Any AC-4/5 “Russia” owners out there?

[Jim M[_2_]]

I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:

-What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
-Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
-I have two pitot sources, why?

Thanks!

Jim

[AS]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
>
> -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> -I have two pitot sources, why?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jim

>> -I have two pitot sources, why? <<
I have seen that on self-launch gliders with a fold-out engine. When the engine is running, one switches over to the alternate pitot source since the prop is blowing into the primary pitot at the tail.

Uli
'AS'

[Jim M[_2_]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 10:56:30 AM UTC-7, AS wrote:
> On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> > I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
> >
> > -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> > -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> > -I have two pitot sources, why?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Jim
>
> >> -I have two pitot sources, why? <<
> I have seen that on self-launch gliders with a fold-out engine. When the engine is running, one switches over to the alternate pitot source since the prop is blowing into the primary pitot at the tail.
>
> Uli
> 'AS'
That makes sense. I don’t have a valve, they are t-eed together so I’ll put that on my list. Thanks.

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
>
> -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> -I have two pitot sources, why?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jim

Welcome to Russia-flying. Lotsa' fun to fly and easy to rig. (Other than taping the wing root fairings.)

If yours has the S-turns in the rudder cables, for the adjustment for different leg lengths, watch out, the cable tends to wear out there. On my glider it was replaced with straight cables.

The wheel brake on mine has little effect. I improved it a bit by tightening the cable. I think the next step will be to add shims onto the pin around which the brake shoes rotate. A thicker cable may help too, if it stretches less. I've also been told that the Black Forest Soaring Society fitted a disc brake on their Russia.

There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?

[Jim M[_2_]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 6:06:58 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> > I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
> >
> > -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> > -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> > -I have two pitot sources, why?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Jim
> Welcome to Russia-flying. Lotsa' fun to fly and easy to rig. (Other than taping the wing root fairings.)
>
> If yours has the S-turns in the rudder cables, for the adjustment for different leg lengths, watch out, the cable tends to wear out there. On my glider it was replaced with straight cables.
>
> The wheel brake on mine has little effect. I improved it a bit by tightening the cable. I think the next step will be to add shims onto the pin around which the brake shoes rotate. A thicker cable may help too, if it stretches less. I've also been told that the Black Forest Soaring Society fitted a disc brake on their Russia.
>
> There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?

I do have the s-tubes, I’ll keep an eye on it. I have the fairing kit but it looks like a headache, I was planning on skipping it. A disc brake sounds perfect, I’ll try to contact the BFSS. I couldn’t find the Yahoo group anymore, I figured this was the place for the latest scoop. Thanks for the help.

[Mark Palmer[_2_]]

Jim,

As the 'Russia Instructor' for BFSS, I'll be happy to help you. Actually, several of us would. Our little AC-4C is a popular ship with the club. Several of our members have put in 300K flights in it, have completed Silver badges in it, and have set two Colorado 13.5 meter records in it. It won both days of our 'Downhill Dash' contest this year (a story in itself).

About a year and half ago we did decide to upgrade the brake and we installed a Matco hydraulic brake. It has proved very effective. So effective, in fact, that pilots now have a habit of putting it on it's nose on roll out, despite my continue harping to go easy on the brake. One of our club members, Dave Rolley, was instrumental in researching what was necessary to install it. Not hard, but you do have to have some access to machining parts. You can contact me offline and we'll talk more.

Yes, check the S-tubes. We found the rudder cables nearly worn through on one inspection. They were replaced but now it's an item on the annual condition inspection.

Tip: Read the manual carefully and note what it says about approach to landings and braking. The manual is accurate in this regard but it's hard to get people to actually read things anymore.

The Yahoo AC-4C group didn't make the leap to another platform - the original creator of the group could never be found and so there was no ability to move the information to another site. That's my understanding - I could be mistaken.

Personally, I love the little ships and if I didn't have my DG300, I'd seriously consider the AC-4C as an inexpensive replacement.

Mark

[Jim M[_2_]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 8:01:49 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Jim,
>
> As the 'Russia Instructor' for BFSS, I'll be happy to help you. Actually, several of us would. Our little AC-4C is a popular ship with the club. Several of our members have put in 300K flights in it, have completed Silver badges in it, and have set two Colorado 13.5 meter records in it. It won both days of our 'Downhill Dash' contest this year (a story in itself).
>
> About a year and half ago we did decide to upgrade the brake and we installed a Matco hydraulic brake. It has proved very effective. So effective, in fact, that pilots now have a habit of putting it on it's nose on roll out, despite my continue harping to go easy on the brake. One of our club members, Dave Rolley, was instrumental in researching what was necessary to install it. Not hard, but you do have to have some access to machining parts. You can contact me offline and we'll talk more.
>
> Yes, check the S-tubes. We found the rudder cables nearly worn through on one inspection. They were replaced but now it's an item on the annual condition inspection.
>
> Tip: Read the manual carefully and note what it says about approach to landings and braking. The manual is accurate in this regard but it's hard to get people to actually read things anymore.
>
> The Yahoo AC-4C group didn't make the leap to another platform - the original creator of the group could never be found and so there was no ability to move the information to another site. That's my understanding - I could be mistaken.
>
> Personally, I love the little ships and if I didn't have my DG300, I'd seriously consider the AC-4C as an inexpensive replacement.
>
> Mark

