Roo Man

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I was given a very nice used Lancair. I am planning on using a Saito FA 80 4 stroke that I have. I am on a very limited budget and not able to buy a larger engine. The paperwork that came with the engine calls for using an 11 1/2 x 8 prop.
I plan on scale flying only and would like opinions on this set up.

Any advise on use of flaps would be appreciated.

Gary

Hobbsy

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The FA .80 will easily turn a 13x6 at 9,700 to 9,900 on 10% or 15% fuel. It sounds like a great combo.

Roo Man

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Hobbsy,

Thanks for your input. Had its maiden yesterday and it flew beautifully, plenty of power. Did have a problem getting it on the ground and had a little damage when it stalled on landing. Was not using flaps. Can you give me some advise on using flaps? The manual says to use 1/2 flaps on down wind leg and full flaps on final but they guys at the field suggested not using flaps on my first attempt.

Thanks again,

Gary

Hobbsy

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Gary, on a low wing plane the flaps cause the plane to nose down, I'd say your friends are right until you get comfortable with the plane.

Roo Man

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Another friend (a full scale guy) suggested landing with power on and fly it to the ground. He suggested setting landing power set so the plane would move at just a walk on the run way. What do you think?Thanks again,Gary

blw

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Every plane is different and you have to fly them different.

Flying a tank of fuel to do touch and goes would show you all about how the plane wants to land. Start off bringing it in on a straight line to your landing spot, reduce a little power but not what you would think you need to land, flare it a little and see if you can just touch the grass with the wheels. Give it power and go around to do it again. It shouldn't take long to learn how bring it in to that last few feet before touchdown.

I have a friend who is the worlds worst at actually landing his planes. He fiddles with the rudder and it zig zags all over the field until the prop strikes dirt or he ground loops it. But, if he is doing touch and goes he is the best in the club for landing (briefly).

Roo Man

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blw,

Thanks,

Will give it a try on my next flying trip.

Gary

buzzard bait

Gary, are you still using the 11 x 7 1/2? If so, that could certainly explain why you had trouble landing. A lower pitch prop, like the 13x6 recommended, will slow it down and give you more control on landing.

Jim

Roo Man

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Jim,

I was using a 13-6 prop. Just didn't have enough throttle and it stalled when I got the nose too high when I started my flare.

Gary

Rudolph Hart

Touch and go's is a very good idea and it lessens the fear of a bad landing if you are flying something a little bit touchy because you don't intend to land that time anyway did you? after a few of those if it all looks good on the flare you can change your mind and let it settle,eazy peazy.

Re flaps; as an example i have a fa115 in a fifty six inch cm pro midget mustang.The tiniest amount of flap will make the nose pitch down in flight,you can compensate by adding a couple of clicks up trim in the tx and assign that to the flap switch,i like doing it manually.The midget has a lot of horsepower for it's size and to much throttle on take off (no flaps) also makes it difficult to unstick.