Magna

Model: World Models Velox Revolution 60 size
Span: 65
Area: 740 sq in
AUW: approx 10lbs
Loading: 31.2 oz/ft
Batt: 22 Gp3300
Amp: 38(17x9) 43(18x11)
Watts estimated: 830w ~ 83w/lb (7x9), 940w ~ 94w/lb (18x11)
Prop: Aeronaut Folding Cam 17x9 and 18x11
Rpm: 6700 rpm (17x9), 18x11 not measured
Motor: AXI 4130/20
Controller: TMM MGM 7524-3S Opto
Servo: GWS HPX B park (mini transparent case) hi torque in excess of 4kg with BB output.
RX: Hitec Supreme
TX: Futaba 9CAP

Heard a lot about this plane great flying characteristic even on high loading, so bought myself the plane from LHS and went straight to e-conversion job.

Constructions
I will not cover much about this plane as there is another article on this plane on wet system in the RCU review. Beside the plane is itself is very straightforward with typical low parts count. The overall construction is very light, a bit too light especially at the landing gear mount area for my taste. Many pilots have actually ripped out the LG on less than smooth landing. This is a good and bad thing. Good that it will be sacrificed to minimized greater damage to the fuse, bad that it should be a tad more beefier. One that I’m about to discover in my maiden flight.

I only know of 2 person converted this plane: Kyle and JRB, both has been inspiration and assisted me on some of the question of the model.

Initially I bought a Plettenberg Orbit 25-18 Outrunner for this project and this motor able to spin a 14x6 folder up to 10000rpm. This is easily a 60 2stroker power but with the extra weight of 22 Gp3300, it may be a bit of an issue in the power to weight ratio dept.

At the end, I did not proceed with the Orbit due to the “too light” of a setup. This motor is extremely light in weight given its power category of 1200W. At a measly 250gm (about 8+oz), I have problem in my trial balancing prior building the battery mount. **This motor may be a possible plant after my initial 2 flights, because its plane is too head heavy even with the recommended spec using the AXI 4130**.

The AXI is mounted with the radial mount and I used a PVC pipe joiner to extend the mount from firewall. With (4) 5mmx65mm bolts, it is steadily mounted to the firewall. Very simple and clean setup.

There are no lightening done at all other than a few extra holes for cooling and vent. I did change the pilot to a lighter one from AirCraft World which are also more inline (style wise) with the Velox. The original pilot from WM is a WWI type.

I enlarge the inlet hole of the fiberglass cowling and built in an air scoop under the motor mount area to ram air into the fuse where battery mounting tray is.

I built the battery mounting from 2.5mm lite ply with 12 lightening holes as well as for venting. Battery is secured with Velcro. I applied some epoxy to the wood surfaces and let it cure. This provides a much better adhesion surface for the Velcro sticky back. The rest of assembly is as per instruction. The elevator servo is mounted under the cockpit. Rudder is pull-pull as per plan.

This conversion is so simple that there isn’t much to write, but it took me quite a while to complete as I worry about the AXI reliability after its notorious reputation of slinging magnet. Contemplation became procrastination at one stage.

Flying
The conversion finally is done and required some prep work.

It is very hard to balance this plane either way (right way up or inverted). So I do the best I can and I used some fishing thread and loop over the wing rod (the CG point) and try to balance as best I can. It is head heavy which is a good thing for maiden. I did some taxi test to see the ground handling habit. It required no up elevator to keep the tail down. As I got a long run way at our local field, with full throttle, the tail lifted gently and I need no elevator to keep thing level, as I pull the elevator, she lifted off ground in a scale manner. It was an anti climax on the maiden run. I actually have less jitter than my previous conversion job! Maybe because the plane is so well behave and the cg is within range.

With a few click of up trim, the plane flew nose level. The lateral balance is almost spot on. Did some more trimming and adjustment, roll, loop, stall turn, inverted dive, etc. She fly very nice.

This plane also penetrate wind very well (obviously the 10lbs AUW help) It just go where you point her. After 4 mins, I tried to line for landing approach to see how is her landing habit like. It’s a tad too fast due to loading and head heavy CG, nevertheless stable. I even tried out spoileron approach, its just sink in faster.

Landing
I need to cut the throttle completely to slow her down. The plane just cruises by. Very good energy retention! Eventually she touched down gently after bleeding off speed until almost end of runway. It took quite a distance to roll off the ground speed and while speed is bled off, I make a right turn back to pit area, it hit a ground bump. The landing gear snap off from the mount. From far, I thought the mount has ripped off! Is this the bad design of the WM Velox which every one spoke on? Anyhow as I got closed, the nylon bolt which I uses to mount the landing gear have sheared. The strengthening work on the area by a few lite ply obviously helped!

Well, they(nylon bolt) did what they suppose to do. However, I thought the bump was not that big and the speed was not too fast either. So I decided to take on the risk and mounted the landing gear with the original metal 4mm screw. The landing gear from Velox are extremely rigid as it is molded from carbon and it have that shiny finish. It doesn’t absorb shock well so any poor landing will bounced you like mad and likely to ripped out the mount. Later when I discharged the pack, I got 1400mah. So 6 mins flight is no problem.

I’m absolutely elated as this is my biggest conversion project. Most of buddy at the field who fly wet, cheer me on and clapping hand once the plane lifted off.

However some of the flyer was not aware it is an electric and say “hey, your prop is broken” and most of us burst into laughter. Obviously the folder looks funny with its “flapping” blade!

Flight with 18x11 prop
On 3rd and 4th flight, I uses 18x11 folder. This setup literally amazed me! As I’m still reeling in from my happiness of the conversion successes, the 18x11 really blow me away. Though the power only increase from 83 to 94w/lb, it climb and vertical is amazing. It almost prop hang for the first 2 mins flight. But it won’t climb out though. With some speed, and it will have power for big loop. I’m still trying to trim the CG, to get it sweet. Landing still hot due to loading but the CG adjustment will bring down the landing speed. The airbrake/spoileron help to bring down the plane easier.

Hope you have fun reading my long winded story. I will try to post pic later.

Magna

Here is the picture:

A10FLYR

My Feedback: (1)

Good looking conversion there bud......

luc-RCU

for slowing your planes, you can program flaperons (mixed with elevator if needed); I can tell you it sure helps, wether on take offs or landings.
I use them on my at-6 and P51 miss america conversion.

Magna

Luc,

How much down is your flaperon(aileron) for landing? Actually for full aileron strip plane, having a flaperon(both aileron down) can be dangerous, it may snap stall as the wing actually is having a wash in although it should increase a bit of lift.

I actually landed with spoileron(both aileron up) and this increase the descent rate, but not slowing down the plane. Both aileron up about 1cm.