bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
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bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
As you may be aware I have been a great proponent of using CA hinges. Something strange happened the other day, I blew the left elevator off my UCD 40. The elevator came off in one piece, leaving the fuzzy part of the hinge in the balsa and the center section exposed. I have always considered this to be a fun plane, that could be seen as expendable if I was having enough fun.
Let me give you a little history on the plane. UCD 40 with a Saito 100 swinging an APC 16 x 4W prop running on 30% nitro. Since I used the stock fuel tank and the engine was new the first flights were about 5 minutes long and later I was able to progress to about 10 minute flights. Lets just average it out and say the flight time is about 7 1/2 minutes.
I have managed to knock the landing gear off 3 times. Twice from starting blenders when the plane was a dot in the sky then realizing I had a dead engine when I went into the blender at 20 feet. Needless to say, you land it anywhere and anyway you can under such circumstances. Amazingly never broke a prop in any of these. One time was just from plain old dumb thumbs. I also managed to break its back or at least the balsa stringers that form the turtledeck during one of these events.
I managed to break the horizontal stab off both sides, twice, while doing roller coasters. Got smart and added a brace on each side from the bottom of the fuse out to the end of the stab, end of that problem.
I like to do some harrier landings, the tail wheel bends up a little at times and I don’t catch it. I have a lot of throw and sometimes the elevator counterbalances will catch the ground, ripping the elevators off. Leaves the forward piece intact, you know the one, yeah that one, the one that the CA hinges are in. Everything else breaks off. Maybe I put too much reinforcement in on the last repair.
Anyway, back to the original subject. The other day was the first time in a while it was not cold, raining or the wind blowing like crazy. We did have a rather large puddle of water in the center of the field that was several inches deep. Only the diehards were out to fly, OK, I was the only one at the field. Since its after Jan 1, 04 I don’t want to say exactly what I was doing but I did find that if I did a modified harrier landing (sounds like a good explanation to me) I could get the counterbalances to send water flying. I even discovered that the faster and harder I repeated the process the higher and farther the water would go.
Now you remember me mentioning that the tailwheel would bend up. I guess I managed to pick up a little too much water with the counter balances and it tore holes in the right elevator monokote and blew the left one clean off the plane.
Now here’s the dilemma, what or who do I blame. I just know none of it could have been my fault!!! I mean the plane has only survived over 18 in the air hours of this stuff. Damn soft tail wheels and crappy CA hinges.
BTW, monokote patched, elevator stuck back on, why didn’t it rain again yesterday.[>:]
Ed M.
Let me give you a little history on the plane. UCD 40 with a Saito 100 swinging an APC 16 x 4W prop running on 30% nitro. Since I used the stock fuel tank and the engine was new the first flights were about 5 minutes long and later I was able to progress to about 10 minute flights. Lets just average it out and say the flight time is about 7 1/2 minutes.
I have managed to knock the landing gear off 3 times. Twice from starting blenders when the plane was a dot in the sky then realizing I had a dead engine when I went into the blender at 20 feet. Needless to say, you land it anywhere and anyway you can under such circumstances. Amazingly never broke a prop in any of these. One time was just from plain old dumb thumbs. I also managed to break its back or at least the balsa stringers that form the turtledeck during one of these events.
I managed to break the horizontal stab off both sides, twice, while doing roller coasters. Got smart and added a brace on each side from the bottom of the fuse out to the end of the stab, end of that problem.
I like to do some harrier landings, the tail wheel bends up a little at times and I don’t catch it. I have a lot of throw and sometimes the elevator counterbalances will catch the ground, ripping the elevators off. Leaves the forward piece intact, you know the one, yeah that one, the one that the CA hinges are in. Everything else breaks off. Maybe I put too much reinforcement in on the last repair.
Anyway, back to the original subject. The other day was the first time in a while it was not cold, raining or the wind blowing like crazy. We did have a rather large puddle of water in the center of the field that was several inches deep. Only the diehards were out to fly, OK, I was the only one at the field. Since its after Jan 1, 04 I don’t want to say exactly what I was doing but I did find that if I did a modified harrier landing (sounds like a good explanation to me) I could get the counterbalances to send water flying. I even discovered that the faster and harder I repeated the process the higher and farther the water would go.
Now you remember me mentioning that the tailwheel would bend up. I guess I managed to pick up a little too much water with the counter balances and it tore holes in the right elevator monokote and blew the left one clean off the plane.
Now here’s the dilemma, what or who do I blame. I just know none of it could have been my fault!!! I mean the plane has only survived over 18 in the air hours of this stuff. Damn soft tail wheels and crappy CA hinges.
BTW, monokote patched, elevator stuck back on, why didn’t it rain again yesterday.[>:]
Ed M.
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
After you filled the elevators up with water ya shoulda went lookin' for a fire to put out. Coulda flown over and rained down the wter on it!
Sounds like you have a lotta fun with that plane.
Sounds like you have a lotta fun with that plane.
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
It's starting to look like GP got a bad batch of CA hinges.
