Help! FT Mini Scout will not fly

[Evanl]

I attended Flite Fest last weekend and built the Mini Scout and had a heck of a time getting it to fly successfully. I ended up having to reverse the engine mount to the flat side and brace the wings to ensure the dihedral angle of the wings. After I got home from Flite Fest I built a new Scout and really took my time making sure everything was absolutely perfect based on the build video. I just madined it and it did not go well, the same problem as my first version, it would launch and immediately bank to the left and crash down. What am I doing wrong and have others had similar issues out of the box? attached are images of how I have the power pod set and the wings

 

[CappyAmeric]

I attended Flite Fest last weekend and built the Mini Scout and had a heck of a time getting it to fly successfully. I ended up having to reverse the engine mount to the flat side and brace the wings to ensure the dihedral angle of the wings. After I got home from Flite Fest I built a new Scout and really took my time making sure everything was absolutely perfect based on the build video. I just madined it and it did not go well, the same problem as my first version, it would launch and immediately bank to the left and crash down. What am I doing wrong and have others had similar issues out of the box? attached are images of how I have the power pod set and the wings

It sure looks like your motor is canted to the LEFT. From the back of the plane looking forward (not upside down) your motor should be canted a few degrees to the RIGHT. Most propeller aircraft have a natural left turn tendency that can be counter acted by a right tilt of the motor.

When your motor is canted to the left, it not only exacerbates the left turn tendency, it magnifies it.

 

[Evanl]

So I followed the instructions for the power pod build - https://www.flitetest.com/articles/mighty-minis-power-pod-build and did exactly what Josh does in the video putting the sold side facing down -

If I flip the power pod over it seems to have the angle you are talking about from the back.

 

[Pieliker96]

So I followed the instructions for the power pod build - https://www.flitetest.com/articles/mighty-minis-power-pod-build and did exactly what Josh does in the video putting the sold side facing down -

If I flip the power pod over it seems to have the angle you are talking about from the back.

Having the power pod flipped like in your pic is the correct way. My brother built his Mini Scout as his first plane at FFE and the first thing we noticed was that the rudder was really anemic - steering inputs felt vague and weren't enough to counter the left-turning tendencies on takeoff. We solved this by lightly gluing then taping an extension to the rudder (you can use the existing kit here, as the scallops in the trailing edge are perfectly mirrored from where they were cut out of in the kit). After this modification, takeoffs became much easier to manage and the steering more responsive.

 

[MCNC]

If you used a template, the left side should be slightly longer and make sure you did not flip your foam piece before you cut the channels

 

[CappyAmeric]

The solid side of the power pod does go down as that is where you put your battery velcro - however, that will not affect flight either way - what WILL affect the way it flies is whether the motor is canted correctly or not.

For many propeller planes (Mini Scout included), you need to cant your motor to the RIGHT. If your power pod is built incorrectly, with the wrong thrust angle, you can put shims in between the motor and the firewall so it points to the right. Regardless how you do it, you need about 5 degrees to the RIGHT when looking from the back of the plan forward.

BTW, in the video you showed it looked like that power pod was built with solid facing down.

 

[Evanl]

If you used a template, the left side should be slightly longer and make sure you did not flip your foam piece before you cut the channels

View attachment 204002

Interesting something must have changed with the speed build kit then as both sets I got at Flite Fest the right side is longer

 

[MCNC]

Good information, I would take that to ft customer service and in the mean time build yourself a new power pod like the one in the picture

 

[cbf123]

The plans are at http://plans.flitetest.com.s3.amazonaws.com/FT_Mini_Scout_v1.1_Full-Size.pdf and you can see on page 10 that it's supposed to point to the right somewhat.

 

[Mike erwin]

Having the power pod flipped like in your pic is the correct way. My brother built his Mini Scout as his first plane at FFE and the first thing we noticed was that the rudder was really anemic - steering inputs felt vague and weren't enough to counter the left-turning tendencies on takeoff. We solved this by lightly gluing then taping an extension to the rudder (you can use the existing kit here, as the scallops in the trailing edge are perfectly mirrored from where they were cut out of in the kit). After this modification, takeoffs became much easier to manage and the steering more responsive.

View attachment 203995

I tried this just today before seeing your post and it was a game changer for my plane from un flyable to perfect

 

[Matthewdupreez]

I tried this just today before seeing your post and it was a game changer for my plane from un flyable to perfect

Good to hear!! What do you think of the mini scout? Does it fly ?