Super STOL Idea

[Yusernaym]

For my next original plane, which'll likely be a while from now, as I have to get the Stiletto sorted, I'm thinking of making a super short takeoff and landing bush-style plane. Taking inspiration from real competition STOL planes, it would have wheel brakes (i'm thinking just a pushrod with an L shape at the end to hold it), aggressive flaps, leading edge vortex generators (i think that's what they're called) and whatever else I can think of. If I can figure out how to do reverse thrust, that might find its way in as well. It'll probably be fairly large at between 1 and 1.5m wingspan, but aside from that, I haven't figured out much of the design. Learning from my experiments with the Edge 540 landing gear, it'll have to be very stout, with at least one diagonal support and a cross bar if I go with wire or a full aluminum bar support if I go that route. For tires, I'll probably go with the light foam wheels with plastic rims my hobby shop carries, but in a larger size than those on the Edge, as that struggled to get moving in grass. If any of you have experience with STOL RC planes and would be willing to give me some tips, I would appreciate it. I'm also trying to gauge interest with this, as I know there's a number of options in this space already, with the kit fox looking really promising, especially because a friend of mine has a real one and I'm sure he would love to see or build an rc version.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Check out this guys channel for inspiration, just came across it last night...

 

[Yusernaym]

Thanks, I hadn't seen that before. I hadn't been thinking of doing a pusher, but love them in general and it would be something different from your kit fox or the j-3 that's also on here, so I might do that. That would also allow me to keep the wheels a little tighter to the fuselage, which would help with the challenge of making landing gear that doesn't need to be repaired after every flight.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Thanks, I hadn't seen that before. I hadn't been thinking of doing a pusher, but love them in general and it would be something different from your kit fox or the j-3 that's also on here, so I might do that. That would also allow me to keep the wheels a little tighter to the fuselage, which would help with the challenge of making landing gear that doesn't need to be repaired after every flight.

I know i was surprised that being a pusher it was so good at STOL, I guess it really wouldn't matter given the right technique for take off.

He was talking of stall speeds at on point for it at like 10mph, most STOL planes are stellar at the mid to low 30's

 

[Yusernaym]

I think the world record for shortest landing is held by a custom built pusher, so I guess there's something to it. I don't have the time or electronics to start a new build right now, but when I get to it, I'll be sure to keep a thread going. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[The Hangar]

I think the world record for shortest landing is held by a custom built pusher, so I guess there's something to it. I don't have the time or electronics to start a new build right now, but when I get to it, I'll be sure to keep a thread going. Thanks for the suggestion.

I’ll be watching for sure!

 

[Yusernaym]

I’ll be watching for sure!

If you want to follow the build I'm currently working on, it seems like the kind of thing you would like. https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/the-stiletto-a-rapidly-evolving-delta.64998/

 

[whackflyer]

I have some experience with STOL planes, so I'll take a shot at giving you some tips.

1- Keep it light at all costs. Build with white gorilla glue if you're going for Super STOL performance.

2- Don't focus on making it really sleek. It's a slow plane.

3- Make your control surfaces large. At slow speeds you're going to need a lot of surface to get you going in the desired direction. You'll especially want a lot of elevator, at slow speeds you need a lot of tail authority to get maximum flare on landing.

4- The wing needs to have a wide chord, and long wingspan. You want as much lifting surface as possible (without making it look wierd)

5- Keep it simple. Doing crazy things to these type of planes typically results in excess weight.

6- Use a large diameter, low pitch prop. You don't want to go so large on diameter that you easily strike the prop on the ground.

7- Go with some simple vortex generators first, then go to leading edge slats if you aren't satisfied with performance. Slats are great for getting you slow and increasing your angle of attack, which translates to slower speeds, but also, in my experience, makes the plane more prone to tip stalls.

8- Make the landing gear very strong, but keep it simple. This is built to be a tough plane that you can land hard and abuse and not break.

9- Practice flying. The key to super short landings and takeoffs (especially landings) is having the knowledge and skills to know how to manage your airspeed and how far you can push the plane before it stalls. I have hundreds of flights on my FMS Super Cub where all I've done is took off and landed again and again.

That's all I can think of for now, I'll try to post anything else I can think of.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

All good tips... I might want to build one now. Should do another Bushwhacker... twin

 

[Yusernaym]

I have some experience with STOL planes, so I'll take a shot at giving you some tips.

1- Keep it light at all costs. Build with white gorilla glue if you're going for Super STOL performance.

2- Don't focus on making it really sleek. It's a slow plane.

3- Make your control surfaces large. At slow speeds you're going to need a lot of surface to get you going in the desired direction. You'll especially want a lot of elevator, at slow speeds you need a lot of tail authority to get maximum flare on landing.

