diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

those tail wheels arent that heavy are they? i used one on my yak and didnt really notice any difference, maybe cause of the motor being close is the main deal, plane looks good though,
did it balance with the hub thing??

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

My Harry Higley Ultra Heavy Hub is supposed to be in this coming Monday (12/05/2005). I'll let you know where it balances with the Hub installed.

I can't believe that putting this much weight on the end of your crankshaft is a good thing, but I don't want to take my maiden flight too tail heavy. I would expect uncontrollable up-and-down oscillation with the plane too tail heavy. If this happens, then the aircraft would be prematurely introduced to Terra-Firma (on its maiden flight even).

On the other hand, a lot of weight on the crankshaft should prematurely wear out my crank bearings (not to mention that it will also ruin the 3D capabilities of the aircraft).

So, I need to pick the better of two evils. For now, I pick wearing out the crank bearings and ruining the 3D capabilities of the aircraft.

jaka

Hi!
Don't ad weight!
Just move the servos forward and use wire to control elevator and side rudder.

Regards!
Jan K
Sweden

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

or try and add something useful, maybe another battery, or bigger and heavier, maybe an on board glow driver, something other than dead weight...

Power RC

My Feedback: (2)

Hello everyone,
I am putting a Saito 100 on my UCD-60 and I am going to use a 6v system would I need to locate the battery with the tank up front so not to add weight. I have changed hardware at tail and tail is heavier than stock with sullivan tail wheel up to 20 lbs size. Thanks ahead of time for the info.
Safe flying,
Rob

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

JK, the lesser of two evils is to use the supplied engine mount and get the engine out front where it belongs. I see from the pics that your cowl mounts way back. I know its more work, but will result with less weight on the crank from the heavy hub and less weight on the frame over all. It will definitely help your balance issues and keep it in an acceptable weight range. Its your call. Good luck, Joe

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

Actually, I think that makes a lot of sense. I like the idea of moving the engine forward to get the plane to balance. I also had a friend and very experienced pilot tell me the same thing yesterday at the flying field, so you guys must know what you are talking about.

To try to get it to balance, I've already moved the battery forward; behind the fuel tank, and the receiver forward, next to the throttle servo. After moving the engine forward, I may have to move these back again. But that's no problem since I've screwed the wooden braces in so that I can move and remove them.

I'm going to try moving the engine forward today.

Thanks.

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

i too have a saito 100 and 6 volt batt, balance with the bat in front of the tank, its around 5-5&1/4 from LE, a but back from the recomended, but very managable indeed...

rfw1953

My Feedback: (2)

Hello to all my U-Can-do 60 friends of old. Please excuse me for being so distant for the past year. I have been gone away from home working and have only flown one time since Sept 04. Arrgh! I miss it alot. Anyway, I just sold my Pitts and P-51. I have been down sizing with the intent to stay in the hobby. I finally got my U-Can-Do-60 back in the air, which was the one time I went out flying since last year. I had a great time. The 90 Surpass ran great after getting it back from OS, and repaired. I seem to have ran it too lean. You know the rest of the drill when that happens.

All is well.... I am just selling off the larger planes rather than letting them sit around gather dust. They want to fly, and sitting around for any length of time just isn’t good for them. I hope you guys are all doing well. Glad to see that thread lives on. Just thought I would say hello and Merry Christmas to you guys.

SunShyne

My Feedback: (68)

Hello Roger, glad to hear from you. I'm glad all is well and you are well and the ol' UCANDO is still airborne! I still am flying mne but have it up for sale. She has served faithfully and now its time for someone else to take the reigns


matt

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

anyone have problems with flooding, this is my 1st and only inverted set up so far...i do not like it, i have a saito 100, the tank is where its supposed to be, the motor is where it supposed to be, and the carb is over 1 inch or so lower than the lines on the tank, it floods like a ***** before i can even start it, took plug out, cleared it, and flooded again before even starting, what did i do wrong? how can i fix the problem? i am using a fueler deal, that is suppsoed to cut off the fuel to carb while fueling up...i know another guy in my club uses hemostats to pinch his line as he fills, then pulls them off right at start time, shouldnt have to do that right??

