hogflyer
Posts: 1391
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita,
KS, USA
Status: offline
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I got to fly Grace for 3 short flights yesterday, but it didn’t all go as planned. First let me say she’s a great flyer. Just a firm toss it’s off in a nice wings level climb – even though I had to do a cross wind launch in a 7 mph breeze. I found it was docile on the rates listed on the box (which I set as low rates), but was a lot more fun when I went to high rates. Snaps and spins are a blast! Only one other person out there had flown 1/2A before and everybody was very surprised how well it flew and how fast it was when the engine ran right. I think they where expecting something like that flitters and was as fast as a power glider.
But these where very short flights. I couldn’t keep the engine running for more than a couple of minutes (longest flight was 4 minutes), and it was very difficult to start since the snapstart assembly is missing. The engine acts like it wants to constantly go from rich to lean. The needle was set 2-3/4 turns open for the nose to be tilted up or down with no change in speed, but after about 15 seconds it would act up. I have fresh 1/2A fuel that others I know have used this brand with no problems, and I even added an extra ounce of Sig Castor to the quart of fuel. There appears to be air bubbles in the fuel line, but there aren’t any holes that can be seen. I’ll replace it anyway just to be sure. I’ll also pull the backplate off and make sure the needle valve, fuel nipple and screen are not blocked. The compression also doesn’t seem to be that strong, or as strong as I thought it should be, and not nearly as good as my Black Widow or QRC. It just doesn’t have that good pop when flipping it over.
The weather here is forecast to be windy (upper 20’s to mid 30’s with gusts into the 40’s) for the next few days, and cold. Hopefully it’ll clear out early next week and I’ll get another chance to fly it. My camera man should be able to make it out to the field then and hopefully get some video of it.
I have some Sullivan 1/2A fuel tubing – should I use that instead of the standard fuel tubing that it looks like it has?
Hogflyer
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Flight Training Coordinator - Wichita Radio Control Club - AMA Intro Pilot
www.wichitaradiocontrolclub.org AMA 4731
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> "1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes >> RE: Postal Plane Project 
RE: Postal Plane Project - 
, and lots of side to side movement also. I've been slowly trying to tighten up the socket and kept fitting piston back in the cylinder to make sure it doesn't mushroom. Right now it's starting to get some drag on the top of the stroke and there is still too much travel in the rod. At this point I think she'll need at minimum a new piston/rod. By comparison my new SS had almost no play when new comapred to Grace's engine, and when I tightened up the socket it was solid in the socket with no play yet not too tight. I'm afraid to try and tighten up the socket any more for fear of mushrooming the piston to the point it won't fit the cylinder 
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