Robert Groves

I think I would also dedicate a battery to smoke.... im a bit worried about smoke after the interference discussion though

right some pics finally.
First of all the Trailing edge wing gap. As the covering reflects and gives a reflecton of the TE, making it look worse, I took the pic from the top.
Im not sure to be worried or not....I'm inclined towards the not..



Engine mounting.... I managed to sculpt the engine mounts so the DLE 20 could move back as much as possible. I got it pretty close to where the needles were close to the mount. After tightening up I realised the HS needle was just on touching the mount so cut part of the mount screw away... All engine parts are not 1-2mm away.


mount shim...


I'm really looking forward to getting her in the air. off for work till Tuesday than perhaps i can carry on.

mach2

My Feedback: (5)

That's a pretty cool little rod setup youve got for the elevators.

For the wing gap, I recall having a little issue with the dowels not lining up just right with the holes on my second plane. I just shaved a bit off the dowel and it went in just fine. maybe thats your issue. If the dowel doesn't line up, it will keep the wing from sliding in all the way. Id say its fine, but if it does vibrate its way in while flying, it may release tension on your wing bolt. If the wing bolt loosens up during flight, it could end badly. I had a wing bolt back out on my Edge 540. It was flopping around and caused the plane to start doing snap rolls. I cut the throttle and got it down with only the engine box breaking. So I didn't lose the whole plane. But I got lucky.

Robert Groves

ok thanks for the advice.
Im just about done on the setup now, winmgs will go in for balancing later or tomorrow i hope ill try and shave some off the dowel.
This plane apart from this issue is build very solidly. i think this plane should last a while if it is cared for
some pics to come soon..

SigMan

My Feedback: (21)

have 70" Revolver and 20cc XYZ from Valley View new in box if anyone is interested. pm me.

wjcalhoun

Why are you selling?

VictoryRoll

My Feedback: (2)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone ! Have a great day!

SigMan

My Feedback: (21)

never got around to assembling it. plus my eyes aint what they use to be and want a bigger, slower high wing plane.

motor12

I have started to collect parts for the 70 inch Revolver, waiting for it to get back in stock. I am installing a DLE 20 and have a question about the engine mount that comes with the model. Is this the mount that is used or do I need to purchase another mount. I have reviewed the thread and looked at photos that show the mount modified with a shim to adjust the thrust line. Is this standard procedure when installing the DLE20. Thanks..

Robert Groves

I used the same mount, I had to cut the arms off and reglue them under the opposite arm for mounting. i even used the same holes on the box, with the mount at the outermost extensions.
I did use my dremel and sculpt the mount(and a screw) to get the engine as far back as possible maintaining a 2mm gap so the cowl/spinner gap was minimal.

Robert Groves

apparently a shim to create some down thrust is needed, i used 2 x standard washers on both top mounting holes, u can see it in the pic.
BTW!!!!!! THE DAY HAS COME! I am finished!
If the weather holds out and it doesn't rain, I am planning on maidening mine tomorrow!

motor12

Good luck, I'm sure all will go well. Let us know if the shim for down thrust was correct. Thanks

Robert Groves

oh well, went out this morning, but had some engine issues, The DLE 20 didnt seem to be sucking any fuel, but managed to get that sorted and engine tuned up right again, but by then the rain and wind were back, oh well, another day......

Robert Groves

we have a weather station at the club... i was ready to fly at 10 lol...

wjcalhoun

Robert
I find that the DLE20 does dry out if it has not run for a week or so. Mine takes 10 flips choke on before it pops if I have not flown for a few weeks. After that, starts quickly. At first I thought the low end was lean, but am convinced now that the tune is right; its just that the carb goes dry. Certainly different than the 55s.

motor12

How did the maiden go......

