ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Hey guys, I am building an ultra stick 60 and have some questions. This is my first nitro plane, been flying electrics for a while. My questions are mainly about engine selection and getting the plane to balance properly. Most people say that this plane comes out nose heavy. I don't want to move my servos to the tail, but I will put the receiver pack there if necessary. I would like to find a lightweight engine that balances good and has plenty of power. Since I'm new to glow I would like it to be reliable, and fairly low maintenance. I was looking at the four stroke Saito 100FA-AAC and 82 AAC and OS FS91, and the two stroke OS 91FX, 61FX, 65LA and Tower 75. I am thinking that the Saito 82 four stroke may be just the ticket if it's strong enough. What do you think about these engines, or do you suggest another one?
Also, should I move the fuel tank back some? It seems strange to me that a lot of glow planes have the tank in the front. That's a lot of weight that isn't really consistent. Sorry for the long post, but I want to get this plane right the first time. I don't want to end up wishing I had made it electric. Thanks.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

First leave the tank where it is, it's there so the engine will be able to draw the fuel to the carb. f you had a fuel pump you could put it anywhere, but don't bother with a pump leave the tank there.

The 100 may be a tad to big, any of the other engines will work fine. The most bang for the buck and a good light engine is the Tower 75.

If you fly off grass I'd say make it a tail dragger. 90% of the maintenance you'll have on a nose wheel equipped Stick will be the nose wheel, and they make the nose dig in on takeoff on grass, hard runways it doesn't matter which you use, but no matter what you fly off of there's less maintenance with a tail wheel.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

It comes as a tail dragger, and I agree, they seem much stronger. I've only had one tricycle gear plane, a lancair, and never did like the landing gear on it. So the tower is a good engine then? I was wondering about that. It's much cheaper than the others.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

If you have experience with or know someone to help you with the nitro, then the Satio is a good choice. If not, go with the OS 2 stroke. They are the most user friendly engines out there. The Satio can be finicky, and a PIT for a first time nitro owner. IMO

Bob

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

I changed out the original motor mount for a Dave Brown mount. Not only is the mount lighter, but it allows the engine to sit further back. I'm flying a Ultra Stick 40 with an OS 46AX, and with the Brown mount the plane comes out right on the money. I've got my battery pack as far to the rear of the servo compartment as I can get it, so there's nothing more I can do without adding weight.

I like my planes a little more tail heavy than most people, so I've screwed 1.5 oz of mag wheel weight on the underside of the stab. I'll probably add another oz to get it where I want it, but on the next one I'll find a way to put it inside before I gule the tail on. I'm really loathe to cut a hole in the covering a new plane, so maybe I'll countersink the wieght into the plywood plate that the stab glues to.

Mine is just fine with the OS46AX. If I were to build a 60 Ultra Stick I'de probably go with an OS 60 or 65 (if they make one). I also like Super Tigre engines. So far I like my Evolution 46, but I haven't had it long enough to recommend it to someone else. Maybe after I have some more time on it and it proves to be as durable as OS and Super Tigre engines, but right now I simply don't know enough about it to tell someone else to go buy one. But.............so far, it's been really, really smooth.

Choose your motor and dry assemble everything. If the plane comes out nose heavy start moving things back, though with the servo tray already in place there's only so much you're going to be able to do. If you change out the motor mount and place the battery just behind the radio compartment, maybe that will be enough. That's going to be a tough job to do without cutting a hole in the plane, but if you can get the battery past the pushrod tubes and find a way to secure it, that should do the trick.

Also, I'de rather add a few ounces to the tail than have the servos in the rear getting all fuel soaked.

Another option is to add a muffled tuned pipe. That will not only give you addittional power, but more of the pipe is behind the CG than in front of it, so that will shift the balance to the rear a bit.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

My US 60 has a Supertigre 90 and it has great vertical performance with that size engine. You WILL have to move the servos and battery back to get it to balance though. Moving the servos is a piece of cake and I can guide you through it if you wish. The rudder servo uses a pull pull setup that way and is very direct and low friction. The elevator servo uses a short piece of carbon fiber rod which is also very stiff and lightweight.

If you don't want to move the servos, the Saito 82 is a good choice but you would still have to move the battery (especially), and receiver back as far as possible. The LA 65 might be light enough to work too.

With the 82 it will still be a bit underpowered for aerobatics and vertical performance, but a fun flier! Our moderator, Hobbsy, has one with the 82 I believe.

Email me if you need some more advise and good luck!

