Trim II

[john e. holliday]

I have followed Matt's post on the trim issue.  But, at one time I had an ARF Flite Streak.  It was powered with an OS LA 25 with Top Flite 10-4 prop.  I was putting it thru the pattern on first flight.  Never came in at me at any time, even in overheads.  It flew with the outboard up upright and down inverted.  Of course you know no flaps or separate elevators.

My flying partner at the time did not like the looks of it flying that way.  It had one of his fuel tanks on it so I could get a full pattern.  The wing was checked and rechecked, it was straighter than any wing I could or have ever built.  The stab/elevator were in alignment. 

Anyway the second time out I notice him digging in the trash barrel.  He said we are going to fix this plane.  Yep, a pair of scissors were taken to a Coke can.  Trim tab put on.  After two flights we had it flying level.  I could not tell any difference in the flying other than how it looked.  He also flew it and stated it still feels the same.  He flew it the first day I had it out to see how it compared to his at the time. 

Anyway it wound up being the Grandaughters plane.  She flew it until she took over the Brodak Mauler.  It went the way of some planes.  Waiting for a new nose.  DOC Holliday

[phil c]

A plane with adequate tip weight will generally hang out there just fine, until you get into really hard corners.  Happens all the time with combat planes.  The only way to really find a warp is to fly some full control loops both directions if it doesn't come in at you, try some full control eights.  Could be the FliteStreak just couldn't turn tight enough to get into trouble, which makes it great for sport flying.  Even so, if the wing does have a warp, there will always be some combination of wind, airspeed, and turn that will get you into trouble when turning one direction, but not the other.

[Willis Swindell]

John
Could be the landing gear and muffler are below the center line of the wing.
Willis