Post by bigtone on Jan 28, 2007 5:29:25 GMT 1
In the post below, is of the innovator of the SC on floats. In the post you will see notes on the top of each post. These are post notes made by Bookboy22 starting in 8/20/06 to 12/16/06 that I've posted together to help people who want to do the float mod.
Bookboy22 notes 8/20/06
I had three great flights today. Wind was <10mph. Picked up two of the 8cell optional batteries that I ordered last week, and also picked up the GWS floats. Just finished the float kit build. It took approx 2 hours to build. The floats fit almost perfect to the CG, while using the stock SC gear. I used the pre bent GWS gear on the rear. What a fluke that was. I just had to epoxy a small piece of rc plywood to support the rear float gear. The float step is 1" behind the CG, and I hope thats ok. It will take 5min to convert back to the wheel setup for field flying. Amazing, as I still want to fly at the club grass field. The GWS floats look very cool on the SC. I just have to be carefull about those cross wind blowovers, as I've heard the GWS beaver does. I will post pictures soon.
Bookboy22 notes 8/21/06
Oh ya, I had my first maiden float flight today at the pond. Wind was 5-10mph. She looks beautiful in the water with the GWS floats. I would say her balance is almost perfect. Not bad for my first attempt at installing floats. The GWS floats are a little on the small side and I'm sure if the winds were stronger than 10mph, she would flip in a cross wind. I flew her twice with the new 8-cell batteries. If your going to fly the SC with floats, you will need that extra take off power. For take off, I pushed the throttle gradually up to 100%, and just had to pull full back on the elevator until she got up on plain. As soon as she reached plain, I reduced the elevator and off she took into the air. Don't try and climb like a nut, or she will stall and roll over. I understand what the pendulum effect is now. You just have to be soft with your controls. My maiden float take off was nothing pretty, but she managed to keep climbing. For my landing, I cut the throttle, glided her in, and landed her as if I was landing on the club grass field. Turning her around in the wind was a little difficult, and she wanted to turn back into the wind. With 1/4 throttle and some elevator she stears prettly good with the rudder. What ever you do, don't try flying with floats if the wind is 10+mph. I'm having so much fun with the SC.
Now I need a field/car charger, as the stock car charger will not charge the 8-cells. Anyone have suggestions other than the Hobbico MKII. What about the new Parkzone PKZ1519 5-10 Cell DC Peak Charger 1.8amp. It only charges one battery at time though.
Bookboy22 notes 8/22/06
I decided to re design the GWS float setup. The stock SC gear and the prebent GWS gear are approx 7 1/4" length. I just wasn't happy with that float spread setup on the SC, as cross wind blow overs were just a matter time. I used the two 12" unbent rods that came with the GWS kit, and increased the length to 10 1/4". I bought two 2-56 12" Dubro fully threaded rods and cut them down to 10 1/2". I also got some fuel tubing to hold the gear ends onto the threaded rods. After my two float flights yesterday, I decided that the float step was too far back from the CG, so I moved the gear back 1/2" on the wood mounts. The step is now only 1/2" back from the CG and water taxing is much smoother with less forward wake. I had three great flights tonight. The SC now takes off much better. I even used the 7-cell battery pack on my third flight, and had no problems taking off. Of course the 8-cell packs have more power. I would do two takeoffs and landings per charge, and flew around at 1/2 throttle for 10min. The wind was 5mph. Here are some pictures of my SC after this evenings flights. Man I love this SC.
Bookboy22 notes 8/27/06
I've had 14 flights with my GWS floats which are not 25 size floats. The GWS floats are 3in to short to be scale. floamfloats.com sell their 25 size floats, which are 25in. The eflite floats are 28in and they don't look scale with the SC. You would also have to rig up your own gear, as the eflite gear is way to heavy for the SC. The winds were 15mph+ tonight, and I should have listened to my better half, but I went up anyway, and almost crashed her twice on takeoffs. The wind gusts would picked her up on takeoff runs and throw her around until she gained enough air speed. Once she stabilized, I could relax at little but I still had to be carefull not to make any super hard turns. Landings were also very tricky tonight, as I had to keep her close to the wind protected shore line. She flipped taxing once due to the strong cross winds.
