DesignMan

Just curious to hear people's experiences with the Toucan slope gliders.

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

i still have that issue of MAN and regularly drool over the toucan pics, especially the the one on the cover. beautiful design...thanks!

right out my back door i have an awesome slope with tons of lift (requiring tons of ballast) and i'm well versed in the foam/paper building techniques. someday when i clean my shop and find my tools i'll give the toucan a try.


dave

DesignMan

If you do build a Toucan, consider either getting the Dreamcatcher kit (2 sizes) or changing the airfoils. After a few prototypes, I found that using a SD8020 on the root and SD7090 on the tip made a huge difference in performance. Keep the datum line the same, and you effectively get a bit of canard effect from the lifting tip, and need a lot less reflex at the root to get stability. Way reduced drag.

Finally, I prefer separate ailerons and elevators, using the inner 1/4 of the span for elevator driven by a Y-connector from one servo. Then servos in the wings for the ailerons.

-Larry

wind junkie

My Feedback: (1)

I agree with Design Man --Separate elevator/ ailerons work better for this plane than elevons. I used torque rods inside for the ailerons for less drag, but putting them outside is easier.

I've got an old beat up Toucan that only flys in heavy wind now, but the original had a nice wind range.

I would NOT build the wing like the article says. Build it in one piece and glass the center rather than using the short ply joiner. Then slip it inside the fuselage so the wing is continuous inside. Cut holes in wing for servos as needed, but don't cut into the LE. That joiner as originally designed will punch through the sheeting in hard landings. Better to let the sheeting take the load inside across the center joint.

DesignMan

I agree with WindJunkie on the continuous wing. I forgot about that detail. Definitely improves impact resistance with minimal increase in weight.

In trimming, keep moving the CG back, and back, and back. When it goes unstable, you have gone too far, but I actually trim mine to be totally neutral. Aim it down, and it will proceed straight until there ain't no altitude or ideas left. I can flip mine inverted, point the nose slightly up, let go of the stick and it will just continue to fly straight for 100 feet or so before it begins to remember it should tuck.

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

OK, good info

when i cut tapered wings i use a single "negative" template for the root and a long wire attached to a stationary pivot at one end and a handle at the template end. very hard, if not impossible to have the profile change towards the tip. i can do washout if needed. considering all this what's the best airfoil??

i also don't use any balsa for the L.E. , just the 2.2 lb foam. for covering i use the thinned wood glue and wet paper method. with two layers of paper i should be able to keep the weight of the wing at about 8-9oz, acceptable?

again, my slope site is a hill top at sea level leading down to a 200 meter deep valley. wind is about 30-40 mph all summer.


dave

DesignMan

For your foam cutting technique, I would go with the SD8020 fully symmetrical section.

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

Designman,
Whatever you do, DON'T get the Toucan T60R. I bought one about 2 years ago, built it properly, balanced it and was all ready for a great flying machine. On my FIRST flight, on a routine landing (fairly soft, in the sand) the fiberglass fuse broke in two just forward of the wing LE where the hatch curves. I never could get a decent repair on it and subsequent flights ended with the same break in the same place. I finally took all the gear out of it and it ended up in the trash. What a POS!
On the other hand, I can see where a wooden fuse and seperate ailerons and elevators would be an improvement. I'm tempted to try again. I hate to give up on such a good looking idea.

papermache

DesignMan

Sorry to hear of your disappointment. Especially since I DESIGNED both Toucans....

Seriously, I haven't seen the recent run of kits, they may have gone too light on the 'glass in the area ahead of the wing. I certainly was able to land real hard with the original models with 'glass done by DCU. I have no idea if it has changed now that Dreamcatcher is making them.

However, it certainly can't be that hard to beef up the critical area when doing the original construction if warned about the weak spot. Thanks for alerting us!

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

D'man,
No slam on your design, just on the glass. It was my first experience with a fiberglass fuse, so I doubt I could have seen the weak spot since I really didn't know what I was looking at. It was very light, though.

papermache

DesignMan

No offence taken! I am glad to hear of anything that can improve the design. Especially since I have retired the original Toucan 60" to hang in my office, and soon want to build a new one for flying!

Twinboom

Hey Larry,
Bringing this thread back to life. I am getting ready to cut my wing cores, and i have the SD8020 at the root, and the sd7090 at the tip. Is there any washout?? How much, or is it just straight?? I talked to Ralph Roberts and he suggested some wash-in, around 2 degrees. What do you think?? Thanks,

Doug Blackburn