Matthew, I've read here at RCU about a trick of using a rubber washer or short piece of fuel tubing on the axles to create some drag to keep the plane from creeping at idle. The collar is adjusted where there is just a little drag on the wheel/washer.
Check out the sexy new servo arms. The arm is a little fatter and the clevis won't snap, but with the tubing slipped over it, I think it will be OK.

Tim C,

That looks fantastic! I question the connection though...the entire load (which is now doubled) will be on the press-fit/weld of the pin to the one side of the clevis, only...a load for which the clevis probably wasn't designed.

Peace.

Downtrodden.

Down,

It's an ST .45 - impressively powerful but not the easiest to tune. I'm slowly getting the hang of fine-tuning the engine, but it's a slow process and the fact that it doesn't like starting hot really. really doesn't help.

Tim,

Great idea, I may just try that. I reckon some heatshrink I have might be just right for that if fuel tubing's too thick. [8D]

Thanks,
Matthew

Matthew,

One of the problems I encountered with ST engines was that the baffle in the muffler was in such close proximity to the muffler case that when exhaust residue obstructed the exiting of the exhaust it would increase the pressure to the fuel tank causing fluxuations in fuel pressure, which in turn resulted in a tuning nightmare. I drilled a 3/16 hole through the muffler case, in front of the baffle, and the problem was solved. Another indicator was that I had to constantly adjust the carb until the needle was only a 1/2 turn from being completely turned in. Just taking off the pressure line from the tank, can either prove or disprove this as being the case. It may be something to consider.

I also have experienced the brass rivet, that holds the baffle in, come loose and parts of it entering the exhaust port resulting in them being peened by the moving piston during its subsequent running! ST replaced every engine I sent them, because of this. I have also experienced the baffle rattling like a banshee...they replaced those as well. Jack and I both fly case after case of fuel through various engines and we chuckle to ourselves when we receive new engines because of our "accelerated testing". That's why I speak so highly of the O.S. .61 FX...as I've been flying mine almost exclusively since October and have put 6-7 cases through it and it continues to run like a champ! (By the way.... I did the math and I've got over 93 HOURS ((24galsx128oz/11oz)x20min./60min.) of what I believe to be the most tortourous type of flying (3D flight) on it.) Value so far..... <3 cents/minute or $1.71/hr. not bad, huh?

Peace

Downtrodden

Down, You're right on the clevis. The pin is started through on the near side, but not stabbed all the way through. I have an assortment of different clevises, clevisi, clevi, uh other things like that thang. I'll dig through and find some proper ones.

Tim, I'm done with changing out nylon clevises, horns, and worrying about "L" bends in servo arms with nylon keepers. I've gone to Dubro ball links and safety "kwik-links," both at 4-40, and you can buy 12 threaded 12" rods for a buck a piece (Tower). The ball links are 20 bucks for 12; the kwik links are 10 bucks/12, but they are life-time investments. When I augured in the Goldberg Ex-Treme 540, there wasn't a thing wrong with any of the links.

The new Goldberg 330 will get those links--and GP standard pinned hinges. I hope to get THAT bird into many, many flights, without worry of things falling off. I'll let you know.

The ball links come with a hex head bolt and nylon nuts--so you never have to worry again about those "L" snaps ruining your arms, enlarging the holes or falling off (I use Dubro heavy duty arms). Ditto with the clevis/horn connection. The kwik links have brass rods that go through the nylon horns, a perfect fit, and a brass slide keeper, easy to change in the field. They may eventually wear the horn, but not like the nylon clevis rods, which both Down and I have had to either change out or change holes. No fun.

Anyone who flys a great deal, especially one plane, would benefit enormously with these connectors. And if you augur in the bird on the first flight--or the 1000th--the connectors survive to another bird. I still check them every pre-flight. But it's a quick check, believe me. I can't tell you how many fuel-tube "keepers" I've had to replace on nylon clevi.

Rick, Kevin, and I had a great day in the air, late afternoon into evening, when the winds abated--from a high of 41 mph gusts! All birds home safe.

Matt, listen to Down re: the Super Tigers. No one I know has as much experience with them. And we DID have the baffle problem, creating impossible pressures in the tank, which kept overriding the needle valve. Send the muffler to Tower (or wherever you got the ST). They SHOULD replace the muffler. As Down said, the day I had the problem, he simply removed the pressure line from the muffer. Suddenly the engine tuned perfectly. I had a muffler from a .51 at the field, which fits, and changed it out on my .45 ST. Sure enough, problem gone.

