Cloudy day at SNHRCC

After the rains passed, and before tomorrow's storm, I got out to SNHRCC to put the Hacker MX2 and the Ultrastick 10cc up in the air. Calm winds, dry cut grass (Thanks, grass cutting guys!). Excellent flying day. The race cars at Hudson Motor Speedway were much louder than the video shows. Video is just a pan around the field from my bench.

This plane, the Hacker MX2, is magnificent.  It flies on 3S like its on rails, crisp repsonses, power. These ultralight foamies are aerobatic monsters! Things I would never do with a plane that has inertia I can do with this plane with confidence. I get 5 min on 2200 mAh. Its the one I put the Orange 6 ch 3Axis stabilized reciever on, and it works splendidly. I like flying it with and without stabilization on. The plane really doesn't need it, and when I am doing hardcore aerobatics I disable it remotely. Its a really a nice reciever, shame Hobby King doesn't make them anymore.

The Evolution 10cc engine is not as powerful as the RCGF-USA 10cc. I run 13x7x3 props on the RCGF-USA engine, but I'm thinking its too much prop for this Evo, which may be contributing to the challenges getting the needles right. I tried a 12x6 twin and this 13x6 twin, and it really liked them. I may stay with this one, but I just bought a 12x6x3, as I really like the extra thrust and okay, the static look. I thought hard about dropping all the way to 11x8x3, but decided to try the 12x6x3. I'll let you know how it goes. I did end before ai wanted to. Landed kinda hard for who knows what reason, and broke the sparky. Twisted the heavy duty landing gear just a bit. Already fixed both. The landing gear hard point looks OK.

Its time to program the Spektrum AR637T's AS3X Stabilization and enable it. This plane also doesn't really need it, but it has it, so...  I am finding getting the elevator dual rates and expos  right a bit challenging. Very responsive, I think a bit tail heavy still, so threw in another bag of nuts up front to add to the ones already packed in around the gas tank to move the CG forward. The already forward adjusted CG made a big difference today.  Got the approach (50%) flaps elevator mix right, landing (full) flaps I am still working on finding its elevator mix. These will change a tad as the CG moves forward.

Rough weather coming this next week, from local stuff and then Ida, so not expecting to get much flying in. Itching to maiden the Pitts Model 12 with its RCGF-USA 20CC!

Swapped out Pitts Main Power Switch

Waiting for the rains to pass, hoping the field has been mowed since I was there earlier this past week, thinking about heading out to fly the Ultrastick again  now that her CG has been addressed. All the rain lately has likely made the weeds sprout up all over again even if it has been mowed. The replacement switch for the Pitts came in, so I decided to take the time to install it. I described earlier that my hopes for the Flag-Pin fail-on switch were crushed.

The flag-pin switch I replaced.

This is a great membrane power switch I purchased from Hobby King. I have a couple of them installed. Its reliable, light, and probably fails in the last position being a membrane switch. Its about 2cm x 4cm and about 0.5 cm thick. The fuse underside of the switch could use a bit more smoothing work, but at the time I didn't know I had some matching silver material so was trying not to damage it. Someday I'll go back and work it.

I put it in the same spot as I had the flag-pin switch.

The inside.

She's all set to maiden, and I am really looking forward to it. This is going to be a favorite. Once I get the Ultrastick all squared away, she'll be next. I keep putting off the maiden of the RCGF-USA 10cc Spitfire for a couple of reasons. One, superstition, since the first two were lost for different reasons on their maiden, and second because I replaced the engine after rebuilding it and haven't gone back to test it. Would have sworn I had posted about the rebuild of the engine, but can't find one. I rebuilt the carb and replaced the cylinder head, so she'll need breaking in. More on that when I get around to it.

Ultrastick 10cc Maiden Done!

I got a successful maiden flight of the Ultrastick 10cc #2 in today! She had a lot of tall grass to deal with from the heavy rains. Combined with high temps, she ran all the way down the runway and I had to turn around, run back up, and try again. Put the flaps down to half and she took off. Once she got airborne she shot up. She is as expected tail heavy, and she flew like it. It made approach a bit challenging. Got two flights in for about 25 min total. Didn't want to risk issues with being tail heavy, so called it a day. 

When I got home I went ahead and brought her to CG, but not using the 450 gm lead weight this time. I crammed a lot of small pieces in, and it worked.  As part of my efforts I moved the engine forward, and made a platform for the battery allowing me to move it forward. It fits EXACTLY if not a few atoms high under the wing. Had to use hot glue to secure the battery to save space under the wing. This also required I move the aileron and flap leads back so they didn't come out on top of the battery. Charged the battery and looking to head out again tomorrow. Hoping someone cuts the grass!

Brought the Hacker MX2 out, but she wasn't bound to the iX12 anymore, and it would not bind... So she didn't get to fly. Changed the receiver to an 0range 3Axis stabilizer receiver I had sitting around, and it's all set. Will try again tomorrow. She will need the grass to be shorter, small wheels and really light weight.

