59 year old newbie - adding more planes

[mayan]

All the parts are done, wing servos are now installed, esc and receiver are connected and I just need to program the Tx for it and it will be ready to maiden. No flying today, to windy, so I got the Explorer almost ready to fly. Maybe by the end of the day.

View attachment 135583

View attachment 135584

Paint job is not perfect, got some overspray. I was kind of rushing the painting.

I have built several parts for the TT. All together I think about 3 or 4 planes worth.
The Explorer is my second FTFB plane that I have built and I am also working on my 3rd - The Master Series Corsair which you can follow the build of @kilroy07 , @mayan and I at the Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have you any wool? Yes Sir, Yes Sir three Planes full!. thread.
Here is how far I got yesterday

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Looks great. Don’t stress on the paint job from 10 ft high no one can see the mess ups.

 

[Jimun]

The Explorer is all hooked up and ready to go, except it is a little tail heavy. I will need to add some weight to the nose to get the CG right.

 

[kilroy07]

The Explorer is all hooked up and ready to go, except it is a little tail heavy. I will need to add some weight to the nose to get the CG right.

I've built two explorers and both were hard to get the CG right (tail heavy in both cases.) I usually flew with two batteries... Not the most efficient way to balance a plane.

 

[Jimun]

Got the CG balanced on the Explorer. Stopped by Harbor Freight and picked up some wheel weights.

Added 2 more 1/4" ounce pcs after the picture.

I think I am ready for the maiden.

 

[Jimun]

Got out to the field today. The wind had picked up a little by the time I got out there. No one else was there.
First I took the TT up for a couple flights and then had a hard landing that broke the tail. It is all fixed now and ready for tomorrow - if I get to go.

The Maiden flight or flights of the Explorer

My friend came to watch me and also took video with my phone of my maiden flight of the Explorer.
1st I taxied across the runway
2nd time I got it up and flew for a couple of minutes till I had an unplanned hard landing on the other side of the field. I should have worn long pants.

I was having a lot of trouble with the wind and the motor seemed to lag. I would have the elevator up all the way and could not get it to climb. It is the first time with the power pack B motor and it did not sound right. I was thinking there was a vibration. The motor seemed very warm after the last flight.



I think I know what the issue was. I had shimmed up the power pod for the prop to clear the boom, but after the flights I noticed cuts in the boom. The prop would flex and move forward and hit the boom. I think that was the cause of the vibration and lack of power. We will see as I have moved the power pod up and installed the second skewer through it so it won't move again.

Damage from the hard landing

We will see about trying it again tomorrow

 

[mayan]

Great job @Jimun your flying is getting better loved the roll attempt on the TT, and the inverted landing at around 5 mins in. When you tried doing the roll how much throttle did you use? Also love the explorer great job figuring out the issue you have. BTW the damage there doesn't look awefull.

 

[Jimun]

Great job @Jimun your flying is getting better loved the roll attempt on the TT, and the inverted landing at around 5 mins in. When you tried doing the roll how much throttle did you use? Also love the explorer great job figuring out the issue you have. BTW the damage there doesn't look awefull.

Thanks @mayan. On the roll attempt and left the throttle at 1/2. I was just trying to see what it would do. On the Explorer a little glue and tape is all it took.

 

[mayan]

Thanks @mayan. On the roll attempt and left the throttle at 1/2.

That's the reason why it took a dive. Next time either throttle up or use some down elevetor to help keep the roll leveled when inverted.

 

[buzzbomb]

Got out to the field today. The wind had picked up a little by the time I got out there. No one else was there.
First I took the TT up for a couple flights and then had a hard landing that broke the tail. It is all fixed now and ready for tomorrow - if I get to go.

The Maiden flight or flights of the Explorer

My friend came to watch me and also took video with my phone of my maiden flight of the Explorer.
1st I taxied across the runway
2nd time I got it up and flew for a couple of minutes till I had an unplanned hard landing on the other side of the field. I should have worn long pants.

I was having a lot of trouble with the wind and the motor seemed to lag. I would have the elevator up all the way and could not get it to climb. It is the first time with the power pack B motor and it did not sound right. I was thinking there was a vibration. The motor seemed very warm after the last flight.



I think I know what the issue was. I had shimmed up the power pod for the prop to clear the boom, but after the flights I noticed cuts in the boom. The prop would flex and move forward and hit the boom. I think that was the cause of the vibration and lack of power. We will see as I have moved the power pod up and installed the second skewer through it so it won't move again.

View attachment 135973

Damage from the hard landing

View attachment 135979

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We will see about trying it again tomorrow

Nice flying with the TT! It's obvious your confidence is growing right along with your flying skill. Rolls and loops for the win! Seriously, they're just so much fun!

Congrats on your Explorer maiden as well! It was obviously underpowered, but it sounds like you've got it figured out. That landing at the workbench? That's why we have video: Nobody at your flying club would believe it otherwise! That was an incredible save! (Yeah, I know luck played a major role, but still - How frackin' cool!)

If you want, try floating the Explorer next time you're out. Just point it into the wind and back off the throttle a bit. Let it sort of glide in place. When you start to lose it, just throttle up and fly out. You've definitely got the wind for it! I don't think the TT has the lift with the Sport Wing, and I haven't flown an Explorer, but what the heck? If it'll do it, floating is a lot of fun, as well.

