Eflite Cherokee

[xviper]

Epoxy is the wrong type of glue to use when you're dealing with these plastic trays from Eflite. I remember from my Cirrus that the plastic inside the battery compartment was very smooth and slippery, most likely has some teflon content. If you are having trouble with keeping the tray down, I would suggest you rough up the side that is to be glued to the planes floor with sandpaper. Use FoamTac instead and do the apply FT, press on to spread the glue all over the mating surface, pull off and let air get at both sides for 1/2 minute, press back on, repeat till it gets really tacky, then leave it be for overnight. You shouldn't have to repeat more than 3 times before it gets difficult to pull it off. Once it's on for the final time, you can use hot glue and squeeze a line of it along the edges of the tray to help with wedging it down. When you do up the velcro around the battery, don't pull up on the velcro. Push the battery down onto the tray as you do up the velcro.
Worse case scenario, ditch the tray altogether and FoamTac a piece of velcro onto the floor where you want the battery to go. Then FoamTac the other matching side velcro to the battery, BUT, only use a small piece (about an inch) at each end of the battery so you can easily detach it. The velcro can be the type with the peel off paper backing. FoamTac over the sticky stuff. It doesn't take much to hold the battery down. Even a 2200, 4s battery doesn't weight that much unless you decide you're going to do outside loops all day long.
I never had a battery comes loose on my Cirrus and I flew that thing like a crazy person at times.

[F22trainer]

Hello everyone. I'm having a hell of a time getting any sort of a Velcro system to hold the battery tray in my Cherokee. I think the Velcro straps that come in the plane are simply too weak to hold down a battery, especially a 4 cell and I don't have know if the tray is supposed to come out or not. I tried epoxy to hold the tray in but the first time I tightened up the Velcro straps the tray came out in my hand. Is there a trick to this? Anyone having the same trouble? I'm not flying her til I get this figured out. One roll and the battery could be loose in the fuselage, running amok, sending one of my favorite planes plummeting to its demise. Please help as I'm really stuck with this sticky situation (puns intended).

If properly glued in place, the battery straps hold just fine. Should be some Velcro hook tabs on the tray also so you can add loop on battery.

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

Epoxy is the wrong type of glue to use when you're dealing with these plastic trays from Eflite. I remember from my Cirrus that the plastic inside the battery compartment was very smooth and slippery, most likely has some teflon content. If you are having trouble with keeping the tray down, I would suggest you rough up the side that is to be glued to the planes floor with sandpaper. Use FoamTac instead and do the apply FT, press on to spread the glue all over the mating surface, pull off and let air get at both sides for 1/2 minute, press back on, repeat till it gets really tacky, then leave it be for overnight. You shouldn't have to repeat more than 3 times before it gets difficult to pull it off. Once it's on for the final time, you can use hot glue and squeeze a line of it along the edges of the tray to help with wedging it down. When you do up the velcro around the battery, don't pull up on the velcro. Push the battery down onto the tray as you do up the velcro.
Worse case scenario, ditch the tray altogether and FoamTac a piece of velcro onto the floor where you want the battery to go. Then FoamTac the other matching side velcro to the battery, BUT, only use a small piece (about an inch) at each end of the battery so you can easily detach it. The velcro can be the type with the peel off paper backing. FoamTac over the sticky stuff. It doesn't take much to hold the battery down. Even a 2200, 4s battery doesn't weight that much unless you decide you're going to do outside loops all day long.
I never had a battery comes loose on my Cirrus and I flew that thing like a crazy person at times.

Thanks a million. I'm following your instructions to the word. Bill

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

[QUOTE=F22trainer;n200961]

If properly glued in place, the battery straps hold just fine. Should be some Velcro hook tabs on the tray also so you can add loop on battery.
[/QUOTE


Thanks for the input.

