"The plane flew beautifully; the only trimming required was about 6 clicks of up elevator. This seems strange because the CG is at the suggested rear limit of about 85 mm."

With more than a hundred flights on mine I can say it is very easy to fly and quite durable (stuck in a tree during TD contest a couple months ago, came out with no damage ... flew it into blind ravine too, but survived to fly the next rounds). I have noticed the additional elevator trim needed and noted it is also a characteristic of both of my Avia gliders. Not sure why this is, but I suspect it might be related to the wing-tail decalage, but I have not yet started shimming the wing to adjust that option. My CG is way back and was set using the "Dive test" method. Ed

I am bummed that the wonderful rains here in droughtsville are probably over. This season has been the best; boku rain.

So, I took my Gracia Maxi out to my personal field and had a wonderful thermal day.

My days are numbered on this field because it soon will be covered with houses, and they will cut down the homes of my favorite raptors.
The loss of my field was the reason I bought this plane; big enough for a geriatric to see and a very nice speed range.

Anyway, the thermaling today was super, 2 climb outs for 40 minutes.
Two raptors joined me at high altitude and we did a lengthy ballet.

I can't say enough good things about this plane.
It is a great thermal machine and it can do tight flat continuous circles.

Great Day.

Craig

Anyone know what AUW one can hope for?
Ill just ordered a Gracia fuselage to my Grafas Maxi, so will have best of both worlds The Grafas has a AUW of 2220grams with a BIG battery to undo all the tail weight (servo all the way back).

Oh and what are the smallest servo Ill can use for the Vtail?

Originally Posted by MStauning

Anyone know what AUW one can hope for?
Ill just ordered a Gracia fuselage to my Grafas Maxi, so will have best of both worlds The Grafas has a AUW of 2220grams with a BIG battery to undo all the tail weight (servo all the way back).

Oh and what are the smallest servo Ill can use for the Vtail?

Hi, MStauning:

I am a weight fanatic. My Gracia Maxi has AUW of 1689 grams, but I kept the tail light with 1 mm diameter piano wire pushrods in the provided white tubes.
I used "Z-bends" in piano wire in the rear to avoid using clevises. I covered the tails with microlite covering to save a few grams.

The two tail servos are Hyperion DS-09-AMD (8.4 grams, dynamic torque: 2.0 Kg/cm @ 4.8 volt). I also used this type for the ailerons.

Check out post # 206 for list of equipment.

Craig

Thanks, my wings have to heavy servos DS-11-SCB's so they will be changed at some point. Wingset are 1030grams now, so super heavy.

But had some KST X08 or X08plus in mind (2,2 to 3.9kg at 6V, or 1.4 to 2.4kg at 3,8V) they are 8.4 to 9.5 grams. Have ordered some 1,3/2mm carbon pushrods for the tail (5,2g/m), that should help keep the tail light.

Michael.

Well have now put the Grasia Maxi together, and with the still heavy wingset on - it has a AUW of 1850 grams.

Thats with a 3S 2200, GPS, Airspeed sensor, Vario, Volt, Current and so on
Motor is Turnigy SK3 Gliderdrive 840kv 3858, a Cam 12"*6,5" prop with topmodels Turbo spinner. ESC is FrSky Neuron 60S, Tail servos are right now some TGY-113MG's till my X8Plus's come home.

The wingset is also used on a Grafas buildt acording to plan, so heavy servo in the tail AUW with the same motor, but a different ESC is 2600 grams - it has a 3S 5000 Lipo, and a Vector Flight controller for FPV - with out the FPV Ill would need a bigger battery !
FPV kit is mounted on/in the canopy, Tramp HV with a little pagoda and a Morbius Mini as camera.

Im also building a new Grafas Maxi fuselage, this time with both servos under the wing !
AUW will be ~2000-2100 for that one, Ill hope.

Oh the pushrod set, turned out very nice for both Grasia and Grafas.
Used close to 1meter pr pushrod on the Grasia, and with two of them the fuselage gained 10,7 grams with the M2 steel ends. Then 3grams of clue, to hold the sleves to the fuselage all the way down.

The Grafas gained a total of 8,9grams for the complete link, from Elevator bell to servo horn. So thats 1,1meter of pushrod, two steel M2 ends and a balllink on the Elevator bell and a Metal clevis on the servo. Old servo wire down the fuselage was 28grams ! then the linkset (4,3g) clue and servomoutning (2g) = 34,3 grams orginal and a heavy servo all the way in the back. New setup 8,9grams and a servo weighing nearly the the same but right under the CG.. So 25grams saved from the tail !

Gracia Maxi from Topmodel (6 min 5 sec)