Tomorrow we fly!

Spektrum iX12 Transmitter is back and working!

In fact, using it today, its running better than ever! They basically replaced the Android and Airware software, and put a new battery in it. The software fixed the issue as my original batteries are working fine in the radio!  Time to get flying!

I made this unboxing video as I really didn't expect the fix to stick, but it did!

Flag-Pin Power Switch Fail but Ultra Stick 10cc Ready!

My Spektrum iX12 Transmitter is back, and its time to move forward towards getting back to flying! I bound the Ultra Stick and the Pitts to it and programmed them in. Ran the engine up and made a couple fine tunes. 

At the end of my runs the power quit, and with diagnostic testing I isolated it to the "fail-on" power switch. It didn't fail on, and I can see why.

Here's the RadicalRC flag-and-pin switch with the pin OUT (power on). When the pin is pulled, the upper plate (the two wider horizontal tabs in the middle) held up off the lower contacts by the pin (the two smaller vertical tabs on each side of the lower plate) drops down closing the circuit by connecting the upper plate and two small tabs on the lower plate. The connection is in the middle aligned horizontally. Nice and simple! This should fail closed. When the pin is IN (power off) the main circuit is opened because the upper plate is lifted off the tabs opening the circuit, but allowing charging through the Futaba plug on the flag side through a third circuit through the pin. This failed because the upper plate stopped coming down far enough to close on the tabs. Essentially, the U shaped (on its side gap facing us) upper plate didn't spread wide enough anymore to contact the lower plate tabs. The design needs a spring to push it down and hold it down when the pin is out. This spring would go between the sides of the U of the upper plate "holding" the U spread. I wonder if the outside temps and humidity made the metal expand but causing the U to narrow enough lifting the tabs?

Here the pin is in (power off) lifting the upper plate. You can see those horizontal tabs are a smidge up, lifted off the immovable lower side vertical tabs.This is pretty clever for being so simple, and allowing charging through the Futaba connector on the flag pin(not seen)!

The only switch I have on hand to replace it is a dual switch. Singles with a plate and charge lead but nomfuel spot are hard to find. Since I am now using only an electronic remote switch on the reciever for the ignition, I only need one power switch. Since the switch is the most likely failure point, I decided to make it a redundant switch. I soldered the leads in parallel, so if at least one is working the aircraft gets power, but both need to be turned off to cut power. This way if one switch fails the other continues to pass power. I use one 5000 mAh battery pack to power the ignition and the receiver through 6V power regulator.

I plan to replace the flag and pin switch on the Pitts. I am not sure if the hot temps caused the metal of the switch to come off the tabs causing it to fail, but I can't have that happening and no longer trust this switch. I'll make my recommendations to RadicalRC because this switch is otherwise awesome and clever. Its still a great product but needs a fix.

I made this a redundant switch by taking the two "IN" wires that came one from the ignition pack and the other from the reciver pack, and combining them in parallel into one "IN" lead, and the "OUT" wires into one "OUT" lead. The upper pic is the BEFORE though I had already cut the "IN" female Futaba leads off, you can still see the male "OUT" leads before they were combined. The lower pick is after joining the leads. It works great and makes the dual switch useful!

The "new" redundant switch in situ. Takes up more space.

Engine run up. Leaned the low a bit better and was able to get the idle down a bit more. Looking good, hope to maiden soon!

Seriously? It was the tramsnitter's battery?

Huh. Seriously? 

They say with a fresh fully charged battery, you know, just like the one's I have been using, it worked fine. I guess we'll see. 

I sat on my hands for a month because of the battery?

Their service is excellent, so fact is fact...

 

iX12 Transmitter is on its way home soon!

 

My iX12 has been assigned a tech!

Yay! Should be coming back next week!!!

Wonder what the tech will find?

Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 10cc #2 Ready to Maiden!

The 2S 5000 mAh battery pack arrived ahead of schedule today. Put an EC3 and a Futaba connector on it, charged it a little and installed it for testing  the electronics installation.

All up!

As before the CG is a bit tail heavy, by 2 cm. Based on  my last experience I am not chasing it.  It required a pound of weight to get it, and I  flight it was nose heavy and I removed it, flew fine. So no adjustment this time.

The Pitts Model 12 and the Stick waiting for their maiden. The Waco telling how great a pilot I think I am.

Meanwhile, 14 days at the service enter and my Spektrum iX12 remains unassigned and on the shelf...

 

Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 10cc Second Addition

My second Ultra Stick 10cc arrived and the build began in earnest couple of days ago. Since its pretty much the same as the first one, I'm not posting step-by-step again.

And so it begins.

Started with the wing.

Tail feathers followed.

