Line size?

I have .015 size lines for both my Ringmaster and my GA Special. What are the rules of thumb for selecting proper line size?

The AMA has 'rules'. Line size is based on engine displacement and type of flying. For stunt I think it goes... up to .09 uses .012" lines; .10 - .29 uses .015"; above that uses .018". Pull tests are also required to see if the control system is strong enough, too.

Following these rules typically means safety...not a bad thing.

See the AMA site for more details.

.012 through .15s; .015 through .40s and .018 above 40.
I am going on memory here about the .012, but I know oyu have to use .015 on .19s, and .018 on the .46 up. Don't have the AMA rules here.
Come on down this Saturday!
Bill <><

LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-04 AT 09:08 AM (CDT)
 
Wait, now I'm confused

The GA runs a .35 FP, so .015 is OK???

.015" is good up to and including a .40 size plane.
Dennis

Do you want a little more performance, or a bit more safety margin?

>Do you want a little more performance, or a bit more safety
>margin?

No one is safe when I am at the handle

I'll look into a set of .018s, but will keep my options open and get a fresh pull test in.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-04 AT 09:03 PM (CDT)
 
Tom,
I guess I was a *little* confusing in my post. .015 is what AMA requires as the size of stranded lines to be used with .35 engines in stunt. Over .40 requires .018. The "performance part" comes in when smaller than required lines are used. IIRC, FAI doesn't specify line size.
Bill <><

LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-04 AT 09:09 PM (CDT)
 
What's a *little* odd is that I can fly a Fox 35 35 oz. stunter on .015 strandeds, and a 55 oz OS 40 VF pipe powered ship on the same size lines, by the rules! Which one do you think has the quantum leap in power?
Of course I can legally fly a PA 65 powered stunter at 65 oz. on .014 solids.
Glad I ain't an injuneer! LOL!!
Bill <><

And Endurance is flown on .018!!!!!any size engine?????

Hey Scott,
Ask Mike Ditka, he's pushing that new drug for endurance on the TV ads.
Bill

>What's a *little* odd is that I can fly a Fox 35 35 oz.
>stunter on .015 strandeds, and a 55 oz OS 40 VF pipe powered
>ship on the same size lines, by the rules! Which one do you
>think has the quantum leap in power?

Power <> "pull"

>Of course I can legally fly a PA 65 powered stunter at 65
>oz. on .014 solids.
>Glad I ain't an injuneer!

Which are stronger and less compliant than .018 stranded.

>.012 through .15s; .015 through .40s and .018 above 40.
>I am going on memory here about the .012, but I know oyu
>have to use .015 on .19s, and .018 on the .46 up.

I've always had a little confusion when hooking up my .15 powered ships using stranded cable. I see where everyone says use .015 cable but I can attest there is an ENORMOUS difference in line tension between my .15 powered whatever and a .40 powered stunter. I'm not sure which side of the .01525/.01526 cubic inch displacement boundary my particular .15 falls into but I probably err on the light side.

I typically use .012 x 52' lines for my 15 ships but do move up to .015 x 52' lines for a .19 or .20 ship.

I flew a foam winged slow combat ship with a Fox .36 Series 5 schneurle and a 8-8 prop on .018s. It pulled very hard. For combat the rules do say .018s but flown as a sport/stunt ship you could legally use .015s.

Same deal for ¼A (.049) ships - you can use .008" stranded lines but an .051 class A engine requires the .012" stranded lines. To me, there is just not that big of a difference. A hot Norvel .049 AME can be flown on .008s but a tamer Norvel .061 BigMig needs .012s?

One more issue - if your piped .40 on .015x60' lines is legal, what type of danger does the same model/engine pose when flown on a set of .015x35' lines?

No wonder the poor guy is confused, we have one post with completely wrong info and another recommending larger lines than needed.

Tom, your .15's are fine. Call the AMA and get a copy of the control line competition rule book, it's free for the asking. Lots of good info.

ok, Bob,
Where was I wrong??
Bill <><

Not you Bill, check out the first reply from Village.

AMA rulebook is also available online.

The line sizes for PA are on CL Aerobatics Part 3.

Thanks guys. I'm clear now.

While I no longer do so, .012 braided lines on ARF Flite Streaks offer a serious improvement in performance. Especially if you want to go longer than 60-footers and have not bothered to incorporate an adjustable leadout guide. I only quit using the .012s when discovering the stock 20FP/ARF Flite Streak option, knowing that eventually I would use it in competition (P-40 if nothing else) and would have to go back to .015 lines.

>While I no longer do so, .012 braided lines on ARF Flite
>Streaks offer a serious improvement in performance.
>Especially if you want to go longer than 60-footers and have
>not bothered to incorporate an adjustable leadout guide. I
>only quit using the .012s when discovering the stock
>20FP/ARF Flite Streak option, knowing that eventually I
>would use it in competition (P-40 if nothing else) and would
>have to go back to .015 lines.
>
>Dan

Ron B.
F4Fguy

No question on the performance increase with smaller lines,and FAI notwithstanding,you can question the necessity of the line sizes specified in the rules.However,you go to smaller lines at the risk of not being insured by AMA,even if they pull test satisfactorily.Check the safety sheet you get with your license.You are required to follow the AMA rules even when sport flying.

>
>No question on the performance increase with smaller
>lines,and FAI notwithstanding,you can question the necessity
>of the line sizes specified in the rules.However,you go to
>smaller lines at the risk of not being insured by AMA,even
>if they pull test satisfactorily.Check the safety sheet you
>get with your license.You are required to follow the AMA
>rules even when sport flying.
>
>Ron B.

Ron,

Good advice. How silly of me to mention an outlaw move when it comes to line sizes.

As you have no doubt heard, I never, ever do anything unsafe when it comes to flying CL model aircraft. (How come I can never find a smiley face when it is needed?)

Guys, Ron is correct on this, and there is the larger point of following AMA rules when sport flying and we're not talking about just line sizes.

>>While I no longer do so, .012 braided lines on ARF Flite
>>Streaks offer a serious improvement in performance.
>>Especially if you want to go longer than 60-footers and have
>>not bothered to incorporate an adjustable leadout guide. I
>>only quit using the .012s when discovering the stock
>>20FP/ARF Flite Streak option, knowing that eventually I
>>would use it in competition (P-40 if nothing else) and would
>>have to go back to .015 lines.
>>
>>Dan
>
>Ron B.
>F4Fguy
>
>No question on the performance increase with smaller
>lines,and FAI notwithstanding,you can question the necessity
>of the line sizes specified in the rules.However,you go to
>smaller lines at the risk of not being insured by AMA,even
>if they pull test satisfactorily.Check the safety sheet you
>get with your license.You are required to follow the AMA
>rules even when sport flying.

It says you have to apply the stunt *pull test* if not otherwise categorized. It does not say you have to use the stunt *line sizes* (although it's a good idea). Someone clarified this point wehn it first came out.

This change is based on a debate on the old, good RCO, and GMA and I ended up agreeing (!) that this was what it ought to be. GMA hit up Carl Maroney about it, and somehow it trickled in about two years later.