Well, it finally happened. Damage that need to be repaired.

The story. I've been learning for a couple of months with my Kadet Senior. I'm flying on my own now but still have a lot to learn. The weather has been so cold and there's been so much snow there isn't too many people at the field to help. Anyway, take offs have been easy ... I've been doing some very mild accrobatics and taking it easy. My landings have been okay, but I have something I need to work on. This plane glides forever on landings and I've greased quite a few with no problems, but if there is a cross wind I have some trouble. I end up landing on the runway at an angle and then I'm heading for the edge and trouble. Last Sunday I landed nice and easy but was heading to the edge again and dumbed thumbed and steered right into some pretty drusty snow. The front gear folded back and when I got home and dug into it I found the firewall broken where the nosewheel hooks on. Its a clean break, about 3/4 of an inch square at the bottom of the firewall.

Do I need to replace the entire firewall? It seems very strong above the break where the engine mounts and on the sides, just a hole in the bottom and some of the bottom sheeting has come lose from it. Can I just patch it and add some bracing behind it accross the back of the whole firewall?

Also, I'd like to get all new landing gear for my plane. I've never crashed before but it seems to take a beating. It was bending from the turning I've been doing. As a new guy, I know I don't track that straight all the time on take offs or landings. The back gear aren't like they were new and the front always seemed weak. I was bending from day 1 from turns on the ground.

Any suggestions on better gear? Do I need to watch the height and width? Do you have to be careful of the stance between the front and rear heights?

As usual, you guys have ALL the answers, and I thank you again for the help and info. I took the advice from this forum to get my plane and equiptment and I haven't been dissappointed yet!

Kevin

You would be better off if you just cut an entire new firewall. If you try to fix the current firewall you're going to find it breaking again if you have another rough landing. The firewall is too important of a piece of a plane to take chances on, if it's not structurally sound you'll find it pulling away from the rest of the fuselage. And we all know that's not good. My advice would be to get some new ply and cut a new firewall. You should be able to remove the old firewall using heat. The heat will usually soften up the epoxy that holds it in and allow you to pull the old firewall out. Then clean up the wood and epoxy the new firewall in place. Don't forget to seal the ply so that fuel and exhaust residue won't soak in to it.

Hope this helps

Ken

I figured [:@]

any thoughts on some beefier landing gear?

You really don't want "beefier" landing gear. The reason is that when you have a rough landing that "roughness" has to go somewhere. Right now it's bending the landing gear, but if you put stronger landing gear on it then it's going to transmit that energy to the fuselage and start causing damage there. The best this to do is just straighten the landing gear and keep practicing to get better at landing.

Ken

RC Ken has it right. But, one thing he did not mention that may be obvious, but then again, maybe not. Be careful when removing the old firewall. Try not to break it into pieces because if it's intact, you can use it as a tracing template for your new firewall.

The Kadet Senior is a very large winged plane. You should be able to idle back and float it in (as you said, it seems to glide forever). Use the throttle (only a 'click' or two) to extend the glide slope distance (reduces the angle and allows the plane to travel further while still on final) then back to idle and a slight pull on the elevator to slow the plane down. Remember, very slight inputs to the elevator and closely watch the plane as the nose angle changes, up when you pull back and down when you push forward. You will probably be doing more up than down as you attempt to slow the airspeed. Learn to control it so that the plane is slow enough to land. Make your timing just so that it gets slow at very low altitudes and will almost 'drop' out of the air and land for you. If it wants to climb when you pull on the elevator, then your airspeed is to high.. less throttle, or idle throttle (remember idle RPM is usually around 2000 RPM which is pretty slow and should allow the plane to glide in nicely).

DS.

What model?

I go with Ken on replacing the firewall. You could epoxy the piece and a plate 1/2" wider behind it to reenforce it, but that adds weight and will never be as good as new.

The height on the new gear is unimportant as long as the prop clears the ground (including bounces). What you don't want is a jacked up butt or nose. DuBro has replacement struts that may be better than your original. Don't drill out the firewall until you get the gear in case the mount is different. Bendy gear is not necessarily a bad thing as wire bending is easier than woodwork and finishing.

RCKen is right. Right now, you need the forgiveness of a soft, springy landing gear. As for crosswind landings...

The wind will tend to lift the upwind wing (bank the plane) and make the nose yaw into the wind. For example: wind from the right - banks the plane to the left anad turns the nose to the right. This puts the plane in an adverse yaw condition that isn't good. Use the ailerons to keep the wing level and the rudder to keep the plane straight. Once you accomplish that, you can practice side-slipping on final. Use the rudder to turn the nose slightly into the wind to keep the plane over the runway, and the ailerons to keep the plane level. When you're about 6" off the ground, release everything and land.

Dr.1

Sig Kadet Senior.

I'm sure I've been a little hard on the gear, it just seems flimsy, especially the front. I've never really slammed down hard or anything.

