In the Interim

while the weather is wild...

The extreme tranquility of last week has, unfortunately, been replaced by gusty winds forecast to last for the rest of the week. As such, I haven't ventured out to fly anything, least of all the floatplane.

The larger batteries for the latter are on there way, and I'm looking forward to familiarising myself with the Trainstar floatplane characteristics a bit better. The new batteries should provide significantly longer flight times, but I also think that a more considered flying regime will help keep the chubby floater in the air for longer as well.

Finally in the process of reconstruction, now that I've received the replacement ducted fan, adhesive accelerator and the urge to do it, the Stinger is resuming shape. The pace of the reconstruction is slow as I'm making sure that each rip and crack is properly bonded before proceeding to the next, but also the warnings on the accelerator pack have me evacuating the room after each burst of strawberry-scented aerosol.

The foam should go back into shape reasonably well, and I think I'll smooth out the joins with a bit of filler. The only question marks are against the motor and the servos as to whether those survived the massive impact unscathed. Anyhow, we'll know that when the body has been restored and I get the electrics connected up again...

Canadair 415

...a friend for the Trainstar

Having finally been able to get the Trainstar floatplane launched and flying, even if somewhat crudely, I've been considering getting another water plane for a bit of variety when venturing out to the lakes or dams.

One plane that caught my eye was the Canadair 415 water bomber and, having read a few of the reviews, it comes well recommended and seems easy enough to launch and fly, unlike the Trainstar which is a bit more on the tricky side of things!

One thing I wasn't all that keen on is that the Canadair is only available in ARF form, requiring one to source components. Mainly this is fine, although the motor is my main concern, especially the mounting for both the motor itself and the prop. Anyway, I've followed the description and hope things will work out well, along with a couple of the 25A Plush ESC's which seem to be good.

I'll be running it off the 2200mAh's which I've been using on the Trainstar, and from what I've read that should be quite adequate. The Trainstar, on the other hand, will be upgraded to 2700mAh's to give extended flight time as a result of it's power-hungry nature from its oversized floats.

So, in a week or two we should have a bit more news of what it looks like and how the Canadair goes together...

Trainstar Floatplane Thoughts

...after the first flight

Finally getting the Trainstar floatplane into the air was quite something; I was uncertain whether the additional weight and drag would render the Trainstar waterbound and, if it did fly, how well or indeed, whether it would be manageable at all.

The first, very brief, flirtation with the sky did at at least confirm that it could fly, and that it actually even floated on the air quite well, giving me a little confidence so that, when I returned a few days later intent on getting it flying, that I could anticipate at least some success.

The Trainstar flew unexpectedly well, I suppose given that I hadn't expected that it would fly at all and, that it manages to maintain a turn at all, with the weight of the floats, is quite remarkable. However, in this case, I think the water rudder plays a part in keeping the floats up in the turn, meaning that you need to keep the rudder on or the self-centering effect very quickly brings things on an even keel.

The generous proportions of the floats makes the Trainstar virtually unsinkable, righting the plane even when it has tipped over with the prop flicking the water and when the wingtip has been on the water at speed during an attempted launch.

The flip-side, however, is that the Trainstar is very slow, and turning into the wind on approach turns moderate pace into pedestrian approach. I've only flown it with the flaps down, in addition to the slight down attitude I dialled into the ailerons, meaning the the Trainstar is flying in a very high-lift configuration. As such it becomes very floaty when the power is off.

I'm interested to fly it without flaps to see whether the reduced drag improves it's flight. Also, it seems the floats contribute to lift up front, which helps to keep the nose up. However I think the consequent drag also tips the nose down under power.

Lastly, another apparent effect of the additional mass and drag is that the flight times are reduced significantly. I'm looking at a slightly larger battery, which is also only slightly heavier, to improve this. However I think that with a better appreciation of how it flies, that I may be able to improve on this and reduce the amount of full throttle flight required...

Trainstar Floatplane First Flight

...it flies!!!

Opting to go with tenacity, due in part to today being the last very calm day forecast, this afternoon I headed off to the lake again with the Trainstar. The lake was not the location of first flight test, but rather another smaller venue promising virtually no onlookers, a feature which I found highly desirable.

There was a slight breeze blowing, not enough to unsettle the surface of the lake but sufficient to lend some assistance to the Trainstar to get airborne. The wind was also a northerly, helpful as access to the lake is at the southerly end.

The Trainstar was soon unpacked and on the lake, all tested and ready to go. I can't exactly remember the sequence of events, this first session also not being video'd for fear of tempting fate. Nevertheless, after a few false starts, I had the Trainstar in the air and flying.

Having had a brief airborne episode before I knew it would fly, although not exactly how, so the first takeoff was very much a beginner effort, with the Trainstar being hauled up, the climb angle eased off and then immediately increased as the plane started to drop, not being at all sure how it would behave.

The turns also took some getting used to, the weight of the floats dramatically increasing the self-righting effect the Trainstar has thanks to its wing dihedral. Nevertheless, the Trainstar still climbed and turned surprisingly well, and I cruised it overhead before turning back over the lake.

