All set for the crying! I mean, flying!

Nailed the CG with no adjustments! Came in a 7.7 lbs dry, much better than the 10 lbs of versions 1 and 2 that had the tail servos in the tail, requiring a lb of lead up front, and weighing in at 10lbs. I am optimistic this one is a keeper.

I kept referring to the Evo 10cc as a "single needle carb, but I had forgotten that there is the obvious HI sped needle on the port side, and the low speed needle is tucked into the center of the carb vent barrel on the starboard side. I rediscovered this last night as I kept wondering why the manual refers to both needle settings. I saw the engine diagram and slapped my forehead (not really, I was in bed and I sat up). I had forgotten all about it.

Today I set the HI at 2.5 turns, ended up tweaking it once to about 2-1/4. It screams with the 11x6 Master Airscrew Scimitar prop. Keeping the throttle at about 1.5 mm open at idle, I tweaked the low speed needle leaner, no idea where it ended up, and I found this to be the best I can get. Clean initial slam with a small stumble just before peak rpm, quite acceptable. Reliable and no thrust generating idle, and a screaming full throttle.

I am pretty sure that the recent crash of the Alpha Sport 450 bent the engine shaft almost imperceptibly, enough you can see a wobble, not enough to affect performance. I decided this needs perfecting. And therein lies my latest frustration with this hobby: finding parts. Why is this so fucking hard?

It has an aluminum nose cone that can with a 4mm to 8mm prop adapter with a threaded center hole for the M3 screw that secures the nose cone. China doesn't even sell these. I have to buy a whole new nose cone, about $20 on Amazon, with its own adapter. I could use a 4mm to 6mm adapter and a spinner nut that has the same M3 hole, but none of the 4/6 adapters tell you how long they are. I need 30mm. I bought 6 4/6 adapters on Amazon, the same ones that you see everywhere, and they are 25mm long, so they can't accommodate a base plate for the nose cone. I hate the bullet ends these come with, suitable for drones and tiny planes, but not on a 450 size. Doesn't matter for now, the current nose cone adapter is not bent, but it annoys me I can't have spares.

Okay, moving on. Replacing the 4mm x 49mm c-clip end electric motor shaft on this DY2836 electric motor (same as I need to replace on the original motor). Not in America you don't. Took some looking and on Walmart, selling for a Chinese vendor, I found 4mmx50mm c-clip end shafts at a reasonable price, but they are still two weeks out from arriving. I ain't got time for that, but they are on there way, and I need two now 

So I did what every RC addicted boy does and just ordered another DY2836 880kv motor from Amazon and it will be here tomorrow. 

Look, I just want to get this thing flying right, get my thumbs retrained, get used to the field, improve my confidence, so I can maiden the Ultrastick. I am confident in that I wasn't the cause of the last crash, and I managed a lot of crazy attitudes in the bad winds before that crash. But I want some clean flights under my thumbs before then. Matching up weather and my days off hasn't been in the favor of flying, which is probably why I chose poorly to try to fly in those winds last Sunday, but I am sure that day will come, hopefully with no one else at the field (I hate an audience).

OH, BTW: THE engine has a bit of low end resolution, but once the throttle gets to 50% it's pretty much screaming at full throttle. I tried a Throttle curve and it worked nicely to smooth the power curve. I may lower it in the mids a bit more.

All done but the crashing....

The Hangar nine Ultrastick Number 3 is done. I just need to verify the all up dry weight, goal is 7lbs, and check the throws on the ailerons and flaps, and check CG. I want to get some real thumb time on other planes as I really haven't flown anything this season, before the maiden.

It went as well as expected

Two clues before I even brought out the planes. There was only one guy there at 11a on a beautiful Sunday.And he left right after I got there and saw him struggle to land a foamie Cessna. The wind was dead calm, except when it wasn't when a sudden gust would pop up. 

First flight: Did I get the CG wrong because it flew tail heavy as fuck. Trims were all off. Where is that sudden wind coming from?? Barely got it down. Made some adjustments and found that the elevator trim was elevator up, not where I had put it when I reset up the airplane... Put the battery where it used to go, making it a bit nose heavy. Third flight, much better balance, trimmed up nicely but here came the gust and it just threw it into the ditch in the middle of the field as I was trying to get it back to the runway.

Butchers bill: tore off the nose gear taking with it the balsa sheeting under the fuse between it and the battery compartment, broke the prop and lightly bent the prop shaft (dammit). Damaged the firewall. 

The field really needs to be levelled, the Geotex is bumpy and barely useable. The flyable space is too narrow for my comfort as I fought the sudden gusts. I won't be able to comfortably fly the 26 and 30cc planes there, I fear. But it will have to do for this year. My son is at the NH Renaissance Faire today, and I see that it's on the same road as the Fremont Flyers field. I looked at it on Google maps and it is a wide and clear space, they even fly turbine jets there ... Their club fee is $40 less for a better field. It's 45 min away though... I will need to consider it next year if SNHRCC still doesn't have a field.

Ultrastick 10cc Almost Ready

It's kinda tight In there. The LiFe 2100 mAh 2S receiver pack turned out to be a smidge too big to fit in the well behind the tank over the landing gear, but it fit below the wing and is clear of the throttle servo. I made a shelf of thick closed cell foam CAd to the bottom of the battery and snap-lock velcroed to half that shelf behind the landing gear well,  and used a glue gun along the edge of the fuselage. It's secure and accessible. The leads are clear, the two loose ones are the ailerons and flaps. Going to be delicate closing up with the wing I place and the long wing leads.