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

Epoxy is the wrong type of glue to use when you're dealing with these plastic trays from Eflite. I remember from my Cirrus that the plastic inside the battery compartment was very smooth and slippery, most likely has some teflon content. If you are having trouble with keeping the tray down, I would suggest you rough up the side that is to be glued to the planes floor with sandpaper. Use FoamTac instead and do the apply FT, press on to spread the glue all over the mating surface, pull off and let air get at both sides for 1/2 minute, press back on, repeat till it gets really tacky, then leave it be for overnight. You shouldn't have to repeat more than 3 times before it gets difficult to pull it off. Once it's on for the final time, you can use hot glue and squeeze a line of it along the edges of the tray to help with wedging it down. When you do up the velcro around the battery, don't pull up on the velcro. Push the battery down onto the tray as you do up the velcro.
Worse case scenario, ditch the tray altogether and FoamTac a piece of velcro onto the floor where you want the battery to go. Then FoamTac the other matching side velcro to the battery, BUT, only use a small piece (about an inch) at each end of the battery so you can easily detach it. The velcro can be the type with the peel off paper backing. FoamTac over the sticky stuff. It doesn't take much to hold the battery down. Even a 2200, 4s battery doesn't weight that much unless you decide you're going to do outside loops all day long.
I never had a battery comes loose on my Cirrus and I flew that thing like a crazy person at times.

I followed your instructions and my battery tray and Velcro straps stick like theyre in concrete. I believe this is exactly what this site is for - help. Thanks a million. Bill

[BRGT350]

here is a tip concerning the Velcro placed on the tray. Due to the small amount of surface area on the tray for the Velcro to stick to, use a piece of Velcro that is about an inch or so longer than the tray. Take the excess Velcro and wrap it around the leading and trailing edge of the tray. If you have enough, the excess will go far enough to stick to the Velcro on the top of the tray. This makes the adhesive stick to itself and around the ends of the tray. It took me taking out my battery with the Velcro coming off the tray to figure out a better way. I tried gluing it too, but the excess wrapping around the tray works the best.

Another tip, I chris-cross the Velcro straps across the top of the battery. I find it easier to get them tight this way. The rear-most strap barely touches the battery to get the CG right with a 2200 3S, so crossing the straps fixes that problem too.

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

here is a tip concerning the Velcro placed on the tray. Due to the small amount of surface area on the tray for the Velcro to stick to, use a piece of Velcro that is about an inch or so longer than the tray. Take the excess Velcro and wrap it around the leading and trailing edge of the tray. If you have enough, the excess will go far enough to stick to the Velcro on the top of the tray. This makes the adhesive stick to itself and around the ends of the tray. It took me taking out my battery with the Velcro coming off the tray to figure out a better way. I tried gluing it too, but the excess wrapping around the tray works the best.

Another tip, I chris-cross the Velcro straps across the top of the battery. I find it easier to get them tight this way. The rear-most strap barely touches the battery to get the CG right with a 2200 3S, so crossing the straps fixes that problem too.

Hey that's a great way to cure the Velcro strap situation. Thanks for the ideas, I appreciate them!

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

Well, it happened. After all the time and care I spent setting up my Cherokee, with different Velcro schemes and a servo saver was swept away with one bad angle of attack. I was in thick fog Monday morning and flying close so as not to lose my plane in the fog. Timer ran out - time to land. I had a hard time picking a visual marker with which to line up my landing. So I came in a little too fast and way to steep and, you guessed it, she hit the deck, HARD, leaving the front wheel and its guts strewn down the grass strip and a big whole in the belly of the plane where the fin on the wheel pants penetrated it. I could've just sat down in the fog and screamed. Ive wrecked a lot of planes teaching myself to fly. I went through three Sport cubs and a Super Cub before my wife surprised me with a simulator. I spent hours everyday with that thing and the following spring, with a brand new UMX Timber, I put together my first successful start to finish flight. That was 4 years ago and I'd like to think Ive gotten to be a decent pilot but this has cut my confidence down to the quick. I bought a Turbo Timber that I'm setting up now and I flew my Kingfisher this morning so I'm starting to feel a little better. If anyone knows how much its going to cost and how involved the repair is please give me an idea as my airplane account is dry for a bit.

