FT Mini Scout Newbie Challenge

Arcfyre

Elite member
You're ahead of me as of right now, but I'm working to catch up.

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Edit: ready for electronics.

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This picture gives my mod away: ailerons!

Edit: Ready for maiden.

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buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Yesterday @buzzbomb put me to a challenge and I accepcted it. Whats the challenge? Well this was how he put it.


So let's put down the rules.
Who is this challenge for? Anyone. So long as they have never flown the FT Mini Scout before.


Who wins? The one with the longest flight time, from the maiden, in the first three flights. When compared to the lowest battery fly time in use by anyone of the participants.
How to qualify to win? To qualify you must share your journey with the rest of us. That includes photos of the build process the final model and anything you find the need to share. Even if it's just you grinning :). Most important you must post the maiden video from launch to landing, no edits just raw footage!
What's the prize? A huge thumbs up from all of us and a *@#! load of respect :).
Who are the judges? Any forum member who has flown the FT Mini Scout more than 3 times and is not participating in the challenge.
When is the winner announced? Every 3 months a poll will be posted for the judges to vote on. The votes will be collected over a period of 10 days after which a king or queen of the FT Mini Scout Newbie Challenge will be crowned (And we mean it). Every 3 months a new king or queen will be crowned.

Questions & Answers:
What electronics do you use? Use anything you wish. Remember your flight time is important.
Can I make modify the build? Yes you can. Dare! The whole challenge started out from that.
What do you mean by: "The one with the longest flight time, from the maiden, in the first three flights"? Best flight out of the first three maidens, you pick it. If it's a crash and burn right off the launch, or you've got to trim stuff out, or straighten a wing or whatever, you can do that. If you've got to take it home and work out some things, repair damage, or charge a battery and and then go back out another day? You can do that too.

Good luck and to all of those who decide to join the challenge. Have fun.
Mayan, there is really no need for a judge. When I issued the dare, it was because I believe flying the FT Mini Scout is beyond my current ability, but I was going to try to fly it anyway. Therefore, short flight-time expectation. I expect to crash the thing pretty quickly. The dare was for you to manage to keep the plane in the air longer than I do. We can get that from the timer on the YouTube video player. Time starts when the plane leaves hand or ground, depending on launch method.

I then invited another person, and then you invited the world. :) I realized where this challenge was heading, when I wrote the previous post about the rules. I've had more time to think about it.

Let's modify this thing a little bit. Let's get back to the roots for THIS challenge. Just people who have never flown the FT Mini Scout before, seeing who doesn't crash first. We still need pictures and video, but that's pretty much it. You've got three flights. Upload the longest. That's it.

Now the FT Mini Scout is not intended for super long flights, soaring around the sky, catching updrafts and all that. That makes it perfect for the challenge that will take years. Open that one to anyone and everyone who wants to take a shot at the longest flight with an FT Mini Scout. That challenge would have a rule concerning modification: It's still gotta be an FT Mini Scout. The plane must be built to plan.

We can experiment with motors, batteries, propellers, glues, even what the plane is built out of. We can cut control surfaces into it, remove panels, cut holes, whatever. So long as it remains an FT Mini Scout, it's good.

Whaddya think?
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
You're ahead of me as of right now, but I'm working to catch up.

View attachment 123008


Edit: ready for electronics.

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This picture gives my mod away: ailerons!

Edit: Ready for maiden.

View attachment 123018 View attachment 123019
Ha, ha ha!!! Yea, whatever, man! :p:LOL::ROFLMAO: The darn build is awesome and you did it in a day. Plus you made it four channel. Mayan, I think we might just be outclassed, here. :love:

I'm still working on mine. I will update my build thread later tonight.

Arcfyre, I want say "Kiss my a$$," but I can't. What you did just totally rocks. Thank you. I can't wait to see the Maiden video! :D
 

mayan

Legendary member
Mayan, there is really no need for a judge. When I issued the dare, it was because I believe flying the FT Mini Scout is beyond my current ability, but I was going to try to fly it anyway. Therefore, short flight-time expectation. I expect to crash the thing pretty quickly. The dare was for you to manage to keep the plane in the air longer than I do. We can get that from the timer on the YouTube video player. Time starts when the plane leaves hand or ground, depending on launch method.

I then invited another person, and then you invited the world. :) I realized where this challenge was heading, when I wrote the previous post about the rules. I've had more time to think about it.

Let's modify this thing a little bit. Let's get back to the roots for THIS challenge. Just people who have never flown the FT Mini Scout before, seeing who doesn't crash first. We still need pictures and video, but that's pretty much it. You've got three flights. Upload the longest. That's it.

Now the FT Mini Scout is not intended for super long flights, soaring around the sky, catching updrafts and all that. That makes it perfect for the challenge that will take years. Open that one to anyone and everyone who wants to take a shot at the longest flight with an FT Mini Scout. That challenge would have a rule concerning modification: It's still gotta be an FT Mini Scout. The plane must be built to plan.

