Getting back into RC aircraft
Discussion
Morning Kim, I hope all is good with you?
Many thanks for your advice, and especially taken the time to type it twice.
I got the two stroke running ok at the weekend, although starting it was not easy. I think it’s done a few hours! Some final covering issues to sort before I fly it (the bipe)
Out with the Ruckus tonight, I never flew it last year as one of the OEM servos gears stripped. All new servos fitted now with metal gears.
Many thanks for your advice, and especially taken the time to type it twice.
I got the two stroke running ok at the weekend, although starting it was not easy. I think it’s done a few hours! Some final covering issues to sort before I fly it (the bipe)
Out with the Ruckus tonight, I never flew it last year as one of the OEM servos gears stripped. All new servos fitted now with metal gears.
Good afternoon folks.
Ok, the little Bipe is ready to go. First flight tomorrow evening.
Fingers crossed, weather conditions are forecast to be perfect. Always exciting when it comes to flying a new plane.
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/vemHeHCWnXw?ra=m
Ok, the little Bipe is ready to go. First flight tomorrow evening.
Fingers crossed, weather conditions are forecast to be perfect. Always exciting when it comes to flying a new plane.
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/vemHeHCWnXw?ra=m
Good luck with the maiden Jim, it can be a stressful moment as it leaves the ground for the first time!
I've got a re-maiden to come on my little Tucano.
It's a reworked Seagull artf, which I got a bit carried away with on my first flight this year after the winter weather.
Ended up cartwheeling down the runway, resulting in a snapped fuselage, as well as other damage. I've rebuilt re-covered and repainted it in RAF livery. Picture should be attached below:
It's put on a bit of weight, so I'm going to fly it to make sure it's OK before finishing the decals, etc.
Let us know how you get on.
Kim
I've got a re-maiden to come on my little Tucano.
It's a reworked Seagull artf, which I got a bit carried away with on my first flight this year after the winter weather.
Ended up cartwheeling down the runway, resulting in a snapped fuselage, as well as other damage. I've rebuilt re-covered and repainted it in RAF livery. Picture should be attached below:
It's put on a bit of weight, so I'm going to fly it to make sure it's OK before finishing the decals, etc.
Let us know how you get on.
Kim
Thanks Kim.
Well, getting back into RC aircraft can also be unfortunately this. I didn’t fly the Bipe as it was a bit too windy. No problem, I’d taken another model and was chomping at the bit to get going.
So I decided on the Mirus, this was the model that got me back into building and flying again during Covid, I’d had a couple in my teens in the mid-eighties. I had two massive crashes due to elevator failure. Clevis failure, push rods breaking.
It was flying beautifully and sounding absolutely gorgeous.
As you all know if you lose pitch control, you are pretty much helpless - all you can do is cut the throttle and make sure it goes in wings level.
I had an elevator failure on this model a few years ago. It was hard to understand how as everything cannoned down the fuselage and ripped the wires out of the servos.
It wasn’t too badly damaged and it was easily flying again.
The servos were a bit on the cheap side, so, when I rebuilt it, it was high end Futaba servos.
I knew it was elevator instantly tonight when I lost control. Sure enough when me and my buddy got to the wreckage. You always, hope, hope - it may not be too bad and I might be lucky.
You rarely are flying RC aircraft .
The power was still there and everything worked, good old Futaba. The Elevator servo was completely dead. Throttle ok, ailerons the same.
I just wonder with this eighties design (fag packet stuff back then) .The aerodynamic load has / was never understood. And “Flutter” going through the servos - they just can’t handle it and a critical component blows.
I’m sure anyone who follows this thread must be interested in aviation and flying . Will know the Blancolirilio channel (Juan).
The investigation team ( me and my buddy were soon at the scene)
We quickly established the: “Four corners of the aircraft “
There were more, many more, it was absolute carnage.
All of those hours of building, all of those flights, so much enjoyment. Some things are salvageable
You’ve just got to dust yourself off. And come back flying.
Even with throttle off it was going so quick.
The multiple corners.
Well, getting back into RC aircraft can also be unfortunately this. I didn’t fly the Bipe as it was a bit too windy. No problem, I’d taken another model and was chomping at the bit to get going.
