stunthanger.com
Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Paul Taylor on January 17, 2007, 04:06:22 PM
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I have found a old Flite Streak trainer.
Here are my questions:
Can I make any mods to this trainer to make it handle better in order for me to learn say an overhead 8?
Here is what I am thinking of doing.
The plane is rated for a .15 -.25. Can I hang a Fox .35 on it for more power? The plane is a bit of a pig.
Enlarge the stab / elev. How much?
This way if we plant it into the ground nothing lost.
Please advise.
Thanks!
Link to Brodak page with Plane info:
http://www.brodak.com/shop_productdetail.php?ProductID=2559
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Yes, Step away from the Flite Streak Trainer and get a Sig Skyray or a Brodak Flite Streak kit. Or get a set of Mongoose plans from Barry Baster.
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I have a SkyRay, but I saw on the Brodak site that it says Stunt trainer or combat.
I do practice with my SkyRay, but thought that if I could truly use this to train with, why not.
So can I get a little bit better performance if I make some mods?
I am going to make some changes. It disparately needs a new stab / elev and I will enlarge it. Maybe add a little to the wing span, and maybe a stationary flap.
What say ye?
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RE: your merlin flyby.
I used to live near Van Nuys airport and heard quite a few of their home-based Mustangs. I'd always go out to take a look when I heard a Merlin. One time I was surprised when I expected to see a 'Stang and instead it was a Spitfire in a vertical bank right over my house, WOW was that neat!
don Burke
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Paul:
I fly numerous Flight Streaks w/Fox 35's. But the trainer is quite a bit lighter. However, it may work since you are adding some area to the wing and enlarge the stab to hold it down. Since the 35 may need to swing a bigger prop, you may want to consider ground clearance and you will need some tail weight, due to the heavier motor, which will make your pig a "super pig." It may be a lot of work to get to the same point as building a full size FS. But then, you may create a whole new animal, that actually flies!! Let us know what happens.
Jim
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RE: your merlin flyby.
I used to live near Van Nuys airport and heard quite a few of their home-based Mustangs. I'd always go out to take a look when I heard a Merlin. One time I was surprised when I expected to see a 'Stang and instead it was a Spitfire in a vertical bank right over my house, WOW was that neat!
don Burke
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i have a full size flite streak arf with an OS.FP .20 with 9.5 apc on it and it fly like a bat outa hell some would even say to fast but still flys very nice. got lucky it sounds like because i was going to get the trainer.
mark
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I have found a old Flite Streak trainer.
Can I make any mods to this trainer to make it handle better in order for me to learn say an overhead 8?
The plane is rated for a .15 -.25. Can I hang a Fox .35 on it for more power? The plane is a bit of a pig.
Enlarge the stab / elev. How much?
Please advise.
Paul,
The Brodak Flite Streak Trainer is a BASIC flight trainer, and not designed for acrobatics, regardless of how the writeup describes it. It has a flat bottom airfoil, and is very limited as to maneuvers it is capable of.
It is rated for a .15 - .25 ci engine, but with an OS25LA, the balance point was 1 inch AHEAD of the leading edge of the wing, so we replaced that with an OS15LA which is the correct size engine for that design. A Fox 35 would turn it into a Rat Racer.
If your flying skills have passed the "basic flight" category, I would recommend giving the plane to someone just learning how to fly.
What plane have you been using that has you up the point of learning the overhead eight?
Good planes for basic stunt training are the Ukey35 and the SIG Skyray. It's best not to reinvent the wheel here, but go with proven designs that people have had good success with.
Incidently, the young lady in the photo, did almost all of the construction of the FST herself, including mixing of the 'custom' color (actually quite a striking pink and red), and then proceeded to "solo" after 6 assisted flights.
Cheers.
Warren Wagner
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Hi Paul,
While I think it has been covered here as to why NOT to use the Streak Trainer, I owuld go ahead and mess with it if you have the time. I believe you can leaarn a lot from your own experimentation. Again, if you have the time!
A flat bottom wing can fly an overhead 8 (heck, the 1/2A Sarpolous sheet wings do it!) but I wouldn't want to try and get "good" at it with one. :D
If you can do it successfully, you will learn a lot about props, aerodynamics, and such, that can tell you what does and doesn't work from experience.
Bill <><