Willy Nillies
Elite member
Wow! That is Beautiful Jon! Great job!
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
Willy Nilles "Jr. Skylark 250" Beta Kit Build and Flight
- Thread starter TooJung2Die
- Start date
I wish I could build so neat. It looks great! One suggestion though, have you tried plunge moulding instead of pulling the plastic?
http://www.ffscale.co.uk/page4f.htm
Found this page online, seems useful
http://www.ffscale.co.uk/page4f.htm
Found this page online, seems useful
TooJung2Die
Master member
Nope, this is the one and only canopy I have ever made. I could try that method when I need to make another. Thanks.
TooJung2Die
Master member
Thank you, Jonathan! The graphics are self-stick vinyl made on a Cricut. If you can steal it from the Web you can cut it out on a Cricut. 🙈
TooJung2Die
Master member
Thanks, Chris! I'll post some video as soon as I get it edited down to something watchable. That means ...
She Flies!
I took her out yesterday for the maiden flight. Windy, wet and cold but I couldn't wait to fly her. As I suspected, she's sensitive to control input even with low throws and a ton of expo thrown in. It's right at the upper limit of my piloting skill level. A better pilot would really be able to make this airplane dance. I was happy to get it back down in one piece. 😁 I got some snap shots from the field.
Two times the fun, Willy Nillies Jr. Skylark 250 and Eaglet 250.
When landing on grass the Eaglet always flips over. So far the Skylark has landed on it's feet every time!
Jon
Last edited:
BATTLEAXE
Legendary member
How do you like flying the high wing? Which model is it? Is it 3 channel?
TooJung2Die
Master member
It's the "Eaglet 250", another great flying Willy Nillies airplane. It's four channel with ailerons like the Skylark. Check it out:
Willy Nillies "Eaglet 250" Beta Kit Build and Flight
Last edited:
TooJung2Die
Master member
Maiden Flight
The conditions were terrible but I couldn't wait to get her in the air, if only for a couple of minutes. This will have to do for now until I can record some better video of her flying. I flew her high so it's probably best viewed full screen.
Jon
The conditions were terrible but I couldn't wait to get her in the air, if only for a couple of minutes. This will have to do for now until I can record some better video of her flying. I flew her high so it's probably best viewed full screen.
Jon
Michael9865
Elite member
Congratulations!
speedbirdted
Legendary member
Elevator rate seems like more than enough 
Good flight!
Good flight!
TooJung2Die
Master member
That's for sure! Those are the kind of things you discover on the maiden flight. That first loop surprised me. The roll immediately following that was totally unintended and unexpected. 😲 I'll have her dialed in how I like it pretty quick. I know everyone rolls their eyes every time they hear it but after four flights I haven't touched the trim yet. 👍Elevator rate seems like more than enough
Last edited:
TooJung2Die
Master member
OUCH! 😖
The damage is remarkably minor considering the steep angle at which it hit. Right after I connected the battery the ESC played its reset tones a second time. Bad battery connection so I re-connected the battery. After a several minutes into the flight I had no throttle. I thought the battery was low. Then I noticed I had no stick control either! 😲 All I could do was watch helplessly as she glided on her own for a bit then 1/4 rolled and hit.
The crash was caused by a bad battery to ESC connection; one of those red JST connectors you put together by crimping the pins on the wire. I chopped it off and soldered on a new manufactured connector. After repairing the nose the crack was visible so I covered it up with some white trim like a bandaid.
You'd never know she took a hit. She's flown a few times since the accident. Moral: if something doesn't seem right don't fly until you figure out the trouble and it's fixed.
Jon
The damage is remarkably minor considering the steep angle at which it hit. Right after I connected the battery the ESC played its reset tones a second time. Bad battery connection so I re-connected the battery. After a several minutes into the flight I had no throttle. I thought the battery was low. Then I noticed I had no stick control either! 😲 All I could do was watch helplessly as she glided on her own for a bit then 1/4 rolled and hit.
The crash was caused by a bad battery to ESC connection; one of those red JST connectors you put together by crimping the pins on the wire. I chopped it off and soldered on a new manufactured connector. After repairing the nose the crack was visible so I covered it up with some white trim like a bandaid.
You'd never know she took a hit. She's flown a few times since the accident. Moral: if something doesn't seem right don't fly until you figure out the trouble and it's fixed.
Jon
Last edited:
Willy Nillies
Elite member
Looks great Jon! These are pretty tough little planes as you found out.
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
Sincerely,
Doug and Becky
WillyNillies.com
TooJung2Die
Master member
Thanks! You're the second person to call it the "swoosh"! Any resemblance to Nike is completely unintentional. 😁I love the new "swoosh" on the nose too!
No doubt! I was very surprised at how little damage there was, especially after what the wing suffered. I think making leading edge solid with no holes was a big reason it absorbed the hit without breaking. It also proves the shear webs are not necessary.
The Jr. Skylark is slightly lighter than the Eaglet, just a little under 7 ounces. I think because light weight airplanes have less inertia they get less damage in a crash.
Jon
For sure - I keep thinking of an interview I read ages ago with Pat Trittle where he talked about the difference between building to crash vs building to fly. The lighter it is, the less energy it has arriving at the crash site, and the slower it can fly generally reducing the crash speed too.
Sadly, building to fly has a bad influence on resisting hanger rash from fumble fingers... (ask me how I know...
)
TooJung2Die
Master member
Ain't that the truth?! My airplanes have suffered more frequent damage from clumsy handling and transporting to and from the airfield than taking off and landing.Sadly, building to fly has a bad influence on resisting hanger rash from fumble fingers... (ask me how I know...
Similar threads
