Laser Arts Sovereign, Build with some minor mods

[chuckand]

Howdy gang,

Over the last few years, I've built various electrics and gliders from kits and scratch (Ritewing Demon, TL50, etc, MM DL50, Liftworx Seeker, Ed Berg Spinner XT, Ultrafly blah blah... etc, etc), however it looks like a Laser Arts Sovereign is on my bench to fly with the local winch crowd, North Alabama Silent Fliers (NASF). Yup, they hooked me up and reeled me in... so I'll be planning to spend some time with 'em in the very near future.

My intentions are to knock out the Sovereign pretty quickly, building mostly stock. Some exceptions will be made to ensure extreme winchability and maybe add minor performance improvements, but nothing that will impact build time too much. I am certain this is an awesome kit box-stock. My nature, however, is to add my own twist; make a better mouse trap. I can't help myself... what can I say.

I hope to get some feedback from y'all regarding a few specific items of interest, however I hope anyone that has helpful commentary will chime in. I have painstakingly searched the Forums for previous Sovereign builds and have read them as best as time allows. When I ask questions, I hope I haven't missed anything that was covered sometime in the last 7 years of production...

OK... enough "date talk," right? Time for some action!

Attached is a pic of the kit as I received it (OK, you got me... the box WAS closed). The item was not "in stock" when I ordered last Friday, however, kits were cut over the weekend, shipped Monday and received Wednesday! Even though the USPS managed to "poke" a few holes in the box (do they use meat-hooks during handling??), all the sheets inside are in perfect condition. Thanks Brian for a GREAT looking kit in durable packaging shipped "Just in Time!" What a great "business model" you have!

I'm still hunting/gathering the last few goodies for the build, but will start joining parts this weekend. Outstanding decisions to be made (and I hope you will help make them!) are as follows:

#1. I do plan to enlarge the tail components per previous Dr. Drela recommendations. I do not think this is absolutely necessary, but it is an easy improvement to both control authority and yaw. I do not have to use it (EPA), but it's easier to add now than later.

#2. I am planning to upgrade the spar assembly with Aramid thread or other minimally invasive composite application (I do not see carbon spar-caps as practical for my goals, for example). I am not sure how much and where to add beyond what the kit calls for with the Dacron thread and would appreciate comments as to this from Dr. Drela and others with experience with such things. I don't wanna go crazy, just add some insurance for winch launching.

#3. I am planning to replace the music wire control rods with teflon-sheathed stainless wire on the outside of the boom (I will be using the stock boom). I see myself using .020 or .022 wire. Comments??

#4. I would like some help looking at the outer wing panels to see if improvements can be made to the tips to reduce drag. If this is overly invasive, I will fly it as designed and likely be none the wiser. If innovation can help me learn something and provide a better airframe as a result though, I'm all for it.

#5. I am considering the JR "Sport" ST47's for servos. I've used them on some of my models and consider them a good value (good centering, fast, good torque, inexpensive). At this point, I have absolutely NO IDEA what weight range I have to play with. The kit plans recommend Hitec HS-101's... which I have not found specs on yet. Comments?

I think that pretty well covers the concerns of the day. I hope you will join me on this adventure and I will look forward to providing updates regularly.

Thank you very much in advance for your comments, guidance, and support!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[georgeg]

Good choice of model. My club has built over 20 Sovereign kits as we fly it in a one design competition. We require the tail shape to remain unchanged but allow spoilers to be added and most everyone built has switched to bolt-on wings. Some people add carbon caps and some don't. They seem to be adequately strong either way. There is another of our members who is active here that I hope will chime in as he has built several of the kits and does a real good job of it.

[chuckand]

...and most everyone built has switched to bolt-on wings. Some people add carbon caps and some don't. They seem to be adequately strong either way. There is another of our members who is active here that I hope will chime in as he has built several of the kits and does a real good job of it.

You bring up another item that fell off my wish list. I wouldn't mind exploring bolt-on options... if I had examples to go by. I couldn't find any in the previous build threads and would not know where to start. If anyone has details for existing bolt-on Sovereign wings, I'd enjoy hearing learning about them!

Thanks for the comments!

Chuck

[hangerdude1]

Chuck,

I have built 6 Soveriegns so far and as George stated I am a member of the same club as he. I have found the stock wing to be extremely strong and will take any winch launch that I have thrown with no problem. The addition of spoilers and definitely a bolt-on wing are a plus. When building the wing I use alphatic resin glue on the spars and webs and I have had no problems with strength. I construct my spoilers out of trailing edge stock. My reasons for going to a bolt-on wing was the first Soveriegn I built was stock with rubberband mounts. The first "dork" landing caused the wing to slide forward wiping out the canopy. Also I am very selective about the 1/8th inch sheet wood used in the tail feathers. On my latest Soveriegn I covered the stab with 3/4 ounce glass cloth both sides using West Systems epoxy resin. I wet everything out, blot off the excess, place between two pieces of plastic on a flat surface weighting with telephone books until the resin cures. For the bolt-on wing I build a laminated center rib wide enough to allow bolts to secure the wing. Each side of this rib I use 16th inch plywood with hard balsa in the center. I attach it to the pod via plywood plates with T nuts on the underside. Attached are some photos which may help. The mods that I do increase the weight but this little plane needs a little ballast especially if you fly where it is windy and it might as well be built in. Good luck.

Thermals,
Ken

[chuckand]

Chuck,

I have built 6 Soveriegns so far and as George stated I am a member of the same club as he.
Ken

Excellent! Thanks for the feedback!

You read my mind on tails. I can laminate with 3/4oz glass and still be lighter than Moneycote or whatever. That's what I've been using on DLG's.

I'll have to think about the bolt-on wing. I'm really on the fence about that one...

I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

This couldn't have come at a better time for me! I picked up a second hand BOT this summer to learn how to fly and now I am hooked! The Sovereign that I ordered was shipped last Saturday but I guess it is hung up in customs (I am in Canada). This will be my first build and I wanted to add the spoilers and the bolt on wing.

Ken... Is your laminated centre rib for the bolt on wing similar to that of the Allegro with hardwood front and back?

Chuck... I will be glued to your build log. I hope you include lots of picks and comments along the way. Man! Am I getting excited now.

