Shell Shocks First Cox Build

well, i just got back in from its first flight... if you can call it that.

I now get your signature nitro... i really do. she flew for 3 meters then pitched straight up and fell on her back... busted the rear assembly clean off (i designed it so if it were to crash it would break on the joints) im going to keep shaving that huge elevator assembly till its balanced.

shell shock wrote:well, i just got back in from its first flight... if you can call it that.

I now get your signature nitro... i really do. she flew for 3 meters then pitched straight up and fell on her back... busted the rear assembly clean off (i designed it so if it were to crash it would break on the joints) im going to keep shaving that huge elevator assembly till its balanced.

Yes!!!
It's not originally mine i don't remember where i first heard it but i haven't heard it since.
But yes very very true.

Model aircraft in kit form usually have a Center of Gravity (CG) mark on the plans. Since you don't really have plans then maybe one of the more educated (than myself)folks on this forum could help you determine where it is on your plane. Might prevent another mishap. I think it's great that you have fabricated your own plane. Your almost there!

In my experience CG is usually center wing or slightly forward. I usually put my fingertips at the CG point and lift the plane off the bench. If it stays level or noses slightly forward I know I'm good. If you already knew all this then disregard.

cribbs74 wrote:Model aircraft in kit form usually have a Center of Gravity (CG) mark on the plans. Since you don't really have plans then maybe one of the more educated (than myself)folks on this forum could help you determine where it is on your plane. Might prevent another mishap. I think it's great that you have fabricated your own plane. Your almost there!

In my experience CG is usually center wing or slightly forward. I usually put my fingertips at the CG point and lift the plane off the bench. If it stays level or noses slightly forward I know I'm good. If you already knew all this then disregard.

i didnt think that it was that big of a deal... man did i learn today. oh well.. least i learned before my p 51 is ready

Hi shell shock,
Well the wings your using were rather thin so maybe they are just a both thin I reccomend putting the balance at 10% forward from the middle of the wing.

would a small brass/ lead/ other heavy metal do the trick for a weight?

I've used a zip tie to secure a hex nut or a washer under the crankcase to get it balanced. Stick-on lead weights can be bought at a hobby shop or a tire store. If you feel like you're on a roller coaster trying to hang on to a plane that shoots for the sky and you can only seem to over correct only to do it all over, while praying for it to run out of fuel, it's probably tail heavy. Balance problems have almost convinced me I'd lost my ability to fly a plane. Very frustrating.
Easy to see why they are so careful when strategically loading cargo into a commercial plane. I'd hate to get airborne in a full sized plane only to realize it was tail heavy.
Always balance with an empty tank. That way the balance only gets better as the flight progresses.

RknRusty wrote:I've used a zip tie to secure a hex nut or a washer under the crankcase to get it balanced. Stick-on lead weights can be bought at a hobby shop or a tire store. If you feel like you're on a roller coaster trying to hang on to a plane that shoots for the sky and you can only seem to over correct only to do it all over, while praying for it to run out of fuel, it's probably tail heavy. Balance problems have almost convinced me I'd lost my ability to fly a plane. Very frustrating.
Easy to see why they are so careful when strategically loading cargo into a commercial plane. I'd hate to get airborne in a full sized plane only to realize it was tail heavy.
Always balance with an empty tank. That way the balance only gets better as the flight progresses.

Yep.
You may want to use a bolt through the under side of the plane in the nose do you know how much the plane weighs?

look at this video!

There's that roller coaster ride I was talking about!

RknRusty wrote:There's that roller coaster ride I was talking about!

Yep almost impossible for even the most skilled pilot to fly straight.

nitroairplane wrote:

RknRusty wrote:There's that roller coaster ride I was talking about!

Yep almost impossible for even the most skilled pilot to fly straight.

The pilot in the vid did a good job reeling it back in. I likely would have buried it!

lol i would have just let the plane fly its own course and see what happened so even if it is lost i get to watch it go down in style

with the plane pushing 10oz i think it would be safe to put a few washers on the nose.

shell shock wrote:with the plane pushing 10oz i think it would be safe to put a few washers on the nose.

That exactly what mine weighs. 10.1oz.

Now that it's been mentioned, I will pay close attention to balancing the CG.

I think I missed what radio gear you decided on. Servos?

shell shock wrote:with the plane pushing 10oz i think it would be safe to put a few washers on the nose.

With the avenge .049 plane you can go up to 16oz but with those firebird wings maybe 11-12oz.

yah.. these temp wings really will hold this back till i can make some final ones.

shell shock wrote:yah.. these temp wings really will hold this back till i can make some final ones.

Yeah maybe you should just wait it out until you get some permmenent ones sorted out.

ha ha, i should, but where would be the fun in that? (i dont actually mean that) for the four feet she flew before pitching up, the wings seemed to hold good. I have re-enforced them though

I think this thread belongs here - http://coxengineforum.forumakers.com/f10-models-and-modeling

microflitedude wrote:I think this thread belongs here - http://coxengineforum.forumakers.com/f10-models-and-modeling

And so it is. I hope he can find it.

i hear you guys loud and clear

Any progress?

not at the moment. still waiting on a clear day to test the new lighter tail...

thanks for the show of interest man