Too Much To Catch Up!

 I can’t believe I haven’t added RC updates to this blog since Dec 2019!  How delinquent is that!?  I have had a good flying season in spite of COVID-19.  We have been flying and trying to maintain distance at the field.  Most guys fail to do so, and I am usually the only one to wear a mask.  None of us in the small group I fly with have got sick, so we continue to fly, trusting that each guy is taking care to stay well.

Wow, I can only summarize the last almost ten months since I sure cannot remember everything that’s happened in my RC world.  

First, I got some new planes!  My Stinson Reliant is completed and flying wonderfully.  It’s been out to the field several times now.  I think it might be a wee nose heavy given the way it seems to lower its nose in tight turns.  It rolls so axial to the right that it reminds me of a pattern plane, lol.  So I am still working on flight trim, might try a little tail weight.  Power is a DLE-35RA that runs great.

I got the Hangar 9 Ultrastick 30cc  from the boys for my birthday!  It is also completed and is a real go to plane because it fits under the tonneau cover so it’s easy to haul, and I love the VVRC 40cc twin in it that sounds great, starts easy, runs solid.  Still working on flight trim too.  I want to get the CG more rearward so it will do KE without so much down elevator mixing.  What a joy to fly even as is.  Spins like the devil.

One more new plane is a refurbished one by Don and I bought it from Cliff.  It is a cute old vintage SIG Kavalier.  I installed the engine and servos, receiver, battery, etc.  After trying to eliminate a fluttering sound by various means, I think the flutter is gone at all but the highest dive speed.  These means included filling the wing/fuse gap with hot glue, replacing the elevator control horn, and finally replacing the very thin ailerons with thicker stiffer stock.

Another new addition is the Robinhood 80 by Old School Model Works.  It’s my first kit in 28 years and is still under construction, but framed up!  It will have a Saito FG-21 gas four stroke engine it.

I’ve been converting all the gas tanks in the gas planes to the clear ones sold for $25 by VVRC.  I just had too many gas tank probs in the season with the white tanks provided in the ARFs.  The clear tanks have nice aluminum fittings , felt clunks, stiff fueling/defueling fittings that eliminate fuel tank issues.  I’ve been using only the 12 ounce tanks since the larger tanks were always too large for my flight times...I always land with more than half a tank left.

I sold several planes to make room for the new ones!  Gone are the Hangar 9 RV-8, the 76” Aerostar, and the small 50” Aerostar (Starstreak in my flight log reports).  It turns out I don’t miss them at all.

And lastly, today I did some small things for next flights on some of the planes.  I added another ounce of lead to the tail of the Ultrastick, as noted earlier for moving the CG back.  I changed the gas tank in my Sbach 342 from the old white tank to the new clear VVRC 12 ounce tank.  And I programmed more exponential into the RV-4.  The plane is sensitive in pitch and roll so that should help both.  If it is still sensitive in pitch, i might actually need more nose weight. 

That’s the best I can do to catch up after the long absence.  Been flying a lot but just too lazy to post!  suffice to say I have flown every plane and heli in the fleet with just a couple exceptions, and I have been enjoying the heck out of them all.

Still too lazy to post flight logs, lol!

Its been a month and a half since doing by flight log blog, terrible!  I have been flying albeit not as frequently due to wind, rain, cold. 

Today I flew my SNAFU.  Mainly I wanted to get it out to tune the engine better since I know it was not running well last time.  Before heading out, I fattened up the low speed idle screw on the OS52FS in the plane.  That helped but the engine faltered a little on the first flight, and also died after landing runout.  I fiddled with it out more, back in , and then finally found a sweet spot which I am sure is richer than what I started with.  Also had to richen the high speed needle.  The engine seems to be singing nicely now....stronger with more smoke trail.  Got in four flights today with many touch and gos to practice landings.  We'll see if it still runs as well next time out.  BTW it was light fog with a low ceiling at first, then burning off enough for regular flying.

Two days ago, I flew my Osiris in slightly less fog.  Got in four flights.  Nobody else there on both days....too cold or dreary looking for them.  It was above 40F both times, with very light winds.

Since last posting in mid October, I got the wheel pants installed on the Val with new mounting hardware that Alex designed and printed for me with his 3D machine.  They look awesome!

I have been flying the Giles 202 several times since putting the new OS160FX engine into it.  Runs well, still breaking in each flight with a slightly leaner setting each time.  It's good not to be running so rich that the power is questionable.  Now there is power to avoid trouble.