It came today to me as we flew in breezy conditions that I flew with the Cloudbusters in Monroe, MI. Great guys, all, but they tend to crash planes more often than we do (NOT in windy conditions of the sort we fly in). I saw more planes wrecked in 9 days of flying (sometimes four a day by 10 to 20 fliers) that I've seen since I've started flying HERE. And the boys, here, are changing their styles of flight (to 3D) and flying multiple planes in anything BUT "fair" flying weather. High winds, flame-outs, whatever, doesn't seem to bother them any more--and they're largely SELF taught. So there's even hope for Waldo. moreso for his students.

J

Friends,

Have you ever found yourself moving your thumbs when watching someone else fly? Have you ever felt a tear wet your cheek as the last notes of "Taps" echos through an ancient cemetery? Have you ever stopped thinking about the mechanics of flying and become entranced in the connectedness of man and machine? Have you ever watched the faces of those gathered as the names of the valiant were solemnly spoken aloud? Have you flown amongst a backdrop of clouds that had you forget to take a breath? Have you ever watched as your young son looked at his grandpa, as he stood there with his hand over his heart and tears in his eyes, and then back at you pleading silently for a answer as to why grandpa is crying? Have you ever stood and talked for hours after a day full of flying and gone home with a smile on your face? Have you looked at the many headstones, all in a row, and wondered how many fought not knowing why, but only that they had to? Have you ever felt privileged to live during such a remarkable time in history? Have you ever wondered why history repeats itself....over and over and over....

I'd wager you have. We really do have more in common than not.

To all those who are serving or who have served our country....Thank you! We honor those that died by embracing life and living it to the fullest.

Peace.

Downtrodden

I think Jack is right about the "ball links." I find myself using them more and more, especially if there is some movement in more than one plane that tends to stress clevises. Another neat thing about the ball links is that you get virtually no slop like you can get from a clevis unless it's pin fits really tight in the hole. Try a ball link on the servo end and retain the clevis on the other end. Those DuBro ball links come in different sizes though and if you're not careful you can wind up with big looking one for the application.

Mathew, for me it is much easier to richen the bottom end up slightly too rich and then creep to the sweet spot going towards lean slowly. Use the pinch test as you go a bit leaner until you have a great idle. THEN if it hesitates when you hit the throttle hard, you might have to richen it back up slightly for a compromise.

Ernie

Flight Report

Great flying today I only got in 1 flight with the Twist had my best hover yet with her, and 1 flight with the Bipe the rest of the time was spent training 2 new people at the field.

We went to a friends house later, I just didn't have enough flight time in, so I decided to take the Twist out the van which I hadn't unloaded yet, and flew in a very heavy wooded area, Vertical take off was no problem but the landing was going to have to be thought out, long story short, I flew that Twist all over the tops of the tree lines and ended up smacking the top of a tree on my 7th or 8th landing attempt, I thought it was going in, but I just full powered her and she cut the branch off and kept going, I finally had to shut her down and just glide in straight down and hoped she slowed in the amount of runway space available, she did [8D] only a few leaves stuck inbetween the elevator and stab, I didn't try it again, that day anyway.

Flying in places like that, really hone your skills in a hurry, I tell you,

Gentlemen,

Do I go to a 12.25x3.75 on .61 in the warm summer months? The 14x4 works so well, but I don't want to fry out the motor.

Adam

Concerning ball links, I favor the Robart ball control horns. I've used them in several of my planes including the Twist.
Here's a link: [link=http://www.robart.com/Horns.aspx]Robart[/link]

Adam, I don't think a 12¼x3¾ is enough prop for a .61FX. Maybe a good hot weather prop would be a 13x4.

Adam,

I would agree with Tim C on prop size, but even then be aware that if you're flying in 80-90 degree heat or are at a high altitude that that prop could overheat your engine. (High Alpha and all that 3D flight entails is relatively slow flying and moves like hovering will put the largest load on the engine while at the same time have the engine experiencing the least amount of airflow for cooling.)The 12.25x3.75 would more than likely overheat the engine. Personally, I wouldn't use a 14x4 on a .61 in the winter even, as the transistion that I'm accustomed to just wouldn't be there. Good luck. By the way I'm using Wildcat 15% which has 18% lubricants.

Peace

Downtrodden.

I had to go back and read a few things after I posted my flight report earlier, After I have read DownT's Tribute, all I have to say is,

Thank you All as well, & that was beautiful DownT,

God bless them all.

