Should be at the field Sunday, Sept 10 11 am-1:30 pm NICE DAY!!

[Frank v B]

Happy to help if you are trying to maiden, trim or re-trim an airplane.
I am planning to be at Rogo Field Sunday from 11 am-1:30 pm.

Frank

[Frank v B]

it ended up a warm day, very light wind down the runway...at times... One of those days that if you did not like the wind direction, wait 30 seconds.

Geoff, Mandeep and Jan were there finishing their last flights when I arrived.  Then Noah, Michael, David and Glenn showed up.

Maidened my new Texan AT 6 (E-Flite Platinum edition, Power 25).  This design is notoriously squirrely on take-off and landing.  Added some nose weight and added about 1/16" "up" aileron at neutral to add a safety margin*.  Used the largest 3-cell battery I had (3200) to help with nose weight.

It took off fine and took about a circuit to get to hands-off flying.  Landed hot to avoid any kind of stall.  The landing went fine.  Phew!

Photo report:
99- my new Texan AT 6
02- ditto
04- Michael checking his co-pilot is awake.
05- David assembling his big T-28 wing
07- It is Sunday.  David is on his knees praying to the foam gods.

Frank

* by putting the ailerons "up" about 1/16" when neutral it adds wash-out to the wing.  This helps delay/avoid a stall.  After several flights and the plane is trimmed, this can be returned to "neutral".

[Michael]

Photos - today.

David's C130

Glenn's Proctor Antic

Kenny and David with large E-Flite T28 aircraft.

[Frank v B]

Worked at the CG problem with the Texan.

Objective:
1) to move the CG farther forward.  The maiden flight was fine but the plane seemed to be on edge.  It showed some tail-heavy tendencies.
2) try to remove the Higley Heavy Hub.  It is a solid brass prop nut (photo 08).  It weighs 2.3 oz.  We used it on IC motors because it places the weight as far forward as possible.  The bad news on electric motors- it can bend the shaft or rip the motor out of its mounts if the shaft is not true.

Total weight of the weight removed- 4.1 oz.  The batteries were behind the firewall.  The brass hub was ahead of the prop. Photo 10
Found a kitchen tap counterweight (split) that weighed 5.4 oz and mounted it ahead of the firewall. Photos 11, 13
The flight battery was moved forward 1/2".  It cannot move further forward.

My guess is this change will move the CG a bit forward (1/4").  Anything will help.  It will always be an option to add the brass hub ahead of the prop.

Frank

[Knightlite]

If you are going to add that much weight can you add another battery? Stack 2 batteries in parallel in the battery compartment one on top of the other?

[Frank v B]

Colin,

The problem with adding more batteries is that they are located close to the CG.  My attempt was to add as little weight as possible by moving it forward.  This plane has a large solid firewall with a motor on stand-offs.  It prevents the battery from moving forward for CG balance.  Doubling up the batteries would add all the weight close to the CG.

In the whole process I only added 1 oz..  There is more than enough power.  Duration is not an issue. The CG moved forward enough to enter it into the safe zone.  We will find out for sure next time I fly it.

Frank