chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

I did a preliminary check on the cg and weight based on using RCIgn's ignition conversion on the G26. The plane balanced with a 1500mAh battery in the tail and the plane weighed 8.0lbs, actually, it was slightly under 8lbs. I was using a digital bathroom scale and took four reading with and without me holding the plane, and the results were consistent. I'm surprised at the weight, but than the ignition conversion removes about 10oz from the engine taking into account the addition of a battery for the ignition.

Don M.

My Feedback: (5)

So what your saying is that the idea I have of putting my MVVS 1.60 gasser and tuned pipe on a 65" Yak is not as ridiculous as I first thought it might be. I'm not a 100% sure, but I THINK the MVVS is lighter than even a "converted" G26.

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Don,

FYI. per RCIGN, the "weight is 44 oz WITH a 500 ma nicad and Abell muffler". I sent my G26 to him yesterday, so to check the balance last night, I weighed out 45oz of buck shot and attached it to the nose of the plane. Several other people, confirmed the weight of their conversions.

Chuck

Don M.

My Feedback: (5)

If it turns out too heavy you can always use the buckshot to add lightening holes.

Basement Troll

My Feedback: (3)

I would actually like to be the guy applying the buckshot while the plane is airborn if you need a volunteer!
Don Henning

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

You guys are nothing but a crazy bunch of predators! If anyone is going to shoot buckshot at my plane, it will be me trying to balance it! Actually, we fly on a sod farm in MN, and during the fall, the owner has let the goose hunters hunt his fields. It's a little disconcerting to have a guy jump up out of a ditch to shoot at a goose, and you didn't even know he was there!

STLPilot

My Feedback: (21)

Chuck have you made any progress.

Basement Troll

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Chuck. All my hunting buddies keep threatening to come watch me fly.[X(][X(] You can well imagine what they're thinking.
Don

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Dion,

Yes, I'm making progress. The wings, ailerons, rudder and elevator are covered. The stabilizer got mounted yesterday, I'm fixing the dings in the fuselage and will start covering the stabilizer tonight. I'm waiting to get the G26 back from RCIGN sometime next week. I'm shooting to have everything done by Friday of next week including range check and running the engine to shake loose whatever wants to come loose. My wife and I are leaving for a month in Hawaii on next Friday, and I want to be able to fly it, around the first of April when the snow should all be gone here in Mn.

Question regarding the size of the servos, the instructions say standard servos are ok, and I have some Futaba 44oz-in servos. I could put in a 6.0V battery and up the torque to 57oz-in. Are these ok or should I consider higher torque servos?


Chuck

AFSalmon

My Feedback: (3)

Uh, did I say standard servos in the manual? I probably meant standard "size" but not torque wise. I've always told folks to use servos in the 70-90 in-oz torque range on the 65" Yak.

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Mike,

Thanks, I have some 99 in-oz servos that I will use. In the manual on page 18 you said "You will require at least a 4-channel radio system with 5 standard size servos."

I won't have the plane finished by the end of this week like I hoped, the G26 won't be back until next week, oh well! Everything will be done on the plane except mounting the engine, throttle servo, ignition battery, final balance and covering the sides of the fuselage. All that shouldn't take more than a day.

Chuck

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Mike,

I'm looking for a little advice on setting the initial throws. In the manual, you say to set the initial throws under 30 degrees if you aren't used to extremely responsive airplanes....that's me. I will set the high rates for 30 degrees, but what do you suggest for low rate settings?

Chuck

AFSalmon

My Feedback: (3)

Well the intent was to use 30 degrees for low rates but if you truly are new to high responsive planes you can go down to 15-20 degrees low rates on elevator and rudder, leave the ailerons at 30 degrees low rates. Set your high rates to 30 - 35 degrees on the tail feathers and 35-40 on the ailerons. Add about 40 percent expo (that would be negative on Futaba radios) on all channels both rates to soften the feel. Once you get used to the plane and the responsiveness you can dial up the throws and reduce expo if you desire.

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Mike,

Sorry, one more question. In a previous thread you had recommended putting some piano wire on the landing gear because of the extra weight. What diameter would you recommend?

I put in the high torque servos today, and got the throws, rates, and exponentials set up, now if I only had the engine.

Chuck

JAkridge

Good luck Chuck on the final building steps and your madien.

I quick question for the others who know this plane.. How about a Saito 100 for the kit version ?? Just so happen to have one I could pull for this plane.

dhooks

My Feedback: (24)

Thats a good motor for this size plane.....

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Darn computers, this is the fourth time I've tried to post this message.

Attached are pictures of the finished Yak, ready for its maiden flight tomorrow if the winds are light. The weight came in at 8lbs 6oz, a little more than the preliminary check.... surprise, surprise. The plane seems to handle the full power on the ground just fine, just the Ultra Stick Lite that the engine came off of. I will have to learn throttle management!

dhooks

My Feedback: (24)

Let us know how it 3Ds!

rcflatspin

Chuck,

That looks great!!

