What is it with me and landing gear?

BEAUTIFUL DAY today. Took the Sbach and the Pulse XT60 out this afternoon. The Pulse started, ran fine, flew well, but discovered a small problem. The Sbach started but wouldn't run right. I removed the cowl, tuned her and she ran fine, but lacked something. I was flying her with the 12x8x3 blade, and she didn't seem to like it. I put the 2 blade 13x8 back on, small tweaks to the needles and she found her somethin'-somethin'! She wants the two blade. Sweet.

After the third flight, the first with the two blade, she rolled out after a nice landing and her gear just came right off. Right. The. Frick. Off.

Reset the crash clock...

The fore and aft tabs on the hard plate, and glue on those two longitudinal stringers was it. Thin balsa held the tabs in front. This was just begging to fail.

I did manage to find a muffler extension length and position to keep most of the exhaust oil off the fuselage.

The Pulse flew well. Her engine still sputters in the mid ranges, sweet at WOT. But her elevator servo will twitch once or twice up when the vibrations hit on WOT. I saw this is I gunned it, both in flight and on takeoff. It does it once, pitching the nose up then goes back, aa quick up flick. I bet this is what happened  when she flipped over her wing and threw the fuse cover. Need to replace that servo I guess.

So, the gang is all here. The Sbach is already fixed, strengthened the attachments. Still looking for a used 30cc gas engine for the MX-Bach. Here's hoping the Sbach and the Pulse become dependable.

A pattern is emerging...

Is this my new thing? I get to the field and a perfectly good engine won't start. And when I get home I make a couple of random changes, and she starts.

On putting the Sbach wings on I found the extension from the reciever to the left wing servo lead had one pulled wire, and a second pulled when I removed it. Fixed that.  Then tried to start her, nada. I really didn't feel like trying too hard to fix her at the field. Couldn't do much, didn't even have a tool to remove the spark down among the fins.

At home I found a slight pinch in the fuel line from the 3-way to the engine and slung it straight. Found the ignition wire plastic spiral coat melting on the muffler extension, and slung it out of the way.  This choke-less motor needed me to manually choke the air inlet, and she started right up, but would stall at idle. Needed to re-tune her low needle, then reset the idle end point, it just has to be really rich. For giggles I had ordered a Du-Bro 3 blade spinner, and put a 12x8x3 prop on her.

Luke, my son, came out with me and took a pic.

And helped me put her together and apart.

Bad girl...

I had brought the Pulse XT60 having repaired my head-wedge mistake, but the resting winds waxed and waned to 7-8 mph, with 14 mph gusts. I could fly her fine but I wasn't in the mood.

Meh. Two days of work, then it's the 4th, so I won't be able to fly for a few days.

That's just embarassing....

Yeah... that's why it wouldn't start.

Last week I fixed the loose muffler and replaced the gasket.

No words.

So once I fixed that she started and runs perfectly. But of course I didn't notice the gasket when I took the engine completely apart, cleaned and rebuilt it. It was as I was putting the muffler back on, the first off-last on part, that I  noticed the gasket. The other good thing is that the black tank stopper was indeed leaking, so I replaced it with a brown gas compatible stopper.

Magnificent Sbach Maiden

I started my day with the Pulse XT60 not wanting to start. Spark good, looks like fuel good... I have no idea why.  I like to fly something else before a maiden, but here we are. I was not in the mood to try to figure it out and lose flying time.

So I put the wings on the Sbach, fueled her up, and she started, but would not idle, quit.  Finally had to take the cowl off and worked her for an hour before I got her running with a good WOT and a good idle. Really want a start and fly gasser. 

She took off with a perfect roll out and lift off, powered out like a demon. I would find her a bit nose heavy needing some trim. I removed that extra battery when I got home. She has good but not unlimited vertical. I had figured the gas would trim her out to CG and I think that's right. Looking forward to seeing how she flies without the extra battery.  I also had to lessen the DRs all around quite a bit, she is very sensitive. She takes off so nicely. I landed her a bit hot, fast and low, even with flaperons, and she rolls it out quite a bit. 

The vortex generators do soften the stall, its later, not as sudden. Power, aileron and rudder brought her out quickly but there needs to be some space underneath.

She is going to be a sweet flier and I am going to really enjoy her!

Now... that damn RCGF 20cc engine on the XT60.

SBach Evolution 10cc Ready to Fly!

I ordered these 2S 2700 mAh LiPOs from Bangood as they were cheap and I thought I could use them as a second battery in the Sbach and the Pulse XT60. They came in today. They were advertised as having a EC3 connector, but these are like EC2... that's an EC3 in the middle. Changed them out. Ends up I needed one to balance the CG in the SBach.

The header/muffler extensions came in and I installed them this morning. I had bought some gasket material from a car parts store, and used it to make the gaskets. Now she just barely clears the fuse.

Took her out to the garage today and started her up. She started fine and runs well.

13x8 Master Airscrew Scimitar.

She runs well, but here is a stutter just before reaching full throttle. No matter if I lean her completely, rich her, completely, it's the same. I have a 1 second transit speed on the servo, and it doesn't matter if I have normal or 1.6 sec, its the same. Nothing I can do to tune it out. We'll have to see how it goes after several flights. 

She runs rich and spews oil all over the side of the aircraft.

So I put the muffler extension on her. It is silicone, soft, so it flutters all over and sprays it everywhere, so I cut it short angled, and turned it down. We'll see how it goes.

Cowl on, looks pretty good! The muffler gets pretty hot, we'll have to see how it does against the cowl.

The muffler doesn't stick out as obtrusively as I expected.

I turned the extension to face down and out from this position.

All set up and ready to go!

I had to put the new battery in alongside the tank. I can fly one (the green Pulse) and then the other. All day flying! I needed the weight to attain the CG, she was very tail heavy. I think she will be a bit nose heavy with the full tank.

The turned down extension. It might be too short, so I have ordered a couple of replacements.

I am hoping to be able to maiden her tomorrow!

Still waiting

Waiting for the extensions... the got mailed today, should be here in a couple of days. The bolts arrived.

I want to mention these amazing and incredibly well priced wing bags from Hobby King. They come in a variety of sizes. They range in price from around $15-25. They are well made and the build quality is top shelf.

I have three of them, had to wait on the small one as they don't stay in stock for long.

This is where the muffler will hang out.

On a whim I painted the muffler black. I also cut the slot for the extensions. And I am waiting.

Pretty much done, Sbach update

Pretty much have the Sbach 10cc Evolution done! Waiting on the muffler extensions and the long bolts to attach it.

Tslil wheel and the steering bar installed.

Since the engine is pretty much inside the cowl, I want to increase the airflow through the fuse. I opended a hole on the back bottom of the fuselage and...

Installed a louver I had sitting around.

Installed the cowl, and it fits perfectly with some cut outs. The only cut out left is for the muffler.

Carb inlet and cylinder head/spark cut outs.

Installed the 13x8 Master Airscrew and a carbon fiber spinner that fits. The kit didn't come with the spinner, but I didn't bother to write them as I was going to use this or a chrome spinner. As always, considering a 3 blade prop, but I may stick with this one, I expect it to scream.

For the time being I took off the cowl so I can start the engine and make sure it runs well. Didn't have time today, and I need to wait for the extensions and screws. They should be here in the next few days!