Built the TT and lookin for feedback

mayan

Legendary member
First it's great that you started asking for help here on the forum. The video looks good hard for me to say if there is a LOS issue. I can say that once I received a decent radio with daul anthenas I had no more LOS issues and my flying started looking different. The way I realized my LOS issues was when my planes would just suddenly fall out of the sky for no apparent reason. Was hard for me to see it thogh because it usually happened during a left or right turn. Good luck buddy, your builds look amazing! Just a tip keep the videos coming it will help others help you.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Dang. That last plane (your first) is gorgeous.

Some of your builds look better crashed then mine look in the air...


When you get your new RX, install it and range test it before your next flight.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I hooked up what's left of my RX to the TT and did about a dozen chuck glide tests with nominal success. I had to use port 1 for power to the Rx, port 2 for elevator because port 3 doesn't respond anymore so my elevator control is left and right on the right stick. And port 4 was rudder just like a 4 channel. Use what I got. She glides. Just waiting on a new RX in the mail to get full functionality back
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
In that video are you pulling back too far on the stick and stalling out or is your plane naturally porpoising?

Use what you got... love it man. :)

Lastly. :D
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
First it's great that you started asking for help here on the forum. The video looks good hard for me to say if there is a LOS issue. I can say that once I received a decent radio with daul anthenas I had no more LOS issues and my flying started looking different. The way I realized my LOS issues was when my planes would just suddenly fall out of the sky for no apparent reason. Was hard for me to see it thogh because it usually happened during a left or right turn. Good luck buddy, your builds look amazing! Just a tip keep the videos coming it will help others help you.
First of all I would like to say thank you for the compliment on the builds. I do love the building process but that's just half the hobby, I would like to enjoy the other half, the flying part.

The LOS issue I might be having (after watching some vids on how the transmitter/RX work is starting to make sense. I went for a DXe off the bat cuz it was under $100 and the AR620, $40-$50. Now looking back realizing how important this communication thing is, (like anything in life) given I'm on my 3rd RX (now a $150 investment to get the same results), I should have spent the money on better stuff to begin with.

MY theory:
The DXe has a fixed antenna which points straight out to the field and can't be bent in the upwards position. This directs the donut hole in the center of the signal straight at the plane most of the time while I am facing the plane in flight. I have heard good things about the AR620 on reviews and LHS. The thing I may want to look at might be a new transmitter... does this make sense to you guys?

PS. That video was my only good flight and was only the first couple of minutes. I was just so excited that something was going right in the air that I probably had forgotten my name at that point. The GF wanted to catch it quick before anything bad happened. Supportive woman she is. By the time I got the second battery in I was more coordinated and trying stalls, glide slope, and low passes, maybe chasing some sea gulls too. Thx for the replies and keep it shiny side up
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
In that video are you pulling back too far on the stick and stalling out or is your plane naturally porpoising?

Use what you got... love it man. :)

Lastly. :D
I think your right. I was playing with the CG with the battery placement. I did notice that the undercambered wing of the design of the Mini Scout does tend to wanna climb with more throttle. You don't see it in the video cuz it didn't catch the whole flight but I would try to add throttle to gain altitude to get high enough to make a few mistakes and it for me was a bit of a balancing act between throttle/elevator and wind direction to get the plane up. More experience will help that I'm sure. Thx for the tip though. Something to add to the vault for sure.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
No too bad for a newb's first flight. A little heavy on the sticks and a bit of the plane flying the pilot but better than most I have sen!

You are definitely on your way to a possible lifetime addiction!

Have fun!
Already addicted... always have been just never did anything about it. Most would have given up already. Tenacious AF

I had a theory on my LOS possibility, check back a couple of posts ago and tell me if I'm onto something

Thx
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Already addicted... always have been just never did anything about it. Most would have given up already. Tenacious AF

I had a theory on my LOS possibility, check back a couple of posts ago and tell me if I'm onto something

Thx
I do think at least part of your issues could be due to LOS problems. You should start keeping a log of your flights and the results. If possible try different Rxs and antenna placements until your log and the results therein show a definite pattern of a declining crash rate or even a complete cessation of crashing. Then you will have an airworthy setup. Once you get an airworthy setup STICK TO IT!