The RV-4 has been back up as well.  I installed the wheel pants and have not destroyed them yet, as almost any grass landings just wear FG wheel pants out.  The plane is a joy to fly, and so impressive in the air.  My fave view of the plane is a steady landing approach with flaps down...so pretty.

I have actually made a little progress on the Stinson Reliant!  The elevator is perfectly (so I say) squared up to the fuselage and wing, and now firmly glued in place.  I have also epoxied all hinges for the flight surfaces.  Note I replaced the stock CA hinges for the elevators with hardy Robart point hinges.  Phoenix used big point hinges everywhere else on the plane and it baffles me that they didnt do so on the elevators too.  it was tedious work to clear the hinge locations, test the hinges as located, put vaseline on the hinge lines to prevent epoxy intrusion, then epoxy one side, let dry, then epoxy the other side of each pair of mated surfaces.  I am going to move on to servo installation for the ailerons and flaps next.

Last news.  I ordered the Old School Model Works Robinhood 80 laser cut kit!  $200 plus $5 SH.  Crazy me....heres hoping I actually build it someday!

Last last news.  Tad has long promised me the DLE-35 he never used.  So I decided I want the Hangar 9 Ultrastick 30cc for that engine.  The boys are giving it to me for Christmas!

RV-4

3 flights on the big RV today, having hauled it to the Dallas field for the first time in the truck with the tonneau cover off.  At least the tailgate could be closed.  It’s the first time to haul it with the truck after we lost the xB due to a rear ender.  The DLE started quickly and ran reliably once again.  The plane flies nice enough but I ain’t thrilled about it.  Oh well!  I think I will add a little nose weight.  The plane is very neutral inverted, with no down needed to maintain level.  I actually have to apply up to get the nose to pull down at the top of a loop, lol.

RV-4 x3

I had three good flights with the RV-4 today...nothing fell off!  Engine ran well, everything went fine for a change.  Starting was a breeze, much quicker than the DLE-30 and DLE-55.  The 35 coughs after about 12 flips with choke on.  Then with choke off, it coughs on the 4th flip and starts on the 5th.  Pretty routine and reliable.  My flights all were around 9 minutes, and that only uses between 1/4 and 1/3 of the tank of gas.

Nobody else flew today.  Geno, Walt, and Doug B visited but did not fly.  Cliff came to get the OS 91 Surpass II started for the first time in what appeared to be a Sopwith Camel.  He was getting it prepped for Warbird Day this Saturday.  After some fuel tube switches, the engine started up and ran nicely.  Later Lonnie came but I did not stay long enough to see him fly.

I am getting used to the RV-4.  It will be a hoot.  I am getting comfier with it....loops, rolls, inverted, and flaps.  It must be driven down with flaps by good management of throttle.  Zero throttle does not work, the plane will stall.   I must be right on the back edge of the CG.  While inverted the plane does not need down elevator at all.  In fact I have to be sure on loops to kill throttle and feed in some up to get the plane to begin the dive for the second half of the loop.  A great day with the RV-4.

Cat of Nine Lives?

On June 6:  Nearly a big loss of my big RV today!  Left aileron linkage got undone in the air!  All of a sudden felt like a drag chute on the left wing with that huge aileron just hanging down.  Had to really stay on the stick with only right aileron working.  Got her landed on the runway!  Turns out the nuts that hold the link on both ends came loose and the gas engine vibes caused the rods to unwind and slip out of a clevis!  My fault for not checking them.  Gonna solder one side so they cannot unwind like that.  Whew, the plane lived, but it was looking bad! 

This bird has gone through three lives so far!
1.  Wheel fell off with axle.  Made safe landing on runway.
2.  Throttle linkage came undone so landed without throttle control.
3.  Left aileron linkage fell apart.  Made it safely to runway.

Only the first one was not my fault...that axle was defective and I am sticking to that story!  The others are owner operator fault, yikes!

June 12:  Hey guys, here’s a bonehead move.   I drove my boxster the other day so I moved some planes away and placed them next to the truck.  Then yesterday I wanted to go out in the truck....I forgot to move the RV-4 and two other planes before moving the truck.  The truck tire rubbed hard over the left axle of the RV and brushed the left wheel.  That broke the axle and bent the. left side of LG.  Lucky I had a spare axle (from replacing the one that fell off in the air).  So I got out my workmate to use as a vise for the LG.  I bent it back straight, and  I overcorrected so now the left side of the stab and wing are higher off ground then right...it was vice versa before the repair.  It’s ok, I expect first landings to relax what I did.  Should be good enough.  This plane might be cursed, but I
will try it again tomorrow!  Stay cool!  98F at my house right now.