"Use the ailerons to keep the wing level and the rudder to keep the plane straight. Once you accomplish that, you can practice side-slipping on final. Use the rudder to turn the nose slightly into the wind to keep the plane over the runway, and the ailerons to keep the plane level. When you're about 6" off the ground, release everything and land."


yep ... I need to learn to use the rudder and practice ... practice. I've gotten myself in trouble a couple times after making a nice landing and relaxing, I have to remember its time to drive now!!

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD842&P=7


First powered R/C kit I ever built was a K.Senior. It is a relatively heavy plane (especially the way I built that kit) and it's very possible you smushed the nose gear ehough so it "took a set" to a sprung stance. It's a conventional 5/32" nose srut, I do believe.

Stay with the "flimsy" gear a bit longer. There is stronger nose gear out there but if you land wrong on it you will rip out the firewall every time. Easier to replace the wire leg for now. As for the floating, try changing props. Reduce your pitch by a number or two. example: if now a 10x6 try a 10x5 or even an 11x4 if you have prop clearance. This will let you slow down better. Also make sure you are getting your idle down where it needs to be.

A Kadet Senior heavy???

It's 6 pounds on a 78" span with 1150 squares. That translates into 12 oz/sqft wing loading. Many gliders aren't that light.

Good idea on the prop pitch, Bruce.

Dr.1

One thing to look at...

IF you can pretty much shove everything back to it's original position AND add some bracing, then you may not need to cut out the existing firewall.

A good epoxy joint can be far stronger than wood... so if the pieces of the broken jigsaw will fit back together you may avoid having to create a new firewall...

Not that I disagree with RCKen, but I've often done this with broken landing gear areas as well and the result is usually far stronger than the original if done carefully.

If the pieces do "fit" so to speak w/o significant missing parts or areas where you may not be able to get glue into you can....

- Harden existing wood items with CA or Epoxy & let dry, but be carefull to maintain the "fit".
- Epoxy everything with 30 min epoxy
- Make two mixtures one at full strength to apply to the broken areas
- The other mixed with Alcohol to permit it to seep into slightly cracked or exposed wood.
- Hold everything together with clamps for 24 hours until fully dry. Make sure that the original shape is maintained.
- If it looks and feels solid, I use angled hardwood "braces" along the joints as well, these get epoxied in after roughing the area up a bit.
- If this still seems unsound you can still cut the entire area out and install a whole new firewall.

Without pictures or viewing the damage though, it's hard too tell which way to go.

Most trainers using 5/32" struts are 60" and weigh 5 to 5.5 lbs. Six pounds is 20% heavier than five. That's "relatively" heavy. I'm getting my mind around the fact that the wave of R/Cers coming in have had experience flying 20 oz electrics.

When my eyebrows pop up at a mall how as this 12 year old kid is telling me he taught himself to fly with a P-51 and figures he needs a .90 size with retracts as a second plane like the one between us I find these things out in further questioning.

A pound of weight at 35 mph on a 5/32" wire is a consideration. So there, Blaaaaaaaaa! 12 oz! Heck, the 11 lb Phaeton I'm building is 14 oz/ ft^2. Thing's a tank (snicker, snicker)

thinking back ... I may have had the idle too high. Its been really cold and it took a little bit to start and I was messing with the idle. I think I was landing a little hot.

Live and learn

If I use heat to get the firwall out, is it pretty much a sure thing on screwing up some covering around that area?

Kinda depends on the heat source and how carefully you use it. You WILL need to work slowly. If you can get the engine mount and all the other stuff out of the way you COULD make a cardboard template too. A number of small pieces around the edges (to get into the corners easy) and all taped together into a final template. Use light cardboard or poster board that's easy to work with.

did you get your fire wall taken care of? if not, I have one i can give you off of a recently departed Kadet..........

Well ... I figured it was a pretty clean break and right in the middle so I braced it up and slapped a bunch of epoxy on it and it was good as new.

Thanks for the offer but I don't think I need the firewall. I've moved up to my second plane, a 4*60! I love it. It wasn't too bad moving to the second plane, but even after many man flight I still do something that makes me freak a little. I'm still nervous but its going away.

I stripped out the radio and OS46 out of my trainer and slapped it into a World Models T-34. I've only flown it a couple times. Its a little more touchy than my fourstar, the little thing screams! Last night I flew after work. 70 degrees, slight breeze down the runway, just me and my two planes and a huge grin. Flew one then the other about 3 times each. This hobby is great!

One thing I found out. Looking back, I spent over $200 on my Kadet Senior ARF, I could have spent a lot less. Its a great plane, easy to fly, and great quality, but I'm done with it. People say they keep their trainer around for different reasons .... I'm done with mine! I could have saved a few bucks.

Kevin, I would love to have one. PM me if you want to sell it.