FT Mini Arrow 05/12/2019

KJ4DCE

New member
Y'all are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge.

I'm planning to fly my Arrow this afternoon after work, weather permitting. There is a chance of showers in the area today, but I really want to get the Arrow back in the air after applying the knowledge I've learned from y'all.

The drops of glue on the CG points works great. Thank you CarolineTyler.

I have the thrust angle set as level as I can tell. I added another skewer to secure the motor mount.

Glued and taped the upper wing.

Added a paint stick to the bottom along the center line.

Should be fun.
 

CarolineTyler

Legendary member
Y'all are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge.

I'm planning to fly my Arrow this afternoon after work, weather permitting. There is a chance of showers in the area today, but I really want to get the Arrow back in the air after applying the knowledge I've learned from y'all.

The drops of glue on the CG points works great. Thank you CarolineTyler.

I have the thrust angle set as level as I can tell. I added another skewer to secure the motor mount.

Glued and taped the upper wing.

Added a paint stick to the bottom along the center line.

Should be fun.
Best of luck and last tip, use lower throws for your first launch, wings tend to react to roll input strongly.
 

jross

Well-known member
Y'all are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
That knowledge comes from many crashes and repairs. Get at it! After 5 months of flying, I just burned off 3 batteries on my Arrow with no unplanned landings. A first for me.

That paint stick will be bomber. The tongue depressor is wimpier but still did the trick.
 

KJ4DCE

New member
The sun pops out as I'm driving home from work. Oh yeah, it's on like a neck bone. I get home charge my battery and check everything one more time. Good to go.

Test Flight #3: Hand launch the Arrow. It climbs out much smoother than last time. Still nose heavy but can trim it level. Nice and smooth. Doesn't seem to twitchy this time. Bank to the right.....oh no, looks like it is folding up. The side of the wings that was fine after the last flight came loose. No control as it noses in. The picture shows the result.

Looks like the paper pulled loose from the outside of the fuselage causing the wing to come loose.

I probably could fix it, but I'd rather start over and try to build another Arrow that is stronger.

I have learned a bunch and will make the next Arrow much better.
 

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Keno

Well-known member
OH yah been there, tape the wings bottom across the wing mating about the location of the CG points with fiber reinforced packing tape end to end. Also tape the tail area where the wings join, lateral to its tail. Don't use anymore tape in the tail area than needed as it can add to weight problem. The Arrow is one of the best fun flyers as far as I am concerned. I wish you success and happy flying.
 

slembcke

Member
Aurgh! I did the same thing last night, but it didn't tear all the way through. Threw it too hard to launch it (trying to save power in my nearly drained battery), rolled over and slammed into the ground nose first. -_- I have so many planes to finish and now fix by memorial day weekend...
 

jross

Well-known member
I did the same thing last night, but it didn't tear all the way through.
I used packing tape over my whole Arrow with fiber tape on the nose/fuselage and leading edge of wing. Probably took me 30 failed launches to get it in the air. It's been slammed into a garage, a fence, a few trees, an old pickup and the ground. That tape has made it tough as nails. I'd strongly recommend it, particularly for those taking their first steps in the hobby.
 

slembcke

Member
I used packing tape over my whole Arrow with fiber tape on the nose/fuselage and leading edge of wing. Probably took me 30 failed launches to get it in the air. It's been slammed into a garage, a fence, a few trees, an old pickup and the ground. That tape has made it tough as nails. I'd strongly recommend it, particularly for those taking their first steps in the hobby.

Mine is a little worse for wear because a waffled a lot about how I wanted to build it. I cut those access flaps for the nose, and then never used them. I also usually reinforce the leading edge with 1/8 inch poplar dowels or bamboo skewers and bidirectional fiber tape, but decided to skip it this time. -_-

The damage to mine is easy enough to fix, but I'm really tempted to make a new one with a bunch of mods anyway... hrm.
 

jross

Well-known member
I cut those access flaps for the nose, and then never used them.
I stuck my RX in one. Made way more room in that tiny fuselage. There was lots of length on the servo and ESC leads for it. Made it way easier to place my antennae too.

The mods/tape/whatever are necessary if you want these FT planes to last. I did something to my Arrow and Spear that seems to work well for reinforcement. I cross hatched the packing tape on the bottom. Followed the leading edge and applied alternating back and forth to each side. It weaves the tape where it meets. I was watching my physio tape my ankle and she did that. Said it added loads of strength to the tape job. Packing tape running in the right direction provides an amazing amount of rigidity on really weak spots like the tail on the Explorer. The nose on my Arrow is mush under the fiber packing tape but holds its form and strength. Same on my Explorer. I don't care much how my planes look. More concerned about how they fly. My body is covered in large scars and my planes are no different.
 

Keno

Well-known member
Don't know if this is something you are interested in. it offers more room for flight equipment. The template can be place on the bottom of the wing to cut your mounting tabs holes and to check fuselage fitting prior to installation. You can glue a standard swappable power pod firewall on the tail for motor mount (skewer stick holes down). Wrap fiber reinforced packing tape around the fuselage sides and firewall prior to fuselage installation. Anyway for what it is worth, Happy flying. Sorry I forgot to tell you that the hatch needs to be move back to allow you to mount the motor/
 

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