[SpaceCowboy]

Well I went out this evening and test flew two aircraft.

An RFB Fan Trainer ( Webra .52 2 stroke) and a Bisson Mufflers ARF FunStar ( Saito .56 4 stroke).


Both had successful flights.


The FunStar was amazing and took off in about 30 feet on grass. It only needed 2 clicks of aileron trim. It flies great but the colour scheme is the same on both sides.


The Fan Trainer flew very fast for a trainer. It was a bit nose heavy and needed about half of the nose up trim and a couple of clicks of aileron trim. I bounced it a bit on landing and lost some balsa to the pavement on the underside of the fuselage. An aluminium strip is on order for that problem. I need to change those light foam main tyres to Dubro low bounce rubber tyres.

It also lost a chunk out of the trailing edge of one blade of the 3 bladed pusher prop. This could have been the result of picking up a stone from the runway.

Anyhow I went home with 2 flyable aircraft

Tomorrow I am out again to a different field ( grass) with my heli , GP F-15 and the FunStar.

It is great flying weather this weekend

Take advantage of it.


PS : Hey AJ where were you at the RC400 fun fly last weekend :

[AJCoholic]

ME? (or is there another AJ?)

Pics of the fantrainer please...

[SpaceCowboy]

Yes you AJ. Scaleguy mentioned you didn't make it down here.

[AJCoholic]

Too much on the go this summer...

[SpaceCowboy]

Ok I will try loading a picture here.

So far no joy.

[SpaceCowboy]

Originally Posted by AJCoholic

ME? (or is there another AJ?)

Pics of the fantrainer please...

There is a picture of my FanTrainer from the August 2004 fun fly at the Edenvale Flyers web site : www.edenvaleflyers.ca

Top row , second from the right. It is grey in colour.

For inflight visibility the bottom of the wing is cub yellow.

[ronnieo]

Is it from RCM plans? Seen it somewhere before in plan form.

[jdiprofio]

Hey SpaceCowboy,

Where did the fan trainer come from. Was it a kit, and if so where can I get pricing and such? Also, would it fly off of a good sized grass strip?

Thanks in advance,
Joe

[SpaceCowboy]

Hi Ron & Joe ; This model is from a Hobby Dynamics kit, Champaign, Illinois,USA. I do not think they are in business anymore, or kit the plane.

It takes off of grass with no problem. The specs are as follows : Length-64" , Wing Span- 69" , Weight- 7-8 Lbs. , Horizontal Stab Span - 23" , 4-5 Channel , Engine- 45-50 Schneurle Two Stroke. This is from the box.

You need an engine with a heli head for cooling. I have a Webra .52 heli engine in mine. It has ample power to get off of grass. The only problem was the shorter shaft on the heli engine.

I would recommend an Fixed wing engine with a heli head. This would give you a little extra shaft length to work with. Once you install the prop , starter pulley and nut there is no room for a washer.

I have added some 400 sand paper to the back of the pulley and centre punch washer to stop the pully fom rotating. I had to mill down the prop nut to almost half its' thickness to do this.

Just in case your not aware; the engine is started with a shoe lace wrapped around the pully and pulled. Just like an outboard motor pull start.

This was not working for me to well last weekend so I have devised a plan to use a large o ring & my electric starter next time. I tried it in the basement and it turns the engine over quite wel. It alsowelleps my fingers and starter well away from the prop. The heli starter belt was to close. 1/2" from the prop tip.

As a further note. Master Airscrew now makes a 9x7 pusher 3 bladed prop. The Tornado ones were 9x6p and hard to get here. I have installed a 9x7p Master Airscrew prop now. I think it will give me even more thrust Now if the weather would co-operate.