Avetek Pilatus PC9

[ZK-AUD]

Here she is finished and assembled ready to test.  I decided that I would fly her first so that Gwyn can finalise any design changes for the kit and throw some paint on afterwards so the canopy is only taped on.  No detail on the U/C as yet.  Elevator and rudder are attached using my usual method of aluminium wire hinges with flexible RC56 holding the joint together.   Final weight as you see her here is 35 grams and reasonably nose heavy.  At that weight she should be able to fly nicely on 4 strands of 1/8 or 5/32. 

[Ex Member]

Very Handsome indeed...

Andrew

[OZPAF]

What no wrinkles - that's a bit rough Fine effort Mike.

John

[ZK-AUD]

No sorry,

when I was adding the lightness I forgot to install the wrinkles - Doh!

[rgroener]

Wow, very nice PC-9!
I checked out your Avetek site, great range of planes you offer!
Looking forward to see your PC-9 covered.

Roman

[ZK-AUD]

Er it is covered and in fact I've Just been out flying it Roman - looks very promising - and a very appropriate one for you to build.  I wondered if you had been following this.  I have decided to make it into a PC-9M with the larger fin as there is a very nice black and gold colour scheme for the prototype.  Just to clarify though Avetek is Gwyn and Christina Avenell's business.  I'm just helping out with the free flight side (which is great fun!)

[ffscale]

Another perfect covering job Mike - it's a really nice looking model.  Thanks for the detailed coverage of your freewheel setup - it makes my efforts at the front end of my rubber models look very amateurish.  Definitely something I need to work on.

Mike S

[rgroener]

Er it is covered and in fact I've Just been out flying it

...hmmm, now that you say it I was jumping back and forward since I did not realised this thread before...  I must have missed the pics with the covered plane
I have to read the whole thread in one piece as soon as i have some time.

Is this the colour scheme your are thinking about?
http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/00-def/main/scripts/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Downloads/Model%20Plans/Pilatus%20Aircraft%20Ltd%20-%20PC-9%20M%20Model%20Plan.pdf
http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/00-def/main/scripts/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Downloads/Brochures/Pilatus%20Aircraft%20Ltd%20-%20PC9M%20Factsheet.pdf

I will have to build one for sure. I see the PC-6, PC7 and PC9 flying a lot from my office window.
If I understand it right, your changes will be included in a new kit?
When I checked the website, I missed for most models some information about the price. But as I sad, I really had no time, just went through it for the moment.

Best regards Roman

[Pit]

That black/gold scheme is the one I've earmarked for my version.  Seems simple enough (it really isn't, tho), but getting the "gold" to look right means paint or artists powder coat (me got both ).

Pete

[ZK-AUD]

Anyone wanting to build one of these will surely thank Roman for those links - Pilatus has provided a model-building plan.  you get colour pictures, a fully dimensioned 3-view (including the engnine thrustline and washout for the real one) and a fully detailed colour scheme - game over for your documentation!!  Thanks again Roman.

[ZK-AUD]

That black/gold scheme is the one I've earmarked for my version.  Seems simple enough (it really isn't, tho), but getting the "gold" to look right means paint or artists powder coat (me got both ).

Pete

Forgot to mention - Tamiya acrylic gold will be absolutely perfect.  I've used this on my 2 black and gold Tiger moths.

[rgroener]

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. provides quite a lot of nice documentation for us model builders.
You can find all the available plans here: http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/#214
Some more pictures of the gold scheme: http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/#219

sorry for hitchhiking your thread, now lets take some more popcorn and follow your great thread

Roman

[Avalanche]

What a great resource supplied by Pilatus - no excuse for inaccurate models now!

[ZK-AUD]

Well folks, Roman's documentation for the M model came about the same time that I began to suspect that she was a little short of fin area.  Long nose short-ish back bit and that big canopy that could be blanketing the fin - so she's now a PC-9M. The extra gusset on the fin was built in mid-air as I didn't feel like taking the fin off.  This was an interesting little task.  Because the leading edges on the fin had already been rounded off it now meant that all of the new pieces not only had to have the usual bevels,  but also had to be filed out half round to fit nicely over the existing structure.  No-one will ever see or care,  but I will know that it is right!

It's still blowing a gale here so hopefully we could get some suitable weather for trimming in the morning

[ZK-AUD]

Forgot to mention - final weight with rubber (4 strands of 1/8 24" long braided )and ballasted ready to fly is 45g.  This low weight was one of the goals as she doesn't have much wing for what is quite a big model.

[Don McLellan]

Exceptional model Mike, beautifully covered.

Don

[DavidJP]

Blow the model - what about the weight?. I am lucky to get a Peanut down to that figure - or is it being upside down? ::)x

[Work In Progress]

That's a good weight!

Those Pilatus files are a great boon. With almost 4000 fpm rate of climb at sea level the full size is quite a hot-rod.

It's an interesting aeroplane, broadly the same configuration and power as an early-WW2 fighter but with a much longer fuselage, especially in the nose - caused by the lightness of gas turbine engines compared to pistons of the same power, of course.

While it may not have a lot of wing, it does facilitate a lot of rubber.

[ZK-AUD]

An absolutely stunning calm morning here this morning so out for some testing with my new toy.  I only took it up to 700 turns because I admit I wasn't using protection, but at that number of turns we were doing around the 30 second mark.  She flies in reasonably tight left circles and I think I need to adjust the washout a bit but other than that no issues.  Once the turn is ironed out a bit height and duration will go up.  The big nose plug idea is an absolute gem in practice and the freewheel works perfectly.  As it turns out I don't need to set the mechanism before hooking up - I just put the rubber on the hook and then give it a wee shake if necessary to flip the lever over - sometimes it sets itself anyway.  Thrustlines are important for this model and anyone building one would be sunk without a reliable method of making adjustments, so even though my square bearing block insert may seem like a bit of faffing about it has proved a godsend.  4 strands of 1/8 are certainly all it will need.  Looks very realistic in the air and I'm morally certain that the additional fin has helped - in the initial flights before additional right thrust it was stable in a near vertical turn!

[danmellor]

This whole thread has been inspiring! I still have a lot to learn...

Cheers,

Dan.

[OZPAF]

Thanks for a very informative thread mike on such a beautifully done model. Better not fly in Oz though - our large dragonflies may run off with it

John

[Avalanche]

We have made a lot of the changes Mike has suggested and if anyone has one of these kits and would like it updated, contact us on [email protected] and we will work something out. Mike has done a great job for us with this kit - thanks mate, the beers are on me.

Gwyn

[ZK-AUD]

Thanks Gwyn,  this was not a 'job' though - pure pleasure!  To anyone who has one of the older kits Gwyn's update is a really great option and I'm sure it won't hurt your pocket much.  If you go back to the picture Pit posted in reply#7 you can see some of the more obvious changes but there are many more.

I'd love to see someone else do one of these on the forum

Cheers, Mike

[rgroener]

Very very nice!

I definitely want to build one.
Will the modification "just" be available as an update package for the original Airsail kit, or will the kit be modified?
In other words, if I want to buy one, will I have to order the Airsail kit and the update package, or can I order now the Airsail kit and will get the modified version?

Roman

[Avalanche]

The kits that go out the door from now on will be to the revised design, just drop me an email at [email protected]. If you have an old kit, email me and I will sort something out for you.

Gwyn