RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane  
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/13/2005 1:06:19 AM   
rcfsr


 

Posts: 9
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Satellite Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Ho, I found that most of my nose-ins came as a result of the Fuselage pod popping loose from the tail boom. That junction must be in tight and straight when viewed from the side, otherwise it acts as a permanent "down" elevator. Also, before each flight check the alignment of all components as the book says especially if you nose-in hard. Just another possibility.

Bob

(in reply to Ho Malone)
       Post #: 26

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/13/2005 2:33:24 AM   
bobo212


 

Posts: 13
Joined: 12/7/2004
From: oshkosh, WI, USA
Status: offline 		well, you remember me mentioning something about pontoons for my firebird commander......... went to my local hobby shop and picked up some for electric flight planes. since i have a large lake nearby, this ought to be a blast!

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(in reply to bobo212)
       Post #: 27

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/13/2005 11:30:13 PM   
Richard39


 

Posts: 448
Joined: 12/17/2002
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		I was given a Scout last week and I have been flying glow fuel engines and airplanes for two years... I can not get this Scout to turn left... on hand launch it goes up and over the right wing into the ground... The controls work on the ground as per the instructions but I give it left right after launch and it goes left into the ground within 20 feet.... Please explain the v tail setup... when I give it left ... the right v tail control surface goes to the up position and the airplanes rolls over to the right.... The trim is set up level to my eye.... Wing now in two pieces after 6 hand launchs... Thanks...

(in reply to bobo212)
       Post #: 28

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/13/2005 11:33:52 PM   
Richard39


 

Posts: 448
Joined: 12/17/2002
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		CORRECTION.... I give it a left turn and it goes right every time.... immediately after launch... I give it left and it goes right...

(in reply to Richard39)
       Post #: 29

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/14/2005 4:16:23 PM   
rcfsr


 

Posts: 9
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Satellite Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Richard.....Look at posts #8 and #10 for similar problems (if you haven't already) and see how they were resolved satisfactorily.

(in reply to Richard39)
       Post #: 30

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/14/2005 5:02:08 PM   
Richard39


 

Posts: 448
Joined: 12/17/2002
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		Post 8 and 10 had problems and sent the airplane for a swap.... I would like to know if on a V tail if the controls are designed to be backward? left stick pulls the Rightt control surface up and will give a right turn?

(in reply to rcfsr)
       Post #: 31

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/14/2005 7:14:50 PM   
mrfixit54016


 

Posts: 228
Joined: 1/26/2005
From: Hudson, WI, USA
Status: offline 		Richard39,

I believe you are correct, when you push the stick left, this will raise the right tail control surface. I have found that the tail can take some very minor adjustments and cause a much better flight. I have many times turned the adjustment screws too much, and caused a huge difference in the flight of the plane. VERY SLIGHT tweaks will yield big results.

Once I had this plane all dialed-in, or "trimmed-out", it is an absolute pleasure to fly.

Good Luck

(in reply to Richard39)
       Post #: 32

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/15/2005 12:17:24 AM   
Ho Malone


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Rogers, AR, USA
Status: offline 		Well, I'm keeping mine in the air longer. But I am still having to keep my tail flaps at a permanent upward tension to get airborn. Of course this means that it climbs real steep and stalls out. Getting that just right amount of flaps is a challenge.

I broke a tail wing section today. Not real bad, but enogh to lose the rigidity. I mended it with a sliver of credit card and masking tape, and put the same size piece of credit card on the other side to keep the balance. Don't know how this is going to effect flight. will find out tomorrow. Of course, now I am wondering if one could make a replacement taliboom out of balsa wood.

I am just proud that I haven't had a bad crash yet. Haven't sailed it underneath a car or anything.

So far, the extent of my flights have been into the wind, make a successful turn and then ride on the wind til I can negotiate a turn back into the wind. That's about where I tend to lose it.