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
You gotta do the bolt on wing. Its easy and you won't regret it. Both Todd and I did that mod on our OLY2 kits.
Dave

I'll have to think about the bolt-on wing. I'm really on the fence about that one...

[chuckand]

Chuck... I will be glued to your build log. I hope you include lots of picks and comments along the way. Man! Am I getting excited now.

I'll include as much of my experience as possible... until someone tells me to just shut up! :D

Thinking very seriously about the bolt on wing... I'll roll out the plans tonight and see what my confidence level is... and go from there!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Chuck,
You gotta do the bolt on wing. Its easy and you won't regret it. Both Todd and I did that mod on our OLY2 kits.
Dave

Dave,

Did you do a similar fat center rib (ply sandwiching hard balsa) or did you use more hardwood?

What ply did you use in the fuse? I typically go for overkill, so if you let me know what has worked in your instance, it'll help keep from overdoing it... :rolleyes:

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

I used a piece of clear, fir, I think. It looks a lot like pics in this thread. Just a big spanner block epoxied to the side walls of the fuse. The wing has a block of wood in the fore and aft location epoxied snuggly between the adjacent ribs. I filled the contour with microballoon epoxy. Drilled the wing and fuse together to get a good fit. Tee nuts under the fuse block. I'll bring the airplane to lunch tomorrow.

Dave,

Did you do a similar fat center rib (ply sandwiching hard balsa) or did you use more hardwood?

What ply did you use in the fuse? I typically go for overkill, so if you let me know what has worked in your instance, it'll help keep from overdoing it... :rolleyes:

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[hangerdude1]

Chuck,

You can fabricate the center rib from a piece of hardwood rather than a plywood/balsa sandwich. I have done so on a 3 meter plane I just finished. As for the addition of spoilers, I use 1 inch trailing edge stock for the spoiler blade and install an additional 1/4 x 1/8 spruce spar. I position this spar 1 inch back from the top main spar creating a space for the spoiler. The spar notch I cut in the top of the rib is 1/16th of an inch deep. This allows the sheeting and cap strips to be flush with the top of the spar. The proceeding is done on the center panel only. The tip panels remain the same as stock. My spoilers are 3 rib bays long on each side of the wing. I use HiTech HS 55 servos with a mechanical linkage to activate each spoiler. Good luck with your build. You are really going to like this plane.

Thermals,
Ken

[chuckand]

Well, looks like y'all have talked me into the bolt on wing thing (I'm saving spoilers for the next build). I took a look at the plans, reviewed the Allegro/Lite instructions page, and now I have a choice of several different paths for getting there. I'll document my decided approach with photos, etc.

I handled the parts some last night to get used to what's where and to help finalize my shopping list for the hobby store. I also modified my building board (aka, 1" melamine covered shelf) to accommodate T-pins. It's small... but it has to be for portability, storability, etc (12" wide x 48" long, plenty large enough for wing center section). I don't have a dedicated work-space besides a bench in the garage, so I catch as catch can. Working on this surface will be a bit of a challenge, and I will have to do some surgery on the plans so they are not so unruly, but I'll manage. I'll commit to a larger surface (framed door) for my next build and relegate this one as a "second" surface for framing up tail parts, etc.

I probably won't post progress over the weekend but should have some progress to post early next week. I'll catch up then!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

The kit looks great Chuck... I love all the pictures your shooting for us.

With Chuck deciding not to go with spoilers this time around I am curious if anyone would like to comment on their experiences utilizing single servo activated spoiler systems, either dual spoilers triggered with one servo (old school method) or a single central spoiler. I like Ken's method of using a mechanical linkage on each spoiler but am a little concerned with the weight issues as this bird is already leaning towards the heavier side of things. I will be using mine to compete with everything from a couple of Allegro lites to a Spirit in our local club contests.

Ward

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
Here is a link to the bolt on wing interface. A wood block.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4934199&postcount=3

Regarding the spoiler, I'd suggest that you scar the spoiler profile into the ribs, lay a TE spoilering into the hole, then just cover it up. Cut the ribs like this link.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=669861

At a later date, you can dig out the spoiler and hook it up. Very simple to scar the ribs.

[chuckand]

Excellent, David. Thanks!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

Chuck,
Here is a link to the bolt on wing interface. A wood block.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4934199&postcount=3

Regarding the spoiler, I'd suggest that you scar the spoiler profile into the ribs, lay a TE spoilering into the hole, then just cover it up. Cut the ribs like this link.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=669861

At a later date, you can dig out the spoiler and hook it up. Very simple to scar the ribs.

[jrgospod]

I have used one center wing mounted spoiler servo with the small Teflon tube and SS wire (used for control lines in HLG’s) running out to two independent spoilers on several of my planes. You have to have the geometry the same on both of the spoilers to get even movement. It just takes care in placing the horns. You can use a fairly small servo (JR 241 w/17oz of torque) for this application. Not all that much torque is needed and not all that much weight at .32oz along with the fact the center location is much better than out on the wing. The SS wire gives positive control in both directions and makes for good closing spoilers.

John

[RMoore]

Chuck,

Take a look at this post and you'll see approximately how I bolted-on my Oly II wing. I didn't do this exactly, but you'll get the idea - or maybe you'll get a better idea :)

OLY II Bolt-on Wing Drawing (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5905418&postcount=24)

[ChuckA]

Adding spoilers is probably the most important mod, even more than the bolt on wing. Power modelsl can be flow without a throttle and sailplanes can be flow without spoilers but Why? My first sailplane was built without spoilers and I regretted my decision the first time I hit a real boomer. I was lucky to get out of the thermal and added spoilers before I flew the model again. That was in 1972 and I have never had a sailplane without either spoilers or flaps since.

[georgeg]

Adding spoilers is probably the most important mod, even more than the bolt on wing. Power modelsl can be flow without a throttle and sailplanes can be flow without spoilers but Why? My first sailplane was built without spoilers and I regretted my decision the first time I hit a real boomer. I was lucky to get out of the thermal and added spoilers before I flew the model again. That was in 1972 and I have never had a sailplane without either spoilers or flaps since.


AMEN! Besides, the Sovereign thermals quite well and being only 2m in span, gets real small, real quick. You really want to put the spoilers in.

[chuckand]

AMEN! Besides, the Sovereign thermals quite well and being only 2m in span, gets real small, real quick. You really want to put the spoilers in.

