FT Mini Scout Newbie Challenge

[buzzbomb]

Everyone. To me it's not about winning the challenge. Winning it would definitely be cool and you've got bonafied bragging rights if you do it. You would be the ONE person who pulled it off and actually made it happen. Maybe the only person on the planet who did that. You might actually be the Planet-Wide record holder of the longest flight for the Mighty Mini Mini Scout. That's not just bragging-rights, that's historical.

But it's not about winning it, as cool as that would be. To me it's the fact that we are getting out there and flying! There are so many of us who can't due to the current weather. You all can still think, design and build! Now is the time. Now is the time for you to do that, and fly it when you can. Think it through. Make it happen. Fly it when your able. There's no time limit on the challenge. We just want to see you fly!

 

[FastCrash45]

I think I'll get in on the getting stupid challenge. Got some 1mm foam board and I'm making a mighty mini bloody wonder

 

[FastCrash45]

I think I'll get in on the getting stupid challenge. Got some 1mm foam board and I'm making a mighty mini bloody wonder

It's a 75% scratch build. From FT plans.

 

[buzzbomb]

I think I'll get in on the getting stupid challenge.

Heck, Yea! For the uninitiated, the Challenge @FastCrash45 is referring to is here:

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...id-with-the-tiny-trainer-the-challenge.57560/

Briefly, it's about seeing who can do the craziest flying with an FT Tiny Trainer, however modified. It's sort of on hold as everyone is waiting for me to get another flying TT in the air. I'm working on that now, and it's going to be a whole lot of fun!

I'm glad you're joining FastCrash45! We're going to be seeing some stupid stuff done with (and to) a Tiny Trainer. It'll be a blast!

 

[Hai-Lee]

This morning I stuck my old GoPro on top of the bike helmet and set out to find out how long the battery would last. Sadly the new owner did not turn up and so I get another attempt next week but this may be a good thing as today was a little gusty and the mini scout was being tossed around a little when trying to fly too slow. So this attempt was at not quite full throttle.

I managed to get reasonable video but this time the file size is over 900Mb and without boobtube I cannot upload it here. I did take a launch and landing screenshot from the GoPro. Sadly I still hadn't reset the date/time stamp after running it flat but the take off time subtracted from the landing time gives the air/flying time.

Here are the clips taken from the GoPro video.

The launch, (It was almost immediately the victim of a midair - missed by about a metre)

The landing, (actually a few inches above the ground)

From the time stamps and doing the maths as in the previous post of mine the launch was at 09:47:45 and the landing was at 09:57:14 so the total air time this attempt was 9 minutes 29 seconds. Unfortunately the battery is about 18 months old and with a new battery it could easily get 10 minutes but this battery size is not one of my favorites so I will not be buying a new one for a year yet so it is what it is!

Looks like one more attempt unless the owner still does not front up at the field next time I am there!

Have fun!

 

[buzzbomb]

OK! Hai-Lee stepping up to the plate again! That is one seriously big propellor! I can't believe you flew that on that little plane and with an old battery, to boot. That's good stuff. That's outstanding. Nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds? Whatt??!!

Updated LeaderBoard!

Wow. Just Wow. To my knowledge, even though it is unofficial, Hai-Lee is now the current World Record holder for the longest flight time with an FT Mini Scout EVER! He may hold the record, but it has to be unofficial in this Challenge. To be the official holder, you must never have flown the Mini Scout before the Challenge, and upload video, so everyone can be timed by the YouTube video timer.

An amazing accomplishment, Hai-Lee! Congratulations! Everyone else? Pooh on you! Just kidding. May better weather come quickly to where you are at so you can fly. I seriously doubt I'm doing anywhere near nine and a half minutes. I'm darn sure going to throw it in the air and try! Sort of. OK. I really just want it fo fly!.

 

[Hai-Lee]

OK! Hai-Lee stepping up to the plate again! That is one seriously big propellor! I can't believe you flew that on that little plane and with an old battery, to boot. That's good stuff. That's outstanding. Nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds? Whatt??!!

