Sea Fazer
11-29-2003, 09:04 PM
#1
Sea Fazer
Thursday morning, Thanksgiving Day, I put 2 flights in from the bayou behind my buddy's house. I learned something from the first flight. Don't use flaps with a powerful fun fly plane converted to floats. I hit the power and it levitated off the water and pitched straight up. After a couple of dipsy-doos, I recovered and got the flap switch off. I was only using an inch down and didn't expect that kind of reaction.
The second flight was with everything in neutral and went like a charm.
I have a second set of floats on order and told the wife to get me a flying boat for Christmas. I also told our club president I would CD a float fly if he can find a good spot with parking, etc.
My buddy painted the floats for me. I think they make the plane look great, but then, I like profiles.
The second flight was with everything in neutral and went like a charm.
I have a second set of floats on order and told the wife to get me a flying boat for Christmas. I also told our club president I would CD a float fly if he can find a good spot with parking, etc.
My buddy painted the floats for me. I think they make the plane look great, but then, I like profiles.
11-30-2003, 12:24 AM
#2
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RE: Sea Fazer
Hi Ed,
I just noticed your FAZER. Is the water rudder that small really very effective? I have a FAZER as well, and if it flys as well with floats as with wheels, I'm going to be one happy Flyer.
Nothing beats flying from water unless it is SNOW.
Thanx
I just noticed your FAZER. Is the water rudder that small really very effective? I have a FAZER as well, and if it flys as well with floats as with wheels, I'm going to be one happy Flyer.
Nothing beats flying from water unless it is SNOW.
Thanx
11-30-2003, 07:01 PM
#3
RE: Sea Fazer
I guess it depends on how sensitive you want it. This one works fine for nice slow turns. I am a rookie at this float flying, but have "found a new toy," so to speak.
The rudder is 1" x 1 1/2". It is soldered to some 1/16 wire. I bent a "U" in the end, loosened the rudder control horn, slid the wire behind it and tightened it back up. Then I used a zip-tie to secure it to the tail wheel wire. There is an "L" at the other end that I soldered the tuna fish can lid to.
I didn't add any vertical tail area, nor did I add any weight for the CG. I was watching the plane the other day as I rolled into a bank for a turn and it did sort of hold the nose high. It may need a little extra fin area so I may try a small ventral.
The Fazer is still plenty aerobatic. Naturally, it is heavier and the floats cause some drag. It still does all the regular stuff. The roll rate didn't seem to be affected very much, it is still pretty fast. You may notice a little inertia due to the float weight when you stop a fast roll. Nothing big, it just doesn't stop as crisply as before. Then again, I may be confusing how it flew with one of my other planes with good servos and I put all old stuff in the Fazer. I put shields over the aileron servos made from halves of a spinner bubble pack.
Doesn't take much down for inverted. I think the floats give some extra lift. Outsides loops are good. It looks funny going around with the floats on the inside. You seem to get the feeling that it's not supposed to go around that way. You definitely know which end is up on a float plane.
I couldn't get it to spin or snap, but I put in a Tower .46 in place of a TT .42GP so I did add some nose weight with a heavier engine. I am going to play with the CG and elevator movement to see what I can get.
At the float fly-in I went to, a small one, the guys remarked about how great it flew. They mostly had flying boats. Now they are thinking of trying a fun fly with floats.
The rudder is 1" x 1 1/2". It is soldered to some 1/16 wire. I bent a "U" in the end, loosened the rudder control horn, slid the wire behind it and tightened it back up. Then I used a zip-tie to secure it to the tail wheel wire. There is an "L" at the other end that I soldered the tuna fish can lid to.
I didn't add any vertical tail area, nor did I add any weight for the CG. I was watching the plane the other day as I rolled into a bank for a turn and it did sort of hold the nose high. It may need a little extra fin area so I may try a small ventral.
The Fazer is still plenty aerobatic. Naturally, it is heavier and the floats cause some drag. It still does all the regular stuff. The roll rate didn't seem to be affected very much, it is still pretty fast. You may notice a little inertia due to the float weight when you stop a fast roll. Nothing big, it just doesn't stop as crisply as before. Then again, I may be confusing how it flew with one of my other planes with good servos and I put all old stuff in the Fazer. I put shields over the aileron servos made from halves of a spinner bubble pack.
Doesn't take much down for inverted. I think the floats give some extra lift. Outsides loops are good. It looks funny going around with the floats on the inside. You seem to get the feeling that it's not supposed to go around that way. You definitely know which end is up on a float plane.
I couldn't get it to spin or snap, but I put in a Tower .46 in place of a TT .42GP so I did add some nose weight with a heavier engine. I am going to play with the CG and elevator movement to see what I can get.
At the float fly-in I went to, a small one, the guys remarked about how great it flew. They mostly had flying boats. Now they are thinking of trying a fun fly with floats.
12-01-2003, 03:35 PM
#4
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RE: Sea Fazer
Cool! Very nice job Ed. I noticed Jim Casey posted pics of a Sudokhoi on Floats and a Sig Ultimate Bipe on floats some time ago. I have a Sudokhoi and a TopCap...Hmmmm......
Jeff
Jeff
