New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!
10-06-2015, 06:54 PM
#2851
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Looks like I am going to have some time this week so I am finally going to get to build my GSS.... YAY!
On the subject of tail bracing 2-56 rod works great. solder clevis on one end with the side of the clevis with the pin cut off...... 4-40 shcs through the hole in the clevis On the other end a threaded clevis with pin side cut off. 4-40 shcs through the hole in the clevis...then through the stab and through the clevis on the other side.
You get the idea.... works great and I have done it to many planes.
Can't wait to get this beauty in the air!
On the subject of tail bracing 2-56 rod works great. solder clevis on one end with the side of the clevis with the pin cut off...... 4-40 shcs through the hole in the clevis On the other end a threaded clevis with pin side cut off. 4-40 shcs through the hole in the clevis...then through the stab and through the clevis on the other side.
You get the idea.... works great and I have done it to many planes.
Can't wait to get this beauty in the air!
Last edited by sdstick; 10-06-2015 at 06:57 PM.
10-09-2015, 04:09 AM
#2852
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Well I finished moving my gear to the fuse and now I just have to set the cg I am going to set it at 6". I have also setup the flaperons. I was wondering how much flaperon others are using. I have set mine at 30 and still have positive movement on the opposite aileron.
10-09-2015, 08:18 AM
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You might want to go with spoilerons.... you don't want to add lift you need to kill the lift.
10-10-2015, 04:41 AM
#2855
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A counter point regarding the topic. If the CG is correctly located, this plane will slow and land just fine without aid from flaperons or spoilerons.
Great Planes always has been, and I suspect always will be, VERY conservative with their suggested starting CG's, on ALL their instructions right across their entire line. Look at the manual. It says STARTING CG, not final. After having spent considerable time flying this plane, I wound up WAY in back of suggested - like 2.5" inches. At that point you could slow the plane, unassisted by flaps/flaperons, and do tail wheel first landings consistantly. We're talking a little over walking speed at that point!
While I would NOT suggest you start off this far back, an inch back from suggested might help keep landing gears intact on those initial test flights. That's a point I would recommend. Note that there is no "correct" CG among experienced fliers. YOUR favorite CG will depend on your flying skills and what your expectations are for the plane. If you go back through all the posts on this plane, I think you'll see more landing gear wiped out on maiden and early test lights than all others combined. My point is, I believe this is due to an incorrectly specified, by at least 1", too far forward CG.
Last, guys flying these heavier planes for the first time should realize there is a LOT of inertia coming down on the gear when they attempt to "scrub off" speed going way too fast on touch down. That makes even trying that a bad plan. -Al
Great Planes always has been, and I suspect always will be, VERY conservative with their suggested starting CG's, on ALL their instructions right across their entire line. Look at the manual. It says STARTING CG, not final. After having spent considerable time flying this plane, I wound up WAY in back of suggested - like 2.5" inches. At that point you could slow the plane, unassisted by flaps/flaperons, and do tail wheel first landings consistantly. We're talking a little over walking speed at that point!
While I would NOT suggest you start off this far back, an inch back from suggested might help keep landing gears intact on those initial test flights. That's a point I would recommend. Note that there is no "correct" CG among experienced fliers. YOUR favorite CG will depend on your flying skills and what your expectations are for the plane. If you go back through all the posts on this plane, I think you'll see more landing gear wiped out on maiden and early test lights than all others combined. My point is, I believe this is due to an incorrectly specified, by at least 1", too far forward CG.
Last, guys flying these heavier planes for the first time should realize there is a LOT of inertia coming down on the gear when they attempt to "scrub off" speed going way too fast on touch down. That makes even trying that a bad plan. -Al
Last edited by ahicks; 10-10-2015 at 04:43 AM.
10-10-2015, 05:46 AM
#2856
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thank you for all of the great advice. The 2 flights I did with multiple touch and go's did show how much she will slow down I just figured since I had to reset balance do to moving the gear I might as well back up a little bit. I am doing the flaperons more because I can and I like to experiment after a few flights I might try spoilerons just for the heck of it. It's saturday and instead of flying I am on forum because of fraken rain ugggggh. I just wanna fly.
