That just blew the budget!

Originally Posted by 66stang

Just a tip on something that's cheap and easy to use. I buy door weather seal from Lowes. It's sticky on one side. I use it under my electronics and any other items I want to keep protected. I also use two sided tape under the fuel tank. This stuff cost about $6-7 bucks.

Originally Posted by jwood

That just blew the budget!

Sometimes you have to splurge.LoL

Well now it's time to get the fuel system plumbed, switches installed and start placing thing to see where it will balance out at. After moving things around inside the fuse, I have settled on everything’s locations. Now the switch is pre-cut. I just needed to open the covering and elongate the hole some. As for the carb choke. I used a nyrod and tube. I ran this to the underside of the plane. I have never done it this way, but wanted to try something different. KEEP things neat. A little time spent on the install make a huge difference. I hate looking at a rat’s nest of wiring!

Stang, sweet plane, totally jealous. I was looking at the WH SU-26 after an article in a mag and was going to make it my first gasser project with the original XYZ-50 after Al vouched for their performance. Wanted to keep things cheap and the $469 kit seemed very reasonable. Well, I happened upon a Yak 54 very cheap ($270), and snagged it. I just wanted to chime in for someone who might be considering a first gasser project, a cheap kit might not save you any money in the long run. I had to replace a good amount of hardware, the tailwheel, stab tube ( it wasn't even round ), came with no spinner, and the wheels were cheap foam ones. So, the point is, I'll probably have the same amount of money into this plane and have an inferior kit when I'm done. The WH SU-26 and the 50HP are going to be my next project, I don't care how long it takes to save the extra money!! Nice thread.

Oh, I forgot, are you going to use an opto kill for the engine, or just the choke servo?

Rishelman

I have never used any kill switches. But I have been considering changing all my planes to some type of kill switch. I also have never used a servo for the choke, just more weight! If someone has a cheap style kill like the opti let me know. I need to get a few.

Originally Posted by Rishelman

Stang, sweet plane, totally jealous. I was looking at the WH SU-26 after an article in a mag and was going to make it my first gasser project with the original XYZ-50 after Al vouched for their performance. Wanted to keep things cheap and the $469 kit seemed very reasonable. Well, I happened upon a Yak 54 very cheap ($270), and snagged it. I just wanted to chime in for someone who might be considering a first gasser project, a cheap kit might not save you any money in the long run. I had to replace a good amount of hardware, the tailwheel, stab tube ( it wasn't even round ), came with no spinner, and the wheels were cheap foam ones. So, the point is, I'll probably have the same amount of money into this plane and have an inferior kit when I'm done. The WH SU-26 and the 50HP are going to be my next project, I don't care how long it takes to save the extra money!! Nice thread.

Oh, I forgot, are you going to use an opto kill for the engine, or just the choke servo?

Rishelman

Thanks for the kind words. This I think, is my first build on the FG. It sure does slow you down while building. But I also think it makes you take your time and do a better job!

I use these Stang. They worked great for me for years. Just wire it into the hot wire leading to your CDI.

http://www.rcatsystems.com/cube/inde...ba2bc83bbff149

ValleyView RC has them for $30. It's the 42% Products brand. Haven't bought one yet as I'm not ready, but going to give it a try as it looks the same as the SmartFly but for 1/2 the $$$.

Al, that ones out of stock. Rishelman, that one looks like a go. I want to check Troy Built first. They always take care of me when I order.

66Stang, great build thread! I have enjoyed it.

I have two quick points for the discussion. Rishelman is exactly correct. A few years ago I also built a cheaper plane that had a very nice airframe and decent parts fit, etc. However it required a fair amount of rework and extra parts, etc. At the time the closest LHS was about an hour away so every time I needed something it took at least a week or two before I could plan a trip. In the end I wished I had just spent a bit more to buy the Wild Hare Extra or another high-quality plane, as mine cost me about the same price, and easily cost significantly more when including my own time and effort.

Second, I will always use a good kill switch. I lost an excellent 100cc plane at a New Years Day fly-in because I threw the battery out of place in a blender - bonehead (me) replaced the battery the night before and didn't use a secondary method of securing the battery, didn't tie the battery and switch connectors together, etc. Anyway, after I pulled partially out of the spin and didn't have control the engine kept running at about 1/3 to half-throttle. It landed somewhat level when it hit but I now I am worried about crank damage or dirt ingestion in the engine (spinner shattered, spinner bolt was bent to a 90* angle). The plane spun in sort of doing a shoulder roll/knife-edge spin, with a good amount of energy. The airframe was a write-off, and I hope the engine and exhaust is OK, but probably won't trust the servos again.

My point is this: I was very lucky because the plane was about 200' out from the flight line and mushed into a stall and pointed away from the crowd before I lost all control. (Side note, I now know what it looks like when an A123 battery suddenly "relocates" itself from beneath the fuel tank to under the stab tube). Anyway, looking back at everything, it could have just as easily pointed toward the crowd and NOT gone into a spin, with the engine running at 1/3 throttle. I don't even want to think of the potential injuries!

If I had a kill switch on this plane the ignition would have shut off immediately when the receiver lost power, and the plane would have fallen out of the sky with much less energy.

These are my four lessons. Lesson #1 is not as big a deal as the rest. I failed to do #2-#4 because I was in a hurry => stupid, stupid mistake on my part!! I absolutely know better but still chose to fail. The Navy has an unwritten law regarding not following all the procedures, "You have the responsibility to NOT be wrong", i.e. do what you believe to be the best course of action but do NOT be wrong and make things worse than they would have been following the standard procedures. I absolutely know better but still chose to fail.

1) When selecting an airframe, be sure to get one that can be assembled smoothly and has good manufacturing support.
2) SECURE ALL CONNECTORS TOGETHER
3) SECURE the flight and ignition batteries so they WILL NOT get thrown out of place
4) Use a kill switch.

I will take these steps ALWAYS, EVERY time, WITHOUT fail from now on.

p.s. I have two of the 42% products kill switches and they have worked great for me, but some others have experienced problems. Be sure to isolate it from vibration as it is a very small, thin, light circuit board.

Don't know how true it is but I was told at the field today that the AMA will now require a remote engine kill switch on gassers.

That's what I've heard as well, at the competition level anyway. Just makes sense to me besides, about the same cost as a choke servo, no linkage, clean and easy, piece of mind.

As I've stated before, I don't have a local club field, or a LHS, so most of the technical stuff I've learned has been on FG, RCGroups, etc. (all descriminately taken with a grain of salt of course). But it seemed to me for my first gasser project I'd be silly to NOT have dual redundant batteries and an opto kill. Just my opinion. I see guys getting by without either, better safe than sorry for this builder/pilot.
Rishelman

All good ideas. I will run a kill on this one. I just need to get it orderd. As for the connectors. I always use those little yellow clips, or heat shrink tubing. If you do the heat shrink tubeing method, make sure you watch the heat used. i have melted the connector ends. Dental floss works very well too. Also I know a kill is required at Joe Nall!

That makes sense the AMA would require that. Failsafe and/or a choke servo would not have been enough to shut down my engine.