Conference vmszoo::rc

    Kay,

I'm presently building a North Star which I got from BALSA USA.  I made
a minor change in it since I will not be flying from water (I eliminated
the tip floats).

The kit goes together quite nicely.  I have a bit more work to do on the
nacelle and it will be ready for covering.  

I am having a bit of a problem finding 48" long flexible control cables. The
36" ones work fine for the aerlons but you need about 42" for rudder, elev,
and motor control.  Anyone have a source/suggestions?

I'll post how it flys once I finish it and get the courage to launch....

John    

Kay,

Thanks for the prompt....

The "STAR" I referred to in the sign in IS the North Star. I made some "minor
changes" but let me tell the full story....


I got the North Star in about 3 months ago and poked around with it for a while.
All of the BALSA USA kits are excellent and do fly well.  I did not want to
fly off water so I left the wing tip floats off and extended the wing tips
normally.  I also sheeted the 1st third of the wing from the leading edge
back.  The kit was constructed normally from there.

I used spliced cable for the control linkage but in retrospect, I would have 
used 48" nyrods.  The covering is Monokote  Metalic Blue for the fuse and
White on the stab and wing.  Instead of a .40 I went with an OS .60 and this
bird screams!!  On your initial flight DO NOT have a lot of aerlon throw
until you sort out the bird and the trim.  This sucker will roll at the rate
of 2-4 revs per second. (yup... that was my initial setting...).

Build the main gear as strong as you can without affecting wieght.  Do
use the gear supplied.  DO NOT attach the nose gear as shown.  Go with a 
standard nylon nose gear.  If you want to waterproof it, use a brass tube.

FLYING-

I taxied the model around for a while to sort out the ground handling.
Then... pointed it into the wind and firewalled it...  I got about 2' off the
deck and found out that the roll rate was somewhat aggressive!!!  The take
off was not a thing of beauty, to say the least.  At altitude I adjusted trims
for level flight at 1/2 throt..  I then set up for some approaches.  Make
sure you have more than enough elevator movement +/- 3/4".  Approaching stall
speed results in the wings rocking back and forth, nothing else...

On the first landing I would suggest coming in a bit hot and bringinh the
craft to a foot off the deck, then cut power all the way.  If you try to
flare normally the first time you probably will flare at about 5-10 feet
off the deck.

Once the controls are sorted out and tuned to your style, it a SUPER plane!
The first flight can be a bit dicey, but after that, pure joy.
Would I buy another and recommend it--- You betcha!!  One warning though,
this IS NOT A BEGINNERS PLANE!!!  It can and will get out of hand VERY
quickly if all you have is high wing trainers under your belt.  However,
if you can manage a Quickie 500 style plane, you should not have much
trouble flying the North Star.

I have noticed that BALSA USA has come out with two other planes similar
to the North Star.  I like the configuration and the flying qualities
well enough on the original that I will be trying out one of the others in
the near future.

TRANSPORTING THE MODEL-

The model is large but will fit in a compact station wagon ro a back seat
given enough twisting.  I love the fact that the model is one piece and
once at the field, you are ready to go without having to attach the
wing etc...


If anyone wants to see it in action, give me a call and lets go fly!!

John

		Someone in my club has built a Northstar, certainly
	is a wierd looking plane... haven't seen it fly yet tho...


		bob

    HAS ANY ONE OUT THERE BUILT A NORTH STAR ? I JUST 
    FINISHED MINE AND BALANCED IT .IT HAS A 8 O.Z.
    TANK IN THE TAIL AND OF COURSE AFTER FUELING IT
    ITS.YOU GUESSED IT ,TAIL HEAVEY.I DONT DARE FLY
    IT UNTIL I HEAR FROM SOMEONE.
    I TALKED TO A PERSON YOU HAD SEEN ONE AT A FUN
    FLY AND HE SAID IT WAS UNDER POWERED.THE OWNER
    TOLD HIM HE HAD TO PUT 5 O.Z OF LEAD IN THE 
    NOSE TO BALANCE IT.SO AFTER HEARING THAT,I 
    PUT SOME LEAD IN THE NOSE OF MINE ALRIGHT
    AN O,S 40 FSR .SO I HAVE A 40 UP FRONT WITH A 
    8 O.Z. TANK AND ONE IN THE TAIL WITH A 8 OZ
    TANK
    THE PLANS SAY YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 10 OZ TANK ON
    THE TAIL AS LONG AS IT,S BALANCED WITH AN EMPTY 
    TANK,....I DONT BELIVE THEM.THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
    I,D LOVE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE
    
    
                                        P.M
    

    Sorry,
    
    	But the only one's I've seen that flew reasonable had .51 or
    .60's on them.   They all require large amounts of lead. 
    
    
    Tom
    
    Personally I can't see someone designing anything and proclaiming
    it a success if to have to design in nose weight. There are better
    ways but it seems some designers aren't willing to make that extra
    effort.

>    NOSE TO BALANCE IT.SO AFTER HEARING THAT,I 
>    PUT SOME LEAD IN THE NOSE OF MINE ALRIGHT
>    AN O,S 40 FSR .SO I HAVE A 40 UP FRONT WITH A 
>    8 O.Z. TANK AND ONE IN THE TAIL WITH A 8 OZ
>    TANK

Really - Am I reading that right?  You have two
engines in your Northstar?  Are both functional?

