Well, I'll be...

 The Cubs win the Series, a pig flies up to the birdfeeder, and all of my helis are airworthy and flight ready.

Phoenix Waco F5c Maiden - Wowser!

I took my Phoenix Waco F5C out for her maiden flight this afternoon, and it was stunning. Simply. Stunning. Curiously I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be. Somehow I just knew it was going to go well.

This plane is designed to fly with a 15cc engine, but who's got time for that. I found myself in possession of a used RCGF 26cc gas engine, and I had planned on putting a 20cc engine in it, so, what's 6cc more? I don't think its much, but 11cc is a whole other engine, and baby does she have some power.

My Phoenix Waco from Tower Hobbies is powered by a RCGF 26cc gas engine, and equipped with a Spektrum AR6210 with a satellite receiver, and a Spektrum Alpha6 Stabilization System. She has a Quikfire Fuel Balancer. The Receiver and Ignition packs are Turnigy 6V NiMH 2300 mAh.  The servos on the ailerons are Hitec HS-5645s and the throttle, rudder and elevator servos are Hitec HS-5685 servos. she has a 18x7 carbon fiber prop.

A Boy and his Toy

I have to remove one wing to get her in the car. I made a cardboard jig to hold the unsupported left wing when its not on the aircraft. It makes it so I don't have to remove the pins that secure the N-struts on the outside of the wing and the connector between ailerons.

I love the bullet spinner I got from China. Arrived in a week!

The wheel pants didn't get torn off! The 26cc is a bit big and does come out about 1 cm more than is cosmetically perfect.

The video guy David stopped videoing as he thought the camera had stopped. He actually did a pretty good job!

She flew smooth, clean and well trimmed.  A nice breeze had picked up but was steady in direction and force. The first take-off was, well you saw it (video above). That was about 1/2 throttle! Surprised me, to say the least. After that I did some touch and go's at a bit less than half with a nice smooth climb out. I flew most of this flight 1/4-1/2 throttle. She has good control response and I think will be a great sport aerobat. She rolled crisply on high rates, and looped clean. On the second flight I had her full power going vertical, and after a few seconds still going strong, the engine quit. I dead sticked her to a perfect landing. I restarted the engine to make sure there wasn't a problem and she started right up. There are some long fuel lines but I am still not sure why she would have a fuel flow issue in vertical as the 26cc should pull some vacuum. I was very impressed with the Spektrum Alpha6 Stabilization System. I don't think she will need any further adjustment from the default settings. I flew her in RATE and didn't turn the system off, or into HEADING HOLD. I will do that in later flights. I can hardly wait to fly her again!

I had some problems with the Spektrum Alpha6 that weren't problems with the Spektrum Alpha6, but with a bad model in my DX8 that wouldn't let us communicate through the FMODE switch to AUX1. That took me some time to sort out. In the meantime I worked with Spektrum/Horizon Hobby Tech Support (very awesome) and learned a lot about the Alpha6. The Alpha6 is a wonderful device once you get past the poorly written manual.

The manual's problems:

1. It leaves out critical steps like assigning a 3 position switch like FMODE to the AUX1 channel on the receiver, and plugging that into the G6 channel
2. It doesn't explain why one would chose Rate Mode or Heading Hold Mode
3. It doesn't explain what the 3 positions are. They are RATE MODE(green)-OFF(white)-HEADING HOLD (purple). The colors on the unit indication these are also not explained but they change with the 3 position switch. There is some confusion in the community who think that the positions are On-Off-Panic Recovery Mode. The box it comes in says there is a Panic Recovery Mode, but there isn't one according to Spektrum.
4. It doesn't explain that to change the gain of each surface of the Alpha6 you must use the software connected to a PC, and you have to buy the cable separately. There's supposedly a way to use an Android or iPhone, but its not clear how or what cable to use.  (I may try my USB cable with a micoUSB adapter).
5. It doesn't explain the software at all, what each adjustment does and when you would change them.

The box says there is a Panic Recovery Mode, but there isn't one.

Spektrum let me keep the original Alpha6, so I will be putting that unit in the 10cc Sukhoi. I had though about putting it on the 30cc MXS-R, and still may, but she flies very stable being so big. If I don't put it in the MXS-R, I will likely get one for it. I will be staying with the Spektrum unit, now that the deficiencies in the manual are overcome.

It has been a very goof flight day! I didn't want to screw it up b taking a heli out...

LOVEIN' ME SOME 3D STABILIZATION!

WOW...

I have flown with stabilization systems before today, but never really appreciated what they do for RC flight. This morning I took the Hobby King Orange stabilization system equipped HK SBach 1200mm EPP and the Eflite Stearman out for flights.  Both fly 3S 2200 mAh batteries.

The SBach is equipped with the HK Orange 3D-stabilized DSM2 compatible receiver that was on its predecessor, the ill fated HK Edge 540.  (These have been NIS except in their Russian Warehouse for some time now). I flew her today and was just awed and amazed. I did have to tone down the ailerons a bit, but wow, what an amazing flier.  She is light so inertia is low, making her amazingly responsive. I impressed myself with my skills as I waterfalled, torque rolled, blundered, like I have never before. Mostly because I really have never before. I had such confidence in her response I realized I was performing these stunts crazily low. And on landings, the stabilization shines, as she comes in on rails. Two packs, after that I was exhausted from holding my breath. I have to be careful watching her speed; she will fly ultra slow, but at some point I have not yet found, will likely suddenly stop flying. The stabilization system keeps her stable even in these stall edge conditions. LOVE this plane.

