Hello all,

I just purchased a Foam F-86 EDF from HK as my first EDF. The aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, here in Pensacola, FL left many empty cement lots where hotels once existed that weren't rebuilt. I can use them as a runway, but the cement is pretty rough.

Conversely, I live right on the beach and would prefer to use the sand if possible. I can imagine that sand into a EDF unit would = bad news, however I was thinking that if I depart on wet sand, then land with the fan completely off, I could get away with murder and not suck any sand into the EDF.

Any thoughts?

The guy in this link is flying off sand

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1810803

There's a great long stretch of beach where I live but I would have a hard time getting there when its quiet.

Originally Posted by Taman

The guy in this link is flying off sand

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1810803

There's a great long stretch of beach where I live but I would have a hard time getting there when its quiet.

Wow, quite an attitude in that thread.... I'm talking about the plane of course.

to fly off sand i recomend a full inlet duct.

Originally Posted by AIR SALLY

to fly off sand i recomend a full inlet duct.

Can you elaborate?

For one you wouldn't want a F-102 because the inlets are low but a F-106 looks the same but the inlets are up higher, L-39 has high inlets and so does a Victory jet and an A-4. Non ducted EDF jets tend to have cheater holes on the bottom, when you taxi to take off ,,,you get the picture. If your gearless and slide off sand to launch like snow, you better go ahead and purchase stock in your favorite fan manufacture...

You'll need to either add some wheels or some protective film like they use for RC buggy chassis to protect the bottom of the aircraft. If you have enough power to ROG (rise off ground) then the film is the better option that way you don't have wheels creating extra drag while you are in flight.

Originally Posted by CarsonGamer

Can you elaborate?

the sand will be sucked up through the cheater hole (nose gear area) a fiber glass duct would be best ...i had planned to make a molded one for this plane ....but never got to it. some rolled sheet fiber glass might could work.

Originally Posted by ApexAero

For one you wouldn't want a F-102 because the inlets are low but a F-106 looks the same but the inlets are up higher, L-39 has high inlets and so does a Victory jet and an A-4. Non ducted EDF jets tend to have cheater holes on the bottom, when you taxi to take off ,,,you get the picture. If your gearless and slide off sand to launch like snow, you better go ahead and purchase stock in your favorite fan manufacture...

I purchased an F86

Originally Posted by AIR SALLY

the sand will be sucked up through the cheater hole (nose gear area) a fiber glass duct would be best ...i had planned to make a molded one for this plane ....but never got to it. some rolled sheet fiber glass might could work.

Yeah that's a good point I'll look into that. I don't want to cover up the cheater hole though, correct? Wouldn't that adversely affect performance?

Originally Posted by CarsonGamer

Yeah that's a good point I'll look into that. I don't want to cover up the cheater hole though, correct? Wouldn't that adversely affect performance?

I think you missed the point.

"the sand will be sucked up through the cheater hole (nose gear area) a fiber glass duct would be best

"some rolled sheet fiber glass might could work".

The idea of a fiberlgass duct is to eliminate the cheated hole.

Originally Posted by CoolerByTheLake

I think you missed the point.

"the sand will be sucked up through the cheater hole (nose gear area) a fiber glass duct would be best

"some rolled sheet fiber glass might could work".

The idea of a fiberlgass duct is to eliminate the cheated hole.

Maybe I am missing something here. If I land with the fan off and apply no power on the sand, how will it be sucked up into the cheater hole? (please excuse my ignorance, I'm no veteran to EDF's!)

Think take offs. With cheater hole in immediate prox to nose wheel, and sand kicked up by that.

Originally Posted by PikeStaff

Think take offs. With cheater hole in immediate prox to nose wheel, and sand kicked up by that.

I figured taking off on wet sand would mitigate that but your probably right. Any idea what kind of performance difference not having the hole would make? Might be worth it just to take off on the cement and walk over to the beach about 150yds away.

Never tried to fly this one without the cheater hole, or with it obscured. It does take off in a fairly short distance, on stock power, with the hole; maybe the thing to do is to find a big paved area (got any hangar aprons at your disposal there in Pensecola? ) and try takeoffs with and without the hole. Taping anything over the hole on the outside WILL pull paint off on removal, so be forewarned! Maybe just a couple pcs. of reinforced strapping tape on the inside will do it - ought to stick down pretty well.

Short of that.......dunno. It might fly well without the hole; check out the Venom thread, do a search to see if anybody ever tried it.