Sam Longley

Two interesting replies that will need some consideration. Thanks for taking the time. Sam L

The jive is not an issue now. But the point that i would make is the unreliability of following the motor sizes on some charts. The motors for the 2 planes that you suggest on 4Purple Power's list have outputs far lower than an Enya 60. There may be reasons for this, but I am worried about falling into the trap that I fell into with the Jive. When the Avanti was designed electric power was not so prevalent & I accept that it was not considered. But I would like to try it. I just need advice on the right power unit etc. Having done that I can look at the weights & see how I can distribute the parts within the fuselage to maintain Cof G. If possible it would make a good plane I am sure. But please do not think I am being deliberately critical of your suggestions. I am open to any that might help Thanks

I fitted anelectric motor to my Jive & was extremely disapointed.It had very poor performance & rolls & loops were difficult due to poor power. I tried several prop varaiations. Needless to say, I am not impressed with their recommendations. My 2 recent limbos & current cougar all have .39 glows & go like stink. An enya 60 gives 1.75 HP so that equates to about 1300 watts. But none of 4 max motors quote watts

Justifiable comments. In a later revised build video, Mark does use a bolted wing & I will adopt something along these lines. I also intend to have 2 wing servos. To cut the components from the patterns, I will be fixing 2 sheets of balsa together & cutting with my bandsaw. Re the electric motor, I have asked the club chairman to put me in touch with a member who is very knowledgeble in electrics. Hopefully he can advise re the size of motor I need, plus, installation, ventilation etc. plus help with some advice on fitting it with the correct battery & ESC. What will be an issue is maintaining C of G. I have been in contact with Mark Robinson & he thinks that I should stick with my OS 55 glow engine. I am undecided In any event the RCM article refers to good low speed handling take off & landing etc. It was also an early competition winning pattern ship that did the smooth loops & rolls of the competitions of the time, which is the limit of my flying at present. So I am looking to learn to handle nice smooth flights

What had me thinking was a you tube video where a chap repaired an old , crashed glider. he stripped much of the old paint etc but patches of red were left. he did not bother to remove it as it was an old plane anyway. He just aplied laminated film over it. The red showed through as easy as you like. That suggests to me that a painted balsa surface with the right paint, primer & filler (if needed) would look good & not get damaged if repairs are done. Or it would be easy to touch up the paint if the covering had to be removed after a ding. But the question is-----What paint, & how to apply to balsa.

As you seem to be the forum expert on laminating film ( I have just ordered a roll Boss premium 38g gloss) I was hoping that you would answer Don Fry's post above about what paint under the laminating film. Obviously I do not want to add excess weight but iwould love some guidance on application ( Any suggested link?) & type of paint for the balsa. It would- one assumes- be different to that used on the outside of the film

Yes.partially sheeting would be my intention. I think that the blue of the exposed foam - which will NOT be hard against the laminating film- may show as a slight blue haze. That might look good against the painted cap strips & as you suggest decorated ends.

Well I bought all the balsa for a total balsa wing construction today & my wallet is £170-63 lighter . I do not think that is too bad. It included acouple of tubes of glue , the steel for the landing wheel & a motor mount . But obviously no covering or paint. The shop was empty so the chap was able to spend 1.5 hours with me & meticulously sorted the right grade of balsa for each component. I had prepared a list for wings, fuselage & tailplane. So each section was separate until the wife picked it all up & put it in the car as one. Shuffling the sheets as she went. Such is life I think that if I scolloped the sheeting between the ribs & shaped it at the ends it could look quite neat under the film. The edges would automatically be sharp & even both sides of the wing. If all goes well I might try a foam wing as well. Coloured balsa & some exposed blue foam with some routered out lightening spaces near the tips would look OK. I have found a source of 200gram carbon cloth for £70. I am wondering if to buy it & strand some of it to set into the foam as strengthening strips. Just another line of thought. Balsa Cabin have some Overlander electric motors, ESC's & programmers. Total would come out around £ 110-00 for an 80 amp ESC & 1000 watt motor. Perhaps that would be a power option instead of my older OS55- Any thoughts? Would need a couple of 6S batteries. Family want to buy something for Xmas & this setup would seem a good Xmas prezzie. What do forumites think of Overlander motors

I am off to balsa cabin today to unload my wallet. Very soon it will all be coming together & as I have progressed from zimmer frame to crutches it should not be too long before I get into the man cave. Picking stuff up is awkward but All the materials are to hand to make a building jig for the fuselage & a board for the wing are in there ready. I am going to make the wing in solid foam & part cover in balsa sheeting. Then I wanted to cover the wings in laminating film. So I was musing about finishing & here is a question. I nearly started a separate thread but am not sure where to put it. If I cut the part sheeting to a patterned shape rather than just straight. Then painted it with deep colours. ie white & blue. Would the laminating film still adhere? would the paint colour show through. Obviously not bright but as a nice faded tint on the wings Any opinion if it would work? It might hide my first attempt at spray painting & I could get away with brushing.

