Tuesday's flying and an engine trim challenge.

Rusty, the Ukey is similar to the Gotcha I fly in combat. While your running on suction, I'm running pressure. The fact that the plane has external controls which typically has your lines at a angle from leadout guide to bellcrank. This usually makes the outboard tip fly slightly high. The problem I found with adding wing tip weight on foamies is that the wing wants to severely flop in the outsides. It's hard to change the flight of the wing from one transition to another and the wing due to it's momentum wants to keep going through it's flight path and the wing bounces. I would try and give yourself some engine offset as well. I would note how the plane is flying when the power quits and your gliding in on landing. If the wing is level and the glide path is good, don't add anymore weight. I found flying with Pro-Braid helped many of these models due to the lighter weight of the lines which not only kept the wing level, the speeds slightly increased further enhancing stability. If indeed the plane is floaty on the lines on landing with the outboard wing high regardless of being straight, I would twist that wing outboard high slightly and re fly. This can also be achieved by thumbing your trailing edge high for about 1 1/2" and making a crease. The crease can further be enhanced when you get home and you can iron out the wrinkles giving it a more permanent set. You could also use a bit of 3/4" strapping tape from trailing edge to leading edge. Place the tape on a 45 deg angle pulling a twist into the wing . While this may keep the plane tight on the lines during level upright flight it could do the opposite on inverted. You didn't mention line tension inverted in your post. Is there any stab tilt on that airplane?

I have to question where the leadout guide is located. I found that all of my foamies had a extreme advantage when I used a one hole leadout guide with both lines through the same hole and with the leadout guide just behind the spar. This places the leadout guide forward and keeps the plane from crabbing as it goes up and into the wingover. Adding a leadout guide is a simple thing to do in a foamie. Cut yourself a good piece of ply not lite ply and sink it into the foam with 5 min epoxy. Make a few holes which can give you adjustment and your good to go in minutes leaving the already in place guide.


As for props, I don't care to use 10" props with the Fp. Some claim that the 10x4 works well but I don't care for it as I feel it was loading the engine too much. APC makes a 9x3N which has been working well for me on pressure but I don't know how that would translate using it on suction. I prefer props in the 8x6 range for these on suction but this is going to really compromise your economy.

Sounds like you need to break out your incidence meter and have to check the angles. Sometimes things look off when they are actually correct, and sometimes they look correct, but are quite a bit off.

Phil

Ken and Mark
The wing has a built in embedded trim tab, and I'll take a look at the leadouts. I want to change them to solids and put them on the bottom anyway. It flies wings-level in both directions. No hinging that I can detect. Maybe a smaller prop with a leaner run. Sounds sensible. I just habitually was thinking 2-4 break without applying common sense.

Chris and Phil
Same lines, .015"x61'. And yes, I make my own line sets. I could use .012" lines but I just don't trust them. I could switch to GSUMP, Spiderwire, etc.
It's a profile, so I have outboard thrust with nylon wedges on top of aluminum pads. I'll address the forward thrust if necessary, but I think it'll be fine straight ahead. If you didn't already know, I'm a very low level intermediate stunt pilot, so many problems originate at the human portion of the system
Gracias, dudes.

I just reread the rules and I am now confused as to if GSUMP is allowed for competition...

Phil

It's not, but it's covered by the AMA insurance if there is a mishap while sport flying. I forgot about that, thanks for reminding me.
Rusty

Rusty, Phil Cartier is responsible for the use of these lines in both combat and stunt. It is allowed and is covered by the AMA currently for combat. Some mumbo jumbo jargon got criss crossed and the AMA doesn't currently recognize the use of it for stunt. However, it can be used in stunt if  the CD allows it's use and this must be posted on the sanction contest date. So for now it can be used for sport without issue by the AMA assuming you tie the proper knot and use the proper pound test. Ken

Ken Cook wrote:Rusty, Phil Cartier is responsible for the use of these lines in both combat and stunt. It is allowed and is covered by the AMA currently for combat. Some mumbo jumbo jargon got criss crossed and the AMA doesn't currently recognize the use of it for stunt. However, it can be used in stunt if  the CD allows it's use and this must be posted on the sanction contest date. So for now it can be used for sport without issue by the AMA assuming you tie the proper knot and use the proper pound test. Ken

OK, that is the page I thought I was on.

Phil