George, and others,

I'll surely consider it a mistake, but I really need a fairly simple operation/build for the moment... I've moved forward without spoiler/spoilers. I've got another kit in line right behind it that already includes spoilers and will plan to incorporate them from the get go. I'm hoping to hone construction/flight skills with the Sovereign and pay a LOT more attention to some of the more advanced details the next time around.

I'll report on my regreats as they develop ;) .

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Well, I managed to carve out a few hours Saturday afternoon and a few more Sunday. Here's progress to date... without going into too much detail you can probably already find elsewhere...

Framed up the center section, both outer panels, and test-fit the fuse parts and boom. I'll break 'em down a little more....

To accommodate a bolt-on wing, I modified the center section by adding another #1 rib, modified a couple others, and added a couple Poplar blocks where I thought they would do the most good (that's what I had on hand... there are much better materials than Poplar). A single laminated/wrapped "bolt block" that intersects the spar, ala Allegro, etc, would be much better, but with the remainder of the wing pretty much bone-stock, it just doesn't make sense for me to spend a lot of effort re-engineering a single component to be radically stronger than the rest of the wing/airframe. You'll see that as a recurring theme for me...

I sanded the trailing edge (with the ribs masked with painters tape) using a long block and installed the top trailing edge sheet.

I installed the bottom D-tube sheet on the center section before I wrapped it up for the day. It came out pretty good. I hope to have time to get the rest of the bottom sheeting on it tonight and maybe start on the top.

I did not do too much with the outer panels except get 'em framed. One thing worth noting is the 48" building board I am using is not long enough to frame both outer wing panels at the same time. This was a real time-eater for me. A few more inches would have been nice and cut my wait time drastically. My workspace is a little cramped though... so it would have required some re-arranging. 6-one way, half dozen another.

The fuse parts go from a pile of parts to an interlocking structure in a few minutes. Very cool... I love the design of the Laser Arts kits! Some care/trial fitting is required for fuse formers to fit the boom. I lightly sanded the coating of the boom as the instructions call for and sanded the inside of each former until it fit on the boom in the location required after the fuse is assembled. I then removed the formers from the boom, assembled the fuse with rubber bands (from bundles in the kit nonetheless...) and slid the boom in from the front. Some minor adjustments were made until everything fit well and the boom could be installed/removed without using a hammer. I did not glue any of it yet, as I plan to make some minor mods for servo/control rod installation and they may be easier accomplished before it's all CA'd together.

Well, that's pretty much it. The kit parts are awesome... Very clean, extremely good fit. Framing the wing took minutes... dry-fitting the fuse, even less. The most time spent was installing the shear-webs. They are laser-cut but may require trimming by a few thousandths for the right fit if you do not use them while positioning ribs. The webs on the outboard panels all have to be adjusted in height too. I used a sharp knife and a few shallow cuts and sanded if necessary. Too much material to remove on most of them to "sand" to fit.

Pics should tell the story a little better... I hope you'll let me know if you have any questions of would like more details of any specific item you see...

More progress soon...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Those pics make me want to build something.

[WEB01]

Me too but my delivery from Laser Arts has still not arrived!! Gotta' be hung up in Customs I guess.

Keep the pictures coming Chuck... they are great!

Ward

[hangerdude1]

Chuck,

These are a few things that have worked for me in building the Sovereign - just my two cents.

1 - do not glue on the nose block prior to installing the boom because if you do, you will not be able to insert the boom.

2 - rather than use the balsa provided to laminate the nose block I use them as a pattern to cut out plywood which is much stronger and you will probably need the added nose weight anyway.

3 - I glue on the tail feathers prior to securing the boom in the pod so I can rotate for proper alignment with the wing.

4 - on the canopy mount I use 1/8 x 1/8 bass glued along the edge which gives a thicker surface to fasten onto. I scuff the edge of the canopy with sandpaper and dust it with baking soda then secure it with bulldog clips making sure it is aligned properly - then use thin CA to bond it to the plywood mount.

Thermals

Ken

[John Walter]

If you need Kevlar to wrap the spar, take a look at:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552698&highlight=tow

[chuckand]

Thanks for the comments, Ken. I had not quite been down the path of what to do after the nose block is attached. Kind of hard to install/remove then :D. Rotating the boom after installing the tail feathers is a no brainer! Gotta love pod/boom construction!

I assume I will need noseweight regardless, but thought I'd wait until I get tail feathers on (I'm using much lighter laminated stock and increasing the area) before committing to a servo mounting scheme, etc. I'm not working toward "light," just efficient. The laminated plywood nose is a great idea!

Thanks again!

Chuck,

These are a few things that have worked for me in building the Sovereign - just my two cents.

1 - do not glue on the nose block prior to installing the boom because if you do, you will not be able to insert the boom.

2 - rather than use the balsa provided to laminate the nose block I use them as a pattern to cut out plywood which is much stronger and you will probably need the added nose weight anyway.

3 - I glue on the tail feathers prior to securing the boom in the pod so I can rotate for proper alignment with the wing.

4 - on the canopy mount I use 1/8 x 1/8 bass glued along the edge which gives a thicker surface to fasten onto. I scuff the edge of the canopy with sandpaper and dust it with baking soda then secure it with bulldog clips making sure it is aligned properly - then use thin CA to bond it to the plywood mount.

Thermals

Ken

[chuckand]

Sorry, no pics. My progress last night was a bit of a frenzy and I/my work area was a bit messy, so I did not subject my camera to the harsh conditions...

I started by finishing the sheeting on the bottom of the wing center section. I picked out some suitable circles to radius the sheeting behind the spar and forward of the 1" TE sheet and it worked out pretty well. Turns out the cardboard ring inside a roll of 3M painters tape matches the forward radius and the bottom of a large prescription bottle matched the aft radius. No big deal... It worked out well though.

Next, I topped the "bolt blocks" with 15-min epoxy/microballoons. I had to file a couple high spots just a little, but it'll work just fine. I'll put a thin layer of resin on top of the blocks before sheeting to "bed" the skin perfectly.