So now The RV-4 has gone through 4 lives so far!
1.  Wheel fell off with axle.  Made safe landing on runway.
2.  Throttle linkage came undone so landed without throttle control.
3.  Left aileron linkage fell apart.  Made it safely to runway.
4.  Ran over left axle and rubbed wheel with truck.

Will fly again today and see if anything else can go wrong with this plane!

UPDATE:  the plane flew well today.  I had to retrim the surfaces first thing at the field today upon turning the plane on.  Things weren’t centered after the soldering I had done as noted in the beginning of this post.  All went well, nothing fell off in the air, no more curses on the plane today at least, lol.  Got in two flights.  Landings were just ok, not greased on.  Thinking about a little nose weight.

Flight log: 06/12/2019

Today I flew the Osiris five flights.  I tried different pack locations in the plane.  Seems the most rearward line that Rudy drew on the battery plate in the fuse results in the least adverse coupling when in knife edge.  Might try a little more rearward too since my packs are 6s vs the 5s that Rudy gave me with the plane...different weights.  My landings are much better when I bring in the plane on final just a little higher than my others, cut throttle at the edge of the tall grass, then glide in steeper per no throttle, and flare inches above the ground.  Seems to be greased on most of the time now!

Tad flew his Avanti S for the first time at the Dallas field.  Ended in a hard landing when he did not flare, hit the nose first, which then caused a bounce back up with no thrust on.  Left wing tip hit, then the nose, which collapsed in front of the nose gear.  Fixable but it wont be a pretty boy like when new.

I flew the Bravata perhaps last Friday, just once.  It flew fine.  Could not restart it for the second flight, as I think I flooded it by propping it over and it turned out the transmitter was not on.  

Today I replaced the left axle on the RV-4.  Heres the rest of the story:

I drove my boxster the other day so I moved some planes away and placed them next to the truck. Then yesterday I wanted to go out in the truck....I forgot to move the RV-4 and two other planes before moving the truck. The truck tire rubbed hard over the left axle of the RV and brushed the left wheel. That broke the axle and bent the left side of LG. Lucky I had a spare axle (from replacing the one that fell off in the air). So I got out my workmate to use as a vise for the LG. I bent it back straight, and I overcorrected so now the left side of the stab and wing are higher off ground then right...it was vice versa before the repair. It’s ok, I expect first landings to relax what I did. Should be good enough. This plane might be cursed, but I will try it again tomorrow!

No mojo for blog

Been flying but got no mojo for keeping this blog up to date.  Maybe I put too many words into each entry...too much energy!  So maybe i have to be very brief from now on just so long as I log in the number of flights and any adjustments made to the aircraft, mainly as a record book for future reference during repairs, etc.

Yesterday:  Flew P-47 Jug three times in prep for Warbird Day on July 6, a month from now.  The OS91 Surpass II ran flawlessly.  Note I had to replumb the tank after the engine would not start at the field last week.  Cause was collapsed plastic tube in the rubber stopper of the tank.  For some odd reason I used one brass tube, one aluminum tube, and one plastic tube in the stopper when I constructed the plane, or last overhauled the tank...cannot remember if I did so.  Over time the fuel exposure and constant pressure of the rubber stopper collapsed the plastic tube only.  When I opened the tank up and tried to blow through the plastic tube, no noticeable air went through until I reamed the tube open with an L wrench.  Replaced it with another brass tube and the fuel flows and the engine runs again, voila.

Today:  Flew the RV-4 just once.  Left aileron linkage unwound due to engine vibration and loose nuts on each end of the metal control rod between horn and servo.  Yikes!  Thought a parachute opened and that I was going to crash.  Landed safely by keeping throttle on something  more than idle to overcome drag, no flaps deployed for fear of upsetting plane more.  Landed on grass shoulder but rolled onto runway mat.  Saw linkage hanging and left aileron drooping, lol.

Came home and soldered the clevises and nuts to the rod on the horn end of the ailerons and the elevators.  Used blue threadlock on the clevises and nuts on the servo ends of those four servos.  Rudder is cable pull-pull and it looks secure.  Flaps control rods are too hard to remove, as they were a dickens to install into the wings, so I used red/permanent threadlock instead of solder on the horn end clevises and nuts.  Again used blue threadlock on the clevises and horns on the servo end.

Well that is not very brief but at least I got the log done and issues and repairs recorded!