[Eye Can Fly]

As I'm done seeding and the wind finally died down it was time to try this plane again with adjusted CG. It appears that I'm still a wee bit tail heavy. On a 45 degree up line (just over 1/2 throttle) roll it over inverted and she maintains the line hands off. However when speeds are slow the tail drops down. It also gets super twitchy at lower speeds.

The engine is super quiet on the cans, but spinning a 28X10 much over 3/4 throttle rips the prop. Was a bit surprised to have the telemetry tell me it would do 107 mph in level flight. Vertical up lines can be done at 1/2 throttle. But landing speed, even at sub 1000 rpm is quick, too quick.

I will pull the batteries forward and get her a wee bit nose heavy. If I ever buy another Pilot ARF I am going to make a couple alterations to the LG block. 1/16" plywood laminated a little and not much glue isn't a good thing for a horse pasture flyer.....

[Sandy]

My take Brent, and I'm likely wrong, is the CG is OK. Dropping the tail at low speeds seems to be a trademark of SBacs. Let it settle it's tail and that should slow the landing down - 1000 is not much.

for the twitch, play with the throws and expo.. Six others will now chime in with nine answers, so listen to JoeT, he has good ideas.

[Eye Can Fly]

The 50cc I had was set up a hair nose heavy. Other than needing a hair of down elevator inverted it didn't have any bad habits. Flew KE both ways without requiring any mixes.....

Yes dialing in the rates is a must. I used the manual rates which appear to be for several planes. Plan was to use 3 rates switches for the maiden and change over to flight modes when she's dialed in! Old habit.

[Eye Can Fly]

Just remembered another truism. "If you lack talent, it never hurts to be lucky"!!!! (speaking of me)

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by Eye Can Fly

The 50cc I had was set up a hair nose heavy. Other than needing a hair of down elevator inverted it didn't have any bad habits. Flew KE both ways without requiring any mixes.....

Yes dialing in the rates is a must. I used the manual rates which appear to be for several planes. Plan was to use 3 rates switches for the maiden and change over to flight modes when she's dialed in! Old habit.

I have NO hair, NADA, so references to "hair nose heavy" or "hair of down" mean nothing to me LOLOLOLOL

[Eye Can Fly]

She was heavy in the rear! Am super happy with the CG now. The rates (not adjusted) are manageable now, even the crosswind landing was a breeze! Landed like the 50CC one I had did, not even having to think about it.

Lower the rate for high elevator and dumb up the rudder a bit and I can move on to the next stage of dating!!! Goldsmithing. When I'm happy with the physical set-up then I'll program flight modes for her.

[Eye Can Fly]

Still need to dumb down the elevator a bit, or soften up the stick (expo). She is starting to fly like an IMAC plane (to the best of my knowledge).

Did notice a tendency though, seem that my mid-wing plane roll cleaner against the rotation of the prop. Airspeed or roll rate (co-ordinated roll using aileron/rudder/elevator) doesn't seem to help or hinder. Any ideas about what I'm doing wrong?

Ha, celebrating our 34th Anniversary today and finally admitting I'm doing something wrong!

[Eye Can Fly]

Does anyone make a sub-150cc kit any more. Found a weak spot Pilot overlooked..... no more ARFs.

[Sandy]

Besides landing gear mount, what's the weak spot Brent??

[Eye Can Fly]

That's the spot Sandy. 2 pieces of 1/16 (dry) ply laminated together...... for a 30lb plane!!! Have never landed it hard, never a bounce and the gear collapses taxiing. There wasn't any damage other than the gear mount, I have the re-design a bit more than 1/2 done. (Flew it at 0900 this morning)

Has anyone else noticed the price of ARFs has doubled in the last year to year-and-a-half and the wood quality is getting worse?

PS When there is a tunnel the design should really be fixed. IMO