Pieliker96
Elite member
Thanks all. It's been great so far seeing you all at FFE.
Here's some pictures worthy of being full-sized:
Here's some pictures worthy of being full-sized
No, what ^^ he ^^ said!Beautiful! Worth the added download waiting time!
DamoRC
Was there a maiden and I missed it?!
you're from Illinois?!!
Can you release plans?Not yet. I was actually planning to surprise you all with a video of the maiden to make up for my rather lengthy inactivity. I have it scheduled for the next day I have free that has good weather. Hopefully it'll be on my winter break before I have to go back to boarding school. i.e. within the next two weeks, assuming all goes well.
What have I been doing in the meantime? Some of my own projects, being away at school, college applications, finals, you get the general idea. Anyways,
Progress:
1) Full thrust test, simulating a worst-case scenario of amp draw. Max static thrust was ~3kg, around 65% of what I was expecting. not a biggie, since dynamic thrust matters more to EDF planes in-flight, but it'll mean that I use up a bit more runway on take-off. Worst-case estimated take-off distance is currently ~60 feet, with a ridiculous amount of friction and drag (See the video below @ 4:38 for calculations), so I'm fine with that. The thrust test was also designed to be a torture test for the batteries, as thrust (& therefore amp draw) is highest at zero airspeed. The thrust test consisted of:
-30s of full throttle, simulating a takeoff
-2 min of 1/2 to 2/3 throttle, simulating flying a pattern
-30s of 1/4 throttle, simulating an approach
-30s of full throttle simulating a go-around
-30s of 1/4 throttle, simulating a landing
Results of the thrust test:
-Battery voltage sagged significantly under load, likely contributing to the reduction in thrust. I am abusing these batteries a bit (supposedly 50C, although no battery can really attain those levels in practice) in order to attain my weight limit and takeoff performance. They were just warm to the touch after the runs. Not uncomfortably hot, but warm. The ESCs were slightly warm to the touch.
-Battery voltage rebounded very well under lower current draws. My flight will consist of a takeoff, a minute and a half of flying, and then landing, allowing for two missed approaches and one landing. I may extend flight time in the future if the plane proves to be easy to land or the proposed flight plan leaves significant unused battery capacity.
-Wow. This thing moves a lot of air.
2) Improved main landing gear. Instead of relying on gravity to tilt the bogies to their landing configuration, I've attached a total of six rubber bands to tilt them into place. They are attached to the strut using a plastic wire holder bit that is retained by a raised section of the gear strut.
View attachment 120723
3) Taxi testing!
More details in the video below, showing taxi testing and modified main gear. A bit grainy, will probably reshoot in daylight
To Do:
-Clean up wing attachment
-CG check (either by balancing or sum of moments, with gear up and down)
-Finalize rates, throws, expo, etc.
-Finalize checklists and stuff (who am I kidding? It's just a foam plane)
-Add extra capacitors on the battery inputs to the ESCs?
-Other stuff that I've forgotten but can't remember at the moment
-Send it