As I mentioned before, it becomes very floating with power off, I think due to the increased flap setting I'm using, although I'd expected the opposite with the float drag. However, having said that, I did expect the boat-shape of the floats to contribute some lift so perhaps that effect is more than anticipated.

At any rate the Trainstar floatplane is very predictable of landing approach once the speed has dropped off from cruise, although I still only managed one landing which was good, the others being a decaying series of slapping jumps off the lake. However, due in no small part to the generous nature of the floats, the plane never once ended in the drink, the buoyancy and stability of the floats righting and steadying the Trainstar every time, even once when I had the wingtip on the water with power still on full.

The only problem I had was running out of battery one one last approach, the Trainstar landing in the middle of the lake, having to resort to occasional brief bursts on reserve power and the breeze to return the plane to the shore...

Floatplanophobic

...need to gather the nerves

I returned today to the lake, ostensibly for the second attempt to take flight, but found myself so uncomfortably nervous that I ended up refraining from any attempt, despite the immaculately calm cool and sunny conditions.

I haven't abandoned hope of flying the floating Trainstar, rather that I didn't want to risk flying it when very much not in the zone. As I'm sure I've said before elsewhere, flying when you're not all there is an invitation for disaster, something I've proven repeatedly.

However, there is a fine balance between tenacity and dogged stupidity. The problem is you don't know where the line is until it's been crossed, with evidence posthumously clarifying with hindsight. However, there is a very familiar feel to this chapter, learning to fly all over again, very much like with the Floater Jet; I don't know why the takeoff run is all over the place, yet I don't want to give up. But I'm also wary of carrying on regardless and ending up with a capsized plane.

On the plus side, however, is the fact that the floats are oversized, have been positionally optimised and have proven to be a very stable setup. Also, the Trainstar has actually taken flight, and landed basically by itself, needing nothing more than a straight-ish run and a nudge on the elevator.

So, what's all the panic about? Well, I don't have the takeoff run under control, as I mentioned. And I wasn't even sure it'd fly, although that has been demonstrated, even if only briefly. And, if things really go pear-shaped, I have a rescue boat at hand, which would actually be fun to try out even if the motivation for the outing may be less so.

So, in reflection, all I need to do is put the Trainstar on the water and get it running reasonably straight.

Really not a huge drama...

Trainstar Floatplane Flight Trial

...disappointing but not disastrous

Today was the day I'd been anticipating for a while; the Trainstar floatplane had been adjusted and fettled following from its initial water test, I'd decided on a flight test venue which provided acres of open water and the weather was immaculately calm after weeks of windy weather.

Despite the anticipation, or perhaps because of it, I was anxious rather than excited at the prospect of finally getting the seaplane into the air. Nevertheless, with golden opportunities like this afternoon hard to come by, especially lately, I wasn't about to postpone proceedings due to indeterminate uncertainty.

Arriving at the lake the conditions were absolutely ideal, a far cry from the windswept expanse of water I'd experienced on my reconnoitre here. The Trainstar was unpacked and installed on the lake without much ceremony or excitement, nerves serving to rather deplete the joy from the occasion, despite the fact that the Trainstar cuts a most appealing figure in floatplane configuration. 

The first few runs didn't offer much encouragement, with the Trainstar suffering from the same take-off skittishness it exhibits in wheeled form. Not having been too fussed with ceremony, I've always just worked around this characteristic of the Trainstar, after having abandoned my efforts to get it taking off straight; flying off a field means no runways to follow. Unfortunately the flipside is now that the Trainstar is much heavier, being able to haul it off at an indecent angle is no longer possible.

In fact the Trainstar is only just sufficiently powered; the "oversized" battery at full power now seems decidedly moderate with the extra baggage and drag. Having said that I did once manage to get the Trainstar into the air, however it was heading for the dam wall and, being too low to start turning, I just cut the power and let it land.

This, in itself, was an enlightening experience, with the Trainstar actually bouncing on it's floats several times before settling down. The landing was rather unsupervised; I really hadn't planned it much, but I was rather expecting it just to splosh straight down onto the water.

In another more alarming incident the Trainstar, approaching planing speed, actually dipped a wing and prop into the water but then managed to right itself, in a testament to the stability of the floats. However I wasn't able to get the plane airborne again, which was disappointing.

However, having had the experience and having some video to review, I'm hoping that i'll be able to return for another, more enlightened, attempt to get the floatplane flying...

Float Plane Adjustment

...fine tuning the floats

Having done a water test with the Trainstar floatplane I've been researching techniques on launching floatplanes. In the process I came across more detailed sketches of floatplane configuration which caused some concern regarding how I'd installed the floats.

While I'd got the basic setup correct, with CoG in front of the step and the front of the floats ahead of the spinner, the proportions weren't right, with the CoG being too far ahead of the step (around 45mm) when it should be about 10mm, and the tip of the floats was about 25mm ahead of the spinner when ideally it should be greater than this.

