SKYHI1

Hi,

I am building an Ultra Sport .60 I got the plans from RCM Plans service. I plan on putting a RCV .91 4 stroke that I have on it. I think this combo will work to get me started in Pattern flying. What do you think? I will probably set it up as a tail dragger.

Thanks
Frank

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

I expect there will be a parade of people with the best intentions saying you shoulda got (fill in blank), but the fact is the Ultrasport will serve very well for an introduction to pattern. Taildragger configuration is a good idea. The main thing is to have some enthusiasm for building & setting up your model, also for trimming & mixing it to pattern standards (at least as far as can be done with your first pattern candidate), then flying with purpose & discipline. My first introduction to pattern was on an Easysport. I look back now and see it was a long way from an ideal beginning, but it was enough to get me excited about the idea, and I quickly moved on. My first pattern meet I flew a Kangke CAP 232 Sport, was not ashamed of my scores, had a great time, and moved on from that. I will say the most important elements are a model that flies, a set-up with very modest throws and no slop, a well-tuned powerplant with more power than you think you'll need, good trimming, good mixing and a coach who has flown in competition to help you with your figures. Those are not in order of importance, because they're all important.

SKYHI1

Majortom,

Thank you for your help and guidence. I appreciate your enthiusiasm. I think the Ultra Sport will do ok as well for a start. . If by any remote chance it doesn't. I will build something else next winter.

Frank

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

I guess it's only fair to note that I have an Ultrasport 1000 kit in its box that I'm looking forward to building one of these years. I got it after seeing a 60-size with its gear tucked up, looping and tracking so majestically at our field one afternoon. Looping, rolling and tracking are what pattern is all about.

SKYHI1

Yeah, I agree. I have only read and heard good things about this plane. I have a spare set of robart 605's. I don't think I'm going to use them on this plane. But, it will be definetly a tail dragger. I think the four stroke 90 should give me some vertical power on this plane with enough as reserve. I'm about to order the wood for this project. This will be my winter build, nice and slow. It's a long time till spring here.

Have a good one.
Frank

randy10926

My Feedback: (19)

this should work just fine. Keep the build straight and light. Plan the build ahead of time to be light. Use light (contest) balsa where ever the stress will allow. Fixed gear are lighter than retracts (no gear and no servo). Tail dragger should be lighter than trike gear.

suggestions:
1. Build your former out of 2 pieces of cross-grained 1/16 contest balsa. Use little glue to bond the pieces (like gorilla glue)
2. Build you own firewall (F1). Use 3 pieces 2 - 1/16s balsa bonded to a middle layer of 1/8 very light ply.
3. Use lightening holes even on F1.
4. Use good servos and check the weight. You could use mid size servos as they should have enough power and be lighter. Servo centering is pretty important to a consistent trim. Personally I would use coreless servos.
5. If I remember right the RCV is a geared motor; so it can turn a bigger prop with less RPM. If it is, you may have a problem with prop clearance if you use the gear height from the plan. Double check and see you if you are going to need to add an inch or 2 to the main gear.

SKYHI1

I appreciate the advice, I have thought about the problem with prop clearance. Do you think adding height to the main gear will effect the planes overall performance in any way? Or is it just going to be more drag? I have thought about putting a 2 stroke .61 on it instead. What do you think?

Tks
Frank

MTK

Frank,

The four stroke will work great on the model. You probably only need about 1" additional length on the gear. The 90 4 stroke is geared down as randy109 mentioned, so the engine will turn around 16x6-8 or so. We no longer use 1/4" aircraft ply on anything up to 2 meter size. 1/8" aircraft is all that's needed. Any doublers you might use, could be 1/64" ply or 1/32" with large cutouts. We generally use 1/8 balsa medium grade for fuse sides and 1/16"-3/32" top and bottom

The 61 will produce a significantly lighter model though...... and you would need to build the tail according to the powerplant you intend to use, to avoid unnecessary weight addition later. The 61 will use less fuel but that's a minor concern. Either engine will have adequate power for this size model, especially for the Sportsman schedule.

Good luck with your project. I love hearing fellas stiil building their models. You can get very creative on the building board especially with existing designs... opportunities that ARFs do not give you

MattK

SKYHI1

MTK

Thanks for the insight. I am still kind of up in the air on which engine to use. The RCV 90 was a gift. It is still new in the box. I am concidering putting it up on ebay to see if I can then replace it with a new OS61FX. I have had one of these before and loved it. I am concerned about the weight factor. Also, my club has a grass field, and not the smoothist one I'm sure. With a large prop on the RCV 90, ground handling will be an issue.
I love the old plans. There is something of a bonding with the plane when I build from scratch(plans) I have had one arf and when it crashed I really didn't seem to care. When I lost a contender I had built from a kit with a few mods I made I am still in morning for it's loss. (LOL).

Tks
Frank