I am finally committing and will be seriously stepping forward on pattern this next year. I've been building a lot of airplanes, so this is slow in coming, but I am finally getting somewhere.

I will be entering competition, and I have a good airplane to get me going. I'm starting with an Ultra Sport. However, I have made a few minor modifications.

Upon gluing the horizontal, I found that I didn't get it perfectly square, and I just can not live with it. So I have cut it off to fix it with a different option. I have cut a foam stab. I airfoiled it, and cut it aabout as thick as my UFO stab is to slow it down a bit. Then I wanted to add a little anhedral. I know this airplane is fine stock, but I believe it will help take a little pressure of the rudder when the airplane is on its side (as I understand from an article Dave Brown wrote) and resolve the minor inherent pull towards the canopy.

That's my story. Of course, I could be completely wrong, but it sounds good!

Soo, I took a few shots of a static view of what it will look like.

Any opinions?

(Please forgive the mess on the table. I am in the process of re-organizing and cutting a trainer kit from plans for my daughter. I don't like to be messy.)

OBTW- Am I allowed to use a muffled tuned pipe?

Brian

Hi Brian
that plane looks fine

The stab is the last place that would mess up the way an airplane flies , and it wont hurt a thing to add anhedral.
keep the passion and have fun flying pattern
you can use any Exhaust you want
Bryan

I agree with Bryan. Finish it and fly it.

On the exhaust, should be reasonably quiet. If the power is a 60, set it up to turn something like a 12x11 apc

On the messy bench....well ....a clean bench accomplishes nothing!!

I appreciate that. Thanks! [8D]

I'm anxious to get it flying.

I'll be fiberglassing the fuse, using fabric on the wing, and shooting it with Klass Kote.

Brian

Try to keep weight in check. The plane shouldn't weigh much more than about 1 lb per 100 sq inches of wing. Consider film on the wing...it will save you plenty elbies

Double Post...

Moderators please delete with my apologies...

Brian

The reason for using cloth on the wing is the problem of matching Klass Kote colors to film colors. If I can get a good match with the color paint I want to use and film covering, I'd go this route in a heart beat.

Unfortunately, the options in Lusterkote are very limited and do not hold much interest for me.

I know this rubs a lot of people, and nothing personal against your advice as it is appreciated, but I'm not a firm believer that lighter is always better. A 60 sized Ultra Sport at 7lbs would be nice on a very calm day. I've not seen many perfectly calm days lately. I'm shooting for 8-8.5lbs.

Brian

I'm not rubbed either way. Actually I think it's funny.......

One thing certain, one tiny piece of experience is worth about a million inexperienced opinions, probably more

Good luck

I can appreciate that. That is why I don't want a 7lb US.

Thanks.

Brian

Better to build light and add ballast where you want it, than to build heavy and not be able get it right.


But, hey what do I know.

Unfortunately, I made a mistake by addressing weight issues in the 1st place. This is not the context or my concern in this post. I understand that my opinion steps on a lot of toes, but my drive here is not to offend, which is obviously what I have done by these responses.

Please accept my opinion for what it is. It is based on my experiences only, and I have a preference based on it. I am in no way telling anyone how they need to do anything. I do appreciate the experiences shared with me, but there is "more than one way to skin a cat," and my way is not the only way. It is simply my preferred way and I have respect for opposing opinions on this matter.

I would appreciate it if we can move past this and understand my post. The intent is to find if this configuration in the tail is helpful or a detriment. I like the looks and hope it has some benefits.

Brian

Brian,

    It's YOUR airplane. . . build it 1 lb. or 50 lbs. . . . <br type="_moz"/>