jeffk464

I just got back from the maiden flight of my predator II with a GMS .25. The plane flew absolutely perfect, smooth and tracked like it was on rails, but with this engine no faster than the average sport plane. I plan on entering the SLow Quickee race that my local flying field puts on, so I'm pretty much stuck with the .25 sized engine. One problem I noticed was the plane would torque over to the right in the verticle and with the V-tail I was not able to to stop this without inducing roll.

bl10

On a V-Tail the rudder actually acts as ailerons and will cause roll. Most guys just trim in a little opposite aileron and don’t worry about it. On a racer if it climbs on a turn (like around one) add weight to the lower wing tip. Look at Dub Jett’s web site for additional trimming info. See you at the next Slo Q500 race.

Barry

Druce

Well the snow has finally melted enought to take a test flight with my new predator 2. I bought a new TT 40 for it and used the GMS muffler. I ran 2 tanks of fuel through it using an old worked formula 1 prop that I had, I think it was an 8 1\4 x7 wooden prop. The motor seemed to like the prop and ran rich at about 15300 and I pinch the line up to about 16200. The second tank lasted about twice as long as the first so I'm not one to waste good fuel on the ground so I figured it was time to go up for a first flight. I changed the prop to a 9 x 7 apc which is what we used in our club racing. The equipment I used was all hitec 225 servos and a 700milliampe 6 volt AAA battery pack and a Electron 6 receiver and a tetra tank just before the high point of the wing. The wing I thought was a little heavy but not much I can do about that but the rest of the kit was light. The plane came in at just under 3lbs 12 oz.

The first flight I set it off at 15000 and was a little rich but that is what I wanted anyways. Up she went and about 2 clicks down and about 2 clicks left was all she took. I was suprised at how well it flew and how true it was. It was uneventfull. So I guess thats good. The motor gurlged on the straight and leaned out in the loops but in the tight turns it wanted to go up a bit so I will have to add a bit of weight on the bottom wing, maybe a quarter is enough. I'm pretty happy with it and will buy a couple more for the nelson and sport muffler nelson supplys.. I give it a rating of 3 1\2 out of 5..

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Lead tape from a golf shop is an easy way to add weight for balance. Just peel off the adhesive backing and stick on.

Druce

Well after reading the posts in this thread it seems to be a 50 50 split for the Laniar Predator and the Great Planes Viper. Personally I think the Viper has a faster wing but the Predator has a stronger fuse.
having said that, and seeing some of the times that I've seen which is in the low teens with these airplanes , which is faster than I can fly, and I think I'm not alone in this group. I think I can safely say that these airplanes fill the need for a lot of people and has kept a lot of people in racing that might have dropped out. I know that some think there cheap and don't fly well and all kinds of negitivity about them but as I said before they do fit the needs of a certain group of people including me. I do enjoy building planes and I take the time to do a good job but, ( not if, but when they go into the ground)I get a little upset where as this arf's, who cares. And in my neck of the woods there is all kinds of competition in Q500 that even if I had a composite it wouldn't make a lot of difference. And so having said that I give hats off to Lanier and Great Planes for their airplanes and particular to Lanier for making improvements over thier first Predator..
I'd like to hear what other people think about this..

wkevinm

John

I think there is a place for the Viper and Predator, however..... I have moved away from them in favour of the Seeker fuse and a 66012 wing. I was never happy with the absolutely terrible covering job of the Viper (I have never bought a predator). The last Viper I bought I ended up stripping the whole thing and recovered it. I would reconsider if they would package the kit without pre-applied covering. Based on that experience I recon I get more satsfaction from building and covering or painting a Seeker fuse as remove and recovering a viper.


As for the wings I have gone to a 66012 wing only because thats what the go fast guys seem to prefer. I do however believe that a semi-symmetrical airfoil should be faster than a symmetrical airfoil.

Kevin M