[xviper]

Not seeing the plane in person, it's hard to say how much work and money it would take to repair it. See what you can repair and price out the other parts. Sometimes, if you really like the plane, it's almost cheaper and less work to buy a whole new plane and strip the old one down for spares.
For future reference .................................. Don't fly in fog. Real pilots that fly only VFR, never do on purpose. It's hard to judge range and ceiling and reference points go away very quickly. Fog and mist also move. It's not constant. Trying to fly "in close" is not always a solution as this cramps your style and pushes the limits of your skill. Besides, "close" doesn't mean anything when the fog moves in and shifts around. You shouldn't get too beat up about it because it wasn't necessarily your skill that was in question. It was your judgement to fly in poor conditions. Next time when you see similar conditions, you won't fly. I've crashed a plane due to low lying cloud (basically fog that's not on the ground). I did it once. I've never flown in that kind of condition again. If you're smart, this is one mistake that is easily identifiable and you learn from it and don't do it again.

[Alpha]

Well, it happened. After all the time and care I spent setting up my Cherokee, with different Velcro schemes and a servo saver was swept away with one bad angle of attack. I was in thick fog Monday morning and flying close so as not to lose my plane in the fog. Timer ran out - time to land. I had a hard time picking a visual marker with which to line up my landing. So I came in a little too fast and way to steep and, you guessed it, she hit the deck, HARD, leaving the front wheel and its guts strewn down the grass strip and a big whole in the belly of the plane where the fin on the wheel pants penetrated it. I could've just sat down in the fog and screamed. Ive wrecked a lot of planes teaching myself to fly. I went through three Sport cubs and a Super Cub before my wife surprised me with a simulator. I spent hours everyday with that thing and the following spring, with a brand new UMX Timber, I put together my first successful start to finish flight. That was 4 years ago and I'd like to think Ive gotten to be a decent pilot but this has cut my confidence down to the quick. I bought a Turbo Timber that I'm setting up now and I flew my Kingfisher this morning so I'm starting to feel a little better. If anyone knows how much its going to cost and how involved the repair is please give me an idea as my airplane account is dry for a bit.

Take heart, Bill! Post some photos of the damage and we can better assess how to go about fixing it.

As for crashing over the past four years, I admire your tenacity and persistence. I crash a lot, and I'm a firm believer that it helps us become better pilots. If you're not crashing, you're not flying hard enough.

Run some flights with your Kingfisher to get back in the groove, and if I could offer a helpful tip, it would be to practice Touch and Go passes. In general I think landing is something that people think of once the timer goes off. I'd encourage the opposite thinking, especially for beginners or intermediate pilots looking to advance to the next level of confidence. Takeoff is optional, but landing is mandatory.

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

Take heart, Bill! Post some photos of the damage and we can better assess how to go about fixing it.

As for crashing over the past four years, I admire your tenacity and persistence. I crash a lot, and I'm a firm believer that it helps us become better pilots. If you're not crashing, you're not flying hard enough.

Run some flights with your Kingfisher to get back in the groove, and if I could offer a helpful tip, it would be to practice Touch and Go passes. In general I think landing is something that people think of once the timer goes off. I'd encourage the opposite thinking, especially for beginners or intermediate pilots looking to advance to the next level of confidence. Takeoff is optional, but landing is mandatory.

I knew a man who lived in my neighborhood when I was a kid in high school that could make me feel better about anything bad that happened to me Failed algebra? So what. Lost a $20 bill at school? Well there must have been someone that needed it more than you. Grounded over a speeding ticket? Yah that sucks, but the speed felt fantastic didn't it!?!? YOU remind me so much of him it's hard believing we've never spoken. Thank you for stepping in on that one conversation I had that was about to turn nasty. Thanks for considering my advice about trying new things, like the Maule receiver in my Kingfisher. And thanks for considering the depth of my self imposed feelings of failure. Man I did not want to face my wife with the busted up plane in my hand. But I did and she kissed me and said " Well, you better get on the web and buy that other plane you've been looking at..." There it was. Permission to buy the Turbo Timber! Less than 10 minutes later I had one on the way. So, thanks again for being there. I hope I can help you someday. Bill

[Hoomi]

Whenever I start to feel bad about crashing, I go watch some Flite Test videos on Youtube. Those guys aren't afraid to show their crashes (which they always say teach them something), and they usually laugh about them.