I have just ordered a set of plans plus the RCME article for the Avanti fromSarik hobbies. I think that I might source some blue foam & build a foam wing with partial covering. Then I will compare the eight with a similar wing on another plane. I am not so sure that it is much heavier. If I do decide to go down the standard build method I have a decent quality bandsaw & can easily cut a stack of ribs in one go. I just change the blade for a 1/4 inch one with fine teeth. But I have done some foam cutting with a couple of flying wings with some success before, so have a decent cutting rig. I did make a new wing for my bullet after a mid air collision & made a jig with 2 rods to hold the ribs. This allowed me to get the incidence right & held the ribs nice for construction

I read somewhere that the blades of windfarm windmills have balsa cores. I found that odd, when one can lazer cut foam of all densities at speed, then cover with the required carbon/GRP. But if true, then it goes a long way to explaining a shortage. Plus of course the usual "green" restrictions countries place on their home grown resources. As trees disappear

Yes thanks. I have lookedate the site & willgive them & SLEC a call on monday. I am a bit surprised at cost (£150-00) without even supplying the plans from Belairdigital. But I do know from my last Limbo Dancer that the material cost me more than an ARF kit. So it is what it is. It means that the finished plane with covering could be £300 (Just guessing though) without electrics & engine

I have built a limo dancer & have a Cougar waiting to go. I know others who have had Balsa cabin kits & are far from satisfied I also have an acrowat, A calaminoto, A 75 inch MX, a 60 inch Pitts special, a warco foamie, a foam flying wing, a jive & a Creschendo powered glider. Plus, a couple of top wing trainers of unknown design for when I just want to chill. They are all in good order & ready to fly within a few minutes on the field. I do not need anything more like these They are nothing like the Avanti- which is what i said i want, as a good pattern plane, whilst I recover from my accident. I do not want an ARF as I want something to do whilst I am twiddling my thumbs waiting for my hip to heal. The only other one that I MIGHT consider is the KAOS 60 with the sheeted fuselage. Then I might make the wings in venered foam

Because in my post I specifically said I want an Avanti. Plus, I have had 3 Acrowats ( one purchased & 2 gifted) & do not like them

May I ask When you say "few weeks" - how long was that? Being inapacitated, I want something to do now ,rather than when I have recovered

I am currently convalescencing, from a very recent broken femur, so all flying is out. I would , therefore, like to spend some time building a new sport plane for fun. Watching Youtube I have decided on the Avanti. -60 inch span & an OS 55 to power it good on windy days & a pattern type which is the sort of relaxed (!!!) flying I like. I have researched other models & I am happy that this is the one. I have also contacted my local hobby shop in Maldon who tell me that they have no kits in stock & cannot even supply a similar ARF model to replace my Claminoto. Problem is that Sarik, who do the plans & RCME build article, do not list the full lazer kit. So can anyone please direct me to a company who can, not only cut the parts, but supply all the material & full sized printed plans. I am a novice at building (At least, I have not built anything for years, but have done an awful a lot of repairs) so need guidance on a material list. I cannot go to any local supplier (balsa cabin is only 14 miles) due to still stuck to a zimmer frame. I doubt that the wife would be much help either !!! ( I did not say that) If I cannot get the parts lazer cut is there any supplier who would look at the plans & do a take off & supply the balsa for me. I have a decent bandsaw & can always buy an electric fretsaw. Does anyone know if the early RCME article would include a materials list? I am based in Essex

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Obviously we can only speak as we find. I speak from my own experience & that of my friends at the flying club. If every Seagull was poorly presented, then they would be selling a lot less. Problem is that it is clear that some get through the sytem As for making items for other suppliers it is a bit like the "made in china" issue. People order stuff from China & say that when it comes it is poor quality. However, I know of companies in the UK that use the same Chinese companies & because they supply different specs & have onsite staff to check stuff is made to those specs before they leave that factory, the supplies are exactly as required. It may be that Hanger 9 do actually have a higher spec to that required by Seagull s own product dept. I do not know & can only surmize. I have not had enough H 9 products to say either way. My reviews, therefore, have to be qualified as "limited"

What isthe plan like? Is it fairly easy to follow? If you have had a chance to look at the details & the goods that you have received are you happy, or do you see any problems? Do you think you can see any awkward bits in the build? What power pack do you propose using to give it a good push? Do you know anyone that has one or are you just taking a punt at how it will fly? Sorry to give you a barrage of questions but it does not look too bad albeit a bit small. But i am going cold turkey now & must do something soon Sam L

A friend of mine had a Seagull & it virtually fellapart in flight. The gluing was useless. He had to run glue round all the fuss. But the wings had the same issue. I had one & as usual I ran epoxy over the main stress points by the engine. I did a couple of hard landings & it fell apart. I would not have another. I had a Hanger 9 Sbach of the same size with same engine & that was brilliant. Flew much better as well.

Did not click with that. Always something !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if they would email plans.

That is a brilliant link. with the sort of planes I was looking for. Many have good pedigree. Any idea what the quality of the fit of components is like- have you actually built one? But thanks anyway

Thanks

But no low wing sport models!!!!!!!!! Or am I missing something?

You have frightened me now. I am in a dilema .I would rather not buy second hand though. Thanks. I will spend some time reading that post you have linked that will take some time there is a lot of info to absorb me thinks.