Seagull Grob Tutor G115

[MikeS]

Thanks Terry. To be honest I was a bit gutted but it was an easy repair to fix I do belive the second landing was caught on video when one of the other members was being filmed flying his new 87" BH Hurricane.

One of the comments on the third landing was that I was coming in a bit slow and stalled it in the last second. As it was my fifth flight I put it down down to lack of experience with the Tutor. I had full flaps and had made a perfect landing on the first attempt but was flying a little faster.

I will have to do some practice touch & goes with it.

Mike

Edited By MikeS on 31/08/2013 07:25:02

[Tim Cheal]

Mike

So sorry to see that. I hope the repair is straightforward.

BEB.

I used a 90 degree knuckle on the Chipmunk which is my Avatar. I didn't have any particular problem with it coming undone, but thanks for the heads up, I shall make sure it is fully tight and may include some silicon sealant to help keep it secure,

Just getting my Tutor ready, and installing radio etc in the correct place. CofG with the ASP91 worked out pretty close to 80mm (without the 6v battery pack) so I have put that just behind the tank and pretty close to the CofG.

Fingers crossed when I check it again later once everything is tided away inside.

Tim

.

[Tim Cheal]

Hi Mike

I hope you got the Tutor sorted and flying again.

I managed to complete mine last week, and this weekend have put all the decals on ready for its maiden (I thought about doing it the other way around but the weather wasn't good enough today so I cracked on with the decals). My thanks to the guys on the forum who tipped to wet the model with water with a small amount of washing up liquid before applying the decals to allow a bit of movement around for positioning, this worked a treat.

Here it is all ready to maiden:

Tim

[MikeS]

Tim looking good there. Nice to see the landing light running. When you do your maiden do not slow it down too much on the landing as that was my problem, too used to the pawnee.

I have since replaced the 70fs with my new 91fs. CofG checked today I am planning on running the engine in.

Mike

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[MikeS]

Thanks percy, it doesn't hurt to shorten it so will sort it out in the morning.

Ran the ASP 91 in this morning. Adjusted the low end and it ticks over nice but might need a little more but we will see after a few more tanks.

Mike

[MikeS]

On Monday down the club I ran the 91 in as per the instructions. Have spent some time using the ASP 70 I found it a lot easier to run in and setup the 91. What took me a good few months to learn with the 70 took me one morning with the 91.

Tuesday morning thought I would go down the club and fly the Tutor with its new engine, Tuesdays are normally busy down the club so took the P40B to have a battle with an FW190 D that had made a challenge the other day but after a few caps with the P40 no sign of the 190 or anyone else.

I had to reposition the flight battery by moving it back to get the CofG at 80mm. With this reset, the Tutor's minor repairs finished and the wind a lot calmer the Tutor took to the skies.

I had watched David's video of his Tutor landing and felt his was a lot faster than my own. I had been landing the Tutor a little slow before so I did a good few approaches and brought it in a lot quicker flaring before climbing back up and trying again.

The landing was a lot better so four flights later the Tutor is still in one piece.

MIke

Edited By MikeS on 18/09/2013 18:26:51

[Tim Cheal]

Great News Mike.

Was the performance noticeably better with the .91?

Tim

[MikeS]

Tim. The performance was much better. Most of the time I was flying at half throttle unlike of course with the .70 I was flying at full thottle most of the time. With the engine being new the power is down until it is fully run in. Both engines are fitted with a 13x8.5 prop.

With the mixture set at 1 1/4 turns I am getting five minute flight times which leaves 1/4 tank of fuel. However I can only fill the tank 3/4 due to the plastic exhaust line not keeping its shape. I am thinking of replacing the stock tank as I feel its a little small for a .91 size engine.

Mike

 

Edited By MikeS on 20/09/2013 08:39:21

[MikeS]

At my club we fly off a grass strip and I have found it takes it toll on the front nose leg on the Tutor. Today we had a strong changeable cross wind which kept changing direction.

Landing was a challenge for all flying as the wind direction dictated that we should be coming over a large tree which grounded most and damaged some who tried.

Of the three flights with the Tutor two ended up with it on its back and each time it was the nose gear/spat that caught and flipped the model.

I also have found I have to straighten the the nose leg after each session, of course it is better that this gives rather than something else.

Mike

[Tim Cheal]

The weather was most kind today so I managed to maiden the Tutor.

I had trouble with the cheap spinner. The back plate did not have any 'bite' on the APC prop that I used for the maiden and it therefore slipped a lot. Removing the a spinner helped, hence the picture below is 'spinnerless'.

It flew nicely and pretty straight from the start (just a small amount of aileron trim required). The model handled well, but I didnt take it beyond loops and stalls.

I tried stalls with flaps up, mid and full and only at full was any wingdrop tendency noticed. I elected to land without using any flaps, and after one flight bought it home to check all the fasteners/spats etc... All seems well. I may get a better spinner, has anybody replaced the Seagull one, and can you recommend any spinners with a similar profile.

Tim

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Hi Tim, nice one

Not sure it's quite scale but I used one of the Irvine metal backplate spinners simply because they're well balanced for electric flight.

