RE: Tensor 4D Aerobatics Aircraft
The wind today was blowing about 5 mph. Maybe gusting to about 6 or 7. The plane would go into a torque roll straight up and down, and it would just drift down the runway at a fast walk pace is it was torque rolling. So, 5 mph is like about 10 to 12 on a larger plane.
The airplane is so light and fragile- the elevator and rudder (rear fuselage twists a lot with hardly any force) However the aerodynamics are so well thought out that even with the flex, the fuselage, etc. does not seem to distort under load. The truss system on the wing is really strong. I feel like I could put a brick on the top wing and it would support it. However the wing twists horzontally very easily. Again, since the side force generators keep the airflow front to back, they provide a stabilizing force which means you really don't need much strength where you don't have it. Having said that, I have not planted it yet. It seems to be very easy to control.
I was able to torque roll left and stop it easily and then start rolling right. I did not do it much, since its such a strange feeling/seeing things rotate the other way.
The small fins on the top of the wing and the bottom of the wing are the same color scheme. I got disoriented several times, seeing the yellow spots was mentally symmetrical. I'll probably paint the fins solid blue or solid white. I've only got 4 flights on it so far (last one was a few minutes ago just after the football game).
Did some rolling harriers earlier today. They are very easy, but Mike McConville was right, you don't need much if any rudder while doing these. The Tensor puts itself in a slightly nose-high attitude during knife edge due to the side force generators between the wings. Putting rudder in during a rolling harrier pretty much would put the Tensor vertical into a torque roll almost instantaneously.
The plane does have some pitch coupling during knife edge loops. I think it feels like it needs a little up elevator with extreme rudder throw. At the top of a KE loop, coming around the back side and at the bottom, it would kind of roll to inverted. It was doing some very tight KE looops.
Its taking me less time than I thought to get used to the "box" like shape of the fuselage and wings. I'm used to looking at it now. All the stuff hanging out in the air makes it very stable in torque roll. All the wings and side force generators helps (aerodynamically) make the plane more stable as its parked vertically.
My battery pack is set about 1/4 inch in front (as best as I can see) from the pictures in the instructions. However, I'm using the standard long black rx antenna with the JR 610 (without case version) receiver. The antenna goes back to the bottom of the rudder fin, then doubles back and is tied to the center fuselage/truss.
The foam is extremely light and the plane is generally very fragile. My son lifted it up under the wing between the center and the side force generator, and it was flexing almost as if to snap off. You have to grab it by the center wing mount. This plane is definitely designed for indoor or outdoor calm conditions. Its quite easy to fly in the confines of an indoor gym or hangar. My CG is just at the front recommended spot. 2 1/4 inch.
Well, thats it for now.