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Lift Meister - 4/14/2007 4:40:17 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline 		To any one with lift meister aircraft:
were your instructions book clear and readable and has anyone cut their ailerons to make flaps
would like to know if you have had any problems that might make it easeir for assembely of mine. having no problems with attaching drop boxes on mine but having problems with diahedrial brace assembaly.

goldenknight1
       Post #: 1

RE: Lift Meister - 4/14/2007 8:44:19 PM   
GaryV


 

Posts: 212
Joined: 2/3/2002
From: Stuarts Draft, VA, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Bob,

Yes, the instructions they are pretty poor.
I printed them off of the website, and they were 100% better.
I was going to post a link to it here but now when you try to open the manual on the website it takes you back to the home page
On Wes' plane we sanded down the wooden dihedral brace and used the wooden one and the aluminum one together.
I don't know about anyone else, but on Wes' plane the blocks inside the wing, near the aileron servos that the strut's fasten to were only glued the the cap strips. we had to cut away the covering, reglue the block (also added a piece of 1/8" ply for support) and recover the hole. (Very poor design in my opinion) The Strut supports in the wing should have been pre drilled, so you could find them.
The one I have may go to the swapmeet, or I will probably build a new wing using wing tubes and take out the dihedral.

Gary

(in reply to goldenknight1)
       Post #: 2

RE: Lift Meister - 4/14/2007 9:08:28 PM   
R/C Skydiver



Posts: 171
Joined: 8/7/2002
From: Smiths, AL, USA
Status: online 		Bob
Gary is right, the instructions aren't very good. I finally threw away the ca hinges supplied for the struts and controls. Used robart hinges for controls and flat thin copper for the strut hinges. The blocks for strut attachment in the wings are poorly attached--in fact one block came loose while flying and had one side of the strut flapping in the wind. I had to cut the covering to add an attachment block. Don't think a block was put in that area by the builder. The other three seem to be there and are ok----so far!.
As you can see from the photo, I also put bolts thru the strut and the copper hinge to make them more secure. I guess the Lift Meister is ok but I don't think I would buy another one---even at the relatively low price of $259. Look at the Airplane forum at ARF and type in Lift Meister and you will get a bunch of information on building it.
I was supposed to be at a flyin in Andersonville, Ga. today and drop jumpers in the demo but chickened out after looking at the "Tornado Watch" for our area and winds of 17+ at the jump site. I jumped at Macon, Ga last weekend with 15+ mph and landed in front of the announcer! They thought it was planned and a great jump. Actually the Mike had no forward speed after dropping the flag which made so much drag that all I could was hold it into the wind and let it go backwards with the wind. Lucky I didn't hit someones parked airplane in the pits!!! Enough of that kind of jumping---15mph is now my limit with the flag hanging below the Mike!!!.
I also had to add a landing gear rienforcement rod to keep the gear from spreading while on the ground. A lot of other mods are needed to carry three jumpers. Hope it stays in one piece for the Somerset rally. I have two other flyins to go and drop in the noon demo before Somerset.
Good luck in building the Lift Meister, Jim

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< Message edited by R/C Skydiver -- 4/14/2007 9:10:10 PM >

(in reply to GaryV)
       Post #: 3

RE: Lift Meister - 4/14/2007 11:18:43 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: GaryV

Hi Bob,

Yes, the instructions they are pretty poor.
I printed them off of the website, and they were 100% better.
I was going to post a link to it here but now when you try to open the manual on the website it takes you back to the home page
On Wes' plane we sanded down the wooden dihedral brace and used the wooden one and the aluminum one together.
I don't know about anyone else, but on Wes' plane the blocks inside the wing, near the aileron servos that the strut's fasten to were only glued the the cap strips. we had to cut away the covering, reglue the block (also added a piece of 1/8" ply for support) and recover the hole. (Very poor design in my opinion) The Strut supports in the wing should have been pre drilled, so you could find them.
The one I have may go to the swapmeet, or I will probably build a new wing using wing tubes and take out the dihedral.

Gary
GARY THANKS FOR THE COME BACK ON LM, when I opened box My first impression of the Kit WOW the tried reading instructions they were so dark I cuoldn,t make out the picture. I appreciate yor quick reply. BOB

(in reply to GaryV)
       Post #: 4

RE: Lift Meister - 4/14/2007 11:23:33 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: R/C Skydiver

Bob
Gary is right, the instructions aren't very good. I finally threw away the ca hinges supplied for the struts and controls. Used robart hinges for controls and flat thin copper for the strut hinges. The blocks for strut attachment in the wings are poorly attached--in fact one block came loose while flying and had one side of the strut flapping in the wind. I had to cut the covering to add an attachment block. Don't think a block was put in that area by the builder. The other three seem to be there and are ok----so far!.
As you can see from the photo, I also put bolts thru the strut and the copper hinge to make them more secure. I guess the Lift Meister is ok but I don't think I would buy another one---even at the relatively low price of $259. Look at the Airplane forum at ARF and type in Lift Meister and you will get a bunch of information on building it.
I was supposed to be at a flyin in Andersonville, Ga. today and drop jumpers in the demo but chickened out after looking at the "Tornado Watch" for our area and winds of 17+ at the jump site. I jumped at Macon, Ga last weekend with 15+ mph and landed in front of the announcer! They thought it was planned and a great jump. Actually the Mike had no forward speed after dropping the flag which made so much drag that all I could was hold it into the wind and let it go backwards with the wind. Lucky I didn't hit someones parked airplane in the pits!!! Enough of that kind of jumping---15mph is now my limit with the flag hanging below the Mike!!!.
I also had to add a landing gear rienforcement rod to keep the gear from spreading while on the ground. A lot of other mods are needed to carry three jumpers. Hope it stays in one piece for the Somerset rally. I have two other flyins to go and drop in the noon demo before Somerset.
Good luck in building the Lift Meister, Jim
Thanks for info between you and me I was going to buy the 12 telemaster but I do believe that anybody thinks about buying the LM I would say no.
BOB

