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Help with magnum xl 46

Old 11-07-2015, 12:55 PM
  #26  
JohnBuckner
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Originally Posted by skyflier
Thanks John, You mentioned that neither of those are your favorites. If you don't mind me asking what is your favorite trainer? Thanks.

For me the hands down all time favorite is the Senior Cadet, preferably sig versions but either the kit builts or the Arfs with the Senior Cadet Sport being the latest version.

The Cadets any of them are arguably the most successful RC trainers in terms of numbers and successes in the history of RC aircraft. I doubt few who had actually been around would argue aginst that.

The also are the most prized kit bashing subject ever, Most of my bud,s would never be ever be without at least one. I have I think six One is a convertible aerotow glider as well as a twin, also have done three Quad Cadets with four engines, also have a cross country float version that carries a gallon of fuel and has flown over 6 hours non stop, Another is a giant on floats at about 120% of the originals and 112" span. I

I formerly ran pylon races just for Senior Cadets that was very popular here locally and my latest recently is the Turbine Cadet actually powered with both glow and gas turbine engine. Will add a link in a few minutes to the little thread I did on that one and there is video of one of the early turbine powed flights.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/club...ior-cadet.html

Never be embarrassed to fly a trainer no matter what it is

John

Last edited by JohnBuckner; 11-07-2015 at 12:58 PM.
Old 11-07-2015, 01:23 PM
  #27  
skyflier
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Thanks
Old 11-07-2015, 03:39 PM
  #28  
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"wing actually broke off in flight"? Did it break at the dihedral joint? If it broke at the dihedral joint, the previous owner didn't glue it correctly. I like the Sig Kadets too. Learned on a Senior that I built. Still have it. They're a little "floaty", but are great fun. Even the LT's are a good idea. You might even consider an Avistar.
Old 11-07-2015, 06:09 PM
  #29  
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if you belong to a club> go to the field and ask for help>> that way u get hands on help>>
Old 11-07-2015, 07:00 PM
  #30  
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The most sensible suggestion yet.
Old 11-07-2015, 07:04 PM
  #31  
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I do not belong to a flying club(I have none around my area). The wing did not break at the joint, The second rib broke and it is precovered so it could not be his fault. I actually could not believe it broke!
Old 11-08-2015, 05:18 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Tom Nied
"wing actually broke off in flight"? Did it break at the dihedral joint? If it broke at the dihedral joint, the previous owner didn't glue it correctly. I like the Sig Kadets too. Learned on a Senior that I built. Still have it. They're a little "floaty", but are great fun. Even the LT's are a good idea. You might even consider an Avistar.
You said to consider an avistar did you mean the great planes or the hobbico avistar. Thanks
Old 11-08-2015, 06:56 AM
  #33  
Tom Nied
 
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Well, I'm familiar with the older version Hobbico Avistar. Its a solid trainer with sport flying capabilities, but it's been discontinued. The newer version Great Planes Avistar is an updated version of the older one, also offering a trainer with sport flying cababilities. All of these planes mentioned are good candidates. With all of the trainers that Tower offers, you can view the manuals and check the prices for replacement parts like wings, fuselages and tail groups. The reason I mentioned the Avistar is because when I graduated from my Sig Kadet Senior, the Avistar is what I went to. Learned a heck of a lot from it. I'm even flying my second for sport flying now. The Tower 40 is ok too. Pretty economical, replacement parts are cheap. I'm not a fan of the landing gear, but it can be strengthened.

Your opening question was asking for help with your Magnum 46 xl. Have you solved that? If not, I suggest pulling it from the Nexstar and mounting it on a test stand. With the manual (which you can download http://media.hobbypeople.net/manual/210756.pdf ) in hand, become familiar with starting and adjusting it. Have fun.
Old 11-08-2015, 07:27 AM
  #34  
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It is not mounted in my nexstar. I do not have a stand but I will build one Monday or Tuesday. But I believe my glow plug igniter batteries were dead.
Old 11-08-2015, 07:29 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Tom Nied
I'm not a fan of the landing gear, but it can be strengthened.
I have heard that the landing gear is not that great but i am not really worried about it I can put stronger landing gear on it.
Old 11-08-2015, 12:11 PM
  #36  
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Imagine that. I have been flying a Hobbico Twin Star for 5 seasons now. Alot of the covering is removing itself but after all the flights and a couple tree landings due to 1 engine out it has withstood all the beatings. No broken wing issues. Oh, I did have to replace the nose piece.
Old 11-08-2015, 12:20 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by skyflier
I have heard that the landing gear is not that great but i am not really worried about it I can put stronger landing gear on it.

I would suggest being careful when folks start modifying landing gear on trainers, that can be very counterproductive.

You see the majority of trainers that use 5/32 piano wire landing gear (and that is most of them) Do so for a very good reason That type of gear is so popular for trainer simply because it will give and bend when excessive loads are applied therefore preventing more severe damage to fuselage and related areas. It a very, very simple matter to simply bend the gear back when a bad landing has occurred and continue your day flying.

When the folks insist on doing excessive reinforcements of landing gear they only are transferring their problems to areas morn difficult to repair. That's a fact be very carefull of imaginary fixs and modifications to trainers that for the most part only cause more problems.

