What a difference an ounce makes!!!

[Paul Taylor]

Well now that Ryan can do most of the advance pattern it is time for dad to play catch up. I have decided to take the next step and if I have to rekit my TwistStang then so be it.
My good friend Zuriel told me to cut some holes in the tale of my Twister in order to help lighten it. And if I needed to add tail weight I could use the holes and just put monokote back over the holes. I checked the CG on the pig of a Twister and it was about a ¼ inch in front of the spar. The last time I flew the plane it turned like a slug. I also had it running way to fast cause it seemed like it wanted to pull my arm off. My buddy Louis told me to slow it down. So I figured both these guys might know a thing or two.
I added an ounce to the back of the plane. (I know that brought the weight up, could have done the same thing by adding a tongue muffler and not added any weight).

Anyway long story short…. I could not stand it today. It is almost a perfect flying day. Over cast skys, cool, and very light winds. (almost calm at times, not good) So on my lunch hour today I put up the Twister to see if it is going to be worthy to teach me a few more stunts. I setup my stooge and started the LA .46 with an 11x5 APC. Tach’ed it at 9600 and launched. I was surprised at how well it turned. I put up three flights. The plane responded very well and turned very quick. I went from hating the way it flew to liking the way it fly’s now. Now I just need to learn how to do a clover leaf, vertical eights, square eights, hour glass, outside squares and reverse wing over. Not in this order. 

[Bob Reeves]

Paul,

From personal experience a half way decent trimmed Twister can get you well into advanced and ya... 1/4 inch in front of the leading edge is not where you want the CG..

[Jim Thomerson]

Last Twister I built had the CG moved forward to 15% MAC, about 1 5/8 in back of the leading edge.  It flew very well and and I won a couple of contests in Advanced with it. 

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Paul. Get Ryan to show you. He did great at the contest. Not sure why he didn't get first. Ask Lewis and tell him to give Ryan that first place trophy.

We got there late and did not know that everything got moved to Saturday. John was nice enough to let him fly in the event. It's all good.
He wanted to do his clover leaf in front of the judges but got blown out due to the high winds.

Next time he comes home from school I will let him teach me. Now that I have a plane I don't care to prang again, and again.

Paul

[Wynn Robins]

OOOOOOOOOHHHH the hourglass - that is FUN one to learn....

I remember learning the pattern a few years back and the hourglass threw me a couple of times.

The others are easy enough to fly - just not fly Well!!!!!  

[Paul Taylor]

Yep I can see that one being a little hard. 

[Ralph Wenzel (d)]

Yep I can see that one being a little hard. 

This from a guy who has never (yet) entered a contest - - -

You can make the Hourglass much easier to do if you remember to "stand it up"! Don't let the down/right leg go out to almost horizontal/inverted, but keep the angle honest. Then the last turn is "only" 120⁰, instead of practically 180⁰! It looks better, scores higher, and is still easier to perform. A win, win, win situation!

Ralph

[Dennis Vander Kuur]

"This from a guy who has never (yet) entered a contest"


Ralph,
Actually Paul has entered a PAMPA contest. He and Ryan flew in the PAMPA Beginner class at Allen Brickhaus' contest in Paducah, Kentucky this summer. Mike Schmitt and I judged their flights. Paul beat out Ryan by two points. Mike and I were impressed at the progress both had made since flying with them the previous year at the "Cheesehead Flyin" up in Wisconsin. We are proud to have "Rootbeard" and "Prop Buster" as flying buddies.
DennisV

[Phil Coopy]

You can fly her a lot slower...mine does the pattern on a LA40 with a 11X4 ZingerPro and launches a 8400.

Phil

[Paul Taylor]

You can fly her a lot slower...mine does the pattern on a LA40 with a 11X4 ZingerPro and launches a 8400.

Phil

We are proud to have "Rootbeard" and "Prop Buster" as flying buddies.
DennisV

Phil, you have to remember that this is a flying pig @ 52 oz. So if I got any slower it would fall out of the sky I think.  Not sure of lap times just yet.

