| SK-5 Tape On Nose Skeg $8.50 Postage Paid (U.S. Orders) |
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Add a Nose Skeg to Nosecone Ships Injection Molded of Tough Pliable Polyethylene Plastic That Won't Shatter Into Dangerous Shards like Carbon Fiber Easily Removed When Prohibited 
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 It would be best if sailplane manufactures included provisions for attaching skegs to nosecones at the time of manufacture but it looks like it's not going to happen and since there is no room for screws or backing plates on the inside of most nosecones the only solution is an ectoskeg. Some competitions prohibit arresting devices so the ability easily attach and remove a skeg is an important consideration which precludes a permanent skeg and adhesives so tape has become the preferred method of skid and skeg attachment to nosecones. |
One
method of producing an ectoskeg is to use carbon or glass fiber however the
process is messy and time consuming and carbon or glass skegs can fracture and
form dangerous sharp edges. A better solution is a skeg molded from pliable
shatterproof plastic. A molded tape on nose skeg has been far and away the most requested product
since the advent of nosecones however injected plastic molds are expensive to build
and competitive R/C soaring in the USA is a tiny market so the challenge was
choosing a design that would fit as many nosecone contours as possible using
one mold in order to keep the unit price reasonable. After measuring countless
nosecone contours it was discovered that even with different profiles most had
an area with a similar taper that would fit a pliable ring. The SK5 fits more
sailplanes than was predicted however a few models with blunt profiles will not
fit and an additional mold for those planes would be cost prohibitive. The SK5
is injection molded of tough but pliable polyethylene plastic and can be
installed or removed in the field in seconds.
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Mounting Instructions:
Place skeg on nose and apply pressure so ring conforms to shape of the nosecone. Wrap rear "wings" tightly with at least 3 wraps of Vinyl electrical or filament tape. TIGHT WRAPS OF TAPE ARE IMPORTANT TO DISTRIBUTE IMPACT STRESSES. Additional wraps of tape around the ring add strength and stability. Double sided adhesive "film" can also be used but only in addition to wraps of tape. Instead of wrapping tape all the way around the nose, short pieces of tape filament tape across the "wings" and over the ring seems to work better and looks neater and probably has less drag. Let me know what method works best for you. The aim of the design was "one size fits all" but pointier nosecones work best and blunt noses not so good. Teeth make nosecones more susceptible to being knocked off in flight so consider securing the nosecone with a piece of tape.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: The user assumes full responsibility for the determining the suitability and safe use of this product and acknowledges the inherent risk of flying radio controlled aircraft. Some airframes are not suitable for use in precision spot landing tasks common in American Thermal Duration competition. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PILOT TO DETERMINE IF HIS/HER PLANE IS SUTIBLE FOR THE TASKS TO BE FLOWN. If you are unsure, contact the manufacturer and determine if your plane is suitable for use with landing skids and skegs and American style precision landing tasks.
This admonition has been on all my skids and skegs for more than a decade but is more important now since we have turned over most model design and manufacture to foreign interests who have little regard for the preferences and traditions of American Thermal Duration. |