My Latest Faze 6

[Happy Days]

Well, she’s finished at last. I thought I’d add a few modifications.

Firstly I wanted to be able to ballast her easily. So at the CoG point in the fuse I’ve added a “ballast retainer.” (Two triangular pieces of balsa glued to the base of the fuse.)



 The second picture is a  block of lead fishing weight that I’ve bashed into shape so that two of them will just fit nicely between the two pieces of balsa. (The close up picture of the lead ballast weight makes it look like it’s the size of a house brick, but actually it’s edges are 30mm.)
To be able to fit them in I had to do away with the standard wooden elevator control rod and closed loop rudder control. (I didn’t like those methods anyway.)

With both ballast blocks in place the weight of the model is increased by around 75%. Come on wind!  (Er, ….windy day I mean, not flatulation  :oops:  .)



As for the colour scheme……………… :? I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the problem of identifying my own plane and it’s orientation at a long distance from the flight line. :?:

I’ve come to the conclusion that at a distance of more than about 250 - 300mtrs there is no colour scheme that’s going to identify the orientation of models of the size that I fly.

I’ve also concluded that there is a further problem relating to the colour of the sky. It seems to me that some patterns/colours work well in bright blue skies but don’t give the same effect with overcast skies, and visa versa.



I’m hoping that this scheme is a good compromise. I found that not having symmetrical patterns on the wings helps orientation hence different patterns on each wing half.

Well, I’ll find out if it all works this weekend . (Assuming she does actually fly!)

Wish me luck,………………

Keith

[Peter]

Looks great Keith - flaps and all.  I spent a lot of time putting a yellow underneath on my Phase 6 but I found it makes no difference to visibility!  Hope to see yours fly this weekend but maybe not with the lead brick in!

[Happy Days]

Thanks Peter, Funny you should colour your Phase yellow on it’s underside,……I’ve chosen yellow, and red, (with a white fuse’)…….Well,…..Great minds think alike!

I was hoping you’d be coming down for the fly-in. I have some more questions for you about chronostratigraphy strata. :wink:

See y' tomorrow

K.

[luke]

well done keith , she looks lovely , that block of lead is the carbon copy of the one i had stuck in the nose of mine. well wear and happy flying

[Happy Days]

Thanks Luke.

I’ve just got back from the glide -in where lift had been at a premium for most of the day. :!:  When the wind did pick up there were a lot of spectators “crowding” the landing area so I decided not to maiden her but wait until I’m up on Big L. during the week with only the birds for company. Just in case I have trouble getting her back on tera firma :roll: . I’m hoping that with crow braking she should be easier, but you never know.

How’s life with your Phase? I’m finding owners of phase 6’s popping up all over the place. Many be we should start a Phase 6 owners forum. Ha! :lol:

K.

[lothar4862]

Hi Keith,

it looks, as if it WANTS to fly. A bit aggressive too. So don't hesitate to long throwing it away.

Keith, is there a link, where to get plans or a kit?

Regards

Lothar

[joe]

Great minds think alike!

and fools seldom differ I believe is now that one goes!      Sorry couldn't help it.

You said that you weren't happy with the finish Keith, you felt you rushed it a bit to have it ready? Look great to me! :clap:  :clap: Ready to do a bit of sky carving    

Crow should help a lot. Just remember that it will probably just drop out of the sky when you take crow off if you have no speed. So if you miss a landing and need to go around again, give it a push and get the nose down as you take the crow off to avoid a bit of a flop.

chronostratigraphy strata

?

I know Peter likes to Rock. Your a bit of a Rocker too then keith!?

That ballast looks huge in that picture Keith :shock:  :shock: . 75% should make a big difference. Look forward to seeing it fly. Good Luck   :clap:  

[Happy Days]

Why Lothar,……..you are asking for a link for a Phase 6, does this mean you are thinking of flying a plane with a fuselage!!!!! :shock:  :shock:

They come as a kit which you have to build. The wings are ready formed, ( wood over foam) and a pretty standard “box” section fuselage and a tail section.

It took me about 40 hours to build this, my second one. It would probably take you a couple of evenings to build one. :wink:

Made by Chris Foss, I get mine from www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk . They have a very low shipping price to Europe. (click on aircraft > gliders and sailplanes > page 3

The Phase 6 has two designs of wing. Sport (Semi-symmetrical) and Professional (Fully symmetrical)
I’ve have been told my many people that the Professional wing is not very good, the Sport wing is a much better choice so I only buy the Sport model.

I posted a little build sequence of my first Phase 6 on this forum > Techniques >Misc> Prob building Phase 6 fuselage

If you get one please let me know, I can give you a few tips before you start building it which will make it easier to fly. (As a standard model it has quite a high landing speed………………..crunch!) :roll:  



Joe, thank you for your complement, …….I shall ignore your first comment! :oops:

Certainly I thank you for your advise about using the crow landing if I have to go round again. In truth that’s probably something I wouldn’t have thought of, although I should. :oops:

Regarding the weight of the ballast blocks,……..I think it was you who told me that to ballast a plane to any meaningful degree means adding a good percentage of it’s unladen weight. So I figured that to fly in 60 + km/h winds increasing it’s weight by up to 75% should help it penetrate out into the lift. (Oh, I do like a good penetration) :lol:

As for ‘chronostratigraphy strata.’ Well, it’s one of those things where if you have to ask the question, you wouldn’t understand the answer.
Peter and I have  a number of things in common.

