Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I recieved a shipping notice from UPS on Monday informing me that my Sukhoi would arrive on Friday. Lo & behold when I was coming home tonight the better half called me & says " did you order another plane?" [X(] Seems the plane showed up early. I wonder what this is going to cost me? Good news is it appears to have arrived in perfect shape & I have everything to build it already in the shop so at least I don't have to negotiate for an engine & electronics. :eek: Last time I tried to sneak a plane past her it cost me a new computer (for her) This time she's hinting about a cruise. Hope this plane is worth it. ;)

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Sukhoi - aw man, now I'm in trouble too!!! I love Sukhoi's LOL.

What are the details??? How big is it? When will it be available? We need pics!!

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I found the pics ... if it's anything like the prototype that is one beautiful looking bird...

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Hang in there folks, RTK almost has his done and should be ready for the first flight soon. We were trying to maiden both his Sukhoi and my Ultimate on the same day but ya know how that goes.

Now all we have to do is get him to write about it and hope he proof reads before he submits[8D];)

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

That is almost the last Sukhoi, I have 3 left. One blue/white, one blue/yellow, one all white.

It's the end of the road for that plane unless one of two thing happens;

either the builder lowers the price to me (not happening, he just raised it which was the final nail) or

a whole lot of people need to say they will pay $900+ for an all composite 87" Sukhoi.

Too bad, but it's a business.

TF

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

It is a shame Tom, its just about the perfect size bird & the finish is something to see. Like you said a couple of months ago though, they aren't for everybody. I probably wouldn't have gotten one if I didn't have such a soft spot for Sukhoi's. I must have looked at those pictures you posted last fall 100 times before I finally caved & if you would have had an all white Edge when I called............

Is this the same company that is building the big Extra? Reason I asked is they have an awful nice little Edge (77" I think) that might be more reasonable although still pretty pricey.

Anyways, I am re-covering one of my planes & found myself with a 3W 70 that needed a home. This 87" plane will be the perfect match I think. Power to spare & classy enough to turn my flying buddies green with envy! I just hope the muffler doesn't require too big a hole in the cowl. If thats the case I may have to go the route Flier did & have one modified to fit. Ordered the aeropoxy for the plane this evening & tomorrow I'll finish cleaning off the big workbench, hopefully I'll get to start on the plane Monday or Tuesday.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Yeah, it's too bad. I put a lot of development time and money into that plane.

They quoted me a low price initially then they started raising the price incrementally. BY the time the first sample was done the price had gone over double the initial estimate.

I had planned to sell that plane for $699 which I thought would sell a bunch, but that would have been a losing proposition with the final price.

Maybe I'll have it redesigned in wood.

TF

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I love the Sukhoi, but I just can't afford to crash a composite airplane right now. Wood version sounds good though.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I am on the list for the BME 55 so perhaps I should snap one up soon ;)

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

If the power of the 55 is close to that of the G-62, it could be an interesting match. Watch the balance, tho, that engine may actually be TOO light!

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I am getting close to finishing on mine. One of these day's I will post some picture's as soon as I buy a new camera.

Anyway, I think this plane will balance just fine with the 55. I have a lightened 62 and balance is perfect with most hardware on or behind the wing tube.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

If the 55 is indeed 36 ounces then you have a problem. I did one with a DA-50 and I had to put the receiver batteries right behind the firewall to get it to balance. If you remove a pound from that engine you will need to do something else to get it to balance.

Invest in a steel spinner.

TF

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

RTK,

If the noted C/G point in the instructions is the same place that Tom had the prototype balanced you will be very nose heavy. In my opinion, anyway. I know how you like you planes to fly and you will end up shifting things back, so make provisions for later adjustments going aft.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Tom---I am sure you would have to mount the batteries on the back of the fire wall but that is not a big deal. I have had to do that with my composite extra also, but it is so light it fly's like a foamie. Also Tom,,,where did you have the prototype's CG set at??

Pat--- I am going to shoot for the front of the wing tube.

I borrowed a camera from my kid's so here are a couple of pic's.
There will be no exposed wires except for the one running to the elevators.
The fuel tank is under the wing tube and the smoke will go on top. All parts inside are removable for easy access.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Too bad this one didn't work out Tom, I'm sure it's a sweet airplane. I would've taken you up on your offer, but I can't afford to crash a composite right now.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I don't remember, it was quite a while ago. Whatever the manual says will get you going safely, you can move the CG back after the first flight.

