GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has hear of people carrying giant scale plane on top of their cars using modified roof racks? Bob Shapiro the comp-arf rep. told me about this. I have a small car (toyota echo) and would like to carry a 2.6 extra or yak fuse on top, sans the horizonal stabs. Bob said there were some europeans doing this and carrying 40% fuses on top of audi cars. If anyone has hear of this or could point me in a direction, please help. Or if you know of anyone that would please pass a link to this thread.

Joe

Hooked-On-RC

My Feedback: (16)

Try you local auto parts store for Thule (pronounced two-lee) racks. They make a wide range of racks for all sorts of application sincluding skis, snowboards and bicycles. You could possibly adapt a bicycle roof rack to hold the landing gear and the tail wheel. Just be sure to cover over the cowl and prop to avoid excess bug splatter, that could possibly enter the carb. Also be sure to remove rear stab and make a holding mechanism for the rudder as you do not want it lashing back and forth.

Send pics once you have it completed.

CAP232CM

My Feedback: (8)

Ya those sales reps will say anything to make a sale. Putting a $6000 dollar plane on top of any car is just plane asking for trouble. I hate to burst your bubble but you just need to break down and get a truck or build a small trailer to pull behind your go cart.

ml3456

Cap,

Sorry to disagree, but there are many of use who barely have enough room to store our planes let alone a trailer. I understand these have been used before, but like Joe, wondering if they work. I will be curious to see responses from people who have used them.

Joe, in a thread long ago someone brought up what would happen if a truck blows past you. Look how much your car moves when they do.

Mark

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Thanks guys! I do, and have though about all that you've mentioned. The rep actually stopped me from making the purchase and suggested I look into a roof rack or a trailer. I thought that was very nice of him. I'd rather not get another vehicle this year but maybe next. He said the euro's have done it. I could understand making a cover for it and lashing the rudder and wheels. The biggerst worry I would have, would be a gravel truck passing and get a small rock like the kind that can chip a windshield hit the fuse. I do live very close to the field I fly at and the speed limit is 35MPH there and back. But if I were to put something like this together, I'd like it to funtion anywhere.

Joe

Bruce Rolfe

My Feedback: (37)

If the tail section is removable then look into one of the Rocket Boxes or Thule Boxes. If it can fit in the box then your problems are solved.
Bruce

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Very good idea Bruce!~)

Joe

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Joe I have thought of doing this with my 40%er, I was and still might make a big box to put it in side, then strap it on top of my Burban and go. To hell with what people think, I cant afford a trailer right now and I will more than likly do this for now. Maybe next year I will have the extra funds to get a trailer but for now I need options.
Keep me posted on what you come up with?

Vicster

My Feedback: (8)

You go Darcy!!
PS I have a truck........LOL
Guess

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Darcy, we gotta get Bob to remember where he saw or heard about this. I might be into making some kind of box that would stap to the top with the bike rake type crossmembers. That 40 won't fit in a suburban? OMG! haha!

JK

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Yeah it will but I would have to take off the Prop and Spinner, as well as the Stabs every time. It would be better if I didnt have to remove the Spinner because of the wear it will have on that carbon. Or my other option is to remove the middle seat which is very hard.


Vic even though you have a truck, it still isnt Big enough for My plane! I dont even think its big enough for a 2.6m either?
You will need a trailer for sure, unless you plane on flying little planes..

Bob101

Guy at our field has one of the ford cars that is really really small starts with an F - have no idea what it is (I'm a truck only person).

Anyway he takes the front seat out of his car and folds the back seat down (or possibly it's removed). He can carry some pretty large planes by putting it crossways from back to front and resting the spinner up on the dash and putting stuff to support the plane underneath.

Radcliffe

When I lived in England in the sixties and was a free flighter we used to carry our aircraft in coffins carried on the roof rack of our little Austin car. It worked fine, but we did get some funny looks !!!! Rad

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Thanks Bob! That is kind of how I carry my 72" fuses in my toyota echo.
Rad, the coffin thing sounds really funny! You got any pictures? !~)

Joe

Icebird

Years back, I had a Byron Pitts, and a 1983 TBird. It was a tricky combination, but the solution I found was to use a part of an old ski rack mounted at the front of the trunk, and a support that came around the rear bumper. This allowed me to leave the plane assembled, and get it to the field and back without problems for the most part. Only thing I found was that if I set the plane up with the tail too low, the car seemed to get real "loose" at about 60 mph or so. I had certain pieces of foam that went under the tail so that the angle was right. If you were to take the wings and horizontal stabs off, you shouldn't have any problems provided you don't go under any low bridges!

HTH
Jim

figueroa

My Feedback: (22)

I transport my Comp-Arf 2.6 to and from the field in my Xterra. I built a platform which fits just behind the pasenger front seat. Works great .
jef

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Thank you Jef! Could you give me the measurement from the wheel axle to the very end of the rudder? I should have measured Jens before he sold it!~) Nice plate form, do you leave the tail surfaces on?

Joe

figueroa

My Feedback: (22)

Joe,
The distance from the axle to the end of the tail is 75 inches, measured at the out side of the wheel. The axle width is 25 inches. I leave the tail surfaces on which measure 40 inches .There are about 4 inches of clearance at the tail gate. I stack to two wing halves behind the drivers seat and load the rest of my gear around the fuse. My next act is to get my 40% Edge 540 in the Xterra.
Hope this helps.
jef

bdtsr

My Feedback: (5)

Well I usually use my flatbed trailer to carry the larger planes. When I go out with my GS Stinger, the wing will not fit in the truck (Jeep Cherokee), so it gets placed in the wing bag and put on pads and strapped down to the roof rack. Works well for me. Take your time and make sure it's secure. It's not the plane you have to worry about, it's the person with the good laywer it may hit if it comes off.

GoeKeli

My Feedback: (18)

Jef, thank you for the measurements! I may go car/SUV looking soon and with a TAPE MEASURE!! haha!
Bdtsr, thanks for that input. I would really hate to hurt someone or get sued!


Joe

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Hrm, somehow strapping your plane to the top of your rig doesn't sound like a hot idea... All it would take is one rock thrown up and your plane's toast. Not to mention where I live you run the risk of getting in a rainstorm with it most of the year.

bdtsr

My Feedback: (5)

I think it really depends on how far you have to go and like 3DFanatic said, the weather. I have been caught in the rain with my open trailer, that's what the tarp is for. Strap it down with bungee cords and off I go!

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

My thinking to just put my plane on my roof is my field is only 4 miles up the road, I would drive no more than 25 mph and it never rains where I live. But as far as long distance maybe its not such a great idea, unless its in some sort of container/box.

rjklein

My Feedback: (1)

I have a roof rack for a bike, and I am going to make a shuttle for my 40% edge. I was going to use foam for a plub, enlarge the fuse 20% and make a glider type container that would fix to my roof rack. I was going to have it layed up using fiberglass. Any thoughts?

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Make it thick... I'd still be worried about rocks thrown.