Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

I am looking at getting into Gas engines, I figure I would get a "beater" plane to practice with. The DLE-55 would be a great engine for a 3d plane later. I was just wandering if the DLE-55 would work on the GP Giant Big Stik... ANY thoughts?

DLE-55 Spec.
CDI Electronic Ignition.
Walbro Carburettor
Performance: 5.5hp @ 7500rpm
Idle: 1350rpm
Thrust: 14.2kg @ 100mtr / 12.5kg @ 1800mtr (Above sea level)
Suggested prop: 22x8, 22x10, 23x8, 23x10
Spark Plug: NGK CM6
Bore/Stroke: 45 x 35mm
Compression: 7.6:1
Weight: 1350g
Fuel: 2C Regular Gas mixed 30:1 - 45:1
Walbro membrane pump carburetor with manual choke
Automatic advancing electronic ignition

http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma1224-don-a.jpg
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s..._0125_510w.jpg

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Hi

The insructions say nothing larger than 1.6 ci on the plane. The DLE 55 is a shade over 3ci. I would look at firewall reinforcement for sure if used. Also would wonder about inflight structural failure. May not be stressed for that large of an engine.


Vince

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Here is mine. Just the front end pic. Flew wonderfully well and very easy. Had an Area 51.

Expoxy and screwed a 7" radial ply firewall, 3/8" on the existing firewall, vintage 5.25" wheels, radial cowl from Fiberglass specialites. Put 3/4" block under gear plate.

Fantastic Sunday flyer !!!!!!!! Used a Zoar 20 x 10 prop. Flew at 1/2 throttle. Did 60 flights and then moved to a WH Extra.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Looks nice. Did you reinforce the firewall inside the fuel tank area at all ? What kind of aerobatics did you do with it ?


Vince

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Could do the IMAC Basic sequence. Just be careful of going full throttle. Extremely easy to land.

BTW, balanced without adding any weight. :D

Tank compartment housed the A123 1100ma pack. Fuel tank behind that, 16 oz. Then, A123 2300ma pack. Actually I used two, on top of each other right on the CG.

Receiver next to throttle servo. Radial firewall easy to make. Used compass to draw round 7" circle, marked center, drilled center hole. Firmly bolted 1/4 20 to new firewall, used bolt to chuck in drill press. Let it spin, held sand block against edge until round on the compass lines.

Total weight is not an issue !!

Only servo in the fuse was the throttle servo on a nyrod. Nyrod must be supported very well. I expoxied the outer tube. Became vey solid, also used some supports.

Takes patience, not much room to work in, but was Ok.

Another pic airframe only.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Re-enforced new firewall externally with tri stock against fuse. Monokoted the tri stock exposed portions and expoxied in place. Put tri on the inside as wel.

Final firewall was 3/4" thick. Front was very solid.

Epoxied and "screwed" radial firewall in place.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

That looks great, exactly what I would like to do, I love the cowl. Great way for me to break into the gasser world, and get some practice. Thanks for the info!

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

didnt feel the need to beef up anything. Its built like a tank. mine has well over 300 flights with no issues, and Im wondering why I need to worry about using full throttle

Also notice no stupid looking tail

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Is that a GP ARF?

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

What size prop is that? I like the stab, did you build that? Plane looks awesome!

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Its a great planes giant stick. I changed the tail and split the elevator. its a 22X8 prop. Also went to a taller landing gear for prop clearence

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

still wondering why I have to be carfull at full throttle

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Hi

If the kit maker says:

The recommended engine size range for the Giant Big Stik
ARF is specified on the cover of this manual. All engines
within the specified range will power this model well. Never
fly the Giant Big Stik ARF with an engine larger than one in
the specified range because it has not been designed or
tested for larger engines. Powered by a two-stroke glow
engine such as the O.S.® MAX 1.60 FX, the Giant Big Stik
ARF performs like any .60-size sport plane with the added
stability and durability of any well-designed giant plane.


the above was right out of the manual. The wings and the firewall were not designed or stressed for the bigger engine. That they work without incident so far is great, and a testament to the design. Not sure about service life of the built plane as a whole. But that doesn't mean you wont fold a wing or pull the firewall at some point. I hope that never happens.


