RCGF-USA 20cc RE Engine!

 OH! LOOKIE HERE! Look what Mr. Mailman brought me today! This is going in the Pitts 20cc build.

Quick shipping from Joe and Pam Nelson at RCGF-USA. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

What a nice looking box.

I asked Joe for some RCGF-USA Stinger stickers to use on this build, as I couldn't find them on the site. Since I have worked with him for almost a decade he kindly threw these in. The skull is going on the wing, and the scorpions on the sides. Very nice!

Always well packed. Even at this stage the the amazing quality of these genuine RCGF-USA engines is impressive. If you haven't tried them, you are missing out on the bet prices for really quality built engines that are powerful and reliable.

Look at that. LOOK AT IT! IT'S FRICKIN' AMAZE-BALLS!

Totally excited to be using this engine on this build.

Nitroplanes Pitts Model 12 20cc Build

Surfing Facebook the other day, I ran across an offer I could not refuse, and picked up a 15cc sized Nitroplanes Pitts Model 12, in the color scheme option I preferred (don't like that blue one). I decided to binge a bit, and have made a few parts purchases, making me pace myself as they come in. What I love about this plane is that its a bit bigger at 15cc sized aerobat, its a bipe, it has an ultimate wing, and a round cowl. Love this look! This model came with no manual, which from what I found online is fine as the manual was ripe with mistakes and misguidance. Its kinda fun doing this build using just my own experience and knowledge, dare I say, skills.

One version of the real plane.

This is the model's Python scheme. I am not planning on ordering the Python graphics since I don't really care if its scale, I just want to fly it. I will personalize it though! I am hoping Joe Nelson sends me some RSCF-USA Skull Logo stickers.

I started by fuel-proofing the anterior fuse. I did most of the interior, all sides, not just for the fuel proofing, but also to add some tensile strength. I use 15 min epoxy diluted out with alcohol and brush it on thinly.

After several careful dry fits and increasing the gap of the hinge slots, I epoxied in nylon Du-Bro hinges. I prefer the strength on gassers, although the provided CA hinges would work. I have never had a nylon hinge loosen, but several CA hinges, so I tend to avoid them.

Since the horizontal stabilizer could be installed either side up, I opted with the star side up. Not sure what the real Python has displayed. Here the horizontal stab and rudder are installed, all with the nylon Du-Bro hinges. I used the larger ones on the rudder since it also takes some of the forces from the tail wheel.

Installed the tail wheel. It is the standard design with the gear "tiller" end attached into a hole I drilled into the rudder providing yaw force to the tail wheel, and added epoxy support along the attachment to the rudder. There is CA in that hole securing the "tiller", and epoxy around the exposed part contacting the front of the rudder. I open the cote under that metal support, CA, then double screw: screw in the retaining screw, unscrew it and apply CA then re-insert it. That thing is secure.

Here are some of the coming parts.

ZYHobby 500ml gas tank.

Master Airscrew 15x7x3 prop. I happen to have one on hand. Painting the tips yellow with a black middle stripe. Love these props. Durable with great performance. I have a 14x7 Master Airscrew Scimitar coming that I will use to break in the engine. I also have a 2.75in aluminum 3 blade spinner coming from ZYHobby on eBay coming.

RCGF-USA 20cc RE engine.  I am a total RCGF-USA Fanboy. This plane is described as "70 class", inferring a 0.7 cu in or roughly between 10 and 15cc sized plane (0.6 cu in is 10cc). I like a little power, and another builder put a 20cc engine in the plane with excellent results. I am trying to get away from engines less than 15cc since their carbs are a pain to manage, so, bought a new engine from Joe Nelson at RCGF-USA. Always the best personal support on the best and most affordable engines that run reliably and awesomely. Really excited about this engine!

I have on hand:

Tech Aero Designs UBEC.  (Manual here). This takes power through the receiver and acts as a remote ignition cut-out switch. It also protects the receiver from any hardwire ignition noise. I don't use a mechanical ignition switch (see below).

Step down voltage regulator.  I will be using the 2S (7.4V) 5300 mA battery from the Ultra Stick in this plane. The servos are not high voltage, so it will need a step down to 6.6V. 

DS3218 Digital RC Servo Motor 20KG High Torque Full Metal Gear. This plane has 4 aileron surfaces, each driven by its own servo, which is a bit overkill, but good for a high powered aerobat. Using a 20kg high torque servo just adds more power to these surfaces. Each side will require a Y-harness to the receiver. This was a 4 pack, convenient. I have had very good results with generic servos.