My battle with LOS was a real battle! Even though Communications was my working life I did not even suspect it as being a problem until I started to actually investigate each and every crash I experienced as well as the other crashes experienced by my fellow club members.

It took a lot of head banging for me to even suspect it but when I did the big holes in my investigations suddenly were all filled and an obvious pattern was observed and noted! Sadly for me it meant throwing out my old radio gear and buying something that had a chance of being airworthy and could maintain communications at almost any attitude or orientation of the antenna system.

A further few months of deliberately chasing or trying to cause a LOS event on the new radio gear resulted in the best possible physical setup for the equipment and that it was I use now!

Being a communications trained person I am embarrassed that it took me so long to recognise the issue and that makes me a little upset with the radio manufacturers who market their radio systems as the best radio for all applications where they are misleading the gullible and inexperienced into wasting their money on what I would call adequate terrestrial communication systems rather than a true airworthy radio system. The toll on the planes and even the number of people that give up on the hobby because of the use of a ill-suited radio system is huge!

Even on this forum I see persons struggling to learn to fly their builds and yet often they crash due to a LOS. This leaves the newbie doubting his abilities either in building or flying and some give up. Some of those calling out for help are actually better pilots than I will ever be but their radio is rubbish and they crash every flight!

I do not care what brand of radio that is chosen it should be airworthy. Range checks actually mean diddly squat because that is a ground test where the antenna orientation and ground reflections give the best possible Rx signal, and therefore range tests mean nothing when flying. I have seen planes pass a range check and only get 50 metres away before a LOS caused them to crash.

Sorry about the rant but the radio argument is frustrating as so much cost and damage is caused by poor radio selection. NOTHING is better than flying a plane with the full confidence is the radio system and conversely there is nothing worse than the feeling of helplessness of watching your latest and most expensive build spiraling out of control on its way to its death because the radio system is substandard!

We all deserve better!

Have fun!
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Hai-Lee is right. That is a good flying video. You were in the air a lot longer than I was in my early days and you should never apologize for GF video. Plus, she did a great job of keeping you in frame.

I'm being a snoot because my day started at 2A and I should be in the sack..


With everything loaded, minus the prop, how does that Mini Scout glide?

Once you have CG where you want it, trim out the plane so that when you release the sticks, it goes into a nice, level, glide (says the guy with the faceplant moniker).


You have two main bits of kit that will impact every model you fly regardless of the cost or value of the model. These are your radio and your battery charger. Both decisions are custom to you. I started with FlySky and in year 3 I went Taranis. I'll be 100 before anyone makes a flying toy that needs more than what that radio can do, but the learning curve is like rocket science and not for everyone.

Point is, take your time choosing a radio. :)
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I will post a separate thread on my LOS theories and what I currently do.

Recently I used my theories to assist a young member of the local club who was killing planes regularly and he was suffering from severe self doubt. Anyway I setup his planes using his spektrum gear and made a few suggestions as to which Spektrum Rxs he should be using in future.

That day was his first without a crash and since then his abilities have grown exponentially!

Have fun!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I will post a separate thread on my LOS theories and what I currently do.

Recently I used my theories to assist a young member of the local club who was killing planes regularly and he was suffering from severe self doubt. Anyway I setup his planes using his spektrum gear and made a few suggestions as to which Spektrum Rxs he should be using in future.

That day was his first without a crash and since then his abilities have grown exponentially!

Have fun!
So given I'm on the Spektrum train rite now what set up would you suggest works best as far as models of radio and RX? I plan on building lots of planes and flying for the rest of the time I have left on this side of the grass. Something that works consistently and is reliable as well as adaptable to different models is what I'm looking for.

What location on the plane for the RX to reside is for best results? Now I'm thinking as far away from the rest of the electronics in the plane, especially with the AR620 being without an antenna to reach for a signal is best, (possibly the tail, or what's allowed by the CG). Confirm?