I sheeted the bottom of the outer panels next. I am not sure how folks generally trim D-tube sheeting, but I've been using a technique that makes everything come out perfect every time.... (as long as the spar and leading edges are straight!). I place the trailing edge of the sheet aligned with the spar with about 1/4" hanging past the spar. I then mark a rough guess as to the leading edge on each end of the sheet. I then remove the sheet from the panel and cut on the leading edge marks and give a quick bevel to better mate with the LE stock. I then replace the sheet on the panel, line up with the leading edge and tack with thin/fast CA ONLY on the LE. After it cures, I press the sheet to the curvature of the ribs and mark the sheet where it aligns with the aft edge of the spar. Placing a thin hardwood sheet between the panel and the spar, I place my straight edge on top of the sheet and cut on the aft spar marks. Remove hardwood protector and as long as everything was straight to begin with, it outta be right on the money. I suppose it could be trimmed after installation, but my experience says that glue, etc, on the sheeting may cause tears, rough spots, etc. With the sheeting trimmed/aligned when glued, just wipe it clean and it looks real sweet...

I've been using wood glue and weights to press the sheeting to the ribs/spar. Lots of working time. I may use some combination of shims and painters tape on top of the rib locations to press the sheeting in future builds. These are looking good, but I know I can do better. Many ways to skin a wing...

I sheeted the top of the center wing panel before calling it a night. The center panel is straight, so D-box sheets are very easy. What I discovered with the OUTER panels is... if you leave a little overhang behind the spar... and align the sheet with the innermost rib when trimming, instead of cutting the trailing edge of the sheet again to achieve alignment, you just slide the sheet inboard until the trailing edge of the sheet is aligned with the trailing edge of the spar. I know... y'all have been doing this for years. Where have I been?! Flying foam, that's where! :D

One observation... If you think about what's gonna hold up progress and save it for "quitting time," that seems to help building pace a lot. For example, I saved the top center panel D-box tubing for last, as I knew once everything was in place on my work surface, I needed to just walk away... On the outer panels, I'll have to build in some wash-out, so sheeting on those items will be the last thing I do... or the first thing I do in the morning... before getting ready for work :). Lots of little things I can do tonight before committing my workspace...

I haven't made a "hit list" yet, as I have not made wall space for a dry-erase board, but I think it's a great idea to make sure nothing falls through the cracks... and to organize tasks in a sequence that allows the most progress for the time allocated. Next time around (starting shortly after the Sovereign, I hope), I will organize a more spacious work area and make sure a dry-erase board/cork board are in reach just for this reason.

Not much else to report... except I am still waffling over servos and servo location. I need to get the new tailfeathers ready so I can do a rough weight and balance.... to see if I can move my servos to the opening in front of the servo bay... (receiver bay??). I suspect I can, but I'm just too chicken to commit!

More soon... Pics next time!!

Chuck

[chuckand]

Slow but steady...

Without going into too much detail, I finished the center panel sheeting, bottom and top. Now the REAL work starts... I need to shave the leading edge, trim the ends of the panel, install rib caps, and sand/fill quite a bit. I'll do some of that now... before the tips are attached. Once they are on, this thing is gonna become a little unwieldly!

I also finished the D-tube sheeting on the left outer panel and will complete the right tonight. 1/8" wash-out as per spec, as the sheeting was installed. I also tried some shims under tape to see how it impacts the quality of the forward portion of the sheeting. I think the contact is much more solid. I could not feel any loose spots or bulges on the center panel without tape/shims, but the outer panels have a taper that makes the sheeting lay differently. If it works out well, it'll be SOP for me from now on.

I should get a lot done the next day or two. I have a little unexpected "at home" time to play with.

As always.... more later :)

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck, that's looking great. A smooth sheeting job to be sure, and you should be proud of that one. Looks like a candidate for some clear colored covering. Mine on the other hand always gets the opaque covering due to the uglyness. For me its the 3 Pees. Paint, putty and plant ivy around the blemishes. Thats an old saying from the deck builders guild. For the modeler, it can be changed to "paint, putty and plastic coat it"

[chuckand]

Thanks for your kind comments, Dave. I'm starting to remember why I VERY SERIOUSLY considered an ARF though. I'd be in the air already. However, I'm afraid an ARF wouldn't help me sharpen my building skills... and I haven't seen too many ARF Bubble Dancers :D.

It's a labor of love... and an adventure in learning, problem solving, and development of expectations/standards of workmanship for myself... I'm sure Maslo fits in there somewhere.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Chuck, that's looking great. A smooth sheeting job to be sure, and you should be proud of that one. Looks like a candidate for some clear colored covering. Mine on the other hand always gets the opaque covering due to the uglyness. For me its the 3 Pees. Paint, putty and plant ivy around the blemishes. Thats an old saying from the deck builders guild. For the modeler, it can be changed to "paint, putty and plastic coat it"

[ChuckA]

For the last 30 years, I have been adding the leading edge last after all other construction has been completed. Final step is to sand the ribs and sheeting with a long sanding block to get a straight leading edge. I use sandpaper glued to a 3 ft lengh of one inch square aluminum tubing. I then inspect the glue joint between the rib and the sheeting and reglue as necessary. Place the wing on a flat surface and glue the leading edge in place. The wing is quite flexable until the glue is set and it is easy to add washout if desired by shimming the trailing edge.

Chuck Anderson

[chuckand]

For the last 30 years, I have been adding the leading edge last after all other construction has been completed.
Chuck Anderson

Thanks, Chuck. That is a very good tip, and the very reason I am building this ship... Lots to learn, and soaking it up!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[bobby legue]

There is not a better feeling for me than to build a ship that when sent to the air flys in an awsome manner. Yes, the labor is love and the results are worth the effort!
Bob

[chuckand]

Made more headway... "Keep on keeping on" as some of my RV-7 brotherhood would say....

Completed a few odd tasks yesterday afternoon before committing the bench to "outer wing panel D-Box sheeting." Wing structures are complete now but need sanding, filling, etc. Wish I was looking forward to it... :rolleyes:. I need to get the wing tips on, but there is something that keeps telling me to forget the laminated/shaped blocks and go with something built up/light. I'll consider this until the last possible moment... though if anyone has any suggestions, I'll listen!

I should be able to join the panels soon... then more pics :D.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[ChuckA]

There is not a better feeling for me than to build a ship that when sent to the air flys in an awsome manner. Yes, the labor is love and the results are worth the effort!
Bob

But there is a better feeling when the ship is your own original design. :)

[bobby legue]

Like my kids say "true that!"

