[Generalwolfe]

Originally Posted by Ken Charron

If anyone finds this manual getting a bit long, you may point out areas where "too much instruction" is provided. I won't go into how to cover a wing, but for other things, I feel clarity is better then uncertainty.

Actually Ken, this is a concern I was beginning to have. I've seen a number of instruction steps that could be condensed and shortened.

[Ken Charron]

Yes. But it's best to get the material down first so we know what needs to be covered.

Let me know what you find. It seems I'm too close to the content to see clearly at this point. Normally I let the manual sit for a while and come back to it a few weeks later. Then, the flow of the material is seen for the "first time"... again.

[Ken Charron]

I don't mean to resurrect this thread on order to complete the build (as that would suggest nothing has happened since). So where did this all go?
This thread served what it needed to… to a point. While most of what is here is relevant, there came a point where changes to the thread could not take place. This is no fault to the way the forum is technically maintained, but a shortcoming of the medium. Essentially, this online manual followed the sequence of how this plane was built. But what if the sequence was not the right way to do it? Would I rewrite the whole thread? Not a chance. As a written publication (on paper) changing the order of things is easy. If I wanted to build the wing first or the fuse, that's easy to change in a layout for printing. But next to impossible in an online forum.

If I could change the order of things here, the comments and discussions would become a tangled mess. In the printed version of this manual, there is no discussion. So this forum contributed the best part of writing an online manual. The part that isn't written down in the final printing.

So what happened?… The plane was completed. In the process of taking all the notes from here to form the printed version, it was expected some changes would take place. What wasn't expected (thankfully), was that changes were not limited to written instruction. Yes, there were some areas of the kit that changed as a result of the discussions found in this thread. And a few times these changes affected whole areas of the build process.

What changed? To look at the plane today, you wouldn't know anything changed unless you looked very close. First, the Control Module (where the radio and servos are) had tabs added to key into the floor. This also happened for the Fuel Carrier mounts. Adding small alignment pegs to these parts removed whole sections of instructions on how to install these parts. It should have been there from the start, but that's why this exercise was so valuable. Second, the contact points for the main gear were stressed when I flew the plane into a forest (more on that later). So we added some bosses to keep things from moving. Third, the Control Module needed to be more flexible with batteries. I know we had a lengthly discussion on what batteries we were aiming at, and we aimed for the lowest common denominator (a standard 4 cell pack). Unfortunately, the receiver for our new Aurora 9 (amazing radio) has an adverse reaction to power dips. If we loaded all 6 servos at once, the power from a standard 4.8V pack would starve the receiver in a bad way. It fluttered the controls. All servos fluttering at the same time meant more load hit the battery. In essence, the plane went into a seizure that lasted several seconds before it would recover. The solution was to ditch the old pack and drop in a fresh 6V 5-cell with giant amperage figures. This meant enlarging the battery cavity slightly. What a difference that made on sharpness.

Is this the end of this thread? For the most part, but not until we answer everyone's questions. After that, the thread will be locked and kept as reference.

The crash? Yes, the crash. I would remind everyone that a new engine has break-in phases before it stabilizes. The trick is to know when it has stabilized. Most builders have a rule for breaking in an engine. Some like to break-in engines in the air (usually followed by more breaking). Some feel breaking-in equals so many tanks of fuel. We prefer the method outlined by OS Engines. Without specific details, Their process makes a lot of sense. Short runs at low RPM followed by longer runs at high RPM. Cool-down periods between each cycle allow the engine to seat properly. However, this was not the culprit that introduced the plane to the forest. As some will agree, to take a plane down requires more than one thing to go wrong. Such is the case for this plane. Unfortunately, the issues we found were a collection of very small contributions to a condition not easily detected. 5 things went wrong at once. Which would have been fine if the last "thing" didn't show up when it did.

It's like throwing out your back by twisting the wrong way. Sure if you worked out at the gym more, didn't shovel 3 driveways an hour before, and wore boots instead of slippery shoes, you might not have landed they way you did when trying to catch your glasses while carrying groceries. Only after you see how all issues contributed. For the plane, something stopped working, and a little more power would have averted the mishap. The plane went into the woods and out of sight. The wing split, but that's all. A back-up wing was dropped in and everything else was cured in the power category. Just because an engine is new, doesn't mean the glow plug is any good.

I will post some photos of the things that changed in the build. Comments welcome.

[Ken Charron]

Here are a few images from the things that changed. The Engine Box hasn't changed, but needed an isometric to help the process.

[Ken Charron]

A few photos with wheel pants (hand made).

[Ken Charron]

And a few without the wheel pants.

[Ken Charron]

Missing items
A few last notes for anyone sumbling upon this thread... The struts for the wing was not covered somehow. I think the instructions for that were left out because the instructions from the previous version still applied.

Another step omitted was the installation of the windscreen. Again, I think all that was in the last manual still applies. Supplied screws allow the builder to mount the top of the windscreen and the rest wraps around the sides.

Lastly, the Balsa control sticks. Ditto.

Please. Anyone wanting more clarification on anything, please speak up.

[deadstickdan]

Hi Ken,

It's good to see this plane again. I check in her once in a while and was hoping you were still working on this latest version. Any idea when everything will be done and ready to put into kit form?

Dan

[Ken Charron]

Originally Posted by deadstickdan

Hi Ken,

It's good to see this plane again. I check in her once in a while and was hoping you were still working on this latest version. Any idea when everything will be done and ready to put into kit form?

Dan

I rather not quote you a date, as I'm not good at that sort of thing. It's my experience that if I estimate a sale date, something tends to come in the way. I'll say this: We are working on mid May. Hope that helps.

[deadstickdan]

Ken,

That sounds great! Whenever it becomes available, count me in for 1.

Dan