RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Take a look at this: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=713742

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

That looks awesome. I'm going to swing by Home Depot and see if they have anything like that.

I'm also going to work on getting the oil out of the fuse tonight. Hair dryer and K2r. Sigh.

Then the only problem is how to find one extra hand/arm to pull a wheeled cart, and my fuse/wing.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Once you have the cart in hand do a little experimenting. I'll bet you can find a way to safely bungee cord the plane parts to the top/sides of the cart. Maybe you'll need to turn the fuse over and let it sit on the wing saddle. May require eye hooks in the corners of the top or something like that. Keep bungee cord pressure light so you don't crush anything. Maybe build holders into the top?

Better yet, buy a golf cart.:D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Haha a souped up golf cart, car to pit area in 5.5 seconds. Strap the plane wings to the top and fly there. :D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Here's one that I found that's jet powered!!!!! Where's Tim Taylor when we need him???? ugh ugh ugh :D:D:D

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Just a quick notice:

Babies take time away from hobbies. :D

I wanted to clean up the plane with K2r, try to iron down the separating monokote, etc, but baby had different ideas. Most notably, keep Daddy from doing anything productive to entertain me from 5 PM to 11:30 PM. And then again at 5 AM.

He's only two months old, but I swear he has a little schedule book where he writes all this down.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Fuel or baby food? Which do I buy? Always a decision to make.:D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

That's a silly question. Of course it would be fuel. :D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Yep, it lasts longer and makes less mess coming out after consumption.[:'(]

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

lol! He doesn't need baby food, anyway. He gets free food from mommy. More money to spend on planes!

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Well I ripped everything apart, and the neck on the fuel bottle was definitely a little loose. I replaced all of the tubing just to be safe, put the stopper back in and tightened the screw until the rubber was bulging out just a little. I was worried about splitting the neck of the fuel tank.

I cleaned everything up and put it all back together. Took it over to my dad's and had him stand in front of the tail feathers.

After about 4 backfires where the prop nut loosened, (including one where the prop spun itself off and hit me in the head!) it started up. I ran it up a few times and picked it up holding the nose up, and no fuel is spilling anywhere. Looks like it's ready to go for another weekend.

New fuel pump from Tower works, and the aluminum spinner should be here tomorrow. I also have to go to Home Depot and see about a wheeled toolbox.

Saturday is supposed to be windy, up to 22mph so I doubt anyone will be flying. Sunday looks calm, 60 degrees, and sunny.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

before ya know it he will be hanging in the shop asking whats that and why mine are 7&4 they are allready asking when they can try it, keep that trainer handy

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

I had a slight altercation with a bush. It called my mother a nasty name, so I flew my plane into it. Unfortunately, my plane suffered more damage than it did.

Damage isn't so bad. A couple of cuts of balsa and some monokote and it should be fine. Fortunately, it was a bush and not a tree. Kind of cushioned the landing.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

that was def. one mean nasty bush [>:] ive hit tree branches before and only had a 1 inch whole in the front of the wing on both sides... that was a real evil bush! when you go to the flying field next time ask the club if they can remove it, bring a shovel/cutters and remove it, bushes shouldnt be that close anyways :) will save you lots of time. hopefully you can remove the bush but if not youll have to avoid it next time :D

as for the repairs on the wing im sure it can be done, id check the rest of the structure, etc...and see if you dont have any hairline cracks or anything else to. from the looks of the damage it must of been at somewhat of a highspeed? now for fixing the wing up, measure the pieces that are used....main leading edge spar, sub-leading edge spar, 1/16" balsa sheeting covering...and monokote covering or something along those lines:) then sand the rough edges and match the new pieces to fit perfectly/pretty close and glue them in. id pull back the covering around the spots so the ca doesnt glue the covering down. then reshape the main leading edge and recover and wahlllaaaaaaaa new wing :D

i havent done to much tail repair so ill let someone else take a stab at that. good luck and remember its like puzzle/jigsaw building, it will fly no matter what you do, just make sure the airfoil in the new spot matches the rest, then youll be fine :)

David

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

well your not the first to be bush wacked har har har. thats the mantra of this hobby crash,fix, repeat.
a good tip for doing wing ribs trace the outline on some cardboard the cut a new rib out then you don't have a glue bomb in your wing when I did about the same thing to my NEXTAR the only thing I reused was the leading edge fit it back in place and used thin CA to glue it back in, then like David suggested check for any joints that may have loosened up and thin CA them then re-cover the repair and patch the holes with wt. covering no need to do the whole wing unless you want to.
the tail thats a snap,what you could use to keep it light is CA or what might be better is Tite-Bond wood glue stuff is bullet proof and not as heavy as epoxy just refit the joint carefully and check for 90o angle then tape it in place to dry trainers are for crashing

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

For re-attaching the tail, use 30 minute epoxy, not carpenters glue. You need the extra strength of the epoxy. Also add some 1/4 X 1/4 triangular doublers on both sides of the tail (taper the doublers at both ends for aerodynamic purposes) when you re-attach it. There is a lot of stress on the tail and you don't want that to fail in flight.

Hogflyer

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Hehe, yeah, almost full speed. I am lucky that bush was there. Otherwise my plane and definitely my engine would have been toast. I'm going to thank that bush every time I go to the field. That's now my lucky bush!

Thanks for the tips and replies. I'm going to pick up some Monokote, an iron and some balsa wood at the LHS tomorrow or the next day.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Phew, just finished this thread! Thanks Pete1burn for posting your question and to those who responded. I am nearly finished putting my avistar together and the thread
has definately been very helpful!!

I can't wait to get it up in the air. Hopefully my glider experience will help. but Like Pete my background was RC cars...!

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

BTW - Should I go ahead and get extra mono kote now...:)

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Nah, buy your next plane. It's more fun.:D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

I have to admit I have been looking at low wing trainers. I want a kit instead of an ARF. Don't get me wrong, the ARF's are great but i really wanna build something up
from stick. Any suggestions on a good low wing?

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Check RCKen's list on the sticky at the top of the forum page. Several good choices there. Kinda depends on where you stand when then you go to the second plane and if you get there because you are ready or because you crashed and destroyed your first.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Carl Goldberg Tiger is a great first kit and an even better second plane:D The Tiger 2 or the Tiger 60 if like me you are old as dirt and your eyes need all the help you can give'em. If I had it to do over again I'd get the Tiger 120. I wonder is Carl going to come out with a Tiger 240 ?????????