Safety Hawk

My Feedback: (6)

Here is another aerial video with my Aerobird Xtreme.

Link: [link=http://www.loss10space.com/vids/float.wmv]http://www.loss10space.com/vids/float.wmv[/link]

static72

What camera setup are you using? I have been trying to find a camera to use on my Xtreme but I am having a tough time deciding on what to get.

Safety Hawk

My Feedback: (6)

I'm using an Aiptek IS-DV camcorder. Here is a link to another tread with pics of the plane with the camera on it and another video if you scroll down a couple of posts. I have modified the mount since those pics were taken to lower the CG.
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3085212/anchors_3094801/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#3094801]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3085212/anchors_3094801/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#3094801[/link]

critterhunter

I'm going to strap the Aiptek 5100M (pretty much the same camera) onto my Extreme. They sell them at Walmart for like $97 and it's a good camera. Weighs less than the two AA batteries that go in it I think. How are you mounting the camera now and how much better is it handling? I was getting ready to maiden my camera on the Extreme but I believe the back to back flights with my 3300ma 6 and 7 cell packs blew the FET. I have servo control but no motor. Either I'll ship it back for a new one (the plane is less than a few weeks old) or install a better FET like Stevenh did.

Safety Hawk

My Feedback: (6)

I'll take some pics of the mount next time I have the camera on it and post them. I think the handling is a little better. Anyhow, how do you like those Powerizer batteries? I saw you post about them in another thread. I was thinking about getting some.

critterhunter

Love the batteries. I bought two 10 packs with solder tabs for about $25 a pack. I didn't think (or care) if they were matched but the receipt says "matched", but there are no numbers on the batteries. I made two 7 cell and one 6 cell pack out of them. Pretty easy, but remember they have a charge on them from the factory so no shorting! Anyway, after a .3 amp initial slow charge I've been charging them at 3 amps and they are taking roughly 3500 to 3900MA of capacity before peaking, so they are actualy higher rated than 3300ma! They aren't any more harmful than the stock packs to the internals...it's just that you get to fly so long (even at full throttle) that I think they are over heating the FET. I was doing tons of loops and stunts at full throttle for several back to back flights when the motor stopped working, though I still have servo control. I'm also using Du Bro control horns on the tail and this suckers are MUCH better than the stock junk ones (which were about to fold on me). 95 cents for a pack (get the larger ones) and then I put a nut on the end of one of the two bolts on each horn to allow me to hitch the rubberband to the bottom of them. Less flex equals sharper turns and stunts with this. My next step will be to switch the fishing line over to control rods for even less slop. I've got the plane doing inverted for I'd say 20 to 30 seconds now and more to come when I get better with the controls. It will turn on a dime and loops and dives are MUCH more quicker just by using the new horns. Remember, though...that I'm using a slightly larger homemade tail using Corugated plastic cardboard (coruplast) and a carbon rod from a Stryker glued across the top of the tail's open "V" (less tail flex when doing stunts and prevents folds in crashing).

Safety Hawk

My Feedback: (6)

How much of a peformance gain do you get with the seven cell packs? It would be nice to lift the camera into the air a little bit quicker.

static72

Hawk,
Thanks for the info on the camera. I will be picking one up very soon.

Critter,
Can you give me some more detail on the tail you made from coruplast. I am in need of a new tail due to my recent landing in a Oak tree. I was going to buy yet another tail (this is not the first one I needed) but if I can make one cheaper I would much rather do that. Anything you can tell me on how to make the tail would be great.

critterhunter

Sure, take an original tail and lay it on the coruplast, tracing out the outline. Next, cut out the flaps. You'll want to cut a good (but thin) sliver out at each flap end to ensure clearance of the tail and no binding when they move up and down. For the "hinge" part of the flap on the BOTTOM of the tail simply cut out one of the wide "ribs" of plastic, of course not going through the entire tail but just taking out the surface "meat". I'm not talking about taking out a imprinted line but rather a whole "rib" between two lines, which is ROUGHLY about a centimeter or less in width...from flap end to flap end.

Now, measure and find the center of the tail and on the BOTTOM (same side you carved out the flap "hinges") simply slice the tail from front to back. Only through the top skin of the plastic. This allows the tail to be folded updward into the "V" design for mounting.

Mount the tail on the boom centered and all the way to the back of the tail right at the edge of the flap hinges. You want it so the mounting "V" thing that goes on top of the tail to hold it to the boom is just at the edge of where the flap hinge begins. Mark this spot out and mark the two tail screw holes. Drill or punch the two holes out on the tail and then mount the tail. Just push hard on the "V" plastic thing that goes on top of the tail while you screw in the two tail screws. This will prevent stripping and force the "ribs" of the V tail bracket to punch through the tail plastic. You could pre-drill these but a little force will pop them in.

Next, do yourself a favor and buy some Du Bro horns (.95 cents) and mount them on the flaps. Eye them up so they are angled towards where the fishing line comes out of the boom. I mount them pretty much near the inner end of the flaps, maybe a bit further to the inner ends than the originals would have been. I put the control line through the bottom hole and the original adjustment knob on the hole above it. This gives the most control response. A word of caution here, the original adjustment knobs will work but the screw is a bit too short for comfort. You might want to put slightly longer screws on them because I'm afraid mine might slip and thus loosen the fishing line in flight. Hasn't happened yet.

For the tail rubberband simply put a locking teflon nut on the back bolt (the one farthest toward the end of the plane) of each Du bro horn. Just put it on far enough to be through the entire nut. Now simply put the rubberband on normaly, with it over these nuts and onto the bolt.

For further enforcement I took a thin carbon rod (about the size of a coffee stirring straw or smaller...one of the rods from a Stryker works great) and cut it about two inches shorter than the tail from tip to tip. This allows it to sit about an inch or so down further into the top of the "V", mounted right over where the flaps begin. Use a couple of rubberbands to hold it in place on the tail while you glue and then drop some glue on both ends. Let that dry and repeat a few times. You now have a tail that won't flex as much and can withstand a hard crash without creasing.

static72

Thanks for the tail setup. I will be building one tonight.