FT Mini Scout Newbie Challenge

JennyC6

Elite member
I’d love to see a video of that too.

@JennyC6 you make it sound so easy I am tempted to jump there...
Do it! Great fun, and FT's special foamboard with a layer of Rustoleum paint is no more susceptible to the schmoo than balsa and ply!


The hard part is weight. These engines are just shy of 60 grams a piece(Say an even 60 with a prop on). They will require some special attention to balance. You do drop most of your battery weight...you'll still need something but a small little 800mAh 2s LiFE pack weighs bugger all and runs 9g and 5g servos like a champ...but you gain that right back again when you fill 'er up full of fuel. And mounting the fuel tank right on CG is a really good idea in planes this small because otherwise the weight of the fuel burning off would take a beautiful flying plane and render it almost unflyable. I did mount my Spear's tank right on CG and I'll be doing the same in every Mighty Mini I build.

I think the larger planes will be a little more tolerant, though, so I may not be as picky about it on them.

They also need far more substantial wooden firewalls, as the vibrations from the engines would pull the screws right out of the foamboard itself no matter what you did. On my Spear I have a piece of wood on both sides of the firewall and it holds the engines nicely.

As for power...adequate, I'd say. A reedy like mine will pull somewhere around 45 watts at the prop on 15% nitro, probably about 55 on 24%(What I'm running). You won't set any speed records with them but they will fly a foamboard plane reasonably well.

Got a vid of today's ground run here. Nothing stands between me and maidening the Spear except the weather, and that's looking...tolerable. Overcast, mid 50s, 5mph northerly wind, just like today. Not ideal, but doable.
 
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Arcfyre

Elite member
OK, I fixed my video upload. I did some research and apparently youtube doesn't like the .AVI file format, which my tiny little keychain camera uses as a native format. By converting the file to a .MP4 before uploading, the video and audio remained synced and nothing was sped up.
 
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buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Ladies and Gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure:

Sorry for the poor quality, the camera is tiny and nowhere near the resolution of the GoPro. (Turn your sound down or off)

That was wonderful! The video quality was fine. You stuck a camera on a Mini Scout for a challenge where weight is a definite issue. Cahonas, they call them. You got 'em!

A couple times there, I wasn't really sure if your bird was going to become a bird house, or take a bird bath. It was a great video, and an excellent third entry.

Soooo. Dun. Dun. Dunnnnnn! What's the verdict? You had an onboard camera timer, but we've got to use the youtube timer to keep it the same for everyone. I've got launch at about 0:06 and a beautiful landing at about 8:29. So total official flight time of




:ROFLMAO:





eight minutes and twenty-three seconds! We have a new leader! Holy cow! You did that in the cold with an onboard camera. "Impressive. Most impressive. *mechanical breathing sound*"

Updated LeaderBoard!!

MiniScoutChallengeLB-9.jpg

Congratulations Arcfyre! You bashed the previous best time by nearly a minute! There is no way I am going to come close to that. Cool thing is, I don't care. That's not what this challenge is about.

You were out in the freezing cold, at nearly the crack-of-dawn, flying over ice and snow with a bird that was never intended to do any of that, with the added weight of an onboard camera. AND you flew the darn thing for over eight minutes! Thank you. THAT's why we are here. (y)
 

mayan

Legendary member
@JennyC6 that is going on my list of need to achieve. Thanks.

@Arcfyre again can’t stress how awesome you fly and how much you challenge yourself. That inspires me every time.

@buzzbomb thank you! Why? Well for a long time now I wake up in the morning, go on the forum and leave with it with a huge smile on my face reading your post replies :). They are always on spot, funny and get me thinking about what else. Thanks a million for that.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
@buzzbomb I hope the unofficial challenge can be drawn out a little in time as it appears as if I sprained or broke my wrist today acting stupidly.

I forgot that I was 62 and my natural, (Militant), reactions got me involved in a bit of a fight! It is so bad that I cannot drive a Tx and cutting FB is almost impossible accurately, SORRY!

When I am able I will definitely continue.

