FT 22 mods to fix cg and slow speed flying

[VTGoody]

I built this plane with a 1300mh battery, 54g 1000kv outrunner, 9x7 master airscrew prop, 30amp esc, 2x9g servos, and I think it flies amazing. I have the battery pushed all the way back, and it is just barely nose heavy from the ft cg's. I did make my own motor mount from some scrap 1/4 plywood i had laying around, so im guessing that might have added a little more weight aft of the cg compared to the original ft22. I like your idea of moving the motor back a few inches, to see if I can get even more glide out of it. I I really want to put a speed motor on it, but even with current setup its pretty quick and has a ton of power to climb vertically out of sight.

 

[jjstanley]

Mine was nose heavy too so just tried adding canards and LOVE it!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChFqGCpvNeY It does not quite look like an F22 anymore but I like the look and it handles awesome. I added strakes like an F18 and that was too much so cut them almost off. I can move the battery up to 3 inches with very little change in handling. Before if I moved the battery at all it changed the handling a lot.

 

[Fred98050]

Mine was nose heavy too so just tried adding canards and LOVE it!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChFqGCpvNeY It does not quite look like an F22 anymore but I like the look and it handles awesome. I added strakes like an F18 and that was too much so cut them almost off. I can move the battery up to 3 inches with very little change in handling. Before if I moved the battery at all it changed the handling a lot.

Very cool video !

 

[scottdnc]

Thanks for the inspiration frogs84ss. I started my FT22 a couple days ago with plans modified per your specs. I'll probably fly it this weekend. It's coming together very well. My sons and I are going camping up in the mountains of Virginia Monday through Wednesday and will be taking the FT22, a couple modified Simple Soarers, Radian Pro, Dynamic-S, HK Wing Wing, eFlite Apprentice S15, HK Super Kinetic 815 and an HK Bixler 2. Hopefully we can find a great place for slope soaring but at least we have motors and props if we can't.

 

[mrstamp80]

I didn't use the recommended set up. went with what i had laying around off other "retired" aircraft. Mine flew great right from the start. This video was my second flight after some minor cg tweaks with the battery. Does not fly well at all around 1/2 throttle but 2/3rds and w.o.t. shes perfect.

 

[Nathan_116]

You guys (or girls ) should make a power pod mod. This would be cool so that one could use their existing power train to fly this, while still being able to go back to other aircraft without modification or "surgery"

 

[CrashRecovery]

You guys (or girls ) should make a power pod mod. This would be cool so that one could use their existing power train to fly this, while still being able to go back to other aircraft without modification or "surgery"

It would not be hard. Flatten out the bowtie so you can add the bamboo rods. all you would have to do is just get creative with the mounting. I did it here with a profile F-18 I built

 

[HilldaFlyer]

My first FT-22 experience wasn't too hot either. One of my problems stemmed from the fact that I painted the wings and the moisture from the paint, even with minwax treatment, warped them with a downward concave curve, which, as you can imagine, creates a huge nose-down path. My second FT-22 had lots of CG issues and didn't fly like the vids by FliteTest. Your article and forum make sense to me... and I may try this. I'm using 1250kV with 8x4 and 1000 mAh battery. I haven't had a stable enough flight to say this is a working combination, I just know I have to be better than 50% throttle to keep it up and it wants to dive.

 

[PHerder]

I have downloaded the original plans, printed them out and taped them together.

I have studied the changes and have penciled them onto the plans and will be cutting out the new FT22 tonight!

I have the Attitude RC combo Suppo engine/prop and a 20A Turnigy (sp?) ESC with 3S 1300 batteries that I was going to use in my Speed Build FT22 but I will just hang it in my shop and work on the new version. Hope to be flying it this weekend.

Fingers crossed!

