First flight off water
07-04-2003, 01:24 PM
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First flight off water
Hey.
Finally...!!!! Tomorrow I'm flying my slowpoke off water (and my 1st flight off water ever..!!!!).
Here are the pics of the plane...
The only problem I see are the miniservos mounted in the wing bottom... I'm building balsa cages around'em to prevent splashes (monokote covered of course).
Here are a couple of pics. At this point the water rudder wasn't installed yet:
Finally...!!!! Tomorrow I'm flying my slowpoke off water (and my 1st flight off water ever..!!!!).
Here are the pics of the plane...
The only problem I see are the miniservos mounted in the wing bottom... I'm building balsa cages around'em to prevent splashes (monokote covered of course).
Here are a couple of pics. At this point the water rudder wasn't installed yet:
07-04-2003, 02:24 PM
#3
First flight off water
Servos in the wing bottom are not a problem. Gravity keeps them dry. It looks good, Norman. Have fun!
Be careful not to drag the tailwheel too much when you rotate. I used to do that with my LazyBee, and it can slow you down. Replacing the tailwheel with a water rudder would be very simple. I soldered some brass sheet to a wheel collar, and use that for a water rudder.
Be careful not to drag the tailwheel too much when you rotate. I used to do that with my LazyBee, and it can slow you down. Replacing the tailwheel with a water rudder would be very simple. I soldered some brass sheet to a wheel collar, and use that for a water rudder.
07-04-2003, 03:52 PM
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First flight off water
Careful Norman,
You might get hooked on float-flying. Up here float-fly's are the most looked forward too events every year. They are also the biggest and last up to a week. Float-flying is very addictive.
You might get hooked on float-flying. Up here float-fly's are the most looked forward too events every year. They are also the biggest and last up to a week. Float-flying is very addictive.
07-04-2003, 11:49 PM
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First flight off water
If this is your first float plane I hope you attended to a few things before you commit it to water. Be sure the airframe is protected (painted) inside and out. Balsa soaks up water like a sponge; then the airframe gets heavy and start to warp. The covering also seems to get saggy. Clear spray over the entire airplane inside and out will help. If you are worried about servos getting wet Vaseline smeared around seams in the servos and where the wire goes in and around the servo wheel will help protect it. I don't usually try to make my planes all that water tight, just keep the equipment located where it won't get wet if the plane flips and be sure you can get any water that gets in, out.
Welcome to the fraternity.
Peter
Welcome to the fraternity.
Peter
07-08-2003, 03:19 AM
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1st flight report!
Finally!!!!
Last saturday afternoon I made my 1st aquatic take off...!
I think that the floats are a bit little for the model's weight. It floated right the way we expected, with a very little problem... the rear part or the floats were something about 1/16" into the water. It taxied just great at very slow speed (I just replaced the tailwheel with a little water rudder). The next problem came during the take off: the floats began to throw water directly into the propeller, which was slowed down, and I just couldn't make the plane lift off during the 1st three attempts.
It was at the 4th attempt when I tried pulling the elevator the whole lift off run while advancing very slowly the throttle, and then it happened...!!! holy cow...!!! yipee...!!! The thing was airborne....!!!!
The very 1st touchdown took the whole guts off me.... I was so scared that something would go wrong that I was seriuosly thinking of touching down at the grass next to the lake, but it was both uneventful and ugly.
Sunday, after several touchs and go´s I improved my technique... and realized that floats weren't right impermeabilized....!!! the fuselage was an inch or two closer to the water surface...!!!
I'm building a new pair of floats for my superstar 40 and beggining to seriously think of turning my widebody 40 to floats.
Forgive mispellings (I can see a couple, but sometimes I can't find a better way to express what I mean in english yet).
U were right about me getting hooked... I'm now...!!! here are a few pics of the 1st flight.
Greetings
Last saturday afternoon I made my 1st aquatic take off...!
I think that the floats are a bit little for the model's weight. It floated right the way we expected, with a very little problem... the rear part or the floats were something about 1/16" into the water. It taxied just great at very slow speed (I just replaced the tailwheel with a little water rudder). The next problem came during the take off: the floats began to throw water directly into the propeller, which was slowed down, and I just couldn't make the plane lift off during the 1st three attempts.
It was at the 4th attempt when I tried pulling the elevator the whole lift off run while advancing very slowly the throttle, and then it happened...!!! holy cow...!!! yipee...!!! The thing was airborne....!!!!
