40% Extra 260: Own-design build thread

[dmichael]

Yea, Paul, that was one of the hot ones.

Here's a picture with paint on the wheelpants and some graphics. I didn't care for the red wheelpants and ended up changing it out- white wheelpants and gear + landing gear cuffs. I'll get a picture of that and post.

[dmichael]

Here's another "who is it". Who's the guy with the red/white/black Dalton 260?

[xtra330]

so Dave, what is the flight report like? Compared to all of the aircraft you have owned in the past thats worth a dang? Anything you noticed out of the ordinary?

Joe

[aglenn]

Its Jon Leyland

[dmichael]

Yep, that's Jon Leyland.

Joe- as to how does it compare- In this size, I have owned a couple of Comp ARF 3 Meter Extras and a Carden 330 in addition to this scratch 260. I have flown lots of other guys stuff (OPS) including the Radiocraft/Radiowave Extra 300 (low wing), Don Szczurs Radiowave Extra 300 mid-wing (withe the dihedral removed), CA Yak, Carden 260 and Yak, etc., but those were always with other people's radios (I run very stiff springs and long sticks) and other people's setups (for example, I have flown Jon Leyland's Dalton in the pic above and he has the craziest strong ailerons I have ever flown), so it's not always easy to compare.

Having said all of that, I can confidently say that this plane is in the same class as all of those that I have flown. Very smooth flying, rolls well, snaps well, etc.. With 3D throws it is very stable in elevators and does all the 3D stuff that I can do very well. As our friend Ty would say, I'm more of a "straightliner"- When I am fooling around at the field I start with 3D and break out into a sequence....

There is always room for improvement in any design and I definitely have gathered some ideas about what I might do differently next time around:

- The wing is flat across the top from tip to tip so it has a bit of dihedral. If I did another one I would definitely take all the dihedral out. I think it would improve rolling characteristics.

- Elevator counterbalances. I don't think they are necessary anymore with today's powerful servos and my opinion is that elevators with no counterbalances are better for sequence work.

- Taper the ailerons. Feedback seems to be that tapered ailerons are good so I'd probably try them next time.

- Stiffen the motor box a little. I had some vibration that showed up in the ailerons at idle- it was more than a little. I assumed it was the engine so I switched it out for another and the vibration was unchanged. A little investigation revealed that the motor box wasn't stiff enough. I put some cross bracing in and the vibration dropped dramatically.

- I might consider doing it as a 300 instead of a 260. More side area should= better rolling and especially better rolling circles. But I do like the look of it as a 260.

- As always- find ways to take out some weight.


Dave

[TazmanianDevil]

dmichael
Awesome thread the best I've ever seen,
Very prpo' and highly skiled!!
And to think you did all by your self ,is awesome
TAZ

[Chris Puckett]

Thats not Jon. I have met him and he is much shorter. I think it might be a stunt double known as Rebel

[dmichael]

Ah, poor Jon, his secret is out. The truth is that he can't really fly- heck, he doesn't even know how to turn the transmitter most of the time. This "Rebel" guy actually does all of his flying....

[warren cross]

Contact your local XEROX office,ask them whare they have some engineering machines installed and then contact the company. I worked for 25 yrs with XEROX, I know it can be done,I made 50% plans for a gee bee. Most machines wont go larger than 36in wide,but will do 100ft long if you need it. Try it it may work for you.

[dmichael]

Thanks, Warren.

Here's a couple of pics from the 2005 Wings over Piper event in Lock Haven, PA.

[dmichael]

Here's a shot that gives a nice look at the side view. You might notice that the canopy is blue in some of the pics and clear in others. The hatch blew off on one flight and the canopy had to be replaced.

[TheTank]

Uh oh... I see a mini-Santiago in the background there!!!!! I think he has my stickplane.... LOL!