BJCraft Episode
04-05-2014, 05:19 AM
#553
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You might try contacting your reseller. The first two kits I received had small (approx 300mm x 100mm) spare sheets of covering included. The third one did not, but I imagine the spare sheet packets are laying around somewhere.
I've done a patch on my canalizer (hangar door rash) with MonoKote and it seems to match well for both texture and finish, but I can't say for sure if it is.
John
I've done a patch on my canalizer (hangar door rash) with MonoKote and it seems to match well for both texture and finish, but I can't say for sure if it is.
John
04-05-2014, 02:49 PM
#554
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Episode - Check your planes...
Today, after a very routine P-15 practice flight and roughly 600 flights on the airframe, I came in for landing. The field is a well-maintained short-mowed grass field that I fly at regularly. The field is mostly used for small gas and electrics.
Landing was normal gentle flair and touchdown, but shortly after the touchdown…with no visible jerks or any other disturbances or noises from the cushy grass, the right gear leg slowly begins to fold backwards until the plane comes to a stop…still aligned straight to the runway, except with the plane resting on the right wing tip. Reminded me of old WW2 films showing Me-109s gear failures on landings.
Damage to the wing where the wheel pant penetrated…motor mount broken from its glue points and a broken front prop on the Contra.
Inspection showed that the landing gear leg mounting block had broken away from the two formers and allowed the gear leg to rotate freely backwards. Further inspection shows that there was NO GLUE between the mounting block and the formers…NONE!
I had discovered that the formers had cracked away from the fuse last week, but couldn't see that the block wasn't glued to the formers…or anything else.
Advise you to drill 1/16 inch holes through the gear mounting blocks in as many different directions as possible and pressure feed as much Gel-Ca into the holes as possible to ensure that the blocks are soak-glued to the airframe.
As for me, I will make a new carbon-balsa sandwich mount block and discard the stock one.
John
Today, after a very routine P-15 practice flight and roughly 600 flights on the airframe, I came in for landing. The field is a well-maintained short-mowed grass field that I fly at regularly. The field is mostly used for small gas and electrics.
Landing was normal gentle flair and touchdown, but shortly after the touchdown…with no visible jerks or any other disturbances or noises from the cushy grass, the right gear leg slowly begins to fold backwards until the plane comes to a stop…still aligned straight to the runway, except with the plane resting on the right wing tip. Reminded me of old WW2 films showing Me-109s gear failures on landings.
Damage to the wing where the wheel pant penetrated…motor mount broken from its glue points and a broken front prop on the Contra.
Inspection showed that the landing gear leg mounting block had broken away from the two formers and allowed the gear leg to rotate freely backwards. Further inspection shows that there was NO GLUE between the mounting block and the formers…NONE!
I had discovered that the formers had cracked away from the fuse last week, but couldn't see that the block wasn't glued to the formers…or anything else.
Advise you to drill 1/16 inch holes through the gear mounting blocks in as many different directions as possible and pressure feed as much Gel-Ca into the holes as possible to ensure that the blocks are soak-glued to the airframe.
As for me, I will make a new carbon-balsa sandwich mount block and discard the stock one.
John
04-05-2014, 05:32 PM
#555
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Thanks for sharing that John. I will check my Plane and see. My landing strip is very bumpy and i try and flare to land in the shortest run out distance as possible.
I also had a close shave with my plane during the week. I completed the first flight of the day and was just checking my flight control directions at the end of the runway in preparation for my second flight when i noticed one of my elevators was not moving at all. Walked over and moved the elevator with my hand and it seemed the servo was not getting power at all. Turned off/Unplugged the plane, brought it back to the pits and switched it back on.....everything prefect.....Obviously a faulty lead. Cutting it short i could not find the fault so i ordered a new servo and replaced the lead just for piece of mind.
So you just to emphasis on Johns Quote, Always Check your planes.....