10-10-2015, 07:36 AM
#2857
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I like flaperons - when they work well on that particular plane - and I like to see how slow I can bring it in. But like Al, I've been twiddling the sticks for a long, long time, and you want experience behind you when you're trying to determine whether it's a breeze making the plane tip a little, or whether it's getting ready to stall and fall. One thing I like about flaperons is that they increase the lift to allow the bird to slow down on approach, which is handy to a less experienced flier who just wants the plane to slow enough to land safely. Most flaps have the added effect of lifting the nose of the plane, which never hurts during a landing, but the plane will handle differently in that attitude. Most radios will allow you to dial a bit of down-elevator in with your flaperons, which will bring the nose down. It doesn't take much; I usually start with just a few degrees, and even then I sometimes dial it back after a flight or two. Flaperons are great for easy, carefree Sunday flying.
Both flaperons and moving the CG back have an effect on the way the plane flies. Too much of either can be very bad for the health of your plane. Moving the CG back makes plane much more responsive to commends, which experienced fliers often enjoy. It's especially fun in something like a Pitts biplane, or other aerobatic bird. To a newbie, it can seem awfully "twitchy" and nerve-wracking. Flaperons are usually more forgiving, but you have to be careful on planes that have very large aileron surfaces, the type we call "barn-door ailerons," such as I had on my SIG Spacewalker II. I dialed in a bunch of flaperons, thinking that with wings that big, and flaperons that big, the plane would float at a walk. I took her out for her maiden flight, and when I had her up about 400 feet, I slowed her down some, and hit the flap switch. The plane looked like it stopped in midair, and then it just FELL, straight down. I somehow got the switch turned off and the power up in time to recover her, but I'm pretty sure I cut some grass in the process, and needed a change of underwear.
The moral of my long-winded story is that, whether it be the CG or flaperons, moderation is the way to go. A little at a time will get you where you need to go.
Spoilerons is a whole new chapter, and once you hit the switch, you'll realize very quickly why they're called spoilerons. They're designed to wreck (or spoil) the airflow over the wings. Great for gliders that are eating up every thermal in the sky and won't come down. Not such a great idea for planes flying near the ground. Just be ready for it. Maybe test it a couple of hundred feet up first.
Jim
Both flaperons and moving the CG back have an effect on the way the plane flies. Too much of either can be very bad for the health of your plane. Moving the CG back makes plane much more responsive to commends, which experienced fliers often enjoy. It's especially fun in something like a Pitts biplane, or other aerobatic bird. To a newbie, it can seem awfully "twitchy" and nerve-wracking. Flaperons are usually more forgiving, but you have to be careful on planes that have very large aileron surfaces, the type we call "barn-door ailerons," such as I had on my SIG Spacewalker II. I dialed in a bunch of flaperons, thinking that with wings that big, and flaperons that big, the plane would float at a walk. I took her out for her maiden flight, and when I had her up about 400 feet, I slowed her down some, and hit the flap switch. The plane looked like it stopped in midair, and then it just FELL, straight down. I somehow got the switch turned off and the power up in time to recover her, but I'm pretty sure I cut some grass in the process, and needed a change of underwear.
The moral of my long-winded story is that, whether it be the CG or flaperons, moderation is the way to go. A little at a time will get you where you need to go.
Spoilerons is a whole new chapter, and once you hit the switch, you'll realize very quickly why they're called spoilerons. They're designed to wreck (or spoil) the airflow over the wings. Great for gliders that are eating up every thermal in the sky and won't come down. Not such a great idea for planes flying near the ground. Just be ready for it. Maybe test it a couple of hundred feet up first.
Jim
10-10-2015, 01:57 PM
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New GSS 4 sale with all new parts for best updates
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...9#post32907334
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...9#post32907334
Last edited by sdstick; 10-10-2015 at 02:02 PM.
10-10-2015, 04:55 PM
#2859
10-10-2015, 06:58 PM
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Hey Jim,
My friend has me all messed up by offering me his AeroWorks 50cc Ultimate Bipe so I have to see what I can do about it. He caught me in cash flow hell so I have to sell some things to buy the Ultimate. My friend wants the 100cc version now.
Hope all's well on your end Jim
Thanks,
Shawn
My friend has me all messed up by offering me his AeroWorks 50cc Ultimate Bipe so I have to see what I can do about it. He caught me in cash flow hell so I have to sell some things to buy the Ultimate. My friend wants the 100cc version now.
