I'm about to maiden a Byron F16 with OS 91/Byrojet setup this weekend. Plane came out at 15 lbs dry, with CG at 3.5" infront of engine formers per instructions. That required a pound of lead in the nose to balance. Questions:
1) Does that seem right that much lead is needed to balance this bird. Plane is a bit heavy with fiberglassed wings.
2) Is the bird balanced with retracts up or down?? Instructions do not make that clear.
Thanks for any help.

Here is a location for the Byron F-16 manual

http://www.houstonhobbies.com/jets/b...6/byronf16.htm


Hope this helps

Clay

I do have the manual already. But it does not state to balance with gears up or down at the stated position.

I too am getting ready to Finish A byron F-16 and am wondering the same question are you balancing with tank full or empty thanks

I balanced my yellow F16 just a tad bit nose heavy, empty tanks for the first flight.

Since the main gear shifts to the rear in the down position, and the fuel tank is forward of the CG. I would balance the plane with the gear down with empty fuel tanks.

Rich

15 lbs is heavy. As you know glassing the wings is a the main reason for it. And it is totally uneeded too. On all of my byron's I just finish the wings with econocoat for a df powered plane.

Another possible issue is your thrust tube. Are you using a mylar Byron style tube or a fiberglassed sheet rolled into a tube? The mylar is allot lighter.

My general rule of thumb on all airplanes I fly is to balance the airplane in the configuration you plan on flying it in. If you're going to fly it with the gear down, then balance it as such. If you're going to fly it with the gear up, then balance it with the gear up.
Steve

I have it now balanced with gears down. 24 oz total of fuel with small hopper tank next to engine, close to cg as much as possible. I have the nosegear a little long to give it a high alpha stance. Seems the planes on You Tube all have that to help take off. Will plan to maiden it next weekend. It appears that some planes on You Tube came in at 20 lbs ready to fly, and they look fast in the air. Hopefully, mine at 16.5 lbs with fuel will get off the grass with that alpha stance.

kmtranmd,

15lbs is ok for a beautifull finished F16, i don´t like the foam pattern that you can see over the econokote. How went your maiden? some pics of your bird? Mine flew well at 15.25lbs, not a speed demon but very scale and imprssive in the air.

Javier

the cheater hole under the bottom sucks down at WOT and in grass can cause you to have problems lifting off, once you get to speed if you'll chop throttle it'll jump off the ground and then back to WOT.

Im also just finishing a byron f-16 and installing the servos as follow:
2 servos for elevator
1 for rudder
2 for ailerons
1 for throttle
1 for steering wheel
1 for front break
1 for retracts valve

Any suggestions with this configuration?? Where is the best way to connect the brake servo??

This is my first DF so any help/coments are welcome.

Also... I hate the cheater hole... is it a MUST to have it?? or can I think someway to cover it at least partially???

thans!!

I think this is the best setup. A lot of people fly on tailerons, (without ailerons) but sacrificing redundancy. I knocked out my F16 due to a brand new servo failure on taileron configuration while on take off.

With ailerons i could have a chance. I know tailerons give more agility at high speed, but in landings ailerons are far better.

Two little high torke MG servos on ailerons does not affect the weight a lot.

The cheater is a must, this fan setup is a pusher and without an efficient intake will have a lot of losses without that hole.


Javier

here is my pride and joy with no landing gear or mounts. need to find some, and an engine and fan.

I always balance a jet with the gear down. That way it is balanced level on landings.