Skid Support Installation

[Robert]

I see in all the ECO-8 pictures in the Ikarus website it shows the skid cross members (supports) installed with the angle sweep back. Yet every picture in the instruction manual shows the skid supports sweep forward. Does anyone know what the correct way really is - heck the picture of Norbert Gruntjens flying the ECO-8 shows the skid supports sweep back. Is the manual wrong?

[Marbaise Philippe]

Hi Robert,

I asked the same question a few weeks ago, this was puzzling me too.

Finally I choose to build the landing gear installed with the angle sweeped back.
This way the center of balance (the rotor mast place) is just in the middle of the skid and the Heli does not drop at rear as it was doing before with the angle as in the manual.

It helps also a little to fit the canopy.
A friend of mine does this also on his bigger heli just because it looks more aggressive.(not my opinion...)

Philippe

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philippe.marbaise@belgacom.be

[giheli]

Dear Sir,

If you are new to the eco world, I suggest the following addition: Place two thick rubber bands on the skids to connect both sides together. Use bands that are just SLIGHTLY SHORTER than the length needed to make the span. The skids are not to tolerant of hard landings so you break less parts. The rubber serves as a shock (energy) absorber and has shielded me from numerous tail-boom strikes.

-- Giheli

[Kevin Murray]

There is a new feature in S&E Modeler, an electric heli article in each issue.
In a recent issue James Wang mentions putting the skids on backwards will help stabalize the ECO, by getting the CG over the skids center.
My ECO was done and flying before the article was printed and I have not bothered to switch mine. I probably won't either. Putting the skid on backwards will slightly move the overall CG rearward, probably only a trivial amount. But a change in CG in the wrong direction on a machine that already has a tendancy to a TOO rear ballance anyway ... risky.
I won't add lead to ballance my ECO.
Adding an eleventh cell, Yes. But not lead.