grosbeak

Very nice!

I'm still working on mine... it's gotten past the point in our flying season where I'd be comfortable maidening a new plane, so it's spring for me. In the meantime I have made a number of design changes, and I have time to work on those.

grosbeak

Design change #1 - dual external elevators.



Design change #2 - pull-pull rudder. First step is done - the servo is in.




I've decided to connect the choke through the firewall and out the bottom of the fuse - a shopmade bellcrank will help with that.

Clay Walters

Hope this is helpful:

grosbeak

Thanks Clay - very helpful.

grosbeak

Pull-pull rudder is done:






Choke, ignition and vent line exits are also done:




Ignition and gas tank are in:





Next steps - replacing throttle servo (shaft broke), installing optical kill and ignition battery, prop and spinner reaming and fitting, balancing!

Brian Smith

My Feedback: (117)

Nice work.....

Catalinaflyer

Maiden today, this is the Pulse that my 17 year old daughter got me for Christmas.

I had a RCG 26 engine laying on the bench so thats what went into it. I made a few changes to it to move the fuel tank back to the CG and all finished it balances dead on the recomended CG.

Here are some pictures (The files are to large to post more than 4 or 5 at a time)

Catalinaflyer

Some more

woodbender

Hello everyone and thanks for all the great information.

I love the Pulse series.. flew a Mini Pulse xt for many years and am current flying the 25e.

I'm about to move up to this size with a gas engine; probably the DLE 20. Is that still the ideal gas engine for this plane?

grosbeak

So far I've found 4 people who have done the Pulse 125 with the DLE 20 - all of them are happy with the combination. I make five - I finished my assembly last night.

SportsFans

Hey very nice catflyer, Hey is thst a Waco in the lower left of pix4? How she fly? That will be my next season project, and then I will join the Brotherhood [8D]

Stealthjet

inch wing span ARF TL-Ultralifgt $299 shipped on this link
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=814090
[8D]

Stealthjet

$299 shipped http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=814090
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Catalinaflyer

Good Eye SportsFans, that was my other Christmas present from my wife along with the OS 33 GT gasser. It's a replacement for my Cox Pica Waco that took a dirt nap a couple of months ago. As for flying, all Wacos fly fantastic and this one is no exception. As for the engine, it's about double the power this thing needs to fly, a DLE 20 would be about perfect but as the old saying goes, there's no replacement for displacement and this thing has plenty.

I also have 2 1/4 scale Waco CTO's on the building table and hope to have the first one in the air by Memorial Day weekend. They look a lot like the YMF but use a tapered wing and are a little faster and more aerobatic.

And finally, you don't have to have a Waco to join, all you have to do is like old bi-planes and ask.

B.Day

Pulse 125

Pulse 125 flies very good as I expected. I like the low speed flying characteristics, handles very well. I like doing my maneuvers low and slow. My experiences are not a lot different from those reporting on RC universe. Reading their reports can steer you away from certain inherent weaknesses. Elevator flutter, weak stab and tail area, ETC. Overall finish and quality are very good. Caution. This is not a high speed plane, get something else if this is what you are looking for. There are a lot things that don't measure up. To pay $300.00 and then have to go through the rebuild of the flaws is not good. As long as this plane has been out someone at H.H. is not doing their homework. But then as long as it is selling?
To start with the pretty landing gear is the main thing. I had to pitch it and use another one to correct the bad tendencies. It's too flexible, and too low to the ground both allowing for prop strikes, wing tip skids and the wheels are too far back making it tipsy on the ground, even when balanced for flight. I know you could move it fowards and it would be better but it's still just inadequate. Mine tipped up taxiing out for the very first flight destroying a good APC and this was on pavement I don’t think you could ever get off the ground flying off of grass. The tail wheel is junk, the same as Great Planes uses, any hard landing will destroy the rudder, pitch it and get a Dubro tail wheel mount and mount it to the fuselage and be done with it. Glue the tail and fin on don' t depend on the two bolts.
The motor mount that comes with is marginal, get a quality mount like G. Planes. The two piece wing is great if you have a small vehicle but if vehicle size is not a problem by all means glue the wings together it makes them stronger and eaiser to handle. Then you don't have to worry about losing the wing tube or leaving it at home. Also this will keep oil from seeping between the wings and making the covering come off. Also glue the tail feathers on. Don't depend on those two tiny little bolts to hold them on. Line them up real good and fix them on there permenantly.If you use a two stroke I suggest laying it on it's side or you might have to wind up having to use a pump, plus this gets the exhaust down under the wing. The cute little wing bolts were the wrong thread pitch would not work, had to pitch them and use 1/4/20 which were better anyhow. This plane is very light so you can add a little weight and make it’s life and your’s a lot more bearable by adding tri-stock to beef up around the firewall and wing area and landing gear pad. Mainly and mostly do not overpower this airplane. A 120/25 is more than enough power. Mine can do verticals and hovering until you are tired of doing it. If you read the reviews those who overpower them are losing them. Kept within it's bounds it is a very good flying airplane. I think I'm more impressed with the OS 120 I have on it than I am the airplane. Think maybe it was first designed for a electric. It's just too light, mine weighs ten pounds ready to fly, 120 jerks it around like there is nothing hooked to it.
Over all on a 1-10 scale I will give it a 7 rating. It's just an OK airplane but I like it for what it is....
These are just my experiences with it, yours and your needs may be different. I have been flying for quite a while and by now I kinda have a feel for what it takes to make them live in the real world of flying, taking them out and bringing them back like you took it out.. You cannot make them crash proof but they have to be able to survive a hard landing occasionally... Cheers...

