Balanced or Not
12-15-2020, 09:08 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Balanced or Not
I'm trying to balance my 50cc Revolver, I put 1 oz of lead on the tail and it balanced level. Then I added 1/4 oz and it still balanced but the nose was a bit higher and the tail was a bit lower. Which should I use, can I only use one or can I use both, and how will it affect flight.
12-15-2020, 09:49 PM
#2
The old saw is: "A nose heavy plane may fly poorly, a trail heavy plane will only fly once"
For first flights, leave the extra 1/4 oz off. Google "Peter Goldsmith Trimming" for articles by or based on that gentleman's methodology on how to fine tune the plane for best flight. Pay special attention to his description of how to determine the best CG after several flight tests.
A nose heave airplane may have a tendency to dive a bit when you come off the throttle, and you may have to hold a bit more "up" for landings. It will need a fair bit of "down" when flying inverted. It may be a bit "doggy" in response and seem to need more elevator throw than otherwise indicated. But nothing very scary even if very nose heavy. Most planes can tolerate a pretty wide range of nose heaviness.
A too tail heavy plane can be VERY sensitive in pitch, to the point where it is near impossible to trim for level flight. It may want to drop its tail as it slows down, making you need to add "down" just to get it to land. It may want to climb when inverted. It may become very easy to stall. Some planes have a magic point, where if the CG is just a smidge too far back, they become uncontrollable.
Hence always better to start a bit nose heavy, and then move the CG back in small increments based on test flights. Can end very badly doing it the other way.
For first flights, leave the extra 1/4 oz off. Google "Peter Goldsmith Trimming" for articles by or based on that gentleman's methodology on how to fine tune the plane for best flight. Pay special attention to his description of how to determine the best CG after several flight tests.
A nose heave airplane may have a tendency to dive a bit when you come off the throttle, and you may have to hold a bit more "up" for landings. It will need a fair bit of "down" when flying inverted. It may be a bit "doggy" in response and seem to need more elevator throw than otherwise indicated. But nothing very scary even if very nose heavy. Most planes can tolerate a pretty wide range of nose heaviness.
A too tail heavy plane can be VERY sensitive in pitch, to the point where it is near impossible to trim for level flight. It may want to drop its tail as it slows down, making you need to add "down" just to get it to land. It may want to climb when inverted. It may become very easy to stall. Some planes have a magic point, where if the CG is just a smidge too far back, they become uncontrollable.
Hence always better to start a bit nose heavy, and then move the CG back in small increments based on test flights. Can end very badly doing it the other way.
