*Unofficial* FT Edge

[Folgore88]

I just scratch built a 125% edge this week and maidened it today. Fantastic flyer. Wanted a nice 3D aerobat that was easy to haul, as my 78” Extra 330 is a pain to get to the field. This is going to be a fun plane. I had the same issue with the hatch being taller than the cowl rear former. I figured there was some sort of issue in the scaling, but I did cut the scaled plans accurately. No biggie, I added a “hood ornament” to help cover the step up, lol. I wanted to make sure it flew well before I doll it up a little, but I’m not going nuts on the finish. It currently is just polyu’d to help the dtfb with moisture. View attachment 178192 View attachment 178193

Hi, I have just finished cutting the depron, and am starting to glue the parts of my 120%. Edge. Can you tell me what motor, propeller and battery you used or suggest me other better ?

 

[eness76]

This is the exact motor / prop setup I used, and I used a freewing 60A esc as well. I used a 4s 4000mah battery, and I also use 3600mah in it as well. Lots of power for 3D, great flight times. I experimented with some APC props, but none outperformed this package for me.
https://www.motionrc.com/products/flightlinerc-la-7-sport-power-set

 

[Folgore88]

I have just purchased,
thank you

 

[Folgore88]

Hello everyone, I'm continuing the construction of my Edge. I'm a little slow because I made several reinforcements for the engine, maybe too much but the engine I'm installing seems to have a lot of power. Soon I will send some pictures but now I have a question: Can you give me some advice what I should do with the Thrust Angle ?

 

[BlockerAviation]

Hello everyone, I'm continuing the construction of my Edge. I'm a little slow because I made several reinforcements for the engine, maybe too much but the engine I'm installing seems to have a lot of power. Soon I will send some pictures but now I have a question: Can you give me some advice what I should do with the Thrust Angle ?

I wouldn't worry about it too much, just have a few degrees of down and right and you'll be fine. If you haven't glued on the cowel yet, I would try assembling it off the airplane and attach it with screws making it removable in case you need to get to the motor or firewall. I did this on my edge and it's really helpful. All you need to do is create a step on the bottom for the cowel to rest on and a plywood plate on the inside for the screws to grip.

 

[Folgore88]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, just have a few degrees of down and right and you'll be fine. If you haven't glued on the cowel yet, I would try assembling it off the airplane and attach it with screws making it removable in case you need to get to the motor or firewall. I did this on my edge and it's really helpful. All you need to do is create a step on the bottom for the cowel to rest on and a plywood plate on the inside for the screws to grip. View attachment 200955 View attachment 200956 View attachment 200957

Here my work weighs only 70g but I want to lighten it a little more, thanks for the advice to make the cowel detachable, I will do it.

 

[Test Fly RC]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, just have a few degrees of down and right and you'll be fine. If you haven't glued on the cowel yet, I would try assembling it off the airplane and attach it with screws making it removable in case you need to get to the motor or firewall. I did this on my edge and it's really helpful. All you need to do is create a step on the bottom for the cowel to rest on and a plywood plate on the inside for the screws to grip. View attachment 200955 View attachment 200956 View attachment 200957

I would also suggest Putting a step under the motor pod for extra strength ( if you make the cowl removable or not)
In my experience without a step under the motor pod, that if you have a rough landing and hit the motor and or prop that the motor pod becomes kind of floppy which in turn makes the motor easy to move up and down. Which nobody likes

 

[BlockerAviation]

I would also suggest Putting a step under the motor pod for extra strength ( if you make the cowl removable or not)
In my experience without a step under the motor pod, that if you have a rough landing and hit the motor and or prop that the motor pod becomes kind of floppy which in turn makes the motor easy to move up and down. Which nobody likes
View attachment 200971 View attachment 200972

Way ahead of ya! I have two braces on the bottom and two on the top on the inside.

 

[Test Fly RC]

Way ahead of ya! I have two braces on the bottom and two on the top on the inside.

The more braces the better!
Adding more braces is a good idea!
Just make sure not to make it too heavy!

 

[Folgore88]

I have seen other posts about the step under the motor pod for extra strength probably not necessary in my case because the 3mm plywood is very strong. I can add steps the weight is irrelevant.What do you think of my work, is it too heavy and not necessary ? This is my second aircraft in Depron, so I have no experience with the strength of materials.

 

[BlockerAviation]

I have seen other posts about the step under the motor pod for extra strength probably not necessary in my case because the 3mm plywood is very strong. I can add steps the weight is irrelevant.What do you think of my work, is it too heavy and not necessary ? This is my second aircraft in Depron, so I have no experience with the strength of materials.

Seeing that your using depron, I'd say that your bracing is a necessity! depron is not the most forgiving material so when in doubt, I'd error on the side of overbuilt.

 

[Folgore88]

Thanks for that quote, that's what I thought too. I also want to make a reinforcement on the fuselage surface where the landing gear is installed (sandwich 2mm balsa on the both side of depron). Then I hope that everything is not a heavy as lead.

 

[eness76]

If/when I build another 125% edge I'm going to make the stab a doubled fold-over design, with a thin ply spar in the middle. I had mine break during the final quarter of a knife edge loop last fall. Luckily these planes weigh very little and it just flat spun into a soybean field and suffered very little damage beyond the broken stab. I simply added some skewer supports on the underside similiar to a BF109. I also separated the elevator halfs and now drive each half with a servo as I suspect the non driven side fluttered causing the failure. My edge needed about an ounce of tail weight with my chosen packs to feel the way I wanted, so a little extra tailweight with a doubled stab wouldn't hurt.

 

[Folgore88]

With the downsizing to 120% I immediately saw that the stab is very weak. My idea is to make a sandwich with 2mm balsa wood, with a thin carbon tube in the midle. Then reinforce the part where the stab is entering into the fuselage. I guess I will have to add weight in the tail as well. But I will keep you updated.

 

[Folgore88]

I have just finished the wings, I am glad with the result. I have reinforced the wings in the joint with more foam covered with cardboard. But I don't know if they are strong enough.