>    THE PLANS SAY YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 10 OZ TANK ON
>    THE TAIL AS LONG AS IT,S BALANCED WITH AN EMPTY 
>    TANK,....I DONT BELIVE THEM.THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
>    I,D LOVE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE
>    
>    P.M
    
Note 81 which has 16 replies is devoted to NorthStar questions.
Tho I don't believe the question of CG came up there.
If this was a moderated file this note would be moved but it ain't
so it won't.  I've always been interested in the NorthStar and
have yet to see one in person.  If you are in the Mass area please
come to the fun fly on the 18th in Ware and bring it along - even
if you are not ready to fly it.

Bye          --+--
Kay R. Fisher  |
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    	Just for the sake of information the latest RC Vidio (vol 12),
    has a segment on some lake flying with the Top of New Jersey Club.
    In it there is some footage on the Northstar. It did end up
    "in the drink".
    
    Regards,
    Bob G.

    RE; 81.16
    
    WOW,its been a while.Well i set my northstar up nose heavy,very
    nose heavy.It took the whole runway,before it lifted ,what a
    rocket ship,trouble was to fly level after trimming i was still
    holding 3/4 up elevater throw just to keep the nose level.
     landing i thougth was going to be imposable,so i decided to 
    just fly it around until it ran out of fuel and died,A friend
    of mine talked me into landing it a full throttle,and thats
    just about how i did it,on finel i was at 3/4 throttle.just before
    impact i went to full,adding lots of body english,it landed
    on the main,s i chopped the throttle and watched it scream by
    we took the nose weight out and on the next flight it flew
    great,what a roll rate,and the sound of both engines screaming
    still gives me goose bumps,after about ten flights i did
    stuff it in,doing a split s a little to close to the ground
    thats right it was the nut that holds the transmitter ,that killed
    it,But i did learn somthing,nose heavy is as bad as tail heavy
    i,ll build another one some day.   

      
    
           Correct me ,, but did you say "both engines screaming" ??
    
       I am building a northstar, (not for me) and I can't seem
       to figure out where the #2 engine goes??. But since you've
       already built one, help me with one problem I have. What size/
       kind etc of pushrod did you use for the throttle?. I've installed
       the nyrods and when I tested them there seems to be a little too
       much binding in the throttle line due to the severe bend located 
       in the tail. Also when you rebalanced it does it now balance at the
       point as indicated on the plans , with the tank empty??.
    
       I probably will never fly this plane as it's not for me and I'm
       more into gliders. But I love to build. 
    
    
       kevin p

    Hi kevin
    
         yup,it was a twin.After watching other northstars at float
    float flys,they all seemed under powered,and a 60 wont fit on
    one,the prop wont clear the top of the wing.So i decided mine
    would never see water and mounted the other engine on the same
    former the nose gear bearing.it flew great,and if you lost one
    engine it just slowed down,that was the beauty of it.
     
      I had the same problum you had with the nyrod binding up top
    near the tank,sullivan sells a wire that fits inside the yellow
    part of the push rod,it made my life alot easier,i still had
    a little slop ,but idle and full thottle were even.
    as for balancing just go by the plans,and set your servo,s
    up forward and you still going to have to add lead to the nose
    IF your going to build a twin,i used the same c.g on the plans
    and moved servo,s and all aft.that first flight will raise
    the owners heart rate a few points but once its trimed
    its a real pussy cat.
    
                          good luck kevin
    
     
                               P.M
        

    
    
       Thanks Randy,
       I picked up the sullivan wire and installed it last night.
       works very well, little slop but nothin to worry about. This
       plane is not mine I'm just building it. I might be willin
       to try the twin idea otherwise. The guy I'm building it for
       does not ever want it set up for land , water only and he asked
       if I could leave out the landing gear setup. I didn't. I figure
       he'll never learn to fly this and maybe after I convince him
       to finish his PT40 I'll pick up th northstar for a song. He also
       has been very persistant on asking me to build the PT40. Maybe.
       I'd charge more than $50 for that one even if it's many times
       easier ,to build. I agreed to build the Northstar for 50 really
       because I love building something new. 
    
       kevin p

    
      
         
    I need a clearer explaination or description of exactly where the
    fiberglassed sections of the Northstar are. The construction  manual
    says to glass the nacelle and the bottom of the fuse. Is this done for
    strength of the airframe or just to beef up the bottom against landing
    hard on water?. I am at that stage where only the glassing,final
    sanding and covering is left. Just maybe this plane will be ready for
    some snow flying. I also want to bring this (uncovered) to a DECRCM
    meeting so I can get some criticism and pointers, so if  there is any
    interest in looking at it, then the next meeting I'll make every effort
    to show up and get some feedback.
    
     kevin p

>    some snow flying. I also want to bring this (uncovered) to a DECRCM
>    meeting so I can get some criticism and pointers, so if  there is any
>    interest in looking at it, then the next meeting I'll make every effort
>    to show up and get some feedback.

Kevin - of course we're interested in seeing it.

I can't answer your questions about the glassing though.

Bye          --+--
Kay R. Fisher  |
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