Hope all's well on your end Jim
Thanks,
Shawn
10-10-2015, 07:36 PM
#2861
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Hey, Shawn, I'm doing okay. Walking again, at least.
That IS a tough one. I was wondering why you were so excited about building the GSS one minute, and then selling it the next.
The Aeroworks 50CC Ultimate is a nice bird. But the GSS is a bird you'll want to keep forever once you fly it.
You can always save up for another bipe. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's always another great deal coming along before very long. And by then, you'll probably have the money for it.
Getting rid of a beautiful plane like the GSS just doesn't seem like the smart move. People who get GSS's keep them a long time, because they become our favorite plane. Bipes are fun, but they tend to come and go.
Jim
That IS a tough one. I was wondering why you were so excited about building the GSS one minute, and then selling it the next.
The Aeroworks 50CC Ultimate is a nice bird. But the GSS is a bird you'll want to keep forever once you fly it.
You can always save up for another bipe. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's always another great deal coming along before very long. And by then, you'll probably have the money for it.
Getting rid of a beautiful plane like the GSS just doesn't seem like the smart move. People who get GSS's keep them a long time, because they become our favorite plane. Bipes are fun, but they tend to come and go.
Jim
10-10-2015, 07:55 PM
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Hey, Shawn, I'm doing okay. Walking again, at least.
That IS a tough one. I was wondering why you were so excited about building the GSS one minute, and then selling it the next.
The Aeroworks 50CC Ultimate is a nice bird. But the GSS is a bird you'll want to keep forever once you fly it.
You can always save up for another bipe. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's always another great deal coming along before very long. And by then, you'll probably have the money for it.
Getting rid of a beautiful plane like the GSS just doesn't seem like the smart move. People who get GSS's keep them a long time, because they become our favorite plane. Bipes are fun, but they tend to come and go.
Jim
That IS a tough one. I was wondering why you were so excited about building the GSS one minute, and then selling it the next.
The Aeroworks 50CC Ultimate is a nice bird. But the GSS is a bird you'll want to keep forever once you fly it.
You can always save up for another bipe. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's always another great deal coming along before very long. And by then, you'll probably have the money for it.
Getting rid of a beautiful plane like the GSS just doesn't seem like the smart move. People who get GSS's keep them a long time, because they become our favorite plane. Bipes are fun, but they tend to come and go.
Jim
Thanks for trying to help me NOT screw up! Can I put you on staff?
Shawn
10-10-2015, 09:48 PM
#2863
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Put me on staff? What would I be doing?
No, I can't, I can't. . . I just was put on staff HERE! But I'll continue to annoy you with my free and unsolicited advice right here in RCU!
I had my foot operated on nine weeks ago. They had to repair a tendon, which wasn't too bad. Then, the foot itself; they cut it in half in two places, and put it back together slightly differently, using some interesting little wedges of pre-owned bone, and I won't use the word cadaver and gross you out here. . .
It really wasn't bad until I was allowed to put weight on it last week. That was when I found out about the part that REALLY HURTS BAD. . . . I'm somehow surviving this part, and the doctor says I have to keep walking on it, and that pretty soon I'll be good as new. And that, in the meantime, it's gonna hurt REALLY BAD. . .
The words "one step at a time" have taken on a dramatic new meaning for me. But I'm pretty tough. I'll be motivating with the best of them again.
The BIG question here isn't about a silly foot; it's about YOU! Are you going to hang on to the long and lovely white and red lady with the initials GSS?
Jim
No, I can't, I can't. . . I just was put on staff HERE! But I'll continue to annoy you with my free and unsolicited advice right here in RCU!
I had my foot operated on nine weeks ago. They had to repair a tendon, which wasn't too bad. Then, the foot itself; they cut it in half in two places, and put it back together slightly differently, using some interesting little wedges of pre-owned bone, and I won't use the word cadaver and gross you out here. . .
It really wasn't bad until I was allowed to put weight on it last week. That was when I found out about the part that REALLY HURTS BAD. . . . I'm somehow surviving this part, and the doctor says I have to keep walking on it, and that pretty soon I'll be good as new. And that, in the meantime, it's gonna hurt REALLY BAD. . .
The words "one step at a time" have taken on a dramatic new meaning for me. But I'm pretty tough. I'll be motivating with the best of them again.