John
Old 11-08-2015, 04:05 PM
  #38  
skyflier
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Ok, Thank you for that information.
Old 11-08-2015, 04:11 PM
  #39  
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I agree. But with the Tower 40 ( and I have one), the original gear has to be straightened every flight otherwise you have a plane going every which way but straight on takeoff. A plane "squirreling" its way on the takeoff run is doomed. Not to mention the angle of attack changing every flight. If the landing gear is a problem area where its making successful takeoffs problematic, it should be addressed by the modeler. That is what is good about the Sig Kadets. Sig gives such good instructions that you learn from the manuals how a RC plane should be set up. That's what makes the Sig planes so good. The Tower 40 gear is way too springy.
Old 11-08-2015, 04:20 PM
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I would like to get the Sig, but I don't want to throw that much money around on a trainer.
Old 11-08-2015, 05:13 PM
  #41  
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Hmm a Tower 40 doomed on takeoff just because it has stock landing gear. Sounds more like a severe lack of maintenance and/or the gear is truly doing what it is suppose to do.

skyflier you can use the tower trainer and it will work just fine and no you certainly do not have to make modifications of the gear.

Now here is a severe case of irrational and absurd modification of the landing gear and I can say absurd simply because it is my own airplane and I did it because this airplane had quite a different mission than the typical trainer


John
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Old 11-08-2015, 05:19 PM
  #42  
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Wow looks pretty crazy. I will probably go with the tower trainer. Do you have any tips on the build of that. BTW what plane is that
Old 11-08-2015, 05:44 PM
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hmm, someone who purposely builds planes with anhedral. Yeah, take his advise. Mine is worth nothing.
Old 11-08-2015, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Tom Nied
Yeah, take his advise. Mine is worth nothing.
I wouldn't say yours is worth nothing. You have given me some very good advise.
Old 11-08-2015, 07:03 PM
  #45  
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Ok, I have to know, what is the idea of the outlandish landing gear array John?

Calvi
Old 11-08-2015, 07:13 PM
  #46  
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I was re reading back on earlier posts (#34) and you mentioned your glow plug igniter battery was dead. That is a big revelation. Having a good glow plug igniter makes a big difference when trying to get your engine started. You've learned a lot just from that. It's a lot harder to start when your glow plug igniter is weak. When you have a good glow plug igniter, the engine starts almost like magic. You're on the right track.
Old 11-08-2015, 08:18 PM
  #47  
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OK first of all I would never suggest do not take any advice from those who have responded on this thread so far.

skyflier I would recommend you do not start making mods indiscriminately on your already excellent airplane. If you did every mod folks talk about you will end up with a ten pound airplane that flys like---well lets not talk about that.

If folks have experienced an arf any arf with unhardened piano wire gear then indeed that is a problem and certainly a defect. It does happen and yes I have seen it. For a period the airplanes sold as Senior Cadet but actually called Super Seniors which were Sig ripoffs and the hardware packages on these ships was unusable The airplanes were likely made in the same factory and jigs but different hardware packages as well as much cheaper indigenous woods. These airplanes averaged when assembled at least three or more pounds heavier than the Sig product.

Now yes these wires were unusable and I spent a great deal of time bending up new wires for the fellows in our club.

All of this withstanding though just because some airplanes may have come with substandard wires at some point I feel that is no reason to arbitrarily start doing all sorts of modifying for a likely non existant problem. 5/32 wire has indeed worked fine with just about every generic forty size trainer since--well since the beginnings.

Calvi the weird and admittedly silly landing gear above was done for a series of races at our club I ran a few years ago that was simply The Wingless Trainer races. No wings allowed. Those caused more laughter at our field then or since. The rules which yes I wrote required the airplane to demonstrate the ability to fly with any gear changes. That gear was three pounds heavier than the standard landing gear but it did just fine.

The anhedral, well that has nothing to do with the otherwise stock Aerostar 40 Trainer and that was the fourth anhedralled trainer I have done sine since about the mid seventies. Why? Well that is just about the best way to acheve that near neutral roll stability that will make that trainer fly like a pattern airplane. Yes it works believe it or not, but that's not the subject of this thread..
Old 11-09-2015, 06:14 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by skyflier
Hi, My tracking says I will be getting my glow plug around 2 today. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again for all your help!
Just a side note ,dont let fuel build up in the motor from not starting up and then hit it with your starter . It will bend or break stuff if its fual bound. Take the glow plug out and drain the motor of most of the built up fuel . joe
Old 11-09-2015, 06:24 AM
  #49  
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Ok, I am working on building a engine stand today.
Old 11-09-2015, 08:34 AM
  #50  
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Two very easy ways to do that.

The first is to make two saw cuts on the edge of a one foot or longer one by six board. The cuts are the width of the engine case not the outside of the engine beams. diagonal cuts are now made to whittle out the notch for the engine case. Screws or bolts now secure the engine to the board.

A simple block of wood glued or screwed to the main board can now be used to provide a base for the fuel tank slightly elevaded. screws into the side of this block in four corners provide a place to hook rubber bands over the tank to secure it. The throttle rods can be any pushrod wire with an S bend and this slides under the rubberands along side the tank and provide a stabile throttle wire that will not move until you move it.

Finally this board is secured with dry wall screwed to an outdoor bench or substitute.

Another variation of this is to simply bolt a spare engine mount to a board added to the flat on to provide a place to bolt the plastic mount to.

John

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