RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
01-01-2008, 04:58 PM
#476
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
cmoulder,
Sounds like a lot of the air is not escaping and it's just pooling inside the cowl and maybe sucking some of that smoke inside the cowl. The exhaust area needs to be twice as big if not more than the inlet area. You need to really let these gas engines breath, that's why I was a little concerned about the area at the bottom as it looked like trouble for the hot weather. If the air is not coming in over the cylinder head you may want to think about a baffle that will direct the air flow. Still a very nice looking plane and looks like you put it together very well and I like the choice for the power plant. You defiantly have my gear turning about this one as an upcoming project.
Sounds like a lot of the air is not escaping and it's just pooling inside the cowl and maybe sucking some of that smoke inside the cowl. The exhaust area needs to be twice as big if not more than the inlet area. You need to really let these gas engines breath, that's why I was a little concerned about the area at the bottom as it looked like trouble for the hot weather. If the air is not coming in over the cylinder head you may want to think about a baffle that will direct the air flow. Still a very nice looking plane and looks like you put it together very well and I like the choice for the power plant. You defiantly have my gear turning about this one as an upcoming project.
01-01-2008, 06:16 PM
#477
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sierra Vista,
AZ
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Bob - Great pics and the smoke looks nice....I may yank the smoke system out of my WH Extra 300 and use in the Decathlon. Glad your initial flights went well.
Zippi - I've been flying my Deacthlon with B46 and have the same cowling setup as Bob. The outdoor temps have been in the 60-70 degree range and it seems to be getting adequate cooling - no evidence of hot engine at all. We'll see how it goes this summer at 100 degrees [X(]. I also opened the holes on the molded louvers on the left side of the cowl.
Eric
Zippi - I've been flying my Deacthlon with B46 and have the same cowling setup as Bob. The outdoor temps have been in the 60-70 degree range and it seems to be getting adequate cooling - no evidence of hot engine at all. We'll see how it goes this summer at 100 degrees [X(]. I also opened the holes on the molded louvers on the left side of the cowl.
Eric
01-01-2008, 07:46 PM
#478
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
fisher1648,
I hope there is no issue with either plane but just be on the look out for signs or overheating. I've been there and done that as they say. I had a Giles 202 with a Brillelli 40cc that was running great in the fall and come the next summer when it got good and hot I could get a couple laps around the field and the engine would shut down. I later found out it was overheating. Once I cut the bottom of the cowl a little bigger and exposed the cylinder head a little more everything was fine. It didn't seem to hurt the engine it's just the dead stick landing that could finish the plane. I didn't like the looks of the bottom of the cowl once I cut it out but you have to do what you have to do.
I have a question. Did the flying wires on the tail feathers come with the ARF and did you add any bracing on the stab?
I hope there is no issue with either plane but just be on the look out for signs or overheating. I've been there and done that as they say. I had a Giles 202 with a Brillelli 40cc that was running great in the fall and come the next summer when it got good and hot I could get a couple laps around the field and the engine would shut down. I later found out it was overheating. Once I cut the bottom of the cowl a little bigger and exposed the cylinder head a little more everything was fine. It didn't seem to hurt the engine it's just the dead stick landing that could finish the plane. I didn't like the looks of the bottom of the cowl once I cut it out but you have to do what you have to do.
I have a question. Did the flying wires on the tail feathers come with the ARF and did you add any bracing on the stab?
01-01-2008, 08:29 PM
#479
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sierra Vista,
AZ
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
10-4, I'll be keeping an eye on temps as the season changes.
As for the tail bracing I'm not using the flying wires (although I think I'll add those) and i did not add any bracing yet either. Some folks are putting tri stock on the elevator/fuse I belive.
I dont recall seeing flying wire parts in the assortment.
As for the tail bracing I'm not using the flying wires (although I think I'll add those) and i did not add any bracing yet either. Some folks are putting tri stock on the elevator/fuse I belive.
I dont recall seeing flying wire parts in the assortment.
01-01-2008, 10:30 PM
#481
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
ORIGINAL: Zippi
fisher1648,
I hope there is no issue with either plane but just be on the look out for signs or overheating. I've been there and done that as they say. I had a Giles 202 with a Brillelli 40cc that was running great in the fall and come the next summer when it got good and hot I could get a couple laps around the field and the engine would shut down. I later found out it was overheating. Once I cut the bottom of the cowl a little bigger and exposed the cylinder head a little more everything was fine. It didn't seem to hurt the engine it's just the dead stick landing that could finish the plane. I didn't like the looks of the bottom of the cowl once I cut it out but you have to do what you have to do.
