SoarAllDay
Junior Member
My flying club is at a public park. We often have many spectators that we want to get behind the controls and enjoying RC and part of the club, but nobody wants to own/repair the plane(s). I'm impressed by the FT swappable series and I want to do a FliteFest-inspired-build-tent except every nice weekend.
What I like about the FT Swappables... very simple, very cheap, very easy to get someone in the air quickly and people get excited about them.
What I don't like (as a trainer plane)... They're too light for training; the venerable Great Planes PT-40 (just one example) is over-strong for taking hard hard landings and heavy for staying stable in windy conditions and slow.
I am open to any suggestions; but here are my thoughts...
The best FT model to start from is the FT Storch (*EDIT* was Mighty Mini Trainer, but switched to FT Storch from thread feedback). I would change...
Landing Gear:
- Big fat mono gear on the CoG using the stock pod's landing gear hard points with out-runners on the wings made from straws.
- Thicker wire for mono wheel
- Wheels: 1/2" foam with the pop-rivet mandrel idea. I'll use a whole saw to make a bunch ahead of time and let them glue it together.
Wing
- Straight chord simple/moderate dihedral
- Long thin glider-like (8:1 AR)... slow roll rate, easier to see, easier to land (even cart wheel)
- Optional 60% span ailerons; because it's windy in Kansas.
- rubber banded
- do not trim the tips, keep them straight to avoid tip stalls
- twist in washout with a heat gun also for benign stall
Fuselage:
- Double the side wall foam for stiffness and add weight
- Standard size swappable pod
- Glue gift cards between foam layer around wing, landing gear and pod pins to spread those point loads and improve longevity.
Battery:
- Use a bigger 1800-2200mah batter mostly for weight and secondarily for stick time.
Does anyone have any advice/opinions/thoughts/concerns?
What I like about the FT Swappables... very simple, very cheap, very easy to get someone in the air quickly and people get excited about them.
What I don't like (as a trainer plane)... They're too light for training; the venerable Great Planes PT-40 (just one example) is over-strong for taking hard hard landings and heavy for staying stable in windy conditions and slow.
I am open to any suggestions; but here are my thoughts...
The best FT model to start from is the FT Storch (*EDIT* was Mighty Mini Trainer, but switched to FT Storch from thread feedback). I would change...
Landing Gear:
- Big fat mono gear on the CoG using the stock pod's landing gear hard points with out-runners on the wings made from straws.
- Thicker wire for mono wheel
- Wheels: 1/2" foam with the pop-rivet mandrel idea. I'll use a whole saw to make a bunch ahead of time and let them glue it together.
Wing
- Straight chord simple/moderate dihedral
- Long thin glider-like (8:1 AR)... slow roll rate, easier to see, easier to land (even cart wheel)
- Optional 60% span ailerons; because it's windy in Kansas.
- rubber banded
- do not trim the tips, keep them straight to avoid tip stalls
- twist in washout with a heat gun also for benign stall
Fuselage:
- Double the side wall foam for stiffness and add weight
- Standard size swappable pod
- Glue gift cards between foam layer around wing, landing gear and pod pins to spread those point loads and improve longevity.
Battery:
- Use a bigger 1800-2200mah batter mostly for weight and secondarily for stick time.
Does anyone have any advice/opinions/thoughts/concerns?
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