On 3/24/03 9:05 AM, "Ben Diss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm thinking of using a carbon wing joiner rod on my scale sailplane. This > 4.3M, 12lb ASW-27 currently uses a 12mm x 40cm steel rod. Should I be > concerned with this? Is carbon strong enough?
If you are talking abut the HKM ASW-27, I have one and do not really think that a carbon rod is worth the effort of getting one. At 12 pounds mine flies like a dream, thermals very well and if anything does not carry energy very well so feels "light", especially coming out of a dive. I've actually thought of ballasting it for heavier slope winds and to see what it does under thermal conditions at a heavier weight. I'd suggest flying it (if you have not already) and then see if you really want it to be lighter. My steel rod weighs 12.1 ounces. The wing has an area of 7.9 square feet giving a stock loading of around 24 ounces per square foot. Even if you took 10 ounces out of the rod you would drop to around 23.2 oz/ft**2, or just 1.1 oz/ft**2 decrease which is 4.5% decrease. I don't think that will result if a very big change in performance. Like I said, mine flies light as is and I do not think that I would try to lighten mine. Of course, YMMV and I've never won major glider contest, so take this info for what it is worth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bill Malvey RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