1/ We’re both very good looking.
2/ We’re both very intelligent  
3/ We both have an interest in geology . Well,….I have an interest in it,…. :?  Peter know everything about it! :clap:

Yes, beating up the sky is my first intention. (Going home with a working model is my second. )

Keith.

[Richard Boyd]

Hi Keith your Phase 6 looks very very good ! I have recently bought one and am almost ready for it maiden !
This will be interesting as I have limited experience on gliders but sure the sky is a big place !
Thanks for some tips on ballasting
Hope yours goes well and have fun !

Richard
expressfly

[Happy Days]

Well thanks for the compliments Richard.  It does seem that the Phase 6 is a very popular model.

I’m wondering if you have built your’s with the single aileron servo or decided to put one into the underside of each wing half.
One of the problems with using a single servo is that because it protrudes into the fuse’ cavity, in the event of an “unorthodox” landing and the wings getting jolted laterally, the aileron servo can split the fuse open.  
(There are other benefits to using two aileron servos as well.)

I wish you good luck with your maidening of her, I intend to maiden mine tomorrow………….We’ll have to compare notes afterwards.

Er,…..would you like to post a picture of yours on the forum before you maiden her?
(Not that I’m questioning your flying abilities you understand :wink: )

Keith.

p.s. Be aware Richard, the Phase 6 tends to come in very fast for landing. (Are you old enough to remember Exocet missiles?)

[Happy Days]

YEEeeeeeHhaarrr! ………Lukie Boy, you have got to get yourself another one of these and put a full house wing on it. It’s pure Sex! Believe me.

Let me set the scene for you.

“Lower” North Slope of Big L. (50 mtrs from the car park)
Overcast sky and 40 - 50 km/h winds at the ridge.
Lift everywhere, you could have  flown a preverbal ‘plank of wood’ on Mt. Lienster today.

The Phase is set with dual rates and mixes that allow just ailerons to be used., or ailerons and flaps coupled together so as to afford full length ailerons in effect, or crow braking.

The plane is launched in low rate setting, no flaps, and just using ailerons by themselves…… Just needed a little aileron and rudder trimming.
Climbs nicely. Gently flys around in the lift.
45 degree dive (to check CoG) and let go of the stick …….  perfect.

Right, let’s see what she can do.  Gain height, switch to high rate…..dive and pull back on the stick. God that’s fast, and a very tight loop.
Gain height again, dive, and level off,….. Push the stick hard over to the right.  That’s a fast roll, Phew!
How about a stall turn…………..YES.  
Spilt S…..no problem. :lol:
Low pass……..SSSssswwwwwiiiiiiishshsh. LOVE IT!


Switch aileron and flap mix on…….
Well,……........ What can I say? The roll rate was so fast my brain couldn’t keep up with the orientation of the model. I had to just let go of the stick and hope that the plane would be the right way up when she stopped the roll. Oopppsss No! :oops:   she’s up-side-down. In a moment of panic I pulled back on the stick……..the plane, of course, headed straight for the ground. Pulled back a little harder and she missed the ground and pointed at the sky again. Wow! This is better than my first one.
I can’t remember when I last had so much fun with my cloths on.

This bird is Fast and FUN!

For those who are interested, the modification are as I’ve said, a Full house Wing.
Sullivan control rods for elevator and rudder.
Ballast compartment.
And I join the wing to the fuse’  using drilled nylon screws. (Nylon screws with a small hole drilled down through the top of the screw head and into the shaft of the screw to weaken it so that it will snap in the event of a hard landing and save damaging the airframe.)

I’m a very Happy Chappie and I’m still Grinning!

K.

[lothar4862]

Ha!

Congratulations! I read Your bult and repair thread, reads like a roman, very exciting, i always thaught: that's the end for this plane, but You always found a solution.

No, I do not really think about a plane with a fuselage and all the things which are not really needed to fly, but it would be a good Idea to have something similar to my little Toy-Pilatus, to fly at small slopes.

Thank You for the informations.

Regards

Lothar

[joe]

   
Great news Keith.
I knew you'd be up there today. Conditions looked perfect here. Sunshine and lots of northerly wind.
Happy days indeed.
 :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

[billscottni]

Jammy sod keith!
I spent all day on an induction course being told that for the next 8 months my life wil revolve around remembering and being able to implement all 450 pages of the VAT legal and technical manuals!!!

[Happy Days]

Bill said:
"I spent all day on an induction course being told that for the next 8 months my life wil revolve around remembering and being able to implement all 450 pages of the VAT legal and technical manuals!!!"
You poor man, I'm glad it was you doing it and not me!

Joe, Thanks for you comments, it was a lovely day, as it has been again today. I'm begining to get the knack of this crow braking lark. She tends to baloon quite a bit if too much crow is applied.
Must get all these mixing % worked out.

Lothar:
I guessed you wouldn't be very interested in a model with a fuselage. A bit too orthodox for you I think. :roll:
Didn't know you had a Pilatus.........may be there's hope for you yet! :lol:

Glad you liked the build thread.

K.