RE: C160 transall build
Hi All,
It's been a while since I've browsed through the twin forum but I thought I'd best put in my bit regarding the C160.
I've had mine for 3 years now, power is two OS30FS's, fantastic motors themselves but together they are something else. I run each engine off a different channel and then have them mixed together, allowing me to use one of my pots to balance the RPM of the two engines. It allows for a little assymetric practice too when I feel a little adventurous! The C160 looks and flies its best at 1/3 throttle, takeoffs at 1/2 throttle. IMHO, 2xOS25FX's is far too much!
The wing has always seemed on the weak side but has stood up OK. I haven't and won't loop, roll or for that matter pull too hard with mine- like I said, 3 years now...
From new I removed the rear 2 inches (or there abouts!) of trailing edge and hinged it, so I had inboard flaps. Makes for some fun approaches with the ailerons up as spoilers! If I had my time again, I'd probably run a strip of fiberglass tape from tip to tip (or near to) to spread the load a bit better. Then again, if you fly it to look scale, it'll hold up. Do keep a close eye on it though, mine has delaminated around the engine pylons, need frequent checking and a squirt of glue on more than one occasion.
The cowls are fiddly and their fitting is unsatisfactory. I've epoxied wall anchors (small plastic ones) into the wing for the cowl screws to bite into, otherwise I found there's to much of a danger of a crack spreading through the wing sheeting.
Flying is easy, be careful in any sort of Xwind though it has a tendency to lift the into-wind wing and dip the opposite prop in the grass- whether it keeps running or not is in the lap of Mr O.S. Assymetrics are OK but go easy on the rudder and land with the other just ticking over. And don't expect to taxi it back in!
Normal landings are beautiful, with a touch of power it holds a nice nose high attitude and will even hold the nose gear off for the length of a touch and go- even on grass. Throttle it up gently though, she won't fly away on 1!
I'm looking at the moment at installing a piezo rate gyro on the rudder to stop a yaw occilation it develops in any kind of gusty condition, I'll let you all know how this goes. I know its cheating but it's a better use the the heli I've taken it out of!
To sum up a great model, the kit is weak in a couple of areas but just fly it like its scale and it'll be a big noisy trainer. Oh and I forgot to mention, it sounds like an empty esky rolling down stairs when it lands!