ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

It's nearly impossible to package a fully built plane, especially one the size we're talking about, to a standard where a shipper will assume any responsibility if something happens to it - even if you pay extra for insurance? If something were to happen, you would be indebted to prove you packaged it to "industry standards" - which include a minimum of 2" of packaging between any surface of the plane and the package's exterior. There's much more to that, but my point is you're pretty much forced into selling as is/where is.

Greyhound may be different, but even if it were, that would be a huge gamble unless you were there to put it on the bus, and your buyer there to take it off?

Any plane I've ever taken the trouble to sell has been sold at give away prices. That knowledge in hand I never sell them with servos or engines. They can often be sold seperately for enough to help defray the cost of giving the airframe away. It's bad enough I have to "give" the airframe away with a price attractive enough for people to take notice of it. I've found popular planes may go for half of what the kit cost, less popular even less. My experience, FWIW, -Al

triumphman49

My Feedback: (149)

Al, CB's Extra was NIB - certainly a little easier to ship than a "built" plane

T-man49

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Oh, no doubt! You just have to deal with "oversize" on those. At least they generally arrive in one piece?

I was just thinking about what MD is going to do if/when he finds a buyer a few states away....

Muttdog

Guys I am a commercial shipper and around here there is a 4 letter word called dimensional weight (I know it's more then 4 but you get the point). Once a box gets to a certain size then UPS adds dimensional weight fees. You can go to the UPS website and figure out what all of that is. I doubt a UPSbox store would be any different as they are 3rd party sellers to. They get much better rates then I do for the quantities they ship and they may or may not pass that on but they are 3rd party shippers just like me. Here is what I would recommend. Split the shipment into several boxes. If you can split the wings into 2 boxes that do not get hit for dim weight along with the remaining small parts then you can ship the one item (fuselage) in an oversize box. This way you are only paying dim fees for the oversize and it is smaller then it would have been if all items were in 1 box so therefore a lower hit. I just purchased the new Hangar 9 carden Extra 300 and that is how they did it as well. 2 of the boxes (1 has the wings, and one the cowl) were not oversize so only the fuse box was. I figure it will cost me about $75-$100 to ship the GSS depending on how I can break it down. fortunately I think Ican use the boxes from my new Extra to ship it out although the tail feathers are still a problem. May have to get creative with that one. So far no bites from craiglist so I am going to have to expand. I know I am asking too much as well but you never know until you try

azalner

My Feedback: (8)

Good luck MD. I have never had any success selling my planes fully rigged out, Engine, servos, etc. I had better luck stripping out all the parts and selling them separately. Even then, I practically gave away the airframe. But as you said, you never know until you try.

Al

PropsnWings

My Feedback: (9)

Yes, I too always had to "gut" the plane, and then like you, pretty much gave it away.  I just keep em now, and if I find a gentleman down on his luck in the club, I offer it up, as a way to get back in the air quickly during the season.  That smile is worth way more than what I end up with in cash from the airframe.

CrabbyOldFart

The best way to ship a giant scale plane is Greyhound bus. You can call and they'll give you the dimensions, and usually they're quite careful handling the boxes. Usually.

COF

CrabbyOldFart

Somebody told me this was a good forum. Seems dead to me. I'll keep monitoring it.   COF

prr6100

Wait till spring when the trees start eating monkote again, it will pick up then

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Unless you'd like to argue about something special while we wait?

CrabbyOldFart

Id rather wait and see how other guys do when they argue in here. I've heard it dosn't go well.  COF

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Not sure what you've heard, but I think there's a pretty good bunch of guys subscribed here. A few of us have been flying quite a while. I have never seen anyone put down for what they did/didn't know.

I apologize if my use of the word "argue" put you off. Discuss may have been a better choice of words? -Al

Muttdog

I just joined a few threads on FG forums because there are some threads about my new plane and engine there. Those threads are nothing like this one. The bickering back and forth is astounding. This was the first thread I ever subscribed to so to go from this to that was a huge eye opener. I found nothing but help and guidance here and even when the thread got off topic we have been able to get it back on track with civility. I am not posting anymore because my plane is grounded as it is for sale and Idon't want the worst to happen so Iam flying one of my Glow planes until the new bird is complete. Just waiting on the engine now for that before Iget started on it next week. Ihad an offer for $550 and I turned it down. I am not sure how serious the offer was but Ifeel stupid for not taking it now. I am thinking now I will take no less then $500 and if I can't get that then I mind as well keep her. Don't know where Iwill store it just yet but the plane is perfect and other then swapping out the CAhinges for Dubro it really needs nothing. I ordered a new receiver and battery for my new plane so Ican keepthe GSSin ready to fly condition for as long as need be. I love flying it and the only reason tosell is money/space. I am still flying here in Sunny S. Florida where it was 85 this past Sunday (sorry to rub it in). The crosswinds were heavy and there were two re kitted airplanes already on the ground before I got there but my confidence in the wind has been growing and Ihad nothing but great flights. My H9 Pulse XT 60is an incredible plane and will be one of my all time favorites.

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Speaking of windy days and rekitted planes. 4 of us braved the snow and 30 some degree temps to fly on a relatively calm day not long ago. One was flying a brand new stick built powered glider. Very nicely done, V tail config. Sleek, and apparently pretty fast. The tail fluttered on it's 3rd flight causing total loss of control and the plane was pretty much destroyed. Another was flying a 25 sized glow. He lost control when his aileron servo would no longer respond and that plane went in from about 100ft. Not much left of that one either. THIRD guy launches his home brew/built electric foamy. It climbed to altitude, and apparently left it's radio range, resulting in a THIRD crash! This left me wondering if I should even try to fly or not? I did, but flew with caution, staying much more conservative than I generally am. Plane went home in one piece. The only plane to go home in one piece out of the 4 that arrived...

