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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/11/2007 7:25:45 AM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		By the way, I just realize something...forgot to ask

-Why do you put the tape or glue the wings together?...if I do that I can't fit the wing in my car in one piece!!
-Can they stay in halves so I can take them apart?
-Has anybody had any experience converting the Alpha to electric?


(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 26

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/11/2007 1:11:16 PM   
jagnweiner



Posts: 821
Joined: 2/18/2003
From: Bloomington, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Glad you got it running! I think you'll be very pleased.


quote:

ORIGINAL: imora99

By the way, I just realize something...forgot to ask

-Why do you put the tape or glue the wings together?...if I do that I can't fit the wing in my car in one piece!!
-Can they stay in halves so I can take them apart?
-Has anybody had any experience converting the Alpha to electric?




You tape or glue the wing halves together so that they don't come apart while flying. This wing is designed to be permanently assembled, not to be taken apart after each flying session. If you can't get the wing in your car in one piece, it probably wasn't the best choice of plane. Will it not fit at all? I had a 90" span Cub where I would run the wing long-wise, with one end on the dashboard and one end on the rear deck lid.

Worst case scenario, if you absolutely had to take it apart, build it with the bolt on option. At least theoretically, with both halves bolted in to the fuselage, it shouldn't come apart. If it is rubberbanded in, the halves could easily work their way apart in flight.


_____________________________

-Scott
WACO Brotherhood #61

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 27

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/11/2007 3:24:39 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4653
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		I agree that the plane isn't meant to have a wing that comes apart. If you want to go that way, then I'd probably try putting in some kind of bolt system to do it. Either a pair of bolts threaded through the wing tube, or putting hard points in the wing and using a strap or two between the wing halves (on the underside, where you can't see it). I'm not confident that the wing bolts alone would be enough. If the wing tube has a nice, tight fit, it might work though, at least at first. I don't know what the wing tube socket in the wings is made from. If it's just holes in a couple of the ribs with some plywood connection to the spar rather than a full tube arrangement, then I'd be worried that the fit might wear and losen up over time and allow the wings to move a bit. Then again, it might work fine. It is a trainer, after all, and a little movement probably won't kill you, and I have confidence that the wing won't fold up on you.

About the noise, yeah, the Alpha 40 and 60 are both really quiet planes. Part of it is the prop, and part of it is the muffler. You can get more performance from the plane and more power from the engine if you use a conventional 2-bladed prop. The APC brand props are fairly quiet and produce good power, but will be louder than the stock 3-blade prop. Removing the baffle from the muffer results in a bunch of extra power, but a lot more noise. On my Evolution .45, I use a 10x5 APC prop and I have the baffle out. It's a powerful combiation and really pulls the LT-40 I have it in, but it makes a racket compared to the stock alphas.

It sounds like you took the engine off the airframe to put the prop on? that's not necessary, but you do need to use a real wrench and torque down the prop nut as much as you can. Don't use those small cross wrenches, they just don't give you enough leverage.


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Kirk Montague Adams
RCCA 560

(in reply to jagnweiner)
       Post #: 28

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/11/2007 9:31:22 PM   
jagnweiner



Posts: 821
Joined: 2/18/2003
From: Bloomington, MN, USA
Status: offline 		I would agree with everything Kirk says on the wing issue. If you REALLY want to make it in two pieces, one way would be to strip some covering off the bottom of both wing halves right at the joint in two places, one near the front and one nearer the back. Then cut rectangular holes in the sheathing right next to the root ribs. Epoxy hardwood blocks to the root ribs on each side, leaving them flush with the sheeting. Then make a couple of metal plates with two holes. Screw the plates into the hardwood blocks on each side of the joint.

This is merely an idea. I've never actually done it, I was just thinking it might work.


_____________________________

-Scott
WACO Brotherhood #61

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 12:45:07 AM   
gatin69


 

Posts: 26
Joined: 9/25/2006
From: mexico_cityMexico, MEXICO
Status: offline 		HI GUYS, IM ALEX, FROM MEXICO CITY............ IM BEGINER IN THIS HOBBY, WANT TO ASK WHICH TRAINER PLANE ITS THE BEST FOR ME..... I WANT BUY ONE RTF I WAS THINKING THAT MAY BE THE HOBBICO NEX STAR OR THE ALPHA 40 ARE GOOD IDEAS...... PLEASE TELL ME WHICH ONE ITS BETTER THX (GRACIAS)

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ALEX GLEZ

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 12:51:09 PM   
jagnweiner



Posts: 821
Joined: 2/18/2003
From: Bloomington, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Alex-

The Alpha 40 and Nexstar are both good planes. I used to be a big fan of the Nexstar, but having now flown the Alpha 60, I would recommend Alphas. They are less expensive and they are easier to repair if you have a mishap. Just my opinion.