The BIG question here isn't about a silly foot; it's about YOU! Are you going to hang on to the long and lovely white and red lady with the initials GSS?
Jim
10-10-2015, 11:45 PM
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no uh uh much more concerned about your foot. Did you have an accident?
We are in the middle of a crisis here too. Daughter has a nasty brain tumor... malignant, growing and very aggressive. My Wife is in Atlanta with my daughter and I am here on my horse farm in TN taking care of all our critters. I am having to try hard to do my best here... my Wife is my care taker and I am having a tough time being without her. I have advanced diabetes and advanced fibromyalgia. The fibro is real mean at season changes like now. I am being punished for having an extremely fun life... retired pro drummer... too many towns and to many women!
So how did you hurt your foot?
Thank God for airplanes so we can get our mind off of our troubles!
We are in the middle of a crisis here too. Daughter has a nasty brain tumor... malignant, growing and very aggressive. My Wife is in Atlanta with my daughter and I am here on my horse farm in TN taking care of all our critters. I am having to try hard to do my best here... my Wife is my care taker and I am having a tough time being without her. I have advanced diabetes and advanced fibromyalgia. The fibro is real mean at season changes like now. I am being punished for having an extremely fun life... retired pro drummer... too many towns and to many women!
So how did you hurt your foot?
Thank God for airplanes so we can get our mind off of our troubles!
10-11-2015, 09:32 AM
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Well my friend backed out.... now I am wanting an Extreme Flight 73" Laser EXP or a 78" Extra 300 EXP..
Hey Jim, I looked at your gallery, you sure have some nice planes!
How's you foot today?
Hey Jim, I looked at your gallery, you sure have some nice planes!
How's you foot today?
Last edited by sdstick; 10-11-2015 at 09:48 AM.
10-11-2015, 01:07 PM
#2866
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It was kind of a two-stage thing. I wore some shoes that had a poor arch, and the foot leaned over into the arch area in time. Then, last year, I stepped off something and heard a "pop." I thought it was a sprain, but it never stopped hurting after 6 or 7 months. So, I had the operation.
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. Makes my foot seem like nothing.
Take care of yourself. It sure sounds like your wife has enough to deal with right now.
Jim
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. Makes my foot seem like nothing.
Take care of yourself. It sure sounds like your wife has enough to deal with right now.
Jim
10-11-2015, 01:27 PM
#2867
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My foot is pretty sore today, to be honest. But that's what it takes for it to get better.
I recommend that you stay with the GSS. You won't regret it!
Jim
10-11-2015, 01:34 PM
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Jim,
Tell me about the flying characteristics of the GSS, look like I will be keeping it after all.
I got a great wife, my third one actually. Her dad was a Corsair pilot. She is a Texas gal but I found her in Atlanta.
Tell me about the flying characteristics of the GSS, look like I will be keeping it after all.
I got a great wife, my third one actually. Her dad was a Corsair pilot. She is a Texas gal but I found her in Atlanta.
10-11-2015, 05:50 PM
#2869
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Lots of the guys are able to tell you all about that, but I'll be glad to put in my two cents worth. The GSS responds better and more tightly than its smaller versions. Fast or slow, it's controllable, and flies predictably. It does great rolls, and the wings aren't too wide, but the cord is huge, so it can roll quickly when you want to. Because of the dihedral, it takes a little extra work to knife-edge, as you'd expect. But it's a super-stable flying bird because of it. It responds well to CG adjustments, and you can move the CG forward to make nice two-point landings on the front gear, or further back to the point of Al's favorite - tail-dragging landings that settle nicely into three-point touchdowns. Makes it a perfect plane to add flaperons and tune it up for perfect landings. It's hard to explain just what it feels like to hold a radio and have the feeling that a plane is like an extension of your thoughts and inspiration, it's so responsive. With the front gear mounted to the fuse, it's got good prop clearance.
That's about it. It's worth every minute it takes to build it. And it's as pretty as a plane can be.
I flew mine into a power line, and I rebuilt it to new condition, when I could have just as easily built another GSS from the ARF kit. That's how much I like mine!
I hope this gives you some insight into what the GSS is like, Shawn. I'm sure Steve and some of the others can add some other insights to mine.
Sounds like your wife is a keeper too! With any luck at all, she thinks the same of you!
Jim
That's about it. It's worth every minute it takes to build it. And it's as pretty as a plane can be.
