Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

The manual states to balance the plane inverted.I have never heard of balancing a high wing plane inverted.Has anyone asembled this plane?

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

If you don't balance it inverted, you have to figure out if you're high wing plane is level when supported at the balance point? In other words, it might be a little nose low or nose high, and that can make a big difference. A lot of guys don't know/haven't figured that out yet, and there could be quite a bit of variance regarding where the CG actually is from one extreme (nose down) to the other (nose up).

Upside down high wing plane, the balance point will be where it's supported - or the plane will fall one way or the other - no different than you would expect a low wing plane to do when balancing one of those right side up.

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

I was always under the impression you balanced a high wing right side up and a low wing upside down, but probably can be done either way. As to the Decathlon, I had that plane and you want about 90mm from the leading edge; manual was 100mm and that makes it a little tail heavy and snap happy! There's a pretty good thread in this forum about the plane...

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

I acquired one of these used in a trade deal. I had no instructions, balanced it upright at 100mm on a GP balancer. Powered by an OS 46 FX I had to add tail weight. It flys just great!

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

I can not understand balancing a high wing plane upside down...Can sombody explain this to me. I understand how it works balanceing a low wing rite side up if it has enough dihedral and you do it from the wing tips..But I just cant see how you could balance a high wing upside down..

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

Let's turn it around a little bit. How do you balance a high wing plane right side up?

Are you going to use an incidence meter on the wing to see if it's level when you have the plane hanging? Another type level of some kind on a different reference line you can determine will be close someplace else? If not, how are you going to know if the plane is hanging with the nose or tail low? If either way, it's NOT hung/being supported on it's CG.....

If upside down (hopefully you're doing this close to a table or the ground?) it's going to fall one way or the other until you get it supported under the CG...

Either way works - you just need to remember to use the level on a reference line when doing it right side up. That's an added complication many don't want to get into.

RE: Phoenix Decathlon arf CG
 

Here's a link to the RCU thread; lots of info on the plane, its CG, etc :[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3606334/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm]RCU thread[/link]