So far I've soloed and had about 15 flights since then. Right now I have a busted fuel tank. Which size is needed and how do you change a fuel tank in this plane? Like is it screwed in, glued or..?

Also when I take her up she keeps wanting to nose down . Full eleavtor trim plus a little back stick is needed to keep her up. Is this a CG thing>? or maybe downthrust? What is the reccomended CG for the Avistar?

And also My landing gear has excessive toe-out. How do you bend the gear, I'm afraid I'll break the landing gear blocks if I use too much pressure. and Do you add toe-in by bending the wires?

Thanks





kepp em flyin <^>

anyone??? ttt

It sounds like you have fuel soaked wood around your tank making it nose heavy. The CG is in the manual. If you lost it, you can go to tower's site and download the manual. The tank just lays in supports. Take the gear off and put it in a vise and bend it.

fasterthanlife,

sounds like it is fuel soaked in the tank area.. pull the tank out and clean
the best you can.. Or you could also try these carpet type spray cleaners
which may lift some of the oil out...

I think the tank is a 12 oz tank.. It should just slide in, with the servo tray
kind of holding the bottom of the tank in.. Some people put silicon around
the tank plug or just after it on the tank so that it seals and holds the tank
at the firewall bulkhead.. But it still should pull out.. On my Avistar ARF
I just put some foam between the aft-bottom of tank and servo tray..

The CG for the Avistar is 3-1/4" from the leading edge.. +/- 5/16"

On your landing gear.. Just remove from plane then straighten with vise
or a set of pliers..

Fill your tank bay with kitty litter and let it set overnight; it should soak up almost all the fuel. Dump out the excess and vacuum well inside. Before you install the new tank, I would get an old toothpaste and some SLOOOOOW epoxy 90-120 min) and liberally coat the entire tank bay and also the firewall. This will solve any further problems with fuel in the fuselage. BTW, WHEN you get epoxy all over you and everything you touch, some good 'ol 90% rubbing alcohol will clean it up nicely (do your brush, too and save it for your next project).

Good luck!

A 10 oz tank is kinda a standard for a 40 size trainer. A 10 or 12 would be fine. I like Kraft/Hayes tanks. They are simple to use and no stoppers to leak. Just remove the old one. To get the new one in use some inner nyrod (Sullivan flexible works good for this) . Push it through the holes from the fire wall. Push on the fuel line tubing. And use the nyrod to pull the fuel line through the holes. The kitty litter is a good idea. Just do it several times for a whole day. Should fix the fuel soaking. I agree, use some epoxie and coat the tank area before installing the new tank. You do sound nose heavy, recheck the balance after the new tank is installed.

Mark Shuman

My Avistar's fuel tank compartment was very well fuel proofed from the factory, as was the firewall and back into the servo compartment. No chance of fuel soaking into anything up there. The front couple of formers are a very tight fit around the tank, so it's best to stick with the same general shape of tank. I think World Models sells a tank that's almost a direct replacement, just trash the stopper that comes with it and get a Du Bro or Sullivan replacement.


Andy

well actually I don't need to worry that much. Because when I cracked the tank it made a little hole in the fuselage and it acts like a drain so if the tank cracks it just drains out.




Keep em flyin