JimmyZep

I have limited space and was wondering if its ok to stand plane on its spinner?

Its a trainer 40 w/ a Os .46 AX.

Thanks Jimmy

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

It won't damage the airplane. However, there are a couple issues to consider. Number one, any fuel left in them can and will leak onto the floor of where they are stored. Number two, the clunk in the tank may fall forward and cause a problem tne next time you fly. If you can live with those problems, go for it.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

I don't stand my planes on there nose cone, but lots of people do. I don't know ALL the pro's and con's, but one pro is the bearing in the engine has oil on it. One con is the tank has to be empty and the stopper has to be tight so you don't link glow fuel into your plane. When you go to fly, shake the plane to make sure the clunk in lose and NOT stuck in the front of the tank.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I have done it but it depends on the engine and how long it's going to be stored. Over the season, about 3 months I have never had a problem, a bit of oil leakage from the front bearing though. Over time the castor will harden and if stored on the nose over time it can goober up the front bearing. The cheaper bushing engines I have never had a problem. Flip side of this is I have stored planes with pumped engines and over time messed up the pump with old castor oil hardening in the pump. It takes about a year or more for the castor to start hardening.
Now the debate can begin.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

JollyPopper, you beat me to it by one min!

goirish

Hi GrayBeard, the picture you posted taking your plane for a walk, are we going to call you "No Beard" now?

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

run the plane till empty then discconevt the fuel lines restart to purge fuel from the engine add acouple drops of after run oil or marvel mystery oil for winter strage I often rubber band a couple paper towels around the engine to keep dirt away and to catch drips.
If your leaning the plane against the wall consider a PVC pipe or 2x4 and dowel storage rig.
SEARCH plane storage and you'll get tons of pics. Lots of clever space saving ideas.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Gene, the handle Gray Beard was a hunting accident, there was more to it and I have just kept it over the years to remember a very good friend. The beard comes and goes but it is snow white. I have had one sense the mid 70s but last year I took it off and haven't put it back on. The photo isn't me anyway, it was one of my old students that maidened his first gasser that day, the same day as my first mid air. I was just showing you what our winter weather was like. This week all clouds and rain. When you have 7 square miles of flat sometimes you land long, very long. I keep a giant rubber band in my van just for those long walks. A heavy plane can wear out an old guy if he has to carry it for any distance.
I have stated many times the Gray Beard in no way denotes wisdom or knowledge, Just something that happened and lasted a few weeks during hunting season.
If the lake bed fills up again expect an email requesting a loan of those pontoons!!!!!!!!!!
Gene

freakingfast

My Feedback: (3)

As others have said there can be clunk issues and goopie oil running out of the engine. I did have a funny thing happen a week ago. The plane was standing on it's nose in the cold garage and I moved it to the table to quick charge the RX battery. After an hour I came back to check if it was ready and found 3" puddle of thick oil (mostly after-run) under the spinner. Apparently the plastic spinner caught all the oil when the plane was on it's nose and slowly ran out when it was level. If this had been a real cold environment, this could lead to a badly balanced spinner and shake the heck out of things.......or a mess along the way.

Food for thought

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

It's the time zone, scooter. I live ahead of you.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

As noted there is no real problems storing aircraft hanging or standing vertically nose down and I store many of my plug and play aircraft that way.

There will be some dripping on occassion that usually will be only short term unless you left the tank full.

The oil accumulation in the berings and dryed castor if you use it in long term storage is an asset as the castor varnish is one of the best rust preventatives in the berings. Yes it does gum up but unless its litterally years then a little heat will normally free thing up nicely.

As far as stopper problems I nicely avoid any of that by using in the majority of my airplanes only Hayes tanks with 'O' ring plugs without expansion bungs which have many advantages over the conventional types. Long term storage without problems or leakage is one of them.

John

freakingfast

My Feedback: (3)

Hey John, what is that black & blue plane with three engines? I bet that makes an agreeable noise![sm=tongue_smile.gif]

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Ahh - Thats the fuse of my Sea Kaos and my Wing p-38 Yuppee, but I am flying my Stinson tri motor along with a second one still not finished.

John[8D]

oldtyme

As many have mentioned above, I don't think it hurts and I have stored like that for a long time. Right now I have 5 planes hanging from their tail-feathers and no drips........of course I run the engines dry and then use a carb cover. No problems to date and I've used this practice for over 20 years............I'm limited in space too.

Cheers,
Andy

freakingfast

My Feedback: (3)

That's too cool John. I got to get a multi-engine plane.

oldtyme

Hobbico Twinstar is great!! I've had one for quite a while and I love it! Can't beat the price and two OS25LA's really do the trick. Even with those engines it's fast!

ec121

My Feedback: (2)

The problem with storing planes on their nose is with the crankshaft. Some engines will let the crankshaft set back into the backplate and bind. Doesn't happen every time so just be aware of the possibility. I store mine on their nose, but I pad them with foam under the spinner. They are in my shop so leaks don't hurt anything. Just don't pound them into the floor when you set them down. Most of mine are gassers anyway.

ameyam

I need to show the pictures in this thread to my mom. She feels I have too many models already (there are two in assembled, 6 in boxed condition). I have to show he the number in your garages

Ameyam

Oberst

I don't stand my planes on the nose or hang my planes. Afterrun oil and glow seeps through the bearings after a while and leaves a small mess. What I do is I tilt or angle my planes nose down for a few hours, every half hour I rotate the prop to get the oil circulated, then I let the plane sit normal on its wheels. You can hang your planes, I don't do it because I store my planes in the living room and my wife would kill me if I dripped any oil.


Pete

dragonov3

My Feedback: (3)

Your lucky. My wife wont let me bring them into the living room. I also store mine nose down.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

The problem with storing them sitting on their wheels is that most of the tires available to us will develop flat spots if you leave them like that. Makes them roll kind of funny. I guess on a grass field it wouldn't be a problem though.

Oberst

That's why I stay away from foam tires.


Pete