Alpha 2.0M build "log" (mostly questions)

[Wayne]

Yes, the wing is the same as the Typhoon. It is built by TJI and they call it the Dream, but I didn't care for that name or the paint scheme so I designed a new paint scheme and gave her a new name.

We no longer offer the Alpha as the Tracer is now available from TJI, being a much more modern design, I didn't see much sense in offering the Alpha 2 anymore.

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Hi, the dimensions given for aileron throw are for high rate up (7mm) and (5mm) down at the aileron tips measured against the wing’s trailing edge. For med and low rates and expo, go for what seems right to you.
I’ve just measured my old Typhoon’s throw in normal flight mode, so this takes into account the differential set by me in flight, and despite never actually having measured it before, looks like the instructions are dead right there!

The Dream is quite literally a set of Typhoon wings on a differently shaped fuselage, and the tail end has a different outline. The Typhoon was designed by Doc J (as are literally all of his models) to be rigged 0-0. This is easily set thanks to the all moving tail. With a genuine Typhoon rigged at 0-0, the cg range is really from say 94 (a start point) then move it back if you want to bit by bit. I’ve never preset a cg in my life other than that used for nose heavy maidens, but I do get the feeling that 80 is going to be very nose heavy indeed, which can lead to a high stall speed situation, flicks etc.
You guys can but try it!

Good luck, Red will look after you
Jonty

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Would you fellas please post up your findings asap after you’ve maidened it?

 

[Doc J]

Thanks for the response @Doc J The aircraft is a TJIRC Alpha 2.0, and I only called it a Typhoon as in one of my early posts in this thread I asked if there was a manual for it, and I was told it was the same as the Typhoon. The instructions I linked to above are basically the same instructions I found in numerous places with the only difference in that particular link, being you on the cover photo (that is you isn't it?)
Anyway, as to my maiden setup, I will turn up the aileron travel some, and drop my flaps to 50% or so of the aileron travel.
One last question. There is a round "bump" on the front of the rudder that the elevator travels over as seen in the images below. I am trying to make a guess to "center" as the center on the slot and the center on the bump are not the same. Currently I have chosen center of bump as the 10mm travel suggested sort of matches "bump travel". I would like to avoid big surprises on my maiden so I am thinking that I could check the incidence at my current center. My question is what should I be looking for at center? 1-2 deg?
View attachment 19070
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Hi NIck.

Photo on the Typoon manual? Yep its me on a trip to China - guilty as charged.

For the elevator centering if the tailplane and wings are using the same sections as the original Typhoon (I suspect they were splashed) then you really do NOT need that negative 1~2 degrees of decalage at the tailplane. This wing section has a very high Alpha (It will still produce lift at negative angles of atack) so if you add more angle it will just balloon around the corners and likely tip stall if pushed too hard. Overall it will just be loose and wishywashy

Please note that for modern semi-symmetrical and not heavily undercambered sections, no decalage is needed. This is a myth from Chuck glider days.

Cheers,

Doc.

 

[gnichola]

Wind was good, rain was imminent, but I had to maiden her. This was my first glider that I maiden'd myself. A powered plane, or a helicopter, not a problem, these make me nervous, just because the landing is a bit more sketch. My buddies were away, so I was out there all by my lonesome...except for the Moo Cows. The inflight picture was a bit difficult due to my solo stratus. Anyway, she required zero trim, aileron response was adequate with the 10mm (tip) that I started with, and the elevator was a bit on the mushy side. She is nose heavy using the 80mm starting point, so I am going to move that back a bit before modifying anything else. Wind was forcast at 12, but I didn't have my meter with me so I couldn't tell you what it actually was. With full flaps (90deg) she would back up, so the picture of her in the grass was where I landed on my flight, about 8' from the fence that I hovered over for a while. If only the wind would hurry up and get here so I could try it with the new CG.

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Sink or swim eh? Well done Nick! The cg can go back a fair way yet (bit by bit) and it’ll really free up the pitch and roll response big time. It’ll be a lot of fun!

 

[Wayne]

Woohoo!! Looks good too.

(I looked at a property just up the street from that slope site. The wife and I didn't think much of the property, but on the drive down I spotted the slope and suddenly it became my favorite property. LOL)

 

[Red]

Sink or swim eh? Well done Nick! The cg can go back a fair way yet (bit by bit) and it’ll really free up the pitch and roll response big time. It’ll be a lot of fun!

Pssst his name is Guy lol

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Ah, my bad! Sorry Guy, and thanks Red for putting me right!
Cheers
Jonty

 

[gnichola]

@Wayne did you do the "roll check" on Gravity Hill?

 

[Wayne]

LOL - I noticed Gravity Hill on the map and read about it but did not notice anything odd even though I wanted too.. I'm dead to the ilusion I guess. How about you?

