Building a trainer plus
08-01-2010 | 08:31 PM
#1
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From: Irmo,
SC
Building a trainer plus
Hey y'all. Trying to put together a Tower Trainer 40 with less dihedral so I'll feel it's interesting. I solo'd on second flight, and feel I'm progressing along pretty quickly. I've flown the TT with the recommended dihedral and I felt it was too sensitive to wind. I feel I need a little dihedral, but not quite the stock amount. Please advise regarding dihedral and any other mod.
08-01-2010 | 09:21 PM
#4
RE: Building a trainer plus
WindGap... The Tower Trainer 40 handles wind pretty well with the stock wing. Are you coordinating your turns with both aileron and rudder? Many people new to the hobby only use the rudder while on the ground, but you can have a lot of fun with slips, hammer-heads, and stalls with that rudder. All of it makes you more capable of handling the wind. I used the Trainer 40 to get my back into the hobby after ten years of not flying. The plane can teach you a lot.
I don't think you would get what you are looking for by decreasing the dihedral. You are probably ready for a light low wing trainer with a semi-symmetrical or symmetrical airfoil. Are you able to do Cuban-eights with it yet? That's a fun maneuver to do with this ship. If a Cuban-eight seems slow or tough to do, try increasing the aileron movement.
Here's a mod I did to my Trainer 40 to get shorter landings, take-offs, and slower flight......... The plane is a great trainer, and build darn tough too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EkaU9emYWU
I don't think you would get what you are looking for by decreasing the dihedral. You are probably ready for a light low wing trainer with a semi-symmetrical or symmetrical airfoil. Are you able to do Cuban-eights with it yet? That's a fun maneuver to do with this ship. If a Cuban-eight seems slow or tough to do, try increasing the aileron movement.
Here's a mod I did to my Trainer 40 to get shorter landings, take-offs, and slower flight......... The plane is a great trainer, and build darn tough too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EkaU9emYWU
08-01-2010 | 10:08 PM
#5
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Building a trainer plus
Windgap, I'd suggest that you continue with the trainer for a little while and practice a few things, like landings, and dead-sticks. Get a little time under your belt. But, by all means, prepare your adjustments to your Tower.
Goldberg makes ... should say made.. not sure if it's available, anyway, the Protege. It is a high-wing aircraft, but it is really capable and makes a great second plane. I have one, bought it after a review by our own Minnflyer. It's a great plane, great peformer, and easy to fly. It is a bit larger than the Tower trainer, but from what I read from your original post, it may be similar to what you have or are planning on building. As I said, it was a good performer (I say was because, right now, it's in the back room needing about two hours of work to get it back into flying condition... I broke the wing mount when a gust of wind flipped it off of the stand in the staging area and onto it's back while breaking the wing saddle away from the fuselage. Really made me a bit pi$$ed.
CGr.
PS. Ah, never mind.. it's discontinued. All the good ones are. [
]
Goldberg makes ... should say made.. not sure if it's available, anyway, the Protege. It is a high-wing aircraft, but it is really capable and makes a great second plane. I have one, bought it after a review by our own Minnflyer. It's a great plane, great peformer, and easy to fly. It is a bit larger than the Tower trainer, but from what I read from your original post, it may be similar to what you have or are planning on building. As I said, it was a good performer (I say was because, right now, it's in the back room needing about two hours of work to get it back into flying condition... I broke the wing mount when a gust of wind flipped it off of the stand in the staging area and onto it's back while breaking the wing saddle away from the fuselage. Really made me a bit pi$$ed.
CGr.
PS. Ah, never mind.. it's discontinued. All the good ones are. [
]
08-01-2010 | 11:28 PM
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From: Des Moines IA
RE: Building a trainer plus
Windgap,
Mod your plane as you wish as only you truly knows how it behaves under your control and what improvements it may need to behave the way you want it too. Nothing ventured nothing gained go for it.
Mod your plane as you wish as only you truly knows how it behaves under your control and what improvements it may need to behave the way you want it too. Nothing ventured nothing gained go for it.
08-02-2010 | 12:04 PM
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From: Garland, TX
RE: Building a trainer plus
Do you already have a trainer that you are flying? If no, I'd say putting the Tower Trainer together (with or without modifications) and flying it for a while is a really good idea.
If you have already bought the trainer, modify at will. I'd put the total dihedral at 1 or 2 inches, mostly because I think trainers look better with some dihedral.
I have a Great Planes PT-60, built as tail dragger, with zero dihedral and dual aileron servos with much more travel than stock. I also had one with the 4" dihedral 'Sport Wing' and no modifications so I have direct comparison of the same kit with and without modifications. Even though the modified version rolls a little better, and you have to deliberately level the wings after a turn, it is still a trainer. With the exception of crosswind handling I see very little difference in the stock versus modified versions.
If you have not spent money yet, and you have a trainer to fly for a while, you might consider an intermediate plane rather than a modified trainer.
There are several planes in the $100 to $120 price range that I would choose over a modified trainer. I do not know if you want an ARF or a kit but all of these are 40 size ARFs.
World Models Sky Raider Mach II http://ecsvr.com/abm/shopexd.asp?id=2926
World Models LA Racer http://ecsvr.com/abm/shopexd.asp?id=2140
Tower Kaos 40 http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=TOWA2052&P=0
Great Planes Dazzler http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=GPMA1038&P=0
Phoenix Dolphin http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=PMMA0250&P=0
Carrell
If you have already bought the trainer, modify at will. I'd put the total dihedral at 1 or 2 inches, mostly because I think trainers look better with some dihedral.
I have a Great Planes PT-60, built as tail dragger, with zero dihedral and dual aileron servos with much more travel than stock. I also had one with the 4" dihedral 'Sport Wing' and no modifications so I have direct comparison of the same kit with and without modifications. Even though the modified version rolls a little better, and you have to deliberately level the wings after a turn, it is still a trainer. With the exception of crosswind handling I see very little difference in the stock versus modified versions.
If you have not spent money yet, and you have a trainer to fly for a while, you might consider an intermediate plane rather than a modified trainer.
There are several planes in the $100 to $120 price range that I would choose over a modified trainer. I do not know if you want an ARF or a kit but all of these are 40 size ARFs.
World Models Sky Raider Mach II http://ecsvr.com/abm/shopexd.asp?id=2926
World Models LA Racer http://ecsvr.com/abm/shopexd.asp?id=2140
Tower Kaos 40 http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=TOWA2052&P=0
Great Planes Dazzler http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=GPMA1038&P=0
Phoenix Dolphin http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/w...I=PMMA0250&P=0
Carrell