Bookboy22 notes 8/28/06
I had 7 more great float flights today, and shot some pictures and video at the pond. Here are the pictures, and the links to the takeoff and landing video's. It was tough taking the landing video, as I had to turn my back to the plane, bend down and hit the record button, and then land the plane. Winds were 5mph today.
Takeoff 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYDA6p7h1hE
Takeoff 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXy69BBJSj0
Landing www.youtube.com/watch?v=xut0e9Jrt5c
Bookboy22 notes 8/31/06
You know what, water spashing is really not an issue with my GWS float setup. The water never seams to spash up into the battery compartment. It's the cross wind flips that scare me, as the half the cowl submerges and water can get through the front ACT eye hole. Of course I always dry out the electrics with a hair drier when I get home, but they never look wet. On windy days after I land the SC, I will just let the SC drift backwards to shore using some rudder input to keep her nose pointed directly into the wind. If you try and use the engine to turn her around and bring her back, you can and will flip. I've done it twice now. I'm really not in a huge rush after I land her, and like to have a smoke between flights. If you go with the GWS floats, just make sure you have delt with any leaks. I use water grade silcone for that.
Bookboy22 notes 9/1/06
I've used 30min epoxy to glue the plywood float support to the fuselage. I'm not sure if the foam safe ca is better? I've pulled the battery box front frame off the zfoam on some grass field float landings. The front gear takes abuse with floats. I tried the 30min epoxy, but the frame has pulled away again. What's the best stuff for plastic to zfoam?
Bookboy22 notes 12/16/06
Hey Bigtone,
It's been a while since I have posted anything on this thread. I'm happy that some of you float boys have adopted my original GWS float setup. My SC must have 100 float flights by now and another 100 stock flights. This plane just keeps flying. Hats off to Hobby Zone for setting a new standard.
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Zx70175.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Vq50098.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ze84665.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Cw62568.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Gr91323.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ja40722.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Bd67973.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Sr60447.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ed60694.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Rx96583.jpg
Gws float kits for $9.97 and $8.92 with free shipping at Advantage Hobby!
www.advantagehobby.com/?manufacturerid=94&cat=692
Bookboy22 notes 8/20/06
I had three great flights today. Wind was <10mph. Picked up two of the 8cell optional batteries that I ordered last week, and also picked up the GWS floats. Just finished the float kit build. It took approx 2 hours to build. The floats fit almost perfect to the CG, while using the stock SC gear. I used the pre bent GWS gear on the rear. What a fluke that was. I just had to epoxy a small piece of rc plywood to support the rear float gear. The float step is 1" behind the CG, and I hope thats ok. It will take 5min to convert back to the wheel setup for field flying. Amazing, as I still want to fly at the club grass field. The GWS floats look very cool on the SC. I just have to be carefull about those cross wind blowovers, as I've heard the GWS beaver does. I will post pictures soon.
Bookboy22 notes 8/21/06
Oh ya, I had my first maiden float flight today at the pond. Wind was 5-10mph. She looks beautiful in the water with the GWS floats. I would say her balance is almost perfect. Not bad for my first attempt at installing floats. The GWS floats are a little on the small side and I'm sure if the winds were stronger than 10mph, she would flip in a cross wind. I flew her twice with the new 8-cell batteries. If your going to fly the SC with floats, you will need that extra take off power. For take off, I pushed the throttle gradually up to 100%, and just had to pull full back on the elevator until she got up on plain. As soon as she reached plain, I reduced the elevator and off she took into the air. Don't try and climb like a nut, or she will stall and roll over. I understand what the pendulum effect is now. You just have to be soft with your controls. My maiden float take off was nothing pretty, but she managed to keep climbing. For my landing, I cut the throttle, glided her in, and landed her as if I was landing on the club grass field. Turning her around in the wind was a little difficult, and she wanted to turn back into the wind. With 1/4 throttle and some elevator she stears prettly good with the rudder. What ever you do, don't try flying with floats if the wind is 10+mph. I'm having so much fun with the SC.