 

[Red]

LOL - I noticed Gravity Hill on the map and read about it but did not notice anything odd even though I wanted too.. I'm dead to the ilusion I guess. How about you?

It's very noticeable! It's just past the parking area at the cattle grate.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

Pssst his name is Guy lol

I've been waiting for him to say something

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Who do you mean?

 

[gnichola]

LOL - I noticed Gravity Hill on the map and read about it but did not notice anything odd even though I wanted too.. I'm dead to the ilusion I guess. How about you?

You need to come fly as a guest one day and I can give you "the tour". After a buddy and I went flying we went there, it's only 100 yards or so from our parking lot (with the cows). The hard part when we got there was trying to figure out how to get his Tesla into neutral, I had to jump on my phone and get directions. But after that, you sit at one end, and you swear it looks uphill, and then you roll that way. So we went up and turned around thinking it must have something do with the way you are looking at it, but when we then stopped at the other end, facing the opposite direction, it looked like we were pointing downhill, and yet we rolled backwards.

As a buddy of mine once said, "you can call me anything, just don't call me late to dinner" Names are hard in forums like this because they use handles. When I go to something like Sunset or Los Banos, I am always trying to match faces to handles...you know, who is who?

 

[Red]

You need to come fly as a guest one day and I can give you "the tour". After a buddy and I went flying we went there, it's only 100 yards or so from our parking lot (with the cows). The hard part when we got there was trying to figure out how to get his Tesla into neutral, I had to jump on my phone and get directions. But after that, you sit at one end, and you swear it looks uphill, and then you roll that way. So we went up and turned around thinking it must have something do with the way you are looking at it, but when we then stopped at the other end, facing the opposite direction, it looked like we were pointing downhill, and yet we rolled backwards.

As a buddy of mine once said, "you can call me anything, just don't call me late to dinner" Names are hard in forums like this because they use handles. When I go to something like Sunset or Los Banos, I am always trying to match faces to handles...you know, who is who?

I got a handle for you!

Yeah the whole GH thing is kind of a mind blower for sure. Great flying site too.

 

[Wayne]

Yeah, I'd love to fly there some day!

 

[gnichola]

On her maiden she seemed nose heavy as when inverted I needed half to 2/3 down to keep her level, so I moved the cg back some. Flew again yesterday and now she required almost no down, so I think I am now just a touch tail heavy...but what do I know
Here was what I experienced. My first few hard turns, it ended up rolling quite a bit, like it rolled more than it turned, to the point I almost lost it as I was a little low and not expecting the roll. I went up higher (maybe 2 mistakes high) built up more speed and tried some hard turns, and it behaved much better. I am thinking my speed was a bit low on my early attempts. I am not a master glider flyer and my ability to judge how fast I am going is not great.
When I was doing these flights I had no snap flaps setup yet. My question then is, what are snap flaps for? I know that they are there to prevent stall in high alpha turns, so in my turns, was I getting a tip stall that then led to the roll? If I add snap flaps, does that mean mainly the flaps, or should I do both flaps and ailerons? Is there general guidance for amounts of each?

 

[Wayne]

Snap flaps -

• In general this works well on most planes, but not all. It does work pretty well on the Alpha 2.
• This is a mix that cambers the wing slightly when you pull the elevator. This cambering will typically be both the flaps and ailerons.
• This should only be used in "sport mode" not in combination with a thermal mode.
• The mix will tend to make the plane feel faster in a turn, a sharpening the carving of the turn.
• Typically the amount of down camber at full elevator is just 2 or 3mm at the trailing edge. A very small amount. This will vary from pilot to pilot and plane to plane.

For this mix above ratio to make much sense, you do need to dial in the elevator and CG. You do not want a ton of extra elevator throw to get the ratio right. This can take some time to dial in.

In the end, for casual flying, not at all needed. But it is a good goal to add this after you gain experience with the airframe and have a good feel for what it is doing.

For the Alpha 2, if flying slowly, it is a good idea to setup a thermal mode. On this wing I found that I personally liked to have a small amount of down flap (maybe a max of 4mm). This helped catch a little more lift and using just the flaps helped avoid some tendency for tip stall. This was handy on those days where the lift is rather wimpy, or you are looking to gain some altitude.

My final bit of wisdom for this any many composite slope gliders is you are much better off to keep them moving. Let that nose point down more than it points up and you will be well rewarded. In other words, keep them moving and banging those turns.

 

[Tonys1100s]

About to maiden my electric Alpha/Typhoon/Dream, can anyone give me some guidance on CoG/all moving tail incidence set up please? I understand these two values are interrelated, I'd just prefer to start somewhere in the correct zone rather than to get a surprise on maiden! I have a good amount of experience , so would be looking for a more rearward CoG and hence less tail negative incidence.