Venus Tip Stalls
 

I realize my venus is somewhat of a pattern plane and I have adjusted to it fairly well. However , a couple weeks back I came in a little too slow in a cross wind - attempted a go around and suffered a really severe tip stall. Fixed the plane okay- but yesterday on very calm day about a foot off the runway attempting to flare , she did it again. The plane cartwheeled and now needs a little fixin.
Flying with a FS 70 which required adding tail weight. Could I HAVE TOO MUCH? Plane checked right to spec on the cg previously.

Has anyone had similar problems? This is really a great flyin plane. Should I take some tail weight out , mabe make her a little nose heavy, and try again?

Thanks

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Maybe your overall wieght is a little high.

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Hi,

I have a Venus with an OS 61 FX in it, and she has never tip stalled at all, even on landing.

Some thoughts:-

Are you sure your CG is in the correct place? Tip stalls are normally caused by the weight being too far back, but can occur when it's too far forward too.

The most common cause of snapping (which is similar to a tip stall) is too much elevator movement.

Also, it might be worth checking to see if the two halves of the elevator move the same distance throughout their travel. Tape two long pieces of balsa stick to the elevator halves, sticking backwards and touching each other then move the elevators. The sticks should stay together.

Also, it's worth checking the lateral balance.

My Venus is about the only plane I've got that doesn't tip stall!

-David C.

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Thanks David-

Good suggestions, I'll do all. Do you remeber if your right on spec with you cg.

I do think I'm too far back, plus I've consentrated on getting a great idle with the motor . Chances are I 've overdone it.


LJR

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Just to follow up here: wasn't there an updated cg placement on GP website? I know in the manual it says 4 5/8". BTW, I have an ASP 46 in mine and man, I'll be needing to add a fair amount of tail weight. I'm sure the truturn spinner isn't helping, but it looks good. I've got my Rx in that little spot under the canopy, but behind the gas tank. The battery is another story. I saw one pic on RCU where a guy velcro'd his battery pac around the wing bolt wooden block, but not sure how this would work. I'd be afraid of having the battery pulled too tightly up against the rudder and elevator pushrods, causing binding. Any other way around this?

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

I've been flying my Venus pretty hard, almost every day in September, first with YS53 then YS63. I normally don't flare much on landing, try to kiss the main gear to the grass and let ground drag slow it down. Once when I was a couple feet off the ground I tried to throttle it along with the tail down and I did get a tip-stall. CG is pretty close to manual recommendations, and it glides beautifully at that setting, as well as performs all the pattern maneuvers. (All the ones I know, at least.)

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Just land a little faster that should do the trick if the cg is in the right place, these plane can only go so slow thats why they stall.

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Hi Polstery-


Your probably right. ( but also glad to majortom had an experience like mine- hope it didn't hurt). We fly off a 30' x 300' long paved ruway, so planes roll quite a bit.

I think I can adjust. Has anyone tried Flaps on this bird?

LJR

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Hi LJR,

As I was fitting a 61, I moved the rudder servo to the rear, under the fuselage, and used two rods set up like a pull-pull to actuate the rudder. It was a guess, to move the CG back, after fitting a heavier engine.

Luckily the CG was spot on the recommended position!

By the way, I would definitely recommend moving the servo back, as it's a good fit there, and gives extremely good control on the rudder.

-David C.

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

LJR I have the Venus 40 with an OS 70 four stroke and have never had and tip stall with it. I have the control rates per instructions and I land it like my 66" Extra meaning I fly her down not drag her in like a trainer. Check the rates and CG.

RE: Venus Tip Stalls
 

Flaps? I tried flaperons, didn't like them, mainly because of the nuisance of getting them back on center. If I took off with the flaperons being one click off center, I couldn't tell whether my flaperons or my elevators were out of trim. So I disabled the flaperons, got my elevators trimmed right, and moved on from there.

I put in the flaperons after a couple first-day flights in which my idle speed was a bit too high, and the Venus did not want to come down out of the sky. It would coast along the length of the field at 12" altitude, essentially in ground effect. I should have worked on getting my idle down, but instead I elected to try the flaperons. I think that will be my last experiment with flaperons. They may be OK on an Ultrastick, but not on a pattern trainer.

So my advice is, get your idle speed down; on landing approach, keep your wingtips level and your nose down; if you put your nose up, apply a jog or two of throttle and push the nose down again; don't pull up elevator until you're whisking the grass.