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

Fortunately, I found a issue with my control linkages before I took my maiden flight. As you can see in the picture, I have ball links on each end of my control rods. Plus, I have Dubro Heavy Duty control horns. Well, it turns out that the control link connection on the Dubro Heavy Duty Control Horns swivel around the end of the 6-32 socket head screw. The ball link control rod ends allow them to swivel very easily (that's what they are supposed to do). Obviously, this swiveling action changes the total length of the control rod, thereby changing the control surface position. Boy am I glad I saw this before I took my maiden flight. This would have been a sure crash.

So, now I need another set of control horn clevis' that won't allow the control horn to swivel. Maybe just simple Great Planes 4-40 Steel Clevis.

seanychen

My Feedback: (4)

Hello all,

I am not sure if anybody else tried this on UCD3D 60, but I decided to cut off the wing tips. The ailerons happens to have a rib just at where the wingtips begin, so I cut the ailerons at the rib so they are the same length as the wing.

High alpha flight is a little better. I can get it to do harrier for a while sometimes. Wings will rock a little; but as long as I correct it with aileron before the rocking gets going, I can keep it steady.

Snap roll is definitely much better: it actually snaps like a snap roll now.

Waterfall seems to be better. Consequently, KE spins are a little faster and easier to execute.

It doesn't seem to affect any stability. Still doesn't stall, and lands at walking pace.

Overall I like the plane better with the wing tips cut off.

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

Moving the engine forward helped, but just a bit. With the engine mounted according to the 5 7/8 spec (using the stock engine mount), the plane balances at the recommended 4 7/8 spec using a two ounce spinner weight along with six ounces of weight bolted to the bottom (as far forward as possible--in the engine heat exhaust chute). I thought about strapping the weight to the engine mount and going with a bit less weight, but figured that would surely rip the engine mount out during a possibly rough landing.

Anyway, this lets me fly with my Tru-Turn spinner and a total of eight ounces added weight in the front. I still have not taken the maiden flight, but this is the configuration I am going to use. Bad weather and work hours are delaying me.

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

if anyone cares, i figured out the flooding problem i had, it was the location of my quick filler, i put it down low on the side of the cowl, below the carb, it looked good there, but caused flooding, i moved it above the carb on the top of the cowl and works like a charm now..runs like a champ...learn something new almost everyday..

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

Welcome back Roger.

Dave, you fixed it before I even knew you posted. Way to go.

seanychen, I've read in the past of success stories on cutting the tips of other fun fly wings and always wondered how the UCD would fair with them clipped. I may have to try that.

JKH, there is 5/8 inch of space under the fuel tank. Pull the tank and install the battery there, then slide the tank back in. You have to do what you can to not add dead weight. Also the supplied engine mount is longer than what is needed to put the spinner at the factory recomendations. There is room on the cowl to stretch it out further if needed and still be able to mount the cowl. Good luck, Joe

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

thanks..i was kinda proud of myself to figure it out, glad it was simple, but i am confused, the saito manual says to have the tank 5mm below the carb.. this carb is way lower than the tank, but it seems to work fine, it kinda doesnt make sense, with it below the tank you would think it would flood out. i was really not liking the inverted setup, but now i kinda do like it, looks better, and they say balances better with the weight down low in front instead of off to the side

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

I finished my UCD 60 last night. I solved the control surface linkage problem with Dubro Safety Lock Kwik Link 4-40 at one end of each control rod and 4-40 Ball Links at the other (see the pictures).

I also completed the OS 91 FS engine running-in over the weekend. I ran two full tanks of 15% 4-stroke CoolPower through the engine, mostly at full throttle and varying the needle jet richness. I've got the idle mixture set for good throttle response from idle up to full throttle, and full throttle down to idle. I've got the needle jet now set "just a bit" rich. It smokes a bit, but this is where I'll leave it for the first ten or so flights. It idles at around 2800 and tops out at around 8800.

As for the balancing issue, I removed a few un-needed metal nuts from the control rods in the back of the aircraft and placed my Tru-Turn Spinner on the nose. Now it balances with six (6) ounces of dead weight bolted on the front bottom. I do not have any extra weight on the crankshaft. As I get some experience with the aircraft, I can remove some (or maybe all) of this dead weight to push the CG back. I think it came out tail heavy because of the large aluminum nuts on the Dubro Heavy Duty Control Horns.

