Help! New flyer needs help

[wccox11]

Do the flitetest Hi!5 test

All the controls checked out fine. Everything is operating like it should.

 

[FDS]

I would return this plane. It’s not going to teach you anything except how frustrating things can be when they don’t work at all.

 

[wccox11]

I would return this plane. It’s not going to teach you anything except how frustrating things can be when they don’t work at all.

I know in the future I will completely destroy an airplane, so I may just keep this thing and maybe swap out the electronics with something that works. Maybe it will become a good trainer plane for one of my grandkids. It has been a little frustrating trying to figure out what is wrong with it, but I kind of like the challenge.

 

[FDS]

For the price and build quality of those entry level planes its not really worth swapping the internals. They aren’t really designed to come apart too.

 

[wccox11]

For the price and build quality of those entry level planes its not really worth swapping the internals. They aren’t really designed to come apart too.

You have a good point. I still would like to see what a good exacto knife does to one.

 

[Ryan O.]

You have a good point. I still would like to see what a good exacto knife does to one.

Maybe also try to have a friend stand in the path of the plane recording slomo with no power for safety. After a few tries you might get good footage to see if something happens to the control surfaces.

 

[FDS]

You could use that Exacto knife to cut out a great foamboard trainer from plans for $10 then put a stabiliser in it.

 

[GremlinRC]

I'm pretty sure the gyro is the issue. I'd recommend you do as FDS says, build a foamboard trainer. I like the ft explorer as a great trainer model. To test the gyro. Hold the model level in your hands and roll it to the left sharply. The right aileron should go up. That would normally cause the right wing to go down and level the plane. It the opposite happens then you will know the gyro is the issue.

 

[wccox11]

I'm pretty sure the gyro is the issue. I'd recommend you do as FDS says, build a foamboard trainer. I like the ft explorer as a great trainer model. To test the gyro. Hold the model level in your hands and roll it to the left sharply. The right aileron should go up. That would normally cause the right wing to go down and level the plane. It the opposite happens then you will know the gyro is the issue.

I tried as you recommended, everything opposite happened, the gyro is not responding correctly. I think I will do as FDS says and build a foam board trainer. Thanks everyone for the excellent responses, this 71 year old appreciates the time taken for all of your replies.

 

[wccox11]

You could use that Exacto knife to cut out a great foamboard trainer from plans for $10 then put a stabiliser in it.

That is exactly what I am going to do. Thank you for your support.

 

[GremlinRC]

I tried as you recommended, everything opposite happened, the gyro is not responding correctly. I think I will do as FDS says and build a foam board trainer. Thanks everyone for the excellent responses, this 71 year old appreciates the time taken for all of your replies.

Almost certainly the cause is the gyro is installed upside down or back to front. Can you remove it and turn it over?. When you have it in correctly you should see;

• Roll Airframe left - Right aileron goes up
• Roll Airframe right - Left Aileron Goes up
• Pitch nose nown - Elevator goes up
• Pitch nose up - Elevator goes down
• Yaw nose left - Rudder moves right
• Yaw nose Right - Rudder moves left

Good luck with this and your future build.

 

[wccox11]

Almost certainly the cause is the gyro is installed upside down or back to front. Can you remove it and turn it over?. When you have it in correctly you should see;

• Roll Airframe left - Right aileron goes up
• Roll Airframe right - Left Aileron Goes up
• Pitch nose nown - Elevator goes up
• Pitch nose up - Elevator goes down
• Yaw nose left - Rudder moves right
• Yaw nose Right - Rudder moves left

Good luck with this and your future build.

That could very well be the problem. I will look into that. Don't know if there is an indicator on the gyro to which direction it should face, but I will investigate. Thank you for your support. This hobby is additive and I am going to enjoy this while I can.

 

[FDS]

I learnt a lot from my numerous failures. As much as from the successful flights.

 

[wccox11]

I learnt a lot from my numerous failures. As much as from the successful flights.

Spot on. I've crashed my Hobby Zone Sport Cub S so many times, but I learn something new each time I fly it. What a great hobby!

 

[FDS]

Yep, my Sport CubS has more tape than foam on it! That thing was lost a week outside, had its tail ripped off, two motors, cracked the nose, still flies. I am flying it in a big indoor gym at the end of the month. Both my kids have flown it too.
A few of my other plane vs ground/tree/rugby post experiments,

 

[wccox11]

Yep, my Sport CubS has more tape than foam on it! That thing was lost a week outside, had its tail ripped off, two motors, cracked the nose, still flies. I am flying it in a big indoor gym at the end of the month. Both my kids have flown it too.
A few of my other plane vs ground/tree/rugby post experiments,
View attachment 159880 View attachment 159881

Now I would enjoy trying to repair damage like that. Keeps my fingers flexable. Packing tape is greatest repairman. I have had to tape the nose on the Sport Cub S already. Nose dive into ground while trying to fly with gyro off.

 

[FDS]

Both those were ready to fly again in less than 1hour. I love how easy to repair FT designs are.