I have a question. Did the flying wires on the tail feathers come with the ARF and did you add any bracing on the stab?
fisher1648,
I hope there is no issue with either plane but just be on the look out for signs or overheating. I've been there and done that as they say. I had a Giles 202 with a Brillelli 40cc that was running great in the fall and come the next summer when it got good and hot I could get a couple laps around the field and the engine would shut down. I later found out it was overheating. Once I cut the bottom of the cowl a little bigger and exposed the cylinder head a little more everything was fine. It didn't seem to hurt the engine it's just the dead stick landing that could finish the plane. I didn't like the looks of the bottom of the cowl once I cut it out but you have to do what you have to do.
I have a question. Did the flying wires on the tail feathers come with the ARF and did you add any bracing on the stab?
There is mention in the instruction manual about using leftover rudder pull-pull cable for the tail flying wires. Included in the hardware are 8 little metal tabs with holes in either end, and these are for anchoring the flying wires. The provided cable is not coated, which makes it hard to thread, so I used some coated cable I had in my parts bins and some hardware from a Sullivan pull-pull kit and various other bits to make the flying wires for the tail. Don't know if they're absolutely necessary, but they can't hurt and they are on the full-scale airplane.
Also on the "to do" list is a good, permanent fix for the hard points on the wings where the struts are attached. And also the fuse attachment point. The stock arrangement is not adequate for the long term, IMHO
I put in a 22-oz smoke tank, and I need to tweak the smoke pump output at lower throttle levels. It didn't kick in until higher throttle was reached and there was little to no smoke at low throttle.
01-02-2008, 07:34 AM
#482
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
cmoulder,
I guess you really wont know if there is an air flow problem until the hot summer gets here. I always like to expect the worst and hope for the best. Let us know about the "fix for the hard points on the wings where the struts are attached" and some pic's. I try and keep a log of things that need to be bought, changed, or mods on up coming projects. When you get older it's hard to remember all this stuff if I don't write it down and then remember where I put it
.
I guess you really wont know if there is an air flow problem until the hot summer gets here. I always like to expect the worst and hope for the best. Let us know about the "fix for the hard points on the wings where the struts are attached" and some pic's. I try and keep a log of things that need to be bought, changed, or mods on up coming projects. When you get older it's hard to remember all this stuff if I don't write it down and then remember where I put it
.
01-02-2008, 09:19 PM
#483
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Hey, Zippi, I did some of the cowl modifications today but will wait until I fly again Saturday to see if they work before making pictures and passing along bad info. As you mentioned, however, summer weather will tell just how well (or badly!) they work.
Basically just kinda restricted and redirected the air pathways a little. I HOPE
] Enlarged the bottom opening some more.
Back at work tomorrow (the regular day job type work!
) and will start working on the wing strut attachment points when I get home. I have some ideas about how to do that.
Basically just kinda restricted and redirected the air pathways a little. I HOPE![
] Enlarged the bottom opening some more.Back at work tomorrow (the regular day job type work!
) and will start working on the wing strut attachment points when I get home. I have some ideas about how to do that.
01-02-2008, 09:39 PM
#484
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
cmoulder,
I wish I could get out in this cold weather we are having and fly a little but I just can't take it and it's not enjoyable. It was 10 degrees here today and the sun was out but it was blistering cold with the wind pushing at 10 mph. Your mods sound really good and I don't think I would do any more hacking on the cowl until you see how the baffling and the redirecting of air flow does in the hot weather. I'd love to order this plane now but the better half said I need to finish the one I have in the box in the computer room first. Guess I have to do what the boss says [].
I wish I could get out in this cold weather we are having and fly a little but I just can't take it and it's not enjoyable. It was 10 degrees here today and the sun was out but it was blistering cold with the wind pushing at 10 mph. Your mods sound really good and I don't think I would do any more hacking on the cowl until you see how the baffling and the redirecting of air flow does in the hot weather. I'd love to order this plane now but the better half said I need to finish the one I have in the box in the computer room first. Guess I have to do what the boss says [
].