Have fun!
 

FastCrash45

Elite member
@buzzbomb I hope the unofficial challenge can be drawn out a little in time as it appears as if I sprained or broke my wrist today acting stupidly.

I forgot that I was 62 and my natural, (Militant), reactions got me involved in a bit of a fight! It is so bad that I cannot drive a Tx and cutting FB is almost impossible accurately, SORRY!

When I am able I will definitely continue.

Have fun!
Hope you heal quickly. Been there and done that myself. NOT fun but better times are ahead and you'll forget about it once you're airborne!!
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
@buzzbomb I hope the unofficial challenge can be drawn out a little in time as it appears as if I sprained or broke my wrist today acting stupidly.

I forgot that I was 62 and my natural, (Militant), reactions got me involved in a bit of a fight! It is so bad that I cannot drive a Tx and cutting FB is almost impossible accurately, SORRY!

When I am able I will definitely continue.

Have fun!
You got in a fight. Hai-Lee, somehow that doesn't surprise me! :love: I am sorry to hear about your wrist, though. No worries, there is no time limit on this Challenge. :)
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I got the Mini Scout Speedbuild kit yesterday. I was finally able to compare the FT Powerpod to the ones I built. Laying the SpeedBuild part on the plan, it matched up perfectly. Comparing the built PowerPods, they matched up perfectly. The PowerPod is not the problem. Damage and my repairs seem to be.

So. One flight left for the Challenge, and a SpeedBuild kit waiting for glue. It wasn't how I wanted to finish this, but there you are. Complete rebuild, and the Maiden flight will be my final entry into the Challenge!

Oh Shoot! I'm feeling all WooHoo!!! Goosebumps and everything. Crash or burn, as mayan has said, "It'll be exciting!"
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Update on my belated build! Fuselage cut out and have materials for the wings so am good to go.

I will be weighing the bare fuselage before i commence so that I can see if my lightening of the ship makes any real impact on such a small bird!

Have fun!
As I see it you have two options, my militant mate. You can just build and fly it, or else you've got to pull off some amazing stuff. Eight minutes plus is the current time to beat. He did it in the cold and with a cam on the plane. I know nothing (look at my avatar. It says that! Whoots!)

What I'm thinking is at this point in the challenge, a gram or two lighter in the frame won't make a whole lot of difference. To beat that time, it'll come down to matching math with weather. Battery size. Esc. Motor. Prop. Ambient temperature. All designed and put together to give maximum flight time.

Plus the flying style. Arcfyre was all go steady, go left. Intents and purposes he was flying an endurance Nascar race if such a thing existed. He pulled it off beautifully.

Arcfyre has set the bar pretty high. Me, I just want my bird to compete! I don't think a lighter frame is the answer though. I think maybe that, if you can get the electronics right and fly really, really slow. That might win it. :)
 

basslord1124

Master member
Well did some work to the motor thrust angle and all I can say is whew! I should've just replaced the power pod altogether but I just reinforced it. It had had some nose first moments and it showed, foam was scrunched up. Hopefully the weather will improve so I can try it out.
 

FastCrash45

Elite member
Well did some work to the motor thrust angle and all I can say is whew! I should've just replaced the power pod altogether but I just reinforced it. It had had some nose first moments and it showed, foam was scrunched up. Hopefully the weather will improve so I can try it out.
I hear ya on the weather. It's been snowing, raining, and winds haven't been less than 20-25mph hour since my first, and so far, only flight!!
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I haven't forgotten the challenge! Just been building very slow! As per the new FB hinge I pasted about elsewhere I fitted the tail pieces to the remainder of the fuselage.

The weight of the FB pieces at the start was 91grams, (I use the heavy FB here), anyway the weight as in the photo below is 82 grams which includes the glue required to assemble it.

I was going to fit a new motor but then I needed to rob the 3.7 gram servos from the SpiTTT so I decided to rob the power pod complete as well. Oh well I must remember to order more servos!

The current bare shell,

I mini scout.JPG


More later after the Decks, sealing and paint job!

Have fun!