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Take off from water
Fast Freddy,
I'm in the minority here, but finally settled in with holding the elevator stick back about 3/4", or half way to full against the stop. I have 70% expo (since I don't use dual rates). Add power so at full in less than 2 seconds. Plane takes off smoothly and climbs out scale-like. When I held full elevator for the entire takeoff, it took much longer to break free of the water. I trimmed the wing tips, but don't know it that make a difference. --- You wrote: "Also making a couple of hatch locks for the canopy as I have had the canopy pop off numerous times...." Don't bother... just put a 2" strip of electrician's tape over the nose of the canopy and it won't come off... also will help keep water out. --- Bob |
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Last edited by 4444; Jun 01, 2009 at 07:47 PM.
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Well I was pretty close to writing this one off after my wing clipped this little branch and parts became scattered about the water while the fuse took @45' drop .
The girlfriend liked this one so much i spent a few nights on it and it went very well. the wing was in half at the glue joint and the saddle was floating. It also had 5 large gouges on the leading edge which took a night with spackle and polycrylic. The motor pod was dangling by its wires, but a nice clean break, and the wing mount area was slaughtered near the fuse Additionally, testers gloss dark blue does not look to bad on this model (not at all purple like this low res pic) |
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Seawind Canopy hatch Locks
Thanks for the info guys. Attached are photos of canopy hatch locks I constructed. Hopefully, canopy popping off will become a thing of the past. Will try a flight as soon as possible and post results.
ImagesView all Images in thread
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FF - Yes, you hold full up until you are airborne. This seems to trap air under the wing and helps keep it level. After you break water, then let up on the elevator so you don't stall.
Yours does sound a little nose heavy also. Try balancing it closer to the CF spar in the wing. I balance mine on the spar, but 1/4" to 1/8" in front of the spar is a safe balance point. As for the Canopy issue, I use a small piece of Scotch tape on the front edge of the canopy to keep it from lifting off during those submarine dives. Seems it doesn't take much water flow to lift up that front edge, but a little tape is all that's needed to solve this problem. Your canopy latch looks interesting, but unless you tape the front edge, or put another latch in the front, the water will still lift off your canopy when your plane noses under. McD |
Latest blog entry: LEDs on my T-28
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Putting waterproof athletic/bandage tape on the wing saddle really helped keep the water out (see Coolboarder's post #865 for pictures). And since I was taping the front of the canopy, also tried taping the canopy sides to see if it would keep the last remaining little bit of water out, but haven't "bobbed" into the water lately to test it. Probably not worth the trouble. Bob |
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Last edited by 4444; Jun 02, 2009 at 06:15 PM.
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@fast freddy - is there any chop on the water when you're trying to take off? Also, we have all found the stock CG to be very conservative and the plane seems to fly better with the CG at the CF spar under the wing. I found that about 1 mm of flare on the aelerons (1 mm up on both sides) also seems to help the plane float a bit better. All this done, with calm water head it into the wind, ease into 3/4 throttle with full up elevator and it should lift right off. I've been using a rubber band around the canopy as a safety to hold it on - works well so far.
Hope this helps |
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Rick |
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I only use dual rates on 3D and hybrid planes. I fly the Seawind in the precision mode only. But I still wanted full throws available for those wild wind rocks and stall recoveries I got on my first few takeoffs here at 7000'. So I programmed full throws with lots of expo and stick with it, never using the dual rate feature, (aileron 75%; elevator 65%, rudder 30%). So while I have the full elevator throw stated in the manual available, I have 65% expo and only deflect the elevator stick 1/3 to 1/2 on my DX7 tx during takeoff. - picture 1: 1/3 stick for light headwind - picture 2: 1/2 stick for no headwind - picture 3: max stick deflection My C/G is on the CF wing rod. I don't believe trimming the wingtips affects the takeoff elevator position, it only lessens the likelyhood of catching a tip and sharply turning in the water during takeoff. I can say for certain, full elevator throw on high rates doesn't work for me... 2 or 3 times the takeoff distance, and bouncier. Bob |
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Last edited by 4444; Jun 07, 2009 at 11:26 PM.
Reason: reworded two takeoff options better
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Thanks Guys! Post #1069 shows hatch locks for both the front and rear of the canopy. My guess is canopy won't be coming off anytime too soon. I will re-check my throws and go with the recommended set-up per manual. I will stay with and not exceed the recommended 1500 mah battery or move to the lighter weight 1320 mah. This plane is ever so touchy, but I intend to persevere and not "throw in the towel." A soon as I get a chance to fly, will post results.
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On windy days I fly my Seawind with a 2200 mah 30C pack. It's a little more nose heavy with this pack, but it penetrates the wind better and still has plenty of steam for choppy water takeoffs. I've used high rate and low rate full up for takeoffs and they both work for me. I just get off the elevator as soon as the plane breaks water.
I like to fly with high rates because the Seawind does the most wonderful inverted snap to tumble to inverted flat spin I've ever seen. I've been able to get as many as two complete rotations where the nose and tail rotate about the wingtips . McD |
Last edited by kingsflyer; Jun 04, 2009 at 02:30 AM.
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Ha! You're a braver man than I. I like to putter around at 1/2 throttle and keep it canopy up over water. I may get braver after I've got some time on this bird, but so far I'm just happy with a smooth takeoff / flight / water landing. I think my earlier crash into the ice last winter made me a bit gun shy with this plane...
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Am going to fill it with PU glue. The ailerons feel sloppy too. The torque rods to servos seem OK, the sloppiness seems to be where the torque rods do a right angle bend into the ailerons, anyone else noticed this? Glenn. |
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