I'm not nearly as good at it as my son and uncle are, but it seems like a great way to learn throttle control and practice light stick movements.

We've definitely got to keep getting out there and practicing. We've got to get our skills up for the maidens of our group-build birds! I hope you get to fly tomorrow. I've a few more nights at work, and then I hope to get back out there.

 

[bracesport]

@Jimun - I have not attempted 4ch yet - will do it on the spitfire - any tips for a nube?

@mayan - you need to teach me how to do a rollover (all the way around - not inverted)?

 

[mayan]

@Jimun - I have not attempted 4ch yet - will do it on the spitfire - any tips for a nube?

@mayan - you need to teach me how to do a rollover (all the way around - not inverted)?

My recommendation is full throttle and the take the aileron stick to one side left or right. Just take note that on a plane like the spitfire it will be like drilling the sky so be ready to counter act the roll with the opposite input when you are half way done with the roll.

 

[Jimun]

@Jimun - I have not attempted 4ch yet - will do it on the spitfire - any tips for a nube?

I am still learning 4 channel flying. What I have experienced is the stick movement is very similar but you do bank faster, so you have to be more gentle with them and be ready to back off and counter your stick movement to hold your bank. Then use the elevator to keep from falling out of the sky and make your turn. I have not yet practiced coordinated flight by using the rudder. I have tried it but I don't seem to get it yet to actually practice. I was a little intimidated at first flying 4 channel but switching to did not seem hard at all. It is just that your are faster banking and you have to keep it steady. That's all I got for now

 

[Jimun]

Today I still had trouble with the Explorer. Still seemed to lack power and also tail heavy. I adjusted the CG several times and finally busted the nose.

Hard landings moved the wing into the prop a couple of times.

I think I am going to hang it up for awhile and come back to it. I still have a Simple Cub, Simple Scout and a Spitfire to build.

The TT gave me some trouble to.

1st I had changed the Rx and my nose was lighter so I added some nose weight. (a piece of coffee cup I found on the ground)

I noticed my tail fix was not straight. I had a firewall come loose and the elevator servo was acting weird (jumpy) and then a wire broke on the esc battery connector.

At least I got to use a battery up.

Still a good day. I got to fly

 

[mayan]

Wow seems like you had fun regardless .

 

[Vimana89]

My mini Scout kit got chewed up as bad or worse than that Explorer,( just as fast) when I was really new. Great progress!

 

[Wildthing]

Today I still had trouble with the Explorer. Still seemed to lack power and also tail heavy. I adjusted the CG several times and finally busted the nose.

View attachment 136006

Hard landings moved the wing into the prop a couple of times.

View attachment 136008

I think I am going to hang it up for awhile and come back to it. I still have a Simple Cub, Simple Scout and a Spitfire to build.

The TT gave me some trouble to.

1st I had changed the Rx and my nose was lighter so I added some nose weight. (a piece of coffee cup I found on the ground)

View attachment 136004

I noticed my tail fix was not straight. I had a firewall come loose and the elevator servo was acting weird (jumpy) and then a wire broke on the esc battery connector.

View attachment 136005

At least I got to use a battery up.

Still a good day. I got to fly

Have you tried adjusting the motor angle instead of the balance ? Next time up go up high and cut the throttle and see how it glides, if it is balanced good you should only require a little up elevator input.

For power, if all the equipment comes in decently cool (esc, batter & motor) throw a higher pitch prop onto it .

 

[Jimun]

Have you tried adjusting the motor angle instead of the balance ? Next time up go up high and cut the throttle and see how it glides, if it is balanced good you should only require a little up elevator input.

For power, if all the equipment comes in decently cool (esc, batter & motor) throw a higher pitch prop onto it .

I didn't check today, but yesterday the motor was really warm. I was thinking of adjusting the pitch to. I will have to tear this power pod apart or make a new one and use the motor mount. I will check out the glide when I take it out again, if I can get it high enough for a minute.

 

[Jimun]

I checked out several threads in the forum about the Explorer. I see others have had the same issues. One thing I have found is in the specs for the Explorer it says that the minimum is 1000kv for the motor and I had bought the B power pack for this build and it came with a motor of only 935kv. So I am building a new power pod for a C pack motor I have 1st and then a couple of other ideas I read about. I got up this morning not wanting to hang the plane up but felt challenged to make it fly. Maybe I will get to work on it today and rebuild my TT to with the parts I have built already. Have a good day everyone

 

[Jimun]

Patched up the Explorer tonight. Took off the 9x4.7 prop and going to try the 8x4.5 on the B pack motor. According to the hole marks for the CG it seemed a tad nose heavy like it is suppose to be. I gave it a toss in the backyard to check the glide and it nosed in right away. I started taking the added weight I put on the nose out and tried again and again until all the weight was out and the battery was moved more towards the back until it actually glided. This is a speed build kit and when I checked where the balance was it was about 3/8 to 1/2 an inch behind the holes.

So now it is lighter and balanced to glide.

Here is the wing repair where the prop took a couple of chunks out.

Wing was cracked so more hat glue and tape.

So I think I am ready to try again.

 

[Wildthing]

So now when you power up and if it wants to zoom up or down adjust your motor angle. Take some tapered tooth picks or something like that you can use as wedges it's way easier then adding washers in behind the mount.