The setup and installation of the floats is quite fiddly and awkward so I wasn't really keen to repeat the experience, and additionally moving the floats would mean a set of open holes in the floats which wasn't desirable.

However the rationale behind the setup criteria were quite compelling; having the CoG too far ahead of the step means rotation during takeoff is harder, and having the floats extending further forward reduces the risk of the plane capsizing which, despite having invested in a rescue craft, is a highly desirable feature. Finally, and perhaps the deciding reason, was that the Trainstar's CoG was in fact a little far back, which would be corrected by moving the floats forward without needing ballast, something I absolutely don't want to do.

So I bit the bullet and uninstalled the floats. I'm still in the process of attaching them about 30mm forward, however this position has adjusted the CoG perfectly in terms of the step and the floatplane as a whole.

So, I just need to finish off the screws and the seal around the mounts, and do a bit of sealing of the unused holes and a cosmetic touch-up. The weather has been terrible lately, so I might just pop down to the local pond again and do another water test, this time perhaps trying to get the Trainstar planing more and, perhaps, even airborne for a few feet to give myself a bit more confidence...

Seaplane Recovery

...I'll join the boat club

Having done a little research, it seems that watercraft recovery is a whole separate genre - who would have guessed? Some people have recovery frames attached to standard boats while others have custom u-shaped recovery craft to captured capsized boats or planes.

I did some investigation and found that dedicated recovery boats are not readily available, presumably the one's I'd seen had been custom-made. Also, not being familiar with boats, I wasn't really sure what to choose. The obvious choice would have been tugs, but of the two I saw the SeaPort Tugboat seemed more of a pool toy (unless you upgraded all the electronics) while the Atlantic Tug was a eye-watering four hundred dollars.

The other option of an inflatable dinghy was something I'd not considered, but which seems the most cost effective option. Doing some research locally confirmed this, with options of boat and pump at less than a hundred dollars, not bad at all. The benefit of this is allowing retrieval in situations where an RC craft might be stymied, such as a craft stuck in reeds.

I've decided to go with the latter, a two-man inflatable dinghy and an electric inflate-deflate pump, delivered for $92. There you go...

Seaplane Risks

...clearly requires more consideration

Having successfully completed an on-water test of my Trainstar floatplane, I've been searching for suitable large expanses of water for it its first flight. Suitably large is a requirement as, with an additional 300g of mass, I'm not sure how well the Trainstar will fly.

I've found a couple of potentials, a dam and a lake, however standing on the shore and picturing the Trainstar scooting across the water one is struck immediately by a quandary; what if something should go wrong? While a large expanse of water mean no obstacles to avoid, it also means a swim if anything goes wrong.

Although I think the risk of a tip-over is small, the consequence is a rather unpleasant swim in cold lake. This sort of consideration isn't immediately apparent while enjoying watching videos of seaplanes happily taking off and landing. The local boat club has a dinghy for retrieval of boats in these circumstances, although this isn't something I have access to.

My ideal venue for flying the Trainstar has therefore been revised to a large expanse of water no more than a foot deep. I'll let you know when I find it...

Trainstar Seaplane Water Test

...and still floating at the end

This morning I did my first on-water test of my Trainstar fitted with 0.40 size floats, conducted at the local duck pond and home of the local model boat club.

I had no intentions of getting the Trainstar into the air here, simply because there are too many tree surrounding the pond, combined with the fact that I'm not sure how well the Trainstar will fly with carrying additional 300g of floats.

The floats will provide a little lift, given their curved shape at the front, however there will be a lot of drag, so the slow Trainstar will become very slow. I am going to increase the flap angle, and I'm also thinking of dropping the ailerons by half a turn of the clevis to make the wings higher-lift as an initial precaution.

The other concern regarding the flying capability is the need for a long pond or lake; while the local duck pond was fine for this first test (although I even managed to overshoot once into the bushes), I'd like somewhere to land straight ahead as part of the flight evaluation. It would also give the choice to opt out it things didn't look good, without having to go round when you might not make it.

Anyway, the water test went well with the Trainstar happily buzzing around the pond. The water rudder worked well with just the single cable operating it off the rudder control horn, and on a couple of occasions I got the Trainstar to the point of lift-off, which was encouraging. It is a little tricky to keep it on a straight take-off run, something I've experienced with it on wheels as well.

Anyway, now just to find a larger venue to get the Trainstar into the air...

Rarebear on the Wire

...but I'll fix it

The Rarebear met with a rather sad fate yesterday, clipping a wire fence as it flew low over the paddocks. Keeping an eye of the attitude of the plane, I'd not realised just how low it was until I heard a noise as it passed me and glimpsed the little buzzy disintegrating violently.

The nose was ripped off, as well as one wing, and there's bruising of the foam, including one aileron. The nose, fortunately, is undamaged as is the tail section, so hopefully I'll be able to get the diminutive speedster back into the air with some careful repair.

The sky reflects...