skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

This one started life as an electric (GWS 300-C) but I needed a home for a Sure Start. Hope to Maiden tommorrow if the weather Gods are smiling.

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

Looks nice! I hope it doesn't fold the wings in half like my last electric to sure start conversion did[X(]! Let us know how it goes.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

It should go ballistic, just make sure to remove your name and phone number before releasing it!

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

Without the 110 MaH battery it weighs in at 12.4oz... CP, you think I should put one of my T/Ring cylinders on just in case?..
The goal is to have it lift a 12 oz beer bottle as a pay load.

KidEpoxy

you protecting the foam from fuel/oil with anything, or taking a hands-off foam management stance?

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

No way.......the throttle will just be dead weight while that plane is cruising around with a beer bottle.

Now, if that plane can fly 2 laps [of any size, it don't matter] with a 12 oz beer bottle, I will eat sushi. [:'(]

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Dude take it back quick!! I ate sushi once and ONLY for a hot girl who "loved" it...never again, not even a size 2 hottie red head is worth that crap!!
Now is the beer bottle full or empty? I think I actually would go with the TR for the maiden without the bottle....Rog

KidEpoxy

Clearly, this calls for lite beer: SilverBullet or RR GreenLight

Sushi aint bad:
BeerBattered, Deepfried, Topped with Cheddar & Bacon, and dipped in Ranch sushi is ok.

adam_s_101

how does this thing go with a sure start, ive just ordered parts for a plane fitted with a sure start and im wondering how it will go, are they good engines

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

adam, those engines are mainly good for raising blood pressure and causing headaches.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Adam I've had a couple that ran fine , but we've heard a few horror stories of engines that had metal shavings in the crankcase., so you should probably disassemble yours when you get it just to be sure....Rog

adam_s_101

ok thanks for the advice, ill take it apart when i get it and give it a checking over. are there any other common problems that i should know of. also what size prop would be best fitted.

Andrew

All the Sure Starts I've seen were shipped with a loose piston/rod balljoint. However, if you don't have a reset tool, you can't tighten them up easily. When you run this engine, be sure your fuel has an oil content of around 20% and that the castor content is 16% or better. Many of the folks on this forum like to run 20% straight castor, but finding a fuel with 20 to 25% Nitro and 20% castor can be difficult.

Prop size is 5x3 to 6x3.

adam_s_101

whats it like flying a plane without throttle control, i havent got a massive amount of flying experience

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Adam, unless a plane is over powered ,they usually run at full throttle (the smaller ones anyway) so its not much different..a small tank will run from 3-8 minutes depending on the tank size,,fly it til it runs out of fuel and belly land it in on a deadstick,great fun, and easier than a .40 trainer landing because you dont have a choice,,I have seen .020 planes thermal for almost 20 minutes and I have had .049 planes thermal for probably 8-10 minutes myself, great fun..Rog

dieFluggeister

Nothing like hand launching, full throttling, and dead sticking to develop your flying skills. Not that it is really hard its just a different TYPE of flying. I'm the only guy in my club that flys 1/2A. You should see how excited some of the other guys get when their engine quits. "DEADSTICK!! Heads up everybody, Fred's comming in deadstick!" I just smile.

On the other hand 8 minutes is a really looooong time when your right aileron sticks right after launch and you can't bring it down.

mclintock

My Feedback: (3)

Do gliders pilots have to announce 'deadstick' when they glide down too?

brocja01

Adam,

I was in your shoes about 3 months ago when I decided to build a DNU with a Cox .049 Black Widow. I had only flown my 40 size trainer and was a little worried about flying a plane without a throttle. But it isn't that bad, actually it is very fun, you have to be atleast a step or 2 infront of the plane because there isn't any slowing it down once it is in the air. And don't worry about the dead stick landings, what I did is figured out how long the engine would run flat out, and then on my time gave myself a minute or so to get up a little higher and just start doing circles around the field. That way when the engine quit, I was usually in a good spot to land.

Depending on how much time you want to give yourself, (I just gave myself a minute because I'm still pretty new to flying), I suppose you would only need to take 30 seconds or so to get someplace safe so it will be easier to do the landing.

Take you time, don't get too tense and you'll be just fine.

adam_s_101

thanks for all the feedback thats really made me feel more confident, i just realy liked the look of 1/2A and its not too expensive either which suits me great.

do most of you guys hand launch then, ive tryed that and seen videos and it seems a little dodgey to me, i prefer to take off from the ground, i was thinking of attaching some wheels to the plane when its made, what do you guys think?

brocja01

Taking off from the ground without throttle controll will be very difficult. Exspecially if you go with a 2 channel (aleron, elevator) type of setup. Hand launching is easy, get the plane over your head, and throw into the wind. Depending on the plane, you shouldn't have to throw it very hard. My DNU is a light toss and away it goes.

mr_leffe

Wheels are weight and drag... Most full size airplanes retract theirs after take off.

adam_s_101

ive been thinking that if the plane is to quick for me to start with that i might put somthing over the air intake to reduce its size, has anybody tried this before

KidEpoxy

Maybe use a #8 screw into the choketube from the side, with jamnut/spring
Run it in halfway across, adjust the needle to run right, observe the rpm
Maybe you can dial in just the rpm you want

But rather than dcrease total power, increase Drag. You want the power when slow, but you dont want speed, and drag only comes into play with speed. Streamers dont do anything when stopped, and have more effect the faster you go. More drag will slow you down, but let you have full power for taking off & low speed climbing.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

The classic way to reduce thrust on small engines for test flights is to mount the prop backwards. That way the engine runs as usual and won't complain, but your thrust is reduced quite a bit. Fit a 6-3 MA or 6-2 APC backwards IMHO for first flights. Or whatever you have on it now, doesn't matter too much. If you are trying to keep speed in check for the fact that this is a foamie I'd go 6-2 or 5.5-2, 6-3 next.

Flying 1/2A non-throttled aircraft is pure, sweet simple fun and I contiue to love it to this day. Makes me feel like a kid again, but it's not kid stuff. The simplicity is the factor, and it brings me back to days as a kid with a battery, a can of fuel with piston pump, and a 1/2A whatever, usually a sheet-balsa control-line model but sometimes a sport FF. As someone else mentioned, horse around for the first 1/2-3/4 tank, then get some altitude befoer the engine quits to maximize glide time and give you lots of time to set up for the landing.

Don't tear those wings off! What's the span of this thing? I'd leave the wheels as is, you don't want to push this thing fast [X(]

MJD

dieFluggeister

A better bet may be to reduce the prop pitch. APC makes a 6x2 that might work if your LHS carries them. Otherwise I have heard from some of the guys here that you can turn the prop around on the shaft so that the prop turns backwards and that will reduce the thurst and speed. Never tried it but have seen it done and it works I guess.

Cox's seem to be 'throttled' best by closing the exhaust port rather than the intake and they do make a throttle sleeve for that purpose.

Edit: MJD - you beat me to the post. Sorry about the repeat...