Unfortunately, weather here in North Carolina is cold, rainy, and dark. When we get a break in the weather, then I'll take her up for the maiden flight. Wish me luck.

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

Well then.................good luck! Did you consider placing the battery in the tank area? Just curious. Joe

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

I did consider it. So, I removed the fuel tank and looked. Sure enough there is room there for a battery. The battery I currently have is a square pack of cells; that wouldn't fit. So, I ordered a flat pack. When I get it, I'll remove as much (dead) lead as I can and place the TWO battery packs in the front of the aircraft. At least that won't be dead weight, plus I should have spare battery power.

Thanks for the suggestion.

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

So today was the maiden flight for my UCD 60 and everything went perfect. What a great aircrafy to fly!. This thing does whatever you tell it to. It's even fun to land the aircraft.

First I set her in the grass and took a few photos of her (see the attached pics). Then I did the range check thing; it came through with flying colors; not even any jitters. I just love PCM 1024 and Futaba's R138DP receiver.

I took her out three times. The first time was just a check out; get her up in the air, trim it out, try to get a feel for her, and bring her back down. Went over the whole aircraft to make sure everything was still as it should be; nothing moved out of place; great. Second time up I tried some simple maneuvers like loops and rotations to check out the control surface alignment. She tracks really straight. Third time up I tried some harriers to get a feel for when she wants to stall. This aircraft can move unbelieveably slow! Elevators must be simple to do with the UCD 60 (maybe tomorrow). I didn't try anything like hovers and torque rolls yet; I don;t trust the engine until I get some more time on her.

I setup the control throws as per the instruction manual only to find out that I only used the (manual's) high rates. So, tonight I will set the current high rates to be the low rates and program some REAL high rates in it. Tomorrow I'll take her out again and begin to get a bit risky with her. This aircraft is FUN!

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

as far as balance, i moved my cg back to alomost 5&7/8, and is still needs a bit of donw while inverted and lands easy, so you can take your weight off the front i would say, i may move mine back even further soon, my battery is against the former at the back of the wing area, so to go any further i need to cut the covering and slide it in the fuse, i may stick some weight 1st on the back to see if i like it, then cut the covering...wouldnt be the 1st time i have done that
and hovering, not sure who else had this situation, but my 1st few attempts to go vertical, i quickly realized it needed down and right thrust, so i added washers behind 3 of the 4 motor mount bolts, helped, still could use a tad of right i think though, but let me know if yours does that, it went left and towards the canopy in the begining...didnt notice it on take offs, just going vertical..

AcroJo

My Feedback: (1)

Dave, before you begin, check your surfaces with a simple down line. Out of four UCD's I have found discrepancies with wing incidence. The elevator is easy to check with the counter balance and can be set visually. Take it up high, point it straight down with the throttle back, hands off and watch where it goes. If it favors the canopy, then the ailerons are slightly down attitude. If it favors the wheels, then then they are up too high. If it rolls they are unequal. Once satisfied, its time to move on to the thrust setting. Strange as it must seem, when I was running the S 100 it needed four degree right thrust. When moving to the YS 110 it only needed three degree. Different diameter props effects it as well. With a footprint of roughly 2 inches square on the motor mount, a 1/16 thick washer equals one degree within that dimension. Once dialed in it is sweet. Good luck, Joe

jkhorvath

My Feedback: (1)

I included three degrees of right thrust and zero degrees of down thrust (with Ernst Thrust Plates) when I built my UCD 60 with the OS FS 91 w/pump. I checked the thrust angles by flying over myself and going throttle on and throttle off and it seems to be right on. I haven't been able to hover very long with the UCD 60 yet (new engine is still too rich), but my attempts at it don't seem to wander left or right with the throttle. I notice that I need a bit of elevator during a knife-edge, but I don't think that is a thrust issue.

You can see the Ernst Thrust Plate in the attached picture.

diamondave

My Feedback: (29)

i never checked the downward thing, and i didnt measure my washers, just put 3, 1 on each of the top and left side, to give me down and right, it worked well for the canapy pitching, but seems like it could use a tad more right, i have the s 100 and a 15-6 apc prop, it takes a bit of right rudder to hold a hover, and i kinda think that prevents it from torque rolling right away too, alot of right rudder that is