Build it stock per plans. Fully sheet the wing if your Monokote scheme dictates it. Yes you'll add weight to the very nose...BUT even at 18 pounds+ the JC 60 will push it along VERY nicely AND she'll STILL land at a slow speed. One tip is to cut out the "boat tail" to allow starter motor clearance and move the turbine forward say an inch (25mm) or so.
Dave Rigotti
Originally Posted by
SALMONBUG
That's a excelent idea. I own at least one exemplar of each BTE kit, they all fly great and they all assemble with ease. The parts are cut with a diabolic precision and if something doesn't fit as describe in the book, you may consider you have the wrong part in the hands. Think a LOT before sanding a precision cut part !!
That being said the fact you build a stock basic airframe will garantee you to have a real nice stock R54, but why not taking the oportunity that more compact equipement exist now (R54 has been released in 2004 I think) to corect the chronical tail heavy condition by relocating the onboard equipement ?
If you read what I wrotte yesterday and the answers I received you will see that either you plan to use a light p60 turbine (like me) there is a big chance you will have to add lead in the nose.
So what I will do is to move everithing as forward as possible to try to obtain the lightest possible plane and reach as much as possible goal of the designer. Fly a low wing load jet strong trainer that can be take off on most small club grass field and can be land at walk speed