I noticed the stock exhaust on the G-26.

Take a look into some aftermarket mufflers. I have one from wackerengines and it increased my static rpm from 8000 to 9000 on an APC 18x6W prop. My Ultra Stick Lite rips out of hover at 10.5 lbs. At 2 lbs less, this would be comical.

If the USL dies, I think I may go with this plane.

Mark

STLPilot

My Feedback: (21)

WOW!

Awesome weight ... way to go. The 65" Yak has the lightest wing loading of any OMP plane inch for inch (other then bipes) I believe so that extra pound should not be a problem at all.

Also some close ups with the motor mount would be great too!

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Well there is good news and bad news on the maiden flights (3). I had lots of problems with the tail wheel, the springs were not strong enough too move the wheel with authority. It worked better with half the spring cut off, but it still isn't good enough. Any ideas would be appreciated. The G26 isn't running worth a darn in the air and dies, two dead sticks in three flights. Runs good on the ground. It is the same problem it had when it was on the Ultra Stick until I ran a hose from the backside of the carb diaphragm to inside the fuselage. I put the same hose on this plane, but it doesn't seem to work because it is still seeing wind pressure under the fuselage. I'll have to work on that one.

The good news is that the plane flies great, actually better than I expected for the initial time out with it. Very little throttle for a nice take off. Flies invert with hands off...I'm not used to that. The first landing was at a walking pace. The plane was really high for both two dead sticks, so I had to do a few circles to bleed off the altitude. Both landings were right on the center of the runway. It is a floater. Can't wait to solve the engine problem and to get it out again.

Dino,
I will post some pictures later today of the way the engine is mounted.


Chuck

STLPilot

My Feedback: (21)

Get some pics of your tailwheel setup too and Mike will jump in and give you some ideas ... I'm sure others will also.

Hands off inverted is perfect. Did you have to add tail weight?

AFSalmon

My Feedback: (3)

Congrats on at least some good maidens.......even a good dead stick is better than a bag of balsa!

If you are using the sullivan tail wheel assemblies with the springs they supply I have found them to all be marginal at best. Replace the spring with a piece of 1/32 or so spring wire running along the bottom of the rudder. You can attach by bending a 90 degree end and inserting into the bottom of the rudder or just use some scrap monokote to secure to the bottom of the rudder.

Having never run a G26 I can't help on the dead sticks but sounds like it's been a problem that has plagued you in the past. Most gassers have a built in pump carb and are pretty reliable given good air intake. Maybe you should try posting a general question about the G26 setup in the engine forum??? Maybe somebody there has the solution.

rcflatspin

Chuck,

Did you check the internal screen in the carb?

I had numerous deadsticks with mine late in the season. It seemed to run OK on the ground after fiddling with the hi and lo adjustments only to die in the air. It turned out that the internal filter (screen) in the carb was all clogged up with crud. A quick and simple clean and it was running perfect again. Since then, I have put a filter on both my fill tank and one just before the carb.
It is easy to check, just unscrew the big phillips on the bottome of the carb and take a peek.

The G-26 should run perfect in just about any weather without messing with any settings.

Good to hear that the plane flies good. A few closeups of engine mounting would be appreciated.

Mark

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

rcflatspin,
I'm using the stock muffler in order to keep the noise level down at our field. If you know of a better quiet muffler, let me know. The carb screen had just a couple of pieces of crud, but it certainly wasn't anywhere close to being plugged. Thanks for the tip however. My fuel can does have a filter in it.


Dino,
I added one oz of weight in the tail, which brought the CG slightly back of the recommended location. That was included in the 8lbs 6oz.

Attached is a picture of the tail wheel, any ideas would be appreciated. If I can pickup a spring at the hardware store, Mike's suggestion is worth trying. I thought I had one, but can't find it.

Also attached are two pictures of the way the engine is mounted. The top-mounting bolt of the engine screws into a tee nut that is on the backside of a vertical piece of aircraft plywood, roughly 7/8" by 1/2”, which is held in place by the two fuselage ply doublers. The other two bolts are attached to a block of wood (one on each side of the fuselage). These blocks are epoxied to the outside of the ply doublers and pinned through the vertical piece. If anyone wants a clearer explanation, I can clean up my CAD drawing and post it.


AFSalmon,
Thanks for the suggestion on the tail wheel. Regarding the engine, the G26 has a Walbro carb with the diaphragm pump. The problem is somewhat common and is discussed in the gas engine forum periodical. Getting atmospheric pressure on the diaphragm on the Ultra Stick made a day and night difference in dead sticks and performance. I was hoping running the vent line under the fuselage would be adequate, but apparently not. I'm going to try to vent it into the wire way in the fuselage for the next time out.

Chuck