Originally Posted by aeajr

Among my planes I have two Spirit 2Ms and both have 2 piece wings. One launchs from a 3M strength hi-start. This is at my Parent's house.

The other also lanuchs from a very strong hi-start AND a 12V winch. I tape the wing before flying, then pull or cut the tape at the end of the day for easy transport. Works fine!

Aeajr, what kind of tape do you use for joining the wing halves together? In what direction do you tape them? You say you pull or cut the tape - by pull do you mean removing the tape? If you cut it - do you leave it on the wing and tape over it? Do you reuse the tape or have to use new tape every time you assemble the wing? Do you have a picture of the taped wing halves that you can post so that the tape joint is visible?

Sorry for the avalanche of Qs, but I hope you can answer in less sentences than I used for my Qs.

TIA,
Ivan

No problem.

I put a layer of clear packing tape across the end rib and cut the opening out where the spar slides thorugh. I overlap it onto the top and bottom wing surfaces in the area where the rubber bands cross and where the "joiner tape" will stick. This helps the covering take the stress of taping and pulling the packing tape when I join the wings.

I use 2" clear packing tape, typically a medium weight tape, to join the wings at the field. I insert the joiner piece then put the two wing halves together. Then I tape them together.

I start it at the back of the wing, run it to the front, wrap around the leading edge then back to the rear of the wing. I have spoilers so I leave a gap where the wires come through.

This makes the wing amazingly strong, and since the taped area is under the rubberbands or inside the fuselage, any minor wrinkles have no impact on the performance of the wing.

Typically I pull the tape off at the end of the day. Sometimes this can detach some of the monokote, so I have to occasionally reseal it to the wing using the heat iron, when I get home. No big deal.

Solid as a rock! I have broken this wing several times due to failed winch launches but have never had to replace the wing joiner as the tape has held. Maybe if I had not taped it, the wing would not have broken as the joiner could have given, but I find this the best compromise between the strength of a glued wing and a wing just held with the joiner.

If I were a totally new flyer launching off a typical 2M hi-start maybe It would be best to not tape it so that the wing can give more on a bad landing. But I have always launched off a 3M+ very powerful hi-start, or a winch, so I want that wing strong. I don't want the halves shifting or separating on the launch or in flight, which is the reason some people glue the halves together. This works just as well, in my opinion and I can separate the halves at the end of the day for easy transport and storage.

This is a Spirit Select, so the plane was all built and came in a box. I still keep the plane in that box for storage and transport. So convenient.

Hope that helps.

These are great ideas, Aeajr! Thanks a lot!!!

Ivan

Originally Posted by bgjames111

how does this thing do on the slope? I am looking for a second plane to fly if I go to my local slope and the wind is not pumping hard!

I sloped mine a couple of days ago in some quite brisk winds. I was concerned that with only rudder and elevator it would be handful in turbulent air, but it handled the slope very well. I'm looking forward to a lighter lift day where it can take better advantage of thermals.

My slope site has nice tall grass for landing, so it wasn't a problem other than just trying to get the plane to land - the slope lift was very strong.


Mitch

Mitch, do you go to the hill on Greene Road? How do you land the plane when the lift is strong? Does this sound like a newb Q?

Ivan, a PropMaster

Originally Posted by ivanc

These are great ideas, Aeajr! Thanks a lot!!!

Ivan

Glad you find them worthwhile.

I took some time this morning to tune up the fling 2m. Added nylon bolts for the wing hold down, did the jack/switch thing with a small hole for the charger or off-plug, ironed out all the wrinkles in the covering, and proceeded to beat the heck out of it.

It was flying beautifully, better than it has. Hovering above the trees, moving out when I told it, but I clipped a fence on the way back and it landed on its tail. No obvious harm, everything still looked straight. So up the upstart again, no problems, again I overstretch the return and manage a one wingtip landing, and I hear a crunchy sort of noise as the fuse flops onto the grass...

Standard issue, empennage floppy, Last pushrod exit hole is in line with the failure.

Oh well, I was wanting to weigh it down a bit anyway

The tailboom carbon is great except for the holes in the carbon tube. That's a stupid design with holes that weaken it greatly. The smart design is to run the control plastic tubes outside the carbon tube tail boom. Also, the tail mounts with stupid metal threaded rods thru carbon holes. The smart design is to glue the tail to the carbon boom. Good design could save weight and increase strength.

Originally Posted by Ollie

The tailboom carbon is great except for the holes in the carbon tube. That's a stupid design with holes that weaken it greatly. The smart design is to run the control plastic tubes outside the carbon tube tail boom. Also, the tail mounts with stupid metal threaded rods thru carbon holes. The smart design is to glue the tail to the carbon boom. Good design could save weight and increase strength.

This has been talked about in a previous thread.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...t=504359&pp=15
Like Ollie said. Run the pushrod tubes on the outside of the boom and glue the tail on, instead of screwing it on.
Wrap the boom with carbon tow to reinforce the pushrod exit holes.

Originally Posted by jrgospod

CrashinJ,

I am an embarrassed owner of the Fling DLG...Fool me once shame on you (GP). Fool me twice, shame on me. GP will not get a chance to fool me twice. They have lost me as a customer. ...
John

Don't be so sure. The Fling HLG and the Fling DLG have nothing in common. The Fling HLG is a good little flier. Two friends and I have had a blast with the three we own. The Fling 2m looks like it'll be an even better performer with more mass to penetrate thermals and lower wing loading.

I'm glad I never bought a Fling DLG from the reports I have heard but you owe it to yourself to invest $65 for a Fling and try it out before you write off GP.

I do have one minor negative comment about the 2m Fling...

Are the folks at GP color blind? Nice plane but that is one ugly color scheme.

Originally Posted by smithgrowl

I do have one minor negative comment about the 2m Fling...

Are the folks at GP color blind? Nice plane but that is one ugly color scheme.

It is very visible at 1000' AGL though

Steve

Hey Sparky - Where did you pick up that pylon mount?

Is the fuselage and tail section of the Fling 2m different from the 'normal, small' Fling?
Or: Can I put a 2m wing on the small Fling?

Would be nice to have a 2m ship just by buying a new wing.

Leon

It is a completely different plane. The family shares a common theme of a pod/boom design with a standard tail layout. But that is all.

The little tiny tail on the original fling could NEVER balance and turn that big wing.