Vince

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

what your saying has some truth to it, but I would have to add that it many cases, take the full size piper cub which was prroduced with a 65 horse engine. with no modifications except a different mount the FAA with proper paper work lets you install a 100 horse. That hold true for models. I dont think you can say Never go over MFG's recomendations. I wouldnt put a quadra on a senior falcon. As I stated I have been flying the GP giant stick with the DA 50 for quite a while. Compared to the G 26 which is a common engine to install on that airplane, the DA is lighter, and smoother. I do keep an eye on certain things though.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

I am wanting to ultimately get the Great Planes YAK or the Aero-Works 50cc yak, and the DLE-55 would be perfect. I am just wanting to play with the engine a little, because I have no gasser experience. I would rather loose the Giant Big Stik than the Aero-Works YAK, so I will play around with the gas setup a little before I jump into the bigger plane. I don't plan on keeping that engine in the Stik for to long.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

I have the DL 50 in an SD 30% yak, good combo. the 50 also works great on the big stick. i wouldnt worry about the full throttle, or pulling the firewall out or the wing snapping. Im brutal with mine and absolutly no issue after many many flights

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

I DO KNOW HANKO AND FLY WITH HIM ON OCCASSION. WHEN HE SAYS HE IS BRUTAL ON THE PLANE, THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, IF THERE EVERY WAS SUCH A THING. HE IS DOWNRIGHT MEAN TO THAT PLANE AND DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF FLYING IT. I WISH THAT SOMEDAY I COULD BE HALF AS GOOD AS HE IS AND HE REALLY PUTS ON A SHOW WITH THAT PLANE WHEREVER HE FLIES. I WAS SO IMPRESSED, I BOUGHT A DLE 55 AND TOOK OFF MY G-26 AND PUT IT IN THE CABINET. I HAVE 5 TANKS THRU MY NEW ENGINE AND IT FLAT SCREAMS WITH A 22X8 PROP. THE ONLY ISSUE I HAD WAS BALANCING THE HUB OF MY PROP AND THAT CALMED DOWN THE VIBRATION I HAD. I BEEFED UP NOTHING EXCEPT THE LANDING GEAR AREA, BECAUSE I FLY OFF A ROUGH GRASS FIELD BEHIND MY HOUSE. THIS COMBO HAS THE BEST SLOW FLIGHT AND VERTICAL I HAVE FLOWN. IT IS A REAL EASY FLYER AND VERY STABLE AT SLOW SPEED AND IF YOU GET IN A LITTLE TROUBLE, JUST ADD 1/4 THROTTLE AND YOU ARE BACK IN CONTROL. TRY IT AND YOU WILL LIKE IT. IT IS EASY TO BEEF FIREWALL IN YOU WANT AND ADD SOME PLYWOOD AND FIBERGLASS INSIDE AND YOU WILL BE GOLDEN. IF IT STARTS TO SHOW STRESS, THAT IS MY PLAN, IF IT COMES TO THAT ONE DAY. UNTIL THEN I AM ENJOYING THE 20 FOOT TAKE OFFS AT 1/2 THROTTLE AND LANDING IN 30 FEET. HANKO CAN LAND IT IN 15 FEET. STAY RIGHT AFTER HIM WITH YOUR QUESTIONS..

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

can anyone please tell me, or show me, how to put the propeller on the dle-55 ?

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Can you post more pics of you Giant Big stick closeup thanks

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

I have a DL50 I'm going to put on a NIB Giant Big Stick. Using stand-offs,did you center engine on firewall or off-set it by the crosshairs that came marked on firewall. I plan on keeping the plane untill it's demise because I live and fly right at the coast.This will be my high wind(everyday)plane.Should I seal hinge gaps,would CA hinges be good(I've never used any other)?? Hanko,What landing gear works as prop clearance replacement as I don't want to use block of wood. THANKS

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Bob Kline and i both used the landing gear off an airplane called a road runner, which are not available anymore. you can email [email protected], and see if he has any, but i doubt you will hear from him. Anygood aluminum, gear that will give you the prop clearance you need will work. By the way I have flown mine all summer well over 500 flights, abused the crap out of it, alot of full throttle, and its still going.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

are you serious

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

<span style="font-size: small">I just bought one with a zenoah g26 magnetto. I am going to change it out for a DL50. Just going to reinforce the tailwith 3/4triangles. Firewall already has ply on itand I epoxied the whole firewall. Will be using two A123 6.6v. One for receiver and one for ignitionwith a regulator.Will be using Du-bro 42424oz tank. Looking to get about 10-15min flights.</span></p>

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Can you tell me or put a picture of you giant stick gas tank setup the plane looks awesome

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Hi, the gas tank is in the plans location. I just added the gas conversion kit from du bro. The airplane flew all last summer and even on this ice just a few weeks ago. I noticed some problems in the tail section around where the stab meets the fuse. Its loose and the mono coat was cracking. Its in for a rebuild right now, I cut the fin and stab off and making new ones. The fin was warped real bad, my fault for running the grain on the sheeting the wrong way. ILL be adding some 3/4 inch tri stock where the stab meets the fuse. Not much to hold it there so do some beefing up back there if you are building one. I probably flew this airplane well over 6 or 7 hundred flights and have had no issues with the fire wall or engine installation. Move the CG way back and its a ball.

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Just one more question how did you run the fuel line since its so close to the front? thanks alot i really appreciate it

RE: Great Planes Giant Big Stik with DLE-55
 

Here is mine. I decided to put a CRRC GF50i. Still needs to be CG and waiting on skylite 5" wheels. Started but not flown yet.