Now I need a field/car charger, as the stock car charger will not charge the 8-cells. Anyone have suggestions other than the Hobbico MKII. What about the new Parkzone PKZ1519 5-10 Cell DC Peak Charger 1.8amp. It only charges one battery at time though.
Bookboy22 notes 8/22/06
I decided to re design the GWS float setup. The stock SC gear and the prebent GWS gear are approx 7 1/4" length. I just wasn't happy with that float spread setup on the SC, as cross wind blow overs were just a matter time. I used the two 12" unbent rods that came with the GWS kit, and increased the length to 10 1/4". I bought two 2-56 12" Dubro fully threaded rods and cut them down to 10 1/2". I also got some fuel tubing to hold the gear ends onto the threaded rods. After my two float flights yesterday, I decided that the float step was too far back from the CG, so I moved the gear back 1/2" on the wood mounts. The step is now only 1/2" back from the CG and water taxing is much smoother with less forward wake. I had three great flights tonight. The SC now takes off much better. I even used the 7-cell battery pack on my third flight, and had no problems taking off. Of course the 8-cell packs have more power. I would do two takeoffs and landings per charge, and flew around at 1/2 throttle for 10min. The wind was 5mph. Here are some pictures of my SC after this evenings flights. Man I love this SC.
Bookboy22 notes 8/27/06
I've had 14 flights with my GWS floats which are not 25 size floats. The GWS floats are 3in to short to be scale. floamfloats.com sell their 25 size floats, which are 25in. The eflite floats are 28in and they don't look scale with the SC. You would also have to rig up your own gear, as the eflite gear is way to heavy for the SC. The winds were 15mph+ tonight, and I should have listened to my better half, but I went up anyway, and almost crashed her twice on takeoffs. The wind gusts would picked her up on takeoff runs and throw her around until she gained enough air speed. Once she stabilized, I could relax at little but I still had to be carefull not to make any super hard turns. Landings were also very tricky tonight, as I had to keep her close to the wind protected shore line. She flipped taxing once due to the strong cross winds.
Bookboy22 notes 8/28/06
I had 7 more great float flights today, and shot some pictures and video at the pond. Here are the pictures, and the links to the takeoff and landing video's. It was tough taking the landing video, as I had to turn my back to the plane, bend down and hit the record button, and then land the plane. Winds were 5mph today.
Takeoff 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYDA6p7h1hE
Takeoff 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXy69BBJSj0
Landing www.youtube.com/watch?v=xut0e9Jrt5c
Bookboy22 notes 8/31/06
You know what, water spashing is really not an issue with my GWS float setup. The water never seams to spash up into the battery compartment. It's the cross wind flips that scare me, as the half the cowl submerges and water can get through the front ACT eye hole. Of course I always dry out the electrics with a hair drier when I get home, but they never look wet. On windy days after I land the SC, I will just let the SC drift backwards to shore using some rudder input to keep her nose pointed directly into the wind. If you try and use the engine to turn her around and bring her back, you can and will flip. I've done it twice now. I'm really not in a huge rush after I land her, and like to have a smoke between flights. If you go with the GWS floats, just make sure you have delt with any leaks. I use water grade silcone for that.
Bookboy22 notes 9/1/06
I've used 30min epoxy to glue the plywood float support to the fuselage. I'm not sure if the foam safe ca is better? I've pulled the battery box front frame off the zfoam on some grass field float landings. The front gear takes abuse with floats. I tried the 30min epoxy, but the frame has pulled away again. What's the best stuff for plastic to zfoam?
Bookboy22 notes 12/16/06
Hey Bigtone,
It's been a while since I have posted anything on this thread. I'm happy that some of you float boys have adopted my original GWS float setup. My SC must have 100 float flights by now and another 100 stock flights. This plane just keeps flying. Hats off to Hobby Zone for setting a new standard.
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Zx70175.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Vq50098.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ze84665.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Cw62568.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Gr91323.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ja40722.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Bd67973.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Sr60447.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Ed60694.jpg
image.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfiles/280476/Rx96583.jpg
Gws float kits for $9.97 and $8.92 with free shipping at Advantage Hobby!
www.advantagehobby.com/?manufacturerid=94&cat=692
