Yeah, runover, I'd like to see pictures on how you set up your .91 engine. I'm curious to see if you have it inverted. I fly with a guy who has an O.S. .91 engine in his UCD 46. His opinion is that is the engine to have . He's getting good at tail touching and he hovers really well.

I dunno if this has been asked as i dont want to read ALL 50 pages of this topic, but has anyone used an O.S. .46 in this airplane? What was preformance like with the engine? I have mine set up with a O.S. .46 and im due to fly it for the first time tomorrow and want to know what to look out for. Any advice on this airplane's handling on takeoff and landing would be much appriciated as this is my first 3D airplane. Thanks

Colin C

OK Fred, here you go.

I have it mounted inverted and I had to mount the cowl a little back to keep off of the drive washer. I actually had to remove it to put the cowl on, pretty tedious. I am looking forward to running it, I bought the motor off of Roy.
Bob W.

PS: Do you plan on attending the April club meeting. I look forward to seeing you there.

PREDATOR - Actually an OS 46 is really pretty good choice if your just getting into 3D. I had an OS 46 AX on mine when I first started and liked it. However, if the 3D bug bites you like it has the rest of us, you will quickly want more than the 46 can provide.

These planes land and and takeoff really easy,,, actually easier than alot of trainers. Just remember to keep a little "UP" elevator to you reach flying speed, which isn't alot. They float and almost hang when landing even into a 1 to 2 MPH wind. You'll like them, their a blast. They make me look like a better pilot than what I really am, to be honest.

It's up to you really. If you already have the motor, I would put it in and go fly and learn 3D, in adition to spending alot of time on a Simulator if you have one.

To be honest, about the time your ready for a new airframe, that would be a good time to move up to a bigger 2 or 4 stroke. Someone just said that the OS 91 is about the ultimate and I tend to agree, but a Saito in the same size class would work too I think.

I have a spare airframe built and ready to go, and I'm about positive I'll be sticking the OS 91 in it.

Have fun,,,,,,,

^ Hey thanks alot! Ive been flying Spads, Pylon racers, trainers, and warbirds all in the .40-.46 size range and just thought i should give 3D a try..... Ill keep these things in mind when I fly it tomorrow. The only problem I had with the .46 is that the cowl was to long for the engine to even think about fitting. I put about an inch and a half of plywood spacers between the firewall and motor mount and it fits just fine now. I test ran the engine and found that sounds like it vibrates ALOT in idle (which it really doesnt but it might just be the way the wing was built), but after 1/4 throttle, the vibration noises dissapear and it sounds smooth. Im getting really excited and a little nervious about flying it for the first time, but I think I can handle it. Ill let you guys know how everything goes!

Colin C

p.s. I lowered the low rates on the ailerons because it just seemed too much for low rates, they throw about an inch in each direction now.....

Hey Predator, good luck with your flying tomorrow. They are a blast to fly. Mine vibrates in the wings but I'm pretty much used to it. There is so much span in between the ribs that it rattles the monokote. Sure a fun plane to fly. It sounds like you have lots of experience so you'll do well with it.

^ thanks! Ive only been flying for about 3 and a half years now, and im still a jounior (Dont wanna give out my age for odvious reasons but as far as you know I could be 18)! Ive been flying every other weekend sience i soloed, and had the privledge of flying a good buddy of mines Ryan STA giant scale with a G-62 on it (Itll hover forever its amazing!) Thanks for all the tips you guys, im gonna go to bed now ive got a long day ahead of me.

Colin C

I just thought, if anyone has Yahoo Messenger, my USERID is: mike_perkins26

Hey guys, I have been gone from the UCD46 forum for a while but now I'm back and I just got my UCD46 #2 last Saturday. The first one I had shed it's tail feathers (elevator stab) at about 3-4 mistakes high. About 200 feet up I guess. I lost elevator and it went strait into the ground. God I will never forget that. Anyway, it was it's first flight and I wasent even around my first pattern.(prolly no more than 30 seconds of flight) It kinda sucked but hey, maybe I did somthing incorrect in the build. I dunno. I'm going to redo this one a little different from the first one. I used du-bro pinned hindges on all surfaces and I did not use any tail braces at all on the first one. I wanted too but someone talked me out of it.

This round will be a little different with CA hindges and sullivan tail brace kit. I am using the same saito .72 on it swinging a pro-zinger 14-4 prop.

So far I have all the surfaces put on and the tail brace kit installed. I will post pics tomorrow of the tail.

Great info on this forum guys!!!!

Joe

Looking forward to seeing those pics of the tail wires Kokamo. I'm thinking about installing them on my 72 Saito UCD as well.....

Just remember Predator, this is not a "high speed" plane. PLease don't make the mistake a fellow club member did and put a high pitch prop with a lot of speed on it, go as high as you can and dive full throttle. His did not make it out of the dive due to flutter. He was really hauling too, almost sad to watch. This plane will go as slow as you want, just don't overcompensate on landing and stall it. It will glide in so nice it will make you look great. Mine would come in so smooth it looked like it would kiss the ground, and I had a os46fx on mine. It flew great, just wouldn't hover. With that said however, there was a guy at our field that could hover his with a 46.

Now that I have lost my first plane and was talked out of the tail braces, I think this may be a good investment for 20 bucks. Tell me what you think.

^^ My .46 is swinging a 11x7 right now. Is that goo dor should I go bigger? Well im off to the field to give her a try. Wish me luck!

Colin C

I'd go 12-4 apc ...for my 2cents

looks good!! I put the same tail setup only I only ran one strand on the vertical stabilizer..looks great good luck!
John

11x6 or 11x5 would be better I think. The 11x7 will get you used to it though. NIce tail wires. I have never had that problem with mine, but you never know.