01-03-2008, 08:59 PM
#485
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
The wing strut attachment points need some beefing up if they are to last very long. I'm sure some of you have seen the abrasion at the contact points, or have had the screws vibrate loose because they could not be tightened adequately against the hollow strut tubes.
Here is what I did today and while it may not be perfect, it is easy to do and it is definitely better than making no modification.
1) In order to tighten down the screws firmly, it is necessary to modify the aero strut tubes so that they don't crush when the attachment screws are tightenend down. Therefore, I cut some small pieces of 1/8-inch ply about 2 inches long and wide enough to just fit inside the aero tube. I glopped a bunch of 5-minute epoxy down the end of the tube, put more epoxy on the ply and inserted it into the end of the tube.
2) After it cured, I used a Dremel sanding wheel to take off the excess glue and wood, and also drilled out the attachment hole for the screws.
3) On the wings, I made some small ply plates and tack-glued them to the wings right over the blind nut holes.
4) Then I attached with the regular screw and a washer, with Loctite on the screw threads. Because the aero tube now has the support inside, the screws can be tightened down a lot more securely than the original design permits.
5) I found that the rear strut needed to have its front edge (at the point of contact) ground down with the Dremel sander so that the strut could be tightened down without having it twist. If it is not ground down, it "fights" against the curvature of the wing.
Some smaller square ply plates can be made for the interplane strut (wire) attachment points.
I don't know if this the best cure, but I can say it now feels very solid and secure, and I think the longevity will be greatly increased and the maintenance reduced.
Here is what I did today and while it may not be perfect, it is easy to do and it is definitely better than making no modification.
1) In order to tighten down the screws firmly, it is necessary to modify the aero strut tubes so that they don't crush when the attachment screws are tightenend down. Therefore, I cut some small pieces of 1/8-inch ply about 2 inches long and wide enough to just fit inside the aero tube. I glopped a bunch of 5-minute epoxy down the end of the tube, put more epoxy on the ply and inserted it into the end of the tube.
2) After it cured, I used a Dremel sanding wheel to take off the excess glue and wood, and also drilled out the attachment hole for the screws.
3) On the wings, I made some small ply plates and tack-glued them to the wings right over the blind nut holes.
4) Then I attached with the regular screw and a washer, with Loctite on the screw threads. Because the aero tube now has the support inside, the screws can be tightened down a lot more securely than the original design permits.
5) I found that the rear strut needed to have its front edge (at the point of contact) ground down with the Dremel sander so that the strut could be tightened down without having it twist. If it is not ground down, it "fights" against the curvature of the wing.
Some smaller square ply plates can be made for the interplane strut (wire) attachment points.
I don't know if this the best cure, but I can say it now feels very solid and secure, and I think the longevity will be greatly increased and the maintenance reduced.
01-04-2008, 10:15 PM
#486
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Castaic,
CA
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Have you guys seen this?
http://www.rcuvideos.com/item/CM15GF80S7DVYHXR
http://www.rcuvideos.com/item/CM15GF80S7DVYHXR
01-05-2008, 09:24 AM
#487
Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toronto,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
WOW!!!!! Nothing wrong with that level of performance. With the ever increasing issue of noise and with the new battery technology, electric power is going to be the answer in the not too distant future. It may be the thing that gets some young blood back in the hobby. I stuck my Decathlon away over the last few weeks while busy with Christmas holidays. I am going to get it back out and get busy. New Year's resolution...................get busy at the hobby, spend less time talking and more time doing. Best regards to all for a Happy New Year.................
01-05-2008, 05:59 PM
#488
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Out for a great session of flying today, probably getting in 7-8 flights. Unfortunately, I was all by my lonesome for the most part, and the sky was a total milky overcast. Still, I was having a great time.
However, I had been hoping that another pilot would show up, one who could fly my Decathlon while I took some photos. I was just finishing my last flight when I heard a car pull into the parking area of the field, and who should appear but Dan Landis, who happens to be one of the best pilots on the planet, and an all-around great guy to boot. He agreed to fly the Decathlon for me, and fortuitously the sky parted briefly for a little sun, so I was able to get some decent shots today.
Needless to say, the smoke pumper is working great, although it really slimes the plane up from stem to stern, but the visual effect cannot be beat!
Yeah, baby!!!!!!!
