Barry Cazier - Sounds like you love the U CAN-DO's too, they are def. a blast to fly,
your setup sounds good too.

The weather here in Northern Ohio can suck too so I have to take any day I can to fly, lately it's been pretty windy
but that's ok I got alot of experience in flying in windy days this year.

Actually the U CAN-DO's can be a challenge to land in strong winds, they never want to come down

I think this winter I'm gonna recover mine in clear ultracote and put a lighting setup in the wings and fuse so I can do some
evening flying.

I can get the 40 sized U CAN-DO's from a guy at our club for $120.00 so even if I total mine the cost of a new one is
not too bad.

Happy Flying !!

I do enjoy these planes. In fact I'm just starting to build my 4th UCD 46. I'm getting these down pretty good. And I haven't even flown the new 60 yet. I hope to Saturday, weather permiting. You are right, I have a lot of fun with these planes. Throttle management is the key. Keep them slow and fun. My New Years Resolution is to Not Crash Anymore, maybe even a little less.
Keep smiling.
Barry

5 11/16 shouldnt be to far back i have mine at 5.5 and it lands just fine. do you have your tank over cg? mine weighed in at 5.3. not to bragg but i get to fly all year here near death valley.

My tank is in the stock position. I can't move it over the CG without using a pumped engine. I'm ok with it there. I'm just wondering about the CG of 5 11/16" It's a little farther back than I intended. I think I'll be ok but I'm just a little nervous. Do I understand you right? You have a UCD 60 that weighs 5.3 lbs? Doesn't seem right. Maybe a 46? Just wondering.
Thanks.
Barry

man thats a light ucd60!!!! no its 7.3 lol. and you dont need a pump but you can use a cline regulator which is pretty simple and works really well and really improves the 3d effects.but no matter what this is a great plane. i nosedived my first straight into a rock garden but somehow my saito 100 and electronics survived so i just got another and im flying it now. have fun!!!

I too really enjoy flying my UCD 60. I've been out of the hobby for about 18 yrs and just returned this August. I (re)started this fall with a high wing .46 size trainer and jumped right to the UCD 60 as my second plane. It lands slower and easier than the trainer! I'm still working on basic 3D stuff, but the more I practice the better I get. I'm sure that in my case the only thing limiting the abilities of this plane is the abilities of the pilot. I have an EF Yak 54 (68 in. ws) in the box in my basement and will be starting construction soon. I can't wait to be able to compare the flight characteristics of these two planes. I have an OS .91 in my UCD and could probably fly for 15-20 min if dedicating the whole flight to 3D practice. Even on low rates practicing patterns I almost never (except in vertical maneuvers) use full throttle. I just don't need too. I still have the "tuck to the wheels" in knife edge problem, but continue to tinker and tweak. All in all, I'm very satisfied with the performance of this plane and look forward to every time up.

I have a 46 size with a Saito 100 in it and I have yet to have a problem with tip stall. Understandly it is overpowered but I can land it slower than a person walking. I'm not particularly a good pilot but this is a piece of cake to fly. IThe plane is so stable in a no wind situation. I can set up a landing decent and not enter a flight correction untill flair.
I don't have a lot of airplanes but this is the most fun to fly.
K.O.

is this thread finally dead or is someone besides me here? im still flying #2 here in the desert and getting better.

Still here. I'm on #4, although its collecting dust right now due to weather. Winter sucks, but without it, there wouldn't be much time for repairs, mods or new builds. Enjoy that weather in the desert and think of some us once in a while as we shovel snow. Happy Holidays, Joe

Hi all
Please go to [link]http://www.horizonhobby.com/Explore/Article.aspx?ArticleID=1022&Page=7[/link]
"Full 3D throws in elevator and rudder are a must. An aft CG helps a little also. Some flyers will run their CG back to make this maneuver easier without gyros. But gyros provide the best aid to stabilize the aircraft- they won't do the maneuver for you, but they'll help. The pros will also tell you to add 3/4 degree of upthrust to your engine. This helps keep your CAP from falling forward in the Torque Roll, and it'll fly straighter uplines in non-3D maneuvers, too".

Please go to [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=453[/link]
"Plane setup:
Full 3D throws in elevator and rudder is a must. An aft CG helps a little also. Some flyers will run their CG back to make this maneuver easier, however I have found that a plane that is balanced will Torque Roll just as good as one that is tail heavy. It all about getting the plane in the sweet spot. Once you get the plane completely vertical it become very easy. That is the hardest part is recognizing the true vertical plane. The pros will also tell you to add 3/4 degree of up thrust to your engine. This helps keep your plane from falling forward in the Torque Roll, and it'll fly straighter up lines in non 3D maneuvers, too".

MIKE MC CONVILLE AND BLAINE AUSTIN SAY TO ADD 3/4 DEGREE OF UP THRUST TO THE ENGINE.

The authors refer to all planes in general.

GREAT PLANES, ABOUT UCANDO .46, IS WRONG WHEN SAY TO ADD 1.5 DEGREE OF DOWN THRUST TO THE ENGINE.