Thx for your time and advice
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Hai-Lee is right. That is a good flying video. You were in the air a lot longer than I was in my early days and you should never apologize for GF video. Plus, she did a great job of keeping you in frame.

I'm being a snoot because my day started at 2A and I should be in the sack..


With everything loaded, minus the prop, how does that Mini Scout glide?

Once you have CG where you want it, trim out the plane so that when you release the sticks, it goes into a nice, level, glide (says the guy with the faceplant moniker).


You have two main bits of kit that will impact every model you fly regardless of the cost or value of the model. These are your radio and your battery charger. Both decisions are custom to you. I started with FlySky and in year 3 I went Taranis. I'll be 100 before anyone makes a flying toy that needs more than what that radio can do, but the learning curve is like rocket science and not for everyone.

Point is, take your time choosing a radio. :)
The Mini Scout is hanging on the Graveyard Wall in the kids room... He has quite the collection going now and gets excited everytime he has a new dead soldier to hang in his collection.

What models of the Taranis radio and RX are you using? I would like to do some research on what works for you.
How long have you been flying for, out of curiosity? (I ask everyone who flies that I meet)
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
So given I'm on the Spektrum train rite now what set up would you suggest works best as far as models of radio and RX? I plan on building lots of planes and flying for the rest of the time I have left on this side of the grass. Something that works consistently and is reliable as well as adaptable to different models is what I'm looking for.

What location on the plane for the RX to reside is for best results? Now I'm thinking as far away from the rest of the electronics in the plane, especially with the AR620 being without an antenna to reach for a signal is best, (possibly the tail, or what's allowed by the CG). Confirm?

Thx for your time and advice
The 620 must have some sort of antenna even if it is enclosed within the case.

I actually would suggest you try fitting it under the other stuff in the plane because then there is nothing between the Rx and the Tx when flying overhead. Keep the wires and other metal objects as far from the Rx and possible and then be aware that flying with the bottom of the plane facing away from you could be a problem!

You will need to do some real life tests to see what works and what doesn't.

Have fun!
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
The 620 must have some sort of antenna even if it is enclosed within the case.

I actually would suggest you try fitting it under the other stuff in the plane because then there is nothing between the Rx and the Tx when flying overhead. Keep the wires and other metal objects as far from the Rx and possible and then be aware that flying with the bottom of the plane facing away from you could be a problem!

You will need to do some real life tests to see what works and what doesn't.

Have fun!
The 620 does have the antenna built into the circuit board on the inside. Seen it in a video and first hand with my dusted first 620. I'm thinkin of doing a RX specific hatch under the plane behind the wings where possible then. Out of the way of any other electronics so there is no contact in case of a crash and will be protected.

Thx for all your help Hai-Lee... much appreciated. I'll keep posting on my progress. More vids. More questions
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
I started flying a Wanderer glider in 1985. Put the hobby down to be all I could be until 2012 when I picked up a quad copter and started building Rotor Bones quads and the Bat Bone Tri-Copter. From then on it was foam planes and carbon fiber quads for me. I fly mostly multi-rotors now but I love my Mini-P51, and Tiny Trainer for the ability to fly in a small space.

I fly with a Taranis Plus. When this radio came out there were no other Taranis options. For receivers I am running the FrSky X series. Most commonly the XSR and X4R depending on when I built the machine.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I read the post on Tx/Rx communication that Hai-Lee put up and it was very helpful along with everything spoken here. Thinkin back to a build video I've seen and what I read in his post about the antenna being routed or mounted outside the airframe I have come up with a plan for each build. Since the AR620 doesn't have an external antenna I need to mount the RX outside the airframe. On the Mini Scout in the video the Rx was mounted in the cockpit outside the foamboard in between the front and rear turtle deck. I'm thinkin that the DTFB insulates the Rx from the signal as well as being near any pushrods or other electronics. And mount it to the bottom back half of the plane for best results.

I'm still waiting on the new AR620 to come in the mail, so this is what I'm gonna use for now. If this still is an issue I will be looking into new gear. Till then keep it shiny side up. Thx