I also had a close shave with my plane during the week. I completed the first flight of the day and was just checking my flight control directions at the end of the runway in preparation for my second flight when i noticed one of my elevators was not moving at all. Walked over and moved the elevator with my hand and it seemed the servo was not getting power at all. Turned off/Unplugged the plane, brought it back to the pits and switched it back on.....everything prefect.....Obviously a faulty lead. Cutting it short i could not find the fault so i ordered a new servo and replaced the lead just for piece of mind.
So you just to emphasis on Johns Quote, Always Check your planes.....
04-06-2014, 01:22 AM
#557
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Episode - Check your planes...
Today, after a very routine P-15 practice flight and roughly 600 flights on the airframe, I came in for landing. The field is a well-maintained short-mowed grass field that I fly at regularly. The field is mostly used for small gas and electrics.
Landing was normal gentle flair and touchdown, but shortly after the touchdown…with no visible jerks or any other disturbances or noises from the cushy grass, the right gear leg slowly begins to fold backwards until the plane comes to a stop…still aligned straight to the runway, except with the plane resting on the right wing tip. Reminded me of old WW2 films showing Me-109s gear failures on landings.
Damage to the wing where the wheel pant penetrated…motor mount broken from its glue points and a broken front prop on the Contra.
Inspection showed that the landing gear leg mounting block had broken away from the two formers and allowed the gear leg to rotate freely backwards. Further inspection shows that there was NO GLUE between the mounting block and the formers…NONE!
I had discovered that the formers had cracked away from the fuse last week, but couldn't see that the block wasn't glued to the formers…or anything else.
Advise you to drill 1/16 inch holes through the gear mounting blocks in as many different directions as possible and pressure feed as much Gel-Ca into the holes as possible to ensure that the blocks are soak-glued to the airframe.
As for me, I will make a new carbon-balsa sandwich mount block and discard the stock one.
John
Today, after a very routine P-15 practice flight and roughly 600 flights on the airframe, I came in for landing. The field is a well-maintained short-mowed grass field that I fly at regularly. The field is mostly used for small gas and electrics.
Landing was normal gentle flair and touchdown, but shortly after the touchdown…with no visible jerks or any other disturbances or noises from the cushy grass, the right gear leg slowly begins to fold backwards until the plane comes to a stop…still aligned straight to the runway, except with the plane resting on the right wing tip. Reminded me of old WW2 films showing Me-109s gear failures on landings.
Damage to the wing where the wheel pant penetrated…motor mount broken from its glue points and a broken front prop on the Contra.
Inspection showed that the landing gear leg mounting block had broken away from the two formers and allowed the gear leg to rotate freely backwards. Further inspection shows that there was NO GLUE between the mounting block and the formers…NONE!
I had discovered that the formers had cracked away from the fuse last week, but couldn't see that the block wasn't glued to the formers…or anything else.
Advise you to drill 1/16 inch holes through the gear mounting blocks in as many different directions as possible and pressure feed as much Gel-Ca into the holes as possible to ensure that the blocks are soak-glued to the airframe.
As for me, I will make a new carbon-balsa sandwich mount block and discard the stock one.
John
Same problem as you !!!!!!
04-06-2014, 07:26 AM
#558
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I always re glue my landing gear blocks on any arf from any manufacturer. Whether it is a sport or pattern plane. I also add triangle stock.
I was just looking last night at both of the Bisides I am building thinking I needed to do that still before the battery trays go in. In shipping on one of them, the formers on the side above the block had the glue joint come apart from the fuse. Easy fix though.
Glad the damage wasn't too bad. Thanks for posting, its a good reminder for all.
Chris
I was just looking last night at both of the Bisides I am building thinking I needed to do that still before the battery trays go in. In shipping on one of them, the formers on the side above the block had the glue joint come apart from the fuse. Easy fix though.
Glad the damage wasn't too bad. Thanks for posting, its a good reminder for all.
Chris
04-06-2014, 07:46 AM
#559
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I ripped out the shredded gear mount blocks. There wasn't much there.
I rebuilt a gear mounting plate with 1/4 inch carbon fiber balsa sandwich. I added side blocks to spread the load to the fuse side and the formers. This should be same weight but much more solid. One bolt is mismatched, but was running low on spare parts.
