And the beginning of active FPV service for my FPV Raptor.
My Bixler has had an adventurous career with me. I bought it around Christmas time last year and was immediately impressed with how well it thermaled. I intended to get it set up nice and to be my first FPV plane. However a mate, just getting into RC planes, desperately wanted to buy it off me after putting his own in a tree. As a replacement, I bought an eHawk 1500 - fpv plans were on hold.
However a couple of weeks later, the Bixler got stuck up the top of a tree again! It spent 2 weeks up there, through rain, wind and sun, and we finally got it down on a cold, rainy, windy night after hitting it with pine cones, cricket balls and large sticks. The motor and ESC were dead, and there were little dents and scratches and a few cracks we'd caused. My mate told me I could have it.
After a couple of hours of work, I had it looking and flying nice again, with a bigger motor and a chunky ESC. I set to work getting it ready to FPV while doubling it up as my slope soarer (too rocky on our slopes for the eHawk).
Thanks to its early hard life, it's always looked like it's done it hard. I bought a FPV Raptor a few months ago, but recently realised it was the replacement for the Bixler, rather than another option. The Bixler is going to another friend who didn't have much success with his first plane (cub) and gave up. The Bixler should be a good alternative for him, and he doesn't have to worry about scuffing it up!
Anyhow, I'll start posting some pics of my Raptor on here soon. I'm loving all the extra space, sleek design and serious feeling size. I've cut out a hole for the camera to poke through the black plastic cover, which holds the camera and canopy in place, lets enough air in to cool the camera and keeps it looking sleek. I've mounted the vtx on the moulded platform out the back and the gps unit will sit on top of the left wing.
My Bixler has had an adventurous career with me. I bought it around Christmas time last year and was immediately impressed with how well it thermaled. I intended to get it set up nice and to be my first FPV plane. However a mate, just getting into RC planes, desperately wanted to buy it off me after putting his own in a tree. As a replacement, I bought an eHawk 1500 - fpv plans were on hold.
However a couple of weeks later, the Bixler got stuck up the top of a tree again! It spent 2 weeks up there, through rain, wind and sun, and we finally got it down on a cold, rainy, windy night after hitting it with pine cones, cricket balls and large sticks. The motor and ESC were dead, and there were little dents and scratches and a few cracks we'd caused. My mate told me I could have it.
After a couple of hours of work, I had it looking and flying nice again, with a bigger motor and a chunky ESC. I set to work getting it ready to FPV while doubling it up as my slope soarer (too rocky on our slopes for the eHawk).
Thanks to its early hard life, it's always looked like it's done it hard. I bought a FPV Raptor a few months ago, but recently realised it was the replacement for the Bixler, rather than another option. The Bixler is going to another friend who didn't have much success with his first plane (cub) and gave up. The Bixler should be a good alternative for him, and he doesn't have to worry about scuffing it up!
Anyhow, I'll start posting some pics of my Raptor on here soon. I'm loving all the extra space, sleek design and serious feeling size. I've cut out a hole for the camera to poke through the black plastic cover, which holds the camera and canopy in place, lets enough air in to cool the camera and keeps it looking sleek. I've mounted the vtx on the moulded platform out the back and the gps unit will sit on top of the left wing.