FT Explorer with twin boom

[Hai-Lee]

Thx I'll take a closer look

If you can do or select ELEVON mixing you can make the Aileron channel into a rudder channel without too much bother by changing the MODE of your transmitter.
If you use mode 1 then make the Tx mode 3. if you use mode 2 you can make the Tx mode 4. This will swap the aileron and rudder stick on the tx and then you can just reorder the servos coming out of the Rx for proper operation of the "v" tail and ailerons!

Have fun!

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I gotta get on the twin prop train at some point. Got a real need for the Sea duck. Such a versatile plane, grass, water and snow. @Headbang has a few and brought one out to the airfield on Saturday. It is quite the build to. I wish FT did an F Pack twin. Get your Long EZ up and tell me what you think

 

[BATTLEAXE]

If you can do or select ELEVON mixing you can make the Aileron channel into a rudder channel without too much bother by changing the MODE of your transmitter.
If you use mode 1 then make the Tx mode 3. if you use mode 2 you can make the Tx mode 4. This will swap the aileron and rudder stick on the tx and then you can just reorder the servos coming out of the Rx for proper operation of the "v" tail and ailerons!

Have fun!

Good point, never would have thought. Makes sense though. I might set up some servos on the bench and play around and see what I come up with. Get to know my Tx kinda stuff

 

[The Hangar]

I gotta get on the twin prop train at some point. Got a real need for the Sea duck. Such a versatile plane, grass, water and snow. @Headbang has a few and brought one out to the airfield on Saturday. It is quite the build to. I wish FT did an F Pack twin. Get your Long EZ up and tell me what you think

I’ll try it when my servos come! I plan on building the sea duck and flitefest next summer if I go. It sure seems like an awesome plane! You could just pick up a couple of the new radial f-pack motors and a couple esc’s and have a f pack twin... you probably say in my mini guinea pig thread that I was using two 1808 $5 hobby king v-spec motors with 6/4.5 props and that things SCREAMS! But if you do the mini guinea, gone your self MAX elevator throw. I had like 40 degrees and I could barely pull a loop!

 

[The Hangar]

I’ll try it when my servos come! I plan on building the sea duck and flitefest next summer if I go. It sure seems like an awesome plane! You could just pick up a couple of the new radial f-pack motors and a couple esc’s and have a f pack twin... you probably say in my mini guinea pig thread that I was using two 1808 $5 hobby king v-spec motors with 6/4.5 props and that things SCREAMS! But if you do the mini guinea, gone your self MAX elevator throw. I had like 40 degrees and I could barely pull a loop!

Or maybe you could just enlarge the elevator

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I’ll try it when my servos come! I plan on building the sea duck and flitefest next summer if I go. It sure seems like an awesome plane! You could just pick up a couple of the new radial f-pack motors and a couple esc’s and have a f pack twin... you probably say in my mini guinea pig thread that I was using two 1808 $5 hobby king v-spec motors with 6/4.5 props and that things SCREAMS! But if you do the mini guinea, gone your self MAX elevator throw. I had like 40 degrees and I could barely pull a loop!

Wouldn't the 1808 be closer to the A Pack radials, where the F Pack is a 2205, a little more torque?

 

[The Hangar]

Wouldn't the 1808 be closer to the A Pack radials, where the F Pack is a 2205, a little more torque?

Yup - you’re right. I was just saying the 1808 motors don’t lack power! The f-pack would be even crazier!

 

[alan0043]

What are you looking too do with the plane, just fly it, or FPV? And your right, I am kinda lost in you concept of this build lol

Hi Battle,

I am not to sure what I want to do with the plane. I would like to do some power gliding. Also, I hope the plane will be easy to fly. I have not flown yet. I do have a tiny trainer that I will start with first. I am lucky to be about 35 minutes away from Edgewater air park. I also thought trying a scratch could be fun. Once I get the plane together, I will try to post a picture. Who knows, if the plane does work out ok, just might think about FPV.

Al

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Hi Battle,

I am not to sure what I want to do with the plane. I would like to do some power gliding. Also, I hope the plane will be easy to fly. I have not flown yet. I do have a tiny trainer that I will start with first. I am lucky to be about 35 minutes away from Edgewater air park. I also thought trying a scratch could be fun. Once I get the plane together, I will try to post a picture. Who knows, if the plane does work out ok, just might think about FPV.

