New Stooge and flying problems.

[W.D. Roland]

Home made Stooge so I can practice more.
Finding help in control line around here is impossible.

Using an old U-Reely with one line removed to operate stooge.
This allows me to set length to comfort distance and various line lenghts.
Makes rolling up release line simple and easy!

David

[W.D. Roland]

Flying Problems

The problems I am having make me wonder if the laws of physic's have change in last 30 years!

Airplanes seem to fly good but get wobbly on 2nd and 3rd loops
Airplanes are a Smoothie/fox .35 and a Chipmunk/ ST .35 stunt.

I think part of my problem is .018 lines.
Have ordered a spool of .015 from MBS and  hoped it comes in this week in this week.

Another problem may be trying to fly to slow a lap speed.
Any info on lap time would be helpful.
60-70ft measured from handle to thrust line numbers best for length suggestions.

Engine run/tank height problems should be solvable fairly easily.

Any ideas on how to fix the weather?
Rain for last 5 days and more on the way.

If these problems can be solved then I can start to learn pattern!

3 weekends left to solve before BR contest.

Hope the lighter lines make a major improvement.


David
51336

[Jim Thomerson]

If you are flying in calm, you need to take a step back between each loop to get the airplane out of the previous loop's wake. This is a particular problem with the triangles (I've bounced twice by not stepping back.)

At your stage, I would say fly the airplanes as fast as you are comfortable with.  Run the engine where it is happy and fly the airplane at a speed where it is happy.  This is a matter of fooling with props, mostly.  Then adjust line length to get a comfortable lap time.  A foot change in line length makes about 0.1 sec change in lap time. 

[Alan Hahn]

David,
You don't say (or at least I didn't pick it up) how fast you are currently flying (aka lap time) or exactly what line lengths you are using.

On Nobler sized planes, I typically run no more than 60 foot 0.015 lines and fly at lap times of 5.0 to 5.1s. That's what feels comfortable to me. Some guys can fly slower, but I think they are still using ~60 foot lines, or even 60 foot handle to centerline of plane.

[W.D. Roland]

Alan
Have not put a stop watch on them yet.
lines or old .018s from combat, that should make about 60.5-61ft thrust line to handle.
Seems to be as fast as slow combat in the 70s.
The truth is that I have gotten slower since the 70s!

Jim
I think I am making a mistake by trying to fly and trim them at to slow a speed.
Partly from running on the rich side to avoid damage from a lean run while making sure fuel supply is remaining constant.

What little flying I have been able to do has had the down wind side near some trees that may have been reflecting the wake/turbulence?

Late one evening did get to do 1 flight away from the trees over the concrete runway that is 180% from the trees..
Backed up enough to not be over the concrete and while flying level inverted hit a tree limb! that's how close the trees were, they are gone now(the trees).
Damage to the Shoestring was minor with the inverted landing doing more harm than the tree limb.
The wobbling seemed much less away from the trees.

If the rain will stay away will get a stop watch on them this weekend.
Looks like the .015s will be in for the weekend as well.

Thanks guys
David
51336

[jim gilmore]

What a let down...I was expecting to see moe larry curly , shemp and ?



ok i,m looking for some good humor and there was damn little today...

[W.D. Roland]

If things don't start improving for me with stunt then I guess I will have to be the 4th stooge.

Will look pretty silly having to fly a combat plane in the upcoming stunt contest

At least I think I still know how to make a bladder tank run constant.
Should be able to complete the pattern in 2 minutes or less, will need to fill the judges with coffee so they dont notice the speed.
Probably should have a stretcher handy to haul me off the field.

Speedy
The 5th stooge
51336

[peabody]

I would suggest lines of around 57' length...eye to eye...and lap times around 4.9 or 5.0...longer lines or slower speeds will cause stalls

Have fun!

[john e. holliday]

Only if you over control.  Did you make that stooge?  Also when you drop the U-reely it is going to be hard on the handle.  Don't be in such a rush to get ready for the contest, just take your time and relax.  Go to the contest as you will learn a lot.  Of course if you flew a lot of competition combat you knew that.  Have fun,  another weekend without flying.  Getting fed up with doctors.  DOC Holliday

[W.D. Roland]

Was thinking about dropping the U-reely.....
Not going to be good for it.
Probably will kneel down for release and then stand up.
Have also thought about just pulling it with the heal of shoe, not good dragging it through the dirt.....
Also have pictured having a pole with a saddle to drop it on to---just asking for problems..
Where there is a will the should be a way.
Tomorrow am I find out!