Adam, ditto Tim and Down. I tried a 12x6, a 12x7, and went back to the 13x4, for performance and fuel economy. Rick and AJ, who are learning hovers are doing a good deal of it on their Goldberg Ex-Treme 540--with an OS .61 FX and 13x5 prop, yet. They had no flameouts at all, 75 degrees and humid. They DID, with my warning, richened a tad and cooled out the engine between hovers, running the bird slow and even for a bit. They never had a flameout all day. Rick has a 6 v. bat in that bird, and I think they got 10 flights with it--10 to 12 minute flights. Summer is bad on fuel economy: weak air, rich needles.

I'm wondering, too, if the profile 540, leaving the engine with LOTS of air around it, simply runs cooler than the Twist with those cheeks on.

We had five pilots and seven birds up. All home safe.

Kevin's dad, Carl, with a tricycle Sonic had the most death-defying run. For some reason, running full throttle, he turned away from his plane to talk to RJ, behind him. The plane headed straight earthward. Carl, when he finally turned back to flying, immediately saw the problem and somehow pulled it out, brushing the 10 inch long grass in the field with his landing gear. You could hear the gear brush the grass. Amazing. Exciting.

"I'll never talk to you again, RJ--at least not while flying."

Carl has previously, years ago, flown a great deal, obviously good instincts endure, hm? A true newbie would have crashed the Sonic today--out of fear or panic. We're trying to get him back into the hobby. Poor guy.


Fly in the clouds.

J

Great flight through the trees, Waldo. I'm proud of you, guts/balls all the way. Kool.

I pulled grass off of my Twist, from the same place in the elevator, almost every flight today. Tomorrow the grass gets cut.

I wonder if ANYbody hasn't had SOMEthing caught between the tongues on the elevator. One day I took a long flight, lost it for a bit over the ridge, couldn't see it, but she came up, as always. When I landed, I had string bikini underwear, Victoria's Secret underwear, no less, stuck in those tongues. Darn, I have to put a camera on that bird.

Twist secrets?

Jack,

So the obvious question would be did you run into the owner of those panties, or the close line they were hanging on. My guess would be if you didn't hear a scream, you are alright. Can't imagine you could get them off of her and between your "tongues" with out a little prop rash.

Thanks for the feedback on the prop. I will try the 13x4 and see how it goes. I think the motor is fine. I only flew 2 flights in 80 plus temps, and I ran her rich. It is amazing the difference in performance with 80 plus temps.

I am blaming the drop in engine performance on my first crash with the Twist last Friday. A guy was taking up one end of the field with very irratic and uncontrolled flying. I figured I wouldn't add to his problems by buzzing around him so I was fooling around low and slow in a tight spot on the other end of the field. I dropped out of a hover about 30 feet high and brought her around nice and slow over my head and across the runway. As I was about 4ft off of the ground I decided to goose it a little and go into a near vertical climb. Not nearly a quick enough throttle response for the sharp pull up because she dropped a wing tip and stalled out. I managed to recover but with the lack of airspeed the landing gear hit and got torn right off. This caused the plane to bounce up and into some tall grass.

Damage report:

Small crack in the wingtip rib, and landing gear torn clean off. Other than that, no damage! Not a single nick in the covering, or even a broken prop. I will get those two items fixed and be back in the air in no time.

Adam

I haven't been flying with Jack and the Boyz for days now, but I have been able to fly every chance I get with the foamie. I have to agree with ghee...when the schedule's tight a foamie will get you in the air with minimal fuss. Petrol is running low anyhow and I'm trying to conserve until the next fuel order goes out.

Jack, I'm happy to see that Carl is flying more. You've done yourself proud spreading this addiction. You're a regular "Typhoid Mary" of RC flying......sorry, couldn't resist! Anyway keep up the good work and we may yet be able to form a club and procure a field of our own. A terrible thought just came to me.......what if we had to WAIT for our turn to fly?

Adam, Tim C, Waldo, Ghee, EM and all others.......do you all belong to flying clubs .......... what's the average turnout?

Peace,

Downtrodden

P.S. Adam, .......Jack didn't have his reading glasses........those weren't Victoria's Secret panties.......they were Victor Borga Bloomers!

I don't belong to an organized club. At least not one that requires membership. I guess you can say I live at the field.... I just walk out the door and fly.... any plane, not just foamies. The field beside my house is about 5 acres of nothing but flat, unobstructed, grassy land. My "members" consist of my son, Dad, two brothers, and friends.

Hey Jack, yesterday my brother and I went to the local park and flew our Fling gliders. We would launch right after each other and go for duration contests. I won the day with the longest flight of 10 minutes. That's from a 150' high start. There wasn't a ton of lift out for some reason but there were a few elevators going up... if you could find them. I had several 4 and 5 minute flights but there's nothing like a 10 minute flight with NO power to get you going!!!

