For anyone that can help-

I have a cowl that is packaged and ready to ship to Carlos. But I went to ship it last weekend and it will cost $120.00 to get it to him.

Is there a better (affordable) way to send it to him?

Brian

Hi Brian

$120 seems really expensive for the cowl shipping (unless you are using a door to door courier service). The shipping of my GP extra kit from tower was only $90 (via UPS) - and that was to South Africa - almost twice the distance.

Andrew

Yes. That's what I thought. I was told it was because of the holidays.

That was Fedral Express. The package only weighs 1.45lbs. I couldn't believe it!

What would be the best way to go. I'd like to see Carlos get his cowl.

Brian

Thanks Brian

Ihave asked a few friends that I work with that work in the US and im waiting to find out who they used when they sent me some stuff that weighed a lot more, that only cost me $35.

Ihave also just sent my glass one to Cyber becuase he is going to have a go and re shaping it and that only cost me around $20.

They must have seen the size of your wallet from all the hours your put in at work ;-)

Regards

C

Hummmm Brian have you checked with USPS ? Iv'e had all but stopped useing UPS or Fed EX to Ship items due to there inflated rates. When the gas crunch drove prices to the moon they raised their rates, but when the gas come back down the rates didn't.
Sounds strangly familiar huh *L*

USPS really is the least expensive way to send any thing outside the U.S. I have a friend in Germany that i mail things to from time to time and i have never been able to beat the USPS prices, that is not to say their prices are great but they are lower.

I started using USPS too, the prices are always a bit less then UPS, well, most the time. I sent some magazines to a friend in the UK and went into sticker shock!! The moment it goes air the prices go sky high with the package.

Guys

Today she took her maiden flight...............what a beautiful and noble plane this is.

Iwas a bit nervous at the start, making sure all was in place and everything was working how it should, then full power and she was off the ground in about 8 ft. She took to the air like a home sick angel

Iimmediately backed off the power and just flew her around for a few circuits, as Iwanted to keep it easy on her maiden. There was no trimming needed, she flew true and straight off the bat, so I was very pleased with that. The Super Tiger 90 for me is a good enough engine for this model, she was eating up the sky with less that half throttle. After a few circuits I decided to bring her in for landing, I set her up for approach and she just glided in with absolutely no problems at all. I was very impressed with how slow it can come in to land......nothing like the Funtana that I had before. I checked her over and took her off again, did a few more circuits then back in again and called it a day :-)

The only thing that I would say is that she could possibly do with more nose weight, but im confident that the cowl will add the weight needed (she flew without cowl). After inspecting her afterwards I noticed the platform that held the fuel tank and come un stuck, so just as well that I had called it a day, Imust not have stuck it on correctly but she is all back together and ready to go again tomorrow.

So, I want to say thank you to ALLof you for being such good support during my build.

Ill get some vid footage tomorrow and post it for you guys.

Regards

C

Yea!!! Congratulations!!! Looking forward to the video.

Congrats Carlos Always good to hear some positive feed back on a project. Is the plane all I said it was or not, Grins!!!!!!!

Faith young man, Faith!!! Would we lead you astray with bad advise??? Carlos, it will fly even better with a cowl!!!! Trust me on that!! So glad it all went well for you. Is this not the perfect flying machine!!![8D]
Gene

thanks Richard, yes it is, i'm very pleased with it.

I'm going to take it up tomorrow and im going to see how it handles a few more moves....I have a good feeling its going to be great!

Regards

C

Hey Gene

Yes it is truely a great plane to fly, it was so elegant and majestic, it gave me confidence from the moment that itleft the ground. Iam very pleased that Icame across this model and decided to build it........not only that, but the fact that you guys are around to help and give advice has made the whole experience fantastic.

I believe you Gene about the cowl and I'm really looking forward to fitting the cowl and finishing her off and she deserves (thanks again Cyber).

Regards

C

nice one ACAMEX .
once you have finished the build and started to ballance it and fiddle around with throws etc, you will love it more and more. I have not flown mine for a while as I have just built a petrol yak and i want to strip down and make some changes to the extra. I can not wait to fly it again.
Well done in joining us on this great plane ownership.

Not only do they fly great, I love doing the slow and low fly by. My cockpit is all painted and I have a nice pilot inside so it just gets me all giggly inside when it floats by and I do some touch and goes. Like Dobra said, they even get better as you make little changes. All the years I have been flying mine I made an elevator change a week or two ago, I had too much elevator throw and lowered it a bit. I know, big deal but it was a change!! Last year I did some prop testing again and discovered the prop I have on it was still the best one for me. I already knew that but I had one of those thoughts running around the back of my head and just had to give it a try. It's just such a great plane/kit!!!