I still can't quite laugh off my crashes, but it does help knowing that I'm not the only one, and that crashing is just part of the hobby.

I'm currently working on replacing the destroyed wings of my Sensei with new wings built from foamboard. I figure, even if it doesn't work out well, it's been a learning experience.

[BRGT350]

Bill, very sorry to hear about your crash. When I crashed my first Cherokee, I didn't sleep for a few days. It was my first crash that was beyond repair and was with my favorite plane. My wife was super pissed too, which did not help. Since I couldn't sleep, I went out to the garage and conducted a full investigation. Took everything apart, photographed it, took videos, and wrote down notes. I recalled the exact conditions, location, and events that lead to the crash. I was the mini-NTSB. I found the crash was a servo failure that triggered a spin on take-off that I lacked the altitude or skill to recover. I put together my findings and then went to bed. The crash lead me to replace all nylon/plastic gear servos on the Cherokee, Timber, and next my B-17's. I also realized the large diameter pushrod for the nose gear could easily transmit high loads into the servo, hence the servo saver addition. While the crash shook me up, I learned from it and made improvements. Sadly, I still don't have the confidence to fly either of my new Cherokees yet. I crashed in August, and still haven't flown either of my Cherokees. I get them down from the ceiling, taxi them around the driveway, conduct dozens of servo and system checks, and then put them back away. I got one of them down last night and told myself that it is time to fly it. No more collecting dust. I have logged plenty of flights this spring to remind myself I can fly, just need to get the Cherokee in the air to tell myself it can fly too.

Learn from the crash, make changes to prevent another, and get back in the air. Don't be like me and leave the planes at home and lose the confidence.

[Alpha]

I knew a man who lived in my neighborhood when I was a kid in high school that could make me feel better about anything bad that happened to me Failed algebra? So what. Lost a $20 bill at school? Well there must have been someone that needed it more than you. Grounded over a speeding ticket? Yah that sucks, but the speed felt fantastic didn't it!?!? YOU remind me so much of him it's hard believing we've never spoken. Thank you for stepping in on that one conversation I had that was about to turn nasty. Thanks for considering my advice about trying new things, like the Maule receiver in my Kingfisher. And thanks for considering the depth of my self imposed feelings of failure. Man I did not want to face my wife with the busted up plane in my hand. But I did and she kissed me and said " Well, you better get on the web and buy that other plane you've been looking at..." There it was. Permission to buy the Turbo Timber! Less than 10 minutes later I had one on the way. So, thanks again for being there. I hope I can help you someday. Bill

Thanks, Bill, I'm just trying to do my part. Positivity Wins.

Good on your wife, too! Anyone who after a crash kisses you and says to buy another plane is a real keeper!

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

Thanks, Bill, I'm just trying to do my part. Positivity Wins.

Good on your wife, too! Anyone who after a crash kisses you and says to buy another plane is a real keeper!

Now if I could just get her to charge my batteries......

[Hoomi]

Now if I could just get her to charge my batteries......

Oh, the double-entendre fun we could have with that phrase! LOL

[xviper]

Now if I could just get her to charge my batteries......

A bit on the personal side, no? LOL

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

YES!:Cool:

[Rando]

I have never joined a forum before - of any kind - and I'm sure I'm not posting this properly, so a formal pardon is requested in advance. Here goes... I want to replace the stock servos in my Cherokee. The rudder and elevator servos appear simple enough to swap out as they are easily accessible. The aileron and flap servos in the wings are more of a challenge, at least for me. I assumed that the plastic "hands-free" servo connection plate on the wing needs to be removed to access the path for the servo wires/plugs to run through. After removing the 2 small, and 1 very small screws from the connection plate, I tried to pull it loose from the wing, but it wouldn't budge. I see that some folks have replaced this plane's servos and I'm curious as to how they went about doing so. Thanks

[Bill Wakeley Jr.]

The biggest aid I found to help servo removal was Sig CA Debonder. I first tried it with my Turbo Timber because I couildn't figure a way to cut the original servo out of the fuselage without carving the plane apart. However, a word to the wise - This stuff will remove a lot more stuff than glue if you leti it run amok inside your fuselage.