Since I had to order 2 more servos (I have a throttle servo), I bought this 2 pack of high torque servos, one for the rudder (a pull-pull setup), and one for the elevator.

Spektrum AR637T Receiver.  I had bought this with other plans for it, and have had it on hand for over a year, NIB. I decided its a good fit for this plane. I will be programming the AS3X, but won't be using SAFE. The ailerons will be Y-harnessed to AIL and AUX1, each of the other servos will of course have their own channel. GEAR will be used for the Tech Aero Ignition UBEC/Cut out.

The remaining decision it the receiver power switch. I have had mechanical switches fail, never in flight, just not working one day, on a couple of occasions. I don't feel the need for redundant systems, though I appreciate their application in larger planes. What I wanted was a simple flag-and-pin style fail-on switch. I found one that was $60 (see below, from Australia), that was a simple stand alone switch, not one like DUALSKY or Smart-Fly redundancy bus systems. Why no one else makes a simple affordable switch capable of handling the battery pack voltage and amps is beyond me, I think there is a good market for one.  

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My idea had been to take one of these (Left is DUALSKY, right is Smart-Fly) as an inline on-off switch, placing it on the negative side of the battery lead. They are not designed for that, instead are designed for microamp signals to a power control system. A couple of experienced folks (Thanks Cody Wojcik and Jerry Leach) felt they probably would NOT handle the amps. The gauge of the wire isn't the issue, its the internals of the switch itself that are of concern. Bummer. Someone needs to make one that is just simple but can carry the volts and amps of the battery pack. 

This one from Australia (the ONLY place I can find one) is expensive, and shipping almost doubles the cost. Its pretty much exactly what I need, though a simple switch and LED without the expensive switch plate is more my desire. I would build one myself, but I can't find the damn switch. I want one that I remove the pin, not place one, to power the circuit. I could easily make one that plugged in to power on, I want one to power on when I remove the pin. I welcome ideas!

The wing servos are arriving today from Amazon, so I will start on the wings. The top wing is one piece, 54" in wingspan. This creates a transport problem as it isn't going to fit in my car nor my wife's SUV attached to the fuse. The bottom wing is two piece joined in the middle. I will need to remove the wings to transport it. Since the top wing is one piece, and the bottom wings two parts are joined in the middle, I plan to permanently join the two bottom halves, epoxying the wing spar in place, and putting a thin fiberglass layer on the top and bottom of the wing at the wing joint. Since I have to use a large wing bag for the top wing, I might as well make the bottom wing one piece as well. Adds strength, and makes transport a tad easier. What this leaves is a LOT of tiny screw and nylock nuts that need to be put on and taken off with every transport. I will need to carry a bag of replacements, as those damn things will disappear like chocolates at a sorority house.

I haven't heard from Horizon Hobby about my iX12 transmitter, which is there for service.  Its there, and hopefully I will hear something this week. They have such great service and turn around is really quick.

More to follow!

UPDATE: I did find this flag-and-pin switch from RadicalRC for $11 plus reasonable shipping:

I don't understand RadicalRC "generally not recommending its use in high vibration environments" since its a "single contact" switch due to lack of redundancy. All switches are single contact. These ARE used with powersafe systems as the sole switch in high vibration aircraft (ie gassers), so I don't understand why they wouldn't. I'm going to give it a shot.

Sweet Baby Pitts Model 12!

Looky what daddy is bring home!  On Facebook today when I ran across an add for this beautiful 57" Pitts Model 12., NIB, for a decent price. Short trip to pick it up tomorrow. Psyche!

Who doesn't love a Pitts? A bipe with a round cowl, two of my favorite things, in an aerobatic beast. I bought this thinking I could use one of the two 10cc engines I have, but I think this one deserves an  RCGF-USA 15cc engine, so I am saving my pennies. I have been searching for something like this, ever since I had a midair with my Eflite Ultimate (the original balsa; why the hell they went on to replace it with a foamie???). I am super excited that Todd made this available. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

My Baby is off to the shop...

My iX12 was developing some curious behaviors these past couple of weeks, and today simply quit working. 

Over a long hiatus of several weeks, I had left the transmitter off. Not in sleep, off. When I went to turn it on, nothing. Battery dead. I recharged it, and it wouldn't boot. Orange light came on, few seconds later flickered 2-3 times and turned off. Trial and error discovered that if I unplugged and replugged the battery, it would boot. This became our game. It would operate fine. Usually woke from sleep, but if I turned it off, I would have to unplug the battery. Putting off the inevitable, this lead to me putting a switch in inline with the battery to stop abusing the battery plug. Curiously it would start and operate fine if plugged into the charger. There's a clue in that.  Today it would not boot, just orange light, then flicker. Then off. Often it wouldn't even do that. If it did load, after loading Airware, it turned itself off.