Robert Groves

I didnt get to fly that morning,,,,,,, but went back in the afternoon to maiden and did.
Engine problems sorted, I did a ground test and she tracks well on the ground..... and wow looks good!!
Back to the pitts to top off....( didnt as there was no usage--- love gas)

Managed 1 x10 minute flight on the maiden before wind was howling again... good old Cape Town!
flight was good, nice and easy take off on half rates ( i have full half and low rate options programmed into a single switch)

Take off was great, added throttle gently and it took off on its own, some down elevator needed for level flight.
I needed a few clicks left ail as well. One of my ailerons wasn't flush with the wing, so was expecting some feed-in here.
All leveled now and on the downwind leg, picked up speed quick!!!
When i was trimming the down elev, i needed to feed in some down elev to keep level and wow did it dive for the ground quick.... the down elev is quite sensitive, might be the down shim? not anything to be overly concerned about but did notice it was sensitive, may adjust the travel on the down when i see a little more.
Flight was great in general, did some rolls and loops on all rates, all very nice

Thsi engine has only has 2 tanks (now 3 ) through it so still being careful and mostly sticking to half throttle.

Now for landing..... always the biggy haha

I tested stall speed at high Alt, but with the wind i got the plane to hover at 45 degrees on idle lol.
I have 2 level of flaps (+elev down) programmed in but didn't even try this out yet.

lined up and came into the wind, cut the throttle to lower the alt, it just stuck there haha, until it stalled and dropped (very nicely I must say though)
Had to go around again and came in a bit lower, i think the wind was a bit stronger higher up.
lower worked better, a few clicks on the throttle keeps the angle of attack very gently.
Touch down was nice and rolled to a stop in 10ft (wind was strong by then)

All i all I think this is the Sunday flyer I have been looking for Not boring to fly with its acrobatic potential and I'm really looking forward to pushing things a little more.
I am going to have fun with this plane!!!!!!

Cg was just on 6" and feels just great there.
Will put the wheel pants on for the weekend
10 minutes left me with a half tank.

Im glad the wing gap i have made no difference.
I will need to fly on a calmer day to fully comment on the shim, but it looks like the plane is tracking fine. the verticals I did do, saw the plane go straight up without tenancy to loop on me, but the wind may have been at play.

Robert Groves

On the engine, I am still unsure of the problem.
I was priming the engine for 1.5 hours flipping the prop to get fuel in, i even turned the plane and ign off to save battery while i was doing it.... noting! just no fuel coming through the line??? Carb fully closed and variations of throttle opening, nothing!
My hand was so sore from flippin the prop i took a break and took the plane under cover.
after a little while I thought to give it another go.
I left the ignition off because after flipping so much i was not being as cautious with my hand lol
After 10 flips of almost pure frustration, I wasn't even looking at the fuel line anymore haha I saw fuel oosing out the carb - engine flooded! fuel line full??? WHAT???
Left the ignition off, opened the carb and cleared the engine.
Ignition on, started first time?

I don't get what happened? The engine just wasn't sucking fuel in. When the carb gets dry, can this happen?

I adjusted the engine and did the maiden, no hassles

Anyone else heard of this? I had the club instructor take a look as I couldnt see anything I was doing - neither could he, it should be sucking.
I thought I may have had a leak, but clearly thats not the case?

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

The carb depends on check valves that are a pretty crummy design. They consist of nothing more than a rubberized fabric flap. There's NOTHING that encourages that flap/check valve to work properly if it's dry? Wet, they'll work just fine!

One thing I started doing with new engines, when the plane is all built, to the point I'll be installing the engine for the last time (hopefully!), I'll take the cover off the carb that's held in place with one screw, and drip some fuel into the carb, filling it the best I can. This results in a much easier (shorter) time priming it that first time around.

Glad to hear you're going to fly it a few times prior to doing much in the way of trimming. She's an awesome sport flier - to the point some of the guys I fly with consider it a 3D plane? Entertaining to fly is an understatement....

Congrats on the successful maiden flight! Best of luck of luck with it. -Al

Robert Groves

thanks al

motor12

Yes,congrats on the maiden. I'm looking forward to this airplane.

Robert Groves

3 flights on the revolver this weekend.
have a 3200mah LiFE running rx and ign. Seems like I will be able to get a few more off this setup.
I am yets to measure the capacity left since coming home from the field.

Another day of strong wind, so cant comment on the shim.
getting 15minutes on a half tank of the DLE 20. had about 35-40 minutes of flying time in total.
I think I will be changing the following:
full rates in rudder ON all the time..
I tried flaperons and the plane went into a dive..... taking off ALL elevator down mix for the next try.

