Have had trouble posting the last couple of times...trying again. Almost done - just need to balance and set the control throws. Been thinking how to balance it since I am on my own...

I found an article in the September 2005 Model Airplane News about a homemade balancer technique suitable for large aircraft...had some scraps of wood laying around...

The points of the balancer pivots touch the plane via two lite ply "pads" that are taped to the wing on the desired balance points...the MAN article talked about cutting a groove in the lite ply for the point of the balancer to rest in...I reinforced the groove with thin CA. In actual use, it seems to work fine with and without the groove.

The c/g will come out behind the main gear, so... . Find a table that you can set the plane on while hanging the main gear over the edge. Get a piece of 2" pvc pipe about 3 feet long or so. Make a mark on the bottom edge of the fuselage where you want the c/g to be. Set the fuselage on the pvc pipe, 90 degrees to the pipe, hanging the main gear over the table, and not letting the tail wheel touch the table. Don't forget to place a wedge in front and in back of the pipe so it won't roll!! See where the plane balances in relationship to the marks on the bottom of he fuselage and add or subtract weight from there to hit the mark. Sounds complicated but it's actually very easy.

Looks something like this when it is in use...

And another shot.

Pat,

Thank you for the quick reply! I guess I had to try the complicated route

v/r

tom

I'm old, getting fat, and lazier every day. Gotta go with the least amount of effort with the most effect. Plus I'm cheap!! Your way looks a lot better.

lol...getting older is better than the alternatives that I have been offered!

I'm setting it up for the recommended 6.5" for the first flight or so. I have been re-reading the posts where you have discussed the CG. 6.75 is the max rearward CG; got it....is the ultimate going to land too fast at 6.5? Any recommendations?

I usually take great care to practice my approaches several times during a maiden while I'm still well above the hard deck, so I should be able to get a good sense of what she'll do, I believe.

Glad to see your Ultimate is about ready! I sold mine today Had to raise funds for the 41%.

On low rates its as tame as can be. It will do inverted harriers too if you are wondering!!

It will be fine at 6.5". Just fly it like most bipes on the approach with the nose a little down and don't completely cut all the power until the landing is assured. She'll actually float a little bit from there. For a bipe, the approach and landing speed are pretty slow. I can see where some not that familiar with a bipe might think it's too slow and force it onto the ground, bending the gear. As in anything else that's really worth having, get her low over the runway and 'wait for it". She'll settle in so, so softly. Unless it's 110 in the shade then everything is moving faster in the "thinner" air. She's also got great ground handling. You'll have a good feel for it on a short taxi out.

Hello can you tell me what mount you used for your BME 50... I know it's a hangar nine but which one?

jasa4p1

I used the Hanger 9 HAN 2033. Here is a link to the Hanger 9 web site: http://www.hangar-9.com/Products/Def...ProdID=HAN2033

v/r

tom

Thanks for the info that will work great.

Darn it - found the expiration date for my Ultimate...flying away, misjudged, too little airspeed, too much elevator, not enough altitude...Rats!!

Should also add that I had a heck of a time arguing with self between another Ult and a Sukhoi...really liked the way the Ult flew.

Tom was there for me though - pulled the trigger on a new Sukhoi 29%.

BTW, isn't there a term for those that support addicts?

Salesmen.

You'll be glad you did.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune Tom...but they all have an expiration date, unless you sell them before then. LOL Good luck on your new project!

Tom,

My post-flight look-thru turned up some interesting news...my (backyard) engineering of the battery mount seems to have been the cause of my unfortunate mistreatment of your fine product.

I had been puzzled why the plane had behaved so unpredictably...completely out of character.

Radio interference was not an option (the only other guy at the field was a HAM-band)...

It turns out that the tray I had constructed to mount the battery pack appears to have come loose part way through the last flight...evidently the 'dynamically determined' CG was not a good choice. [:'(]

Oooh, some guy in our club had that happen a few days back. The battery kept falling to the front or the back, so it flew different depending on what id did last.

TF

Mine apparently jumped to the back for a no notice evaluation of my unstable aircraft test piloting skills. I failed the test (but learned the lesson).

How come the tests always come before the lesson?

Saw on the website that the Sukhois are shipping - GREAT news!!

No, they are not shipping. Myt web guy jumped the gun.

TF

lol

Darn IT guys

:-)

I am seriously awaiting the new Ultimate being released. Bipes are so much fun.

Airborne,
Are you going to buy another one???