Getting into Foamies with my son

[Kendalf]

I have a couple of TTs nearly ready to maiden and also with an FSi6s too - hope we can have some similar success! Well done!

If I could do it over I would have jumped directly to a FrSky Taranis QX7 radio instead of the i6s, mainly because I would then be able to buddy box with an old Spektrum DX6i that I had from long ago. Flysky uses AETR for the channel order while Spektrum uses TAER, so even though I was able to solder together my own trainer cable I can't use these two radios together in buddy box.

The lack of trim switches is also a pain. I know that the i6s has the trim feature that sets trim by pushing the buttons on the back, but I haven't gotten it to work successfully yet, and it's hard to think about how to get it working when you're just trying to keep the plane in the air!

@KendalfMy son had that attitude until I got more stick time whilst he was at school then flew a full inverted pass over the field with a neat flick roll out. Silence...
Flying together is the best. I hand over to him with it high up and neutral, after trimming, then land it until we get our buddy boxing done. He flies our micro cub on his own now, but that has SAFE to self right etc.

Heh, can't wait to do that with the boy watching. Also can't wait for him to do that with me watching! Getting it up high and then letting him take the sticks was what we did (someone on this board called it "3 mistakes high"). He was a bit peeved at first; he wanted to do the whole throw the plane and get it up high by himself on his very first flight. But once he got on the sticks himself and did a few unintentional dives, he realized that altitude is life for a new pilot and he was okay.

You should be able to trim that out. Does it want to dive left only when you increase throttle or does it do it when you are flying level with no throttle inputs?

It dives left with level flight and even throttle. Next time we get the chance to fly, I'll see if the wing position was the culprit. Thanks!

 

[bracesport]

@Kendalf - I'll get back to you on the i6s - I bought it because it's cute and less complicated for my son to learn on. My bro in law has an i6x and I will try it tomorrow as the master and the i6s as the slave (hopefully it can work)! Otherwise, it seems to be OK with 4 mixes to play with. Yes, the trims are a bit naff but for my skills, I am far from trimming!

My main rig is a JR X378.

 

[Kendalf]

@bracesport Ah, two Flyskies should be fine buddy boxing. The size and simplicity of the i6S was what also appealed to me, and it would be fine if I was only going to own one or two planes. But now that I've discovered foam board planes I've got the bug bad and anticipate building a whole menagerie of planes!

 

[bracesport]

@Kendalf - I here you! I have three ready to fly at the moment and I just don't have enough gear! (TT bench test) I need some more motors and batteries for a start! I am going to make a TT with a V tail, so I'll see what I can achieve with the i6s with the mixing - otherwise, I'll use the JR!

 

[Headbang]

Even I, the guy who maidens planes for everyone! Sometimes has to ask for help with trims. Nothing wrong with getting the boy to click the trims while you fly.

Everyone else has set you on the right track. Only thing I have to say is wow! Nice flight! That landing gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling!

 

[Kendalf]

@KendalfI have three ready to fly at the moment and I just don't have enough gear! (TT bench test)

Wow, that's a big motor and folding prop you have on the TT! I'm surprised that it wasn't nose heavy when you did the CG test!

Everyone else has set you on the right track. Only thing I have to say is wow! Nice flight! That landing gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling!

Thanks! It's certainly been a very enthusiastic and supportive forum!

 

[buzzbomb]

Thanks! It's certainly been a very enthusiastic and supportive forum!

Yep. We LOVE this stuff!

 

[Kendalf]

We've learned a lot from our two Tiny Trainer builds. Some omissions in pre-flight checks cost us two flying days. For example, I forgot to tighten down the prop nut, and the nut flew off one second after launch. Spent 30 minutes looking for it in the grass before giving up. The next day we tried again and this time got the plane in the air, but it just wouldn't climb. Discovered after the third attempt that the tail assembly had come loose from the fuselage (not enough glue during assembly, I think). I believe we learn more from our mistakes than from when things are working well, so these mistakes were valuable. The nice thing about foam board planes is that mistakes are much less costly than manufactured planes!

Just to document our progress, I made the FT Mini Scout to participate in the FT Mini Scout Newbie Challenge. Here's the build and the completed plane.


