My spoiler looks terrible...Paragon! Will it more harmful?

[Magna]

Hi all

After some 2 months, I finished building the Paragon and covered and converted to E Power with radio setup completed last night.

I decided to built in the spoiler as I have gotten many advice that Paragon needs one as it will stay up forever.

As this is my first time building the spoiler from scratch and seeing some of the input from here, I start to wonder if I have done more damage than harm. My only gripe is that the spoiler gap between the side and trailing edges is as wide as 1/20 to 1.5/20 inch. Most recommendation as narrow as 1/32, but I was rushing through my building and I never thought of such critical points. And it is not consistent gap. some more, some less!

The Spoiler is about 1inch wide over 5rib bay wide. Its from my other plane Aileron. Its located behind the spar and it is not exactly curve to match the top wing profile. However, it sitting completely flush and individually link up with a Waypoint 84 Servo so I can adjust them accordingly.

It can goes up to almost 60degree.

Question is will I still get good lift and ruined the thermaling ability that the Paragon is famous for, and just how much such shordy work damage the lift...???

[Sparky Paul]

You haven't lost a thing. The spoiler's influence when stowed will be minimal.

[rdwoebke]

I can assure you as bad as your spoilers look, mine are worse. And I have lost count of the number of 30+ minute flights I have had with the Paragon. I have had 2 1hr+ flights (1hr:53min is the best I have done).

Having the spoilers was a good thing when I was on my 1 hr LSF 4 thermal goal and decided to stay up longer and then at 1 hr 53 heard the TX start beaping low battery. :-) A lesson to be learned for when I get to the stage of the 2 hr for Level5.....

[Magna]

Hi rd and paul

Thanks for the info.

rd, thanks for the shot at the removeable tail! BTW, I have just maidened the e paragon, I will post pic/write up soon.

[rdwoebke]

Magna,

Please do so. I have always planned to do an E fuse for the Paragon, and that was part of the reason I did the removable tail. I cut out extra plywood and balsa fuse parts to make a second electric equiped fuselage.

Ryan

[Tim Jonas]

minimal impact.

[aeajr]

If you can post a photo people can give a more accurate assessment.

[Magna]

OK! How do I post a picture? Do I just post the pic as in attached?

As other said, minimal impact. Actually, I'm not sure because I do not have any reference point since I maidened the flight with the spoiler built in instead of without one.

[aeajr]

to post a picture, do not use the quick reply box at the bottom. Hit the new reply button at the bottom of this post on the left. That will give you a box to type in and a section below that says additional optoins. There is a button for attachments.

The photo must be under 50K in size. I believe. I usually post mine at 640X480 res. this one is about 11K. I call it "soaring toward heaven".

[Magna]

OK, will do that then. I will do a short write up on this since I have converted it to epower. Will snap some shot on the spoiler, motor mount, servo location, removeable tail(Ryan**), batt position etc.

[Magna]

Hi all

OK, I have done the write up and shot/pic of the completed E power paragon.

Ryan, I have included the tail shot for you to look at.

Aeajr, the paragon seems to fly ok, not exactly sure how much lift I lost. You can look at my write up and pictures at Electric Sailplane, called E Paragon....

[aeajr]

Magna,

I don't understand. Where is this write-up? Can you provide a link?

[Magna]

Aeajr

Sorry, I meant a new thread at the Electric Sailplane section. Titled E Paragon: Graceful and Majestic.

[the bone]

Do any of you know the advantages or disavantages to have a servo in each wing or to use the string setup. Are there a weight penality.

The Bone

[aeajr]

If you put servos in the wing, you have to run servo extensions to each servo, place and mount the servo and of courese the weight of the servo. However if you have a radio that will give you travel adjustments, you can adjust the spoilers individually from the radio. In addition if you have the spoiler positively attached to the servo, the servo will hold the spoiler down tight. If you are like to do loops or rolls, this might be important.

If you do strings, you still have to route the string through the wing, but there are no electroncis in the wing and the weight is minimal. Airflow will hold the spoiler down. Many people add a 1/4 oz weight to the spoiler to help keep it closed, so that is about the weight of an 6-8 gram servo. Others have rigged soft rubberbands which have minimal weight.

You mount the control servo in the fuselage, or the center of the wing and only need one and the weight is centralized as opposed to out on the wing. You adjust your spoilers by adjusting the length of the strings.

Either way you have to hook something up when you mount the wing. Some people dislike having to loop the strings over the servo post. Some people find the strings easier to adjust, especially if the radio has limited capablitiy.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Cost wise, the strings are usually cheaper. Weight wise, the strings have the potential to be lighter.

I have one plane set up each way. If I were doing a third, I would probably do the strings.