Updated LeaderBoard!

View attachment 126579
Wow. Just Wow. To my knowledge, even though it is unofficial, Hai-Lee is now the current World Record holder for the longest flight time with an FT Mini Scout EVER! He may hold the record, but it has to be unofficial in this Challenge. To be the official holder, you must never have flown the Mini Scout before the Challenge, and upload video, so everyone can be timed by the YouTube video timer.

An amazing accomplishment, Hai-Lee! Congratulations! Everyone else? Pooh on you! Just kidding. May better weather come quickly to where you are at so you can fly. I seriously doubt I'm doing anywhere near nine and a half minutes. I'm darn sure going to throw it in the air and try! Sort of. OK. I really just want it fo fly!.

Just a little maths for those interested in squeezing flight times out of their builds. With the Approx 10 minutes and 800mA battery it means that I was aversging approximately 5A of current draw. 0.8A/Hr divided by 1/6 Hr equals 4.8 Amps. As my motor was only 1400kV and the battery voltage was 8.4V, my unloaded RPM would be just under 12000RPM. That is why I could turn the huge prop.

Because the prop was turning slowly the left turn due to motor power, (the "P" factor), was/is almost zero. Yet with the tail being blown with large volumes of slow(ish) speed air there was plenty of control response at all speeds as long as the motor had throttle applied! With the slow max speed the controls were/are more gentle and predictable!

As for the original "OFFICIAL" challenge I am sure that you, (@buzzbomb), should be able to scoot around the skies for around 4 to 5 minutes once you get used to the control responses!

Have fun!

 

[mayan]

When I tossed buzzbomb's challenge to the entire FT community I never have thought it would become what it has, and I am happy with what has become! I have been away lately due to some health related issues with myself and family members so I want to thank @buzzbomb and the rest of you for keeping the thread live and kicking.

Reading through all that I missed I also want to say great job to @Hai-Lee you really amaze me time after time. 9+ mins, 9" prop? What? How? That is crazy!!!! I assume that you had it setup as 4 channels?

I still have one go at this challenge and hope to give it a try again soon, just waiting on a 12A ESC to come in, because anything more than this will just mean more weight, more weight less flight time . I would also have to wait for a really calm day because I am flying it 3 channels, and the bird is so light any bit of wind makes it move around in the air, and that is hard to handle only with a rudder.

 

[FastCrash45]

Got the new 3rd and it's all ready to go!! Just have to wait until the flood waters recede. This gumbo mud stuff is dangetous to stand in. Its like slippery quuck sand. I have abandonef the thoughts of "PERFECT" wind speeds but I do need a safe place to stand. My final unofficial official flight should be in the next couple days. Maybe even with video!!

 

[FastCrash45]

Got the new 3rd and it's all ready to go!! Just have to wait until the flood waters recede. This gumbo mud stuff is dangetous to stand in. Its like slippery quuck sand. I have abandonef the thoughts of "PERFECT" wind speeds but I do need a safe place to stand. My final unofficial official flight should be in the next couple days. Maybe even with video!!

Should be new rx not 3rd. Stupid smartphone!!😁😎

 

[Hai-Lee]

When I tossed buzzbomb's challenge to the entire FT community I never have thought it would become what it has, and I am happy with what has become! I have been away lately due to some health related issues with myself and family members so I want to thank @buzzbomb and the rest of you for keeping the thread live and kicking.

Reading through all that I missed I also want to say great job to @Hai-Lee you really amaze me time after time. 9+ mins, 9" prop? What? How? That is crazy!!!! I assume that you had it setup as 4 channels?

I still have one go at this challenge and hope to give it a try again soon, just waiting on a 12A ESC to come in, because anything more than this will just mean more weight, more weight less flight time . I would also have to wait for a really calm day because I am flying it 3 channels, and the bird is so light any bit of wind makes it move around in the air, and that is hard to handle only with a rudder.

