Joel_L

Another hit I must consider is that I'm at about 5000 feet. If I talk myself out of a radial, I'll probably make a 180 and go electric. I will wait until there are some real performance numbers on the E7-35 around.


Thanks

Joel

affas

I think you will be able to make it balance easy if you do my aft-CG-shaving method. Mine do balance with all accessories upfront nd with a ASP 160 Twin!!!

All internal wood/glue structure aft of CG are removed. Servotray removed and rebuilt close to the fueltank.

have more than 20 tours on this plane and all I can say ia that it works great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qmWMGS83Xw

Joel_L

Your Staggerwing certainly seems to have no issue with taking off. CG is not a concern to me, as you mention, there are things one can do to make things work. I still really like the Evo 7-35. My concern remains that it seems to be limited in RPM/power and might not work well in the Staggerwing. Looking around though, I think the Saito 200R3 might be OK if the Evo radial doesn't work out.

Thanks

Joel

ffdq

My Feedback: (4)

hey guys will a g-26 work in the staggerwing

rowdog_14

My Feedback: (5)

A G26 will fly it but you will not have to much in reserve, if you do a search on this thread a few people have considered it but have gone to at least a 35cc or bigger. I have a OS 160 which flys it good. I was going to put a supertigre 2300 in it which is about on the same playing field as the G26 but there was a gentelman in TN that flew his with a supertigre 2300 and it barley flew. Personally I would not do a G26.

kochj

you could do the saito 5-cyl....
You would need to mod the cowl or extend the prop shaft...somehow...

labebe

I am going to install a G-38 on my ST.
Alex

JoeMamma

Wow.........this thread is just about 6 years old ! A very popular plane !

Spent a few evenings reading the entire thread. Picked up a lot of great info.

I’m just getting started on my Staggerwing. Got her late in the summer from a club member who’s making a permanent move down to Florida. He didn’t want to move all of his larger planes so he gave away 9 of them. I was lucky enough to get the Staggerwing with an OS 1.60FX for power.

She’s been parked since I got her and she’s fairly heavy at 23 pounds. I’ve decided to put her on a diet and try to shed about 3 1/2 pounds.[X(]

At the light end of the weight scale she's supposed to come in at 18.1 pounds. If I can shed 3.5 pounds, I can get her down to a manageable 19.5 pounds. I can live with being about 1.5 pounds overweight.

Actually, I'm hoping I can do it. The fellah that previously owned it and assembled it liked redundancy. It has two big, heavy 6.0V 3500mah NiMH batteries for main power. In my opinion wayyyyy overkill. As a pre-flight, I load test my batteries before each and every flight. Because of my load test, I feel totally confident in using much smaller battery packs. I'll probably use a single 1200-1800mah pack.

It has an on-board glow system using a fat "D" cell. I have a few 1.60FX's and have never needed on on-board glow system for a 1.60 FX. Getting rid of this system can save me some grams.

It has two cast-resin pilots. I weighed them in at 14 ounces for the pair ! Ouch ! [X(]

It has a few battery monitoring devices that probably weigh a few grams.

It has at least two electrical devices I can't identify ??

If I count the grams they will turn into ounces. If I count the ounces they will turn into pounds. Wish me luck on my diet ! The diet should be over before next spring.

I’m just starting my teardown and re-do.

Joe M.

knucklebutt

Joe:

I have the 160 FS. Mine came in at 20.5 with no nose weight (all batteries are right against the firewall. Flies very well with this engine. I agree about the battery overkill. I use a 6v 2700 Mah. and like you load test before every flight. That also makes me very familiar with the condition of the battery. Any changes and I do some checking.

Keep us posted


Denis

rowdog_14

My Feedback: (5)

JoeMamma you will be very happy with the OS 160FX if you decide to keep in the staggerwing, I have a OS 160FX and my staggerwing came out to 17.8 lbs with the factory gear. Would probably be around 19 or 20 with the retracts.

sbrackets

Well. I believe tomorrow's the BIG day! Yep I think I'm going to try to maiden her tomorrow. The weather is right, and the sky will be a deep blue. Cloud free for a change.
I balanced her this afternoon, had to 15 OZ. of lead to the engine mount Almost a pound. Does this sound about right? Did ya'll have to add that much to yours?

Anyway, I'll try to get some video of the flight for OL Rowdog. He was hounding me about some video footage a while back. I just hope that Super Tigre S-2000/25 doesn't let me down.

Wish me luck!!!

Here are a couple for photos of my SW

Regards, Jimbo

JoeMamma

Good Luck !! [8D][8D]

My maidens still about three months away.[:'(]

Joe M.