[fly1milehi]

I totally agree with the "I built it" .. "I am flying it" sense of pride and accomplishment of creating something that really flys!!!

Im 99% sure that is why Im not thrilled about my Thermik... its very easy to not be "connected" to it since all I did was cover it and put some radio gear in it

Greg

[chuckand]

Well, I'm definitely feeling the sense of accomplishment and pride y'all are talking about... maybe too much so. Lots of emotional investment at this point... :rolleyes:. I was hoping to avoid that...

I started work last night by planing the leading edges somewhat; roughing them in. I used blue tape on the sheeting as a guide/protector, and took it pretty easy. It went very quickly, but there is finish sanding yet to do.

One item of interest... I looked at a few different models of planers at the LHS as I was making my materials buy. I have a couple... one is a little too big and has a proprietary blade, the other is plastic and uses a single sided blade. I never got along with either of these very well, so I was keeping my eyes open for a suitable sub. The LHS had another plastic one that did not do much for me at all... and another one by Sollingen that just looked and felt good in my hand (metal, so it has mass). Blades are double-edge straight razors... (like the one on the sleeve of "British Steel." Yeah, you know what I'm talkin about...). Cost? 12-beans. I hesitated, then snagged it on an impulse buy. Best $12 I've spent in a long time! Snagged a box of blades for it too... The other now obsolete planers go in the garbage poste-haste.

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/planer.htm

OK, back to work...

I trued up all the edges, trimmed spars, etc, with my dremel and cut off/drum. Made quick work of it. After dinner, I knocked out all the rib-caps, and sanded the ply joiners/bays to fit.

I've got a 12" block, but I think I would like something longer. I think I'll follow y'all's lead and pick up a square tube and glue sandpaper to it. Pretty much whatever length I'm comfortable working with. 18"-24" maybe?? Lots to sand and fill, etc. I hope to knock out more of that tonight/this weekend. I'm stopping on my way home to snag covering and some other odds and ends. Should get it permenantly assembled and covered over the weekend, but we'll see...

I had to dry fit the wing panels and snap a pic. Lots learned building this structure, and I am already looking forward to applying my newfound knowledge/experience on a 3M build...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[ScottLister]

Chuck, If you are talking about the master airscrew planner, it takes a razor blade made for a mat cutter. You can buy them by the pack at Michaels craft store or ac moore craft store.

Scott

[chuckand]

Chuck, If you are talking about the master airscrew planner, it takes a razor blade made for a mat cutter. You can buy them by the pack at Michaels craft store or ac moore craft store.

Scott

I am VERY spoiled by the Sollingen and have "binned" all others I had on hand, so at this point... it's immaterial :).

Seriously... I did a lot more planing, shaping, etc, and the Sollingen made quick/accurate work of it all!

Over the weekend, I glued the tip blocks together and attached them to the outer panels. I then used the plane to shape the tips in all dimensions... I had been DREADING this step, but it went so quickly and easily that I had plenty of time to make a sanding bar (picked up a 48" length of 1" sq tube at Home Depot, cut into a 36" piece and a 12" piece... and 3M 90'd 220 paper to 'em) and sanded the center and outer panels as well. I have one more round of filling and sanding and the panels will be ready for joining.

I had hoped to get farther over the weekend, but attention to detail, leading edge shape, etc, turned out to be more important than progress.

I'll get some pics when there's some color to show... ;)

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Finally... the wing is done. I did 90% of the work in about 3 days and spent 2 weeks doing the rest :rolleyes:. Something about knee surgery, blah, blah, blah.... Regardless, the wing is done and ready for action. As always, there are things I would do differently next time, but I believe this will be adequate for the task at hand....

Next? I've got everything rounded up for the fuse. I need to "bag" some balsa for the tail feathers (gonna bag 'em with 3/4oz glass on both sides; lite, stiff, strong) and run etched/stretched teflon tube on the outside of the boom. Control rods will be .022 stainless unless someone tries to talk me into .032 stainless (I have both). Servos will probably be ST-47's moved forward from the stock location, but I'll hold that decision until I cannot wait any more...

The rest of the build outta be pretty much stock...

Looking more and more forward to flight all the time!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
That's way to pretty. Great job. Sorry to hear that you had to have knee surgery. Hope all is well now. Thanks for the pics.
Dave

[Johnnie Paul]

Finally... the wing is done. I did 90% of the work in about 3 days and spent 2 weeks doing the rest :rolleyes:. Something about knee surgery, blah, blah, blah.... Regardless, the wing is done and ready for action. As always, there are things I would do differently next time, but I believe this will be adequate for the task at hand....

Next? I've got everything rounded up for the fuse. I need to "bag" some balsa for the tail feathers (gonna bag 'em with 3/4oz glass on both sides; lite, stiff, strong) and run etched/stretched teflon tube on the outside of the boom. Control rods will be .022 stainless unless someone tries to talk me into .032 stainless (I have both). Servos will probably be ST-47's moved forward from the stock location, but I'll hold that decision until I cannot wait any more...

The rest of the build outta be pretty much stock...

Looking more and more forward to flight all the time!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

Looks great Chuck, can't wait to see that one in the air...

funny, knee surgery never came up...I hope all went well :)

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Chuck,
That's way to pretty. Great job. Sorry to hear that you had to have knee surgery. Hope all is well now. Thanks for the pics.
Dave

Thanks for the compliments. As I said before, waaaaay too much emotional attachment to this one. I was hoping to keep the relationship casual... Nada. :D

Knee's getting better. My DLG outings were very limited in frequency and scope by an old torsion-sensitive injury (PCL was severed for all practical purposes, MM and LM chewed up pretty well too). I'm hoping this operation will tighten things up and allow me to more effectively/consistantly communicate my intentions to my DLG's...

Hope to have fuse pics sometime next week....

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Looks great Chuck, can't wait to see that one in the air...

funny, knee surgery never came up...I hope all went well :)

Johnnie


I try not to whine... though I lived with this for about 3 years too long... :rolleyes:.

I hope we can fly some over the T-giving holiday!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

Glad to hear that your not just 'livin with it' (the bad knee) anymore. I had to have mine done a few years back and it has been good as gold since.