However, I had been hoping that another pilot would show up, one who could fly my Decathlon while I took some photos. I was just finishing my last flight when I heard a car pull into the parking area of the field, and who should appear but Dan Landis, who happens to be one of the best pilots on the planet, and an all-around great guy to boot. He agreed to fly the Decathlon for me, and fortuitously the sky parted briefly for a little sun, so I was able to get some decent shots today.
Needless to say, the smoke pumper is working great, although it really slimes the plane up from stem to stern, but the visual effect cannot be beat!
Yeah, baby!!!!!!!
01-05-2008, 07:17 PM
#490
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Thanks, Zippi. Yes, it would have been good for video (at least for a brief while) but I was lucky just to be able to get the stills.
Using a Nikon D2H and a 300mm lens... adequate firepower for the job!
-- Bob
Using a Nikon D2H and a 300mm lens... adequate firepower for the job!
-- Bob
01-05-2008, 08:37 PM
#491
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sierra Vista,
AZ
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Bob - beautiful shots !! I'll bet Dan would like those for the RCguys web-site......
Our weather has been crappy this weekend and I smacked myself up (ribs) pretty good dirtbiking last weekend. Even if I wanted to fly I cant get the darn plane in the truck [X(]. Hopefully, I'll be in better shape next weekend. Your pics make me want to fly !!
Eric
Our weather has been crappy this weekend and I smacked myself up (ribs) pretty good dirtbiking last weekend. Even if I wanted to fly I cant get the darn plane in the truck [X(]. Hopefully, I'll be in better shape next weekend. Your pics make me want to fly !!
Eric
01-05-2008, 09:14 PM
#492
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
cmoulder,
Your in flight pics look like someone was holding the plane in the air just for that shot. I got a new camera for Christmas and I'm not a camera person and not sure how my Sony Cyber-Shot with 8.1 MP and 15X zoom compares to yours. I only hope it takes pics half as good as yours.
Your in flight pics look like someone was holding the plane in the air just for that shot. I got a new camera for Christmas and I'm not a camera person and not sure how my Sony Cyber-Shot with 8.1 MP and 15X zoom compares to yours. I only hope it takes pics half as good as yours.
01-05-2008, 10:16 PM
#493
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Eric, I hope you're feeling better soon![>:] I used to mountain bike a lot and I know what it's like to come home all beat to hell and back.
Zippi, the key is to make lots and lots of photos, then learn to see and edit the best. I used to do photos for a living (newspaper photog for 5 years) and no matter how good you are you only need about 1/2 of one percent to make it work. As we used to say, "film is cheap", and now it's even cheaper with digital!!! It doesn't hurt that the autofocus on the D2H is pretty good and that it shoots 14 frames per second. I shot about 300 pictures and a lot of them are useable, but about 10-15 are primo. Recognizing which are the best and knowing how to crop and use Photoshop will make them pop!
Zippi, the key is to make lots and lots of photos, then learn to see and edit the best. I used to do photos for a living (newspaper photog for 5 years) and no matter how good you are you only need about 1/2 of one percent to make it work. As we used to say, "film is cheap", and now it's even cheaper with digital!!! It doesn't hurt that the autofocus on the D2H is pretty good and that it shoots 14 frames per second.
I shot about 300 pictures and a lot of them are useable, but about 10-15 are primo. Recognizing which are the best and knowing how to crop and use Photoshop will make them pop!
01-08-2008, 09:57 AM
#494
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sandy,
UT
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Super Decathlon supporters:
Over the weekend I abandoned my New Year's Resolution (Not to buy any RC stuff for a month!) and ordered the Super Decathlon, which is enroute at the moment.
Chief Aircraft has the JR X9303 in stock right now, so I ordered one of them too.
A NIB Brillelli 50cc has been calling to me for some time now to get it a home, so here it comes!
All of this because so many of you are enjoying your Decathlons!
Breaking my New Year's Resolution has never felt so GOOOOOD!
Thanks,
Steve
Over the weekend I abandoned my New Year's Resolution (Not to buy any RC stuff for a month!) and ordered the Super Decathlon, which is enroute at the moment.
Chief Aircraft has the JR X9303 in stock right now, so I ordered one of them too.
A NIB Brillelli 50cc has been calling to me for some time now to get it a home, so here it comes!
All of this because so many of you are enjoying your Decathlons!
Breaking my New Year's Resolution has never felt so GOOOOOD!
Thanks,
Steve
01-08-2008, 01:41 PM
#495
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
ORIGINAL: y2k6vette
Super Decathlon supporters:
Over the weekend I abandoned my New Year's Resolution (Not to buy any RC stuff for a month!) and ordered the Super Decathlon, which is enroute at the moment.
Chief Aircraft has the JR X9303 in stock right now, so I ordered one of them too.
A NIB Brillelli 50cc has been calling to me for some time now to get it a home, so here it comes!
All of this because so many of you are enjoying your Decathlons!
Breaking my New Year's Resolution has never felt so GOOOOOD!
Thanks,
Steve
Super Decathlon supporters:
Over the weekend I abandoned my New Year's Resolution (Not to buy any RC stuff for a month!) and ordered the Super Decathlon, which is enroute at the moment.
Chief Aircraft has the JR X9303 in stock right now, so I ordered one of them too.
A NIB Brillelli 50cc has been calling to me for some time now to get it a home, so here it comes!
All of this because so many of you are enjoying your Decathlons!
Breaking my New Year's Resolution has never felt so GOOOOOD!
Thanks,
Steve
Gonna be awesome with the B50, which if I recall correctly is only about 6 ounces heavier than the 46. I imagine it will also fit completely under the cowl as well. If you have a velocity stack on the carb, you can remove it and not affect performance at all, IMHO.
Just be ready to put electronics and servos and batteries waaaaay back, and put the rudder servo in the tail as well.
01-10-2008, 12:07 PM
#496
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sandy,
UT
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
UPS is scheduled to deliver the JR X9303 sometime today....so I'm just looking out the window at the frozen tundra-- AKA my backyard. Don't have a tracking number for the Decathlon, but it was shipped last Monday, Jan.7, so maybe the first of this coming week?
Have enjoyed reading this thread and will definitely incorporate the ideas of reinforcements, as well as servo and battery placement. This plane will have Hitec MG645 all around and NiMh 2700 Mah battery (1500 Mah for ignition).
Have you ever noticed how slowly time passes when you're waiting for the big brown truck?
Stevel
Have enjoyed reading this thread and will definitely incorporate the ideas of reinforcements, as well as servo and battery placement. This plane will have Hitec MG645 all around and NiMh 2700 Mah battery (1500 Mah for ignition).
Have you ever noticed how slowly time passes when you're waiting for the big brown truck?
Stevel
01-10-2008, 04:15 PM
#497
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Urbana,
IL
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Steve
And OH does the UPS man have a big one for you. I bear-hugged it and was OK, wife tried to help but I wouldn't let her. Staring at MORE rain here in Central IL. Hurts worse when she's ready to fly and just sittin' in the basement. Wish I had a Sim..I'd still be flying. Is there one for a giant decath? Good luck with the build.
Scott from IL
And OH does the UPS man have a big one for you. I bear-hugged it and was OK, wife tried to help but I wouldn't let her. Staring at MORE rain here in Central IL. Hurts worse when she's ready to fly and just sittin' in the basement. Wish I had a Sim..I'd still be flying. Is there one for a giant decath? Good luck with the build.
Scott from IL
01-10-2008, 07:25 PM
#498
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
ORIGINAL: sdossett
Steve
And OH does the UPS man have a big one for you. I bear-hugged it and was OK, wife tried to help but I wouldn't let her. Staring at MORE rain here in Central IL. Hurts worse when she's ready to fly and just sittin' in the basement. Wish I had a Sim..I'd still be flying. Is there one for a giant decath? Good luck with the build.
Scott from IL
Steve
And OH does the UPS man have a big one for you. I bear-hugged it and was OK, wife tried to help but I wouldn't let her. Staring at MORE rain here in Central IL. Hurts worse when she's ready to fly and just sittin' in the basement. Wish I had a Sim..I'd still be flying. Is there one for a giant decath? Good luck with the build.
Scott from IL
01-10-2008, 08:58 PM
#499
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining,
NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Speaking of flying, this model has some "interesting" flying characteristics for those of us who have gotten used to flying Extras, Yaks, and other more modern aerobatic designs that strive to de-couple rudder and ailerons, and rudder and elevator.
When you move the rudder, the plane doen't just yaw. It may yaw for a split-second, but very quickly air gets under the dihedral and lifts the outside wing and you're banking -- and descending -- in a hurry! In this way, it can be flown like an old Sig Kadet 3-channel trainer, that is to say, without ailerons.
This also makes it hard to KE, because the ailerons really fight against the rudder. However, it will KE and once you get it over onto its side, it takes only a tiny amount of rudder to hold it level, what with all that side area. I made a bunch of attempts before I got all the controls balanced out for a KE, and I managed to do a couple of decent ones. It's gonna take a heck of a lot of mixing for a no-right-hand KE, but it will defintely do the maneuver.
I was really surprised by inverted flight. With CG at the recomended 4-1/8" it took only a breath of push to hold it level -- very nice! With the dihedral now anhedral, the semi-symmetrical airfoil facing the "wrong" way, and with all that mass above the wing, it is a bit tippy yet quite predictable, so inverted flight is rather easy.
Spin entry is easy. Just hold full up elevator and let it stall, and with no other inputs it will start spinning. Add rudder, throttle and ailerons to the mix and it wll do a pretty fair flattish spin at full throttle. The spin stops just as soon as controls are relaxed. This is better than my H9 Extra which rotates at least a half turn, sometimes requiring opposite aileron to stop it.
Snap rolls were fun, but I think I used too much elevator. I'm not that sure of the airframe yet, so they were done at fairly low throttle. The plane loses so much momentum that anything more than 1-1/2 snaps gets you way off line.
Does a wonderful, majestic slow roll once you figure out that it needs very little rudder and elevator through the quadrants.
I have high and low rates on a switch, but I find myself doing everything on high rates, with about 50% expo, and I may reduce the aileron expo a little. On low rates the Decathlon is far too sluggish for my tastes.
When you move the rudder, the plane doen't just yaw. It may yaw for a split-second, but very quickly air gets under the dihedral and lifts the outside wing and you're banking -- and descending -- in a hurry! In this way, it can be flown like an old Sig Kadet 3-channel trainer, that is to say, without ailerons.
This also makes it hard to KE, because the ailerons really fight against the rudder. However, it will KE and once you get it over onto its side, it takes only a tiny amount of rudder to hold it level, what with all that side area. I made a bunch of attempts before I got all the controls balanced out for a KE, and I managed to do a couple of decent ones. It's gonna take a heck of a lot of mixing for a no-right-hand KE, but it will defintely do the maneuver.
I was really surprised by inverted flight. With CG at the recomended 4-1/8" it took only a breath of push to hold it level -- very nice! With the dihedral now anhedral, the semi-symmetrical airfoil facing the "wrong" way, and with all that mass above the wing, it is a bit tippy yet quite predictable, so inverted flight is rather easy.
Spin entry is easy. Just hold full up elevator and let it stall, and with no other inputs it will start spinning. Add rudder, throttle and ailerons to the mix and it wll do a pretty fair flattish spin at full throttle. The spin stops just as soon as controls are relaxed. This is better than my H9 Extra which rotates at least a half turn, sometimes requiring opposite aileron to stop it.
Snap rolls were fun, but I think I used too much elevator. I'm not that sure of the airframe yet, so they were done at fairly low throttle. The plane loses so much momentum that anything more than 1-1/2 snaps gets you way off line.
Does a wonderful, majestic slow roll once you figure out that it needs very little rudder and elevator through the quadrants.
I have high and low rates on a switch, but I find myself doing everything on high rates, with about 50% expo, and I may reduce the aileron expo a little. On low rates the Decathlon is far too sluggish for my tastes.
01-10-2008, 10:00 PM
#500
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Urbana,
IL
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: RC Guys Super Decathlon coming
Bob
Nice review of some of the salient points of this plane!
Narrowly avoided disaster early on when a little heavy handed on the rudder curving to final. Rolled it at 50' (which is WAY to close for me with a plane of this size) and managed an inverted off-pattern escape. Very wise words re: rudder use.
Scott from IL
Nice review of some of the salient points of this plane!
Narrowly avoided disaster early on when a little heavy handed on the rudder curving to final. Rolled it at 50' (which is WAY to close for me with a plane of this size) and managed an inverted off-pattern escape. Very wise words re: rudder use.
Scott from IL