_____________________________

-Scott
WACO Brotherhood #61

(in reply to gatin69)
       Post #: 31

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 5:41:44 PM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		I just bought an Alpha 60 (you can read a bit more above on this thread) and other then a little problem with the propeler bolt that was more my wrongdoing then the plane's I can tell you that it looks real nice. I have not been able to fly it thou, because the weather has been just lousy , raining every day, so I can't tell you yet a complete opinion from a total newbi. But I went with it because I have read only good comments all over the forums about the Alphas.

By the way, in my opinion for the difference in price and if you don´t have a problem moving around a 1.82 mts. wingspan, go with the Alpha 60. At least on the simulator the bigger plane is so much easier to see in the distance.

(in reply to jagnweiner)
       Post #: 32

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 7:19:45 PM   
hogflyer



Posts: 1543
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline 		It’s easy to bolt wing on the Alpha 60 as it comes with all the parts necessary. One work of caution - make sure the nylon wing hold down screws tighten up in the blind nuts. I opted for the bolt-on wing since I won't allow very many other pilots to land my plane so I'm not worried about it dinging a wing tip. I've found one of the blind nuts has mal-formed threads and I can't get the screw tightened properly on that side. I've swapped screws side to side, and tried another set of 1/4-20 bolts with the same result. I'm just going to knock out the blind nut and add another one. If that gives me problems then I’ll dowel it, re-drill and tap it.

I have both the NextStar and Alpha and after flying the Alpha a few times I think's both are very good trainers. I'll give the Alpha the edge in crosswind capability - it'll handle a 15 mph crosswind where the NextStar is taxed in 10 mph, but I'll give the deadstick glide to the NextStar. That think can really stay up deadstick, especially if using dual aileron servos on full span flapperons dropped 1/8". If you factor in the flight sim, the NextStar flight sim is much better.

Price wise both the NextStar RTF and the Alpha 60 RTF cost roughly the same, are close to the same size, but you’re also looking at a .46 vs. a .61 engine for what its worth. I think for the money, I'd lean toward the Alpha 60 unless you plan on spending a lot of time in the flight sim this winter. For $100 less there is the Alpha 40 which is as good as the Alpha 60, just smaller.

Hogflyer


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Flight Training Coordinator - Wichita Radio Control Club - AMA Intro Pilot
www.wichitaradiocontrolclub.org AMA 47317

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 33

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 7:35:56 PM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		I just finished setting up the engine on my Alpha .60 according to the manual. Everything seem to work just as described there (the whole pinching the hose routine) and transition from low to high rpms seems smooth and without hesitation.

My question is that the RPMs reading I get are:

Max Power motor and everything seems to work fine

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 7:38:08 PM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		Sorry...hit the wrong key on my previous post...here is the rest.

Max Power 9,000 rpm
Idle 2,500 rpm

Are these figures ok for a Stock Alpha .60?

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       Post #: 35

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 7:39:04 PM   
hogflyer



Posts: 1543
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: imora99

My question is that the RPMs reading I get are:



Well, don't keep us in suspense too long - what is the tach reading?

Hogflyer

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Flight Training Coordinator - Wichita Radio Control Club - AMA Intro Pilot
www.wichitaradiocontrolclub.org AMA 47317

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 7:43:39 PM   
hogflyer



Posts: 1543
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline 		Looks like you posted as I did.

I get 9500 rpm top end and 2250 idle from mine with the stock 3-blade prop and fly-wheel. I'm changing mine to a 2-blade 12 X 6 Top Flight wood prop and hope to see it over 13,000. I've heard Evolutions are not fast runners but will swing some lumber. I'll try a 13 X 5 wood on it after flying it with the 12 X 6 for a while just to see what difference it makes on the aircraft performance.

One word of caution to the newbies out there - don't fly a wood prop until you get your landings down, or let me know when you do so I by a lot of stock in the company that makes the props you'll use while learning landings.

Hogflyer

_____________________________

Flight Training Coordinator - Wichita Radio Control Club - AMA Intro Pilot
www.wichitaradiocontrolclub.org AMA 47317

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/12/2007 8:08:21 PM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		Just by changing props will increase the RPMs from 9,000 to 13,000??!!...wow!...please let us know if that is the case. Now, once you achieve that, what happens with the plane...it will fly faster I suppose, will it climb faster as well?...will it consume more fuel?...what about vibrations? and engine wear?...can the EVO take that much speed?...today I noticed that at full speed this thing vibrates like a paint shaker...man does it vibrate??!!!

Why would you want to increase RPMs to that extent?

Thanks in advance for the lesson.

(in reply to hogflyer)
       Post #: 38

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/13/2007 7:14:30 PM   
gatin69


 

Posts: 26
Joined: 9/25/2006
From: mexico_cityMexico, MEXICO
Status: offline 		THX SO MUCH GUYS....ILL POST SOME PICS WHEN I BUY MY PLANE.............

BEST REGARDS FROM MEXICO CITY

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ALEX GLEZ

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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/13/2007 7:26:05 PM