agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

I have well over 200 flights on my little super stick.

As a beginner, I have felt quite confident with that plane for weeks. I could land it from anywhere, the engine was running perfectly and I was experimenting with aerobatics. I was having a real blast with it...even flying in windy conditions and 'hovering' to the runway, using the wind for my own enjoyment.

Suddenly, everything is out of phase. My last 5 flights have been a real battle. The plane seems far more twitchy, the engine needs tuning and it seems like the plane is fighting me. On Friday, I dead-sticked to a hard landing which resulted in no visible damage, but the plane is flying 'funny'.

Today, flying was mostly trimming and fighting my ailerons. I landed fine every time, but with much less 'feel' and much more effort.

My confidence is shaken. My first instinct is to go through the plane and perhaps re-trim everything mechanically, clean it up thoroughly and perhaps switch it over to my new TX at the same time, ( I have a brand new 9303 with none of my planes on it...yes, I am THAT lazy).

Experienced advice, especially from instructors, would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

2slow2matter

My Feedback: (1)

Are you flying it with a computer radio? With multiple models programmed in? Could you perhaps be accidentally flying it on the wrong model? Usually this is catastrophic, but it could potentially just be a trim issue. Other than that, I'll have to defer to more experience. I see no reason why a perfectly good flying airplane just starts acting stupid. All batteries are charged? Do you have any stripped servos? How often do you check your batteries? Maybe you need to cycle them. You might need to check the connection between your battery and receiver. Also, check your switch? Something definitely sounds wrong. A complete checkup would be good. Do you have problems with your range checks?

mirwin

My Feedback: (1)

Mark,


Is it possible that the battery, receiver or other item might have moved, altering the CG? A slightly out of balance plane can cause all sorts of trim problems. One of the landing gear wires bent backwards can cause such an imbalance.
Depending on the type of pushrod connectors you're using, you could have one that's a little loose, causing a loss of positive control of a control surface or intermittent control problems.
You wrote that your problems seem to be with the ailerons so check your hinges and servo connectors.
2slow2matter suggested checking for a stripped servo. Although that's a good idea, I think it would turn up during your pre-flight. You did pre-flight it, right? And range check it?
You mentioned a dead stick; if the engine is intermittently losing power, you could be stalling periodically too. An engine with power problems can cause this type of problem when you go into a high alpha, a maneuver that a powerful engine would ordinarily handle.
This may sound stupid but a guy in our club with over 30 years experience installed a fuel tank sideways. As he banked the lateral balance would go nuts on him. Still don't know how he got back on the ground safely.

Good luck. I'd be interested to know what you find.

Mike

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

OOPS!!

I forgot to mention.....

When I took the wing off, the aileron Y-harness and the servo extension were tangled up in the throttle servo. I discounted this as the problem because the ailerons were functioning which means the connection was good. Could it have been a partial loss of throttle control which made the thing seem so unmanageable? Maybe it seemed really twitchy because it was not throttled-down as I had assumed due to my input.

I still think I need to go over the plane....

What do you think??

redfox435cat

all I could say is look over the model. really look it over. is the wing mount secure. has the CA come loose at the stab and rudder. are the hinges coming loose. When ever I seem something out of place I usually find something not up to par. spend some time on the ground tuning the engine. How much time is really on the engine. if it only a few months old it probably fully broke in and needs tuning. ALso as planes age thing start getting loose and sloppy. especially plane that a tore all over the sky and flow allot. like 3 weekends a month or more
Then again I have days were its just don't feel right. I usually attribute it to the wind being stronger than I think it is since I'll fly in almost any conditions. But sometimes I just can't find the groove.

paladin

My Feedback: (9)

Mark, I would start by turning on the radio (rx & tx). Then starting with the ailerons check for play at center, this is done by moving the control surface on one direction with your finger then back in the other direction. In a perfect world, the blue ski universe, this would not have any play and my finger would be met with resistance immediately from the servo. You have put some time on this plane so it is possible that :
A clevis thread has worn
A control horn hole has elongated
A pushrod support is loose or missing
A servo output arm hole has elongated
A torque rod has gotten loose in the control surface
A torque rod has gotten loose in the wing
A worn out servo output shaft bearing point

Any of the above and a hundred more will cause what you are seeing. If you have excessive free play at center on your controls the plane will seam to have a mind of its own at times. It wants to roll left, you correct. It goes right back to rolling left, you correct again, and it goes right back to rolling left again! Some of this could be wind, but going the opposite direction it persists. So you re-trim now it rolls right, you correct and it goes right back to rolling right. After landing I put the plane on the table and look for excess free play at center.

Joe

A. J. Clark

Here's another idea along with the good ones youve gotten. Servos can cause problem like you have decribed.
One thing you can do is after chargeing your batteries turn the Tx and Rx on and let them on for an hour or more.
Then check to see if any of the servos are getting hot. I like to do this with new planes and older ones at the begining
of the flying season. If you don't find any mechanical problem and you think your ailerons have a problem you might
try changeing to another servo.

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

UPDATE:

I took my Kadet senior to the field today. I had not had time to go through the stick and I needed to calibrate my pollen release mechanism on the Kadet anyway....another long story. As I was loading the Kadet I thought...what the heck...I can fix it at the field; so I brought the stick along too.

After a few great flights with the Kadet, (Everyone should have one!! They are just relaxing and fun to fly), I thought...'perhaps I should get to fixing the stick'. I put it together and fueled it. I got distracted and forgot that there was something wrong with it that needed fixing.

Before I knew it, I was flying the thing with nothing more than a standard pre-flight and range check. Now it was in the air and I realized I had done nothing to fix the problems that plagued the thing on the previous day.

THE THING FLEW FINE...(what gives)? I surmise that the tangled aileron extension was causing a serious delay in the mechanical action of the throttle servo. So my aileron inputs seemed out of phase with my throttle inputs because....they were. It probably seemed twitchy and unmanageable because the throttle was sticking and causing me to believe that I should be seeing the plane react to my aileron inputs based on my known throttle inputs while the throttle was delayed by the tangled wire.

Thanks to all of you who helped. There is nothing worse than broken confidence for a beginner like me.

MOJO recovered....all is well.

Thanks again guys!!