Al

Hi @alan0043, welcome again to the forums. This is your thread and I kinda took over lol. I am just as excited about tis Explorer Idea as you are. I was just given an Explorer already built and set up to play with and I will be modifying it to be more like the Bronco with the twin boom. I will tell you the Explorer is an awesome plane to train with. In my past flight experiences with both the Tiny Trainer and recently the Explorer I will tell you that I think the Explorer is a better trainer then the TT for a few reasons. Now some will say otherwise, there are some TT purists out here, which is great, it works for them. But for me and since your looking at doing the Explorer i find that because it is a pusher prop you will be breaking a lot less props then on the TT from nose in crashes, and if you do crash all you need to build is a nose piece as opposed to a nose and power pod. Plus the added bonus of protecting your electronics and motor from impact damage. Its also a bigger plane so it will be more stable in flight in even stronger winds where the TT being a smaller airframe will get wonky with less then favourable weather. I am a big fan of the Explorer can you tell? Plus if you set it up as a 4 channel it will grow with you as you progress in skill set, just dial back your throws and expos to begin with and it will be a docile plane, as you get more comfortable you can dial them back up to tighten up the control and keep movin up the piloting ladder. I have been through a lot of planes when I started just because they looked cool but were to fast or twitchy for my skill level. I should have started with the Explorer to begin with and my skills would be so much better now. It's like I now have the opportunity to re learn how to fly lol.

Did you build the TT from a Speed Build KIt? What power system are you using in it?

Have you looked at the Bronco yet? Because it is the same airframe as the Explorer but with the twin boom design. Actually it's does have a smaller faster wing so it will be a bit more advanced then the Explorer as far as skill level. I would say build the Explorer airframe and wing, and if you want the twin boom design add that to the wing you already have, gives yo the best of both worlds.

Since you have the TT built and you are into the gliding thing, try chuck gliding it, throw it off a hill into the wind and test its balance. once you do that a dozen times set it up for powered flight with all the control surfaces working and plugged in with the battery, but no prop. Chuck glide it again but try to control its flight in the glide. Once you see results there, install the prop and try powered flight. This progression will help you understand the planes characteristics and your piloting progression as well. If you find that you are having trouble get back on the forums here and ask any questions you like, anyone will be more the willing to help you out.

Good luck my friend

P.S. I am so jealous of your proximity to Edgewater, I so want to check it out sometime

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Yup - you’re right. I was just saying the 1808 motors don’t lack power! The f-pack would be even crazier!

See the F Pack twin would just take the Mini Guinea or the Mini Cruiser to the next level, would be no problem to achieve vertical and loops. So much fun to be had. Even on the standard size planes I am seeing more and more people taking airframes that recommend the B pack or the B pack twin are mostly running the C packs respectively. Getting a lot more out of the planes is the goal.

What are you flying today?

 

[The Hangar]

Hi @alan0043, welcome again to the forums. This is your thread and I kinda took over lol. I am just as excited about tis Explorer Idea as you are. I was just given an Explorer already built and set up to play with and I will be modifying it to be more like the Bronco with the twin boom. I will tell you the Explorer is an awesome plane to train with. In my past flight experiences with both the Tiny Trainer and recently the Explorer I will tell you that I think the Explorer is a better trainer then the TT for a few reasons. Now some will say otherwise, there are some TT purists out here, which is great, it works for them. But for me and since your looking at doing the Explorer i find that because it is a pusher prop you will be breaking a lot less props then on the TT from nose in crashes, and if you do crash all you need to build is a nose piece as opposed to a nose and power pod. Plus the added bonus of protecting your electronics and motor from impact damage. Its also a bigger plane so it will be more stable in flight in even stronger winds where the TT being a smaller airframe will get wonky with less then favourable weather. I am a big fan of the Explorer can you tell? Plus if you set it up as a 4 channel it will grow with you as you progress in skill set, just dial back your throws and expos to begin with and it will be a docile plane, as you get more comfortable you can dial them back up to tighten up the control and keep movin up the piloting ladder. I have been through a lot of planes when I started just because they looked cool but were to fast or twitchy for my skill level. I should have started with the Explorer to begin with and my skills would be so much better now. It's like I now have the opportunity to re learn how to fly lol.

Did you build the TT from a Speed Build KIt? What power system are you using in it?

Have you looked at the Bronco yet? Because it is the same airframe as the Explorer but with the twin boom design. Actually it's does have a smaller faster wing so it will be a bit more advanced then the Explorer as far as skill level. I would say build the Explorer airframe and wing, and if you want the twin boom design add that to the wing you already have, gives yo the best of both worlds.

Since you have the TT built and you are into the gliding thing, try chuck gliding it, throw it off a hill into the wind and test its balance. once you do that a dozen times set it up for powered flight with all the control surfaces working and plugged in with the battery, but no prop. Chuck glide it again but try to control its flight in the glide. Once you see results there, install the prop and try powered flight. This progression will help you understand the planes characteristics and your piloting progression as well. If you find that you are having trouble get back on the forums here and ask any questions you like, anyone will be more the willing to help you out.

