Well, it's about time.

October 15, 2017.  That's when I bought my second Phoenix Models Spitfire 0.46-0.55.

The first build (part 1, part 2 , part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6), was simple, with some serious time however, spent on getting the retracts right. The end was simple too... crashed on her maiden when she hit a tree during an otherwise perfect flight. That maiden and crash was in July 2016, and I took it hard. It took over a year for me to get over it, but I pulled the trigger during a Towers Hobbies sale in October 2017 on this second purchase. This model is such a great flier, I couldn't resist.  I got the 7 servos 5 days later. And for the next 492 days it sat at the end of the shelves in my workshop.

Excited by my recent success at getting the RCGF 10cc engine on the Stik to work again, and having the pain of the maiden-crash wane enough to allow me to want to try again, I opened the box with the box in it, and then unboxed the manual to review. Tomorrow I will start the build, and when the funds are available purchase the rest of the parts, including a RCGF 10cc gas engine. I am planning on using a Tech-Aero Ultra BEC (a nice design, UBEC and remote ignition cut out), and use a single Pulse 2S 5000 mAh LiPO as a receiver and ignition pack. I will use a single receiver switch and fuel port situated internally, and a Spektrum AR8010T 8 channel receiver. I may add a Hobby King Orange 3 axis stabilization system. Time and again impressed by simple setup and operation, and excellent functionmof the excellently priced, quality systems. I thought about using the Spektrum AS3X, but having had issues with the ill fated Spektrum Alpha 6 Stabilization System I trialed., and seeing lukewarm reviews with similar stories, I am not interested in using the 7 Channel AS3X system. I will be using Tactic TSX 47 Digital servos I purchased, and I happen to have the original servoless electric retracts from the original Spitfire that work fine. The powerplant will be a RCGF USA 10cc gas engine.

So, time to review my old build posts, and start collecting the parts. I plan to take this build slow and spread out the costs over the build weeks to come. Exciting!

Eureka! Stik is up for flight!

Yes!!!!  Success! The clue was that the engine was flooding at idle, fuel just spraying from the muffler. I suspected the metering side of the carb, so today reviewed a Walbro Diaphragm Carb video and confirmed that on the metering side I have the gasket in the wrong order. The gasket goes against the carb and the metering diaphragm over that. On the pump side the diaphragm goes against the carb and the gasket over that. I fixed the metering side and reinstalled the engine. Started on the first try!   The meter side is the lower one in the diagram below, which is pretty much the carb for the RCGF 10 and 15 cc engines. 

It's very cold outside, but I spent a few minutes tuning the engine. I didn't spend too much time, just got a decent albeit fast idle, smooth transition to full power and a decent high RPM. I had also read that the carb is too big for the 10cc motor, and fast throttle changes can cause loss of vacuum. This was solved by slowing the servo speed, like on landing gear and flaps. For starters I slowed it to 0.2s, and may slow it more once I get it tuned. I am going to wait for warmer weather before tuning it further. Right now I am just thrilled to have it back, occasional four cycling to boot!  Can't wait to rest that "Days Since Our Last Crash" Clock!

Stik still grounded. Flight Sim Updates

I have been leaving the RCGF 10cc engine on the Stik alone this winter, just not having the motivation with the cold, windy and snowy weather, to do anything about it.

I ruined it somehow...  It had been running fine, four cycling a lot despite good tuning and unable to extinguish it. I have since figured out that the RCGF ignition misses and that's why it was four cycling. I'll be replacing it, and am thinking about using an RCExcel ignition, or come other.

As described I took the engine apart to clean it and see if I could get it to run more cleanly. In the process I broke and then replaced the piston ring. I am confident the cylinder and spark are now fine. 

I also took apart and cleaned the carb. I flushed it, and it was pretty clean, the screen filter was clean. I changed all the gaskets. On the fuel diaphragm side I changed the metering diaphragm, and checked and cleaned the metering needle. I made sure that the metering lever was level with the top of the block. I put it all back together again. I am pretty sure I did this right, but this is one of the things I think is the major problem... the carb.