To everyone who has had this happen with GP hinges, PLEASE, contact GP's customer service and report this!
http://www.greatplanes.com/feedback/...-comments.html
To everyone who has had this happen with GP hinges, PLEASE, contact GP's customer service and report this!
http://www.greatplanes.com/feedback/...-comments.html
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
Mike, don't think I can fault the CA hinges for not being able to withstand the crap I have put this plane thru.
cstevec, it surprised me how little water was actully in the right side elevator.
I had a feeling something bad would happen after I posted this, and it did. Can't say I have not broken a prop on this one now. Got the landing gear and the prop yesterday. Stripped another set of servo gears in the ailerons while low and well I'm not exactly sure what part of a position it was in when the right one let go. 9001's just can't seem to handle the long term loading. I knew that when I put them in, but every other stronger matching pair I had was in use at the time.
Ed M.
cstevec, it surprised me how little water was actully in the right side elevator.
I had a feeling something bad would happen after I posted this, and it did. Can't say I have not broken a prop on this one now. Got the landing gear and the prop yesterday. Stripped another set of servo gears in the ailerons while low and well I'm not exactly sure what part of a position it was in when the right one let go. 9001's just can't seem to handle the long term loading. I knew that when I put them in, but every other stronger matching pair I had was in use at the time.
Ed M.
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
Sounds like a spad might be the ticket for ya.
Course I'm not sure a spad could put up with the thrashin you give it!
Course I'm not sure a spad could put up with the thrashin you give it!
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
aimmaintenance, that is a thought. Got the stuff to build a few, but so far this one has been too easy to repair. I'm well under $10 an hour for the fun I have had out of it, not counting fuel. Just not sure what size spad I would have to build to hold the 100.
Ed M.
Ed M.
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
Ed Well I certainly have posted my comments about CA hinges in past threads, but mostly referencing larger gas models. I put Radio South hinges in my U-Can-Do, but I probably won't fly it as hard as you did. I did manage to get extra hinges in the ailerons, but not in the rudder or the elevators. Arrgh....Wish I had now. Until I had the CA hinge problem in my Pitts I was a firm believer in them. One thing to note is that it does seem that most of what I have read on CA hinge failures are resulting form the stock G.P. hinges that come in the kits. Just an observation, but could be wrong. I became sold on the Radio South CA hinges after several post on RCU convinced me that this was the best alternative for the right airplane and motor. Will see, but I won't ever use them again in a larger gas model.
Man Ed, you have been hard on this airplane..........
Man Ed, you have been hard on this airplane..........
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
It will fly again by the weekend. Getting a pair of the cheap Hitec standard digitals for the ailerons. They have held up so well on the tail I think it will be cheaper in the long run than replacing servo gears.
Roger, when I replaced the CA hinges in the left elevator I did replace the stock GP hinge with some from Radio South, just in case. I can't fault the stock hinges in any way tho and that was sorta my whole point of the post.
My hope is to get another 20 hours or so out of the airframe, then I think it may be pretty well trashed out.
BTW, when I really want get stupid at the field I bring out a profile. But then again I can spend hours just doing touch and goes or flying lazy around the field with my Taylorcraft or Senior Telemaster. Thats got to be the best part of this hobby, DIVERSITY.
Ed M.
Roger, when I replaced the CA hinges in the left elevator I did replace the stock GP hinge with some from Radio South, just in case. I can't fault the stock hinges in any way tho and that was sorta my whole point of the post.
My hope is to get another 20 hours or so out of the airframe, then I think it may be pretty well trashed out.
BTW, when I really want get stupid at the field I bring out a profile. But then again I can spend hours just doing touch and goes or flying lazy around the field with my Taylorcraft or Senior Telemaster. Thats got to be the best part of this hobby, DIVERSITY.
Ed M.
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
A few years back, I built two GP PT 40's for my Dad and my friend, both had CA hinges that failed after just an hour or so. Fortunately they all didn't let go at once, just started breaking as if they were brittle. We replaced them w/Sig EZ hinges and had no more problems. I just figured that the were not as good as the Sig hinges, and didn't use them again.
Jetts
Jetts
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
I have used GP's CA hinges since the late 80's and never had a problem. But in the last month at least 3 RCU members have had the same problem (Fiber surface pulling away from the plastic core) which leads me to believe that GP either got a bad batch, or they changed supplier or Mfging technique. Either way, I hope it's not going to be a persistant problem (I have a GP kit coming for review!)
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RE: bentgear Breaks CA hinge - News at 11
ORIGINAL: bentgear
aimmaintenance, that is a thought. Got the stuff to build a few, but so far this one has been too easy to repair. I'm well under $10 an hour for the fun I have had out of it, not counting fuel. Just not sure what size spad I would have to build to hold the 100.
Ed M.
aimmaintenance, that is a thought. Got the stuff to build a few, but so far this one has been too easy to repair. I'm well under $10 an hour for the fun I have had out of it, not counting fuel. Just not sure what size spad I would have to build to hold the 100.
Ed M.