So I decided on the Mirus, this was the model that got me back into building and flying again during Covid, I’d had a couple in my teens in the mid-eighties. I had two massive crashes due to elevator failure. Clevis failure, push rods breaking.
It was flying beautifully and sounding absolutely gorgeous.
As you all know if you lose pitch control, you are pretty much helpless - all you can do is cut the throttle and make sure it goes in wings level.
I had an elevator failure on this model a few years ago. It was hard to understand how as everything cannoned down the fuselage and ripped the wires out of the servos.
It wasn’t too badly damaged and it was easily flying again.
The servos were a bit on the cheap side, so, when I rebuilt it, it was high end Futaba servos.
I knew it was elevator instantly tonight when I lost control. Sure enough when me and my buddy got to the wreckage. You always, hope, hope - it may not be too bad and I might be lucky.
You rarely are flying RC aircraft .
The power was still there and everything worked, good old Futaba. The Elevator servo was completely dead. Throttle ok, ailerons the same.
I just wonder with this eighties design (fag packet stuff back then) .The aerodynamic load has / was never understood. And “Flutter” going through the servos - they just can’t handle it and a critical component blows.
I’m sure anyone who follows this thread must be interested in aviation and flying . Will know the Blancolirilio channel (Juan).
The investigation team ( me and my buddy were soon at the scene)
We quickly established the: “Four corners of the aircraft “
There were more, many more, it was absolute carnage.
All of those hours of building, all of those flights, so much enjoyment. Some things are salvageable
You’ve just got to dust yourself off. And come back flying.
Even with throttle off it was going so quick.
The multiple corners.
Well Jim, that sucks 
As a clubmate once said to me "game of blood, matey".
We're always at the mercy of sudden component failure, there's absolutely nothing we can do if it happens on a critical system.
Looks like it'd rebuild, if you were minded to- I assume that it's an sheet box section fuselage.
It always takes longer than you think though (at least it does for me) so maybe not worth it for you.
Anyway, better luck with the Tiger Bipe maiden
Kim
As a clubmate once said to me "game of blood, matey".
We're always at the mercy of sudden component failure, there's absolutely nothing we can do if it happens on a critical system.
Looks like it'd rebuild, if you were minded to- I assume that it's an sheet box section fuselage.
It always takes longer than you think though (at least it does for me) so maybe not worth it for you.
Anyway, better luck with the Tiger Bipe maiden
Kim
Thanks Kim.
All sorted last night, I’ve ordered a new kit, it’s the right thing to do when you fall off a bicycle - get straight back on it again. The kit is really quick and easy to build.
The new kit should be with me tomorrow. It really is toast (the old one) I’ve never seen such devastation since I trashed my first Acro Wot 30 years ago. However the engine is fine and the rest of the radio gear except the failed servo. It’s my first monster crash since getting back into the hobby six years ago so not too bad.
Back when I was a teenager doing this, a big shunt would invariably wipe out a whole season, I only used to have one model then - now I have 7 others to fall back on. So it’s hardly a set back at all.
And, I’m even thinking of buying another model next month also. Watch this space!
I get so much reward from this hobby, i really enjoy the building part, love the flying, and of course the challenge.
Yes it can be really upsetting when you have something like this, however you always must accept there is a very real possibility of it. If it was all easy, and without risk I would have tired of it
I’m off to Spain for two weeks next week, I’m hoping (weather dependent) I’ll get a flight in with the Bipe before I depart.
All sorted last night, I’ve ordered a new kit, it’s the right thing to do when you fall off a bicycle - get straight back on it again. The kit is really quick and easy to build.
The new kit should be with me tomorrow. It really is toast (the old one) I’ve never seen such devastation since I trashed my first Acro Wot 30 years ago. However the engine is fine and the rest of the radio gear except the failed servo. It’s my first monster crash since getting back into the hobby six years ago so not too bad.
Back when I was a teenager doing this, a big shunt would invariably wipe out a whole season, I only used to have one model then - now I have 7 others to fall back on. So it’s hardly a set back at all.
And, I’m even thinking of buying another model next month also. Watch this space!
I get so much reward from this hobby, i really enjoy the building part, love the flying, and of course the challenge.
