Hangar 9 Van's RV-4 30cc ARF 85"
03-31-2019, 09:37 AM
#103
Just saw a review by a fellow over on FlyingRC.Net. The fellow said he had to use an elevator/throttle mix to settle the RV-4 down. As he applied power the RV-4 just wanted to climb, so he thought the CG was off, that didn't fix the problem. He called Horizon and they told him to use an elevator/throttle mix to help change the wing angle of attack in relation to the throttle stick position. He said it solve the problem. Did anyone here, flying the RV-4 have a similar problem? Thanks. Chic
03-31-2019, 02:33 PM
#105
Another 5 flights yeterday. Very stable flier, will baloon slightly into strong head wind but its not a biggie. Getting used to the landings, quite amusing to watch it do a curved approach will full flaps and speed about a slog jog then slow it over the strip at walking pace to plop it down, no such thing as a rolling landing with this thing.
Might have to try harrier landings hehe
The Evo 33 is coming on song, 5 L of 20:1 2T mineral through and its now on a 30:1 2T mineral mix. Re-tuned it when I got back from flying. Its really pulling hard.
Will put about 10L of 30:1 2T mineral through it then onto 30:1 2TTS synthetic mix.
Might have to try harrier landings hehe
The Evo 33 is coming on song, 5 L of 20:1 2T mineral through and its now on a 30:1 2T mineral mix. Re-tuned it when I got back from flying. Its really pulling hard.
Will put about 10L of 30:1 2T mineral through it then onto 30:1 2TTS synthetic mix.
04-01-2019, 01:29 PM
#107
I think I am ready to maiden. I tied down all the wiring neatly as I could, checked all nuts, bolts, clevises, collars, etc. Then I assembled the whole plane like at the field: mounting the wings, connecting servos, adding keepers, and finally screwing down the canopy bolts. Next up is trying to start the new DLE-35 in the backyard between rain that is forecast all this week here. If that goes well, I will maiden when we have the next good weather. I am anxious to do that and report back here!
04-02-2019, 04:07 PM
#109
I remembered a friend has this plane with electric power. He noted his wing tube bent too after an evasive maneuver to avoid a midair. He said he glued a 7/8” wood dowel inside the wing tube with Gorilla glue to eliminate the issue. I will be getting the dowel and glue tomorrow.
04-18-2019, 02:21 PM
#110
I got the maiden done today on a really nice sunny and warm day for a change here in OR! The DLE-35 started and ran well, better than my previous DLE engines. The plane flew great, just needed about four clicks of up trim and two of right aileron. Found that there is much adverse yaw when I tried some rolls...ugliest rolls ever with much corkscrew action, lol! After the maiden flight, I input some aileron differential such that the down aileron is 80% of the up aileron. This made the rolls pretty axial, and I can fine tune that in the future. My elevator was sensitive to me so I decreased it a little for the second flight. On the first flight, i landed without any flaps, in an effort to keep the first flight as simple as possible. Next one I used half flaps. I had flaps set up for the maiden to mix 10% down elevator with flap deployment. That resulted in very slight down pitch as I hit the flaps at low speeds. I am going to reduce the mix to 5% percent down elevator with flaps. Should result in zero pitch when the flap switch is hit. For reference, my CG is very slightly ahead of the 6" recommendation in the manual, with an empty gas tank. Oh, I did not notice any strong tendency to climb with increased throttle...my elevator center trim seemed good for the plane at all speeds.
It was a good day with three flights. Landings will take some getting used to ....I bounced them today but expect some greased ones in the future. Very pretty bird! More reports later as I get more stick time in on this plane!
It was a good day with three flights. Landings will take some getting used to ....I bounced them today but expect some greased ones in the future. Very pretty bird! More reports later as I get more stick time in on this plane!
05-02-2019, 06:26 PM
#111
Just a short update: I got in another 3 flights with the RV-4 and got to trim it out a little better yet. My aileron differential was a little too much. I increased the down aileron to 85% of the up aileron. That made rolls even more axial and also helped knife edge...less turning to the LG. And I decreased elevator throw to make it less sensitive. That helped smooth out the landings. This is getting to be a fun plane real quick!
