flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I picked up a Meridian and an Evolution 10cc gas engine this past week and will be building it as close to stock as possible. I'll be as detailed as I can and will update as I progress. I will be breaking the engine in and then do some test flights and perhaps a video or two.


Brian

flyinwalenda

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The arf was boxed well and there were no broken parts. I did notice that the manual was missing pages 19 through 34. Not a problem though but for a novice it would have been an issue ,but it is online . I checked another plane and that manual was complete so it must have been a on-off error.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

flyinwalenda

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I collected most of the recommended parts as per the manual to use in the plane. I didn't have enough Spektrum A6060 servos so I supplemented with Hitec 5485HB. I will be putting the Spektrums in the fuse for elevator, rudder, and throttle and the Hitec's in the wing panels for the ailerons and flaps. The extension leads I doubled the length as they usually measure it with hardly any slack. I'll be installing a Life battery for the ignition and a NiMh 6v for the receiver. JR switches and a Spektrum AR7010 receiver.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I went though the fuselage and glued all the the joints that I could reach especially the firewall using CA. I checked the supplied hardware and it is decent quality but the screws and bolts could be better.

The covering has a lot of wrinkles especially on the fuse and some on the wing panels. Most Hangar 9 models are usually good in this department. Not sure what happened here.

Otherwise no surprises so far.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

After I re-glued the fuselage I got ready to install the control surfaces on the wing panels. I don't care for the CA hinges and I would have rather used hinge-point hinges but I wanted to build this one as close to stock as possible. The wings and surfaces were already slotted and all that had to be done was to drill a weep hole in the center of each slot so the CA can wick into the hinges properly. They all went in nicely and alignment was good. I did notce the right aileron surface was a bit warped but I should be able to get that back with a heat gun.

I then got everything ready to mount the servos in the wing panels and install the linkages. I re-glued the servo mounts and then installed the servos for the ailerons and flaps in each panel. Then I installed the control horns and the supplied linkages. I did notice the "Z" bends were bent a bit too far and bound on the servo arm. Had to open them up a little to correct.

Next I installed the servo extensions for the aileron servos and that wrapped up the wing panels.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Next I expoxied the elevator halves together and let that dry. I then got the horizontal stab ready to mount on the tail. After the epoxy cured I installed the elevator surface onto the stab using the CA hinges. Then I prepped the stab to be glued into the tail.

As I was aligning the horizontal stab I took my measurements from the wing where the aileron opening starts (in fro the wing tip) at the point up to the outside corner of the stab. I noticed the left side was off by about 3/16 of an inch. I checked and double checked and it came up the same each time.
I then measured from the fuselage ( I clamped a straight edge square across to use as my guide) and I found my original markings to be very close so I set it using the marks from the fuselage. I then went back and checked it using my wing measuring points and again the left side was off about 3/16 of an inch. I took the wing panels off and measured each from the inside to the where the aileron cut is and the left wing is 3/16" longer , however measuring out to the tip each wing measures the same. So I went back and used my measurements from the fuselage to set the horizontal stab and glued it in

On my next stop to my LHS I checked another Meridian and sure enough that wing panel was off the same amount so it must be something in the manufacturing jigs for the left or right panels.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Next I installed the vertical stab onto the tail. No surprises here and it went in nice and square. After the epoxy cured I installed the rudder into the stab using the CA hinges. I then installed the control horns in the elevator and rudder.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Next I installed the control rods for the elevator and rudder.


Will have to trim off the bolt ends as they as a bit too long.

flyinwalenda

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Next I installed the servos in the fuselage for the throttle, elevator, and rudder/nosewheel. Everything fit perfect and no cutting or sanding required to get the servos to fit in. I installed the arms and connected the control rods for the elevator and rudder/nosewheel

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Next I installed the motor mounts and put threadlock on the bolts.

I also removed the nosewheel bolts and put threadlock on them and reinstalled as I'm sure these would have worked loose after a few landings.

I also drilled the hole for the throttle control tube/rod per the manual but I thought it was going to be too much of a bend to reach the carb throttle arm. My thoughts were right and I ended up changing this later on.

flyinwalenda

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I then epoxied in the shelf for the receiver and epoxied in the saddle for the fuel tank. Then I installed the switches for the ignition and the receiver using the cutouts on the outside of the fuselage. I didn't install charge jack switches as the canopy easily comes off to access the charge leads inside from the regular switches.

I installed the NiMh battery with foam and secured it on it's shelf with velcro strips.


I installed the extensions into the receiver and installed the receiver onto it's shelf with velcro and mounted the satellite on the inside of the fuselage. I secured and dressed all of the cables .

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I was going to use a LiFe battery but it was too long to fit in the fuselage so I opted for a LiPo instead. I installed the proper plug on the lipo and secured it using velcro to the bottom of the fuselage under the fuel tank.

