RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I lost my Ultra Stick 60 yesterday. I was pulling out of a loop and the stab ripped in two. When I looked at the plane or should I say what was left of it, the stab glue joint was still intact and the balsa was ripped away on both sides of the fuse. The balsa center section of the stab was very soft, not exactly what I would have used in a high stress location.

Has anyone else had this problem?

NOVAflier

My Feedback: (21)

Sounds like you scored the balsa when you took the covering off to attach it to the fuse....

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I don't think so, I was very careful with this step. I also soaked the area with thin CA after assembly just to be on the safe side.

Mike Ledbetter

Just curious--What size motor did you have on it?

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Saito 91

hookedonrc

I have had 3 US60's and not had the same problem. First one went in due to my dumb thumbs. The second (one that I did not build) did not have enough epoxy on the back side of the wing joiner. I was doing a split "ess" at about 1/2 throttle and the wing split in two pieces. Inspection revealed that the right rear section of the joiner have very little epoxy on it and it let go right along the joiner. I am on my third with no problems to report on. I am flying with an OS61FX.

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I am going to box up the remains and send it back to Horizon and see what they tell me.

I really loved this airplane, I am wondering if there is a kit version out there. I would have a little more control as to what pieces go into the project that way.

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Here is a pic of where the stab used to be.

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Just so there is no confusion the three holes that you see are from an aftermarket tailwheel that I had installed. The wire on the stock one was crimped and I did not trust it.

NOVAflier

My Feedback: (21)

Still seems like scored balsa. I also don't think that soaking it with CA would help other than to make it more brittle. I may be wrong though...

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I guess it could be possible. I was just so careful here I can't see how it could be. looking at the fracture it looks like it began on the bottom of the stab in the center near the elevator. It is not a clean "snap" line across the center section as I would expect to see in the case of a score line, it's very jagged and irregular.

Thinking of the flight load at the time the force would have been leveraging the stab up into the fuse not down away from it. If it was down then I could see the stress on a score line.

I don't know I am not saying I'm perfect here and if there is a flaw with my reasoning I would sure like to know, I'm just not convinced.

Checklst

H9 and Horizon and good people to deal with, its hard to tell for but your front leading edge break looks like some oil soak has occurred or it could be just the photo is not showing the true color of the wood. What type of epoxy did you use??

Good luck and keep us informed I was looking at getting a ultra 60

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

If you had scored the balsa while removing the cover, bad enough to cause the failure, I'm sure you would have known it the instant you did it. Since you seem to believe you were "very careful with this step", I would tend to believe it was weak wood. I have replaced "suspect" wood many times while building a kit. ARFs make it a little harder to examine the quality of the wood in high stress areas sometimes. Since you said the "balsa center section of the stab was very soft", that was probably the reason...it will be interesting too see what HORIZON has to say. Just my $.02

Jim

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Checklst. I am looking at the leading edge on the muffler side and all loks dry, no oil. Can't say that for the front as the fuel tank ruptured and what is left of the front is now soaked. This all happened within the first 2 to 3 minutes of the flight so the tank was full.

Aeronaut. You can put a gouge in the balsa just by LIGHTLY running your nail across it. Not what I would use here. This is my first ARF, I'm a die hard kit man. I guess I have some things to learn with these.

The thing I think really stinks is that its going to cost me $80.00 in parts to fix my Saito.

Bodge

Can't see any trace of scoring on your picture. Could be just soft wood.

I had a US 60 powered by an MVVS 91. I had it for a long time - flew really well. I never did manage to break it. Full throttle manouvers and somewhat overpowered - it took everything with no problem. One of the best fun planes I've had. I think you have just been unlucky.

Mick.

Checklst

RPM1 I am leaning toward Areonaut explanation of SOFT Balsa. I just put together a UCD60 arf and I striped off the factory covering to put my own color scheme on, and I noticed about 10% of the wood was of low, soft quality, never met a kit that I did not replace some of the wood so the arfs wood quality does not surprise me.

