Rdy12

Hi, I just got my SS, and am now wondering what I was thinking, buying a plane in the middle of winter in Minnesota But it works fine, and I didn't even have to buy electronics!! See, I bought it to escape the psycho world of micro electric helis and have something to relax with. I bought no electronics for it because I had a burned-out 4-in-1 heli reciever, and only one channel was fried. So I stuck that in, worrying about the built-in gyro, and put in two servos I already had and tested it out. It almost pulled out of my hand and smashed against the wall. Is it always like that, or is it because I'm using a 3-cell li-po? Oh, and I'm new to planes, but don't think I don't know anything about them I've flown a Walkera Dragonfly #4 (thats a heli, in case you didn't realize) for two years, so I've got lots of knowledge of radios, batteries, motors, and stuff like that, so don't waste yer time explainin' stuff! All I'm here for is to start a thread (couldn't find the main one, if there is one), get good ideas, and skip out.

Time Pilot

My first suggestion is to never wear a speedo while bending down in front of your plane to plug the battery in. [X(]

My second is to check out this thread. The first in 9. It could be winter again before you finish them all.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hreadid=122951

My suggested mods: if aluminum boom: 12" of balsa down the front of the fuse.

Use packing tape rather than supplied 'stickers' to attach things to plane. GWS glue works well. You can use it like contact cement, or apply the glue and let it dry.

Still have my original SS, although I've rebuilt the tail already. New kits have thicker foam, so I don't know if they are as prone to sagging after a while. I glued a carbon fiber strip to the end of my vertical & horizontal fin so it wouldn't sag side to side. Glued a CF tube to one side of the elevator and rudder to keep it from sagging. If I were to do that again, I'd split the tube in half and use that rather than the tube. Recommended for the old kit. Not sure if it's needed for the new.

Rdy12

I actually have the CF fuse, and I had some fun in the front yard yesterday Well, wasn't really fun, because I haven't made the appropriate heli Tx mods to fly yet. I got off the ground, though, and tried to climb a bit. My elevator wasn't reversed yet so pushing the stick up made it go up, opposite of what I'm used to. I have to relearn my rudder control, now it's on my right stick, and the left stick makes the motor stop or go full throttle because it's still controlling the tail motor of the heli, which is now the main motor of the plane. Still following? Good. Weelllllllllllllll............ I tried to turn with the left stick and ended up shutting off the motor and plowing right into a 2-foot-deep snowbank[X(] I let go of a string of choice words, with sick visions of dollar signs running through my head, and picked up my fallen bird. 1/2 an hour later, it was in perfect condition, no short-circuits or anything, and the motor was roaring away on the dining room table, throwing water droplets everywhere (hey, don't bug me, I've never had a water-related problem with anything electronic in my life) Well, two points for Walkera heli electronics!

Flyer 1

Sounds like you outta download FMS and get in some (free) simulator time.
Flyer

Rdy12

Ok, got all the kinks worked out and I'm flyin' great, WITHOUT a sim. My only problem is a second snowstorm came through, so I'm kinda grounded (for the time being) I have the FMS sim already, but it won't work with my radio[:'(] I'm using the keyboard, but who the heck has figured out how to fly a plane with a keyboard??? It just can't give the feel of flying. I'm lucky, yhough, because I've got a highly modified heli that I can fly inside, even during a snowstorm.

Rdy12

Well, this thing's awsome!! I am now using that gyro for more power when I climb and less when I dive ( for a few seconds ). I found an APC prop in the $1 box at my LHS ( maybe the "H' in LHS means "hardware", but I use it as "hobby") It works real nice, or at least better than the stock one. What I'm really likin' a lot right now is the glide performance. It's really fun to take it up way high and glide around like a sailplane. This seems like a good camera platform,too. Has anyone tried this? I found a good camera, real small and light.

Rdy12

I strengthened my tail with thread. The whole vertical stab was about to fall off, so I added a nice scale touch. The thread is held on with packing tape (same as my hinges), and it's really helping.

Brewerpaul

RDY-- you can fly FMS with a cheapo joystick which is a LOT closer to using your transmitter than the keyboard. I found one online for something like $5 plus shipping.

I bought an appropriate sized wooden dowel, coated it with gorilla glue and shoved it into the aluminum fuselage. Once the glue dried and expanded it added a LOT of rigidity with not much weight. That huge SS easily generates enough lift, even with the stock brushed
motor.

BTW-- there are a LOT of Slow Stick fliers over on the Badius thread, and all are welcome, even if you don't fly a Badius