Congrats on a successful maiden flight. I am not surprised by your favourable comments of your model as the CG Extra is simply put, one really super nice flying plane, and as suggested with the cowl in place expect an even better performance from her. How much does she weight and don't forget to post the video you promised.

Karol

A short time ago we were discussing using the film that came on the canopy as a paint mask. Today i finally got around to painting the canopy and using the protective film as a paint mask worked great. Just thought i would give you fella's an update if you are considering doing the same. I used the rear cut out portion as a test sample to confirm compatibility of the paint to the film and if the paint would blead under the film. It is also nice to finally see the film off of the canopy and can actually see through it.

your plane is going to look tops.
nice one

Beautiful work. How or where do you get paint to match the color of the covering so precisely?

Thanks Dobra.

Good question Al. The covering is Ultracote, as you may know it is made in Germany and marketed in Europe as Oracover. I have a good friend in Germany, that sent me the matching paint, it is called Oracolor. I do not believe it is available here in the U.S. It is expensive paint + shipping from there to here, it was a bit costly but worth it and i did not have to buy very much just enough to do the canopy with some left over.

Thanks for the post, I was sure the paint wasn't going to get through but I was wondering if when the paint was drying it would shrink and pull leaving behind a paint trail. Good thing to know.
Gene

I may have mentioned this before, but when I need paint I go down to the car paint store and have them mix me up the correct color and put it in a spray can, So far its been well worth it. I go over it with clear just as its drying to fuel proof it. If you wait untill it's dry like the next day, it will wrinkle every time for some reason.

There is still a little Ultracote paint left on the rack in my LHS, I try to buy a can when I go there and keep it in stock. My problem has been friends in need, I'm almost out of the colors I use because I keep painting other peoples planes. My stock of red is really getting low!!!

Fellas,
I plan on building another plane this winter so I have to ask: What kind of paint do you ask for at the body shop? Lacquer, enamel? And where do you get the clear? Is it lacquer or enamel? Sorry for the ignorance. I don't have a clue on the paint. I used Duplicolor engine paint from Autozone for my cowl. I sure hope it holds up. So far so good, but the plane only flew a dozen times so far. Colors don't match that good though.

My local paint store deals with PPG and omni paints, if you can get a polyurethane paint in a spray can it will be fuel proof all alone, no need for clear over it. But my store use's the other type of paint to put in spary cans and if exposed to direct fuel will cause a undisired effect.
Lacquer paints are almost non exsistent anymore due to the health hazards in using the stuff. It's almost all polyurethane now days, with some enamels still hanging in there.
If a person has there own small spray unit any polyurethane paints will work great, but plan on paying a little money for the paint, activator and thinner. Thats why I go with the other stuff in the can,way less cost.
You may not believe this, but I use some clear coat I get at walmart the cheapest stuff they have and right now I am out, but its in a blue can with some yellow or white writting about a buck a can. Whatever you do, don't use Krylon clear coat it says it's lacquer but glow fuels likes it really well, thinks its lunch or something.
Don't be alarmed if the clear dosen't flash over right away especially in the dead of winter like now, sometimes it may take 2 days for it to flash and get hard, while you can handle it carfully before that, it just seems to take some time to get all the oxidents out of it and flash. This could be because of the color paint didn't have a chance to fully dry also.

If possible to match the color in the Krylon brand of paint I will use that for some basic colors, Black,White ECT.Then go over with the clear.

But I will repeat myself here when you get the color on just as its dry enough to to touch hit it with 2-3 lite to med coats of the clear and let set untill it hardens. A person needs a nice clean place with no dust particals floating around if possible. Minor dust and imperfections can be removed after the clear has cured by just simply washing it in warm water, soap and a soft cloth.

I have tried ultra coat paints and have never had any luck with them at all,( must be doing something wrong, the stuff will not dry for me, nor did it match)
My LHS said he quit carrying the stuff because of all the complaints.
The lustercoat paints I have had some limited sucess with it, the missle red seems to work good and a few others I have used come out ok, but to get that mirror look to it still needs the clear over it. But then again very few of lustercoat paints actually match there covering.
Warning when painting a canopy with poly paints ,make sure to try a test piece first.
I have had it melt a canopy before.

Some of the guys are using paint from Home depot its latex and holds up to gas just fine ,but I don't know about glow fuel.