Had my Champ out today -- not too cold, but blizzard coming in tomorrow!

Found it was pulling to the right. Though that prop torque would push it to the LEFT if anything, but it was pulling right.

Rudder was dead straight. Tried to adjust the trim for max left rudder, and it was STILL pulling right.

Flew just FINE last time -- any idea why this is happening now?

Oh, and it banks right even w/o power -- i.e. gliding down....

Steve

Dave, just for S&G's I grabbed one of the old motors from my micro Cub, and popped the brush holder off. As you stated they do have a pair of flat metal arms(?) and there is a black type material coated to the end that runs against the armature.

Might be a carbon coating of some type. I have a new Champ coming, I'll give it a water break in and report back to you on it.

If I remember to do so, I'll take amp readings before and after and see if it makes a difference.

Originally Posted by Glacier Girl

I have a new Champ coming, I'll give it a water break in and report back to you on it.

If I remember to do so, I'll take amp readings before and after and see if it makes a difference.

Champ motor failures are pretty rare. Mustang motors failures are very common in comparison.

I'd just fly it.

Originally Posted by Flyboy Steve

Had my Champ out today -- not too cold, but blizzard coming in tomorrow!

Found it was pulling to the right. Though that prop torque would push it to the LEFT if anything, but it was pulling right.

Rudder was dead straight. Tried to adjust the trim for max left rudder, and it was STILL pulling right.

Flew just FINE last time -- any idea why this is happening now?

Oh, and it banks right even w/o power -- i.e. gliding down....

Steve

could be any reason. turn you plane and tx on and center it the bend the little "U" shaped piece of wire closer of farther to adjust it to the right. then fly and if you have to use some trim and it it needs more trin then repeat what i said above.
*only make small changes at a time*

Originally Posted by Flyboy Steve

Had my Champ out today -- not too cold, but blizzard coming in tomorrow!

Found it was pulling to the right. Though that prop torque would push it to the LEFT if anything, but it was pulling right.

Rudder was dead straight. Tried to adjust the trim for max left rudder, and it was STILL pulling right.

Flew just FINE last time -- any idea why this is happening now?

Oh, and it banks right even w/o power -- i.e. gliding down....

Steve

Steve...mine did that too...had me scratching my head...until I made a slow pass by, and toward myself, and noticed the top of the rudder was bent in flight. On the ground, it looked normal. Turned out, there was a crease in it, so the air friction was folding it to the side a bit during flight. A little piece of tape fixed it...might check that.

Originally Posted by UNGN

Champ motor failures are pretty rare. Mustang motors failures are very common in comparison.

I'd just fly it.

Mine kept getting weaker, and kept drawing more current, but would have kept flying for a while.

Dave

Originally Posted by Flyboy Steve

Found it was pulling to the right. Though that prop torque would push it to the LEFT if anything, but it was pulling right.

Rudder was dead straight. Tried to adjust the trim for max left rudder, and it was STILL pulling right.

Flew just FINE last time -- any idea why this is happening now?

Oh, and it banks right even w/o power -- i.e. gliding down....

Steve

Hi Steve:

I had something similar happen after a rough landing in some wind. Check the pushrods where they enter the control horns. My rudder horn had slipped ever so slightly up the "Z" bend to cause the problem with mine. I reshaped the "Z" bend slightly and all is well now.

Originally Posted by Flyboy Steve

Had my Champ out today -- not too cold, but blizzard coming in tomorrow!

Found it was pulling to the right. Though that prop torque would push it to the LEFT if anything, but it was pulling right.

Rudder was dead straight. Tried to adjust the trim for max left rudder, and it was STILL pulling right.

Flew just FINE last time -- any idea why this is happening now?

Oh, and it banks right even w/o power -- i.e. gliding down....

Steve

If your Champ is "seasoned" lots of crashes, cartwheels, it could have "loose wings" like mine did as a results of repeated bending. I compared my old Champ to a new one out of the box by putting two fingers under each wingtip about an inch in from outboard as if weighing. I noticed the old Champs wings were much more "flexible" and the left wing even more flexible. It previously snapped off and was glued back. Anyways, it pulled to one side and I gured the loose wing was acting like a huge aileron? I put a taped a balsa piece across the top and took out the dihedral and the problem went away but then it flew like a P-51 fast! So I put back the dihedral and now it flies like new!

HobbyZone Champ How to Repair Broken Wing and Rudder w/Test FLight After (6 min 51 sec)

Anybody ever do any aerobatics with their Champ? Only thing I have found I can do is a back-flip in Pro mode. Just make it nose dive then push down on right stick real fast and it will back flip.

Any videos or techniques anybody want to share?

Originally Posted by big_poppa4904

Anybody ever do any aerobatics with their Champ? Only thing I have found I can do is a back-flip in Pro mode. Just make it nose dive then push down on right stick real fast and it will back flip.

Any videos or techniques anybody want to share?

Believe it or not, there's a lot you can do with this little plane. Try this one...get some good altitude going away from yourself, then elevator down until the plane is inverted, and coming back toward you. You can feather the elevator so it doesn't complete the loop. Once you get the feel for how much elevator you need, work the rudder to keep it inverted. Since you're flying at yourself, but upside down, the rudder controls are not reversed...so orientation is easier. Once you get the hang of that, start flying different directions inverted. You can come out of that by pushing the elevator down, which will push the plane up, since you're upside down, and stall the plane out...then dive out of your stall.

trying an inverted loop, stalls and snap rolls if you move the controls closer in

Thanks for all the advice. Noticed that the rudder WAS a bit "soft", and that air pressure would move it to the right. Used some CA to stiffen it back up. Too much wind/snow today to test, but I'll report back when the weather is a bit nicer...

Thanks!

Steve

PS: Looking at TheLeabres 's video reminds me that there is still a LOT of life left in my bird!

As fun as it is to do aerobatics with the Champ (after over 400 flights I've managed a few) it's probably detrimental to the Champ. Examine the lightweight mounting of the control horns and you'll see that constant high G moves will result in tearing or loosening the base.

I guess you can try lazy loops versus pulling out of 100mph dives! Has anyone out there ever snapped a wing from a super high G move?

YES! Snapped one doing a loop. Learned to pull out more gently....

AND, thanks to your post, found the problem w/ MY Champ (I think). The CONTROL HORN on the rudder was loose! Glue was "kinda" giving away so it would PUSH well, but not PULL! Put on some CA. Will test fly when weather improves.

Thanks guys!

Had the champ out today, although it was snowing and about 10 F. out there was little wind. Between the Champ and the t-28 it was a good day. Need a camera with a faster shutter speed...lol