How to make FT style plans?

[Quackerhonk]

I really want to make plans for an at502 but I dont know what software people use to make ft-style plans. can someone tell me what software to use, or if they know of some air tractor plans?

 

[Mr NCT]

I've had Turbocad forever and use it because I'm comfortable with it. I start with a master drawing that has all the parts in the flat. Then I make separate drawings bounded by a 20"x30" rectangle and copy and paste parts from the master to get the best fit. Then I save each drawing as a PDF. The same process would probably work just fine with any CAD program or Inkscape.

 

[Quackerhonk]

I've had Turbocad forever and use it because I'm comfortable with it. I start with a master drawing that has all the parts in the flat. Then I make separate drawings bounded by a 20"x30" rectangle and copy and paste parts from the master to get the best fit. Then I save each drawing as a PDF. The same process would probably work just fine with any CAD program or Inkscape.

thanks!

 

[Flying Monkey fab]

I have ask this directly of FT and never have gotten an answer so we are on our own which has its good and its bad. I like to start in Fusion myself but fully acknowledge that other SW packages might work better for other people.
Just remember that Adam's and FT foam is 20x30 and PDF or SVG tend to be the go to for sharing with others. If you want your plans to have the "look and feel" of the FT plans there are plenty of examples to work with.

Good luck, I'd love to see plans for this.

 

[Zoom Master]

I make a design in fusion and then take it over to pepakura or take it to papermaker and then simply make plans !!

 

[Quackerhonk]

I have ask this directly of FT and never have gotten an answer so we are on our own which has its good and its bad. I like to start in Fusion myself but fully acknowledge that other SW packages might work better for other people.
Just remember that Adam's and FT foam is 20x30 and PDF or SVG tend to be the go to for sharing with others. If you want your plans to have the "look and feel" of the FT plans there are plenty of examples to work with.

Good luck, I'd love to see plans for this.

yeah, flite test never really says.

 

[Quackerhonk]

I make a design in fusion and then take it over to pepakura or take it to papermaker and then simply make plans !!

cool, thanks!

 

[FlyerInStyle]

I design in fusion and finalize in AutoCAD, but I am looking to try solidworks ,even though it is paid

 

[Quackerhonk]

I design in fusion and finalize in AutoCAD, but I am looking to try solidworks ,even though it is paid

thanks!

 

[Zoom Master]

cool, thanks!

Ur welcome !

 

[Quackerhonk]

how do you guys decide which plane in your hangar to fly?

 

[LitterBug]

Some times it comes down to which one can still fly.... Other times it depends on conditions. Small/ light planes don't do well with winds.

 

[Quackerhonk]

ok

 

[Quackerhonk]

People who have made their own designs before, How hard is it to design a plane? What do you need to have for the plane to fly? Do you just need a big enough wing, good power, and a good cg? Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Mr NCT]

I haven't done an original design, I've stuck to foam board versions of real planes. Doing a foam board version I usually slightly enlarge the vertical & horizontal stabs. But... the GeeBee QED and Wedell Williams 44 I did the tail feathers true to the actual scale and they flew just fine. There are a lot of guide lines for tail & control surface ratios like this one: https://www.radiocontrolinfo.com/rc-calculators/rc-airplane-design-calculator/#google_vignette

 

[Quackerhonk]

I haven't done an original design, I've stuck to foam board versions of real planes. Doing a foam board version I usually slightly enlarge the vertical & horizontal stabs. But... the GeeBee QED and Wedell Williams 44 I did the tail feathers true to the actual scale and they flew just fine. There are a lot of guide lines for tail & control surface ratios like this one: https://www.radiocontrolinfo.com/rc-calculators/rc-airplane-design-calculator/#google_vignette

Yeah, i mean plans you did yourself. It can be any plane, i just wanted to know how you did it for anything. Thanks!

 

[Quackerhonk]

I haven't done an original design, I've stuck to foam board versions of real planes. Doing a foam board version I usually slightly enlarge the vertical & horizontal stabs. But... the GeeBee QED and Wedell Williams 44 I did the tail feathers true to the actual scale and they flew just fine. There are a lot of guide lines for tail & control surface ratios like this one: https://www.radiocontrolinfo.com/rc-calculators/rc-airplane-design-calculator/#google_vignette

How do you make the real plane into foam plans!?

 

[TEAJR66]

People who have made their own designs before, How hard is it to design a plane? What do you need to have for the plane to fly? Do you just need a big enough wing, good power, and a good cg? Or is it more complicated than that?

For design, this is a great place to start.

Easy Aircraft Design

Quick open ended step-by-step instructions on how to design a basic airplane with a large degree of artistic freedom

www.flitetest.com

 

[Quackerhonk]

For design, this is a great place to start.

Easy Aircraft Design

Quick open ended step-by-step instructions on how to design a basic airplane with a large degree of artistic freedom

www.flitetest.com

Thanks!!!

 

[Mr NCT]

There are some good youtube tutorials though they are software specific. Here's one for Fusion360: