Great Planes Giant Citabria GP/EP ARF 85"
09-20-2014, 05:50 PM
#103
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I got them installed already. The wing tips and strobe were easy, the tail was a little difficult. Photos tomorrow if anyone wants.
09-21-2014, 05:38 AM
#104
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The tail was the only difficult light to add. Drilling the hole had to be done by starting out with a small bit and working up to one just under the thickness of the rudder. Rather than fishing the light to the tail, I slit the back at the stab and spread it open to stuff in the wire. The picture is worth a thousand words.
The wing tips are easy, just pick a spot just behind the wing tube. The strobe I placed on the top just behind the wing. Just glue a piece of ply in place, iron the covering to it for added strength and pop it in.
09-21-2014, 09:10 AM
#106
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No landing light....yet. This is a RAM125 4 light sys. Now it can be powered up with 4.8 v to 12 v, it has a 9V connector and a connector for the receiver. So when you hit the rec PW switch. Very bright!
09-21-2014, 04:10 PM
#107
Ok so after scouring the internet all day, this is what I came up with, http://www.scaleflying.com/Scale-LED...anes_p_17.html
It will allow me to do a white tale light, nav/strobes and a bright landing light in the nose. It will all be powered off the RX battery. I think I might put the lighting on it's own channel. Scale flying also had some awesome lexan nave light covers that come in different sizes http://www.scaleflying.com/Light-lens-set_p_3600.html. They are currently out of stock. My plan will be to build a scale nave/strobe light to insert on the wingtip.
-Matt
It will allow me to do a white tale light, nav/strobes and a bright landing light in the nose. It will all be powered off the RX battery. I think I might put the lighting on it's own channel. Scale flying also had some awesome lexan nave light covers that come in different sizes http://www.scaleflying.com/Light-lens-set_p_3600.html. They are currently out of stock. My plan will be to build a scale nave/strobe light to insert on the wingtip.
-Matt
09-21-2014, 04:30 PM
#108
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I noticed in your earlier post Flyboywbl that you are also using S3003 servos with your 6V system. I do believe these are 4.8V servos. Need to check on that to confirm.
This weekend I was sick, did not get a lot of anything done. But I did work out the problem with the cowl. It's mounted and everything else is pretty much done. Should be, I have almost no parts left except for the interior trim. I did the setup using an old 7 channel Rec, but ordered a 14 channel for this plane. Which will let me have a channel for every servo, and one for the nav lights. Gonna go with a manual choke on this because of just one thing. On this motor the choke arm pulls up and down. Not like the throttle which lets you install a servo behind the motor. I cant see a servo working properly on the choke on this motor. Wish I knew this about the VVRC40 twin before, I might have just spent a few dollars more for the DLE.
This weekend I was sick, did not get a lot of anything done. But I did work out the problem with the cowl. It's mounted and everything else is pretty much done. Should be, I have almost no parts left except for the interior trim. I did the setup using an old 7 channel Rec, but ordered a 14 channel for this plane. Which will let me have a channel for every servo, and one for the nav lights. Gonna go with a manual choke on this because of just one thing. On this motor the choke arm pulls up and down. Not like the throttle which lets you install a servo behind the motor. I cant see a servo working properly on the choke on this motor. Wish I knew this about the VVRC40 twin before, I might have just spent a few dollars more for the DLE.
09-21-2014, 04:46 PM
#109
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I noticed in your earlier post Flyboywbl that you are also using S3003 servos with your 6V system. I do believe these are 4.8V servos. Need to check on that to confirm.
This weekend I was sick, did not get a lot of anything done. But I did work out the problem with the cowl. It's mounted and everything else is pretty much done. Should be, I have almost no parts left except for the interior trim. I did the setup using an old 7 channel Rec, but ordered a 14 channel for this plane. Which will let me have a channel for every servo, and one for the nav lights. Gonna go with a manual choke on this because of just one thing. On this motor the choke arm pulls up and down. Not like the throttle which lets you install a servo behind the motor. I cant see a servo working properly on the choke on this motor. Wish I knew this about the VVRC40 twin before, I might have just spent a few dollars more for the DLE.
This weekend I was sick, did not get a lot of anything done. But I did work out the problem with the cowl. It's mounted and everything else is pretty much done. Should be, I have almost no parts left except for the interior trim. I did the setup using an old 7 channel Rec, but ordered a 14 channel for this plane. Which will let me have a channel for every servo, and one for the nav lights. Gonna go with a manual choke on this because of just one thing. On this motor the choke arm pulls up and down. Not like the throttle which lets you install a servo behind the motor. I cant see a servo working properly on the choke on this motor. Wish I knew this about the VVRC40 twin before, I might have just spent a few dollars more for the DLE.
looks good! I can't wait to start mine. I get to MN on the 26th.