No club here Down. I wish some more folks would get interested in the hobby. Most of the time I go out to fly, I'm the only one there. There are just three of use here who fly. I've been a member of a club when I was working over the mountains in Bakersfield. I made some friends and had a great time talking planes and flying together. After that, going out and flying alone some days just doesn't seem worth it.

test post..testing.

marc

I have the best of both worlds, I belong to the Tricity Flyers club were about 17 strong, funny though, every Saturday its the Same 6 guys who always show up before we even had a club the others show up often too but I don't even see a few of them unless a meeting is called, Regardless,, I like the crowds, that way there is more planes to look at, and fly with. and it keeps the cost of the field rent down to $50.00 per year

World 2, I can also fly out of my yard, although its not as open as our field its still plenty big enough for havin fun.

Just put my first foamie in the sky last night. the Matt Chapman 580,, had a blast.

All right Waldo! Fly that foamie!

Huh, Gary, some luck... right out the door--and ya can't beat the company, hm? [I would like to hear some of those conversations, though.] 25 yrs ago, when I was the only house on the road for a mile, I would take off the road with my Sig Kadet. I only had to avoid the wires to MY house and across the road. Now the trees have grown up and it would be a challenge to land--not for the Twist, of course, but for anything else.

Last winter I bought an expensive hi-start--and you walk 250 paces before letting go. That SHOULD get ya to 300 ft. I've had trouble finding durable thermals with the Hirundo at low altitude. But I have yet to try the Gentle Lady. She can rise on a long conversation from my wife--or Down. I'll have to look at those Fling things, too.

Now, think of this: the motor on the Hirundo (Thunder Tiger .15) uses a 2 oz tank. It takes me two minutes to get to altitude--so I can REALLY look around for thermals. The engine will idle and can be used for up to 6 minutes, depending on the wind. So, after that time, the engine is off and you are gliding. Yesterday I had one of the guys use his stop watch to see how far up the Rundo was. He started the watch when I hit the trottle, from idle to full, then he hit it again when he heard the engine. Sound travels at 1247 ft. per second. We worked this method 6 or 8 times--with the bird RIGHT over head: time averaged 1.54 seconds x 1247 =1920.38 feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a really different style of flying--and great fun. The motor gets me there--and I suspect that's why the Gentle Lady hasn't see the air this summer, yet. The best I've ever done with her was a bit over 3 minutes--on my OLD hi-start. I've said here, and it pleases me not a whit [:-D] that I remind you, I got a 35 minute flight with the Rundo.

I always thought I was about a thousand feet high. Well! with that bird that high, you have time to look for thermals. Once I found one so strong I had to dive like heck to get OUT of it. I was afraid for the bird. When I turned the engine off--and I did that day--the plane went almost straight up, almost out of sight, a sparrow against a blue sky. Whew!

Adam, I have news. My Twist is a male bird, not female. As I went to charge the NiMH bat (1450 MaH) today, something whispered to me. I thought it was the dog, who often talks to me, but it was the Twist. "Psst, Dumbo, it's me! Please let me fly over the ridge again today."

"Ohmigod," says I, "you didn't land, huh? Ya caught those panties on the fly, huh?"

"Just let me fly over the ridge, please. Don't worry. All will be well. Just don't get me there with that inverted flat spin landing, okay?"

"No way, Jose," says I, "you'll get me in trouble! These are serious Christians at the farm."

Five minutes later, my Triton bell went off. The Twist's battery was ready. Huh, when I looked it said 5.12, NOT the 550 I expected. I put it back on auto charge and walked away, mumbling to Rick I better watch that battery. [Nothing was said by the Twist.] In another minute I went back to check it. Now THIS is the truth. The battery had fried, the canopy, from the heat, had a quarter inch hole in it. The rubber band HOLDING the bat was burnt, and the wires to the switch were also burnt, the 4 cell NiMH bat was in pieces, all leads bare copper, BARE, I tell ya. The plywood around the bat is blackened. When I looked about for a REASON for all this carnage, there was a burnt end of short, very short, curly, VERY curly, blonde hair between two poles of the now burnt off plastic FEMALE lead. I'll bet it was still wet with... well, never mind, and short-ciruited that darn lead!

Waldo told me once, don't piss off your Twist. She'll give ya payback. Well, HE gave me a payback, big time.

Oi, what a day. All birds home safe, but ONE is very horny--and ticked off at me.

J