Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Sunday, 27 August 2017
Flitetest X-57. Take 2.
...a long time between drinks
After a long hiatus the X-57 is back in the air and flying OK.
The issue I'd had initially with unbalanced thrust turned out to be only an over-tightened motor mount - backing off a couple of screws was all it took to get the slow motor spinning up to speed.
However, the wings still seem to be generating too much lift, with the X-57 soaring with even modest throttle settings and fairly wanting to loop with anything more than that.
In fact, I had to fly it with negative elevator trim just to try and get it flying level-ish. For my next try I'll use a heavier 4S 3000 to try and even things out a bit.
This may help it fly level and so help to eliminate the problem of the big disparity between power on and power off flight and allow it to glide properly with a bit of airspeed. At the moment when you cut the throttle it stalls which makes trying to land it, well trying...
After a long hiatus the X-57 is back in the air and flying OK.
The issue I'd had initially with unbalanced thrust turned out to be only an over-tightened motor mount - backing off a couple of screws was all it took to get the slow motor spinning up to speed.
However, the wings still seem to be generating too much lift, with the X-57 soaring with even modest throttle settings and fairly wanting to loop with anything more than that.
In fact, I had to fly it with negative elevator trim just to try and get it flying level-ish. For my next try I'll use a heavier 4S 3000 to try and even things out a bit.
This may help it fly level and so help to eliminate the problem of the big disparity between power on and power off flight and allow it to glide properly with a bit of airspeed. At the moment when you cut the throttle it stalls which makes trying to land it, well trying...
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
Avios Sea Fury. Unofficial Unboxing.
...my first retracts
The Sea Fury is the first Avios product I've sampled and it seems like a nice-quality kit - very neat EPO moulding, good paintwork and nice decal application.
The Sea Fury also features a neat magnetically-operated drop mechanism for the drop tanks - a rotating magnet attached to a servo which reacts with the magnets embedded in the drop tank mount. This is a very neat arrangement and which seems to work well in static mode at least.
The Sea Fury features dual split flaps, another first for me, and which looks to give a nice lift-boost for landing and perhaps take-off. And I'm thinking the Sea Fury is going to need it, with a take-off weight north of 2kg!
Another thing that concerns me a bit, although nothing specific to Avios, is whether the retracts will stand the test of time. Retracts in foam models seem to be a liability, and my runway is only sports-field grass. so we'll have to see...
The Sea Fury is the first Avios product I've sampled and it seems like a nice-quality kit - very neat EPO moulding, good paintwork and nice decal application.
The Sea Fury also features a neat magnetically-operated drop mechanism for the drop tanks - a rotating magnet attached to a servo which reacts with the magnets embedded in the drop tank mount. This is a very neat arrangement and which seems to work well in static mode at least.
The Sea Fury features dual split flaps, another first for me, and which looks to give a nice lift-boost for landing and perhaps take-off. And I'm thinking the Sea Fury is going to need it, with a take-off weight north of 2kg!
Another thing that concerns me a bit, although nothing specific to Avios, is whether the retracts will stand the test of time. Retracts in foam models seem to be a liability, and my runway is only sports-field grass. so we'll have to see...
Thursday, 29 June 2017
Radjet 800. First Flight.
...back better than ever
The arrival of the Radjet, my second and a replacement for the much loved and even more battered original, was much anticipated. The pretty original had been the subject of countless crashes as I struggled to learn the secret of getting it into the sky.
Along the way I learned about the delicate balance required with speedsters, and not to get the Radjet into flat spins form which it struggles to escape. I also learned, and relished in, the Radjet's capacity for rock-solid performance and high-speed stability.
My arrival of MkII caused some angst as nearly a year had elapsed since it's predecessor had retired after the incident with the sapling. Fortunately, and remarkably, my lessons learned were so entrenched that the pretty speedster launched and flew virtually perfectly.
Something that I never had the opportunity to appreciated before it was pummeled through launch training, was just was cleanly the Radjet flies, swift cruise at half throttle and effortless acceleration out of dives.
So, despite the nervous anticipation, the Radjet is back and reinforces my perception that this must be one of the best-value foam speedsters around...
The arrival of the Radjet, my second and a replacement for the much loved and even more battered original, was much anticipated. The pretty original had been the subject of countless crashes as I struggled to learn the secret of getting it into the sky.
Along the way I learned about the delicate balance required with speedsters, and not to get the Radjet into flat spins form which it struggles to escape. I also learned, and relished in, the Radjet's capacity for rock-solid performance and high-speed stability.
My arrival of MkII caused some angst as nearly a year had elapsed since it's predecessor had retired after the incident with the sapling. Fortunately, and remarkably, my lessons learned were so entrenched that the pretty speedster launched and flew virtually perfectly.