Lucky enough that the wheel pant missed the wing rib so was able to patch internally with CF cloth and cover the hole from outside with Monokote.
Will now check my son's Nuance...
John
I rebuilt a gear mounting plate with 1/4 inch carbon fiber balsa sandwich. I added side blocks to spread the load to the fuse side and the formers. This should be same weight but much more solid. One bolt is mismatched, but was running low on spare parts.
Lucky enough that the wheel pant missed the wing rib so was able to patch internally with CF cloth and cover the hole from outside with Monokote.
Will now check my son's Nuance...
John
04-14-2014, 10:40 AM
#560
John,
You sure you didn't mean 286 rather than 268 for you CG location. My wingtube former is about at 286.
I believe Brenner is also flying his contra-equiped Episode at that CG location.
I would love to hear where other Contra-Episodes have their CGs located at (canopy off)
Dan
You sure you didn't mean 286 rather than 268 for you CG location. My wingtube former is about at 286.
I believe Brenner is also flying his contra-equiped Episode at that CG location.
I would love to hear where other Contra-Episodes have their CGs located at (canopy off)
Dan
04-15-2014, 05:36 AM
#564
I maidened my ARC Contra-Episode last week.
First flight was marred by the departure of the canopy with the first snap roll. Perhaps I didn't have the latches fully clicked into place, but now there is an additional conventional hatch latch! A plus to the canalizer being attached to the canopy is that, in this situation, the canopy helicopters down quite gently!
I haven't bonded with the plane yet, but am confident that I will figure it out. I got the plane because I wanted to learn to fly the F sequences respectably (right now they are a bit over my skill level).
-I continue to reduce rudder throw.
-It carves through radii in the pitch axis very nicely: I think my loops will be rounder.
-Having trouble with yaw during pulls and pushes. Corrections are more visible - I think due to the rudder sensitivity.
-Have tried CGs from 260 to 280mm (canopy off). Can't feel a lot of difference. I will try more forward CGs today based on Tony's and Brenner's setups.
-I need to add downthrust (I cut my own nose for the Contra)
-Small KE loops on low rate rudder!
-Snaps and spins are great!
First flight was marred by the departure of the canopy with the first snap roll. Perhaps I didn't have the latches fully clicked into place, but now there is an additional conventional hatch latch! A plus to the canalizer being attached to the canopy is that, in this situation, the canopy helicopters down quite gently!
I haven't bonded with the plane yet, but am confident that I will figure it out. I got the plane because I wanted to learn to fly the F sequences respectably (right now they are a bit over my skill level).
-I continue to reduce rudder throw.
-It carves through radii in the pitch axis very nicely: I think my loops will be rounder.
-Having trouble with yaw during pulls and pushes. Corrections are more visible - I think due to the rudder sensitivity.
-Have tried CGs from 260 to 280mm (canopy off). Can't feel a lot of difference. I will try more forward CGs today based on Tony's and Brenner's setups.
-I need to add downthrust (I cut my own nose for the Contra)
-Small KE loops on low rate rudder!
-Snaps and spins are great!
05-08-2014, 03:37 PM
#572
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Installed the SFG's on the stabs. Was finding it difficult to keep the plane from dropping a wing during the stall. Hope these will help. It does stall beautifully when its a prefect level entry and no tipping.
Mikey
Mikey
05-08-2014, 08:15 PM
#574
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Even bigger works better. Larger ones on my 2nd Episode absolutely fixed any wing drop tendency in stall entry. Also helps tame the rudder without giving up any KE performance.
05-09-2014, 01:35 AM
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Hi Tony,
Good to hear, did you cut new ones or extend onto the original ones? Yes the rudder is so sensitive even with high amount of expo but I do love how the plane stall turns especially on the first stall of the P15. Are you flying any F15 and do you have any flight modes for different maneuvers which are different from your normal flight modes?
Mikey
Good to hear, did you cut new ones or extend onto the original ones? Yes the rudder is so sensitive even with high amount of expo but I do love how the plane stall turns especially on the first stall of the P15. Are you flying any F15 and do you have any flight modes for different maneuvers which are different from your normal flight modes?
Mikey