I think your experience will save a few airplanes if they learn from your ARF's weakness and add some triangle stock under the Horizontal stabs. I have found on my last 3 ARF's, I am using a lot of triangle stock on firewalls,landing gear plates, bulk heads and tail serface stabs.

Personal I like the fact I still have to do a little work on these beauties it keep me out of the bars(burp) Good Luck!!!!!!!!

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Well I got a box and I will send it back to Horizon in the morning. Just really wondering why they want the entire wreckage. I looked and never did find the two pieces of the stab and my tail wheel.

I am not holding my breath about getting a new kit, eventhough I have heard they have done this a lot, call me skeptical. What is the turn around time on something like this if they do send out a new one? Does anyone know?

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

Just to update anyone that was watching this forum. Yesterday UPS brought me a big box and inside was a brand new Ultra Stick from Horizon. I was astounded.

I honestly did not think that they would replace it. I don't know if I have enough space here to say how satisfied I am with Hanger 9 and Horizon.

Bodge

Good result!

That sort of response separates excellent companies from the rest.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

RPM1,

I'm doing the 40 version right now. I don't like the stock tail wheel, either.

I'm going to section out part of the stab where it fits onto the fuselage tail and inset a piece of real five-ply hardwood, to attach a Dubro tail wheel unit.

miamiflyer

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,
When i assembled my ustick 60 i was a little concerned about this light stick- build up
stab. the wood is truly very soft, and the sticks hotglued together???
I gave my ok to an experienced pilot to really wring it out and put it through
the paces and everything worked out fine.
Last week the plane came down from apr. 20 feet and hit with the stab first.
My bad, lost orientation.
the only broken part besides the landing gear rip out was the elevator stab's
LE and TE folded and the sticks came through the covering.
I pieced it together with ca and installed aluminum braces from vert to horiz
stab but i'm not really happy with it.

Harry Higley's book "Mostly Mounting" page 47.

"Tail assemblies on some kits powered by .20 to .60 engines have shortcomings that you should
correct. The tail surfaces my be buildt up from sticks and small pieces. Unless this was done
for scale appearance like our Sig Smith Mini Plane, do yourself a favor and replace them with solid sheet balsa. The same advice applies to the fin and rudder."

I don't know if that's common practice for ARFs but maybe someone experienced will chime in and
explain.

Glad you got a new plane. I guess they are aware of the shortcomings.
It's really a fun plane to fly.
pat

hosam

My Feedback: (121)

RPM,

One of my flying buddies had his H9 ultra stick go in late last year due to the exact failure you had and H9 replaced the plane. We looked at the plane and it was a clear indication that the soft wood let go. His fix on the new plane is Triangle stock and a piece of this Bass that runs under the fuse and tail and recovering it.

He had a Saito 100 which is one of the recommended engines for that plane.

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I looked at the new kit today and the balsa center section on the stab is much harder than the first one. I have gotten several suggestions on a fix so that this does not happen again and I would love to hear more. All I can say right now is I am going to make sure that I double check all the critical joints and surfaces for a similar problem.

I think I said before in this forum that this was my first ARF (Ya, I am the one in the hobby store griping that all the good kits are now only available in ARF) and I believe it taught me a valuable lesson to not take the construction for granted.

I would like to know from everyone is how they built the wing either with full span ailerons or the 4 flap version. I built the last one as the 4 flap version, didn't use it much before that fateful day in July. I was thinking about building the full span ail. version and using flaperons. Any thoughts?

RPM1

My Feedback: (2)

I just re-read some of the previous postings from July. I recently saw or heard somewhere of a neat little trick to avoid the problem Novaflyer was talking about. The thing is to use a small soldering iron tip and run it quickly over the covering to remove it for gluing up the stab. Essentially you score the covering with heat instead of a knife. I have never tried this but it sounds like it would work without chancing any damage to the balsa.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

<<...didn't use it much (quad flaps)...>>

Hmmm... You're the third or fourth guy I've seen make that comment. Those quad flaps are the main reason I bought this thing.[]

Guess I'll find out for myself shortly...