So, today I am shipping her off the Horizon, most wonderful customer service by the way. Their wizards will magic it back to normalcy. Being non-flying for 2 weeks will kill me, but a boy gotta do what a boy gotta do. 

I still love this radio. This isn't a software issue, I am pretty sure it's hardware. It has behaved through Airware updates, until this last one. I too have a timer that doesn't display properly, though the audio countdown works.

2 weeks. Hmm... there's my DX7S I use for Real Flight sim... I have never actually flown with it though...

Great Flight Day!

The weather was perfect, occasionally gusty, but right down the runway North-to-South. I packed out the RCGF-USA 26cc PulseXT 60, and the newly repaired RCGF-USA 26cc Phoenix Waco F5C. Excited to get to the field, and fly, fly, fly!

Love this plane, the Pulse XT60! It flies sweet, is fast as anything I have, with power to spare!  

SO much frickin' fun!

Since replacing the sparky the  is back to her old reliable self again. What a joy to fly!

The Waco was ready to fly, and fly she did!

I flew her for a 20 min flight, getting her trimmed out. She needed a bit of nose down trim, but roll was fine. It was a bit gusty up high, but she handled it well. Take off has to be done gracefully, slow power up, just like the real Waco. She is squirrelly on the ground with a tremendous P-Factor (that's how she ended up in the weeds last year). A bit touchy in flight, but I was getting used to her and in the end was feeling very comfortable with her.

On my second take off as I was gaining speed she caught a clump of grass and tipped enough to ground strike the prop, breaking it, and flipped. This side of our field (the gasser side) is lumpy, adding to the take-off challenges. Fortunately I have another 18x10 at home, and she is already back up.

I expect to take this duo out again next flying day!

Spektrum iX12 Start Up Issue

 

My Spektrum iX12 has been more or less stress free and operating well, even through updates that raised issues for so many other users. Well, I had left my radio "off" for several weeks, and when I went to turn it on, it would not boot. Plugged it in, booted fine, and checked the battery, it was red line low. I charged it overnight, and it took its charge fine, as expected. But my iX12 has a new trick. It will no longer boot Android if it has been turned off. I have to unplug the battery, plug it back in, and then it will boot. Curiously, it will also boot every time if plugged in. I tried the original battery, same issues, so its not the battery. No one seems to know why this happened. It started before the last update. I thought maybe its an Android OS issue, but there is no way that I can see to repair or update the Android system, and to my knowledge it has never been updated. It is set to automatically update. I am using the latest Airware.

I didn't want to damage the battery plug in the radio, so I installed a switch I happen to have. It fits nicely in the battery bay, and isn't tall enough to block the cover. It works perfectly.

A simple Radio Shack On-Off switch. I had a couple of these sitting around unused.  Soldered it in-line, then covered it in shrink wrap.

Here it is in situ. The wires on the MaxxPack are long, allowing this. Took 5 minutes.

Here's hoping this problem gets solved, or I figure out a new way. I may buy another MaxxPack just to see if it somehow turns out to be a battery thing after all.

I would rather have a Spektrum NX10 radio.

Waco 26cc is ready to fly!

Yes! I have completed the repairs on the Waco and programmed it into the iX12 transmitter! Tomorrow I plan to get the engine running, and if time permits, get her to the club field to fly. The conditions look great.

I have admitted the complex curves with cote are not my strong point. Here I am halfway completed on the starboard side wing root, using a cote iron, and some heat gun.

It looks pretty darn good. Close up its not perfect, but that'll do.

Tank reinstalled, installed the battery tray (velcro).

Tank is offset a bit for the battery.

Aileron leads out, battery in, cozied up.

Flight ready!

In programming it I worked on the Eagle A3 stabilization system. Why does she have one? I don't know, just felt like it since the original had the doomed Spektrum Alpha6 system. Replaced that with an Orange Stabilized System, and replaced that with this A3. The gain pots are hard to adjust. I turn them up, to set the directions of the surfaces, and turn them down as low as I can, but they still seem a bit aggressive. I'll be careful. The pot screws don't move negative well. I have it set up on Flight Mode switch. 

Tomorrow, we fly!