Oly II

[Soar_dude]

A couple of weekends ago I had a chance to fly my friends Oly II. Now my question has to do with the rudder and turning it seemed to take forever for it to get into a turn is this normal for the Oly II? I am used to flying my Spirit 100" and Grand Illusion which seem to turn on a dime in comparison. Is the rudder to small for this glider?

Soar Dude

[tunabiker]

I've just finished an Oly II and flown it for about 10 days. Yes, it is slow, but that is good for me. I'm new to soaring and I tend to jerk around, swoop and stall and Oly minimizes this for me. Still, with the nose down a bit it covers ground pretty well. I've been told that the rudder configuration (don't remember what it's called, but the inverted "L" shape) is not as efficient as making the pivot all the way to the top.

Bottom line, I'm very pleased with the performance of Oly II and I like it better than my Spirit 100 which built very heavy. I believe both are considered pretty classic trainers.

Bill

[JimNM]

Dude - without more specific details, your question is in vain. The setup, flying speed, weight and of course - your expectations - are all unknown quantities. I have flown the OLY II for 15 years - and I can tell you that it will rudder roll and loop AND the wings will tear themselves off in a fit of flutter at high speeds.

If you are moving at minimum airspeed - any ship will turn slowly and stall. At higher speeds, the control surfaces will be more effective.

Be well - fly quitely
JimNM

[Joe Minton]

Re: Oly II rudder response & other modifications

I too plan to build an Oly II (from an original Airtronics kit). I've done some research to see if it can be improved any. It seems that it can.

I have the priviledge of flying with Ed Slobod who designed the Paragon, Gemini MTS, Pierce 970 and a number of other less well known sailplanes. Part of the success and continuing popularity of Ed's planes is that they are easy and fun to fly. The man knows how to makes wooden Poly planes work. When I asked him if there was anything I should do to the Oly, he told me to increase the dihedral of the outer panels by 1-1/2". If I did that, he said, it would turn easier and be much more responsive.

There are other mods you could include:

Make the rudder hinge straight for less drag.
Increase the diameter of the wing rod.
Stiffen the spars with CF.
Use full-width shear webs in the inside half of each inner panel.
Increase (double)the width of the shear webs in the rest of the wing.
And much, much more (do a search).


However, the Oly II is a classic 'free flight' style sailplane. It was meant to be launched by high start of six volt winch; it isn't real strong. If you or I start to make it modern, we'd be better-off just building a more modern ship in the first place.

I'm going to make the dihedral and rudder mods and fly mine off a high start or use a fusible link from the winch. It sure is a pretty plane and I hope to fly mine for many years to come.

Joe

[Soar_dude]

JimNM this is a stock OLY II with spoilers, straight rudder CG was 1/4" behind the spar, and rudder throw was 1" in each direction for a total of 2" stop to stop . This was flying at any speed fast slow medium I could see the rudder all the way over it took a full 2 seconds for it to respond. Once it got into a turn it was alright it would get up on wingtip real nice for a thermal. I am not dogging the plane I think it looks stately in the air a real floater to boot. the reason I am asking about the slow turning was to find out if this common to the Oly II and not worry about it.

Soar Dude

[RBSHOOKS]

I have flown the Oly 2 since it first came out. The things you describe are character for the plane. After breaking the tailfeathers in one of those windy March days in Connecticut I changed the tail to an Aquilla tailfeathers which did two things, it turned much better and it got the elevator up out of the wing-wash. Good luck with it I am sure you will have many hours of pleasant flying. I still have mine and get it out every once in a while to dust it off on a lazy summer afternoon. Sincerely Roger B. Smith AMA 91675

[CHARLIE BRITT 7]

I have been flying an OLY II since 1978 and have not had the problems you are speaking of, you might be flying it too slow.
I did a few mods including the rudder hinge line all the way to the top. I did a D tube mod to the wing and it is very strong, never any fludder.
Buy the way I won standard class at the 1980 nats with it.
Charlie AMA 90890 completed LSF level 4 with all my contest for level V. The OLY II can be competive.

[Soar_dude]

Charlie: No I was not flying to slow I am used to flying my sprit 100" is heavier and flies faster then 2 meters. Even when I had the nose low on Oly it was still slow to get into a turn. As far as the wing flutter he had prblem with it he top sheeted the leading egde of the ing but it still fluttered so we put 1/4 oz. in each leading edge wingtip and that took care of the flutter problem. He feels the same way about it being slow to turn. I wanted to find out if this was same for other folks flying the OlyII

Soar Dude

[CHARLIE BRITT 7]

I think the OLY II is competive in RES, I flew mine last year at Tullahoma Tenn. and got second place and that was the first time i had flown it in about 8 years.
My only Gripe is the wing rod bending, the original airtronics kits had a 7/16's rod and i had 3 or 4 that were bent up.
Question, i just found an allen rench that fits that wing rod tube perfectly I don't think it will bend, will it break????

My wing broak on my AVA so I guess i'll have to fly the OLY II at the Mid-South in RES.

Charlie :o

[Soar_dude]

Mild steel wing rod bends. Tool steel allen wrench flexes like a spring it won't break, let me correct that the wing will fail somewhere else before the tool steel does

soar dude

[uniquewon]

JimNM this is a stock OLY II with spoilers, straight rudder CG was 1/4" behind the spar, and rudder throw was 1" in each direction for a total of 2" stop to stop . This was flying at any speed fast slow medium I could see the rudder all the way over it took a full 2 seconds for it to respond. Once it got into a turn it was alright it would get up on wingtip real nice for a thermal. I am not dogging the plane I think it looks stately in the air a real floater to boot. the reason I am asking about the slow turning was to find out if this common to the Oly II and not worry about it.

Soar Dude


I own an Oly II and built it from plans way back when Lee designed it. First, in my opinion, you need way more rudder throw than 1 ince either way. I use all I can get, my Oly turns on a dime and fast. About 10 -12 years ago we put an Astro 05 geared in the nose and I started flying it with a 7 cell nicad pack with a folding prop. I can get three climbs to better than hi start altitude with one charge and the old OLY still thermals great. Yes, it's a little heavy compared to standard but it lets me fly in places that I can't stretch out a Hi Start. I have spoilers also, it's a great plane, just increase the rudder throw to the MAX you can get....

Gene

[CHARLIE BRITT 7]

Thanks for the info on the Allen Wrenches and Gene I am with you, set up all the rudder throw you can get and it will turn. Never had elev problems eather also i had ballast blocks made up to about 12 oz which helped when the wind got to15-20 at contest time.
Charlie

[CHARLIE BRITT 7]

Here are some pics of my OLY II.
Some Of the Mods, I guess i might have enlarged the rudder some but it turns good. :p

[JimNM]

Ohhh - now the truth comes out... "1/4 oz lead in each wing tip...to reduce fluter" - THERE is your problem, you have weighted the end of you wings down with a huge handicap! Your moment of inertia (I just like the way that sounds, so forgive me if I'm using the wrong term) is causing the reluctance to turn by making the wing tip HEAVIER than designed, which may make the plane more stable BUT stability will resist turning! I have only ever fluttered the wings on my OLY-II with the battery and motor (pylon set up) in place. When I hant to just thermal - I take out the motor and battery - and the OLY II will FLOOOOOAT.

Have fun -
JimNM

[Soar_dude]

Sorry Jim that is not it. My buddy said it still turns the same before we put the weight in it. I beginning to see that the size of the rudder and the amount of through is the culprit here I will let him know so he can make some changes.

Soar Dude