Grippen power??
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Grippen power??
Im thinking of installing a PST 600R in a grippen, Looking for about 150mph and operation from 500 ft field. Will the 14.5 lbs be enough or do i need to plan on perhaps the simjet 1200sp with more power??? Suggestions from people who are FLYING these on 13 to 14 lb engines would be appreiceated. Russ
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RE: Grippen power??
Russ,
We recently flew a Gripen on the Simjet 1200 (older version @ 14lbs) and I was extremely impressed with it's performance. No problem hitting the 150mph mark nor the 500ft field (assuming paved) although landings take a bit of practice to learn how to bleed the speed off properly. If you have a fairly smooth run-off for the first few flights you'll be happy with this combination. Personally, I thought this was a better match than mine with the P-80 due to the lighter wing loading and less residual. Any of the power plants in the 14-19 lb range will hit the mark your looking for with this airframe.... Know of one currently being fitted with a Artes Bee that will be flying off the same length runway...
Regards,
Todd
We recently flew a Gripen on the Simjet 1200 (older version @ 14lbs) and I was extremely impressed with it's performance. No problem hitting the 150mph mark nor the 500ft field (assuming paved) although landings take a bit of practice to learn how to bleed the speed off properly. If you have a fairly smooth run-off for the first few flights you'll be happy with this combination. Personally, I thought this was a better match than mine with the P-80 due to the lighter wing loading and less residual. Any of the power plants in the 14-19 lb range will hit the mark your looking for with this airframe.... Know of one currently being fitted with a Artes Bee that will be flying off the same length runway...
Regards,
Todd
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RE: Grippen power??
I fly mine with a p80 ( around 19 lbs ) Im pretty much always at full throttle, as i fly it very hard. I used to fly the plane without the ducting tube and max i was hitting 150, maybe just over .. and this was pushing it .. I installed the ducting tube through the fuselage, and now i have noticeable speed gain, and am *****g out at around 170 ( again, pushing it out of a shalow dive) I think the plane slows down really well, and actually needs some power out of the p80 on landing to maintain slow high alpha nose up altitude. ... Also, if you fly hard through turns, it bleeds of speed FAST ! as the wing becomes an airbrake, so more power is very usefull here .. I have been able to slow my grippen from a 150+ mph pass to almost it stalling out of the sky in a matter of a few seconds by pulling hard vertical on the elevator with a lot of canard ... i guess it all depends on how the airplane is set up in terms of thros and CG ...
one thing i dont like is the way landings are sometimes weird ... if you pitch the nose up too hard on the flare, and adjust by letting off of some of the elevator, the plane tries to get back on step hard, and tends to baloon once you let some of the elevator off .... so in high alpha landings, you have to be right on both your elevator and power ...
Wojtek
one thing i dont like is the way landings are sometimes weird ... if you pitch the nose up too hard on the flare, and adjust by letting off of some of the elevator, the plane tries to get back on step hard, and tends to baloon once you let some of the elevator off .... so in high alpha landings, you have to be right on both your elevator and power ...
Wojtek
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RE: Grippen power??
Woj,
to eliminate the pitch hunting at slow speed, set your canard mix so you can cut the rate down to almost nothing or just turn the mix off during landings. We found the gripen is much easier to land with increased elevon throw and little to no canard. It becomes much easier to hold that high alpha attitude during approach this way. 10-12mm for normal flight seems about right for maximum manuverability however.
Todd
to eliminate the pitch hunting at slow speed, set your canard mix so you can cut the rate down to almost nothing or just turn the mix off during landings. We found the gripen is much easier to land with increased elevon throw and little to no canard. It becomes much easier to hold that high alpha attitude during approach this way. 10-12mm for normal flight seems about right for maximum manuverability however.
Todd
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RE: Grippen power??
Thanks Todd ... i guess i'll try setting my canards to 3 settings ... a 12mm for regular flight, 45mm for beating the crap out of the plane , and none for landing .., i might also throw some more expo on the elevator on the landing mode to make it less sensitive ... its a fun plane to fly ....
Wojtek
Wojtek