 

[scottdnc]

I flew my FT 22 a few days ago in the mountains (about 5000 ft altitude) in Virginia. WOW!!! Does that thing move! I've got an NTM 2200 KV motor pushing a 6 X 4 prop. Only tried a 2200 mah 3 cell but will try a 4 cell in the near future. I reinforced the leading edge of the wings by hot-gluing BBQ sticks. I did crunch the nose a bit because I'm not used to landing uphill on a mountain but a little hot glue and Popsicle sticks to reinforce and she was back in the air. I modified by lengthening the wing to the rear and moving the motor back a couple inches. I just guessed on the CG by moving back about 3/4 of an inch which required me to move the battery towards the back of the compartment. Almost unlimited verticals. I don't know how fast but has to be 80+ (I'll put in a GPS logger for a few test runs). I did mount my servos just a couple inches in front of the control surfaces with the control horns on top and a short run of control wire. It's a LOT of fun to fly. Very responsive.

 

[Fred98050]

Still having fun!!!

Made another F22, lager wing span (added 1"), placed motor aft of original design, motor axis flush with wings and just for fun added some flaps/spoilerons.
2200kv, 7x4 prop and 2200 3s battery.
CG is slightly forward.

Went for maiden flight this evening, total disaster!!!!

Way way too fast for me, couldn't keep up with speed and I was over-correcting like crazy...
Good news is that it is still intact.
I will change the motor to a 1450 kv with a 8x6 prop and try again tomorrow.

 

[frogs84ss]

ok I created plans with my revisions

ok things to note

1. I added 1.5 degrees of toe in to the each rudder to increase low speed stability in the turns this is untested.

2. I attached the elevons to the main wing to increase durability on those hinges I strongly advise to do the glue method on those hinges as well as tape on the top surface

doing this also created a glue spar on the main wing this should help with durability during high speed maneuvers.

good luck let me know how it goes.

especially if there is an issue with my plans never done this before lol

 

[Blackbeltrrf]

Just finished my modified F22 with Frog mods

Since my much worn and tattered f22 has seen it's better days I just finished my new F22 with the modifications as described in this thread. I wish I would have found your printed plans before I made mine . I hope to take it out for a maiden tomorrow.

Here are a few pics of the build

 

[frogs84ss]

Since my much worn and tattered f22 has seen it's better days I just finished my new F22 with the modifications as described in this thread. I wish I would have found your printed plans before I made mine . I hope to take it out for a maiden tomorrow.

Here are a few pics of the build

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wow nice build. good luck

 

[patrol7]

So I built an FT-22 from the original plans. I flew Ok but I had to put the 1300 mah battery all the way aft to get the CG were if was supposed to be. And even then I had about 15+ degrees up elevator to get it to fly level, and it needed almost full forward to fly inverted. There was no way that I could have flown it with a 2200mah battery.

When I saw frogs84ss fix I thought that I would give it a try.

I made the following changes;

1. I added 1" to the rear of plane
2. I moved the motor and prop back about 2". I basically put the 1300mah battery where I wanted it and moved the motor back and forth until it was in CG, then glued it in. Still using the original motor mount.
3. I added a servo and cut in rudders.
4. I moved the servos back 3" shortening the control rods and moving more weight back
5. I moved the leading edge of the wing forward 1".
When I moved the leading edge forward I left the CG marks at the same location in relationship to the leading edge as the original FT plans (which essentially moved the CG forward 1").



Man these little changes made this into a different plane. It's more stable and tracks like it is on rails. It flys with about 2 degrees of up elevator and has no tendency to climb or descend with increases in throttle.
Now it flys inverted with just a little forward stick like it should. The rudders help alot with low speed high alpha.
It's powered by a Grayson Hobby MicroJet v3 and a 6X4 prop.


Thanks frog!!!

 

[Damig]

How can I figure out CG Before I fly...(Without Math...lol) cord x type wing ÷wgt add alcohol and caller good, give or take a pint.

But really, where is my CG please?

 

[Damig]

F- 22 modz v 2

Hi, thanks for thoughts and such. What was final results please. I am just building this as my first foamy, and I an noob

 

[Damig]

Thanks

 

[BuckE67]

My second FT-22. First one didn't end so well. I think I know what went wrong.......

 

[ladykate]

FT mods to fix cg - thanks Frog

Built an F22 - flew OK but the CG was not optimum at all. Went with Frog's suggest mods for moving motor, enlarging wing, moving servos. Haven't flown it - too darn cold - but it came out nice and it should be much better than the first one. The CG is now tolerable and I can stuff a 2200 3s in it.

Thanks!