Just wondering... what would you do different if you were to do it again. My kit finally showed up here 23 days after I ordered it so I am just sorting through how to do my bolt-on conversion and spoilers. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[chuckand]

Just wondering... what would you do different if you were to do it again. My kit finally showed up here 23 days after I ordered it so I am just sorting through how to do my bolt-on conversion and spoilers. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Hmmmm.... What would I do differently?? I can only comment on the wing, as I still have the fuse ahead of me... (though it will go VERY fast once I get rolling...) but I would probably use Monocote exclusively for the wing covering. I like the translucent look and am glad I experimented with it, but Moneycote goes on so much better and is so much more stable. My covering would have been a lot less hassle and look a little better if I had used it from the get go.

I'd recommend reading up on installation of D-box sheeting if you haven't done this before, as there is really no instruction in the kit for this process. I learned a few tricks along the way I wish I had learned before starting...

That's about it. Hope you'll keep us posted as to progress!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Eberwein]

My kit finally showed up here 23 days after I ordered it

OUCH! Sorry about that. Sounds like Customs is really slow again...

Brian

[chuckand]

OUCH! Sorry about that. Sounds like Customs is really slow again...

Brian

Yeah, I feel his pain. Mine shipped the same weekend as his. Mine's pretty much done :rolleyes:.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Johnnie Paul]

I try not to whine... though I lived with this for about 3 years too long... :rolleyes:.

I hope we can fly some over the T-giving holiday!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

I have made progress on the Vista to the point I believe a few hand tosses over the Holidays is definetly not out of the question...I am also re-conditioning some Nihms too to get some wing time in as well.

Johnnie
(whiner extrordinaire)

[chuckand]

I have made progress on the Vista to the point I believe a few hand tosses over the Holidays is definetly not out of the question...I am also re-conditioning some Nihms too to get some wing time in as well.

Johnnie
(whiner extrordinaire)

Yeah, I'm shooting for the weekend following Thanksgiving for my Sovereign maiden testing/flying. Wonder if Dave's gonna be 'round?

No DLG for a few more weeks though... :eek:

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

I'm there for ya. But there's alot of brothers going to be there to watch and help. More help then you probably want.

[chuckand]

I'm there for ya. But there's alot of brothers going to be there to watch and help. More help then you probably want.

Cool. Sounds like a date. I *should* have my Sovereign test tossed, trimmed, etc, before then. Might be airworthy as soon as this weekend, though I'm pushing for completion late in the weekend. It's going quickly now...

I guess that leads me to an update.... I've kept some of my progress to myself until I knew exactly where I was headed. I'm there, so I'll get y'all up to date. I'll get some pics tonight... and provide a good progress update in the morning...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

Hey Brian...

The length of time it took my kits to arrive in Winnipeg should not be taken as a reflection of the level of service provided by Laser Arts (no complaints there!). It IS a reflection of the service provided by both the USPS and Canada Post. Obviously the term 'snail mail' is a well earned phrase that is common to both of these services and should not be a surprise to any of us.

Chuck... I too had my boxes show up with holes in them as if they had been handled with 'meat hooks' but like you I have not found any damage to the contents (good packaging).

I am very excited about my upcoming build but first have to decide whether I want to build for weight (one of my clubmates built a Sovereign with an AUW of 27 oz.) or features (spoiler(s) would be great and I would like to try a bolt on wing eventhough I have been told that the rubber band method on this particular model works extremely well).

I am wondering if anyone can advise as to the AUW of a Sovereign with either/both of these mods incorporated into the build.

Thinking.... thinking.... thinking...


Ward

[tw126a]

There is a better way as long as you live close enough to the border. I'm 45 minutes away so I do this with all my US shipments. Have it delivered to a US postal office close to the border. You will enjoy much quicker delivery time and usually much cheaper postal rates and save the brokerage fee. Even if you live 2 hours away it would still be worth it.
Tom

[WEB01]

I'll have to keep that one in mind for next time Tom. Thanks for the tip.

Ward

[chuckand]

Well, I'm rolling along pretty good again. Lots of momentum with an end in sight... I thought I'd post an update for those following the saga...

I've had a little something on my mind I thought I'd share with the readers of this thread. Long story not so short... this aircraft is a learning tool for me.... and my build log is not a "recommendation;" this thread is just a log of my decisions and experiences and I hope everyone takes it for what it's worth. The stock components/build are awesome and optomized for ease of construction/flight. My deviations from "stock" are for the sake of experimentation, learning, and personal satisfaction of lending my style to this build where it may or may not make sense. I am making changes for the sake of gaining experience with materials and processes I know little about... so when I am in the position to NEED that experience and knowledge for a more advanced project, I'm not experimenting on high-dollar components... 'kay?

With that said, I completed the stabilizers/control surfaces last night.... I replaced the stock parts (balsa w/hardwood LE/tips) with thinner contest grade, extending the span by 1.5" and hinged to the tips. The control surfaces follow the extended stab span and have chord increased by .5". The stabilizers are laminated with 3/4 oz glass, and reinforced with .007 x .5" carbon at the stab trailing edge (both sides). The control surfaces are still bare. I don't know if I will put any reinforcement/covering on them at all. Good hinges will keep 'em stiff/straight... as has been my experience to date with my DLG's. As is, the stab/control surface assemblies are somewhat larger, lighter, and stiffer than the stock included parts. I just had to mock 'em up with tape to show 'em off on the boom :D

I finally committed to the Fuse assembly as well. I have him-hawed with it since the first day of construction. Ultimately, I left out the servo/electronics tray. I will add a couple side to side stiffners if need be, but with ply/ply reinforced sides, it's just not going any where and I do not believe the tray will ever be missed. Servos will be mounted to ply sides/bottom ala my DLG experience (CA or hot glue over tape). I trimmed notches in the fuse formers against the boom contact area for etched/stretched teflon tube to support .022 stainless wire. When the servos are located for best contribution to balance, I'll build balsa supports as necessary to support the tube/wire.

I fabricated and installed wing mount points in the fuse. They are glassed to the fuse from underneath and I will likely reinforce by wrapping Aramid TOW around the mount points and the boom. I do not know if I will "bed" the wing to the fuse, as there is not really much surface area to work with. I finished drilling mount holes and test fit/trimmed #10 nylon screws. Everything measured up perfect!!