Ernie

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Yes, and it's an ounce lighter than their 60, the muffler is huge, but it's hollow so it's not heavy.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

My Ultra Stick 60 is powered by an OS 61FX fitted with a Mac's tuned pipe turning a 13x4 prop. It does everything very well, a versatile and fun airplane. I have everything mounted in the recommended places and did not have to add any additional weight for balance. I imagine the tuned pipe sticking back as far as it does helped with weight distribution. I'm up in MN for the holidays flying it off the snow covered lake fitted with skis.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Thanks for the advice so far. I really don't want to move the servos even if I have to add lead to the plane or cut a hatch in the tail for the receiver pack. Is there a mount that saves a lot of weight over the factory one? It seems to be a composite mount, so I assumed that it would be plenty light. Also, why is the engine turned on it's side? To me it looks funny like that. Oh, one more engine I'm thinking about would be the zenoah 20ei 20cc gasoline engine. It's supposed to work on 60 sized planes and you don't need the engine mounts for it and you can move the tank to the cg because it has a fuel pump. Any thoughts?

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Flying off skis or floats would be awesome. Try to get some video. Where do you get the tuned pipes and lightweight engine mounts?

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

The engine is side mounted to get the carb down toward the centerline of the tank, again to help fuel draw.

The gas engine is probably heavier than the glow engine, a bad thing on a plane that builds nose heavy to start with.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

I first fly mine with an OS 91 fourstroke and a 15 x4w. It really performed. Put the engine on another airframe and put a ST 90 2 stroke on it. I really liked the way it flew better with the 4 stroke. You would think the 2 stroke would have more power right? Well just a little more the OS turned a 14x6 apc 9800 and the ST turns it 10700, but it doesn't have that jump off the ground surge of power that the 4 stoke had. I really don't like the way the ST flys it. I am going to try the 108 magnum carb next but sooner or later the OS is going back on it.
Don't worry about moving the servos to the back. Its an easy mod to make ever easier than making a battery hatch in the back. Mine balanced with the servos in the rear and the battery under the wing bolts with both engines. There is no good way to use a G20 gas engine on it without cutting 3 inches off the nose and a ton of lead in the rear to balance. Sticks fly good and fly light.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Yeah, I'm leaning toward the fourstrokes, because I know from my electrics that I prefer the instant lowspeed thrust of a larger prop to the high rpm top speed of smaller ones.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

The skis are from Dubro, Great Planes sells a 60 size float kit. You can get the tuned pipe from the Mac's web site or through Tower Hobbies.

No video sorry:(

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Nevermind. It was already covered and I missed it until after I had posted.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

I originally had a Saito 82 on my Ultra Stick 60 and it balanced perfectly without adding weight to the tail. The power was adequate and flew the plane nicely. When my Saito 100 became available, I replaced the 82 on the US60 with the 100. WOW! What a difference. The plane goes vertical forever. I had to add 3 ounces of lead to the tail but with the power of the 100, it made no difference.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

ST 90 2 stroke or Saito 100

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

I have the Ultra Stick 40 with a Saito FA-80 on the front. Needed 1.5oz tail weight to balance it, but the Saito is a dream engine and pulls that all day long. The Saito FA-100 should be a solid engine for the 60 size plane and will probabaly balance out right. That is the recommended engine by Horizon Hobby and they only put 1/2oz of tail weight on it. I imagine you could move the battery pack behind the servos to achieve that as well with a 60 size model. It was a little tight with the 40 size.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Ok guys, it's between the saito 82 and 100 now. Which is the better match for the plane? And if I get the 100, what prop size? I'll prob order this evening from the local hobby shop.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

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Save yourself a few bucks and buy a used Zenoah G20. It looks as though folks are dumping them as fast as they get them.

I like Zenoah engines, but the G20 just isn't what they claim it is. It is NOT a replacement for a glow .60 in any normal sense of the word - other than perhaps power output.

The Tower .75 and the Super Tigre G90 would be my first choices for staying with name brand two-stroke engines. I have been thinking of trying my NIB SK.90 on my .60 sized Big Stik (first cousin of the Ultra Stick .60). If you haven't been flying very long and do not have your heart set on a four-stroke, pass the four-stroke by this time and get more flying experience with a cheap two-stroke engine. There is plenty of time to spend lots of money later on.


Ed Cregger

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Get the Saito 100. Perfect match with 15x6 APC.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

Get the Saito 100. For the little difference in price it will fly more airplanes down the road and will really fly your US great. And the other poster is exactly right 15 x6 APC is perfect. My not so local hobby shop sell a 100 for $259.00.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

I have the Big Stick 60 with tricycle gear powered by a Thunder Tiger 91 four stroke. It has a 15X6 prop in it and it leaves me with about 1/2 to 3/4 of inch of ground clearance while taxiing. I had to put larger wheels and tires on it to get that much clearance. We were taxiing out for take off on a paved runway and the prop hit a rock while while on the way. I had to add about an ounce to the tail to get it to balance correctly. It flies great but the prop clearance is keeping from flying it on a regular basis. We have since added buggy wheels to it but I still don't feel good about flying it off a rough grass field.

I should convert it to a tail dragger.

James
1234

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

The Ultra Stick 60 has no clearance problems with the 15x6 prop.

RE: ultra stick 60 advice needed
 

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NO! Get the Tower or Super Tigre two-strokes. I insist! <G>


Ed Cregger