RE: Another Spa3D  
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> S.P.A.D. Aircraft - Coroplast design >> RE: Another Spa3D
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RE: Another Spa3D - 11/15/2003 1:51:13 PM   
rikhye



Posts: 214
Joined: 3/2/2002
From: Sacramento, CA, USA
Status: offline 		have done some flights on the spad3d by now but overall i am not so thrilled with it landings are no no hovering is so so all in all its been alove -dontcare relationship

maybe i am not getting it right

(in reply to Trombe)
       Post #: 26

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/15/2003 4:30:16 PM   
Tattoo



Posts: 2124
Joined: 2/10/2002
From: Wichita, KS,
Status: offline
quote:

maybe i am not getting it right


From following the forums, things that turn a Spa3d into a turd real fast:

Nose heavy
Drooping ailerons
not enough control surface throw
weak unreliable engine
too much prop (4" pitch tops)
Flying too fast (expecting it to fly like a sport plane)
Not using the music wire in trailing edge flute in front of ailerons

This airplane is also handled differently, and can really catch a sport flyer off guard if he's not ready for it. First of all, I think the #1 miss understood thing about this plane is the way it was intended to be flown. Some first time Spa3d pilots hammer the throttle on the first flight and expect it to fly like a sport plane. This, especially on an un trimmed plane can lead to a wild ride at best and usually an uncontrolled crash. Another thing is landings. A sport pilot will naturally chop the throttle and look for the plane to slowly sink on landing approach. A Spa3d will nose down and drop like a rock if you try to land it like a sport plane. Landing a Spa3d can be a thing of beauty using throttle managment and nose high angle of attack...setting it down right in front of you at zero fwd airspeed. You can also not be shy about control surface travel...it needs all you can give it. CG is also a big issue. This plane doesn't follow the rules, and LOVES to be tail heavy. Anything further forward than 6" from the leading edge and you will have a real turd that will not glide at all, it will be hard to hover and try to fall out, and believe it or not will be less stable in high alpha flight because of less athourity (very mushy) on the controls. I've read cases where guys will move the CG forward to increase stability...basically making the plane totally unflyable. Moving the CG BACK turns the Spa3d into a much more responsive, very crisp on the controls, great 3D airplane...and the further back you go, the more stable and easier it is to hover. Kraut flies his at 7" back and LOVES it there. Props are also a big deal. High torque, high RPM, low speed props are what you want. Kraut and I love 11 x 4's and 12 x 4's. If you want to kill good slow flight speed pulling torque and loose throttle response real quick...try a 6" or higher pitch prop and you could turn the plane into a real dog. Also, as far as roll control, the music wire in the flute in front of the ailerons is deadly important. Leaving it out will slow your aileron response terribly, and you will have a slow to respond mushy roll rate.

(in reply to rikhye)
       Post #: 27

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/15/2003 5:18:32 PM   
XtremeAerosport



Posts: 473
Joined: 12/15/2001
From: Lewes, DE, USA
Status: offline 		Tat,

I do not have the MW in the TE (fwd of ailerons) in fact, I do not have MW anywhere in the wing except on the tips. Mine flies great, but then again I have not done anything real "High-G" with it either. Just putting around in high alpha or when the wind is high, flat super slow forward flight. I've been spending time not using ailerons at all, and just stearing around with rudder and elevator. Lots of fun. I'm going to use this to transition over to Mode 3 (E & R on right stick, A & T on left) once I have the time to figure out how to do the swap and stilll keep the flaperon mixing (2 servo wing).

This is a great experimental platform. Lots of guys are taking it too serious and making mods that are just hindering it's performance.

Please everyone, take heed in what Tattoo is suggesting. It is not a sport plane, tranier in the normal respect. It is a 3-D trainer. It wants to be tail heavy, it will not glide deadstick unless you push it over and keep up the speed.

Have fun with it. Don't over-engineer it.

Now, go out and fly.

Jon


_____________________________

Jonathan Ott
Extreme Aerosports

(in reply to Tattoo)
       Post #: 28

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/15/2003 10:46:06 PM   
LittleFolk



Posts: 153
Joined: 8/28/2003
From: Magnolia, TX, USA
Status: offline 		What would the perfect prop size be for a .61 size engine?

(in reply to Tattoo)
       Post #: 29

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/16/2003 12:34:48 AM   
qmotox


 

Posts: 12
Joined: 11/9/2003
From: St. Louis, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Here's mine still under construction. MVVS.49 mounted inverted with a Slick 50 can muffler.

Attachments
Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize

(in reply to LittleFolk)
       Post #: 30

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/16/2003 4:17:28 PM   
Sewerdude



Posts: 675
Joined: 6/1/2002
From: LaPorte, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Great idea qmotox. I like the Slick 50 mouse can idea. Heck, tell everybody at the field its your N.O.S bottle. Bet it will scream with that mvvs. Let us know, JT

_____________________________

Every plane has a expiration date!

(in reply to qmotox)
       Post #: 31

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/16/2003 6:02:44 PM   
rikhye



Posts: 214
Joined: 3/2/2002
From: Sacramento, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Thx tattoo i think i am suffering from an unreliable engine coz it gives up on me. i have had 3 good flights on this .... rest are all lame and in all its been the engine. But ofcourse i am not giving up i love spads
Thx
Sunil

(in reply to qmotox)
       Post #: 32

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/17/2003 1:12:35 PM   
novabill


 

Posts: 1776
Joined: 9/17/2003
From: Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Status: offline 		LittleFolk,

Try an APC 13x4, It works well on my .68

WILLIAM

(in reply to LittleFolk)
       Post #: 33

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/18/2003 4:22:03 AM   
LittleFolk



Posts: 153
Joined: 8/28/2003
From: Magnolia, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Thank you for the tip!

(in reply to novabill)
       Post #: 34

RE: Another Spa3D - 11/30/2003 1:03:48 PM   
rikhye



Posts: 214
Joined: 3/2/2002
From: Sacramento, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I am using a 12x4 master airscrew on my os 46fx far better than the apc 12.25x3.75

(in reply to LittleFolk)
       Post #: 35

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