We can experiment with motors, batteries, propellers, glues, even what the plane is built out of. We can cut control surfaces into it, remove panels, cut holes, whatever. So long as it remains an FT Mini Scout, it's good.

Whaddya think?
Alright so if everyone agrees with @buzzbomb like I do. Let’s removed the judges and just have a crowned king or queen based on video length. Honestly I don’t care if I win or not. I am here for the fun! :)
 

mayan

Legendary member
Ha, ha ha!!! Yea, whatever, man! :p:LOL::ROFLMAO: The darn build is awesome and you did it in a day. Plus you made it four channel. Mayan, I think we might just be outclassed, here. :love:

I'm still working on mine. I will update my build thread later tonight.

Arcfyre, I want say "Kiss my a$$," but I can't. What you did just totally rocks. Thank you. I can't wait to see the Maiden video! :D
Well I expected that the members here will give us something to work for.
@buzzbomb first I want you to know that I know that you will rock this challenge so be :cool:. Second and most importantly I want to say thank you for the great idea. Your dare to me became something amazing in which we are all actively building and feedbacking each other on the same model. I also want to say sorry as I feel like he dare you toss at me is not exactly what you had in mind. So I am stepping down and letting you put out the rules. :)
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Well I expected that the members here will give us something to work for.
@buzzbomb first I want you to know that I know that you will rock this challenge so be :cool:. Second and most importantly I want to say thank you for the great idea. Your dare to me became something amazing in which we are all actively building and feedbacking each other on the same model. I also want to say sorry as I feel like he dare you toss at me is not exactly what you had in mind. So I am stepping down and letting you put out the rules. :)
The rules never changed, I just think you misinterpreted the intent, then took it several steps farther. I didn't help when I saw a second challenge there, and took it even farther.

For THIS CHALLENGE the rules are simple.

The idea is that as noobs we are going to crash this bird. Let's see who can not crash the longest. We get three tries and they have to be the first three times we attempt to launch the plane. It requires video to back it up, and the timer at the bottom of the video player tells the story. We get to pick the longest 'flight' and that's the one we upload for the challenge. That's it. Longest in the air wins.
 

BorisTheSpider

Active member
I'm loving this idea! You guys are rocking it. The Mini Scout was the first plane I had much success with. Granted, I'd probably still lose against all of you. It was a blast though, and now I wish I had documented it. So...

Any chance anyone wants to try to take this dare to another model when this wraps up? I haven't built many, so I'd probably be able to participate next time.
 

mayan

Legendary member
Ok. I found a place to order the stoppers from and they are on the way. 25 of them. I'll run out, but not soon.

I'm trying to prepare for the FT MINI SCOUT NEWBIE CHALLENGE! though, so I didn't want to wait. I'm hoping I might get to fly on Monday. I wasn't happy with the idea of just trying to bend the wire with pliers. So I stole a stopper from my TT, Tora Tanshi. She's cool with it. She understands a challenge and she knows I'll replace it when my order comes in.

This is a COMPLETED FT Mini Scout, balancing on the CG points. Battery and everything except the prop. Ready to fly, Ya'll!! :D

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Le Goalot suggested I name her T.P. "Toilet Paper!" I said. He said no, She's "The Plow." In reference to his mimic of what Hai-Lee's helmet was made from. Thank you for all your help and encouragement, Hai-Lee. My plane is named after what your head was made from. :LOL::ROFLMAO::love:
I just realized I hadn't put marking tape on yet. That happens now.

I see that you are getting a head of yourself, nice work buddy. Nice work. :)
I am getting the pieces ready to be cut out and marked. Hope to build on Friday during my night shift.
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buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I'm loving this idea! You guys are rocking it. The Mini Scout was the first plane I had much success with. Granted, I'd probably still lose against all of you. It was a blast though, and now I wish I had documented it. So...

Any chance anyone wants to try to take this dare to another model when this wraps up? I haven't built many, so I'd probably be able to participate next time.
Mayan is always up for a dare! ;) I'm swapping stuff between planes and I'm sticking to the A-Pack for the time being. As much as I want to fly my FT Mini Scout, I want to build and fly the DR1 even more. Next challenge, longest of the first three flights with a DR1?

Had to edit. To participate in the DR1 challenge, you must never have built or flown it before. Oh shoot. Having made that edit, I made the challenge. Son of a gun. Shoot, Poop, and Frackin' A!

There you are ya'll. After this one? The DR1 if you dare! Muhahuaa!:devilish:
 
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FDS

Elite member
No speed build kit mini Scouts anywhere in Europe right now, 3mm Foamboard is more expensive than the kit. I haven’t even got materials. I think I am out of the challenge, I can’t afford over £30 for a scratch build! I can get the FT board but it’s more than the kit was, as postage on the sheets is lots.
I have maidened both the SE5A and DR1 this week as 3 ch. the DR1 is easier but both are very twitchy, you want rudder/elevator mixing and 30% expo to fly them smooth. Both like more thrust too, so run 3s.