pilotarix

Hello all,

Is somebody out there who flies the Mentor-G from Maxford USA ?
I just ordered one as a basis for engine testing and inexpensive, low wing load, test basis for other fun stuff, like camera flights, floats, ski etc.

Any known GOODS or BADS ?

Thanks for any advice,

Chris

pilotarix

Oh Oh.....

nobody ?

superfli

My Feedback: (42)

I bought one of these myself. Not a bad plane for the money. Great way to get into gassers. Went together well. I split the elevator for dual servos. I have a Berelli GT26cc gas engine with magneto ignition. I have it proped with a Zinger Pro 18-8. I checked the cg this weekend. Plane balanced perfectly with the battery mounted about 1 inch back from the front compartment. I hope to maiden it this week. It doesnt look a whole lot different than my Giant Big Stick. Just a little smaller.

pilotarix

Hi all !

@superfli
many thanks for your input !

Good luck for your maiden, maybe you wanna tell us how it turned out.

The giant big stick is on backorder, presumably until mid june, which is the reason why i decided for the Mentor-G. I will use my Zenoah G20IE first maybe later a 26cc inexpensive chinese "direct fuel to noise converter".... and I am still thinking about the rotomotor F35FS four-stroke gasoline engine. Which would be my engine choice for the Tony Clark Piper Super Cub projekt, scheduled for the next winter.
Anyway.... Once the plane has arrived, I will show you some detailed pictures.

Thanks,

Chris

pilotarix

Hello all ....as I promised...
Today UPS dropped a big box at the front door of our house. Guess what......yes you are right, the Mentor from Maxford USA. I imediately started to unbox all the items, to check everything for possible damage.




First of all, there was a box in the box and additional stiffeners had been added to the edges of the inner box.





So everything inside was perfectly secured against damage during transport.

pilotarix

After opening the second box, the first parts you will find are the wings, wrapped accurately in thin white foam material.

pilotarix

The second part is the manual, which is only a bunch of sheets stapled together. Right now hard to say if that is positiv or negativ, maybe we will see that later during the assembly.

RCShadow

That is an excellent price for the plane and engine! Let us know how it goes (build-along???). It's tempting to be sure

Texastbird

This is starting to get interesting. Now let's see some more pictures.

pilotarix

Once I had unwrapped the first wing I was really impressed by the quality of the covering. They have done a great job.

pilotarix

Hi all,

today I will continue with my little series of pictures about the MENTOR-G from MAXFORD USA. Unfortunately because of my job there was not enough time in the last week to make much progress. Here are some more pictures from the fuselage as promised.








In terms of the fuselage the did a great job, everything seems to fit and was well assembled.

pilotarix

While mounting the tail wheel, there is a first disappointment. The axle did not fit the hole...... crap!



The parts seem to be finest craftsmanship.



Finaly they went together.



Never forget the price !

pilotarix

I am just wondering a little bit about the already build in side thrust and down thrust. That seems to be a lot.

RCShadow

Hmmm...maybe?? I bet if you find it off its nothing a few washers wont fix. Good pix! Keep them coming. It does look like it was built well.

Texastbird

I think I would have to use a better tail wheel setup.

pilotarix

I think you are right, this is probably not meant to last forever....
I had two other ones "in stock", but they were made for airplanes whose vertical stabilizer reaches below the level of the horizontal stabilizer, which is not the case here. As soon as it starts making problems, I will probably switch to a tricycle landing gear. The holes, to set back the main landing gear, are already there, a second layer of plywood, blind nuts and a front gear with servo is all that would be needed.
Anyway.... let's wait and see how it goes

pilotarix

As mentioned before, here you can see the prepunched holes for a tricycle landing gear through the covering.



The hardware did not really fit to the quality of fuselage and wings.....I will use it, but other builders may consider to use hardware from an other manufacturer.

superfli

My Feedback: (42)

Well I finally got this plane to the field for its first flight. I changed my prop tp a 17x8. Engine fired right up. On the ground it taxied real well. Lined it up for take off and put the power to it. The tail lifted quickly and it was up. It needed very little trim to level. Took it around a few times and decided to see how it would land. I cut the power back and lined it up for landing. As it made its final approach I noticed it was comming in fast. As it touched down I was headed toward the end of the runway quickly. I turned it and it twisted the landing gear. Well so much for the landing gear. My suggestion is to scap it and replace it with somthing more substantial. It is to thin. Other than that it's a grat flying plane. The 26cc is plenty for it.

Superfli

pilotarix

Hi,

thanks for your input. As I mentioned above, the "hardware" in the kit seems not to be the best quality. I am used to start the engine, in big planes like that, with my left hand, standing behind the wing (safest position). This time, while holding the plane on the leading edge of the wing , a little pressure was enough to bend the landing gear….

There is a picture with a solution on the maxford USA website

http://www.maxfordusa.com/mentor-g26cctrainer.aspx

I do not think I wanna go that way, I think I will use a gear from another plane, which had the same hight but is much stronger.

superfli

My Feedback: (42)

I had my gear reinforced with the piano wire as illustrated. It really didnt help much. I think the plane is abit to heavy for this thin landing gear.

Superfli

pilotarix

Hi


Thanks for the information, so it is a good decision not to try it........

BTW
Was the CG from the manual correct ? My last plane, a seagul YAK 54 had a lot of issuses with from the manufacturer recommended CG.

Thanks,
Chris

superfli

My Feedback: (42)

Yes it is. I balanced the plane slightly nose heavy. No weight added. Just moved the battery.

Superfli

pilotarix

I installed the tank in the CG and my engine is only a Zenoah 20cc, therefore some weight is necessary in the nose to balance the plane slightly nose heavy.

pilotarix

This plane is freaking tail heavy, and it probably was a mistake to install the fuel tank in the center of gravity, like I did in my other planes.
I hope I am right with the CG, which should be 3 3/4 inches (9,525 cm) (according to the manual) behind the leading edge of the wing. I actualy need a lot of weight to balance the plane right.
My first thought was that the CRRC GF26i engine [Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz (engine, muffler, ignition and standoffs)] is much heavier than the Zenoah 20cc, But thats not true. The Zenoah is 2,61 lbs with muffler ingnition and standoffs.
So what is the point. I feel like doing a mistake, by adding so much weight in the front of plane.
Any suggestions ? You see a mistake? Other than having the fuel tank to much backwards, but still in the CG ?!?

Thanks
Chris

superfli

My Feedback: (42)

Mine is balanced without the weight. I do have a 26cc engine on it. Bring the tank as far forward as you can. It should be just behind the firewall. My battery is just behind the tank.

Superfli