Well I flew it today! It was rather uneventful but it flew pretty good. Vertical was nice but the only problem I had was my engine wouldent idle at all sence its inverted.....which led to me only flying it once. Im going to side mount it and see if it helps at all. It just kept flooding to the point where there was no spark. Another problem was that the wing hold down block broke on the right side where its held together to the fuse. So its was a good thing I dident give it a workout!!! Ill side mount my engine on tuesday and fly it thursday and report back what happened. Thanks again for all the pointers!!!

Colin C

WELL......I guess we don't get to hear any horror stories about a nasty day at the feild today hu? Oh well.

Today I got the engine mounted. Also got the fuel tank in, servo tray, throttle wire, throttle servo,(GWS micro) and the landing gear. Will get to the wing servos tomorrow evening.

Just wanted to give an update!

Joe

PREDATOR500.....Are you really using a 7 pitch prop? I would think that thats a little steep for this plane. I know I stated earlier in one of my other post that I had a 14x6 but I looked at it today and it is fact a 14x4 pro-zinger. I dunno, maybe that just put up a red flag to say that might be somthing to look into. Well hey, I'm glad to see you brought your plane back home in one peice. WAY TO GO!!!
Don't know why yours wont idle inverted. All I have ever messed with on my UCD is a saito .72 and it never gave me any problems at all. Now that you mention it, I will double check my wing hold down block and just might put in some 30 min epoxy for s%&$ and grins.

GOOD LUCK ON YER IDLE PROBLEM!!!

glad to hear you're not having any troubles with 72 inverted...I have the 82 in and waiting for maiden...hopefully the weather will get better here...when i first open the box for a new airplane I always check all of the visible glue joints ...on my UCD i found lots that were very questionable...so i mixed up some epoxy and a grabbed a brush...i found a few sticks behind the cockpit that were not very well glued ..might want to double check there as well...anyway good luck i'll post some pics of the maiden..
John

Does anyone have any good tips on hovering the UCD? I can get mine to hover initially but it doesn't want to hold it and wants to wander off. I'm running a Saito 82 with a 14x4w prop. Thanks

Do you have your expo set right and do you have the right control? I know it is tough for me too.

CeeGee...I would assume that hovering is hovering. In other terms....practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.........and practice some more....ok, ok, ok....so I got a little carried away on the practice, but hey, I would agree with anyone that you could never-ever get enough of it.
I have RFG2 and I have setup a couple of planes that will hover and thats how I learned. I havent ever accomplished it in real life but I think I have the idea in hand when it comes to the day. The biggest hint I can give is to watch the wings. I found if I use the wing as a guide.....well, [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2282841/anchors_2282841/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#2282841]this thread[/link] I started a while back really helped me develop my hovering abillity.

Hope this helps!!!

Joe

CeeGee... AFP helped me a lot on hovering.. But practice is the key... When
I first started working on hovering, I would go very high, So as I would have
more prop wash, It is a lot eaiser, Then worked on reading the plane, to find
the sweet spot, and keeping it there with very small moves.. And don't forget
the Lt. stick..(short quick brust) when making bigger corrections.. Then I would
work my way lower... It's funny how seeing the ground, makes your thumbs
a little antsy, which will lead to trouble:-(... But being close IMO makes it
eaiser too because you can really read the plane and see what it's doing...
I almost have no trouble 10' and up, but below that I start making to many
moves because of the ground.... I was doing good at 6' today but got a little
low after loseing it.. So I went back to flat spins and rolling circles<well it "sort-
of looks" like rolling circles:-)... Keep at it... It will come...

CeeGee, You've got the perfect setup for this plane, Saito 82 and 14x4W prop so take confidence in knowing the plane will hover. One of the most common problems with hovering is using too much expo. I use a lot of expo on all maneuvers except this one. If you are just practicing hovering use 10% or less. Also, use high rates on rudder and elevator and low rates on ailerons. Another item often overlooked is lateral balance. It is harder to hover this baby when lateral balance is off. Be very careful in balancing this plane. I hang my upside down with fish line on the center of engine mount and tailwheel. I tape the rudder in place so it doesn't move and add weight, usually small nails until it is perfectly balanced. That helps about as much as anything. Then the key is to anticipate the airplane's next move. You almost have to input corrections before it needs it. With little expo the small required corrections are easier. Just barely move the sticks. I know many people suggest a pumping action on the throttle but I don't do that. I just go to hover power, about 1/2 stick or so and try to leave it there with minimum input. Most people can hover this plane until it starts to torque roll and that's when they lose it. That's where practice comes in. But to accelerate your skills on that I use the thought process of moving the rudder stick towards the falling wingtip when the canopy is away from me. That way I don't have to think too much (always a good thing for me) When the canopy is facing you it all seems to make sense and I don't have problems but when it turns around I just move the rudder stick in the same direction as the falling wing. If you use this logic you can anticipate better and usually you will make smaller corrections, quicker. But as soon as you move the stick in the wrong direction is when it falls out. The other thing I do is fly with my eyes closed. It gives me a better "feel" for the plane.
Thanks,
Barry

Thanks everybody, for the input. I was able to hover on AFP D last night. It was so cool. Some times the plane would start to pull the nose toward me so I would either push it back or just let it and fly out inverted. Very cool. I even got the tail touching the ground. One thing I discovered is that I was using too much aileron input. I starting using the rudder more and it helped a lot. I'll get a chance to try the UCD tonight. Thanks again. You guys are awesome.
Barry, Not sure what you mean by flying with your eyes closed. If I try that I might want to order a new UCD first