Ed

" Took a while to find the right gyro but it should do the job. $50 bucks is'nt bad for the cost too. It'll be a week or so till it arrives. "till then. MM "

Thanks for the update Mike. I have also replaced those wimpy springs with a push rod, however, she's still a bear on the ground.
Ed

Ed

The little beast has been tamed ! No gyro needed. Take off rolls are now straight as an arrow !

Before I give you the Ultimate Solution, take a careful look atthe following two photos, and tell me what you see that is different ? Can you see it ?

Ed

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

You moved the main landing gear rearward a skosh.

Congratulations.


Ed Cregger

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

Can't see a real difference. I cannot dispute the plane's ability to roll straight down the runway if that's what it's doing but it can't be more than a quarter inch of modification to that LG. It's not a small project to move that LG back just a scooch and make it look factory done. How about some closer photos please. I have a GWS M2001 type gyro on the way and hope to have it by this Friday for install. That little bit made such an improvement on the LG......... Very interesting, More info please. Thanks, MM

sedrick

Ground handling on the take off roll was a bit dicey at first so I started using the grass instead of the paved runway.  That helped alot as it forced the tail to come up during the take off roll.  I have since used the paved runway and leave the elevator at neutral or give it a short bump of down elevator to raise the tail as the throttle is advanced to get the tail up.  Once on the mains the plane tracks straight.  Same as taking off a full scale tail wheel plane.  Rudder inputs are right as power is first given until the tail is up, neutral while on the mains the right again as you lift off and the angle of attack increases.

Ed

No Gyro Needed !
I moved the landing gear rearward by turning it completely around. Instead of raking forward, it now rakes rearward. This actually moves the wheels back at least an inch, and makes a tremendous improvement when tracking. This is not a new idea, I have done it before with other planes, and it works !

A new hole must be drilled to accept the struts, and the fairing must be releived in places, but it is certainly worth it. The wheel pants attachment holes must also be hogged out a little so that the pants can be rotated, and set at the proper angle.

Take it for what it's worth, but for me, it turned a little devil on the ground, into a little darling !

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

The main gear seems to be swept back. That will make take-offs easier on hard surfaces, but it will also make nose-overs more likely, particularly on grass.

Where is your CG and how far in front of the CG are the wheels when the airplane is in flying attitude?

Jim

Ed

Like Mike says, you - " Can't see a real difference "

But it sure makes a difference, when you see it tracking straight down that runway centerline !

Oh, and I don't nose over.

Problem solved ........... Adios.

Ed

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

OK, Now it makes sense. I'll try turning the mains around and go from there. Maybe I'll be able to send the gyros back. Thanks Ed. MM

Ken Cz

Thanks for the tips on the gear - good info. The geart on my big RV-4 is swept back and it's one of the easiest planes I have for take off.

Question: Does anyone know for sure what brand of covering PA uses in the Monocoupe? I tried calling and emailing PA but no answer yet.

Thanks!
Ken

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

Suppose to be Ultracote. Hey Ed, I'm able to use the existing holes on the mains and did'nt have to do anything with the gear fairings. I did add a 3/4 inch extension to the rear struts and made a nice job of it. A little slant-back [canted] just might do the trick. Will finish it tonight, hope for a nice Saturday. Seeya, MM

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

According to Pacific, the Monocoupe is covered with Sig Aerokote. Only the 97" Gee Bee Y is covered with Ultracote.

Jim

Ken Cz

Thanks guys -
Just talked to the Manufacturer/distributor Airborne Models and he said the Sig Aerocote and the World Models Toughlon are the exact same covering - they made it for Sig and put the Sig name on it.
My LHS tells me the SIG covering is not sold under that name any longer and he confirmed the Toughlon is the same stuff.

Ken

Ed

PacificAero was kind enough to send me some pieces for a repair on the Coupe.Both the red, and Cub yellow had no peel off backing, just an exposeddull white adheasive on the back. Is this the same stuffthat you describe above ? Or do they have peel off backings ?

