TexasSkyPilot
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Joined: 2/2/2004
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From: San Antonio, TX, USA
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Great thread, guys. I had been agonizing over what plane to get, started out looking at a Decathlon, then the monocoupes. I looked at Kangke but really liked the PAC Clipped-wing Monocoupe, researched all the planes I was thinking about and this one won by a landslide. Good thing, because the Kangke's are going to be forever coming in!
I'm looking for a plane to put my Syssa 30CC gasser into. That 30CC weighs the same as a Zenoah G20 E.I. !! The more I looked at this plane, the more I knew it was just right for that engine.
Also, the landing and takeoff problems discussed in the thread were of interest to me. This is a short-winged (heavy) taildragger, and there are several important aspects that really need to be addressed with these. First and foremost, you've got wheelpants, and when you're flying a heavy plane with pants you MUST give them a good going over when they're upside-down in the saddle, push them, flex them, try to find a way to make them flap over over and dig into the edges of the wheelpants. If you can manage it, then so can the plane, but you won't like it when the plane manages it! Trim the pants back or get better tires, maybe BOTH. Also, be positive that they are rolling freely on the axles. And straight.
The steering wheel is critical. That rear wheel looks small but it's the very lifeblood of the takeoff runout, especially at the start. The spring(s) MUST be strong enough to follow the rudder, and as somebody already pointed out (kudos), it needs to be aligned straight with the rudder. And as another experienced taildragger pilot pointed out, the throw on the rudder is critical as well. A more effective rudder can make a pretty scary turn all at once if you're not careful. Sometimes low rate rudder is a takeoff must, and you'll have to decide these cases plane-by-plane.
And the next part is simply technique, and that comes with experience. You hold back on your elevator at least some while you start your rollout until you've got your line (that keeps the tailwheel on the ground and it can steer while it's still on the ground), then you slowly release the elevator and by then you have gained speed, then you can use AIR to steer your rudder as the tail flies (a truly exciting thing, I never tire of it!) until you are ready to rotate and lift off. Golden age planes have tails that fly during landings and takeoffs, so study the physics of it. Remember that when the wheel is on the ground it can steer, when it is off the ground the rudder must do the steering, and that takes airflow or airspeed. Golden agers often have another exciting factor....a big, round radial engine area and the round wall of air it pushes that can rob the tailfeathers of airflow! Sometimes the rudder needs MORE throw. My Waco elevators wouldn't even work the first time out at 35% low-rates as it rolled out for a landing. Landing and takeoff the Waco gets high rates now. The Monocoupe is longer than the Waco and should be less affected by it, but these are the things we have to look for to solve our problems. Too much throw or too little throw? And why?
Anyway, I have ordered one of these beautiful Clipped-Wing Monocoupes through my hobby shop, and I have ordered one of those beautiful Syssa 30CC gassers like the one in the photo above as well. I'm hoping I will not drag my feet on this build. Life has had a nasty habit of getting in the way of me finishing my builds this past year, but I have no intention of hesitating on this project. I'm inspired!
I can't wait to see how the Syssa powers this, and where it will balance. It's lighter than the G-26, so I might have to keep servos forward. And I never thought I'd say this, but I've just GOTTA have smoke in this puppy.
Jimbo
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Coming toward you, rightside-up or upside-down, the low wing gets the stick. This is the LAW, and it never changes, EVER.
Jim, AMA 543443 WACO Brotherhood #86
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> ARF or RTF >> RE: New Pacific Aeromodel Clip Wing Monocoupe 
RE: New Pacific Aeromodel Clip Wing Monocoupe - 
It's really a terrific airplane and I think you're going to be very pleased with it. I find myself flying this one more than anything else in my "hangar". Looking forward to your thoughts once yours arrives. 
I'm going to have to research some more full-scale photos in flight to see what kind of scale attitude these usually have. Such a modification would be my own personal experiment, but I have a feeling about it. 