My sons new UCD .46 literally came apart in flight. The horizontal stab broke and then the fuse snapped right behind the wing saddle. Anyone else experience any structural problems with this plane?

did he glue it!?


David

what was he doing at the time? what prop and engine? sounds like high speed flutter tore it apart...

I had the same thing happen to me on my second flight last week. Had a .46 FX with a 12X4 prop. In straight and level flight at half throttle the stab broke about 2.5 in. out from the fuse, on both sides at the same time. Plane went straight into the ground. NO FLUTTER INVOLVED. My plane had Dubro swivel links and Sullivan Quick links with Sullivan metal horns ( ABSOLUTLY NO PLAY ). All of my controls surfaces were gap sealed as well. Great Planes told me to send it back no questions asked. Am waiting to see if they will replace it? I have friends that have this same plane and they abuse their planes and nothing like this has happend to either one of theirs. Theirs fly so well thats why I bought mine.

Waiting to see how Great Planes Handles it. This was my first GP ARF, we will see if its my last!

Chuck

From what I have seen and from what I have put mine thru I don't think this is a comman problem. I have managed to break my horizontal stab a couple of times, but it was while it was flipping, not flying straight. Added some support rods to the bottom and no problem since.

Ed M.

KW,
have you talked to Great Planes?
Chuck

KW,
Anything from Great Planes?
Chuck

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I was at the field that day it was not flutter... It was crazy... I think he ordered a new fuse for it and repaired the rest... it flies great now.


David Vaughn

I haven't flown my UCANDO .46/Saito .82 combo yet, but I added to bottom horizontal stab brace to both sides just for alittle insurance, so maybe this weekend we will see how it flys,,

I had the same thing happen to me on its maiden flight. Right after takeoff at mid throttle I starting to make my first turn and the balsa supporting the horizontal stab at the fuselage broke apart.
They don’t fly very well without an elevator :>
I repaired the plane myself and added tail wires. I have flown it for a few seasons now without any other problems. Here’s a pics I took when it happened.

Sorry Richy, but looking the pic it was clearly your fault. The control horn setting is way too short - no mechanical advantage. It induced a very strong flutter and within a second it was broken. Many people use on small planes way too expensive servos, carbon rods, but forget about mechanical advantage. With the right servo and control setup this plane can fly with the cheapest standard servos. Even the strongest servos can be rendered useless by a poor mechanical setup. Horizon has some words on mechanical advantage.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Explore/...ArticleID=1409

I had a U-Can-Do 60 do the same. Coming out of a failed blender attempt. Wasn't pulling up hard or going to fast (I thought anyway) when the stab just came off. I was not so lucky. The plane basically disintegrated when it hit a tree.
I did do a little investigation on it and GP had posted a warning about a !QUOT!catastrophic failure!QUOT! from overpowering/over-speeding the plane. They did not say what the problem was, but I think we all have seen the results. I also checked out a new U-can-do 60 kit and I noticed some of what used to be balsa at the tail is now plywood.

Ed

Hi TTR
You’re absolutely right. I learned the hard way on that one.

Looks like tail wires would be good insurance here.