I kept it light and somewhat standard. The plane I am flying is 3 channel only and I used the 3.7 gram servos, (my favorites for smaller planes) and I did not use linkage stoppers but rather just the paperclips with the "U" bend for trimming.

I managed to find an old 1300mA 2S which I am trying to resurrect for a longer flight attempt next time out.

Have fun!

 

[buzzbomb]

Got the new 3rd and it's all ready to go!! Just have to wait until the flood waters recede. This gumbo mud stuff is dangetous to stand in. Its like slippery quuck sand. I have abandonef the thoughts of "PERFECT" wind speeds but I do need a safe place to stand. My final unofficial official flight should be in the next couple days. Maybe even with video!!

What. I don't see a problem. Foam floats.

Ha! That's scary stuff there, dude. I'm thinking it might be a bit before you can fly again. That's no prob. There's no time limit, and as an unofficial entry, you get as many tries as you like! Video? Did you say video. We LIKE video! That would be awesome.

That being said, once anyone has completed the official Challenge, you can then move to unofficial if you want to keep playing. I haven't flown the darn thing more than two seconds, and I'm having a blast! I see no reason we can't just keep on playing until we get tired of it, as unofficial entrants.

 

[sundown57]

Epic newbie goof. after reading this challenge I thought i would build one my self just to see how I would have faired had I entered the challenge. so yesterday I printed the plans. spent most all night cutting foam. then started assembling the tail. wow, 15 1/4 inches. that's a whole bigger then the SE5 I have been building, then I looked at the fuselage and wow that's huge. so after backtracking a bit, I find there is a mini scout and a simple scout lol oops, I printed the simple scout. so now my question is. i have the f pack power pod. and one think it will pull this behemoth around at all ?

 

[mayan]

Epic newbie goof. after reading this challenge I thought i would build one my self just to see how I would have faired had I entered the challenge. so yesterday I printed the plans. spent most all night cutting foam. then started assembling the tail. wow, 15 1/4 inches. that's a whole bigger then the SE5 I have been building, then I looked at the fuselage and wow that's huge. so after backtracking a bit, I find there is a mini scout and a simple scout lol oops, I printed the simple scout. so now my question is. i have the f pack power pod. and one think it will pull this behemoth around at all ?

LOL!!!! . You still owe us a video of it flying . I don't think the F pack motor will give it enough thrust to fly. The Simple Scout needs at least a B pack motor to fly.

 

[sundown57]

grrr. being a newbie is almost as bad as getting old. well at least for now i have a great wall hanger till i get the new motor. im too far into it to stop now .

 

[rockyboy]

grrr. being a newbie is almost as bad as getting old. well at least for now i have a great wall hanger till i get the new motor. im too far into it to stop now .

You'll love how it flies once you get the right sized motor for it - it's a lot easier to handle in the air than the mini

 

[sundown57]

well that some good news. I know every one said the se5 was not a great plane for a first-time flier. boy were they right. I build 5 and crashed 5 . I just got done spending 100 bucks on the f pack and batteries. I can't justify doing it again right now . Think ill just go print new planes. maybe even right ones this time.

 

[rockyboy]

well that some good news. I know every one said the se5 was not a great plane for a first-time flier. boy were they right. I build 5 and crashed 5 . I just got done spending 100 bucks on the f pack and batteries. I can't justify doing it again right now . Think ill just go print new planes. maybe even right ones this time.

If you are looking for an easy flier with F pack sized equipment, look into the Tiny Trainer and all the crazy variants that @Hai-Lee and @mayan and others have put together. It's a great flying plane, and with F motors can be quite sporty - especially the MUTTS variant

 

[sundown57]

ill check it out.. thanks for the tip

 

[mayan]

You'll love how it flies once you get the right sized motor for it - it's a lot easier to handle in the air than the mini

I second this, especially if you built the Mini Scout 3 channels, its harder to control the Simple Scout.
You have to ask @rockyboy how to make a Tiny Trainer fly backwards too.

But like rockyboy said the TT is probably the best first plane to go with.