JoeMamma

For you fellahs' already flying yours:

How is the 5 1/2" CG working out ?

Joe M.

Staggerflyer

For mine it was perfect. Make sure you do it upside down, as the instructions say, or it will be way off. Don't ask me how I know. [X(]

JoeMamma

Thanks for the info.

Per the instructions and picture in the manual, I was a little confused about where to place my CG measuring device (Great Planes brand). I had to go back and search this thread for CG.

From what I understand, place your CG device just outside of the curved fuselage fairing on the flat/straight edge of the wing. Is that how you fellahs' did it ? If you place it at the fairing (as the manual indicates), this will add about 1.5 inches to your measurement.

Joe M.

affas

As told in this thread earlier, mine came out at 16.5 I am surprised that I was able to make it so light.

Robart retracts with the largest tank is installed. I used lighter Hitec servoes on flaps, ailerons and rudder, H 85bb on retract.
For batteries I used one 2S900mah on the Sullivan onboard glower and Hyperion LiFE 2S 2100 mah for rx.

All internal structure are waste of weight and was ripped out. I can take some pictures of the internal setup if you want?

All that removed internal structure made me fly without any lead in the nose! That saves the model flying characheristic.

skylarkmk1

If you have retracts, is the CG measured with them extended or retracted?

Staggerflyer

Measure at the wing to fuse joint line. I set my pads where the weight is held by the fuse right at the joint.

Pics show a jig I made before I got my Great Planes balancer. The GP balancer does work better. It will hold the plane, although it must be set on something to raise it up, or on a table/bench where tail can hang over in order to hang level.
(The pads appear off center, but the actual touching point is on the cg lines.)

landeck

My Feedback: (1)

You do it with the retracts retracted since that should be your normal flying mode. Depending on the model, with the retracts extended you will move the CG a slight amount forward which is ok for landing/takeoff.

Bruce

Staggerflyer

Doesn't really matter, as they close in the same line. Do it with them retracted if you are unsure.

Retracts that work in forward/back motion should always be balanced in retracted condition.

JoeMamma

Thanks again !

I'm getting close to finishing her up. Once I check the CG that will tell if my Staggerwing "on a diet program" worked. I'm just hoping I don't have to re-add all of the weight to her nose just to get the CG correct.

As I mentioned earlier, the original owner had this plane very heavy with a lot of excess weight up in her nose. Until I check the CG I won't know if my Staggerwing "on a diet program" has worked.

Joe M.

sbrackets

Well, Idid manage to make my maiden flight yesterday with my SW. I found out soon that 3/4" up elevator is not enough. I barely made it off the runway in time to clear the tall grass at the edge of the field. But she flew really good and I landed her with full flaps for a easy landing.
No video this time but maybe the next flight.

Regards, Jim Stratton

JoeMamma

Hi Jim,

3/4" is not enough ?? Wow......3/4" is supposed to be the high rate. For initial settings, I set mine to the recommended low rate of 1/2" and the high rate of 3/4"..........40% exponential on both rates.

By chance is your Stagg. a little nose heavy ? If it is, this may suggest that heavy elevator is needed.

Joe M.

knucklebutt

Yeah

I kinda wanted to jump in there with the nose heave thing. On my first flight I had "high" rates, and talk about pitchy. People actually thought it was completely out of control. I switched to low rates and it smoothed right out.


Denis

sbrackets

Not sure about the plane being nose heavy right yet. Because I measured the C.G at 5.5" back from the leading edge of the fiberglass fairing edge at the wing joint where the balsa wing joins the fuselage. And the plane sat level on the (Great planes)balancer device. I added 15oz. of lead to the nose.

The only thing that makes me think that it is nose heavy is that 3/4" up elevator was marginal for take off and did not leave me with a good feeling for landing. I was thinking the whole time during my flight that I wasn't going to have enough elevator to pull out of a steep decent on a landing approach.
Once airborn the plane needed a lot of up elevator to fly straight and level. I did manage to trim her out for level flight but noticed after landing that my elevator with the transmitter stick in the neutral position, the elevator was now is sitting with about 2-3 degrees of up elevator. So thats how she is flying at straight and level flight.

Does this sound like it's nose heavy to you all? I guess it is, but she balances out perfect straight at 5.5" C.G. You got me!

I know a way to find out if she is nose heavy is to fly upside down to see how the nose reacts then. But on the maiden flight I was just trying to keep her in the air and trim her out, Not doing anything nothing fancy.



Jim