4- The wing needs to have a wide chord, and long wingspan. You want as much lifting surface as possible (without making it look wierd)

5- Keep it simple. Doing crazy things to these type of planes typically results in excess weight.

6- Use a large diameter, low pitch prop. You don't want to go so large on diameter that you easily strike the prop on the ground.

7- Go with some simple vortex generators first, then go to leading edge slats if you aren't satisfied with performance. Slats are great for getting you slow and increasing your angle of attack, which translates to slower speeds, but also, in my experience, makes the plane more prone to tip stalls.

8- Make the landing gear very strong, but keep it simple. This is built to be a tough plane that you can land hard and abuse and not break.

9- Practice flying. The key to super short landings and takeoffs (especially landings) is having the knowledge and skills to know how to manage your airspeed and how far you can push the plane before it stalls. I have hundreds of flights on my FMS Super Cub where all I've done is took off and landed again and again.

That's all I can think of for now, I'll try to post anything else I can think of.

Thanks! I'll be sure to keep those in mind when I start.

 

[Hondo76251]

@BATTLEAXE the google overlords thought id like the swamp monster too, just saw the same video.

i have been itching to get that unfinished bushwacker of mine in the air...

Touche' algorithm

 

[BATTLEAXE]

@BATTLEAXE the google overlords thought id like the swamp monster too, just saw the same video.

i have been itching to get that unfinished bushwacker of mine in the air...

Touche' algorithm

I never gave the BW a fair shot, I built it for the wrong reasons. It was a weak way to try 3D when I should have gone STOL

 

[Hondo76251]

Was going to doll mine up to look like a Beaver and set it up for STOL. Had a couple challenges going on here in the forums i was going to use it for, maybe we should get them going again? 😉

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Was going to doll mine up to look like a Beaver and set it up for STOL. Had a couple challenges going on here in the forums i was going to use it for, maybe we should get them going again? 😉

Which challenges were you thinking?

I would be interested in building another

 

[Hondo76251]

@BATTLEAXE i want to see how much weight a c pack motor can get in the air. Most Gross weight lifted wins, maybe with 2nd place being best payload to airframe ratio or something along those lines.

Ive had this challenge going for a while, most take-off and landing on a single battery:
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/how-many-landings-on-one-battery.59264/

And was also considering a STOL challenge, craziest landing spot, voted on by the competitors at the close of the challenge.

I think i can make the same plane competitive in all three, a lightly modified bushwacker...

 

[L Edge]

I would use the "KISS" method.

1) Keep it very light in the build.
2) Build in a set of flaps. That's all.
3) Experiment with the right motor/battery/prop to give you the shortest distance on takeoff and landing.
4) Experiment with the angle of incidence of the wing on t/o and landings.(Now you have a basis to add things)
5) Then try whatever device you pick to see if it improves lift and is stable.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

@BATTLEAXE i want to see how much weight a c pack motor can get in the air. Most Gross weight lifted wins, maybe with 2nd place being best payload to airframe ratio or something along those lines.

Ive had this challenge going for a while, most take-off and landing on a single battery:
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/how-many-landings-on-one-battery.59264/

And was also considering a STOL challenge, craziest landing spot, voted on by the competitors at the close of the challenge.

I think i can make the same plane competitive in all three, a lightly modified bushwacker...

I could see how that would work with the same plane and with the BW its wing is designed for both. I would be interested in the STOL challenge for sure. I would need some new gear but i have an idea of what i would do to make it happen.

The last BW I had definitely didn't need all the motor I had or the battery so I could lighten it up considerably... plus there might be a trick or two up my sleeve

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Sorry @Yusernaym don't mean to hijack your thread for our shinanigans, unless this is giving you ideas

 

[L Edge]

@BATTLEAXE i want to see how much weight a c pack motor can get in the air. Most Gross weight lifted wins, maybe with 2nd place being best payload to airframe ratio or something along those lines.

Ive had this challenge going for a while, most take-off and landing on a single battery:
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/how-many-landings-on-one-battery.59264/

And was also considering a STOL challenge, craziest landing spot, voted on by the competitors at the close of the challenge.

I think i can make the same plane competitive in all three, a lightly modified bushwacker...

If you do a STOL challange, to be fair to all contestants, (to eliminate wind speed since it will vary) lay down a string and do a tape measurement of the combination of t/o and landing distance. Shortest wins. If behind string on landing--DNC.

 

[Yusernaym]

Sorry @Yusernaym don't mean to hijack your thread for our shinanigans, unless this is giving you ideas

No worries, I enjoy the shenanigans. I might join you in the STOL challenge, but I'd have to pass on the c pack lifting unless I get a different set of electronics for the bird of time I'm building.