RC Maniac 2000

Hello,
I am new to RC float flying, but I am not new to RC. I have a Hobbico Superstar 40 select with Explorer Floats. I was wondering how to set up the plane so the water rudder steers too. It is attached to the left sponson. Also, do i have to change the throws or anything like that? PLEASE tell me if I need to change my plane at all. Will it have enough power to get off the water?? Thanks a lot- Mitchell




__________________________________________________ _

-I Race RC cars,yet, I can spell right, hmmm...... curious.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

There are any number of ways to rig the water rudder but one of the most popular and simpler ways is to attach a rudder horn on the opposite side of the other one run a flex cable or nyrod a bit forward and loop back to the rear and down just in front of one of the sterns (it makes no differance which float has the rudder). Asimple cable clamp to somewhere along the side of the fuse and one on the float ahead of the rudder tiller. Simple, easy and most important quick to change over to Landing gear but effective.

Contrary to popular belief you do not have to increase power for a float plane depending on what you want out of it of course its nice but certainly not neccessary in most cases. The real key to good water performance is the float selection and installation and a couple of key points are the relation of the float step to the aircraft center of gravity and the relationship of the wing incidence to the float incidence. Of course there are a number of other considerations too.

Do a search here on float installation and you will find a wealth of info.


John

seaplane

One way is to run a nyrod from your rudder horn looping foreward then back to the float rudder. If your rudder horn is not on the same side as your float rudder, add another rudder horn on the opposite side of the rudder using the screws from the original horn. You end up with back to back horns. I have a pic of my wife's LT-40 setup and if I can find it I'll e-mail it to you. Seaplane

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know where the legends got started that float-flying is so complicated. The only real trick is selecting floats that are reasonably close to the right size. When they are really right, it's sweet, and you can take off in the same distance as with wheels. When they are reasonably close, you can fly anyway. It's not like you will burst into flames if there is a 5 mm discrepancy. It IS important to put the big end in front.

I agree with earlier post that you don't need more power.

My club website (link below) has several links to show you how to get your float installation really really right. (But they all disagree on small details) Here's one:
http://jcasey02.home.gate.net/FLOAT%...%20TUNING.html

I put together a plastic airplane last week and nothing about the float setup is "optimum": the floats are some old ones I had lying around: BJ floats on their 6th Airframe: For this plane they are a little short, they are not mounted with positive wing incidence, I have no water rudders. They are mounted with the prop too close to the water, and they are old and scruffy.
It takes off fine anyway.

WeLaserCut

So thats what I have been doing wrong all this time.

I followed Jim's sugestions and turned them around. Wow what a difference. The plane takes off much faster now. There is like 1/10 the spray, I can finally take that Q35 off of the Goldberg Falcon and go back to the .80 I had on it.
It worked so well that I am going to try turning other things around as well. I think I will try the wing the other way tomorrow.

Peter

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Perhaps Peter it would be easier to just put a pusher prop on it and turn the airplane around.

John

48chebbie

My Feedback: (58)

i have a neat little trick on the water rudder,especially on a trainer or trike gear plane,just take an old beat up nose gear,cut it off just below the horn,and run your ny-rod from there back to the rudder. that way you can have your waterrudder,and still be able to change back to wheels in the blink of an eye. later