I flew mine into a power line, and I rebuilt it to new condition, when I could have just as easily built another GSS from the ARF kit. That's how much I like mine!
I hope this gives you some insight into what the GSS is like, Shawn. I'm sure Steve and some of the others can add some other insights to mine.
Sounds like your wife is a keeper too! With any luck at all, she thinks the same of you!
Jim
10-12-2015, 04:42 AM
#2871
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It's a great flying sport plane. I push my planes pretty hard, so I can tell you it's capable of absorbing a lot of abuse (I've bent 2 wing tubes without hitting anything!). Way sturdier than some other planes purpose built with 3D in mind. It's a pretty big plane too. From a handling and storage perspective, personally, I wouldn't want anything much bigger.
I put flying wires on most of the stuff I fly (right down to the .45 size planes with 10cc gas engines), so I've gotten pretty good at making a set of those up pretty quickly. IMHO, when compared to solid, wires are much lighter, better looking, and just as effective for our purposes. One tip. When installing the lower set, move the fuselage attach point forward to somewhere near the leading edge of the stab. This way, when taxiing in tall grass, the grass and brush will be deflected outward vs. acting like a weed whacker string. No difference in strength.
Regarding CG, I would remind those considering what I said in the last note, that moving the CG back (in the 1"-2.5" range mentioned) will LOWER the plane's wing loading and thus stall speed. This is not something that will cause you to be on your tippy toes or cause wing rock on final. More like the exact opposite. Moving the CG back, and that resulting lower stall speed, is what enables the plane to land noticeably shorter than a plane flown on "recommended" (nose heavy) CG. Also, moving the CG back does not force anyone into tail wheel first landings. When set at something closer to the 2.5" end of the range mentioned, it enables one that option.... It expands the controllable speed envelope the plane is capable of (lower stall speed = wider speed envelope). There's a lot to this. If you have an open mind on the topic, look into the effects of CG movement. When it comes to 3D and intermediate on up acrobatics, the very first thing done when trimming a plane is to establish the planes CG to something close to "neutral". Not nose heavy, or tail heavy - and almost certainly, not on "suggested". Last, I'd be really surprised to hear that anyone flying this plane with a 1" back CG would notice any difference in how the plane flies - other than the noticeably shorter/easier landings. -Al
I put flying wires on most of the stuff I fly (right down to the .45 size planes with 10cc gas engines), so I've gotten pretty good at making a set of those up pretty quickly. IMHO, when compared to solid, wires are much lighter, better looking, and just as effective for our purposes. One tip. When installing the lower set, move the fuselage attach point forward to somewhere near the leading edge of the stab. This way, when taxiing in tall grass, the grass and brush will be deflected outward vs. acting like a weed whacker string. No difference in strength.
Regarding CG, I would remind those considering what I said in the last note, that moving the CG back (in the 1"-2.5" range mentioned) will LOWER the plane's wing loading and thus stall speed. This is not something that will cause you to be on your tippy toes or cause wing rock on final. More like the exact opposite. Moving the CG back, and that resulting lower stall speed, is what enables the plane to land noticeably shorter than a plane flown on "recommended" (nose heavy) CG. Also, moving the CG back does not force anyone into tail wheel first landings. When set at something closer to the 2.5" end of the range mentioned, it enables one that option.... It expands the controllable speed envelope the plane is capable of (lower stall speed = wider speed envelope). There's a lot to this. If you have an open mind on the topic, look into the effects of CG movement. When it comes to 3D and intermediate on up acrobatics, the very first thing done when trimming a plane is to establish the planes CG to something close to "neutral". Not nose heavy, or tail heavy - and almost certainly, not on "suggested". Last, I'd be really surprised to hear that anyone flying this plane with a 1" back CG would notice any difference in how the plane flies - other than the noticeably shorter/easier landings. -Al
10-12-2015, 08:21 PM
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Finally got to fly my gss and moving the cg back about 1" had no ill effect just like has been said. I did have one hard landing and got to test my new landing gear mount out and it held up well. I cannot wait to get enough flight time in to really settle down and enjoy this great plane. If weather cooperates next weekend I am going to do nothing but touch and go's till I can do it naturally. I have done this with my apprentice and I can take off and land in any kind of wind without getting the shakes and that is my goal for the gss then I will move on to exploring and learning to do stunt flying.