Yes made the stooge the other night.
Like most things might would have done some of it different, although I see problems even with the changes I would possibly make.

Well the .015 lines made it to the post office today--I did not make it before they closed.
When did the post office start closing at 10am on Saturday?

Well--I have 2 more U-reelys and they have .015 line, 80ft of it!!!!!!
So I robbed the line from one and made a set 58.5ft eye to eye.
Hoping I will find alot of problems solved with the lighter lines.

Had planed on using that U-reely for testing for optimum line length.
The other one is brand new in box never touched.
May put line back on other one to do the testing.......

Have never flown with an angled handle like the U-reely but certainly should be able to compensate enough to do 3 loops in a row to check lengths out.
Ah--I take that back--Fox made some angled handles and I did fly some with one of those, never really liked it.

I like to fly with the small Hot rocks.
Have 3 good ones left, guess I should armaral them or something to help preserve the plastic.
I do have a cast metal one that looks like hot rock and has a thumb screw adjustment so that fine tuning in flight is easy.

Guess I better go check motor mount bolts and filters and such.Ah-find the stop watch.
In the early AM, if no wind or rain I am going flying!!!!!!!!
Got to weed eat next to runway first.

Keeping my fingers crossed and hopping it all starts falling into place.

Thanks guys

David
51336

[W.D. Roland]

Thanks Guys!
Things are getting better!

3 lap averages per lap
C.G shoestring 4.84
Smoothie 5.67
Chipmunk 5.1

Much better.
this was at 59ft eye to eye. Now that my bulk .015 is in hand will make up a set of 58ft, 57ft , 56ft and see what happens. then can shorten long ones to match best.

The Smoothie probably needs speeding up with a better prop. has Master airscrew on it.
Worst problem is the old tank fills filter with rust after about 5 laps, so hard to say.
May fill with phosphoric acid (metal prep) for a few hours if it does not clear up with flushing.
Will change tank out and refinish it this winter--I hope.

The S.T. on the Chipmunk seems to need more break in, runs like its overheated after 1/2 or so tank.

As far as flying basically have all 3 stable through 3 loops and 3 figure 8s

The Shoestring seems ready to start my pilot training on the pattern.
Not great on squares but it will do for now.

So now it is back to raining and supposed to last 6-7 days.
Guess i can start on the Shark 45--like i need something else to sort out!


David

[John Cralley]

Go to your home supply or hardware store and buy a "chalk line reel" -- the kind you fill with powdered chalk. I got a metal one for about $3 a while back. Put a clip on the end of the line and you are in business. You don't have to worry about tossing it on the ground (which you should do -- well away from the center of the circle -- I've been tied up in a stooge line and it is NOT fun).

My two cents.

[W.D. Roland]

John that is what I need to do is get a chalk box. Someone said that before and a case of brain fade deleted it apparently.

So far have not tried the stooge as my lovely bride came down and did the launching honers!

So I have a couple of the airplanes ready to start trying the beginners pattern so I sit down to take a good hard look at the pattern and WHOOPS!

I do not know how to do a real figure 8!!!
Now I know what Dad was trying to tell me when I was a know it all young smart axx combat kid.
He would say ' that's not a figure 8 that's a lazy 8' and I would look at him like he was nuts and keep right on doing what now I know is not a proper figure 8.

O-well I wanted something new to learn and apparently learning stunt is going to keep me busy a long time!
the learning curve now looks like the side of the mountain and not th bump in the road I originally thought!!

[Mike Spiess]

Go to your home supply or hardware store and buy a "chalk line reel" -- the kind you fill with powdered chalk. I got a metal one for about $3 a while back. Put a clip on the end of the line and you are in business. You don't have to worry about tossing it on the ground (which you should do -- well away from the center of the circle -- I've been tied up in a stooge line and it is NOT fun).

My two cents.

Thats what I use but I replaced the line with orange strait line found at building supplier. Also I tried using spikes to hold it down but in the summer it somtimes gets really dry and i cant pound them in the ground. So I went with a plate steel elevator weight. I have used a Fox 50 on it and it has yet to move while using it.