Aeroworks Yak 54
 

Have any of you had or seen any problems with the Aeroworks Yak 54 50cc landing gear? I just order this plane and just ran across a post on DOD with a possible problem with the landing gear strength. Here is the page on Down on the Deck forum where Nick describes his loss.

http://www.downonthedeck.com/board/v...=asc&start=120

I plan on beefing this area up on the plane, but just wondered if more people were having this problem or maybe it was a freak.

Brian

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

The new kits already come with an addendum to beef that area up and they supply you with the material to do so. If you do exactly as it states and then just go over all the glue joints in that area with some CA or epoxy you will be fine.

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

Go to the Giant forum and follow the thread on the AW 50cc Yak there. This has been a hot topic. I saw one fold in person, but fortunately didn't fail the motor box or fuse. Repaired the damage and flew again the next morning. I did a gear mod on mine build using the same techniques we used to repair the busted gear area on my friend's plane. Plan to maiden next week.

Doug

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

Doug,
Good luck, give her hell and please keep me posted on the results :D.

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

QQ Yak 54 Flyers:

Wow! I'm glad to hear others are having trouble keeping their Yak 54 landing gear on. I have the Yak 54 - 72" and have broken the original equipment landing gear twice and now with the strong GraphTech landing gear, ripped out the landing gear support once. Ouch! And I thought it was just my skills! Has anyone else been having a similar problem with the 72" QQ Yak? Or just the larger size ones?

Rocky Mtn Flyboy
Boulder, CO

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

I have one from the original batch of the yaks, and I am also one of the people that ripped out the gear in a slightly harder than it should have been type landing. I fixed mine, and it has many flights on it since then without any sort of trouble at all.

I think If you do the additional steps they have outlined, you will end up with a very nice aircraft. I was very pissed off over it when it happened, but I am damn glad I fixed it rather than trash it. It has been a great flying plane since then. I will buy another when I do this one in.


Mike

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

You definitely need to beef that area up--either with the materials Aeroworks is sending or materials of your own design--I was there when Nick's plane broke up--definitely not a hard landing was ever put on this plane as I saw all 8 flights--just a weak spot in the design--fortunately Aeroworks is stepping up to the plate and handling the problems like a good company should--before anyone asks I don't own any of their products-at least not yet--I know how Aeroworks handled the situation with Nick's plane and I can say it was very reasonable and handled professionally--and it is a good flying plane

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

I flew maiden flight with my Yak 54 tonight. I have one of the new kits with the extra support. I also added two plywood pieces. See pictures. Do not add the balsa triangular piece that I show in the picture. The bottom will not fit. I figured this out soon enough to get it back out. Great looking and flying plane. I just need to get comfortable with it now. May add a little weight in the front. Seems a little tail heavy right now.

RE: Aeroworks Yak 54
 

Very pretty plane, Hunter41. Would look better with the wheel pants, but that's just a matter of personal choice. If the red had been available in the first batch, I would have gone with it over the blue, but the blue is good, too. I think that the CG that Aeroworks recommends is a little tail-heavy. When I get mine rebuilt I'm going to go with the CG a little forward of what I had the first time around.