First flight of the year!!!

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Postby lazairiii » Thu May 10, 2007 1:40 pm

Hello gang,

I wanted to post a quick note on my first flight of the year. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!! Calm, pleasant temps and a smooth and responsive airplane. P-tips ran at 5200rpms on the 185's.

I added Cap Strips and Jury Struts this past winter and it has really added a measure of security that I personally find comforting. I'll post some pics soon.

I also tightened up my drag cables and changed the solid aluminum rod from the rudder pedals to the mixer to Titanium. Between those two items, I was getting too much twist in the tail boom (drag cables slightly looser than they should have been) and with the added twist in that aluminum rod I was loosing too much rudder authority on my inputs. I now have very responsive tail inputs and don't loose any inputs to tail flex caused by these two items. Just a note for you to watch these area's on your own plane. Keep those cables tight...about 10+lbs of tension.

If you wonder what I'm talking about on the solid rod twist, grab your rudder pedals in one hand and the mixer in the other and twist them on the opposite direction. The twist you see in the solid rod is where some of your rudder input is lost and never makes it to the tail feathers. That is why the later series III's went to a tube, so that this twist would be gone. A tube is torsionally stiffer than a solid rod.

If you wonder if your cables are too loose, then pick up your tail and twist it. If you get torsional twist in the tail boom then your cables need to be tightened. You will loose rudder input and authority input in this area as well. So, in a nutshell, if you want max tail responce, check these area's.

Remember to pre-flight and fly safe,
George
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Postby JPXman » Thu May 10, 2007 3:19 pm

no groovy picture george? geez thats kinda like "cheers" without a drink in your hand! i am sure the whole gang here joins me in demanding cool in flight pics of your plane!

Tyler
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Postby lazairiii » Thu May 10, 2007 3:51 pm

Haahaahaa!! I'm sorry. I had just a few minutes of flight time before dark and the camera was left in the bag. BUT, as promised, I'll get you some.
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Postby ozzie » Thu May 10, 2007 4:53 pm

Hi George, I have been wanting to replace that rod for a while now but only because of whoever drilled it did not exactly line up the holes. what is the wall thickness of the material you have used.? any paticular reason you used Titanium instead of chrome molley?
thanks Ozzie
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Postby russell » Fri May 11, 2007 7:35 am

It sure is refreshing to hear that there are Lazair's that are being flown and not just worked on all the time. I, myself is unfortunately in the company of the latter. I was not as smart as you in picking a calm day to fly!
I am quite envious of you. I'm sure it was a very clean sweeping of all the mind clutter that builds up while between flights. Please do post some photo's for me to drool over.

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Postby lazairiii » Fri May 11, 2007 11:09 am

Ozzie,

I chose Titanium over Chrome Molley for the strength to weight ratio primarily. It won't rust and it polishes up and looks like the aluminum. I'm sure CM would work too. As I said in my post, it is a solid rod, not a tube. I used the exact same size Titanium rod as the factory used 7/16" (.438) I believe.

Flew again last evening. I've had to wait until almost dark before the wind stops, but it has given me the opportunity fly none the less. It's been fun to have a group of local Helicopter students gather and watch as I taxi buy on my departure and when I land. The plane sure does draw attention. I just turn on the tip strobes, call my position and off I go.
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Postby ozzie » Mon May 14, 2007 3:26 am

G'day George,
Sorry, it was the reference to the tube used on the series 3 that got me.
Do you have the overall length measurement handy? I have a feeling that the rudder pedal mod on mine is home made and not quite right.

Talking about strobes. i saw the brightest strobe i have ever seen on the weekend when what sounded like a warrior flew over the house. Incredibly white and very very bright crisp flash. must be something new on the market.

regards Ozzie
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