Hey guys, I've been searching the forums for some time now, and can't find an answer to a question I have. Here goes...a while back, I bought an old beater Super Kaos 60. The aircraft was in pretty good structural shape, but it was in dire need of a refurb. I've stripped it, made some repairs, sanded it, threw an OS .61 in it, and recovered it and things are getting close to finished. I'm not the greatest at covering, but this one's coming out pretty nice... Does anyone know what I need to set the control throws to? I have the plans, but the recommended throws are not printed. I can't wait to get 'er in the air, I've been told they fly nice.

Thanks in advance,

Mark

In the old days, control throws were usually not listed in the plans. Then, if you were a good-enough flyer to fly a Kaos, or any other Pattern plane, you were considered to know enough to work it out on your own. Basically, though, 25-30 degrees of maximum travel on elevators and ailerons will work well as a starting point, especially if you can add a bit of exponential. Rudder can be as high as you can get it before it hits anything, although more than 40-45 degrees won't really get you anything.

I have mine set up at 12 and 18 degrees for IMAC type of flying but bump them up for fun fly type of events. Great plane!! After you are having A real bad day make sure you fly the Kaos last, it will let you go home looking like A pro.

I'm with GrayBeard on this. I would go for 12Ëš throws on elevators, 15-18Ëš on ailerons and 30-35Ëš on rudder. These settings will give you very smooth aerobatic flight behavior. I think Bax's recommendations, which are almost double, are maybe suitable for fun-fly/3D, but that is not the character of the Kaos.

Congratulations Mark, it may have been an old beater but I,am sure you have fixed her up nice and you just might find this is you favorite airplane.

I concur with Gray Beard and Majortom on the throws, the figures both have indicated will provide a delightful rate/stability compromise.

Here is my 'Killer' on wheels and floats with a Rossi 61RE.

John

Can't see enough Kaos!! I do keep as much throw in my rudder as I can, for some reason mine doesn't respond as well as I would like to rudder input?? Maybe I'm just spoiled from my other planes? At the time I had the MDS 68 {junk} engine in mine and an OS 60 in the other one. Today I am running the YS 110. Can you say over kill??? I have A lot of planes but the old Kaos is the one that gets the most air time. This photo was done after I recovered both planes, dark one is for A friend. At this time mine is ready for another cover job and some wood work. Both planes were old when we got them and just keep being rebuilt as needed.

Thanks for the input guys. I'll go 12 elevator and 18 ailerons (and throw a little exponential in). Not a whole lot left to do on her except to install the prop/spinner, radio and the Mac's muffler.

Here's some pics. It's a little red, ain't it?! Do you think I should do any more trim? Maybe something on the vert stab/rudder? You can't see it in these pics, but I painted the inside of the canopy with silver glitter paint. It gives it a translucent look and it sparkles in the sun. Ooooooo.... [8D]

More important is the bottom of the plane. Just make sure you have stripes or something so you can tell top from bottom real fast. The gloss covering sparkels in the sun and this plane can really get with the program and boggle the mind. Sometimes telling up from down is the big trick. Good looking covering job!

Maybe, but it needs lettering and numbers. AMA numbers were and still are required for competition. So I would put your AMA number on one wing, KAOS on the other wing, and KAOS on the fin.

I really appreciate all the feedback. I'm thinking about putting some bright yellow stripes on the bottom of the wing and stab (leading to trailing edge) for contrast. I'll talk to guys in our club about how to do lettering as I've never attempted to do that covering technique yet. I suppose that I could use my computer to print the letters and then transfer it and cut it from the covering material.

It's just about ready to maiden. I'm not sure if doing the first flight on a completely overhauled aircraft constitutes as an official maiden flight or not, but I and my shaking fingers will consider it as such! I'm just waiting on my last coat of fuel proofing to fully cure. By the way, I use epoxy mixed with isopropyl alcohol as fuelproofing "paint"; it cures rock hard, smooth, and glossy.

I'll take a few more pictures of the finished product, and let you know how it flies. Whoo hoo!

It's A Maiden but it will fly great, it's A Kaos, it can't help itself.

Well, a maiden and six tanks of flying later, I have to report that this is THE best flying aircraft I've had the privilege to fly. The control throws were set at 18 degrees for aileron (about 75 percent at dual rate), and 12 degrees elevator. The elevator was a little hot for me, so I've toned it down a bit. Roll rate at 18 degrees is perfect. I left the bottom of the wing solid red, and the white on top is so brilliant against the red that it's easy to maintain orientation when churning. Landing this thing is awesome, it flares beautifully, and it sticks at touch down for a scale roll-out. It's makes ya look good. What more could you ask for? Not bad for a 30 year old aircraft...I'm not sure, but I think I'm in love. Here are some pics I took at the end of the flying this morning. Thanks for the help guys.

Mark

We're always happy to see a project turn out well. You should get a lot of mileage out of this plane. Enjoy! (And thanks for the follow-up.)

Reduce the up elevator, but leave the down. If you are going to do outside loops and maneuvers, you'll need more down than up elevator.

Low wing planes with a high stab are more sensitive to up elevator then down so to make the response equal, you'll need more down.

Conversely, for a Stick or other high wing plane, you'll find the down elevator is more responsive so you'll need less down elevator movement on them.