I'm just finishing up my Funtana and had some questions about CG. I have a Saito .82 up front and had to add 4oz. of weight to get in the middle of the CG range. I've already placed my battery under my fuel tank. Does this sound o.k.
Thanks,
Chris

I had the very same problem with the same engine. With a 5x1800mAh NiMh AA pack above the fuel tank I have the CG at the rear end of the recommended range. After only 6 flights (it's winter here) it seems to me that the recommended CG is very much on the safe side. Next time i will move it a bit more rear, about to 6 3/8". Instead of adding useless weight try to add an alu nose cone. (anyway just a few backfire at start-up and the plastic will be damaged) After building I think that the engine had to be mounted more forward compared to the manual. Probably they counted on a much heavier engine. I don't like to have the battery in the nose because I'm used to check the battery and the cabling very often (each cell one by one, I came from the r/c car racing scene ). So I want to put the battarey pack to where it belongs. I think after that I have to re-position the engine about 1/4" forward on the mount. The cowling will go with the engine also forward and two pieces of hard wood will be glued to the firewall to hold the screws.

With a Saito .82 and stock spinner. This set up will get mine at 6-3/8". I am also running the cowl and pants.
I have the engine slide back as far as possible with out moving the top left motor mount bolt.

david

so you guys are having nose heavy problems or tail heavy problems??

I have a Satio 91 pants CF landing gear and cowl on mine and my bats under the pilot and i had no problems with my cg and didn't have to add any weight..

i had a saito 91 in mine with battery under pilot, fuel tank in stock pos. no pants and had my cg at 6.75-7.00 ". flew awesome until the tree grabbed its legs. Then it was toast. If anyone don't want theirs, give me a holler.

I am having a saito 91 in mine with initially battery under pilot, just under the wing bolt, fuel tank in stock position. no pants and had my cg at 6.5 "but I had BIG problems to land it, coming in too slow would snap because it was too heavy on the tail, now changed the battery just between the thank and trottle servo. Then it just landed as a trainer... was just perfect for me. The CG in the manual is for 3D setup which is tail heavy a little too much for me, I suggest that you start with battery in the front and as you gain experience with the model, you can start moving the battery toward the tail. Note that I used to fly a Sig Something Extra before I bought the Funtana so I didin't really have experienc e with a 3D setup...Because of the CG aft, I broke the langing gear 3 times with alot or repairs, this model doesn't survive without damages very much with bad landings unless you are lucky. This is the best advice I can give you ... I put a APC 15é4W prop Wow .!

I just love this plane.

.

I had no problems with the SOG on the plane with a Saito 82. Worked out perfect.

I have a new conversation to add to this, The only thing I don't like about the Funtana 40 is the weird snap it has when your coming out of a loop and it snaps out. This is not a good feeling while you are flying. Anyone else seem to have this issue? I know of four Funtanas at the flying field that do this.

I have the exact same setup in mine Saito 82 and had to add four ounces to the front, the plane flies awesome, way better the the U-can-do.


Mike

Yep they area all tail heavy. You could go to 6 inches on the CG if you like it AFT. That might eliminate that extra weight.

Yes they snap very badly when you pull the elevator to max, this is the only thing I do not like about it, it is just that you have to avoid this, I was told that any plane can potentially do that..

Actually if I pull mine to max (45 degrees) very quickly it goes into a nice clean stall. It's when you pull back slowly or pull back to only 20-30 degrees that they snap like that. This ARF does some of the most perfect elevators that I've seen in a plane this size, especially inverted elevators. Now harriers on mine are horrible (I have two). And I know how to do harriers.

A lot of the snap is CG related. If you pull all the ELEV with the CG in the recomended range ....it will snap. If the CG is at 6" or so the snap will go away. It will do a wall not a 5' loop, but that is a 3D move. A 5' loop should be done as a waterfall.


David