I should be pretty well set for rapid final assembly, selecting/locating servos, etc. I'm hoping to use ST-47's shoved as far forward as necessary for balance. It's a trade off at this point... Go with HS-81's and a heavier battery or the ST-47's and a 2-cell Lipo/regulator. Probably 6 one way, half dozen another. The 81's will probably be easier to manage, mounted toward the rear of the bay. Decisions... decisions...

Well, you know all I know. I'm pleased with my work so far and am looking forward to getting the noseblock/canopy finished tonight. All the details should follow... (servo mounting, etc).

More next time....

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[fraggin]

The design of that wing is impressive. I really like how having no joint where the wing bolts to the fuse gives you a jump start on a perfectly straight wing. Plus not having to attach the wing in the center where the load is, greatly reduces weight tacked on by epoxy and reinforcement on the joint itself.
All of my ships are poly. Can you fly this wing on 2 channels or will it be requiring control surfaces on the wing itself?

[chuckand]

The design of that wing is impressive. I really like how having no joint where the wing bolts to the fuse gives you a jump start on a perfectly straight wing. Can you fly this wing on 2 channels or will it be requiring control surfaces on the wing itself?

The Laser Arts kits are no nonsense... and the solid center section of the Sovereign is awesome. My (soon to be) Majestic will be a 2-piece wing, divided in the center, but it's gonna be pretty solid.... :cool:

My Sovereign is a 2-ch. It can be built with spoilers, etc, but I did not want to clutter up this build too much.

Thanks for the comments. It really is a great design and an awesome kit!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

So the next one in line that you are honing your building skills for is a Majestic?? That's amazing Chuck... can you guess what kit showed up at my door along with my Sovereign?!? We seem to be thinking along the same lines here.

Ward

[chuckand]

So the next one in line that you are honing your building skills for is a Majestic?? That's amazing Chuck... can you guess what kit showed up at my door along with my Sovereign?!? We seem to be thinking along the same lines here.

Ward

Yup... I've got plans for my Majestic. Nothing big, but I've already got a Bubble Dancer boom, tapered carbons for the spar, top and bottom, and a few other goodies. Brian included the parts for extended tails, change in wing joint geometry, etc. I've considered tweaking teh air foil, but will probably leave it alone. Maybe next time; something pretty light with Drela foils...

Got lots done yesterday. *might* maiden flight this weekend...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
Get-er-done. Edit that *might* to *gonna*. :)

Dave

[WEB01]

I'm am planning to go the same route with my Majestic and requested the same mods from Brian... were did you get your BD boom and tapered carbons from?

Ward

[chuckand]

I'm am planning to go the same route with my Majestic and requested the same mods from Brian... were did you get your BD boom and tapered carbons from?

Ward

Hey Ward!

I'll start another thread with all the source info, etc, when I'm ready to start rolling my Majestic... but the BD boom is a Polecat item and the tapered carbons are from ACP (www.acp-composites.com).

FYI, I flew my Sovereign Saturday.... with great success! First hand launch, with the setup critique/assistance from fellow local clubber GLIDERGIDER, were completely hands off except for landing. Not a bit of trim needed, not a thing needed changing before winching.

We started with the tow hook pretty much forward. Dave was pretty gentle on the winch, and I was pretty eager to get off of it, so the first winch launch was a bit low. Nice gentle loafing flight, smooth landing. Second winch launch was about the same, though with a little more alt. More loafing, getting the feel for it. Talk about having to get WAY slow to stall! Anyway... I came cross wind and making a waaaaaaaaay too slow turn, I dropped a tip in the breeze and bumped a wing tip, landing pretty hard. The (VERY minimally built/minimally reinforced) V-tails folded and my flying was over for the day. All else is well. I should have known the V-joint needed more stiffening, but thought I'd see how little I could get by with. The construction of the stock V-tails would not have folded. As I said in an earlier message, don't do what I am doing! I'm learning what I can and cannot get away with... and I have learned a LOT so far with this airframe!

When I get the tail mods done (tonight maybe?), I'll take some pics and document the last few details I haven't captured on this thread (control setup, servo setup, etc). All up weight for the maiden flight was 26.6 oz, including 2 oz nose weight (I used a TINY battery and will replace it with something more beefy before next flight... and ditch most of the ballast).

Regardless, I am simply THRILLED to pieces by the handling and performance of the Sovereign so far.... and I haven't REALLY flown it yet!! Can't wait to get out with it again!! The minor tail touch up... and flight experience so far gives me LOTS of confidence to really let 'er rip next time!

Dave? Ready for the weekend?? Either SJP or Oakwood will do just fine for me!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

PS (Oh, almost forgot to mention.... I will likely pick up a 1.8M or 2M Eastern European ARF of some sort to make sure I have a backup plan to ensure I get some flight time as my building skills/lessons learned cointinue to develop! I would have liked to fly a LOT more Saturday!)

[Johnnie Paul]

Good Show Chuck, glad to hear about the maiden success...sorry to hear of the untimely V-tail fold...

I am closing in on my project, so maybe we can get in some time this coming holiday weekend.

Johnnie

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
I can't fly on Thanksgiving day, and I'm not sure about Friday. Sat and Sun look very good though. Weekend weather reports look great. Sat is zero winds and 59F. Friday is looking good too with 6mph and 63F. Sunday is similar to Friday. Rain chance is zero for all three days.
Dave

note to Johnnie: <get-er-done>

[chuckand]

I'm open Fri-Sun. Hope to fly one.... or two days :D

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Chuck,
I can't fly on Thanksgiving day, and I'm not sure about Friday. Sat and Sun look very good though. Weekend weather reports look great. Sat is zero winds and 59F. Friday is looking good too with 6mph and 63F. Sunday is similar to Friday. Rain chance is zero for all three days.
Dave

note to Johnnie: <get-er-done>

[WEB01]

Awesome Chuck!!

I am really impressed with your all up weight. It would appear that moving the servos forward (and loosing the mounting tray) and the new lighter tail pieces made for some major weight reduction. Do you think the larger tail surfaces are really necessary? Any other secrets you want to let out here?? With your tail, are you going to just reinforce the V-joint at this point???

Ward

[chuckand]

Lessee.....

Leaving out the tray is a no-brainer to me... (if it's there, it's in the way to me) as is leaving off the tail skid.

