I got a little crazy when I thought I had lost my trainer in the woods [later found] and bought a Quickie 500 beause it was cheap. Have never flown it. It has a .40 engine. My question is, how will it fly if I keep the throttle at no more than half. I have been flyig only since last Dec. with a trainer.

very slugish...

the planes have small controel surfaces to avoid flutter at high speed this unfortunityl means that at low speed it has almost no controle those tiny surfaces and small movment

will probably make it very slow to react..

Q500's are not good follow ons to your trainer. And seldom work well in that way unless you are working with an expericanced mentor. They do not work well when flown in a conventional manner for example takeoffs are typically done with full throttle wound up before someone performs the release. Slow throttle up takeoff most often end up in the weeds.

Conversely they do not land well with the engine running. Angin attempts to do so usually end up in the weeds. SOP for landing quickees is to shut down the engine completely in the pattern and then circle tightly from the approach end and land done this way they are easy but idle that engine and you will have problems.

If you attempt it use rubber wheels and not the pizza cutters. The most common problem folks have with them are landing on the hard wheels with engine running and the firewall is ripped out downward from contact.

The indeed are great flying airplane but be aware you will get into trouble very quickly by using to much throws that evey one wants to do and be aware most quickees although they slow down very nicely for approach with the engine off because of the minimal aileron at slow speed will require the use of rudder on approach when slowed down or you will find the airplane responding in roll poorly.

John

Thanks,

I think I will try to sell it.

Gary

You know what, if you can hang onto for a while as your skills mature a little they are great fun and the make pretty good sport airplanes by using a good .25 instead of a .40. I ran what we called slow quickee races here for several years to get people involved and the races were great fun even with the .25's and less intimidating.

John

Quickies are only difficult to fly when in racing trim, otherwise they fly about like an ugly stick.

So what is racing trim? That is where the CG is placed at the rear limit, so much so that the elevator travel from neutral to full up is only about 1/8" measured at the trailing edge. With this little travel, the airplane has to be flown to a landing and after the first bounce it is pretty much a free flight airplane.

To make it a better sport airplane, move the CG forward 3/8" to 1/2" and increase the elevator throw to about 1/2". Since the ailerons are also quite small, you will need to increase throw there as well.

The CG being placed at the rear limit is to gain performance from creating less drag. One particular airline (whose name will remain anonymous) modified their loading practices and saved considerable money in fuel costs because of this.

Who do you think first published the technique (rear CG for racing drag reduction) and when?

I believe on some jets, they simply pump fuel to tanks in the tail to lower drag.

I did adjust the elevator and alieron throws but left the CG where it was when I got it. Where shuld the CG be for it to fly like a Stik?

Gary

Race trim for most quickies has the CG at around 2 3/4" to 3" from the leading edge. This depends upon the airfoil used and pilot preference. So to tame it down and make it more controllable:

move the CG to 2 1/4 to 2 1/2" range
increase the elevator throw
use some expo if your radio can do it
set up with dual rates if you can
have an experenced pilot test fly

And I would keep the 40 on it, when powered by 25 sized engines they have difficultly getting off the ground if the wind is gusty

I agree with HighPlains that the CG should be no further back than 21/2 inchs. But still suggest that unless you are being mentored by someone with at least some experiance with that type airplane and you are right off a trainer that it won,t live to long. They are great airplanes and fun but they are not Sticks and will never fly like sticks. Can you do it right after the trainer? You bet if you get someone with experiance to test the airplane first and then mentor you through the transition.

Is it V tail, most these days are?

Do you have a radio capable of a V tail mix?

It may be a GP viper (pretty good airplane) but if it has the GP pizza cutter wheels they are of poor quality and break easily. At any rate if they are, best you replace them with conventional wheels for now.

Most likely the airplane has a tail skid and trying to install a steerable tailwheel particularly on a V tail is problamatical and unneeded but it means the airplane will not be taxied like a typical Stick and the best method for takeoff remains a thottled up release by a helper. Agine unlike a typical Stick Quickees do not have but very little propellor ground clearance and it you try taxing a lot then you are going to need plenty of props. Agine landings will be easier with engine shut down.

.25's Do work well in Quickees on asphalt or hard pack dirt such that is common here in the wilds of northern Arizona but do agree in grass the takeoff is a little tougher.

John

Thanks for the input.

I think it best to keep this one in the hanger for quite a while. Hope to have my trainer flying by the weekend.

Gary