After two years on the UCD .60 I have found that the recommended 3D throws are too much and result in stalling. Maybe its me or I might get better results with a 17 inch prop. Not sure at this point. Joe

[8D]Hi cumn thru, my dear old friend.
I'm "Italian Flyer", how are you?
Blues is only my new nike name. I say always interesting things. My thread "UCANDO .46 OR FUNTANA .40" has gone well.
IT'S VERY STRANGE THAT YOU ALL MEMBERS OF THIS SUPER 3D FORUM DON'T KNOW A SO SIMPLE THING - ENGINE UP THRUST FOR 3D.
Vittorio from Italy [sm=sunsmiley.gif]a beautiful country

Vittorio, I am very pleased to hear from you again. I will drop in and check out those threads. That simple thing of up, down or right thrust is a very simple concept, but determining what is needed for a particular plane is more involved. It all depends on the airframe, prop size and torque and is usually found through trial and error. There is no magic formula that one can apply to any plane. Recommended thrust settings are mearly a starting point and will differ depending on a particular setup. Small engines need less and larger more powerfull engines need more as they can turn a larger prop. What are your thoughts on this? Joe

hey joe, glad to hear you are doing good. i just got back from more practice and its going well ( and fun ) been having really great weather for this time of year, its normally windy this time of year. i just got my blenders going real good and inverted about 10 ft off the deck isnt as nerve racking as earlier so things are going well. still a little nervous about those knife edges since my splat though. have you got that yak yet? ill get mine this spring and keep on keepin up. and ordered my afp, cant wait to get it downloaded and going, should get it anyday now. later!!

Always good to hear of the success of others. Keep at it. As far as the Yak goes, we'll see how good I've been come the 25th. I just converted to PC from a Mac and AFP is the first on my list. Good luck with your 3D manuevers. Joe

Dear cumn thru,
you are always the same. For you all is possible, all or its contrary is right.
[size=4]EVEN IF 2 CHAMPIONS LIKE MIKE MC CONVILLE AND BLAINE AUSTIN SAY: "The pros will also tell you to add 3/4 degree of UP THRUST to your engine", YOU STILL AND ALWAYS MUST SAY THAT IT MAY BE TRUE OR NOT TRUE [:@][:@][:@]
A LITTLE ENGINE UP THRUST IS REALLY CORRECT. YOU SHOULD STUDY A LITTLE MORE AERODYNAMICS. A PLANE IS NOT A KITE.

[color=green]Vittorio from Italy [sm=sunsmiley.gif] a beautiful country.

V, sorry for not includeing my findings, which I posted in another thread. When hovering my UCD, it has a tendancy to favor the canopy, which indicates the need for up thrust on this particular model. This is the 4th one I have built, yet it is the first one that requires up thrust. All models, even when compareing the same model to the one built before or after it, are different and require similar, but not exact settings. So if you take the information you hold in such high regard and apply it to a model that unknowingly has an accidental 1 degree of positive incidence in the wing, what will the up thrust do in that situation? In a nut shell, all models are not created equall. Fly, observe, adjust or correct. Repeat as necessary. Joe

Blues, settle down man. Joe is correct, no 2 airplanes are built the same.


matt

hi guys, first timer and hate 2 interupt but have a weight ?...

i just started flying my ucd and added my weight 2 the engine mount... BIG MISTAKE I THINK...

MAY I PLS GET SOME RECOMENDATIONS FOR WHERE I SHUD ADD IT.
I HV 6 OZ ON THE MOTOR MOUNT BUT HV THOUGHT ABOUT RELOCATING...

PLS LET ME KNOW,
THKS GUYS...

PLANE FLYS VERY NC AND LOOKING FORWARD 2 HVNG A BLAST WITH IT.

THKS AGAIN,
[&o]

Vega, 6 oz. is considerable. Is all radio gear forward, includeing battery? You didn't supply much info on the plane. CG and how you balanced would help. Also engine size, sounds light. What size servos are in the tail? The .60 with a OS91 or Saito 100 should come out nose heavy. Switching from a 4 cell to a 5 cell battery and mounting it under the tank, before tank installation could help. Move the engine forward as far as the mounts will allow. Last resort is get the servos off the tail and move forward. Please update info. Joe

HI JOE, SRY ABOUT THT...


YES I DIDNT GIV U ALOT OF INFO NOW THT I READ YR POST... LOL

ENG: SAITO 91, AND 6 CELL IS UNDER THE TANK, SERVOS R HITEC 645'S FOR ELEVATORS AND HITEC DIG SERVO
FOR THE RUDDER...

CG IS 4 7/8 IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY....
WILL CHECK AND LET U KNOW...


THKS AGAIN....
VEGA76,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS,

joes right and you shouldnt have to add any dead weight and shouldnt .light is good for flight!! guess im a second late. is that cg with or w/o extra weight?

HI G,

THE CG IS 4 7/8 FROM THE MANUAL...

PLANE IS BUILT BY THE BOOK....


MY ? IS WHERE R U GUYS PUTING THE WEIGHT ON THE AIRPLANE?

I LOCATED IT ON THE MOTOR MOUNT BUT I KNOW THAT SINCE I RUN A 91 SAITO 4 STROKE THT THERE IS
ALOT OF VIBRATION AND A SMALL PIECE HAS COME LOOSE...


THKS AGAIN,
VEGA76,
(ROBERT)

My UCD was nose heavy (OS .91). I had to move my battery back to the 2nd former behind the posterior wing former, and still needed to add stick on lead to the tail. My CG is now about 1/8 in. in front of the most posterior recommended position in the manual.

my cg is 5.25 w/saito 100 . i have tank over cg and throttle servo right in front of tank against front wing bulkhead , my batt is behind tank. i have a apc 15x6 w a 2.5 in tru turn spinner.carbon fiber rods on all servos w/reverser for ele servos in rear compartment. no extra weight anywhere!!! this is a very good flying and landing setup for this plane. good luck vega76!!!