(in reply to R/C Skydiver)
       Post #: 5

RE: Lift Meister - 4/21/2007 4:48:32 AM   
DiveBombDave


 

Posts: 36
Joined: 3/12/2007
From: , KY, USA
Status: offline 		I haven't flown mine yet, but I am beginning to agree with GoldenKnight. My main gear block had no glue at the front, and only a tiny amount in the rear, so the first bump I hit it ripped the block clear from the plane. While epoxying this back, I wondered how/when I will discover any other "short gluing."

I cut my ailerons for flaps, I just tried to maximize my aileron throw to compensate for that loss in strip aileron surface area. Like Jim, I also used robarts pin hinges as well as CA hinges, and I opted for some fat bush style pneumatic tires. Other than that, she's bone stock.

Dave

(in reply to goldenknight1)
       Post #: 6

RE: Lift Meister - 4/21/2007 2:17:44 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: DiveBombDave

I haven't flown mine yet, but I am beginning to agree with GoldenKnight. My main gear block had no glue at the front, and only a tiny amount in the rear, so the first bump I hit it ripped the block clear from the plane. While epoxying this back, I wondered how/when I will discover any other "short gluing."

I cut my ailerons for flaps, I just tried to maximize my aileron throw to compensate for that loss in strip aileron surface area. Like Jim, I also used robarts pin hinges as well as CA hinges, and I opted for some fat bush style pneumatic tires. Other than that, she's bone stock.

Dave
Dave: I found the same problem with my landing gear, reglued it and went to the 5.50 dubro wheels. Did you have problems with your wings, finally got mine to go together like on Gary's had to sand deihederal braces a lot before they would fit, then when trying to install wings had to trim forward edge of cocpit area to get wings to mount right, also have made strut connectors out of lite metal all and all awful lot of work for a ARF
BOB

(in reply to DiveBombDave)
       Post #: 7

RE: Lift Meister - 4/22/2007 11:03:54 PM   
R/C Skydiver



Posts: 171
Joined: 8/7/2002
From: Smiths, AL, USA
Status: online 		Photo of Albany, Ga. Fly-In on 4-21. Dropped one mike with camera on helmet---more work to do! Dropped 3 Charlys from the Lift Meister and 2 Mikes from the Stinger at the noon demo.. All went well in spite of 14mph winds! There was another Lift Meister there rigged to drop 10 lbs of candy for kids. Worked great as it spread candy about 300ft on runway. This LM ripped the landing gear out on it's first test flight and had to be reinstalled with lots of epoxy. He will order wider gear and make other changes as well. Seems as though almost everyone has problems with the gear. I had epoxied all joints in the fuselage that I could reach so I didn't have gear problems---after I installed a 1/4" piano wire as reinforcement to the gear that is! Guess it was all worth it!!!


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(in reply to goldenknight1)
       Post #: 8

RE: Lift Meister - 4/25/2007 12:51:07 AM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Jim: Have found all the problems that you had and have corrected all of the items, here is what mine now loks like ready for maiden flight

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(in reply to R/C Skydiver)
       Post #: 9

RE: Lift Meister - 4/25/2007 5:04:34 AM   
R/C Skydiver



Posts: 171
Joined: 8/7/2002
From: Smiths, AL, USA
Status: online 		Bob.
God luck on your maiden flight. Hope all goes well. Did you make a one piece wing?
Jim

(in reply to goldenknight1)
       Post #: 10

RE: Lift Meister - 4/25/2007 5:59:35 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: R/C Skydiver

Bob.
God luck on your maiden flight. Hope all goes well. Did you make a one piece wing?
Jim
No Jim I have the two piece wing had a lot of problems with getting spar braces to fit
had to sand pieces and grind down the aluminum part also, it slides together real nice now. Also
took half inch triangle stock and made saddle on inside of fuselage so that wings do not set on the edge of the plane. Will let you know how it flys tomorrow.

blue skies and fair winds BOB

(in reply to R/C Skydiver)
       Post #: 11

RE: Lift Meister - 4/27/2007 6:48:19 PM   
goldenknight1



Posts: 187
Joined: 2/14/2003
From: cedar hill, MO, USA
Status: offline 		To anyone with lift meister plane has ony one ckecked CG on thier plane I refigured mine and came up with a CG at 5 5/8 inches from leading edge of wing it balances real good with jump boxes on it and initial maiden flight take off was smoth and landing was perfect. I believe the 6 1/2 inches is way to far back. Would like come back from any one who has checked thiers and found a difference.

BOB

(in reply to goldenknight1)
       Post #: 12

RE: Lift Meister - 4/27/2007 7:40:21 PM   
R/C Skydiver