Just a quick video of the 10 cc running with the Master Airscrew Scimitar 11x6. I don't have a lot of experience tuning these small 10cc single needle engines. Not a fan as it's hard to find the sweet spot between a nice safe and consistent idle, and a max full throttle setting. 

All that's left is to set the wing up, find and adjust CG and get a final weight. Without the wing it's at about 5.8 lbs. Designed all up dry weight is 7lbs.

Hoping to finally get to the Flying Tigers field today. I don't enjoy flying with an audience, so hope it's not crowded.

Switched The Switch

 

I had installed a double switch to control power to the ignition and receiver, when I went thru "relearning" the circuit connections, and realizing I needed a IBEC, which I could not find, a Tech-Aero IBEC/Kill switch (too expensive) and chose the RCEXL IBEC Opto kill switch I found at, and only at, Valley View RC. This device requires only one power switch for the receiver, from which it get power for the ignition with the nice benefits of the Opto kill switch. My OCD made me find a single switch to replace the double as I did t want the weight nor an unnecessary unused switch. This would mean fixing the king whole that I made for the double switch. The single switch arrived today.

I had waited to fix the hole until I knew the dimensions of the new single switch. I ad ordered the rectangular one, black, because it was in stock and I thought it would be easier to refit. They were out of stock it turns out and thru wonderful quick support (I think a few hrs after I ordered it), VVRC emailed me asking if an oval one was okay. I went silver, oval. I did silver because I always do black ... Black probably would have been better 

The Miracle silver oval single switch from VVRC with charging port. Behind it the completed patch and wood filler repair drying  Taped it off before sanding.

 

Dried, sanded down to smooth, and cleaned. Looks good!

Dry fit the switch, patch fits perfectly.

Install completed, cote applied and clean. I prefer these servo screws from RTL Fasteners as I hate the usual stock Phillips head screws that always seem too soft and easily stripped. 

The inside, switch and patch backing.

I am waiting for the LiFE batteries for all three gassers due here Friday. This allowed, in addition to removing the double switch, removing the 5v regulator I had installed to cover the higher voltage 2S LiPO I was using. One less complicator, one less failure point. 

The Master Airscrew scimitar 11x6 props also arrived today. Painting the tips for safety. Once the battery installed, receiver packed away, CG and weight checked, it will be ready to maiden! I want to get my first familiarization flights at the new to me Flying Tigers field done before that. I need some refresher flight hours first.

I also want to set up another heli, probably one of the 500's, next. Meanwhile sim, sim, sim 

Went sailing today... Was supposed to be breezy and dusty according to my Windy app, but there was little to no wind, so meh.

Ultrastick Evolution 10cc First Start

This Evolution 10cc gas engine hasn't been started since I crashed the last Ultrastick back in 2021, some 5 years ago (damn, has it been that long?).  It hasn't been my favorite as I find the single needle carb a bit of a challenge to get a safe idle out of, but it's a good smooth running engine.

Today I installed the RCexl Opto Kill with BEC, and it lit up perfectly.  It's plugged into the gear switch, and the kill works great. 

Filled the tank, powered it up and it started on the first try! Spent hours today trying to find a decent idle, as setting the high is easy. Managed a decent run up, but at idle it tends to idle high and drop off, settle, then after about 20 secs stall out. I don't think it should do that. 

But IT RUNS! After a few hours, I am giving it a rest. My understanding of gas engine tuning is rudimentary and I tend to waffle around settings. Part of my issues is I don't know quite what is acceptable. My goal is a low enough idle to not create roll away thrust, and not quitting.

We'll get there.  For now I consider this a win.

I am thinking the 12x6x3 is too much prop and may be causing my tuning issues. I need to check inventory, but Gemini thinks a good 3 blade is 11x6x3. For now I threw on a Xoar 12x6. On Tuesday we'll see how this does. In further discussion with Gemini, I think I will be going with the Master Airscrew Scimitar 11x6.

UPDATE: While discharging sime batteries I never got around to flying, I ran the Xoar and it scared me how many rpms it must have picked up, it was insane. It also found a great idle, likely as it didnt koad up and the smaller prop produced less thrust. I can't imagine what the 11x6 will do... EVO manual says 12x6 is the recommended prop, Gemini sees that but thinks the 11x6 will be a better performer. I agree after reading the arguments 

Alpha Sport 450 is all set!

The new motor,  a DYS D2836 880kv 70g from Amazon arrived on time today, and when I got home from work I installed it with no drama. I had first tried to see if my ESC programming card would work with this Sonic 60A ESC (generic, quite old actually), but nope. I have two of the same card and neither one turned on, even when I added a reciever pack to the circuit. The original prop shaft fits (4mm), is true, and the prop with the sweet aluminum spinner has been installed.

I had nothing to lose, so fired it up and it runs AWESOME! Prop tracks clean and the spinner with no wobbles. Very nice motor!

Checked CG (3.25-3.5 inches) and its a bit nose heavy. Adjusted the battery aft and now just a hair nose down. Perfect. A couple of cosmetic chores, and off to the field as soon as I get a day off. So glad this debacle is done. Special thanks to John Hayes for the stunning wing repair (and I won't forget the Guinness!). 

By the way, thinking of naming it the "Its always something...".