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quote:
ORIGINAL: T. Bob
Seems like a lot of work for not much gain. They are nice looking planes why would you strip it?
Hello T .Bob
I agree, the covering job was one of the best I have seen yet, however it would have been impossible to remove the 17 ounces of fat from the fuselage without removing the covering first. I will send more pictures of the development stages.
< Message edited by sensei -- 3/21/2006 1:11:34 AM >
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Joined: 7/16/2002 From: SAN ANTONIO,
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DENNIS C
Judging by the 1 st picture.....i dont see where your going to loose 17 oz's..unless you did it already.
Does the turtle deck come off
Your right, the weight has already been removed, in addition there is 4 oz's removed from the tail feathers, 2 oz's from the engine cowling, 1.9 oz's on all the aluminum hardware including engine bolts, 8 oz's on the carbon gear, wing tube and Kavan wheels, and as you can see the canopy has been trimmed about as far as you can go. I did remove the turtle deck so I could remove the plywood top-cap. I have not started on weight reduction in the wings just yet.
Note: all weight comparisons were performed after the covering had been removed from the airframe.
< Message edited by sensei -- 3/24/2006 3:04:18 AM >
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sweetpea01
Why......Hopefully your lightend bird doesn't fall apart from vibration
If you had ever owned or flown an aerobatic aircraft this size or larger with a close to 20 oz. wing loading; you would know the reason why....... Generally speaking the only R/C aircraft I have seen fall apart in the last 30 years have been due to flutter, poor bond lines and or glue joints, along with the only thing that could cause destructive vibration, and that is an in-properly balanced propeller. So I don't really see that as an issue. From what I can see in most of the posts about this airplane many of the guys are purchasing cans for the engines to get more power for those up lines and 3D maneuvers. Don't get me wrong; I'm always for more power, but in this case power is not an antidote for wing loading issues, in fact if the overall weight goes low enough the power to weight loading could be much better than running a pipe which is heavier than the stock muffler, hence adding to the weight problem in the first place.
< Message edited by sensei -- 3/26/2006 2:55:42 AM >
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sweetpea01
I see your point.........but there's something to structural integrity and weight. [/quote
I couldn't agree with you more, The higher the weight, the higher the flight loads. There is an old saying that we used many years ago out at the NASA: Dryden Flight Research Facility in California, it goes something like this, "make the fittings big and engineer the hell out of the upholstery" What that means in this scenario is leave the well thought out spar carry throughs and massive longerons alone and trim the fat everywhere else, it's that simple.
< Message edited by sensei -- 3/27/2006 2:42:14 AM >
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Joined: 7/16/2002 From: SAN ANTONIO,
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Here is a couple of weight shots of the entire aircraft with the exception of covering on the fuselage, tail feather and 5" spinner. I will still strip the wings & ailerons and place them on a strict diet.
< Message edited by sensei -- 4/4/2006 3:39:16 AM >
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Joined: 10/21/2002 From: largo, FL, USA Status: offline
HEY SENSEI, LOOKS LIKE YOUR DOING A GREAT JOB. ANY CHANCE WE CAN GET A DATE AND LOCATION AS TO WHERE YOU MIGHT BE FLYING THAT 70% IN THE BACKGROUND AT.
MIKE
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If it has a motor a radio and fuel I will fly it!!!! Aerotech R/C Models Sponsored pilot
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Joined: 7/16/2002 From: SAN ANTONIO,
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 40%plane
HEY SENSEI, LOOKS LIKE YOUR DOING A GREAT JOB. ANY CHANCE WE CAN GET A DATE AND LOCATION AS TO WHERE YOU MIGHT BE FLYING THAT 70% IN THE BACKGROUND AT.
MIKE
Thanks for the complement Mike. The Staudacher will probably never fly as long as I live, My attorney's tell me I have nothing to gain by flying it, and everything to lose if something goes wrong.
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Joined: 7/16/2002 From: SAN ANTONIO,
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Well, looks like the only way to get that 16 ozs. off the wings is, you got it, 1 lb. density foam cores and competition grade balsa skins, anyways, here we go.
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How light can you go! - 
I will send more pictures of the development stages.
