Kavan Partenavia



Review 30-Jun-2004 Patrick Plawner Video Available Follow the link
Motor 2 x Permax 480 Servos 3 HS 81 + 1 HS 85BB
Speed Controller 35 ESC BEC Batteries 8 cells - CP1700 for this review
Channels 5 + Landing lights Flight Time  
Propeller 5.5x4.3 Gear Box None

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Wingspan 59"
150 cm		 Length 42.5"
108 cm		 Empty weight 28.22 oz
800 gr		 All Up weight 49.73 oz
1410 gr
Wing Area 480 sq.inch
21.4 dmē		 Wing load 21.43 oz/sq.ft
65.42 gr/dmē		 CG location
from wing edge		 3"
7.7 cm

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Building The Manual is extremely clear, so I won't repeat it. Time to build depends how nice you want the plane to look like but 8-12 hours sounds reasonable. It is a real pleasure to build as everything goes just perfectly into place. Like a Meccano (cc) (for whoever knows what it is...)

One important point regarding the shape of the battery used. A zagi type will balance the CG fine but a flat 4x2 Pack won't. If you want to use the 4x2 ones, an added weight will be needed, in the tail, to compensate. 0.98 oz (or 28 gr) did it for me, using up to 8x3000 NiMH which is small enough to be fine.

I tried the above and IT IS A BAD idea ! On the ground, then the plane's CG is fine but the plane can't then stay on its 3 wheels and has to sit on its tail....
Solutions to this ? Either moving the complete central landing gear more in the back of the plane or trying to use Zagi type battery packs.

New test, without the white spinner, that looks good. Well, it looks less good but suddenly, the plane flies great !!
 
Few building tips:

  1. For the front wheel, remove some of the wood, in order to allow the wheel to turn with a bigger angle
  2. When installing the nose decals, start actually with the nose, in order to make sure that you cover symmetrically the nose and fully
  3. On the wing, use a carbon fiber tube in conjunction with the stock wood spar to add alot of strength to the wing.
  4. When installing the wing spar into the hole of the wing, install it first, in order that if you wish to remove the electric cables, later, it won't be in your way. Said this, it is rare that they may have a problem. Only if you wish to move from Brush to brushless, this can be useful.
  5. You can use normal servo extensions, in the wing, just remove a little of the foam, at the plug, and make it flat
  6. Install the back landing gear (the one with 2 wheels) only at the end. This way, it won't disturb you during the building phase
  7. Put a piece of flat wood, at the place where you will install the battery, at the bottom in the cockpit. This to protect the foam from being each time removed by the installation of the battery. Also, hard landing could actually break the foam, if not well protected
  8. Don't put too much glue, where you think you may need, later on, to remove the part. Example is the motor mount.
  9. Check where the tail would touch the ground, in case of bad landing and put some piece of wood there, in order to protect the foam or some piece of strong tape.
  10. It is not a must, but adding some "iron-on" carbon fiber tape, would reenforce even further the wing and the added weight is no small that it is negligible.
  11. Don't install a spinner, even if it looks nicer, that takes some of the power of the propeller.
  12. VERY IMPORTANT !!! Don't follow the picture, regarding the landing gear. It is mis-leading. The angle a 90 degrees, should be in the back !!! If not, the plane won't balance properly
  13. Add some tape, on the bottom of the plane. From the front to the tail, and covering the landing gear. The tape must be re-enforced. This will strengthen the plane, on hard landing and also prevent the landing gear from breaking, when hitting some bumps on the landings or take-offs.

View Building Phase pictures

Power Consumption: 25 Amp full throttle, using 2 x Permax 480 and 5.5x4.3 prop, with 8 cells

Take-off fast, easy and clean
Flight behavior Flies very nicely. With a 6x4 prop, would certainly fly even better
Landing Very long. The plane glides forever. Spoilerons are very useful to shorten the landing space.
Crash Results Bad... The foam is fragile and does not like a bad crash. Pieces bent very much, broken parts around.. Few hours of Epoxying + replacing missing foam part with new foam.
Repairing Foam, so Epoxy 5 minutes + Foam boam (polyurethane)
Other comments

Comments on the full size plane

  • "The P68 Partenavia aircraft is excellent for aerial photography work due to its high wing, good visibility, and low speed flying capabilities. Equipped with a modern moving map display, GPS, dual pilot static system, six place intercom, and easy to remove seats, the P68 has the versatility, and low level flying characteristics which make it very popular for charter and aerial survey use."
  • "The Partenavia P68C was designed by the head of aeronautical engineering at the University of Naples, Luigi Pascale and his brother Nino. The airframe is manufactured in Italy, with the engines, propellers, avionics, wheels, brakes, and all other major systems supplied from US manufacturers. The engines are extremely reliable Lycoming IO-360s- normally-aspirated, fuel injected, 200 horsepower powerplants.

    The P68C is a clean and simple, sleek and modern, high-wing, fixed landing gear airplane. It has outstanding flying qualities, visibility, and reliability not offered by many other older, more complex airplanes used in other charter operations. Its excellent short takeoff and landing handling enables it to safely operate into many small airfields inaccessible by other airplanes."
Interesting Links

Partenavia Reviews

Partenavia P68 Plane information
FMS plane partenavia_for_FMS.zip
Pictures First shots of the Kavan Partenavia

Full Scale Plane pictures

History History: Partenavia designed the P.68 as an efficient multirole twin capable of performing a number of utility roles.

The P.68 Victor first flew on May 25 1970 and it soon demonstrated performance similar to that of aircraft in its class (such as the Seneca), which had retractable undercarriage. The high wing design also incorporated a large degree of glass fibre reinforced plastic construction in non-load bearing areas. Thirteen preproduction P.68As were built between 1971 and 1973 before the improved production standard P.6813, with a longer cabin, increased takeoff weight and redesigned instrument panel, was delivered from 1974. A retractable undercarriage variant, the P.68R, was trialled over 1976/77 but did not enter production.

The P.68C replaced the B in 1979 and introduced a longer nose to house weather radar and more avionics, extra fuel, revised cabin interior and redesigned wheel fairings. The turbocharged TC was introduced in 1980 and features two turbocharged 157kW (210hp) TIO-360s. Observer versions of both the P.6813 and P.68C have been built, these featuring a clear nose section for helicopter-like visibility.

A turboprop development, the AT.68TP-300 Spartacus, first flew in 1978, and led to the larger AP.68TP Viator, which is in Italian government service.

Partenavia ceased production in 1994 following its bankruptcy. The company's assets were purchased by Santo de Fe in 1997 and he renamed the company VulcanAir in 1998. VulcanAir resumed P.68 production in 1998 and deliveries began in November 1999. Models offered are the P.68C and P.68C-TC (both also offered in Observer form).

 

 

Latest Update: Monday, 20 June 2005