-Matt
09-22-2014, 04:23 PM
#114
Originally Posted by [email protected]
So, Flyboy, you are from MN? I lived up there for about 30 years. Finally got fed up with the cold and moved to FL. Never regret it
09-23-2014, 04:01 PM
#118
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
Has anyone else started on their Citabria yet? Haven't heard much in it.
Anyone putting a Pilot Figure in like the 1/4 Scale Great Planes Figure that is recommended?
09-23-2014, 05:45 PM
#119
I also started but not much done, I will be posting pictures of my progess starting this weekend, I will also install a lighting system like the one Matt suggested.
I decided to go with one 2500 A123 LiFe batt, this batt will power the receiver, servoes, lights when in used and ingnition for the engine, one on/off switch, an IBEC, two digital HS servoes ( throttle and Rudder ) and six HS 645 analogs for the controls, all metal gear ( because I have them ) a 7 channel receiver, pilot as suggested by the manual.
I decided to go with one 2500 A123 LiFe batt, this batt will power the receiver, servoes, lights when in used and ingnition for the engine, one on/off switch, an IBEC, two digital HS servoes ( throttle and Rudder ) and six HS 645 analogs for the controls, all metal gear ( because I have them ) a 7 channel receiver, pilot as suggested by the manual.
Last edited by CARS II; 09-23-2014 at 05:49 PM.
09-25-2014, 03:38 AM
#121
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I also started but not much done, I will be posting pictures of my progess starting this weekend, I will also install a lighting system like the one Matt suggested.
I decided to go with one 2500 A123 LiFe batt, this batt will power the receiver, servoes, lights when in used and ingnition for the engine, one on/off switch, an IBEC, two digital HS servoes ( throttle and Rudder ) and six HS 645 analogs for the controls, all metal gear ( because I have them ) a 7 channel receiver, pilot as suggested by the manual.
I decided to go with one 2500 A123 LiFe batt, this batt will power the receiver, servoes, lights when in used and ingnition for the engine, one on/off switch, an IBEC, two digital HS servoes ( throttle and Rudder ) and six HS 645 analogs for the controls, all metal gear ( because I have them ) a 7 channel receiver, pilot as suggested by the manual.
09-25-2014, 05:16 AM
#122
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I have never used a second battery, even on my larger 55cc aircraft. This 35cc size medium performance aircraft is not what I would call a demanding power drain. Now with the added lights I can understand the need for another battery. I should check on the current drain for these four LED's. But....they are only LED's so the drain should not be that bad. However, I will closely monitor the drain on the battery on the first few flights. Which may not be this weekend, but surely by the next. I have very little left to do.
09-25-2014, 06:25 AM
#123
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Again, I think there are a lot of things we do that we "get away with" in our RC aircraft, but it's not a matter of "if," but "when" an item will fail. And, almost anything can fail, whether on our RC or full size aircraft. When you look a those "single-point of failure" items for RC aircraft, batteries are at the top of the list. If your one battery gives up on you, game over! You may be able to recover from a problematic servo or a fuel line that is clogged, but when the batteries give up or "brown-out" your receiver from a significant current draw, that second battery doesn't seem like all that bad of a concept. Even if you're not running lights, but just a receiver/servos and the ignition from one battery, why take the chance? Redundancy and a thorough pre-flight will take care of most items that could potentially cause the loss of an aircraft or injury to a person or property (if in fact you perform a thorough pre-flight). We can't control everything, but we can practice risk management. You'll never know if any particular servo has 5 good minutes left in it's lifespan or if you battery has only 5-minutes left. But if you have two batteries or run a Smart-Fly with three batteries (which I also do), you are helping to reduce your risk. True, if you are running on two batteries and one goes bad, there is a 50-50 chance the bad one will be the receiver battery. If you are only running on one battery, and it goes, there's a 100% chance your airplane is going down. Well, as with most things in life, it's the choices we make! I'm running two 3200 Hobbico LiFe batteries in my Citabria. One for ignition, one for the receiver.
09-25-2014, 09:04 AM
#125
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Did you first thread the flying wire through the tubing then bent the tubing with the wire in it to the angle/shape you wanted?
Last edited by dasintex; 09-25-2014 at 09:07 AM.