tgoodwin_svrcc
Posts: 1
Joined: 9/21/2007
From: , MI, USA
Status: offline
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Thanks to all who have posted on the Seawind. I got mine December of 06 and have taken my time putting it together and making sure it was right. I have been hesitant about flying it off water due to all the problems I have read about here. After double and triple checking everything I made an attempt at flying off water. This will be the primary use for this plane. I have the ACE Seamaster and have flown that many times so I am not new to flaot flying. Well, the first attempt was as expected. The oversized water rudder caused me to over control and caused it to drop a wing tip and end the first flight. Even slow taxi speeds will cause the wing tips to submerge. I reduced the size of the water rudder by two thirds and removed the leading portion in front of the post. I also fabricate wing tip floats very much like the floats on my Seamaster. Off to the lake I went yesterday for another try. Conditions were perfect with a 3 MPH breaze creating just a slight ripple. With the wing tip floats installed and the reduced water rudder it handled perfectly. I was able to make corrections on my take-off run with out adverse complications. There is a definate tecknique for taking off so you don't porpoise but that all comes with the learning curve as with any plane. Take-off was great using 5/8" of down flaps and gently using up elevator once speed was achived. In the air and flaps "up" it flew better that I expected with very little trim adjustments and hardly NO change in pitch during the transition to flaps "up". Landing was uneventful as I have read here that they must be kept very shallow and avoid and bounce. This was good advise as it will bounce and keep bouncing untill speed is gone. The second take-off, flight, and landing was simply a joy as the truly is a GREAT plane to have in you hangar. For those of you who have had trouble getting off the water, don't give up! Keep it headed stright, increase power until "on step" and slowly continue adding power until it is "light" on the water and then add in some elevator. What a sight to behold! The only problem I encounted was two ofthe engine cowl mount screw holes broke so I have to re-inforce the with some fiberglass tape and epoxy before the next flight. I might take the extended wing tip floats off for the next flight as some have called them "trainning wheels" but the work so well I may just leave them on. I covered them in red covering and the help with visiual referance in flight.
This is the set-up the my Seawind.
I have added the usual amount of weight in the nose causing the total weight to be as everyone elese's. CG is as specified in the manual. Auto bailer remove and plugged. Servos as per manual. Engine is Magnum .91 fourstroke with Master Airscrew 13 x 8 three blade prop running 10% nitro fuel, side mounted. Control surfaces set as per manual and found these to be just fine.
Thanks again to all those who have posted comments in this forum as each of you added to my initial flight success. Don't give up on the Seawind as it really is a Great Plane to fly!!!!!
Postflight inspection revealed that the bulkheads in the tail section/engine pod, had popped loose and the hatch cover screws on top of the engine pod had chaffed into the fuel tank. Goes to show you that a good inspection is required after each flight as with any airplane. I still like the Seawind even with it's manufacturing faults!
< Message edited by tgoodwin_svrcc -- 9/27/2007 12:02:44 AM >
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RE: Great Planes Seawind - 