Something that I never had the opportunity to appreciated before it was pummeled through launch training, was just was cleanly the Radjet flies, swift cruise at half throttle and effortless acceleration out of dives.
So, despite the nervous anticipation, the Radjet is back and reinforces my perception that this must be one of the best-value foam speedsters around...
Saturday, 24 June 2017
Radjet 800 Unboxing
...what's in the box
The Radjet comes nicely poackaged - double-boxed with all items individually wrapped in plastic, so there's no damage.
The parts are nice-quality EPO, and the kit also includes an underside protector skid. The canopy is a loose moulded plastic part which needs to be attached to the base, which includes magnets for attachment.
This kit, the PNF, includes a pre-installed 1850kv motor, and a 20A speed controller, good for 100-120kph performance with a 4S battery.
All parts fit neatly together, with the tail & wings needing to be glued. Note that you'll have to add some sort of reinforcement to the wing joins, preferable some sort of spars or strips because the basic joint isn't going to cope with the wing loadings of this pretty speedster...
The Radjet comes nicely poackaged - double-boxed with all items individually wrapped in plastic, so there's no damage.
The parts are nice-quality EPO, and the kit also includes an underside protector skid. The canopy is a loose moulded plastic part which needs to be attached to the base, which includes magnets for attachment.
This kit, the PNF, includes a pre-installed 1850kv motor, and a 20A speed controller, good for 100-120kph performance with a 4S battery.
All parts fit neatly together, with the tail & wings needing to be glued. Note that you'll have to add some sort of reinforcement to the wing joins, preferable some sort of spars or strips because the basic joint isn't going to cope with the wing loadings of this pretty speedster...
Monday, 19 June 2017
Mini Eagle. Maiden Flight.
...fly like a bird
I’d half considered a “bird-plane” before but, with lots of other projects happening, I’d never taken it further than that. However, seeing the Mini Eagle offered on special by Banggood was enough to spur me to get this nice-looking EPP kit.
It’s a great quality kit - nicely packaged with everything you need including linkages, control horns and even an engine mount - all you need is a 1100kv motor (I used a 2212 1000kv) an ESV (20-30A) a 3S 800-1300 (I used a 3S 1000) and a prop adaptor for the supplied beak-orange 8x4.
The only minor drama was with the wing-edge extensions - flat foam pieces to be glued onto the straight wing leading edge to give the wing an Eagle-shape. I was concerned that misalignment of these could end in disaster but, as it turned out, they caused no problem and do enhance the overall effect of the Eagle in the air.
The other area of concern, no ailerons and a V-tail configuration, also performed without a hitch. So it turned out that the maiden flight, undertaken on a beautifully sunny and mild winter afternoon, went of flawlessly.
It ended up really enjoying the unflappable nature of the Eagle - it flies super-slow with little effort, looks great, and has taken the spot of easiest plane to fly in my experience previously held, ironically, by the Walrus glider…
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Kossel XL Firmware Fixes (fpos_t' after 'struct' and MANUAL_Z_HOME_POS)
...critical fixes for your Kossel XL 3D Printer
Runtime error fpos_t' after 'struct'
Rename fpos_t variables in SdBaseFile.h and SdBaseFile.cpp to another name like fpos_t1.
C++ won't let you use typedef and struct for the same variable name. Thanks to webliya.
Can't Update MANUAL_Z_HOME_POS
The EEPROM on the Arduino Mega controller stores configuration values.
Sometimes these values override updates you make to Configuration.h.
Deactivating mine solved this issue instantly, like this:
Upload to Arduino Mega using Marlin, then home your Kossel XL (G28 command).
Your revised Z value should show in the LCD display. Thanks to zennmaster.
Did the Sketch Upload to Arduino?
Connect Pronterface to your 3D printer.
Check the side status bar - the top line shows date and time the sketch was compiled. Happy days !
Runtime error fpos_t' after 'struct'
Rename fpos_t variables in SdBaseFile.h and SdBaseFile.cpp to another name like fpos_t1.
C++ won't let you use typedef and struct for the same variable name. Thanks to webliya.
Can't Update MANUAL_Z_HOME_POS
The EEPROM on the Arduino Mega controller stores configuration values.
Sometimes these values override updates you make to Configuration.h.
Deactivating mine solved this issue instantly, like this:
In Configuration.h.find the // EEPROM section, then change the following lines into comments (add // in front):
//#define EEPROM_SETTINGS
//#define EEPROM_CHITCHATUpload to Arduino Mega using Marlin, then home your Kossel XL (G28 command).
Your revised Z value should show in the LCD display. Thanks to zennmaster.
Did the Sketch Upload to Arduino?
Connect Pronterface to your 3D printer.
Check the side status bar - the top line shows date and time the sketch was compiled. Happy days !
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