The weather has been good enough that I'm able to get to the flying field every morning. Every plane I fly I remove some of the nose weight. Mostly I change to a lighter muffler. I ordered 3 tongue mufflers today. They weigh 2/10 ounce each. That is helping the planes turn a lot better. I got a larger tank for the Legacy and it will get through the pattern now.
I bought a kit of the Mo-Best that I've been looking at for several years now. It just came out as a kit in early spring this year. I have most of it framed up and the wing just needs sheeting. The kit has a built up leading edge and trailing edge. I was hesitant to try building with that system but did. So far it's working out well. I'm pretty sure it's called Lincoln Logs system.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
I was right.
After a bit of thinking I checked the tire rotation diagram in the owners manual for the truck. I had put the tires in the proper locations.
After installing a new glow plug in the problem engine it came to life. Then I turned my attention to the plane with the hungry Super Tiger .60. That engine runs great and I got a baseline comparison with the other plane as to how it flys. I added 3/4 ounce of tail weight and that should make the controls more responsive. It needed more up control as it was and this should take care of that and make the down control too touchy. I can fix that with handle spacing. Luckily the plane has a plastic clunk tank so I can put in a few ounces for testing and not a half tank full. I'll get in a few test flights after mowing this morning.
After installing a new glow plug in the problem engine it came to life. Then I turned my attention to the plane with the hungry Super Tiger .60. That engine runs great and I got a baseline comparison with the other plane as to how it flys. I added 3/4 ounce of tail weight and that should make the controls more responsive. It needed more up control as it was and this should take care of that and make the down control too touchy. I can fix that with handle spacing. Luckily the plane has a plastic clunk tank so I can put in a few ounces for testing and not a half tank full. I'll get in a few test flights after mowing this morning.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Another first.
I've been thinking on it for a few years. Today I got the tools out and rotated the truck tires. It wasn't too easy as I didn't use the spare. I removed the right side tires and put the back one in front and front in back. Then I did the same to the left side. After washing and cleaning the rims I tightened the fronts and installed the hub caps. I jacked the rear up and removed both rear tires and swapped sides. All four wheels were rusted to the brakes and it took from a kick to 4 whacks from a sledge hammer to get the rims off. I put a thin coat of grease on the problem surfaces so they should come off easily the next time. By then I probably will have looked up the right sequence for rotating the tires in the owner's manual.
I was out flying this morning after driving around the circle several times to flatten the tractor tire marks from the hay mowing. On the second flight the engine quit way early. I found some raw fuel dripping and called it a day. At home I removed the tank and found a slight leak and a rattle inside the tank. I found one of the tubes inside had broken it's solder joint and needed fixing. The slight leak was in the feed tube solder joint and I found some crap inside the tank. Probably flux. I cleaned the tank and the spray bar on the engine. I kinda like flying the Strega now that I trimmed it properly. And set the engine up per the guy I bought it from instruction. Funny how that works. The amazing part is that the .60 size engine only uses 4.20 ounces of fuel for the pattern. The Super Tiger .60 uses 6 ounces for the same flight. Both on store bought 10% nitro fuel.
I was out flying this morning after driving around the circle several times to flatten the tractor tire marks from the hay mowing. On the second flight the engine quit way early. I found some raw fuel dripping and called it a day. At home I removed the tank and found a slight leak and a rattle inside the tank. I found one of the tubes inside had broken it's solder joint and needed fixing. The slight leak was in the feed tube solder joint and I found some crap inside the tank. Probably flux. I cleaned the tank and the spray bar on the engine. I kinda like flying the Strega now that I trimmed it properly. And set the engine up per the guy I bought it from instruction. Funny how that works. The amazing part is that the .60 size engine only uses 4.20 ounces of fuel for the pattern. The Super Tiger .60 uses 6 ounces for the same flight. Both on store bought 10% nitro fuel.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
It's official.
The club is having the monthly meeting at the new field tonight. We have permission to fly there and the AMA has been notified of the addition of the field and the deletion of the Thompson land fill site. I still don't have any information on how to unlock the gate.
I did a post mortem on the P-63 and found no problems with the control system. A few days later I was flying the Ringmaster 576 and got hit by wake turbulence on the same maneuver in the same place. The 576 was in a better state of trim and flew out of the upset. The hobby's best trimmer has been writing about trimming and I'm following his advice. It would have saved me a lot of trouble if he was doing things more like I do.
I've been flying the A-36 lately trying to get that trimmed better. I had to go back to first base and slowly worked up to third base. The handle is even spaced and the control throws are pretty even. I've added an ounce to the tail and an ounce to the tip weight box. I have some fuel coming and had to call the engine guy as Sig stopped making the fuel he requires you run in the engine. Sig's 4 stroke fuel is equal so I got 4 gallons coming. Omega fuel is the same blend and I'm using that for the time being.
I installed a garage door opener last Friday. It actually works as advertised. I had to find some soft item to kneel on as I had to reduce myself to read the instructions from start to finish. Humiliating. I got the inside controller working and then the portable remotes and then the outside wireless controller working. The car has 3 buttons for extra controllers but I have enough working now.
The registration runs out in late October. Tough titty CT.
I did a post mortem on the P-63 and found no problems with the control system. A few days later I was flying the Ringmaster 576 and got hit by wake turbulence on the same maneuver in the same place. The 576 was in a better state of trim and flew out of the upset. The hobby's best trimmer has been writing about trimming and I'm following his advice. It would have saved me a lot of trouble if he was doing things more like I do.
I've been flying the A-36 lately trying to get that trimmed better. I had to go back to first base and slowly worked up to third base. The handle is even spaced and the control throws are pretty even. I've added an ounce to the tail and an ounce to the tip weight box. I have some fuel coming and had to call the engine guy as Sig stopped making the fuel he requires you run in the engine. Sig's 4 stroke fuel is equal so I got 4 gallons coming. Omega fuel is the same blend and I'm using that for the time being.
I installed a garage door opener last Friday. It actually works as advertised. I had to find some soft item to kneel on as I had to reduce myself to read the instructions from start to finish. Humiliating. I got the inside controller working and then the portable remotes and then the outside wireless controller working. The car has 3 buttons for extra controllers but I have enough working now.
The registration runs out in late October. Tough titty CT.
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