lancer build for G Challenge.

[davidchoate]

If It's calm today. I will try to get it trimmed, and keep my flight long. Then enter it all to Yahoo G=Challenge.

[davidchoate]

Dead calm all morning. I brought My Lancer to the field to get some flights. I had it trimmed good from 1st time, and as soon as I got to the park, a good 10mph wind kicked up,but like the fool I am, I did a few tries. 1st flight4sec,2nd flight6sec and was looking good until I hit an obstacle. It was stalling a bit heading into the breeze ( I would wait between gusts to launch), and so I slid the wing back to move the CG,and wound it up a good 175 turns. It climbed, and made a gentle left hand turn (just like I wanted), and was a good 20 ft. in altitude, and it hit a light post. What are the odds.But anyway that ,in my guess would've been at least a 15 sec. flight if the pole did'nt jump in front of Her. At least I got it trimmed, and its the most success I've had in FF. And it's Home in one piece. The next calm day I'm confident I'll get good flights. Oh, My motor hangs out a good 3" until wound a bit. and does anyone know if you start counting your winds right away, or wait until the slack is taken up. Also I lubed the motor with silicone grease lubricant,and it seems to work quite well. The Armorall tends to "dry" after a while.

[davidchoate]

And I've been keeping records of my flights. I made copies of the little chart that comes on the box. That way I have notes from each time I fly. I found this helps.

[Wildpig]

Nice looking airplane.

I stretch my rubber motor and begin counting the winds as soon as I starting cranking.

[davidchoate]

OK. I gotta get one of those winders, and make a stooge. For some reason no one is interested in holding the plane for me when I wind. I cant even get anyone to go with me. I guess Some people dont know what theyre missing. OH' and that silicone grease seems to work beautiful for lubing the rubber. I have had no adverse effects to the motor at all.

[SpiceMan]

Hi David ... looks like you've got a lotta "love" invested here in your Lancer. VERY nice job ... she's a BEAUTY.
I'm getting ready to do the Bird Dog as a 3 channel RC. Very satisfying to take a box of "sticks", and turn them into an actual flying airplane, I'm sure you'll agree.

[davidchoate]

I agree about the turning sticks into a plane, but its the flying part I have yet to make any satisfactory progress as compared to other planes on the forum, But I am learning. I taught myself to fly on Small Foam planes, and it took 2 yrs before I could take off,fly around, and land in one piece. I see guys flying warbirds on rubber, and they do better than my Lancer, and Javelin. I also am on the verge ( I think) of creating my first successful RC micro conversion. Aeronca. I am building larger RC planes (not Guillows) from plans, because the wind is too much for the micros. All I need now is a field large enough. I'm in Philly, and so theres not alot of open space around. I'm going to take my Lancer out in a bit. I was able to trim it last week in spite of gusts. It'll fly. I had avg 6 sec out of 5 flights, but There was interference. One I hit a light post, and another a fence around the outfield. Unfortunately I cant drive, and is it me, or does every sports field, or park seem to have those enormous electrical towers. Not a telephone pole, but those huge iron 80ft tall things that play hell with my radio too.

[davidchoate]

Took Her out last evening. Perfect calm. Same problem as my Javelin. Wont climb, and it is perfect to the plan. I got twice length prp to peg. grey 3/32". I dont know whats going on. I think I need more wing area, and get rid of the airfoil tail. I even considered mixing the blue and grey motors as one, to achieive the power burst of the blue to get me some altitude, and then coast on the grey consistent power.Help me Dave Lewis. You seem very knowledgable in this stuff.

[David Lewis]

Usually this is caused by inadequate decalage (stab incidence needs to be more negative or wing incidence more positive) or CG too far forward. In any case, it's often worthwhile to move the CG a little farther aft than shown on the plans. How much you can get away with is determined by experiment. Then test glide it and trim in as much up elevator as you can without stalling (shim up the the stab TE or add a trim tab). This will maximize rate of climb.

Another trick is to add downthrust. I know that is counter-intuitive but it can drastically boost ROC due to the fact that propwash hits the wing at a higher angle of attack.

If that doesn't solve the problem, my hunch would then be a mismatch between the prop and rubber, or cross sectional area of the rubber is too small.

[davidchoate]

Thanx. I have tried all adjustments you mentioned, except for the horiz stab decolage. I think My Lancer will survive a few more test flights.

[David Lewis]

Right. Give it a smooth, gentle hand toss. Then add as much up elevator as possible without causing it to stall. I think the Lancer design could stand a little more wing chord. That would give the wing a higher Reynold's number and more area.