I re-adjusted the engine as I was nto happy with it dying on me when bringing it back to idle.... gurgling nicely now and very relible. it took realising that adjusting the bottom meant readjusting the top

It was mentioned to me at the club that using a synthetic will take forever to break in the DLE, I should be using a 32 mix of cheap non-synthetic for 5l to break in, your comments would be most welcome please

Hope everyone's flying is going well

R

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

The plane could use more rudder I think. I generally don't run wheel pants as I fly off grass, but on this plane I was a little disappointed regarding it's ability to knife edge? Adding the side area of the wheel pants made a very noticeable difference.

Flaperons- Trimmed properly, with the CG set for good aerobatic performance, the plane will fly at a little better than a walking speed. Why mess with something like flaperons?

A gurgling 20 is a happy one - that doesn't quit. Stop listening to it and just fly it.... Do open the plug gap to .025-.026". That'll help it run cleaner running that fat mixture w/less gurgling. Many will notice a big difference with that tiny change...

Re: break in? Who cares? Are you thinking it's going to have a lot more power or something? You really need more power than you have? It'll stop blowing the black stuff all over your plane at about the same time running dino or synth. I run good oil (anything that says "approved for use in air cooled engines") that's easy to find and not too expensive, have never had an oil related failure, and the engine will likely last longer than I do. IMHO, the "break in" time has more to do with how long it takes somebody to learn how to tune it properly than anything else?

Nice to hear the testing is going well! -Al

Robert Groves

Hi Al, I concur.
My maiden was of course without wheel pants and the knife edges were a lot better with them off......

Yes, flaperons not needed so far, with strong headwind. I have got walking speed landings.... without wind may be the real test? i really do think it may be a little faster.... Personally I like the option of flaps during flying as well.

Yes the engine sounds like a happy one. I had some reliability issues, engine cutting out on throttle cut back to idle, that seems to be sorted now, i think the engine is not running full rpm, running rich slightly down from there.
Yes the engine is reliable, and the plane is fast enough, but while an engine is breaking in, you cant let it overheat etc, so acrobatics need to wait...and im kind of keen to do a little more. Also running at full rpm for long periods is also not the best thing to do from what i have been told. This is my first gas engine.
also..... the sooner I get it broken in, the sooner I can stick a new one on and break that in. The broken in one is planned for a blue nose mustang

Tuning the engine was a little more difficult than i expected. The pro tuned it for maiden, but was cutting out on idle, i thought it was too lean on idle and set the low end, all fine, but as soon as i touched the top end it would cut out on opening the throttle. At the end of it, the low end was too rich if i recall.
How much ca you change the top end before having to readjust the bottom?

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

I start with the top end, peaking then going as fat as I can without loosing rpm (or maybe just a couple if the engine is new or on it's maiden). Then low end, going for throttle response. Back to high for a quick check, then go fly and do what it takes from there? I do not go for extended "ground" tuning. Consider that a complete waste of time because experience has taught me tune requirements WILL change once airborne. No "might" or "maybe" to it. So to answer your question, I might make a change to the top with no change to the bottom? Requirements to be determined strictly by what I think it's doing in the air. If you know it's off, but not which way to go to fix it, try rich first, there's no way you'll hurt it doing that?

After 10-12 tanks, I run them like they're a rental! Still no extended wide open throttle quite yet, but short (10 sec.?) bursts of vertical followed by a mid throttle cool down is helping to break it in?

Difference in our results, wheel pants vs. none, may be due to where our CG's are located?

mach2

My Feedback: (5)

Not a whole lot of detailed helpful info from me, but i write anyway. Just to second Al, i tuned my engine where it was perfect on the ground. Pointless, it was way off when flying.

For the knife edge, i found it to fly nicely with almost no coupling of input needed. Yes, it has to have pretty good speed (i think because shes a slippery little body) and a lot of rudder, but no bad habits. I always fly with wheel pants, and my rudder deflection is full. Almost touching the elevators (i use about 20%expo if i remember correctly).

oh, one point on the DLE. Id really recommend switching to a DLE 30 or 55 ignition. Or even an rcxl. Something without the variable timing. Once i went to a dle30 ign, my transitions were perfect. it solved that annoying hang in rpm when dropping to idle. With the stock ign, it would hang for a few seconds before settling down. The new box made it very responsive, and stopped any popping or hesitation when adding throttle as well. Just a thought. landing this plane with the engine humming along is a headache...