Life is Good

[Tim Wescott]

I woke up this morning, depressed about the economy and it's impact on yours truly (business is really down right now).  Then #1 son didn't get out of bed in time to go to orchestra, and we had one of those nice three-way teenager-parent arguments that make everyone so happy when the kid finally moves out.  Then I went flying.

I had gotten disgusted with the OS 25S in the Waiex -- when it flew right it was OK, but it was hard to get it right and it was never better than just OK.  I have a garage-sale Skyray with an OS 20FP in it, so last night that engine went into the Waiex (same bolt pattern, one or two mm longer, and a tad heavier).  Thursday night I had put a trailer socket on the club's grass roller so it'd go nicely onto the mower, and I rolled & mowed (well, scalped) the CL circle.

Boy oh boy, am I satisfied now!  I had not realized just how much difference rolling a lawn makes to ground handling.  This field that used to be an airplane eater will now let me make proper takeoffs and landings (pending me getting better, at least).  Further, the 20FP makes a world of difference to the plane.  I can't tell if it's just the right size for the plane or not, but the plane's about the same size as the Skyray, only with flaps and a bit thicker airfoil.  It flies way better than the Skyray, and is now back to being a better airplane than my flying ability, meaning that I can grow into it some.

So I'm happy.

[Clint Ormosen]

Amazing what a difference double the horsepower makes.

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Tim,
How about a photo of your Waiex?
Not sure I know what one looks like.

Glad to hear someone is burning fuel.

[Tim Wescott]

The surprise wasn't as much that the new motor did better -- it was the difference that a little bit of rolling makes to grass.

Here's an old picture -- I need to take some new ones, given that I (finally!) got the decals on.  I need to take them from a good distance away, because I took a suggestion on an RC group and just used printer paper covered with shipping tape.  It looks fine from five or more feet away, but when you get close it's kinda icky.  It's fine for a beginner's pattern model, because there's no appearance points, but after that...

Here's the website for the real thing, so you can see just closely I reproduced the original: http://www.sonexaircraft.com/aircraft/waiex.html

[Bill Little]

Sounds like two real good things happened for you!   Smoother circle is always nice, ain't it?  Ad you will appreciate the extra power of the .20FP more and more.  Stock venturi/NVA, E2030 muffler and APC 9-4 prop?   That's the Brett Buck Tune up, as I'm sure you know, and has worked better around here for us that any other set up.  Set about 2-3 clicks back off full song.

Now you can start to get some meaningful practice in when the weather permits!  Your background in building good R/C models will serve well in moving up in CLPA.  Knowing how to build straight, and all that goes into building a CLPA model that works, just gives a big helping hand towards improvement.

Marc S. is a prime example.

Big Bear

[Tim Wescott]

I'm not sure which muffler it is, or how to find out -- but today I had a way-rich flight (don't ask), and after blubbering around for a while it got on the step and moved out at exactly the same speed it had gone in the previous flights.  That sounds a lot like Brett's "almost like it has a pipe" behavior.

It's got a Master Airscrew prop on it right now -- I didn't want to risk the nice props on the nasty field.  But I may have that licked, and if so I should try the APC that's sitting there in my flight box.

Next step is to build rev 1 with the nose extended and a hollow rear fuselage.  That should let me leave about 3oz of brass on the workbench instead of mounted on the nose, and maybe get better flying from lighter weight!

[Bill Little]

I'm not sure which muffler it is, or how to find out -- but today I had a way-rich flight (don't ask), and after blubbering around for a while it got on the step and moved out at exactly the same speed it had gone in the previous flights.  That sounds a lot like Brett's "almost like it has a pipe" behavior.

It's got a Master Airscrew prop on it right now -- I didn't want to risk the nice props on the nasty field.  But I may have that licked, and if so I should try the APC that's sitting there in my flight box.

Next step is to build rev 1 with the nose extended and a hollow rear fuselage.  That should let me leave about 3oz of brass on the workbench instead of mounted on the nose, and maybe get better flying from lighter weight!

You are headed in the right direction!  Th muffler will have E2030 in raised lettering where the muffler meets the exhaust stack.  That particular muffler works like a pipe in the sense that it functions as a governor.  AS you know, we don't really use pipes now for a "speed boost" like most of the other model airplane genre do.  We use them to control the run.  The 2030 has a baffle in just the right place for this for some strange reason.   With Brett's set up, it will allow the plane to fly at almost the exact same speed everywhere in the flight.

Big Bear

[wwwarbird]

 With all the bulls--t that we deal with in our daily lives, it's this hobby, and my friends within it that keeps me sane. Sane, at least according to me.

[Tim Wescott]

You are headed in the right direction!  Th muffler will have E2030 in raised lettering where the muffler meets the exhaust stack.

It's an E2030 all right.  I wonder how much of that regulation is from the muffler, and how much is the engine porting.

I bought that engine from my nephew, attached to a Sig Skyray; he was getting ready to garage-sell a bunch of stuff and asked if I wanted the engine for $5.00.  I convinced him to bring me the whole plane, paid him $10.00, and I still feel a bit guilty given how much fun I've had with the whole shebang.

I think I'm going to put the 25S on the Skyray and call it a trainer, see if anyone in my RC club wants to learn CL!

[Neville Legg]

I woke up this morning, depressed about the economy and it's impact on yours truly (business is really down right now).  Then #1 son didn't get out of bed in time to go to orchestra, and we had one of those nice three-way teenager-parent arguments that make everyone so happy when the kid finally moves out.  Then I went flying.

Sounds like the beginning of an 'ole blues song!

Cheers

[Tim Wescott]

Here's a picture or three: