Help! Ideal weight deviation range for FT Scratch Builds to get similar performance.

[TheOldMonk]

My scratch build FT Simple Scout AUW is 603 grams with 1300 mAh and 665 grams with 1800 mAh - that is 12% & 24% respectively more than what is mentioned on plans i.e. 535 grams.

What is the weight deviation range that can be taken in Flitetest scratch builds to get similar Flight performance as website/videos mention.

I want this Scout to be my very first plane.

 

[Mr NCT]

The 1300 mAh will give you plenty of flying time and that weight difference will have little effect on the flight performance. You'll like the scout, just watch for it wanting to pull left on launch.

 

[TheOldMonk]

Thanks . These details help for the Scout.
For planes in general, what can be the acceptable deviation % from the weight recommended in FT plans to get similar performance in terms of glide, float, control and speed.

 

[Foamforce]

There’s not a specific tipping point where the performance suddenly drops off. It’s a near-linear decrease in performance. That said, if your plane is over the recommended weight by 10%, you probably won’t notice much difference. Up to 50% overweight is still flyable for a somewhat experienced pilot, but less enjoyable.

 

[Piotrsko]

A 20% increase in flying weight is probably the maximum you should consider. After that you are now in the test pilot classification that will tend to be fatal to the plane very shortly. See the second line of my signature

 

[Merv]

...What is the weight deviation range that can be taken in Flitetest scratch builds to get similar Flight performance...

I agree with the others, 10-20% more weight is flyable.

Weight is important but there are likely a hundred other things that have to be right to get "similar flight performance".
All of us crashed a lot while learning to fly. Remember the FT moto: Build, Fly, Crash, Repeat

 

[dylanbeaudette]

We fly our Scout with a 2200mAh 3S battery and it absolutely soars. One of our favorite planes.

 

[TheOldMonk]

I agree with the others, 10-20% more weight is flyable.

Weight is important but there are likely a hundred other things that have to be right to get "similar flight performance".
All of us crashed a lot while learning to fly. Remember the FT moto: Build, Fly, Crash, Repeat

I live by this motto - plus 'Frugal'.
Depron / Electronics quite costly in India for now. So, a lot depends on building cheap and flying less-crash (obviously can't aim for crashless ).

 

[Merv]

I live by this motto - plus 'Frugal'.
Depron / Electronics quite costly in India...

You sound just like me, I also like cheep planes. You know, planes made from ordinary cardboard boxes, the stuff your Amazon order comes in, will fly just as well as a foamboard plane. FT even made a video or 2 about cardboard. They won't look quite as good but they fly just as well. You might consider cardboard for prototyping & learning. Save the expensive, good looking stuff for later.

If tomorrow they quit making foamboard in the USA, I'd start using cardboard.