RustyTumbles
Posts: 756
Joined: 9/8/2003 From: Townsville NTH QLD, AUSTRALIA Status: offline
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Well the maiden went well today and all I can say is WOW This plane is awesome.... We got to the field early and set her up. I then did a engine off range check at approx 60-70m all was well. I put the data logger on it and there were a few fades on each antenna but no frame loses or hold. So we fueled her up and fired up the 85 and did another range check at the same distance all was ok. Shut her down refuelled and fired her up again, and taxied out. I got the sky to myself so there was quite a large crowd in the pits watching (as if I wasn't nervious enugh already). Anyway I lined up on the strip and checked all the control one more time. I pushed the throttle up slowly and she was airborne in about 15ft at half throttle. I flew a few circuits to trim her out. Only needed a few clicks of aileron and a couple of up elevator and she was flying straight and level hands off. Once I had it trimmed I opened up the Throttle an pointed the nose up. It blasted verticled without any trouble what so ever. Even at 26lbs and the motor running very rich it pulled like a freight train. The DA85 is a savage beast. I settled into a few gentle aero's to check the CG and rate settings. The CG seems just a touch on the tail heavy side but it is very close to where I like it. My low rates pretty close too I just need to fine tune them once I get some more time on her. I gained some height to check the stall, it was a no event really, as it slowed down to a crawl then it just dropped the nose straight ahead, so I kicked the rudder it a did a spin, and to my suprise I let the sticks go and it stopped on a dime. Man thing flies well. It does have some KE couple but not much. Once I get the CG right I will mix it out anyway. Time for a landing so I lined up with the strip pulled the power back to a high idle and it just floated on in. You need to keep some power on as she slows down very quickly, so I just leave a trickle of power on until the wheel touch then pull it back to idle. Did I mention this thing flies well. I am very impressed with this combo it feels like a 40%er in the sky just so smooth and stable. Tom has done a brilliant job with the design. I only had one more flight with it today just playing around and getting the feel for it. I will move the CG forward during the week then I'll get into trimming it for IMAC.
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