Good luck my friend

P.S. I am so jealous of your proximity to Edgewater, I so want to check it out sometime

Everything you said is so true! Since you have the tt, do what @BATTLEAXE said - toss it off a hill while controlling it as a glider. As for the explorer, I’d start off with the 3 channel set up, and when you’re good with that, do the sport wing, then do a bronco. One thing I did to my explorer nose was take cardboard from a cereal box and wrap it around the nose from the bottom is the “windshield” to the end of the nose piece. Do two layers of cardboard. This gives a tremendous gain in durability, and I’ve crashed my explorer with something that would normally crumple the nose, but The cardboard protected it so well I could barely tell I had crashed! And since you live so close to edgewater, you could just take your tt or explorer and I’m sure there is someone there who would take it up, get it trimmed, and get it “3 mistakes high” before passing the controls to you. Then they would instruct you and even land! This would be the best option I think because I couldn’t figure out the flying thing until someone helped me. Good luck and have fun!

 

[The Hangar]

See the F Pack twin would just take the Mini Guinea or the Mini Cruiser to the next level, would be no problem to achieve vertical and loops. So much fun to be had. Even on the standard size planes I am seeing more and more people taking airframes that recommend the B pack or the B pack twin are mostly running the C packs respectively. Getting a lot more out of the planes is the goal.

What are you flying today?

That would be awesome! I usually fly most my standard planes off the c pack (explorer ft-22, spitfire, simple cub, edge, and sometimes my scout) I always fly my old speedster (c pack when I fly on 2s) and will fly my simple soarer on my b-pack. I’m away from my planes for a couple days so I won’t be flying today😞

 

[alan0043]

Hi Everyone,

A little update on my tiny trainer. I did use a speed build kit. This is how old my tiny trainer is because it is the white foam board. I also used minwax on the paper and then painted it. I like the idea about using the plane as a glider to check things out. The nice thing is that I have a hill in my front yard for the test. Tomorrow night is training night at Edgewater air park. I plan to make a road trip to the park.

Now an update on the twin boom Explorer. I have the pods glued together and the tail section is done. Now I need to come up with a nose for the plane. The main wing is all cut out and ready for glue. The spars are also done. I hope to glue up the wing today. The big challenge is going to be is to glue the tail section and booms to the main wing.

More updates later,
Al

 

[The Hangar]

Hi Everyone,

A little update on my tiny trainer. I did use a speed build kit. This is how old my tiny trainer is because it is the white foam board. I also used minwax on the paper and then painted it. I like the idea about using the plane as a glider to check things out. The nice thing is that I have a hill in my front yard for the test. Tomorrow night is training night at Edgewater air park. I plan to make a road trip to the park.

Now an update on the twin boom Explorer. I have the pods glued together and the tail section is done. Now I need to come up with a nose for the plane. The main wing is all cut out and ready for glue. The spars are also done. I hope to glue up the wing today. The big challenge is going to be is to glue the tail section and booms to the main wing.

More updates later,
Al

Do you have a pic?

 

[alan0043]

Do you have a pic?

No not yet. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow of the tiny trainer. Wish me luck with posting a pic. Never done it before.

Al

 

[The Hangar]

No not yet. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow of the tiny trainer. Wish me luck with posting a pic. Never done it before.

Al

Cool - it’s not that hard!

 

[BATTLEAXE]

No not yet. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow of the tiny trainer. Wish me luck with posting a pic. Never done it before.

Al

Its easy, use the "attach files" icon before you post. You can thumbnail or full the pic

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Cool - it’s not that hard!

Hows it goin bud

 

[The Hangar]

Hows it goin bud

Great - I’ll be flying tomorrow for sure. Maybe if my esc’s arrive I’ll take my cub up and practice take offs and landings and touch and go’s. If not I’ll be stuck with the champ another day😂. I might start on the viggen and ft-22 if I get time too. What about you?

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Great - I’ll be flying tomorrow for sure. Maybe if my esc’s arrive I’ll take my cub up and practice take offs and landings and touch and go’s. If not I’ll be stuck with the champ another day😂. I might start on the viggen and ft-22 if I get time too. What about you?

Had a rough day of flying yesterday lol. Like @Headbang i tried to take advantage of the nice weather a couple times, and once in the wind mid afternoon. 3 planes down. Makes room to build more i guess.

Headbang is cutting out my Viggen on the MBCNC for me so not sure when ill get to it. It will be a pusher prop version i am thinkin