Originally Posted by Little-Acorn

I'd use larger, torquier servos too, if I were you. Some here have found that in a steep dive, the SSS's ailerons no longer respond, though the elevator seems to be fine. Once it levels out and slows, down, aileron response comes back.

I'm not sure why. Maybe the stock servos aren't strong enough, or maybe the wings are twisting slightly when ailerons are deflected in heavier airstreams, or maybe something else.

If you want to habitually fly at high airspeed (such as flying forward against a STRONG wind), you'll have to change a LOT of things on the SSS. It wasn't really designed for high airspeeds.

It would be pretty easy to velcro a key fob camera to the wing near the root to see what is going on. If it hasn't already been done, I will do that when I get mine in the air. But don't hold your breath. It is winter in the great northwest so we will see rain consistently until late spring. And we have lost our field as well. Although we have a very good prospect for a new one, the land owner is in Florida right now, so I am not in a big rush to finish the SSS.

Gord

Originally Posted by polix

need some advice on reinforcing the flaps and ailerons.

I hate these pressed moulds with no reinforcement, and eventually these are going to rip off.

I have a ton of glass cloth here (a result of one of my drunken ordering sprees i imagine), and i had great success using it to reinforce my icon a5 using CA.

Thoughts on using strips of glass cloth dipped into the recesses with an inch before & after the flaps / ailerons? I know it would hold, i'm just looking for a long term strong solution.

I had some control surfaces that were starting to separate on my HK 2M Minimoa when it was brand new. I used canopy glue (J & Z Super RCZ56) on the separations. There has never been a problem with those surfaces since. The glue is as flexible as the foam or more so and it sticks to that foam as well as anything I have ever tried. It is a bit hard to see, but there is an highly reflective area along the obvious separation in this photo (zoom in). That is the glue. It could be used all along the length of the hinge I suppose. Keep it thin though or it might stiffen the hinge a bit. But not any more than reenforced packing tape I would bet. And it will stay clean forever instead of starting to look grubby as the packing tape, or even more so, hinge tape, often does. It's good stuff!

Originally Posted by Gordks

I had some control surfaces that were starting to separate on my HK 2M Minimoa when it was brand new. I used canopy glue (J & Z Super RCZ56) on the separations. There has never been a problem with those surfaces since. The glue is as flexible as the foam or more so and it sticks to that foam as well as anything I have ever tried. It is a bit hard to see, but there is an highly reflective area along the obvious separation in this photo (zoom in). That is the glue. It could be used all along the length of the hinge I suppose. Keep it thin though or it might stiffen the hinge a bit. But not any more than reenforced packing tape I would bet. And it will stay clean forever instead of starting to look grubby as the packing tape, or even more so, hinge tape, often does. It's good stuff!

ah, thanks for the tip, i may just go this route instead

If/when my flaps decide to part company with the wing (hopefully on the bench, not on short final), I may try to set them up as Fowler flaps. Such flaps have a LOT more effect, which this plane could use. They basically increase the wing area when you deploy them, and the slot in front causes them to increase lift a LOT more... meaning you can slow down a lot more without falling out of the sky. See the fourth example, at the bottom. Will take some work, but what's a mother to do.

does anyone else have a problem deploying the flaps with the supplied esc and a 3s 3600mah battery?

Originally Posted by rwj

does anyone else have a problem deploying the flaps with the supplied esc and a 3s 3600mah battery?

i'll let you know when i do my maiden, though i'm replacing the stock with an 85 amp esc that i have kicking around =)

Originally Posted by rwj

does anyone else have a problem deploying the flaps with the supplied esc and a 3s 3600mah battery?

what do you mean ? Mine had to be set down to like 50% in my endpoints or they would bind and chatter.

Originally Posted by rwj

does anyone else have a problem deploying the flaps with the supplied esc and a 3s 3600mah battery?

Mine did that on a 3s battery. So I shortened the pushrods and leaned the servo arms back (toward the flaps) about 40 degrees when the flaps were up. It helped somewhat. But I still have the feeling the servos are putting out their maximum power to get the flaps down at normal flight speeds.

I now believe that a better solution, instead of shortening the pushrods, would be to lean the servo arms back (as I did) and also move the control horns on the flap surfaces, back around 1/2" or 3/4".

Originally Posted by Little-Acorn

If/when my flaps decide to part company with the wing (hopefully on the bench, not on short final), I may try to set them up as Fowler flaps. Such flaps have a LOT more effect, which this plane could use. They basically increase the wing area when you deploy them, and the slot in front causes them to increase lift a LOT more... meaning you can slow down a lot more without falling out of the sky. See the fourth example, at the bottom. Will take some work, but what's a mother to do.

Quiturbitchin posted some fairly simple fowler flaps on another thread using Robarts hinges.

Originally Posted by robschonk

Quiturbitchin posted some fairly simple fowler flaps on another thread using Robarts hinges.

Yep, that's the idea, great job!

Actually those are closer to the "slotted flaps" shown in the diagram. To turn those into simple Fowler flaps, the Robard hinges would have to be longer (or something long and homemade would have to be fabricated) so that the flaps moved farthe back as they deployed; and a sort of "roof" made (say) of thin plywood would have to be glued to the top of the wing, extending over the flap.

But he's definitely on the right track.

Originally Posted by Little-Acorn

... a sort of "roof" made (say) of thin plywood would have to be glued to the top of the wing, extending over the flap.

Do you know what hinge tape is? I have some that is like a strip of thin rigid plastic that has adhesive backing along one edge. That would form the roof you are talking about.

Robart makes a true Fowler hinge set but they are giant scale and expensive.

http://www.robart.com/products/fowle...hinge-15-scale

Originally Posted by robschonk

Quiturbitchin posted some fairly simple fowler flaps on another thread using Robarts hinges.

That is fairly similar to the flaps on a Multiplex Funcub. They do slow it down quite effectively. Particularly when set up to drop 90 degrees. And then add in crow and it can be aimed straight down without gaining much speed at all. Great fun!

Gord

Originally Posted by eckace1

Was also woundering what the largest size prop that will fit without cutting the boom.

Has anybody measured how far it is from the motor shaft centerline to the top of the fuse?

I pulled the trigger and ordered a SSS this morning. I hope to have it ready to fly on our Jan 1st New Years Day fun fly. I would normally wait till the plane arrives and measure things myself, but to be ready for Jan 1st I need to get stuff ordered. I want to get a bunch of CF rods ordered to reinforce the fuse, stabs etc.
What's the diameter of the spar tube?
What's the thickness of the horizontal and vertical stab?

Thanks

Originally Posted by jwellsy

Has anybody measured how far it is from the motor shaft centerline to the top of the fuse?

I pulled the trigger and ordered a SSS this morning. I hope to have it ready to fly on our Jan 1st New Years Day fun fly. I would normally wait till the plane arrives and measure things myself, but to be ready for Jan 1st I need to get stuff ordered. I want to get a bunch of CF rods ordered to reinforce the fuse, stabs etc.
What's the diameter of the spar tube?
What's the thickness of the horizontal and vertical stab?

Thanks

The stock motor position can only fit a 9" prop without modification. Getting a motor that has a 10mm longer bell can bring it out enough to throw on a 10" prop

The Spar is 0.5" it can be replaced by a carbon one from Goodwinds.com and get much more strength. Here is the Carbon Rod Specs
Part--------Diameter-length- ID------OD mm---------Weight----Price
020034 .5000" 60" 0.400" 12.70mm 110 gm $19.99

I dont have my plane in front of me, but 2mm carbon would work great in the stabs. or getting flat carbon that is .5mm x 2mm would be lighter and easier to place in the wings.

Chris