Help! FT Explorer - help avoid pitfalls.

[FoamyDM]

I'm finally building my explorer and I wanted to gather the sage knowledge of everyone here. What about the build should I look out for as I build. pitfalls or improvements that are needed or advice like a don't put the servos in the fuselage or something. Do you recommend landing gear.

I plan to make this my go to 4 channel FPV platform.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Hai-Lee]

I'm finally building my explorer and I wanted to gather the sage knowledge of everyone here. What about the build should I look out for as I build. pitfalls or improvements that are needed or advice like a don't put the servos in the fuselage or something. Do you recommend landing gear.

I plan to make this my go to 4 channel FPV platform.

Thank you in advance.

If you are fitting undercarriage make sure that you have enough height ot clearance so that the plane can rotate at take off. If you do not have enough clearance you may take a very long ground run just to get airborne.

Do not forget to add extra spar or reinforcing in the wing as the Explorer is notorious for folding wings under load.

The tail boom can be slid forward or rearwards to assist in balancing and if necessary the boom can be cut/shortened to make further forwards CG changes.

Have fun!

 

[FoamyDM]

If you are fitting undercarriage make sure that you have enough height ot clearance so that the plane can rotate at take off. If you do not have enough clearance you may take a very long ground run just to get airborne.

Do not forget to add extra spar or reinforcing in the wing as the Explorer is notorious for folding wings under load.

The tail boom can be slid forward or rearwards to assist in balancing and if necessary the boom can be cut/shortened to make further forwards CG changes.

Have fun!

Thank you @Hai-Lee.
I know I didn't mention this, but I was planning on fitting a carbon fiber arrow shaft in there. Why do you think the spar is particularly weak in this plane where others aren't?
I also remember some folk concerned about balance and wanting a longer nose so I have added an inch or so to the nose piece. (I may add doublers to the tray base and nose.)
I know on my tiny one, the tail boom was weak at the body. and plan to add bbq skewers along the corners at that area.

 

[Hai-Lee]

Thank you @Hai-Lee.
Why do you think the spar is particularly weak in this plane where others aren't?

The wing on the Explorer is effectively a scaled up Tiny Trainer wing in its basic design and the spar whilst a double thickness has the paper running front to back. The only resistance to folding forces is the foam itself albeit 4 layers of it and effectively 2 spars.

There is no dihedral brace included and there are no external wing struts to augment wing strength.

As people increase the planes all up weight by adding extra payloads the real weaknesses of the design become obvious.

It is an old design and has never been updated.

I built mine without dihedral and a straight through spar of a different design with a length of CF and after almost 3 years it has been gifted on a few times and is still flying!

Build the wing without dihedral, (Aileron wing only), and using a CF spar reinforcement your bird will be around for many years, (subject to crashes.

It worked for me!

Have fun!

 

[Yayat]

my complaint is, fragile wing and boom and I got torque issue with my setup

 

[FoamyDM]

Thanks @Yayat.
I have a square tube, CF spar, and lengthened nose. Should be exciting.
Here's the build thread: Explorer's are Grrreat!