Yes it can be really upsetting when you have something like this, however you always must accept there is a very real possibility of it. If it was all easy, and without risk I would have tired of it
I’m off to Spain for two weeks next week, I’m hoping (weather dependent) I’ll get a flight in with the Bipe before I depart.
As per my previous post - game of blood!!
It's so difficult to get the balance between airspeed / lift / throttle right, particularly on an unfamiliar type.
Hopefully it'll fix, if you want to.
I once spent months building a semi scale Chipmunk from a kit. Damned thing never flew worth a w**k and it was a blessing when it span in from height despite my doing all the right things to recover it, and I could justifiably put it where it deserved to be - in the dustbin!!
It's so difficult to get the balance between airspeed / lift / throttle right, particularly on an unfamiliar type.
Hopefully it'll fix, if you want to.
I once spent months building a semi scale Chipmunk from a kit. Damned thing never flew worth a w**k and it was a blessing when it span in from height despite my doing all the right things to recover it, and I could justifiably put it where it deserved to be - in the dustbin!!
[quote=ducatikim]As per my previous post - game of blood!!
It's so difficult to get the balance between airspeed / lift / throttle right, particularly on an unfamiliar type.
Hopefully it'll fix, if you want to.
I once spent months building a semi scale Chipmunk from a kit. Damned thing never flew worth a w**k and it was a blessing when it span in from height despite my doing all the right things to recover it, and I could justifiably put it where it deserved to be - in the dustbin!
te to fly. Sod this trying to guess airspeed. Full power on the WoT 4
It's so difficult to get the balance between airspeed / lift / throttle right, particularly on an unfamiliar type.
Hopefully it'll fix, if you want to.
I once spent months building a semi scale Chipmunk from a kit. Damned thing never flew worth a w**k and it was a blessing when it span in from height despite my doing all the right things to recover it, and I could justifiably put it where it deserved to be - in the dustbin!!
[/quotFunny mate.
That biplane, id spent hours on it was the real deal. Ball race linkages the lot. It was mint. And then it wasn’t!
Kim, you did warn me it would be very draggy!
It was.
It was s
te to fly. Sod this trying to guess airspeed. Full power on the WoT 4ducatikim said:
Got bored - no flying due to car problems means time to finish things off
This is the completed Tucano, modded from a Seagull PC9 artf
This is my new Seagull PC9 60" wingspan. Replaces an older version which I crashed a while ago.
Maiden flights to follow soon!!
Kim
Maidened the little Tucano at the weekend.This is the completed Tucano, modded from a Seagull PC9 artf
This is my new Seagull PC9 60" wingspan. Replaces an older version which I crashed a while ago.
Maiden flights to follow soon!!
Kim
Went pretty well, had a sketchy moment straight after takeoff as I had the aileron throw too high (forgot to measure before stripping it down previously), but once I had a handle on it all was well.
Had an 8 minute flight and landed a bit fast, but no wind to slow it down.
The esc was found to be bloomin' hot when I removed the Lipo, due I think to my blocking the holes between the cowl area and the fuselage when I reinforced the motor mount.
Going forward, I've drilled 3 10mm holes through the bulkhead and made a 25mm exit hole in the bottom of the fuselage, so hopefully that will sort it out.
Waiting for a radio battery for the bigger one - watch this space!!
Kim
Morning Kim, both those look amazing.
You’ve got to be so careful with throws / control movements. I’m learning more to set up dual rate and exponential.
It was interesting what you said about aileron movement. I had a very scary flight with my Spitfire when I had too much movement. You’ve got to keep your head and calm down!!! Easily said.
New Mirus arrived a couple of weeks ago (I don’t give up that easily)!
I’m going to fit tips on the tail plane (around the elevator) to take the disturbed air away.
You’ve got to be so careful with throws / control movements. I’m learning more to set up dual rate and exponential.
It was interesting what you said about aileron movement. I had a very scary flight with my Spitfire when I had too much movement. You’ve got to keep your head and calm down!!! Easily said.
New Mirus arrived a couple of weeks ago (I don’t give up that easily)!
I’m going to fit tips on the tail plane (around the elevator) to take the disturbed air away.
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