And here's the post with my entry into the Mini Scout Newbie Challenge, along with the maiden flight video! The Mini Scout is now my favorite FT plane (out of a grand total of 2 that I've tried).

 

[mayan]

Beautiful!

 

[Kendalf]

It's raining this weekend so we can't fly, but this just means more time for building! I've been working on a new FT Sportster to see if we can handle a larger plane. I've also been learning about using and designing skins for these planes, which I prefer over painting or using colored tape.

Here's my attempt at a partial skin for the Sportster. I'm working on the wing today!

 

[FDS]

That looks great, the skins are really nice.
My stretched Sportster “Big Bertha” is a handful to fly, they look and feel very big after the TT and the minis. The low wing makes it much more responsive to the ailerons.
It’s raining here too, plus it will be for the next 5-7 days so looks like I am building as well.

 

[mayan]

@Kendalf wow that looks beautiful waiting to see the wings.

 

[buzzbomb]

It's raining this weekend so we can't fly, but this just means more time for building! I've been working on a new FT Sportster to see if we can handle a larger plane. I've also been learning about using and designing skins for these planes, which I prefer over painting or using colored tape.

Here's my attempt at a partial skin for the Sportster. I'm working on the wing today!
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Those look really good! What method are you using to affix the skins? Are you printing directly on sticky-back or using spray glue?

 

[Kendalf]

@buzzbomb Printing on normal copy paper (I think it's 20#paper) with a color laser and then using 3m Super-77 to glue it to the foam after I peel the normal paper off. It's a bit easier to cut the foam using the skin as a guide rather than the original plans, and then I overlay the plans on the opposite side to mark the score cuts, etc.

 

[Kendalf]

Just about done with my scratch-build FT Sportster. I still need to cut and bevel the ailerons. I made some very minor mods, such as using magnets to hold the battery cover instead of gluing down the front. I also prefer putting the elevator and rudder pushrods out on the side of the fuselage; seems easier to cut out a small slot for the servo horns rather than trying to make a slice for the push rods that is lined up straight. The park I fly at is all grass so I don't even try installing landing gear.

This was also my first attempt at designing and applying my own skin. I definitely need to try to print on larger paper to reduce the amount of tiling, esp. on the wings. Also, next time I have to use the matte side of the poster board so the color isn't off! Hopefully we will be able to maiden it this weekend!

 

[FDS]

That looks amazing! Well done on the skinning.

 

[Wildthing]

Very nice, well done

 

[Paracodespoder]

Good idea on the hatch, mine has delaminated and the hatch is now seperated from the fuse, probably because I had to use a different type of poster board (I had to use card stock instead of poster board, it’s more papery and tears easily ).
Looks great by the way !

 

[buzzbomb]

Just about done with my scratch-build FT Sportster. I still need to cut and bevel the ailerons. I made some very minor mods, such as using magnets to hold the battery cover instead of gluing down the front. I also prefer putting the elevator and rudder pushrods out on the side of the fuselage; seems easier to cut out a small slot for the servo horns rather than trying to make a slice for the push rods that is lined up straight. The park I fly at is all grass so I don't even try installing landing gear.

This was also my first attempt at designing and applying my own skin. I definitely need to try to print on larger paper to reduce the amount of tiling, esp. on the wings. Also, next time I have to use the matte side of the poster board so the color isn't off! Hopefully we will be able to maiden it this weekend!
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She's gorgeous, man. Hands down, that's a beautiful plane. I hope the maiden goes well!

 

[bracesport]

I'll second that - very nice build - I have not progressed from packing tape yet!

@Kendalf - don't give up on the i6s it functions really well and you can program mostly what you need! I had the pleasure of trying my brother inlaws i6 and it was much more difficult to program (even though it has more aeroplane/glider presets available). I do have a fancier JR x378 with all the bells and whistles, but we flew the TTs with the big old folding props just fine on the i6s!

I just finished my TT V tail glider (AUW 260g) and am waiting for the wind to drop to give her a whirl - no prop this time and a DLG style wing to hurl her skywards - hopefully, I can try some soaring too!