Its doomed.

The Eflite Stearman and I have a love-hate relationship. She is my second one, and is one beautiful simple and well designed model. But she tip stalls like a mo-fo, abrupt, deadly, fast, irrecoverably. Today I couldn't tip stall her if I wanted to. She is equipped with a Spektrum 6 channel receiver into a HK Orange 3D Stabilization system. She flies so rail smooth now, even on approaches she behaves herself for sweet landings. She would not dip a wing in stall, and simply kept adjusting herself out of stall if I stopped the motor flight level, she would start to dip one way or another and just adjust. I am pretty sure she will stall if I let her, but she slowed WAAAAY down today into speeds she wold have committed suicide at before.

Conditions were good. Soft, gentle if any breeze, cool but not cold.

I am charging up up the receiver and ignition packs on the Waco and plan to maiden her wth her Spektrum Alpha6 stabilization system this afternoon. More to come!

Hobby King Sbach 3D EPP 1200mm

The HK Sbach 1200mm in EPP is Done! It took no time to build. I installed a Hobby King 3D Stabilization Orange Receiver, and a HeadsUpRC PowerUp 25 Speed motor. She'll be flying a 3S 2200 mAh. This model addresses the flaws in the design of the other smaller Hobby King EPP model I had, the Extra. It has a complete wood frame fore to aft. The wing has a carbon fiber spar. I think she is going to fly just fine!

I had set up the HK Stabilizer Gyro using dual ailerons, and it burned out two right aileron servos before I decided to Y harness them into one channel. I have a Solar D654 on that side now, and EXI 9 gm servos everywhere else. I also had to swap out the rudder servo as it chattered like a gossip.

I am interested to see how she flies. 

IT WORKS! IT WORKS!

I FINALLY GOT THE ALPHA6 WORKING!

Cody at Spektrum/Horizon sent me a new unit and I installed it today. At first it had all the same problems. I could not get through the Gain range of motion stage. Nothing I tried again, worked. I called tech support, and a new guy tried, but quickly set me up to talk to Cody, who was out for the day.

I was annoyed...  why is this so hard?

For some reason I thought, what if the MODEL in the DX8 was somehow corrupted? I decided on this whim to set up a whole new MODEL in another slot. I went thought the program steps and was stunned when I flicked the FMODE switch, and got a SOLID BLUE LIGHT! It had accepted the switch!

It looks like the surfaces are all moving in the right directions as I programmed in. I am tired, so will recheck them again later.

I sent Cody an email about this success and asked what the GREEN-WHITE-PURPLE mean as I move the FMODE switch through 0-1-2. Are they RATE MODE-OFF-HOLD MODE? Or is it ON-OFF-PANIC RECOVERY? There is supposed to be a PANIC RECOVERY mode. If so, is that how the PANIC MODE accessed? What exactly does the PANIC MODE do?  You would think these sorts of things would be in the manual, but no....

I am pretty psyched. I will maiden her the first good weather I get!

We'll just swap that out then...

I wish they would have decided this a week ago. The cable for the Spektrum AS3X arrived last night. I updated the firmware in the Alpha6, but that didn't change thing. I tried reprogramming it through the software and got no where.

Today I contacted Spektrum support and before we even tried anything Cody had decided to just exchange the device. He is sending me a new one, along with, one hopes, postage paid to return the bad one.

I removed the unit and plan to maiden the Waco without stabilization. She looks amaze-balls!

She is big... 63" wingspan. I really don't want to take the wing off (I am damned if I am going to remove the right wing, with that switch obscuring the screw and all). I hope I can it it in my car or my wife's...

Castle for the Win!

I blogged a couple of weeks back about a new in box Castle Phoenix Edge HV80 ESC that was DOA. I contacted Castle and they send to send it in, even though I had no recall of date of purchase or from whom, and it was a couple of years ago... So I sent it in, and it came back yesterday! I suspect that they sent a new one, but I can't tell for sure. My soldered leads were gone (they did send back the cut off EC5).

I set it up on the Trex 600FBL in place of the FunFLy 100A I had installed, and plugged it in to the Castle Link Programming card, powered it up, and nada. Hmmm....  I powered it down, brought out the computer and plugged in the Castle Link Connector, opened the Castle programming software, powered up and immediately there it was!  I updated the firmware, just in case, programmed it for helicopter, and updated the settings. Worked perfectly. Took the Trex 600FBL out to spin her up, and everything worked perfectly! She is ready to go.

Thanks, Castle!

All soldered up.

It doesn't work with the programming card.

But works perfectly with the computer software and connector.  I LOVE it when a software works like its supposed to.

Installed! Thanks, Castle Creations!

The only one not flight ready is the Frankenheli 450 (not pictured).

The connector for the Spektrum AS3X came in from Horizon Hobby/Spektrum today. I did update the firmware, but was unable to accomplish anything else. It still bothers me that there is NO manual for any of this. If this isn't fixed quickly tomorrow I want to return it... I have wasted enough time.  I want to fly the Waco, dammit.