch building by becoming JARTists.
With all of that in mind, I thought it might be good to reprise a quick "For The Record" that I wrote awhile back in the blog. I hope this will help clear up most of the questions folks have about the JART philosophy, my intention for the design, and my wishes for JART in general. If you still have questions about what's "allowed," feel free to email me. I don't bite. Usually.
1.
Some folks have taken the "elitist" idea too far regarding all things JART. The point, for me, is to build and fly cool stuff, not to have something other people don't have. Personally, I don't give two hoots about the rarity of JART planes. It happens to be true that they are rare, even now with the JART-LT kit coming online, but what is much more important is that they look good and fly great. If I could get one into the hands of every modeler who wanted one I would – in a heartbeat.
2.
Having said that, it is my sincere wish that more people learn to scratch build. It is extremely rewarding and it deepens one's experience and understanding of flight. That is why I give the plans away.
3.
The truth is the JART isn't for everyone. Not everyone gets it. If you're the kind of person who likes heart-stopping precision, ass-shakin' deep-funk speed, and looks that could kill a bull elephant at 300 yards, the JART might be for you. Not everyone likes that sort of thing.
4.
I'm certainly not the first or last to give away the design plans of a cool plane. There is a long-standing tradition in modelling wherein one person helps others by passing on tips, tricks, design ideas, etc. It is my privilege to be a part of that tradition.
5.
The JART is U.S. copyrighted as blueprint and sculpture. If you would like to know more about that, please go to the U.S. Copyright office and read up.
6.
Question: Is the copyright enforceable all over the world?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Will it be?
Answer: To the best of my ability. This plane was introduced to a worldwide audience in the RCGroups slope forum and elsewhere, beginning in August 2004. The response has been overwhelming and I doubt I'd have much trouble rounding up a few witnesses to my ownership of the JART slope sailplane. My brother-in-law really is a badass lawyer who often testifies before the United States Congress. I'm a nice guy, but I will reach across continents and tear someone a fresh orifice if they start distributing unlicensed JART kits. Why anyone would bother stealing JART when the slope market is so small is a mystery to me anyway.
7.
The copyright exists to maintain my interest in JART as a business. If I could make a living out of it, I would, but for now it's a labor of love and I make a little bit here and there to defray the cost of JARTWORLD and all the hours I've put in building and maintaining this site. I make a bit more as a $100 an hour freelance graphic designer (if that sounds like bragging, try living on that in San Francisco!) so I don't see JARTWORLD ever being my ticket to the gardens of King Midas.
8.
Q: Can I build and sell new JART planes?
A: No
Q: Can I sell JART parts? (e.g.: fuses, wing cores, tail cores, etc.)
A: No, especially regarding fuses. But regarding wing and tail cores; honestly, if you don't call them JART and/or start a business behind it, how the hell would I ever know (or care)? If you're just helping out your buddies I applaud you for putting in the time and effort.
9.
Q: If I receive your FREE digital plan file and build a JART for myself, then after flying it for *awhile* decide I want to sell it, will you try to sue me?
A: No - I'm a modeler, dude, nothing more. We've been buying, selling and trading used planes from the beginning. As long as it was built for your personal use first, it's all good.
Q: What is personal use? How long do I have to fly it? What if I fly it once and hate it?
A: For goodness sake, just use your common sense. If you're a sincere person you have nothing to worry about. If you're not, it will become clear to others very quickly, including me.
10.
Q: What about the Chinese? You'll never be able to enforce your copyright over there and then they'll distribute them all over the world and everyone will buy them and you'll be left a desperate pauper, crawling the streets, begging for spare change and a half-eaten sandwich.
A: Go on about your own business and let me worry about that. Besides, I LIKE half-eaten sandwiches, just ask my wife.
11.
Q: I see that you have the JART-LT kit available now. What does that have to do with the JART philosophy? Aren't you being a big, fat hypocrite?
A: Ah, c'mon now, don't you think it's a good thing that more people get to fly a cool sloper? I'm still giving away plans, I'm still developing a reference website for builders, I'm still encouraging people to scratch build their own planes - JARTiness must certainly be sturdy enough to survive the philosophical paradox of a kitted version!
More notes:
It strikes me that if JART had started as a kit-making *business* there would be no room for some of the questions above. By providing free plans and encouraging individuals to build a JART in whatever way they wish we've somehow skewed the view and set people to seeking cracks in the walls. The simplicity of the gesture seems lost. Like an engine suddenly thrown from high gear into neutral, the mind spins wildly when confronted with the idea that a thing could be free, scarce, and in demand all at once.
There is much more coming in JARTWORLD: more interviews, more videos (including some how-to stuff), more t-shirt designs, and many more pictures of everyone's JARTified handiwork. We have a lot of life left in the body JART, so you'll see plenty more about JART planes and about the whole adventure of building and flying RC slope sailplanes.
Big thanks to all the true JARTists out there! You know who you are.
Very sincerely,
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Bitchin '06 JART
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Bitchin '68 Camaro
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Bitchin '60 F-5
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The specific design parameters
for the JART were, in order
of importance:
Hi Performance –My favorite planes to fly are high-performance PSS planes and 60" racers. So I combined them. The wing was stretched and given a higher aspect ratio than most of the PSS planes I'd flown, thus making it more efficent. The tail moment was made a respectable 13" which increases pitch stability. It was made a mid-wing design with no dihedral which combine to make the plane very neutral in handling. A low-lift airfoil with a somewhat neutral pitching moment (SD6062 ) was used to make it slippery and to help again with the neutral handling. All intakes, blisters and other PSS effects were left off to make the fuselage as slick as possible.
Easy to Build –I'm busy but I still enjoy building. And my home slope is hard on planes so I need to be able to replace them steadily. Therefore the fuse was made simple and clean, the wing and tail were given no-break planforms, and the control surfaces were made direct drive, no torque rods.
Tough –The aileron servos are tucked in close to the fuse which keeps them off the ground (aided by the mid-fuse placement of the wing). The stab is up in the notch between the fin and "exhaust" to keep it off the ground as well. The nose is long and pointy which allows for what we like to call "one point" landings: if you can stick the nose in the ground without touching the wingtips it's a perfect arrival. Oh, and so far I've built them with a lot of glass, carbon, and kevlar.
Ded Sehxy –Airplanes are fun to look at. Cars are fun to look at. I grew up in the late 60's and 70's, the classic era of American muscle cars (gas was cheap in the States). If you study the designs of that era you find that the cars were deeply influenced by the jets that were developed from the mid 1950's through the mid 60's. This is my favorite era for all design – graphic, interior, industrial, architectural – and I had all of this in mind when I went to design the JART. It shows.
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The JART 3-View plan is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License
and is ©2004 C. Reed Sherman.
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©2007 C. Reed Sherman
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