TF

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

Well I'm the newest ad 3rd last mmber of the Sukhoi club... ordered the last Blue/Yellow one today with a Evo 58 :) Can't wait!

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I was out yesterday with my test pilot David who built a Sukhoi with a ZDZ-80. What a riot.

This plane has so much power that you can blip the throttle when it's in a hover and see the plane bounce upwards in the air, with a little practice you could make it do a "pogo stick" dance.

We also learned a little lesson, David likes to do knife edge loops but the bottom part always induces a pucker. We discovered that if you re-apply throttle on the down side at about the 3 o'clock position the prop blast turns the tail around nicely and no more pucker.

TF

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I assure you I was still puckered, your just watching the plane, not me.

This is the first plane I have had with so much positive control authority in the tail, and in both axes. The rudder is incredibly strong. The last 25% of a knife edge loop is a good structural test for a model inducing severe side loads on the airframe and canopy/hatch. Unfortunately we have seen stuff fail at this point - wing tubes fail, canopies pop off, hatches rip wood to pull off - but the Sukhoi shows no sign of stress.With Toms prototype Sukhoi we were able to do 540 degree hammerheads as well, something I had never been able to pull off with other airplanes.

The ZDZ-80 is just too much engine, but it was all I had available at the time. Surprisingly it fits within the cowl nicely with just the spark plug protruding into the oil cooler portion of the cowl.

I also turned the tank tray around, I couldn't get the selected tank under the wing tube as hoped but will eventually try a smoke tank down there. It also makes getting to the throttle and choke servos much easier. With the ZDZ in the nose I wanted to move some weight to the back anyway. The CG is on the wing tube with the batteries velcroed onto the fuse floor about 4!QUOT! behind the rear of the canopy and just a couple oz of lead strapped to the tailwheel. I will remove this lead as the plane flys a little tailheavy with it.

Something else fun, I mixed the ailerons onto a function switch and can go flap or spoiler with it. Flipping into spoiler puts both up about 30 degrees resulting in a RAPID deceleration and a screeching sound as if someone locked up the brakes and skidded to a halt. The ailerons whistle during snaps and other large deflections.

David

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

RTK, how are you coming with the Suki? I am really anxious to hear the results you get with the G-62. I have had a G-62 sitting around in a box, new, for nearly 2 years. Just never found a good plane for it. I am currently planning to put my 3W 70 in the Sukhoi but it really belongs in my Carden Extra. If the G-62 is really enough power to exploit the potential of this plane I could keep the 70 in the Carden. One thing I don't want to do is put the to little power in the plane. Since Tom isn't going to be selling them, getting a replacement cowl for it if you choose to change engines down the road is probably going to be time consuming & I don't want to go through the hassle. I want enough power to get the Pogo Stick effect mentioned above but hate to keep the Carden down & still have a new engine on the shelf I haven't got a plane for.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

cstevec--All I have to do is attach the pull-pull, mount receiver and rx. I have been busy lately and I have put this on the back burner. Tom flew the prototype with a heavier g62, maybe he will comment on the performance.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

After flying the prototype with the G-62 my comment to Tom was that he had found a perfect home for the G-62. There aren't many/any composite planes in that size. The plane balanced fine, there was plenty of power for anthing I wanted to do, the weight was fine - really no downside. After flying the overpowered Sukhoi I have, I would gladly put a G-62 back in if I had one as it's all the engine needed to really wring the plane out.

I would expect the G-62 and wraparound pitts muffler to mount completely within the cowl and only require exit holes for the exhaust stacks and cooling air exits.

David McCutchen

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

On mine, the tip of the plug is the only exit besides the exhaust stack. I plan on opening the luevers (sp) for air exit and some slight baffling.

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

I did not open the luevers (sp) on this or the prototype, just alot of work and one wrong cut would look horrible. I have not baffled the ZDZ and it does not appear to be running the least bit hot, but it isn't 100+ in Texas yet and it rarely gets over 1/3 throttle anyway.

DM

RE: Wild Hare Sukhoi
 

You are right, I better be careful or I will be doing a lot of work correcting my mistakes!!

If I did not have a lightened g62 laying around I was going to put an spare BME110 on it, just for the hell of it. It weighs the same or less than most 80's. Throttle management would have been a real concern:D