RE: Alpha 60 RTF  
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RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/29/2007 5:12:58 PM   
jagnweiner



Posts: 821
Joined: 2/18/2003
From: Bloomington, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Keep us updated on future flights. BTW, 4 strokes throw out much less oil. You'll want one eventually.

_____________________________

-Scott
WACO Brotherhood #61

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 51

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 10/29/2007 5:39:11 PM   
Charlie P.



Posts: 2285
Joined: 2/25/2003
From: High Above Upstate, NY, USA
Status: offline
quote:

...man those glow engines do they spill oil all over or what??!!


YEAH! Ain't it great?

The best things in life are dirty and messy. ;-)

You lose so much with electrics.

_____________________________

Charlie P.
"Gravity is weak but it is persistant" AMA 747089/IMAA 30723

Oh Lord, your earth is so hard and my planes are so frail.

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 52

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/3/2007 12:01:09 AM   
rura


 

Posts: 2
Joined: 10/16/2007
From: north arilington, NJ, USA
Status: offline 		I am convinced that the Alpha 60 will be the best trainer for me to learn to fly with, but I really wanted to spend this winter on a simulator . Its my understanding that the simulator that comes with the Alpha isn't very good? What do you think? Will the Alpha simulator help me learn ? I really dont have the money to purchase something else, I'm hoping tha the Alpha will help.

(in reply to Charlie P.)
       Post #: 53

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/3/2007 1:41:16 PM   
jagnweiner



Posts: 821
Joined: 2/18/2003
From: Bloomington, MN, USA
Status: offline 		The Alpha simulator is absolutely awful. A much better choice is FMS, which is a free simulator that you can download. You just need to get a cable to connect your transmitter. To find out more info about FMS, just do a google search or check in the simulator forum on RCU.

_____________________________

-Scott
WACO Brotherhood #61

(in reply to rura)
       Post #: 54

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/3/2007 6:12:17 PM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		Regardless of what simulator you may use, I totally recommend it.

If you are a total newbi such as myself there is so much you'll learn on the simulator that will help you when you are actually flying that otherwise you'd have to experiment on the actual plane with the risk of crashing if you make a mistake. On the long run, I feel the simulator pays for itself because it will save you a few crashes for sure.

I agree that the Alpha simulator is almost totally useless, but is better then nothing and comes free.

(in reply to jagnweiner)
       Post #: 55

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/4/2007 3:45:36 AM   
tburriss


 

Posts: 8
Joined: 10/20/2006
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Status: offline 		Anyone ever converted the Alpha 60 to a tail-dragger? I had a large tree leap out and grab my Alpha, so I built a second one. I'm using a Saito 82 in it - nice combination. Anyway, having nothing better to do, I pulled the landing gear bracing and blind nuts out of the smooshed up Alpha and glued it into the new one, just aft of the bulkhead that sits forward of the battery compartment. That puts the wheels directly under the tip of the leading edge of the wing, which in theory is exactly where they oughta be. Problem is I don't have balls enough to actually pull the nose gear, slap on a tail wheel and give it a try. Has anyone else??

(in reply to jagnweiner)
       Post #: 56

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/4/2007 4:43:28 AM   
hogflyer



Posts: 1543
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline 		imora99

For the price of that EP conversion you can buy a lot of cleaner and paper towels, not to mention another complete Alpha 60 RTF. That's a lot of money to spend just to have a plane you don't have to wipe off at the end of the day. You need to see my planes - I add additional castor oil to the fuel and it leaves a nice thick coating of fuel residue all over the plane. Just part of the hobby.

Hogflyer

_____________________________

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

(in reply to tburriss)
       Post #: 57

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 11/4/2007 5:27:59 AM   
imora99


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 4/19/2006
From: San Salvador, EL SALVADOR
Status: offline 		jajaja...to each his own I guess...

you know, I remember when I was into racing cars, for me nothing would beat the smell of Castor racing oil...and the smell of gasoline and grease and all that came with it....but now I just like the cleanness of electric, not to mention how few things I have to take with me to the field.

However, just so I don't get beaten up to much by the glow lovers guys, I am actually keeping the gas powered as well. I am courious to do proper comparissons in all respect, not just how much stain is in one over the other. I didn't plan it this way, the first plane I got was an RTF that came with the glow engine. But now I think it will be interesting to see how much the Alpha can "give" on each option.

As far as the price, man!...this became expensive so long ago that I rather not think about the prices anymore, just to have fun. After all we all deserve it...right?