[MikeS]

Tim. I pretty much destroyed the supplied spinner on the first few starts.

I replaced mine with one from MSL. I ordered two sizes but the 2-1/2" or 63mm was the best match that would also fit the prop. Great to hear the maiden went well. Mike

Edited By MikeS on 07/10/2013 12:44:06

[Mark Godbeer]

Hi All

I have been watching this forum for the last couple of months while i have been putting mine together, great pics and info.

Picked mine up from the LMA Cosford show for an amazing £120. Too good to miss, i had previously excluded this model as it averages £190.

Made a few of my own mods. Modified the pilots by breaking their backs to make them sit upright, Cut the head off of one and remounted with a slight look to the left, painted the cockpit area grey as per full size and trimmed down the seat backs to where they should be, replaced the control panel with a copy of the real thing.

Installed Hobbyking Nav light set, Rude not to for £7, you can even see them a little in sunlight, so should look good on a typical dull winters day.

I also packed out the groove in the main gear spats to allow them to sit properly and secured with a self tapper. Had its Maiden flight on sunday. Brilliant, no trim required and flies a treat. had another flight and took it home for a shake down inspection. No adjustments needed. Great flying Model and looks great as well. Here are a few pics.

[Jeff Hylton]

Anyone wanting another one of these, horizon hobby has them on sale for $179.99 USD.

[Nev Haycox]

I have just begun putting my Grob Tutor together. I have started by copying Mark (sorry Mark) by painting the pilots and cockpit area to make it a little more realistic. I will post pictures ASAP.

Nev.

P.S. I will be electrifying mine.

[Pete B]

Nice job, Mark - those changes add just enough to make the model individual - it looks very tempting.....

Pete

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Yeap - very pretty model - well done Mark.

BEB

[Terry Walters]

Very nice Mark - just making me feel more guilty with mine sat in it's box looking at me while I finish my Oodalally and then back to the Dennis Bryant Turbulent!

I'm thinking of putting a 2 stroke in mine. Normally now it would be a four stroke for me but with the hybrid ARTFs I'm thinking that the 2 stroke will have less vibration and more suited to the lightly built airframe? What engine did you put in yours Mark?

Terry

[Mark Godbeer]

It has an OS55AX in it, it is perfect for the model and runs really smooth with a 12x7 ASP prop. Cruises realisticly at half throttle.

After seeing an earlier post where the nose broke off i beefed it up a little just in front of the cockpit tangs.

The only weakness i have found so far is the nose leg. bends fairly easy, and i don't know how many times you can bend it back before it breaks. It looks sturdy until you get to the thin bit at the top. Most landings have been gentle apart from one when it bounced a bit.

Thanks for the positive comments, and i look forward to seeing more pics.

[Terry Walters]

Thanks Mark - that's the same engine that I have been looking at! Unusually, I think I can even get it slightly cheaper here in France and believe me that is really a surprise!

I think I will have to slot the Grob in before Xmas or over the Xmas break as it's a shame to have it all boxed up. It's similar in shape etc to my YT Monsun that I had bought for me by SWMBO last Xmas and have only just got it about sorted (that's tempting fate isn't it?). That also suffered badly from a weak nose wheel leg so i have put a more appropriate and 'beefier' one on with a bit of suspension and that has done the trick.

Cheers

Terry

Edited By Terry Walters on 04/11/2013 20:51:03

[Pete B]

Posted by Terry Walters on 04/11/2013 20:50:13:

I think I will have to slot the Grob in before Xmas or over the Xmas break as it's a shame to have it all boxed up.

I quite agree - you've got far too many projects on the go at present, Mr Walters - but I know someone who also has an eminently suitable power plant for the Grob (and no silencer to spoil the lines) and would be very happy to help you out.....

Pete

[Terry Walters]

Posted by Pete B - Moderator on 04/11/2013 21:14:57:

Posted by Terry Walters on 04/11/2013 20:50:13:

I think I will have to slot the Grob in before Xmas or over the Xmas break as it's a shame to have it all boxed up.

I quite agree - you've got far too many projects on the go at present, Mr Walters - but I know someone who also has an eminently suitable power plant for the Grob (and no silencer to spoil the lines) and would be very happy to help you out.....

Pete

I have a feeling that the 'someone' may well be you Pete and to help me out you might 'take it off my hands' to ensure that not a drop of that nasty oily stuff soils the delicate airframe by fitting an efficient but nevertheless soulless 'electrickery motor'?

Terry

[Pete B]

Darn it, you've seen through my 'cunning plan'......

Pete

[Nev Haycox]

I have decided to make my Grob Tutor electric powered, I'm using a Turnigy G46 motor.

In the manual it states that the prop driver back plate should be 135mm from the firewall but the most I can make it using the supplied electric box is 125mm. Should I put a 10mm spacer between the firewall and electric box or is 125mm ok?

Nev.

P,S, It looks better at 110mm which is stated if IC were to be used 

Edited By Racing Snake on 20/12/2013 14:13:25