Hey Tex... hope you don't mind the abbreviation.

Thanks for the response. Hopefully I'll get some responses or PM's. What I'd like to do is meet someone at the field, local shop, they can come to my house...don't really care at this point. I have the skills to do everything that needs to be done, just not the confidence.


The weight...Yea, I've heard how slow they fly...also heard of them flipping when close to stall speed. And I'm sure I'll be asking many questions...


I have two other fields close to me but have a couple issues, NW Houston RC always has the gate closed, can't remember the name of the other one (westheimer park)- Not to friendly to Heli pilots. Wanted to get some info from the guys there and caught crap about not being an ama member/ license or something... and don't want to just show up saying Help?

The main issues are TX and Engine. Probably basic to some but it's been far too long since I've even touched a nitro engine much less tune one....I think I was 15 and had some help (37 now). the more I think about it, setting balance and incidence I can brobably do but would feel more comfortable with a little help...just don't want the trial and error that I went through with my helicopters. With the Heli's generally you simply replace a part, re-balance, trim and you're ready to go.

With a plane, you crash-basically you rebuild sometimes very little but not just bolt on a new part.

Thanks for the forward link

Much data to review again. I'll have to get through it, pull my hair out...and pray.

anywhere else here I can post for general help in houston? I'm sure there are many people on this site, just don't know how to reach them

Mr Mugen, great link...found several fields. Just want to have the plane running before I just show up.

found where to look in houston-Now just need to find how to make a post for them...

First thing first, you need to get your AMA, but you want to find a club next. Your local hobby stores can steer you to a good club. If you've got people jumping on you when you show up at a field, they're not what you're looking for. Every now and then you find a nice field but there's some kind of retired Gunny Sargent who not only has forgotten he's retired but who also thinks he owns it and makes your life hell...all you want to do is find somebody from the club and ask for your dues back. Two years ago, after flying for about 30 years and carrying my instructor card, I started flying at this field and guess who showed up and started barking orders? I mentioned it a couple of times and when they shrugged their shoulders for the third time I asked for dues back and went to another field. We do this for fun, and we all want to be safe doing it, but I will decide who is the boss of me, and he won't have tattooes. She'll be smaller and I'll answer "Yes dear" after she speaks.

You want to find a club who can control its members but at the same time who takes strides to foster a learning environment at the field and the club meetings. They strike a balance and the members have fun at the field and still it's a safe field. It really is worth the search, and Houston is a club-rich environment so I think you'll be able to find the right place. Get your AMA membership ASAP, and while you're visiting the AMA site you can find local clubs and contact names and numbers.

Barring all that, I'm usually in Houston for a couple of days every two weeks or so, and I have to kill time in the evenings and usually I'm in the Katy area. Maybe I can be of some help.

Jim

she'll be smaller and I'll say yes dear after she speaks...sounds like a very smart man.


I just signed up for my license/ membership. Should have done it sooner but was put off by members...you need this to be here, that to be here, Like you said we're all here to have fun.

I'll get to the fields, but don't want to show up and put somebody in danger. The planes aren't a problem...but those heli's can cause some serious damage...flying so close to everyone it's easy to get away. Also, wanted to feel comfortable before I get there...sorry, first born got to do things on my own. did that with the heli, and now have learned from my mistakes...being in the mid 30's helps.

if you're in town, just passing through or otherwise let me know....Will take you to lunch


Thanks for the helpful advice. Went check out the plane from your link... very nice. I see where the DS 821's may be the say to go...don't know if they have the power for rudder.

Being in Houston, you're absolutely correct, there are tons of members here and two fields reasonably close. Many open parks, fields and also, have a cousin that lives at an airstrip...sport fliers in brookshire...so finding a place to fly isn't a problem it's getting the help when I need it and from someone who cares.

I'm not always easy to reach, my e-mail is the easiest, I believe that I get notifications via PM but don't remember exactly.

[email protected]

They have the power for rudder, but I may have gone a bit more on that, I can't say right now. That would require going down and removing those four screws and looking to find out.

I think the 821's weer awesome values at the time for the price. A plane this size would be perfectly fine with standard nothing-special servos all around, so taking a step up was just a little insurance, like using a double-pole switch instead of the tiny ones with one pole. I always inch a bit higher and take a little longer (have to, I'm not made of money!), but I don't usually go to the extremes that some of the other guys do. Like you, I do what I want to and I like to think for myself. There are some pretty extravagent setups out there, and once you've seen hundreds and hundreds of crashes and found out the RIDICULOUS reasons behind most of them, you'll find that sloppy workmanship and hurrying to the field are the culprits behind them, not the Spektrums failing because they lost power for a second (because my connection was really crappy and I could have secured it WAY better), or the hundred other excuses you hear. Attention to detail is everything, full-scale planes fly on it and fall without it, model planes are EXACTLY the same. I've seen the extravagent setups fail and the planes auger in just the same as the others. You can never cover every little thing that will happen to you, but you can feel confident that you've done whatever was in your power to do. The other stuff you have no control over, like my Dynathrust prop losing BOTH blades because Dynathrustprops get brittle with age (I did not KNOW that!!), another little gem for me to tuck away upstairs....