The ignition module for the Evolution 10CC is very compact compared to normal ignitions boxes. This will be a plus for most 40-60 planes. I mounted the ignition module using velcro to the bottom of the fuselage under the fuel tank.

I also installed a JST balance extension to the lipo so the battery can be charged and balanced in the plane. Yes I know some don't like to do that but I have been doing it with no issues in other planes and I believe if you properly handle,charge, monitor, and maintain them you won't have any issues.

You have to cut out a small piece of the ring for the fuel tank neck in the firewall so the sparkplug wire can fit in. A small saw works fine for this.

I also cut off the one engine mount bolt end (upper left when looking from the nose of the plane) as it looked like it might rub the fuel tank when installed.

I secured and dressed all of the cables/wires and I tucked the charge jack and balance jack for the lipo on the inside of the fuselage. I will be labeling all of the leads later on .

I then set the engine on the rails and measured 136mm from the firewall to the front of the thrust washer. Drilled the holes and mounted the engine. At this point I installed the control rod for the throttle and noticed it was a bit of a stretch to reach the throttle arm. I decided to reroute the tube and drilled another hole more inline with the arm . The hole was about 1/2" below the upper left mount bolt. center-center I drilled through the mount and firewall,reinstalled the tube and rod and the geometry is much better now. The supplied nylon clevis is not the greatest and I will want to replace it with a nylon type with the metal pin at a later date before the cowl goes on.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Front shot of the engine with the newly located throttle control rod.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I installed some foam padding around the bottom of the fuel tank and around the neck to protect it and to try and keep the vibration(and bubbles) down.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I removed the aluminum lines from the supplied tank stopper and replaced them with brass. The aluminum was very thin and brittle.

Next on the list if to plumb the tank and engine, install the landing gear and set-up the radio. Then I want to get the engine started and break it in on the ground  . Then I'll fit and cut the cowl , balance it,and get it ready for it's maiden flight.

fly210sv

My Feedback: (1)

Really apreciate your posting on this. Looking foward to your report on the engine. I'm thinking about refitting a sundowner with this engine. Thanks

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I plumbed the tank , installed it and plumbed the engine. I'm going to install a fuel dot so as not to disconnect the main line from the carb to fuel up.

I installed the wheel pants and wheel onto the main gear. Just have to cut away the fiberglass so the axle will slide up in. They went together fine.
The wheel pant for the nose could have been prepped better. They installed /glued two small pieces of thin plywood inside the pant where you mount a nylon strap to hold the pant to the nose wheel gear/rod. These small pieces easily split even after drilling the pilot hole. It would have been better to glue one slightly larger and heavier piece inside where you would drill through for the rod to enter and have more meat for the screws to bite into.

raydar

Nice thread, and nice motor. Looking forward seeing how this little gasser works out.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I set-up the radio and took it outside to run the first tanks of fuel through it. I installed a 10X6 prop and mixed up a half gallon of gasoline with some dino oil at 20:1 and filled the tank. I primed the carb by hand then tried manually flipping it but no go. Tried a few more times but couldn't get it to kick. I hooked up the starter and spun the engine and saw it was drawing fuel. Opened the HS needle a bit and opened the throttle a bit more and hit it again with the starter. This time it started right up and kept running. I left it a 1/4 throttle and the black deposits were blowing out of the engine. I opened the HS needle some more to keep it rich. Throttled up a bit then down and monitored the temp. It was very windy today and about 20 degrees so it was doing fine.

After about 25 min the first tank was gone and I let it cool down . I put two more tanks through it running on the rich side , transitioning the throttle here and there and the black deposits just kept coming , but it started to idle good on the third run.


After that I set out to clean-up the mess it left on the plane. A little Naptha took it off in a jiffy but there was a lot of black goo ! Hopefully this will start to lessen during the next several tanks on an 11x6 prop.

I would say to seal the bare wood on the canopy and on the fuse where it mates to the canopy with clear poly. The exhaust deposits will find their way between the canopy and the fuse and having the wood sealed will allow for a quicker clean-up/ Also take the time and seal the edges of the coating where it wraps around the fuse under the canopy. It is already starting to come loose.

Also add some glue to the carbon fiber pins they put into the front of the canopy. I lost one today and the other was very loose.

Next I will put the 11x6 prop on it and run 3 more tanks through and see how it's doing!

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5NHpp1hCto[/youtube]


www.youtube.com/watch

rfan_1

My Feedback: (2)

Interesting. Note the firewall flex.

fly210sv

My Feedback: (1)

THE SNOW IS THE BEST PART...LOL

rfan_1

My Feedback: (2)

Yea... that does look kinda cold. We don't get snow very often down here in Houston.

tkline

Looking forward to a flight report I'm very interested in how these new engines are going to perform. And was this arf made especially for this engine?