Muttdog

I've been in that third guys' shoes before. I left the radio in range test mode and it went out of range. Stupid hurts!

Joystick TX

A few days ago we had perfect weather, light winds, temp in the 70's, not a cloud in the sky. Charged my batteries the night before to make sure they were topped off for a good day of flying. Got to flying field early and opend the back of the van and noticed that something was missing. Gas, ok, transmitter, ok, fuselage ok, wing, wing?, oh oh. No wing is not good. I hate it when that happens. No one else at the field had a Giant Super Sporster so I could't even borrow a wing. Most people would drive back and get the wing; in the DFW area you only drive in rush hour traffic if you have to get to work or if you have a death wish. The wing was the FIRST thing to go in the van this morning; can't wait for the sun to get up and warm up the air a little so I can go fly this morning.

azalner

My Feedback: (8)

Boy can I relate to that. Our flying season in western PA is typically April through November. I have a 45 minute drive to our field and at least once every flying season I do a major forgot. Receiver batteries (not since I switched to A123), transmitter (I bought a carrying case, but still left it home one year), lunch (how do you forget lunch?), fuel (yep, did that too). They say that as you get older, short term memory is the first to go. I'm living proof.

I made a checklist and posted it in the garage. If it works for commercial pilots It's good enough for this septuagenarian.

Al

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Twice this past season. Man is that frustrating. Once for a wing tube, once for the transmitter. Thankfully only 20 minutes each way, but after a dumb a.. stunt like forgetting something at home, even a 20 minute ride takes forever. Cussing yourself out the entire time to get there and back to the field!

21onen

Ahh! I could only laugh because it was almost identical to my fifities moment on one of the last weeks of good flying up here north of the border. I had my gloster gladiator all ready in the car, went through my mental check list plus a few papered ones. Got to the field (1/2 hour drive), and set up everything, fueled etc. Beautiful evening no wind. Start the plane ,eveything fine. Then a friend noted a lot of fuel gushing from the plane. I left the needle valve on the workbench from the night before. Sat down and drank my Tim Hortons coffee and watched everyone else fly. Ha taught me a lesson though. But I can't remember that ether.
Tero T in Toronto

Muttdog

How do you guys feel about IBECfor Ignition power VS Opto Kill? I like IBECbecause Iwant to run a single LiFe battery in my new 30% Extra to power both Ignition and RX. My LiFe has 2 outputs so Iwant to use 2 switches. One switch will power the RXdirect and the other will go to a Y cord that is plugged into RX. The other end of Y would go to the IBEC. This way I am using 2 switches for redundancy and supplying extra current to the RX buss at the same time while keeping the weight down.

ahicks

My Feedback: (2)

Redundant switches an awesome plan.

That Y off your switch is generally placed between the rudder and receiver. Logic is that's the highest demand servo on board as a rule, and the Y gives the rudder a straight shot to the battery for power - without having to go through the receiver buss. Obviously, that same lead can supply extra amperage anywhere it needed as well.

The IBEC generally doesn't need a Y. It will supply regulated power to the ign. module from the same lead that's used to switch the power to the module (channel 5)? One lead in, one lead out. The simple (but expensive?) plan.

An opti switch (usually we're talking about an RCEXL switch here) generally does use a Y, but doesn't have to. There's directions that come with it to avoid that, and if you decide to go that way I'd be happy to expand on that. This leaves you with a decision regarding input voltage to your ign. module when using this switch. If you're working with one of the new style modules (8.4v), you're good to go. If the older 6v. there's a call to be made regarding the need to drop the LiFe's voltage to 6v. or not. From what I've seen, the jury's still out there. About half running with/without. I run one because they're easy to install and cost a buck or less from Radio Shack.

I use the RCEXL for it's economy (20.00 or less), and because it works.

There's a string on this topic going right now in the gas section. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11427051/tm.htm

-Al

Muttdog

Thanks AL. The only problem with the Opto kill that I see is that it needs a separate battery to power it. I could use one of the extra leads from my LiFe batt (it has 2) but I wanted to run both lines into the RX to provide adiditonal current capability and add some redundancy incase a switch fails. That makes sense about using the y on the rudder servo. I may end up running a separate pack for the ig. but the plan was to run one main battery for both.Is it possible to power the RXEXLswitch through the receiver or another y connecter from the RX?

azalner

My Feedback: (8)

The TECH AERO IBECs (aka Syssa IBEC) takes my vote. Once you use one of these and realize the total lack of RFI (electronic filtering), convenience and safety aspect, you will never go back. And only one battery to charge and maintain

I've been using these for three years and positively love them. Others at the field have tried different makes, have had issues, and now are totally afraid of IBEC's.

I also made the switch to A123, so this not only supplies 5 volt power to my ignition, it also provides a handy way to kill the ignition from my transmitter.

Muttdog

I have heard a lot of good things about the Ultra IBEC/SYSSA model as well and the price is great to. Do you think it is wise to be using only one battery for a 60cc bird?I am running LifePo4 not A123 and while I understand there aredifferences, the other brands have come a long way. Most of the advantages I have come to understand with A123 is mostly due to their ability to delivere very high currents without dropping voltagebut in this application that is not required. The pack I have is rated to 20C at 3000Mah so while not what A123 can deliver, it certainly should be more then my plane can use. I think the Tech Aero IBEC will be the one.

azalner

My Feedback: (8)

For my 30cc birds I only use a single battery. Why add the extra weight? For my 55cc birds I use two batteries strictly for redundancy. I don't use a separate ignition battery. Scheisse happens.