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Beginning my first build, have lots of questions - thrust bearings, wing covering....

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rudyauction509

Active Member
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
28
Location
spokane, WA 99205
Finally have the $ to build an ultralight. I've been designing and building all kinds of RC planes for about 15 years, some 10' wide and larger. I've picked an easy to build ultralight glider, the goat1, and am going to get started today. I have a low budget, and because of this I'm planning to use some different materials. For the wing cover I plan to use heavy duty plastic sheeting, because it can't be heat shrunk on I'm going to have a foam rib cut in the shape of the airfoil every foot along the wing, and the plastic will be glued to them using a high quality glue (recommendations? Thinking marine 2 hour epoxy?) I'm also going to make the wings a bit wider (36ft instead of 32ft).

The aluminum tube in the wings is going to be steel instead, but the thinner wall type that weighs about the same (forget what it's called). Most of the rest is going to be PVC pipe, 1 size larger to preserve strength. I'll also be using 2 12" wheels about 3 feet apart so the wing doesn't have to rest on the ground, probably going to stick with the nose skid, but considering a caster wheel for landing on cement runways.

I'll be putting a ~20hp motor on it once I have some experience controlling it, and have been reading about thrust bearings. Since I don't have $400 to dump into a reduction drive, my plan is to have the prop hub set up so it can slide along the motor shaft (will have heavy duty bolt on end so it can't fall off), and put a thrust bearing between the hub and crankcase to take the force off the engine bearings. Any reason this won't work? Also thinking of having the hub be solid on the shaft but press it up against the thrust bearing before tightening down. I have a prop lined up for any engine I can find. The engine will be a pusher that sits just behind the wing. When I add the motor I will move my seat forward as needed to preserve center of gravity.

In the design the ailerons appear to be lifted using air pressure, and the control rod (going to use a yoke instead btw) only pulls down on them, is this correct? I do not plan to do any type of aerobatic flight, just cruising around for hours at a time, and some altitude runs (want to get above the clouds on warm days).

I took several flight lessons in a cessna 182 a year or so ago so I do know how to fly a real plane, and am aware that the ultralight will be much more sensitive to control inputs, wind, etc.
 
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