The ST-47's I had hoped to use were a little fat to make work without some twiddling, so I just used a couple surplus HS-81's I had laying around. They are so light that it did not make a measureable difference for them to be at the rear or the front of the compartment, so I hot-glued them near the rear of the compartment for ease of installation of everthing else. It made the control linkage easier anyway.

To do it over again, I would have just left the V-tail as supplied and make it somehow removable, though that would have meant a bit more noseweight. It would probably yaw a little at slow speeds, but as a newby pilot, it probably would not amount to a hill of beans. I do not really think the Sovereign would know or care if this airframe gained a few ounces... I know I waaaaaay overthought the weight thing, but this is a learning experience for things to come...

My V-tail will only take a few minutes to rehab. I will simply add a couple quarter inch straps of .007 carbon top and bottom and lay a light strip of glass over them. I'll likely just "tack" the assembly on the boom with thick CA for easy removel with CA debonder if I want to change things up. I could add a nutplate and a screw, but there just isn't a need at this point.

This really is a well though out design... as are the rest of the Laser Arts kits! I'm a big fan!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Awesome Chuck!!

I am really impressed with your all up weight. It would appear that moving the servos forward (and loosing the mounting tray) and the new lighter tail pieces made for some major weight reduction. Do you think the larger tail surfaces are really necessary? Any other secrets you want to let out here?? With your tail, are you going to just reinforce the V-joint at this point???

Ward

[chuckand]

....I'm calling it "done" :-).

As far as building, etc, she's done and I'm happy!

I spent the afternoon yesterday with NASF (North Alabama Silent Flyers) and really put the Sovereign through it's paces... thermaling it as high... or higher... than I was comfortable with on multiple occasions. I also took my first few turns controlling the winch pedal during launch of my plane... and forgot to PULSE the pedal as I was so carefully instructed! Well, no grief what so ever.... My bird just continued happily skyward and didn't seem to mind the speed (no taco, clapping, flapping, etc :D ). I will look forward to polishing this skill set, however....

I did want to document a couple items that didn't make it into the last batch of pics. I used .025 music wire to route my stretched/etched teflon and decided later on that it would work just fine as the control rod material (I have a loose coil of ,022 stainless wire, but I cannot figure out how to relax the shape after being coiled. Any suggestions?). I will eventually order some of the straight lengths of SS wire from smallparts.com and replace it, but I am in no hurry. Connections at the tail should be self explanatory. Adjustments are made at the servo with the screw/barrel deals...

I also reinforced the V in the V-tail. The joint was superficially tacked together then .007" x .25" carbon applied as seen in the attached pic. On the bottom, I applied a diamond shaped piece of .75oz glass cut on the bias spanning the length of the carbon. The assembly was then tacked to the boom with thick CA and a VERY light fillet of "goop" applied. If it comes off/breaks, I have other things to worry about than the tail.... This is VERY solid, yet extremely light. I added less than 1/4 oz of noseweight to offset the added structure in the tail, and I'm good with that. This airframe, all up, is still under 27 oz.

The other pic shows the servo configuration. I don't believe any of my other posts show the electronics installed. Some might argue the layout could be optimized by shifiting the servos forward, however, that would require support of the teflon tube/control wire. During dry fit, moving the servos forward did not change CG measurably anyway... however, I will keep that in mind as I route the controls for my Majestic. It'll definitely have full size servos and could benefit from the forward location...

Oh, and I do not miss the servo tray nor the tail skid one bit, though they are VERY nice parts. I did not add and side to side spacers/reinforcement in place of the tray. It is just not necessary.

As I mentioned previously, the Soverign is an awesome airframe and I believe it is VERY capable box stock. I enjoyed the opportunity to personlize my own copy though and am very happy with the end result.

I'll keep my eye on the thread and answer any questions that come up, but feel free to PM me as well.... I enjoy sharing my experiences/lessons learned... if y'all haven't gotten that message :D.

Much thanks to all those I have learned various tips/tricks from over the last couple years. I put it all to work with this build. Much thanks also to the membership of the North Alabama Silent Flyers for the sharing of knowledge, encouragement, coaching, ribbing.... and gasps of horror to remind me I might not want to stand on the pedal like that next time :)

Majestic is next in line.... coming soon to a thread near you!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

Your Sovereign looks great Chuck! Glad to hear that you are so happy with it. Your winch exercise has convinced me that no 'beefing up' is required on the stock wing but I do have two questions for you. First, did you go ahead with the idea of using ply on the nose in place of the supplied balsa and second, now that you have flown the plane do you think that enlarging the tail surfaces was really a 'must have' mod or would it be just fine stock as well?

Ward

[chuckand]

Your Sovereign looks great Chuck! Glad to hear that you are so happy with it. Your winch exercise has convinced me that no 'beefing up' is required on the stock wing but I do have two questions for you. First, did you go ahead with the idea of using ply on the nose in place of the supplied balsa and second, now that you have flown the plane do you think that enlarging the tail surfaces was really a 'must have' mod or would it be just fine stock as well?

Ward

Ward,

Thanks again for the kind words. It's been a lot of fun sharing my experience.

For the spars, I even used the included Dacron thread... About as stock as you can get... Some of the witnesses will have to chime in on my club-footedness... I don't remember it :rolleyes:.

The nose is balsa with one lam of ply as supplied by Laser Arts. This is the first I've heard of the idea of making it all ply, however I did notice the Majestic comes with ply to stack up for the nose. With my particular setup... and a 4-pack of AA's... my Sovereign might be nose heavy with a ply nose-block. There is so much room to move stuff around though that it could hardly matter. I'm happy with the balsa and wouldn not do it differently if I were doing it over again though.

Funny you ask about the tails. I was getting a bit of a wandering "yaw" when I first got my copy flying. After spending time trimming, I found an airspeed I like that is a bit faster than I was flying initially (and is probably closer to where the wing was DESIGNED to be flown at ;) ). The yaw is no longer a consideration (I would not have thought about it had you not asked about the tails again).

It is very difficult for me to give ANY advice when I consider my depth of experience (very shallow!!). My gut tells me, though, that the OEM tail is adequate and if you get it built and flying, you will be happy with it. I suspect there are MANY more pilots flying the Sovereign with the stock tail surface area than with a mod...

Just my take.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

Thanks for the response Chuck. Enjoy your flying!

Ward