05-12-2019, 06:41 PM
#112
Into a bit of a breeze it will climb but nothing dramatic, I simply hold a touch of down, I will play with throttle curve at some stage when I get really bored. The plane though is so docile its easy to just "fly"it as is.
05-29-2019, 06:26 PM
#114
Been doing a bit more fine tuning with mine. Noticed it is a bit twitchy so have added a little lead in the clow, just 2 stick on weights and reduced throw on elevator while increasing expo.
Was getting adverse yaw so have couple din 15% rudder and put a soft differential on the ailerons. As I'm out of channels on the 9ch Rx I used a JR matchbox. I now have it set at 32mm up and 20mm down, should help a little.
Was getting adverse yaw so have couple din 15% rudder and put a soft differential on the ailerons. As I'm out of channels on the 9ch Rx I used a JR matchbox. I now have it set at 32mm up and 20mm down, should help a little.
06-02-2019, 08:32 PM
#115
happy to sat my tweaks worked rather well. The RV is much smoother in the turn and its quite amazing how slow you can do sharp coordinated turns with this thing.
Landings I am starting to get dialeld in, founds its best to come in with a bit of power then cut throttle just as the wheels are about to touch.
Next thing to play with will be a throttle to elevator curve though a couple of washers on top engine mounts would acheive same result I am thinking. Why do a Boeing 737 Max?
Landings I am starting to get dialeld in, founds its best to come in with a bit of power then cut throttle just as the wheels are about to touch.
Next thing to play with will be a throttle to elevator curve though a couple of washers on top engine mounts would acheive same result I am thinking. Why do a Boeing 737 Max?
06-23-2019, 03:13 PM
#116
Had a mate who is good with aerobatic models check over the RV, based on his tests he confimed my own thoughts that the CG was still too far rearward, around the 30% of MAC but still forward of where the manual states.
I move two battery packs forward and re-checked CG, now is spot on 25% MAC.
Test flew and very solid in the air and surprise surprise it now longer balloons up under full throttle.
And thats when the fun started.
I did a stall turn it is sort of flipped at the top, blamed my dumb thumbs then tried a loop and it corkscrewed at the top which ws very wierd. I then noticed the engine note was odd, though muffler may be coming close and there was a metalic sound to it. Brought it in for a landing safely though it was quite squirelly on the approach. As I am taxiing back in I could ehar the "noise" again and noticed the muffler tubes bouncing so thought it was loose then saw the spinner was wiggling all over the place - what the? Bloody hell must be the firewall has pulled away.
Got it home and pulled it down to find that the problem was in fact the 4 x 4mm back plate bolts that mountn the engine to the factory fitted radial engine mound ha vibrated out and the whole back plate had pulled out, hence the noise.
The engine is the Evolution 33cc.
Those who have this engine fitted should double check those bolts. I'll be heading to the local nut & bolt place this monring to see if I can get some 4mm x 15mm bolts.
think I was very lucky.
Refer to photos.
I move two battery packs forward and re-checked CG, now is spot on 25% MAC.
Test flew and very solid in the air and surprise surprise it now longer balloons up under full throttle.
And thats when the fun started.
I did a stall turn it is sort of flipped at the top, blamed my dumb thumbs then tried a loop and it corkscrewed at the top which ws very wierd. I then noticed the engine note was odd, though muffler may be coming close and there was a metalic sound to it. Brought it in for a landing safely though it was quite squirelly on the approach. As I am taxiing back in I could ehar the "noise" again and noticed the muffler tubes bouncing so thought it was loose then saw the spinner was wiggling all over the place - what the? Bloody hell must be the firewall has pulled away.
Got it home and pulled it down to find that the problem was in fact the 4 x 4mm back plate bolts that mountn the engine to the factory fitted radial engine mound ha vibrated out and the whole back plate had pulled out, hence the noise.
The engine is the Evolution 33cc.
Those who have this engine fitted should double check those bolts. I'll be heading to the local nut & bolt place this monring to see if I can get some 4mm x 15mm bolts.
think I was very lucky.
Refer to photos.