The Evolution 10cc installed. Changed the throttle control linkage a bit, using a rod and made a pretty straight path. Mine runs inside the mount, the plans have it running laterally.

I used the landing  gear from Version 1, and here she is up un her feet.

Waiting for the 2S 5000 mAh battery pack to arrive, then I can finish and light the fire!

My iX12 Transmitter is still sitting on a shelf at Horizon Hobby Service Center, not yet assigned to a tech, going on 3 weeks now with no radio...

Horizon Spektrum Service is Super Busy....

 

Sent almost 3 weeks ago, its been there nearly 2 weeks, and still hasn't been assigned to a tech for evaluation and repair.  Its never taken this long before. They are super busy, I know they are doing the best they can, its just killing me, not flying...

Replacement H9 Ultrastick is here! Let the resurrection begin!

My replacement Hangar 9 Ultrastick 10cc arrived on schedule!

In an interesting aside, my LHS called me yesterday to tell me it arrived at the shop. I told them that was odd, I had not ordered it from them, and I wasn't expecting it until today and it was coming to my house, not the LHS. They insisted it was there, with my name on it, and that I had called a couple of days ago and ordered it. So I went there and showed them my Tower Hobbies receipt and FedEx notification just to be sure. They got all pissy, asking "Well, how did we get your name and number?" I replied I had no idea. I called two weeks ago for a stock check, since it was on backorder and wondering it they had one laying around. They did not, and I did not give any personal info other than my "Hi, I'm Ken, calling for a stock check."  A week later on 8/1 Tower sent me the "In Stock!" email I had requested, and the next day I ordered it from Tower, on this past Monday 8/2. I don't know how that LHS stuff all happened, but it wasn't me. 

So they called me again a few hours later to let me know my model was at the shop...

Nitroplanes Pitts Model 12 All Up!

Its all done. Dry weight is 10 lbs, CG a touch nose heavy, going to leave that alone and see how it trims out. All that is left is the maiden flight.

My cowl securing shenanigans continue. The cowl securing screws were designed to be tightened from inside the cowl, one at about 10 o'clock and one at 2. I don't have a hex driver long enough for that, so thought I would turn the screws around and put on a nut from inside the fuse, even bought thumb nuts, but I just could not get to the screws, the space was so tight. Plan C. There is about that much space between the cowl frame and the canopy. I made this platform...

... and fixed a screw onto a cross bar I placed inside the cowl, which interfaces with the platform. I secured the cowl leaving the two Plan B screws in place to help support and stabilize the cowl, and on this center one use a bonded washer and one of the thumb nuts. That nut passes through a space in the front of the canopy. Works perfectly.

.

All up and ready to go!

The aluminum 3-blade 2.5inch spinner came in. Mounted the Master Airscrew 15x7x3 prop, with my custom painted tips. Balanced the prop yesterday.

The pilot is just the cockpit!

I am going to hold off the maiden until my iX12 comes back from the shop.

First lighting of the fires RCGF-USA Stinger 20cc

Today I made a few adjustments to the tank plumbing, as I accidentally reversed the fuel fill and the vent lines. Realized that when I started to fill the tank and fuel,started running out the vent as quick as it went in. Took the plane out for her first start and run.

On opening the basement doors, ran into this little guy working on his nest. He stood there and wondered if he should run, or if I would leave. He took off. If I didn't come and go this would be a great nest spot.

Started right up! Took a few minutes to find her feet and as each minute passed she ran better and more smoothly.  Tweaked the needles a bit, but a smidge only. Within a couple minutes of running it quit when the spark wire came off, melted and cut right thru the plastic wire tie. Came up with and actual wire system to hold it (below).

Got even more smooth than this.

I ran a stranded wire around the spark wire, and used a copper tube crimp to close the loop. As I noted earlier the cowl will also support it. I then threw another plastic wire tie around it again, using some shrink tube to protect it from heat and friction.

The finger nuts came in, so I can now secure the cowl. I am placing a rubber bonded washer to reduce the likelihood it will not work loose from the vibration.

I balanced the 15x7x3 Master Airscrew. I expect the 3 blad aluminum spinner in a week, but for now I do have a black DuBro spinner I can use to check CG shortly.

She is a wish away from maiden.

Nitroplanes Pitss Model 12 Build Basically Done!

 

Installed the fuel dot.

The sparky isn't  securely, but is firmly sticking to the plug, and I am afraid to force it, so am using this zip tie to keep it from loosening off. This and the cowl will hold it in place. Its not tight, just holding it. 

Finally on all her wheels!

Installed the lower wing without any drama.

Break in prop on!

Top wing on for fit testing!

Fuel vent installed. Tougher cote around it.

Fuel tank did arrive today and installed, plumbed and ready to go!

I made these wires for the cabanes and they look great. I am willing to install the til wires but its not as obvious to me where they go. Back to the web for ideas.

Next step will be firing up the engine! Hope my transmitter comes back soon.