At 07:12 PM 1/11/00 -0800, Paul Klissner wrote:
>I got a Stork for Christmas.
>
>I've heard a few tips like "be respectful
>at launch"
Like be respectful to the winch master and not yank the winch out of the
ground and drag it down the turf... (true story, and I am sorry
again... 8-) )
Actually, you have to launch the Stork correctly right out of your hands
with a lot of tension and the wings level, with a good throw. You need to
get this big bird on the wing quickly. Once it's on the wing, it will
rotate in a heartbeat. Going up the line it tracks great, with excellent
authority on the rudder for a V tail. If you start with a wing cocked,
wimpy throw or not enough tension you may have to see your proctologist.
This is a strong model and can take full on two man F3J tows, so you should
be respectful that you can break a winch line pretty easily. Learn to
launch it with authority using just enough tension, finished with a high
tension zoom.
>and "eats a lot of air" and "smooth"
It's smooth and has a great L/D. My Agate is the only model I can compare
with it that it's in the same league L/D wise.
>"Don't speed dive it like an F3B".
Why not? 8-) It doesn't get going that fast anyways, it's a big 7037.
Make sure the control rods going to the V tail surfaces are mounted in with
enough glue, I've had them come loose on my first Stork (doing crazy high
speed molded screaming aerobatics), on my second Stork I just made sure for
peace of mind and put some more in, it was rather light.
There was also just a thread on RCSE on how to reduce slop on flap
surfaces, go back and read this before you tape on the servo covers. Sean
Nichols (Stork owner and RCSE reader) just told me about a Dubro ball head
part that with another screw piece you can lengthen the shaft making more
leverage for the flaps. Supposed to remove all the slop.
-----8<-----
Anyway, I found a Dubro ball/cap set (Cat #189), which
contains two ball-horns that have female threads that fit
on a 4-40 bolt. I took a long 4-40 bolt and cut it so
it was open at both ends. It screws in tightly (rethreads)
the flap but fits tightly. This lets me make the ball horn
stand out 3/8" easily.
----->8-----
I haven't done the above modification yet, but mine are pretty tight now
after a careful installation, and sleeving the stock bendable threaded rods
with a tight fitting brass tubing, and careful adjustment. My first Stork
had almost no slop in the flaps, but was top hinged with the same length
ball horn. I think adding to the length of the ball horn for the bottom
hinged flaps is a good idea. Sean did it already and said it's good, I'll
probably do the same to mine just for an even stiffer setup.
One of my very favorite sailplanes to fly, period.
P.S. Bought it from Sal, he set me up with the pretty paint scheme! I am a
very satisfied repeat Customer of NSP.
Jim
Downers Grove, IL
ICQ 6997780
Visit my R/C Soaring Page at http://www.mcs.net/~bacuslab/soaring.html
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