Experiment findings.

I haden't noticed it when flying the first two planes but the Nomad test mule showed it. The wings were level and didn't flip when I did a hard corner. It's called "hinging" in the hobby. I set up more planes like the others and flew them finding the same wings level with no tendency to wiggle in hard corners. It makes the maneuvers look cleaner and should score higher. I've tested several types of planes from different designers, some with balsa rib wings and sheeted foam core. Some profile fuselage some full fuselage and one with no fuselage. My Swizzle Plane. And one electric powered plane. All with the leadouts adjusted so that the plane hangs a little nose up with an empty tank. All gave me the same level and steady wing. I even set one up with a 2 ounce weight on the nose. Then at the field I flew it with the weight on and then took the weight off and flew it again with no change to the leadout position and no change in flight charastics that I could see. According to Voo Doo logic the plane shouldn't have flown at all. I'm saying that everything we have been told about setting the leadouts is that it works but not very well. On top of that I found that I'm the only person in the world today that knows where his leadouts are. Every one else only knows that his plane flys well the way he wants it too but he don't know why.

Experiment time.

My Swizzle plane was not keeping the lines tight in flight. That has to do with many factors but one is the location of the leadout line along the wing tip. I have been setting them so the plane hangs a bit nose down when hung from the leadouts and measured using a line level. Empty fuel tank. While off the ground speed and centrifugal force will keep it out on the lines. I figured that using a half tank of fuel and setting the leadouts so the plane was level would maybe help because the fuselage would be more in tangent to the circle producing less drag. I set up the plane this way. At the field the plane took off normally and flew normal until I starte to do maneuvers. Then the changes took over and I had a lot more line tension than before. That gives me more direct control which is a good thing. I did the same thing to the sister plane that was still in one piece. Overall line tension was better on this plane also. So I took the test mule Nomad and did the same change to it. Maybe fly it in the morning.

A bit closer.

I have the Falcon and Peacemaker just about at the same point in the finishing process. Everything is installed and fillets are laid in. I had to buy another quart of clear dope to apply the fiberglass and/or silk span. The humidity is high and I have to wait until it lowers to do much more painting. I had to leave South Park the other day as a dog was running through the circle and wanting to play. The grass was getting too high again there anyway. I took the Swizzle plane out and got in some flights. I went to 54 foot lines from 58 footers and installed aluminum landing gear from the wrecked Nomad. I flew it this morning and everything is working nicely. I managed to get in the first full pattern with it also. The winds were calm making some of the maneuvers tricky.