Ralph Day

I just put the float kit on my Fun Cub today and flew off snow for the first time. Made my take off and landings look really good. Must have been the smoothness and softness of the surface. Anyone else with float experience on water? Anything to watch out for that might be different from snow or grass flying? Ralph

Thanks Tom I had the travel adjusted down to the recommended for beginner, but therewas not enough reaction for saving by the pilot on the other end of the training tether. I may take a shot in a farmers field, but as this is a long time comittment (the hobby) I'm not going to rush/crash/regret. I'm actually making a balsa kit model for my next next airplane. I'ts supposed to be my winter project, but it's largely done and it's only October. Oh well, have to get another to work on Ralph

Tom, I have been trying to learn on a Funcub too. My little Hobbyzone Champ (wingspan of 16" rudder, elev and throttle controls) has spoiled me. It can fly in my 1 acre clearing just fine. I can do most anything with it (landings are short, no roll out...the grass is long). The funcub was a challenge from the get-go. Any winds and I'm all over the place. Even the instructor at the club I belong to doubted being able to learn on it. The problem might be the need of lots of expo. When buddy-box tethered you're flying with whatever is available. In my case a Spektrum 5e (came with the Phoenix sim), which has no expo, just dual rates. What does anyone dial in for expo when early flying of a Fun cub? (good radio is a DX6i). I suspect I don't have the expo rates high enough for starting out with a light foamy. I haven't had a Fun flight with it yet, just white knuckle experiences. Yet the little foam champ is fun to fiddle with, providing the wind is light enough not to wiggle the leaves on the trees (calm). There's a Kadet LT40 on the bench being electrified. I've heard it's the go-to trainer (or was in years past). Maybe the FC will just be my "next" plane, once I' have more experience. Ralph (from the wilds of Canada)

Thanks Stephen, I had a nice paint job on the FC before flying it. I think now I'll not paint it anymore, until I'm confident I'm not going to crash it. Is that realistic?. Last week I purchased a \Phoenix flight sim. I wish I'd had a go at it before I tried to fly my FC. I guess I was overconfident from flying around my Hobbyzone Champ. It's a little darling I can buzz around in my 1 acre yard. It took a little getting used to (and getting out of trees). I found that the throttle is adjustable! You don't have to firewall it to stay in the air. Past history in general aviation (Pipers, Cessnas) doesn't apply the same hand eye co-ordination as stick flying models. The theory is the same, the physics is the same, but the physical act of "real" flying and stick flying are quite different...you're not inside looking out at the result of your control inputs, you're outside looking at the results of your control inputs from a distance. Mind you, any crash that happens doesn't result in death and mayhem...well, maybe mayhem. Ralph

Well, I tried the boiling water and it works. My plane now has some pronounced lizard skin too. I was focused on the repair area and didn't notice how much heat was coming up around the pot. The worst lizard skin is not on the repaired area. A little sanding and it's better. The droop is mostly out of the wing tip as well. Ralph

What is the boiling water trick? Do you immerse the offended foam totally? For how long? I'd need a big pot, the droop starts just outboard of the end of the long support spar. I was thinking about gluing the wing together since one side is higher by a couple of mm when it's bolted to the fuselage (the foam just under the mounting plate on the left wing has been crushed and ripped by impact) Thanks Ralph

I am new to rc flying and as a result I have a little damage to my Fun cub. A bit of a cartwheel on landing broke the prop and bent the left wing tip (5mm droop from root to tip). When the wing is bolted down the left is proud by 1-2 mm at the root. It appears the foam under the bolt down plastic got deformed/crushed in the "landing". In the construction instructions is says not to glue the wings into one unit. Is this for ease of transportation or what? I can carry the assembled plane in my car, so being able to break down the wing is not essential. If gluing the wing together should I CA glue the supports together and Gorrilla glue the foam surfaces together? CA everything? Gorrilla everything? Thanks for any pointers. Ralph

I tried the changing polarity on a servo for my Fun Cub. I'm waiting for a replacement unit. The magic smoke escaped. Melted the casing and a little of the foam. Live and learn. Ralph