[Jim M[_2_]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 8:21:13 PM UTC-7, Jim M wrote:
> On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 8:01:49 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> > Jim,
> >
> > As the 'Russia Instructor' for BFSS, I'll be happy to help you. Actually, several of us would. Our little AC-4C is a popular ship with the club. Several of our members have put in 300K flights in it, have completed Silver badges in it, and have set two Colorado 13.5 meter records in it. It won both days of our 'Downhill Dash' contest this year (a story in itself).
> >
> > About a year and half ago we did decide to upgrade the brake and we installed a Matco hydraulic brake. It has proved very effective. So effective, in fact, that pilots now have a habit of putting it on it's nose on roll out, despite my continue harping to go easy on the brake. One of our club members, Dave Rolley, was instrumental in researching what was necessary to install it. Not hard, but you do have to have some access to machining parts.. You can contact me offline and we'll talk more.
> >
> > Yes, check the S-tubes. We found the rudder cables nearly worn through on one inspection. They were replaced but now it's an item on the annual condition inspection.
> >
> > Tip: Read the manual carefully and note what it says about approach to landings and braking. The manual is accurate in this regard but it's hard to get people to actually read things anymore.
> >
> > The Yahoo AC-4C group didn't make the leap to another platform - the original creator of the group could never be found and so there was no ability to move the information to another site. That's my understanding - I could be mistaken.
> >
> > Personally, I love the little ships and if I didn't have my DG300, I'd seriously consider the AC-4C as an inexpensive replacement.
> >
> > Mark
That’s good to hear Mark, thanks. I can’t figure out how to reply directly, so I sent an email to
Maybe that’ll work?

Jim

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 10:00:41 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 6:06:58 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> > On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> > > I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
> > >
> > > -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> > > -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> > > -I have two pitot sources, why?
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > Jim
> > Welcome to Russia-flying. Lotsa' fun to fly and easy to rig. (Other than taping the wing root fairings.)
> >
> > If yours has the S-turns in the rudder cables, for the adjustment for different leg lengths, watch out, the cable tends to wear out there. On my glider it was replaced with straight cables.
> >
> > The wheel brake on mine has little effect. I improved it a bit by tightening the cable. I think the next step will be to add shims onto the pin around which the brake shoes rotate. A thicker cable may help too, if it stretches less. I've also been told that the Black Forest Soaring Society fitted a disc brake on their Russia.
> >
> > There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?
>
> I do have the s-tubes, I’ll keep an eye on it. I have the fairing kit but it looks like a headache, I was planning on skipping it. A disc brake sounds perfect, I’ll try to contact the BFSS. I couldn’t find the Yahoo group anymore, I figured this was the place for the latest scoop. Thanks for the help.

I've flown my AC4a #003 without the fairings a couple of times, and with the fairings for years, and I can tell you it is well worth using them despite the taping hassle. Dick Johnson measured significantly higher glide ratio with his crude cardboard fairings, which prompted the factory to add their fairings to the gliders sold. And my experience is that you can thermal several knots slower with the fairings, which is just as important as the glide ratio.

Fun gliders they are. I flew mine almost 300km today - a super day very late in the season for here in Vermont. And several 300km flights in the past, including an official FAI triangle, and 3 state records. Tony Burton flew his Russia 500km in Alberta, and Derek Piggott flew a 500km contest task in a Russia (called Me-7 over there) - in English conditions, at age 81!

[Jim M[_2_]]

On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 8:09:31 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 10:00:41 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> > On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 6:06:58 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> > > On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
> > > > I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:
> > > >
> > > > -What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
> > > > -Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
> > > > -I have two pitot sources, why?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > > Jim
> > > Welcome to Russia-flying. Lotsa' fun to fly and easy to rig. (Other than taping the wing root fairings.)
> > >
> > > If yours has the S-turns in the rudder cables, for the adjustment for different leg lengths, watch out, the cable tends to wear out there. On my glider it was replaced with straight cables.
> > >
> > > The wheel brake on mine has little effect. I improved it a bit by tightening the cable. I think the next step will be to add shims onto the pin around which the brake shoes rotate. A thicker cable may help too, if it stretches less. I've also been told that the Black Forest Soaring Society fitted a disc brake on their Russia.
> > >
> > > There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?
> >
> > I do have the s-tubes, I’ll keep an eye on it. I have the fairing kit but it looks like a headache, I was planning on skipping it. A disc brake sounds perfect, I’ll try to contact the BFSS. I couldn’t find the Yahoo group anymore, I figured this was the place for the latest scoop. Thanks for the help.
> I've flown my AC4a #003 without the fairings a couple of times, and with the fairings for years, and I can tell you it is well worth using them despite the taping hassle. Dick Johnson measured significantly higher glide ratio with his crude cardboard fairings, which prompted the factory to add their fairings to the gliders sold. And my experience is that you can thermal several knots slower with the fairings, which is just as important as the glide ratio.
>
> Fun gliders they are. I flew mine almost 300km today - a super day very late in the season for here in Vermont. And several 300km flights in the past, including an official FAI triangle, and 3 state records. Tony Burton flew his Russia 500km in Alberta, and Derek Piggott flew a 500km contest task in a Russia (called Me-7 over there) - in English conditions, at age 81!

Good to know, thanks for the tip. That sounds like a great flight and I bet the fall colors made it that much better. I found a low-time -5M that needs a little work, but I hope to be flying soon.

Jim

[Kenn Sebesta]

> > There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?
> I do have the s-tubes, I’ll keep an eye on it. I have the fairing kit but it looks like a headache, I was planning on skipping it. A disc brake sounds perfect, I’ll try to contact the BFSS. I couldn’t find the Yahoo group anymore, I figured this was the place for the latest scoop. Thanks for the help.

PSA, now that Yahoo is shutting down a replacement group started up at https://groups.io/g/ac-4gliders/. All the original files were kept, they are a very nice read for a new AC-4/5 owner.