Ed

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

Ed, all done. Now for a nice Saturday
Sure hope it does the job. MM

Ken Cz

Ed,
So as I understand it from the Distrubutor Sig Coverall and Toughlon (used on World Models for sure) are one in the same product.

I have used the Toughlon on my P-47 Thunderbolt and although it is white on the backside there is a very fine 'clear' film that has to be removed. Not exactly easy to pull up an edge to remove it.
Always take me a couple of minutes to do it with the edge of razor blade.

Ken

Ed

Mike, here's something else that you might want to try.Line it up on the centerline, and firewall the throttle. This gets mucho air moving over the rudder and makes it immediately effective. Try this instead of slowly applying throttle. The tail pops up immediately, the stab and rudder are in full effect, and you're running arrow straight right down the runway.

Good luck on Saturday.

Ed.

Let us know how you do ?

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

Ed, Yes I do fly the PACGeeBee Senior Sportster. It's veers off in any direction too on take-off. Not much I can do with the LG on that one so I may just try a Gyro instead. Look's to be rainy all day weekend. Seeya then, MM

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

I have both the Gee Bee Y (82") and the Monocoupe and have never had problems with keeping either one straight on takeoff or landing. Both are box stock with no special parts or upgrades and set up exactly as specified in the instructions. The only plane I ever contemplated as a candidate for a gyro was a .25 size J-3 Cub that was completely uncontrollable on the ground. Problem was ultimately solved by setting up dual rates on the rudder with almost no travel at all on low rates. It utterly changed the nature of the plane. It went fromnot being able to go 5' without a ground loop to tracking straight down the centerline for the entire length of our 300' runway. Try it. It doesn't cost a red cent.

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

It seems obvious that there a couple of flyers here who have never been shown the correct technique for taking off a tail-dragger. It is definitely different and the setup and techniques you use to take off a tricycle willproduce just the results that you describe. You have been given good advice by several posters who fly theMonocoupe (and the Gee Bee Y)using the factory recommended setup and have no trouble. Look at the video on the Pacific website. Clearly the Monocoupe is capable of taking off in a straight line. Those are pretty good indicationsthatyour problems are notrelated to the airplane, but to setup and/or pilot technique.Spending money oncrutches and/or making major modifications to the design of the airplane will not solve your problems. (Lengthened the rear wing strut? That could easilytwist awing. Then it surely won't fly right.) We have tried to explain what you need to do, but perhaps the written word is not adequate for this. Why don't you find an experienced taildragger pilot who can show you how it should be done.

Then maybe you can stop bad-mouthing a very good airplane.

Jim

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

Hey Monocoupe fans Flew mine again today and managed to talk my wife into not only coming out to the field (a rarity) but also shooting some video (almost unheard of). I posted the video on RCU Videos and You Tube as some folks have trouble viewing content on the RCU site. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the plane is set up with throws per the manual and no special equipment. Everything on the video was done with the Tx set on high rates with no expo. It was a very windy day and the breeze couldn't seem to make up its mind which way to blow. I made some cycles on the main runway and then had to switch to the crosswind strip. The plane is a blast to fly.

http://www.rcuvideos.com/video/Monocoupe-wmv-2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvqzLkZVCTo

TooLow

My Feedback: (5)

Your gonna have to put floats on it flying that close to that "flat" runway!

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

Haha! Yeah, we've had more than a few unexpected "baptisms" over the years. A reliable engine is a must

rcar4

Cg question. Do you adjust CG to get the horizontal stab level to ground?
Thanks,
Ron

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

Yes, in cruise flight,most modelairplanes flywith the stab level with the ground,and that isthe proper way toset the CG. If you balance it with the nose (or tail) hanging down, you really don't know where the CG is, but it certainly won't bewhere the designerthought it should be.

Exceptions would be biplanes and some early trainers, but the Monocoupe is not an exception. And even the exceptions should be balanced in flight attitude.

Jim