(in reply to hogflyer)
       Post #: 58

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/3/2008 9:03:08 PM   
bleesweb


 

Posts: 72
Joined: 11/8/2004
From: Newburgh, NY, USA
Status: offline 		Anyone have an opinion on using a Saito 82 on this plane? I am looking for a trainer for my son and want to use a Saito that I have not in use.

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 59

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/3/2008 9:38:51 PM   
HornetFitter


 

Posts: 85
Joined: 2/3/2008
From: Cold Lake, AB, CANADA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: imora99

Hi Scott,

I emptied the fuel tank as you indicated and obviously there was a improvement. Still the plane tilts down by the nose but not as bad as it was before. For sure the fuel was adding a lot of weight.

Now I have another problem. Every time I try to start the engine the bolt that holds the propeler becomes loose. The first time it happened I thought maybe I didn´t tightened it hard enough, so I did it again making sure this time it was pretty tight. Once again, as soon as I applied the starter to the cone on the propeler it got loose again, so much so that the propeller just comes off. I thought about putting a preshure washer but there is barelly any thread left for the bolt, so the washer won't fit.

Has anyone experienced something like this with your Alphas? I have added a few pics so you can see how I am fitting the propeller, that to me looks exactly as the manual indicates.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I used a little locktite on mine and no more problems with the prop coming loose

(in reply to imora99)
       Post #: 60

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/4/2008 2:37:32 AM   
joco1


 

Posts: 291
Joined: 8/17/2007
From: , KY, USA
Status: offline 		what do you guys think of putting a 75 ax in the alpa 60 would it be too much for the airframe?

(in reply to HornetFitter)
       Post #: 61

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/4/2008 8:13:17 PM   
bingo field



Posts: 1007
Joined: 5/6/2004
From: Mt. Morris, NY, USA
Status: offline 		The airframe will stand up to the 75 if the operator is somewhat careful of the position of the left stick. The same power that can help you get out of a situation in a hurry can also get you into one at an even greater speed. I would imagine you would be able to train at 1/4 to 1/3 throttle, probably 1/2 throttle to take off. I would advise caution, but the airframe will handle it. I have tortured my Alpha's, they last pretty well. My oldest one is 5 or 6 years old, and still gets flown a lot, especially when the wind makes flying my nicer planes more "iffy". I converted one to a taildragger. It's more of a sport plane than trainer, kind of a cross between a 4star and trainer..

Good luck.

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Sign over Ready Room Door: "Complacency Kills" - Thimk

(in reply to joco1)
       Post #: 62

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/5/2008 5:18:06 AM   
joco1


 

Posts: 291
Joined: 8/17/2007
From: , KY, USA
Status: offline 		but if you got comfortable flying and your left thumb got happy and you came over wide open in a low pass would the airframe be able to handle the speed?

(in reply to bingo field)
       Post #: 63

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/6/2008 3:37:12 AM   
hogflyer



Posts: 1543
Joined: 3/23/2005
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline 		Had a little incident with my Alpha 60 and found something that other Alpha 60 pilots should be aware of. I went out Sunday for some flight testing after fixing the aileron torque rods (they where not glued in at the factory adding to a flutter problem I'm chasing), and got one good flight in (dang flutter was still there too, but that's another issue). When I started the take-off roll on the second flight, just as I started to pull up elevator, the nose gear collapsed under it. This was the take-off run for the seventh flight, it has all of 16 landings with almost all as nose high as possible on the mains, and no landings or abuse to the nose gear.

Upon examination it appears the nose wheel bracket gave way because of one simple fact - its too small for this size and weight of plane. It's so small I think its suited for a .21 sized plane. I've received some correspondence from another Alpha 60 owner who has had the same issue with his and he concluded the same thing, especially considering this an 8 pound plane that under normal training will see more than its fair share of abuse and hard landings on the nose gear. My choices right now are install an after market nose gear suitable for a .60 sized plane, or convert to a tail dragger.

This is a design flaw I found out about the hard way and wanted to pass on. If you have one of these planes, keep tabs on the NLG bracket to make sure you don't have to deal with it after the fact.

Hogflyer

_____________________________

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

(in reply to joco1)
       Post #: 64

RE: Alpha 60 RTF - 2/6/2008 4:52:58 AM   
joco1


 

Posts: 291
Joined: 8/17/2007
From: , KY, USA
Status: offline 		Hogflyer i just came up from the basement working on the alpha 60 i just got the stab on and layed out all the nose gear parts ready for hopefully tomorrow afternoon then came up here and read your post wow! we must have ESPN ! so what size nose gear do you recommend i dont want to convert to a tail dragger. Would you do anything different on the build besides that and what do you think about running the .75 ax........... will the frame handle the high speeds this engine can achieve ?

(in reply to hogflyer)