The very 1st touchdown took the whole guts off me.... I was so scared that something would go wrong that I was seriuosly thinking of touching down at the grass next to the lake, but it was both uneventful and ugly.
Sunday, after several touchs and go´s I improved my technique... and realized that floats weren't right impermeabilized....!!! the fuselage was an inch or two closer to the water surface...!!!
I'm building a new pair of floats for my superstar 40 and beggining to seriously think of turning my widebody 40 to floats.
Forgive mispellings (I can see a couple, but sometimes I can't find a better way to express what I mean in english yet).
U were right about me getting hooked... I'm now...!!! here are a few pics of the 1st flight.
Greetings
07-08-2003, 07:41 PM
#11
First flight off water
Norman!
It looks like you had great fun! I am pleased to see it.
If you continue to have trouble with spray hitting the propellor, you can glue some (3/8" Balsa) triangle stock to the inside edge of the float. This will deflect the spray and add some lift just when you advance the throttle from idle position. It will not hurt if you put the tri-stock to both the the inside and outside of the float. Put it from the nose of the float to a point halfway back to the step.
Waterproof and cover the tri-stock just like you did your float sheeting.
It looks like you had great fun! I am pleased to see it.
If you continue to have trouble with spray hitting the propellor, you can glue some (3/8" Balsa) triangle stock to the inside edge of the float. This will deflect the spray and add some lift just when you advance the throttle from idle position. It will not hurt if you put the tri-stock to both the the inside and outside of the float. Put it from the nose of the float to a point halfway back to the step.
Waterproof and cover the tri-stock just like you did your float sheeting.
07-09-2003, 12:57 PM
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First flight off water
I was actually thinking of building a new pair of floats since I think they're a bit small for the model´s weight.... Beside bigger, the new pair will be longer at the center side of the float and the outside a bit shorter so the spray will be automatically deflected to the outside of the float.
The ppl u see at the pic are fellow modelers... they were just skeptic about float planes (Actually mine is the very 1st float plane I've ever seen live!). Now some of them are thinking about tigers, J-3's and even widebodies for float flying...! I'm very busy thank to that (they want me to build the floats).
Greetings
The ppl u see at the pic are fellow modelers... they were just skeptic about float planes (Actually mine is the very 1st float plane I've ever seen live!). Now some of them are thinking about tigers, J-3's and even widebodies for float flying...! I'm very busy thank to that (they want me to build the floats).
Greetings
07-11-2003, 02:51 PM
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First flight off water
HI JUST HAD TO REPLY I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 13 YEARS LAST WEEK A PUT A SET OF READY FLOATS ON MY LT40 IT HAS A O.S 70 F/S ON IT FOR POWER I TO WAS SHAKING PRETTY BAD FOR THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME ON WATER ALSO EVERY THING WENT GREAT I DONT THINK IVE EVER HAD SO MUCH FUN IN R/C AS I DO FLOAT FLYING IF YOU HAVR NOT TRIED FLOATS YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON THE MOST FUN YOU WILL EVER HAVE I HAVE A PICTUER OF THE LT40 IN MY PHOTO ALBUM IF ANY WANTS TO SEE IT
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KEEP EMM DRY AND FLYING HIGH
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KEEP EMM DRY AND FLYING HIGH
07-11-2003, 09:11 PM
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First flight off water
I'm actually thinking of scratch building an Eagle or something like that. I want to convert it to floats so I can get my dad to float flying too. By now, next weekend we're flying a downscaled CGM Tiger 2 off water...!
07-11-2003, 09:38 PM
#18
First flight off water
Norman,
An Eagle would be a lot of fun. Many guys in my club fly Kadet Seniors and they are possibly the best floatplane ever. Build the wing flat with no dihedral, and it does not hurt to oversize the ailerons a bit. I fly a Senior Telemaster and it makes me smile so much my face hurts.
Aerobatic maneuvers are BETTER with floats in these trainers, because the floats add lift while inverted.
An Eagle would be a lot of fun. Many guys in my club fly Kadet Seniors and they are possibly the best floatplane ever. Build the wing flat with no dihedral, and it does not hurt to oversize the ailerons a bit. I fly a Senior Telemaster and it makes me smile so much my face hurts.
Aerobatic maneuvers are BETTER with floats in these trainers, because the floats add lift while inverted.