(in reply to bobo212)
       Post #: 33

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/17/2005 4:50:54 AM   
Redwoodflyer


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 12/20/2004
From: Whitethorn, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I have also had problems with the tail rod disengaging from where it fits into the fuselage after a few crashes - and not even severe crashes. At this point I can't seem to get the plane properly trimmed again and so it noses in without gaining altutude, even with the tail flaps adjusted up. This is my second Scout. The first one never flew right at all but Hobby Zone replaced it with a new one - great company. The Scout seems like a touchy plane but when it's in the air its a great deal of fun.

(in reply to Ho Malone)
       Post #: 34

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/17/2005 3:06:09 PM   
rcfsr


 

Posts: 9
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Satellite Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I've seen a thread here in the forums somewhere on fixing the tailrod/fuse problem but I can't seem to locate it again. It seems to me that a hole was drilled through the fuse and into the tail rod and glue was forced in forming a permanent bond. I would imagine that you would have to be very careful not to damage the control lines.

Bob

(in reply to Redwoodflyer)
       Post #: 35

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 12:42:51 AM   
Ho Malone


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Rogers, AR, USA
Status: offline 		If you ever replace the control lines, I sugest you start with plenty of line and thread them through the flap adjustment arms first, then through the hole in the tail of the fuselage and up to the servo.

< Message edited by Ho Malone -- 2/18/2005 1:06:27 AM >

(in reply to Redwoodflyer)
       Post #: 36

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 1:00:39 AM   
Ho Malone


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Rogers, AR, USA
Status: offline 		Well, I got in in the air today and made several good circles. It was really flying good, then once I got above the treetops, the wind currents changed and I lost control. It took a hard dive. Busted the tail wings up into 4 pieces, broke the control lines and the prop even came off. It took me a long time to find the prop. So I scooped it all up and figured, what hav I got to lose? I went to WallyWorld and got some 25lb fishing line. I took the servo mechanism out of the fuselage and replaced the line. That was actually easier than I expected. I patched the tail wings back up with clear duct tape and slivers of old credit card to brace the broken pieces back together. And you can kiss my sister's black cats ass if it didn't fly again. Suprised me. I saw that the plastic skin over the styrofoam acts as the hinge for the flaps, so the duct tape suficed.
I'm going to go ahead and order another tail section. My configuration works, but it is a little sloppy. And your right, lining up the tail rod is critical.
Just curious. Have any of you fashioned your own wings for replacements?

< Message edited by Ho Malone -- 2/20/2005 3:24:11 PM >

(in reply to rcfsr)
       Post #: 37

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 2:39:36 AM   
Redwoodflyer


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 12/20/2004
From: Whitethorn, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Ethiopian configuration? What is that?

(in reply to Ho Malone)
       Post #: 38

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 5:10:29 PM   
Ho Malone


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Rogers, AR, USA
Status: offline 		it's a euphamism

(in reply to Redwoodflyer)
       Post #: 39

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 6:53:38 PM   
Redwoodflyer


 

Posts: 40
Joined: 12/20/2004
From: Whitethorn, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Yes I know it is a euphemism, but what does it mean? Is it an airplane term?

(in reply to Ho Malone)
       Post #: 40

RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane - 2/18/2005 8:24:29 PM   
iacolb12


 

Posts: 386
Joined: 10/7/2004
From: Dallas, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I just bought a used Scout on ebay and am looking forward to giving it a run. I was into nitro planes years ago but I was young and crashed a lot. So my budget dictated I quit. then again, 15 years ago we didn't have sweet low-cost options such as this.

I remember looking sometime ago for info on the Commander and found a site, which I cant find now, but they commented they could sqeeze another 8 or 10 minutes of flight time by climbing to a good height and gliding power off till they needed to climb again.

Is that pretty true? It seems like it would be a good gliding model. I also saw early in this thread that someone mentioned maybe trying a bigger battery pack. Has anyone trie this?