I'll contact you.

Jim
or...you can contact me.

smh20502 ,

I know that you're going for the Edge V2, but still could you post some pictures of your V1 here. I'm curious about your wing incidence.
I've noticed that the ones with negative wing incidence have a grey instruments panel, instead of a black instrument panel.

I would really like to know how it lands with both configurations... Anyone?

Here's some more detailed pictures of both airplanes

On the right you have the black instument panel (good wing incidence), see the longer back "leg" for the screw.

Ont the left you have the grey instrument panel (negative wing incidence), see the shorter back "leg" for the screw.

Borges:
I'll see what I can do about getting pics....camera is a bit difficult to come by (working anyawy). Got probably 3 sitting around here and none work.

BTW the V1 that I have is the black instrument panel.

Before I get to incidence, don't I have to have servos installed?


TexasSkyPilot

Thanks for the heads up on the Dynathrust props. Most likely I'll go with APC or master airscrew. But I'll try what ever will work, but reliability and durability are my first concern.

In regards to switches, I'll probably try to get some from a electronic parts distributer, digikey, jameco, REM, there are several others. Can you let me know what switches you are referring to, specs, manufacturer, model. 25 bucks is a bit much for a switch but that's probably about right from a hobby shop.


Attention to detail...exactly why I want help with setup. And don't what to rush out to the field thinking all is good and find out the hard way that I didn't do something that is common sense to seasoned pilots.

Sure I can get it setup and in the air but "I" want to land the thing on it's wheels, not a wing or inverted.

JR or Spektrum switches. I don't trust anything else, and the price may be a little steep, but each switch has double poles and is rated for vibration. Cheap insurance for the price, really. Nobody really thinks so until they watch one drop from the sky and find out in the postmortem that it was a switch.

I can find them cheaper too, but some things I don't take chances with anymore.

Jim

smh20502,

Thanks for your answer. It seems that there isn't to many people with my version of the Seagull Edge 540.

The wing incidence is the angle of atack that the wing has at the fuselage root. Since this is defined by the chord of the wing profile and the line of flight of the fuselage (datum line), the wing incidence doesn't have nothing to do with installing the servos.

You mus be talking about trimming the aircraft. For that you need the servos.

Does anyone have a link, or can provide a pdf of the V1 edge 540 manual? there may be one here and just haven't found it.

I have the manual. I'll have to scan it. I'll do that tomorow

And here it is....

[link=http://www.hangar13.pt/downloads/SEA1025_Seagull_Edge540.pdf]http://www.hangar13.pt/downloads/SEA1025_Seagull_Edge540.pdf[/link]

The scanned manual was to big to upload to RCUniverse, so I've made it available trough my club website. Just click on the link

great...thanks for the help in getting the manual scanned. The plane that I have is mostly built but I lack the technical data to help ensure a good first flight.

I don't know of the condition of the wing as it applies to the dihedral bracing. Is that something that I should worry about?

glad to help.

There have been some reports of people having the wing folding during flight. Not as much as the horizontal tail, but still...
So I reinforced the wood dihedral bracing with a bar of 2mm thickness aluminium. Just in case...

OK...the plane is already built by the previous owner. upon closer inspection, I find that the covering needs to be removed to repair a split on the bottom of the wing. This initially didn't appear when I purchased the plane but after sitting for a couple years it's apparent that there was some damage...nothing major at all but still should be repaired.

So I'll be pulling the covering and making the repair. Regarding the dihedral brace...should I split the wing and basically reinforce the brace from scratch or will glue and screw the Alm or CF to the front and back where the wings join do?

Since you're pulling out the cover of wing, inspect the spar for gaps, and specially for components that aren't properly glued (some people had problems with that kind of things).

I'm not sure, but I think the wings broke in flight somewhere near the second profile. I think you'll have to make an assessment regarding the condition of the construction of your wing.

In my case I just, decided to reinforce the wing as a precaution.

I'd like to hear how you reinforced the wing as I just found last night that I'll have to do the same thing.

I was thinking of inlaying a carbon fiber strip across the wing, maybe atop the spar. Also, just behind the spar box section (don't recall what this area is called, between the ribs running vertically. the little rectangle pieces that tie the spars together) Those seem to be junk.

This is why I went with the V2 first....far less work was involved to get it in the air.

here´s a sketch of my reinforcement

But if I had to pull out the cover, I would insert a carbon tube running along 6 profiles, near the wing spar.

running CF along the spar is what I'll be doing. I don't have a camera to take picks at this time but will borrow one and attach prior to completion and covering

I just received this kit, as long as your talking about the seagull 68" V2. The Packaging is great, its very sturdy and looks like it was built well. Honestly I was very impressed with the quality of the airframe, and ultracoat. Looked like it didnt need to be tightened. I am already in the process of building it and the one thing I would do is hindge it with Nylon, or Robart hindges. Its too big of a plane to use CA hindges.

Obviously I havent flown it, but I was very impressed.

Also beef up the gear bulkhead, looks a bit weak.

Show us some pictures, if possible...