grosbeak

Review - clickable.

nefariousrc

My Feedback: (2)

Well, I've been flying the crap outta my Pulse/DLE combo and my opinion of this combo has not changed; I love it.  I have now tried both a 16x8 & 17x6 Zoar and my preference is the 17x6.  Also, finally got around to weighing the plane and it weighed in at 8lbs 8oz with 8oz of gas.  Not bad considering the advertised weight is 8.2-9.5lbs.

woodbender

Man Oh Man I love this plane!

The DLE 20 combo looks like the way to go.

Should any of you contemplate parting with yours, please give me a shout. I'm in zip 92624.

STOKEY

My Feedback: (1)

curtster
I am putting together a pulse 60. I noticed you guys are talking about taping the control surfaces after checking and gluing the hinges again? Would you explain "tape". Is it a special tape the entire of the control surfaces that stays on but still allows ok movement of the controls? Seems like i have read somewhere that will also keep wind/air from traveling between the cracks of the controls. What kind and where can the tape be purchased. Thank you in advance.
STOKEY

JoeMamma

Hi Fellahs,

As I had mentioned about a year ago, I thought there was an error in the rudder throw specs. The manual states to set the rudder low-rate at 1/2", and the high-rate at 3/4". I thought this was much too low. The first time I flew mine I noticed I could not make a simple turn on the ground when taxying. When she was in the air, stall turns were all but impossible.

On subsequent flights I kept setting the rudder throws higher. My settings were at 1 3/4" low-rate, and 2" high-rate with 40% exponential. Stall turns were still sloppy.

Last night I opened up the rudder throws to 3 1/2" low-rate and 4" high-rate. I also reset the exponential to 45%. The 4" setting is the highest setting you can achieve without the rudder smacking the elevators.

I took her out today and noticed my stall turns are now a lot sharper. Ground taxying is also much better.

My CG is set at the high end of the recommended specs and a little tail heavy at 3 7/8".

Joe M.

nefariousrc

My Feedback: (2)

I felt the same way. I have no idea what the throw is on my rudder now but it's at least double what the manual suggest. Same with CG but I started in the middle of the suggested range by adding 8oz of lead to the nose. I slowly removed the weight incrementally until all added weight was removed and it still flys a little nose heavy. The manual is definetly erroring on the side of caution.

grosbeak

I started the DLE 20 for the first time the other day. What a rush - sounds great through the Pitts-style muffler. I'll be adjusting the carb tomorrow; planning to maiden on Saturday.

JoeMamma

I noticed over the months you have been a large contributor here at the Pulse 125 thread.

Good Luck on the maiden ![8D]

If your 125 fly's like mine, you will definitley be a Happy Camper !

Joe M.

grosbeak

Thanks, Joe.

I met some buddies at the field on Saturday for the maiden. They were a big help in getting the engine properly tuned and extra eyes on the preflight were welcome.

The wind was blowing pretty strong from the West - We put the plane in at the west entrance to the runway so I could get a feel for it on the ground as I taxied to the East.



I noticed that even with full up elevator the tail wanted to float with every bump.

Takeoff was smooth and I climbed into an RH circuit. Every time I took my thumbs off the sticks, the nose came down and she rolled to the right. I was having trouble with the wind, so one of my spotters did the trim adjustments for me while I flew. The other one - our club CFI - was very helpful in reminding me to breathe!

I did a few circuits and came in for a landing. It hit a little hard and the prop struck the grass. It bounced, then settled.

With the plane back on the table it was obvious that we'd had to dial in a lot of up elevator trim for level flight. A check of the CG at the main wing spar showed it to be a little nose heavy, so I remove 3/4 oz of weight, it balanced, and I set the trim to level again. Unfortunately the wind picked up (25 kmh gusting to 40) so another flight was not in the cards.

I'm looking forward to a calmer day!

STOKEY

My Feedback: (1)

Grosbeak

are you aiming for a equil balance, or trying to get it just a little bit nose heavy as we do with a lot of the planes?

I too am getting ready to test fly my PULSE XT 60 with a Saito 100. I have tried to set it up so far just a bit heavy at the nose.
After reading your post, I am wondering if I should do that.

thanks in advance

Stokey