Dennis, It is great that we are considered your flying buddies. We are in good company with you and Mike. Look forward to next year.

Paul

[Andrew Hathaway]

It doesn't take all that much for a plane to hold you back from progress.  A plane that doesn't fly well will be harder to fly through the pattern and more likely to crash then a better plane.  Don't be afraid to place the blame on the plane and build something better.  I like simple unflapped profiles for learning since they're cheap and easy to build, require little or no special trim work, and are more then capable of flying the pattern.  They're also easy to fix, and somewhat disposable.

[Ralph Wenzel (d)]

"This from a guy who has never (yet) entered a contest"


Ralph,
Actually Paul has entered a PAMPA contest. He and Ryan flew in the PAMPA Beginner class at Allen Brickhaus' contest in Paducah, Kentucky this summer. Mike Schmitt and I judged their flights. Paul beat out Ryan by two points. Mike and I were impressed at the progress both had made since flying with them the previous year at the "Cheesehead Flyin" up in Wisconsin. We are proud to have "Rootbeard" and "Prop Buster" as flying buddies.
DennisV

Hi Dennis,
Actually, I was referring to me as never having entered a contest!

Ralph

[Leo Mehl]

Most people can learn the pattern quit fast once they make up thier mind to do so. To do the patern good may take a lot of years and some coaching. In any case it is my take and a good way to think about the airplane is that it is a tool and not a thing of bueaty and is replacible. If it does the pattern well or goes where you tell it to go then it will last longer and if you are lucky you will wear it out before you have to replace it. Sounds to me the twister is a good start.

[Steve Helmick]

Paul....it sounds like you just discovered the "trimming" aspect of flying CL. What I'm wondering about, is why didn't you do this (and more) when the model was new? Don't forget, that if you move the CG, you now need to adjust the leadout position, maybe the handle, and lots of other details. Look at it as a good thing, a learning experience that doesn't stop until the airplane is unable to fly another flight.  Steve

[Paul Taylor]

Paul....it sounds like you just discovered the "trimming" aspect of flying CL. What I'm wondering about, is why didn't you do this (and more) when the model was new? Don't forget, that if you move the CG, you now need to adjust the leadout position, maybe the handle, and lots of other details. Look at it as a good thing, a learning experience that doesn't stop until the airplane is unable to fly another flight.  Steve

Not real sure Steve why I did not do this sooner.

I had the wings level and the plane seem to track good. But when I built this plane I did not shave down any of the nose. So I have what looked like a 2x4 on the front of the plane. No one told me to whittle it down. Unitl I crash and rebuilt the plane did I find out what it weighted, someone brought some scales to the field and I weight it. Came it around 56oz. It flew like a slug.
I then bought a used Tutor II and found out how a plane should fly. So I said to myself, I will try to fix the Twister. I have nothing to lose.
I whittled on the plane and got some weight off. I then added the weight to the tail and it turns better. I will do as you suggest and use this as a learning experience and contuine to make adjustments. Props, RPM as well. 
Thanks for your input, I needed it.

[Steve Helmick]

Paul..."Trimming" includes props, rpm, fuel, line length, venturi size, tank height, tank type, etc., etc., etc. Never stop...it's a learning experience. We have a local guy here who sometimes shows up with an old beater, with some new idea to try out. Sometimes it works. He's a 10-time Nats Champ and Walker Cup winner, etc., etc., etc. His next challenge may be steam powered stunt... Steve

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not sure why you don't throw away the stock muffler and put on a tongue muffler. That will save a lot of weight and give you a better balance at the same time. A Brodak 40 with a tongue muffler would help even more.

[Paul Taylor]

I'm not sure why you don't throw away the stock muffler and put on a tongue muffler. That will save a lot of weight and give you a better balance at the same time. A Brodak 40 with a tongue muffler would help even more.

Alan,
One step ahead of you. I am going to give Randy a holler.

That will make it turn even better.