gentle lady

[patv]

Hi All,
Just got my Gentle Lady ARF today. I'm reading the instructions for the second time and wondered if anyone had any words of wisdom, tips or suggestions from experience before I finish the assembly and install the gear.

[aeajr]

It is more convenient to transport the wing if you leave it as two pieces.

You can join it at the field with clear packing tape, then remove it at the end of the day to pack it back up.

Before you set your electroncis in, see how the plane might balance. approximate positions. You may be able to move some things forward which will reduce the need for lead to balance the plane.

If you look at the photos of my Spirit, you can see that I made a new fuselage after a crash. The servos were originally over the CG. under the wing. When I redid it, I shifted them forward along with the receiver and battery. Now instead of 4.5 oz of lead to balance it, I balance with 1 oz. Shed 3.5 ounces or aobut 12% of the weight.



Other than that, you have one sweet plane.

[patv]

Aeajr,

Thanks for the pictures. I'll take your advice and do some test balancing to reduce the need for additional weight.

How much tape do you use to join the wings? One strip along the joint or multiple pieces across the joint?

Pat

[aeajr]

I pull the halves tight together then one 2" wide strip starting at the top rear, going around the front then all the way to the rear, then over to join the end. Very solid!

If you feel the need you could add a 4" piece across that top and bottom but I never needed it.

[aeajr]

This crash was the result of a failed winch launch. Both wings had to be rebuilt near the root and the outer panels.

I am still using he original wing joiner and the tape never let go.

[John Gallagher]

Does the GL ARF come with the two piece wing option? I believe that it doesn't have the option unless you devise a wing joiner, center ribs, etc.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe the wing comes in two pieces only for easy shipping. You have to glue the center together.
The kit GL has the option of the three piece wing.

[erich]

aeajr

Re post #2. Your new fuselage has a big yellow thing right under the wing saddle area. Since it can't be the battery, what is it? Just being nosy.

thanks
erich

[aeajr]

Actually it is a battery. I built an electric power pod for hte plane. That is hte pack. I was fitting it so it sits exactly over the CG so putting it in the plane will not require rebalancing.

However, with the 3 oz of weight taken out, the plane flies so well, I have never actually put the power pod on it to fly.

[erich]

Oh!!! What a maroon. I shoulda been able to figure that. My mind is so stuck on straight
gliders, it never occured to me.

Thanks aeajr
erich

[aeajr]

BTW, two other things I did to reduce the balance weight.

The little yellow pack in the front of the red fuselage is not the real receiver battery. I am using a 4 AA 1100 mah nimh pack, so that is weight, but it is useful weight. Last thin is I drilled into the nose block and that is where my 1 oz of weight resides. By putting it there, a smaller amount of weight has a bigger impact because it is further away from the CG. If I put it in the weigh box, I think it took 1.3 oz.

Not huge, but just a bit more reduction.

Enjoy that GL. It is a WONDERFUL plane. You will love it!

[John Gallagher]

I pull the halves tight together then one 2" wide strip starting at the top rear, going around the front then all the way to the rear, then over to join the end. Very solid!

If you feel the need you could add a 4" piece across that top and bottom but I never needed it.

aeajr,
Are you talking about the spirit or do you have a Gentle Lady ARF?

You can also save even more weight in your Spirit if you replace the standard size servos with HS-81's. You'll need to increase the nose ballast, but you'll still wind up saving about one ounce more because of the increased moment arm.

[aeajr]

I am talking about a Spirit. Just using it as an example of what can be done and the impact it can have

Actually I did do a test on that with some borrowed 81s. There would have been about a 1/2 oz saving on my plane. Decided not to use 81s as I would have had to buy the 81s and I had these in the original fuse. Decided to stay with these.

Besides, if you take out too much weight it gets so light, it launches itself. That's no fun! :)

In fact, with my pushing everything forward, the 81s would have fit better. If I were fitting the Spirit out again today, I would use HS-81s rather than these standard size servos. They are plenty strong. I use them in other planes.

Good point!