Today I rechecked the spark, and it's the same. I used a different Hall sensor, and it sparked the same, every few revs it misses, but it sparks.

I took it outside and tried starting it. I quickly noticed fuel spraying from the muffler. I drained the tank. I ran the starter and when it stopped spraying and then it coughed a couple of times! Clearly its super rich. Both needles are at 1-1/2 turns. This suggests something is wrong with the carb, likely the metering system.

I am going to give it one more shot, take apart and recheck the carb. If I can't get it running I am asking a gas skilled friend to take a look at it, and if he can't, then asking RCGF USA to fix it for a fee. I do plan to change the ignition, but I think something is wrong with the carb, and I should be able to fix rather than replace it.

 *****

Got some sim time in today. I learned that Phoenix Flight Sim ended with 5.5.1, and that the rumored Version 6 will not be coming out as the company has folded. This has been a great fight sim for me, and the free updates made it an incomparable bargain. 

Flying the sim made it clear that my skills have deteriorated over the winter of not flying. It didn't take long to get my fingers back, but I need to work the sim a lot more. I am flying off the Horizon Hobby Test Field. Flew planks and heli's today.

I am looking into getting the Horizon Hobby sponsored Real Flight simulator when I get some spending money. 

Flight sim time makes a difference!

I wonder if I should have started with XT60S...

I got some new 5S 5000mAh LiPOs from Turnigy and needed to remove the XT60s and replace them with EC5s. Everytime I kinda wish I had used XT60s. The EC5s I get vary in quality, so that whether or not the pins fit in the blue case is a gamble. None of these fit... I had use a prop drill to get them to paxs and use a touch of thin CA.

If it wasn't going to be a pain in the butt I wpuld swit h them all.

I have been defeated...

Had some time this Sunday morning, before the Patriots beat whomever they are playing this afternoon, to fire up the reluctant Stik RCGF 10cc. She ran okay before I changed the piston ring and rebuilt the motor and the carb to clean everything out. I have managed to get her to run a little here and there, but for the past several tries I cannot get her to even burp.

I fueled her, and some gas blew out the vent onto the ground, but more was added to the pool as I ran the electric starter again and again, and it dripped from the muffler. I took off the plug, it looks good, and dried her out, tried again, no joy. I have the needles set 1-1//2 turns now, have had them as high as 3-4. I know she has spark, I know she has fuel, I know she has compression, I don't know why she won't run.  She has always been the cantankerous one, my other RCGFs run fine.

Time to send her to the team At RCGF-USA and have them figure it out. Joe, she will be coming your way next week...

Stik Battery Packs In

Mighty Tiny packs a bite! XK K124 Heli

Flying my Motion RC XK K124 when it got a little close and I defended myself. She bit me with her main rotor. Look at that bite mark!

This heli is a bomb. It's twitchy, but she is indestructable after changing to the metal swash. Fun flier, but requires your full attention!

The heli flies with a 2S 700 mAh battery that lasts more than 5 minutes, sometimes close to 10. The transmitter is programmable and the heli is capable of 3D in the right hands (not mine). All the required adjustments are present is the Futaba compatible tranmsitter, including Throttle and Pitch Curves, Expo. Two rate are programmable. Not a starter heli as this is nimble and responds very quickly to small movements, even with 50% Rate and 30 Expo. She is susceptible to drafts in hover but more resistant in flight. I love practicing flying her around the clinic during down times and "walking" her down the hallways. The attack occurred while trying to fly her backwards (nose in) walking her around and I set up a pilot induced oscillation I could not recover from.

Fun stuff! I find the 3D mode nearly impossible to fly, and use the 6G. My 500s and 600s are 3 axis and flybarred. I have flown her outside in light breeze and she did well! All in all a fun heli, and the best flying 250 or smaller I have flown, and sooo much more fun than coaxials.