Keep my plane dry!

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Chuck - 30 Oct 2003 21:16 GMT

Hey group...im new to this group, well I use to post here about 6
years ago but a hiatus from the hobby has kept me away. At any rate, 6
years ago, I had a tower trainer in my garage that I wanted to
convert into a seaplane. I went to the local hobby shop and picked up
a set of ABS plastic, one piece floats (made for a .40 size) and
mounted them to the plane. They were mounted correctly and straight
and the plane taxi'd quite well in my lake at low and high speed
passes. Well, i finally got the nerve to take her up. Her powerplant
was an OS.40FP,which was more than enough pre floats. Well, I lined
her up at the end of the lake and applied full throttle. About 50
yards into the run she was barely skimming the water as if trying to
say "rotate, rotate" so i pull back slightly and she pops out of the
water....everything was great until she left ground effect. The plane
shudderd and shook and the left wing fell, a wing stall....but on a
tower trainer?! Needless to say she entered the drink on her
back...Well now, 6 years later I have another tower trainer that a
buddy gave to me and I would like to make it a seaplane as well. My
question is, what did i do wrong? was the plane under powered? Is
there any tips I should be aware of? Keep in mind, I was flying for 10
years pre the crash so i have some ok flying skills (at least I like
to think). Any input?

Thank you

Charles

Reply to this Message

Paul McIntosh - 30 Oct 2003 22:28 GMT

You need to be quicker with the elevator. There is a lot of drag even with
a planing set of floats. This is trying to pull the nose down. Once you
give the up elevator and break the floats free, you now have too much up
elevator and you need to back off quickly. Of course, you could just put a
70 size four stroke on it and drag is kicking and screaming out of the
water!

Signature

Paul McIntosh
Desert Sky Model Aviation
http://fly.mcintoshcentral.com

> Hey group...im new to this group, well I use to post here about 6
> years ago but a hiatus from the hobby has kept me away. At any rate, 6
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Charles

Reply to this Message

Morgans - 30 Oct 2003 23:03 GMT

> Hey group...im new to this group, well I use to post here about 6
> years ago but a hiatus from the hobby has kept me away. At any rate, 6
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Charles

The bottom of a flat bottom wing should have a 2 to 3 degree positive angle,
relative to the top of the float. That way you do not use the elevator to
lift off. It flies off on it's own.

Signature

Jim in NC

Reply to this Message

John Hawkins - 31 Oct 2003 01:27 GMT

It sounds like the plane was barely above stall after
separation from the water. A 40FP is pretty marginal with floats on a
40 size trainer. Your climb would have to be very shallow at first to
build up speed. Even then you wouldn't get much in the way of
performance. It can be fun nursing a plane on low power - you know,
like poking yourself in the eye with a toothpick. ;-)

>Hey group...im new to this group, well I use to post here about 6
>years ago but a hiatus from the hobby has kept me away. At any rate, 6
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
>Charles

Reply to this Message

Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / October 2003

Keep my plane dry!