mach92goose

My Feedback: (6)

Hey All,

I would like to get some assistance with my FEJ F18 1/7 scale....I welcome opinion but desire experience with this particular jet.......I'm getting close to "maiden flight" of my F18 and any suggestions on setup with the flight controls and balance is what I'm looking for....

Thanks,
Marc

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

My advice would be to remove everything from the plane and hang it from the ceiling.
One year ago I was in the same position as you. I set mine per instructions, as limited as they are.
Also seemed advice from fej. That was limited as well.
If you're going to fly it anyway, go without the flaps. That's where mine went south.
Some people get replacement airplanes, if they know the right people. I emailed James after my crash, not looking for another plane but
at least an answer as to what may have happened. His answer basically said " we fly, sometimes we crash. Happy Easter Day".
Good luck.

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

I thought of one more thing. Only fill the fuel tanks halfway. That way there is less fire to fight. And maybe some of your stuff will survive.

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

Randy's F-18F: http://youtu.be/-w3q7m_EmmA

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Marc,
For sure, keep the flaps dialed down on landing, no more than 15 degrees. The fuse and fairings produce 40% or more of the lift and it will take forever to spill off lift with more flaps, as you land. Keep your base leg to final shorter so you aren't chasing AOA and throttle. Keep some throttle in as you flare too. Ailerons have lots of authority and so do the Stabs so keep this in mind as you dial in your expos and rates.

I had two of these airframes over the years and they actually were one of their better flying airframes...once you got the landings dialed in and flap settings right. It would be good to have a positive AOA for takeoff...VERY helpful! Best of luck with your maiden.

Rex

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Wow Randy! Watched the video...did the flight end in a crash? The two I had were the old "battle wagon weight" ones...not the honeycomb. I sold both because I had cash offers at the field when flying them I couldn't walk away from but that was 4 years ago. I remember landings were a dog to figure out until you get flaps waaaay down. I added shims and got the gear to a positive AOA for takeoff and that cleaned up the "jump" at rotation too.

Rex

FenderBean

Hey Randy is that field in Nashville?

argyris

At 6:00 on this video bob shows how easy can brake one fej honeycomb f-18 stab without inside structure!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjYAGSbzbkw

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

Yes Rex, I thought you knew. Big fireball. Left it off the video. Just didn't think we needed another fireball video on YouTube.
My conclusion to my crash was when I added flaps, the nose pitched down, wich i expected. I grabbed some elevator, it kept going over. I grabbed more elevator as i get the flaps out. By then it was going straight down. Not enough room to pull out. This all happened in about 3 seconds. If you watch the video, when it ends count to three and say boom.
Fender, we did the flight at Pulaski airport. Lots of room and model friendly.

Mine was early kit. No honeycomb.

David Searles

My Feedback: (49)

Marc,

You don't say which version, FG layup or HC, you have. My experience with the FG layup jet was actually very good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeCq...fkJ2JzD3Dvi-Ew

Flaps: Take off 15mm Landing 35mm at the root tip
Ailerons: 20mm at the tip
Rudders: 30mm at the tip
Stabs: 65mm at the root
CG: 190mm at the root

Elev Mix: Takeoff flap : up 10mm
Landing flap: up 20mm

On the Takeoff roll hold close to full up elevator from the start, to keep the nose from dipping down. As soon as you notice the nose getting light, quickly release most of the up input. Use dual rates, or triple if you have them. Set them a little above and below controls throws I listed and determine which feels best in flight.

This experience is for the early FG layup only. If it's the HC version, I'd have to agree with Randy: bag it! I have not heard of any good experiences with it.

Best of luck!

David S

Desertlakesflying

My Feedback: (28)

Randy is just another of the elite class. We surfs aren't worthy. Same stupid snark, different clown.

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Man, that's some chip you've got on your shoulder... Too bad you're not one of the "elite class" or you could post your *actual experience* (good or bad) with a jet when someone asks for it instead of sniping at someone who does...

Bob

smaze17

My Feedback: (60)

Where was the landing?

**just saw the response**

s

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

The op asked for specific experience with this airplane. That's what I gave. I've never been called one of the "elite class" before.
Hardly the case. My jets and other planes are bought with hard earned cash. Usually selling off older ones to get something new. I fly
Older engines that no one else wants to mess with. I drag my scuba bottle to the flight line after I drag it out of my 1994 van. I don't own high end jets. I just fly what I have and try to keep up with no one.
There's you're "elite class" Richard....

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

If you watch the video, draw a line straight down from the last frame. Not really a landing though.
I may post it soon. It has been a year now. Working on it replacement. A yellow aircraft kit. Old polyester ducted fan elite class version.

Airplanes400

My Feedback: (349)

I think this is very good advise. Plus, it shows the lack of cooperation from FEJ and their sales reps.
Use this advise wisely. I do.

smaze17

My Feedback: (60)

Damn. Sorry to hear that. But the Yellow offering is a very proven airframe. Good choice indeed.

S

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

I have the older fg 1:6 scale f-18 for twine setup and have one question ,,do the elevators should be balanced or not ,, ? Thanks.

lightningmcnulty

My Feedback: (11)

I'd defiantly like to see the rest of the video, did the flaps depart the plane? Were they live hinged or pin, were the flaps factory installed?

When was the crash, recent or some time ago?

Take your pick on the elevator balancing, it's been done to death here and the opinions are split, I've never done it because I don't like to add weight and I've never seen a problem because of it, other people have and swear by it and have valid theory's about it. I have seen it recommended by some manufacturers and not by others so who knows

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Looking forward to seeing it!

Bob

Randy M.

My Feedback: (38)

It's my belief that after I added flaps and the nose pitched down, the elevators fluttered. I think the flaps just disrupted the airflow enough to cause it. The biggest problems fej has had has been with flying stab designs. If I had it to do over, I would build new s tabilators and move the pivot point forward. According to documents in the Ltma section on the ama site, the pivot point on the stabs is to far back. This makes them unstable, balanced or not. I will compare the measurements with the ones on my yellow version. If you are going to fly this airplane, (I assume you will) I would make new stabs at minimum. You may look into the yellow stabs but they may be a bit small as they are standard hornet not super hornet.

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Yea, I'm just about to paint on a CJM F-18E (SuperH but single seater) Kit that is supposed to be 1/6.8 scale and these stabs are so much different than the FEJ ones I had on my 1/7 scale. Pivot points are forward as they should be and the stabs are very well built...and so is the pivot/housing/former boxes too!

Rex

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

I think to do just a little balance weight to stay in between all opinion ,the stab is big and made of plywood balsa and fiberglasscoated with ss steal rot looks good and the structure is much ridged than honeycomb + I going to inject some aeropoxy to the weak elements have medium filling with positive aprouche have two p-160 to power and some reinforcement ideas ,for now I'm finishing the 1:4 scale panther and if I have time the skymaster mig-28 with two vt-80s .

mach92goose

My Feedback: (6)

WOW....I posted this morning....thought I would get a few hits....this is a great start...

Randy M, rbxbear44 and David Searles....thank you for the input...

David S, that was the info I was looking for...the one I have IS NOT a HC...sounds like FEJ went wrong with the HC version?

rbxbear44, thanks for the heads up on the flaps...also, did you have the same control throws and CG as David S...if you have something different, send it my way so I can compare notes!

Randy...sorry about your plane...I'v had the good and bad flights, (here is a link to one of the good's...ps, ignore the crapy takeoff...i got spooked! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODy4Q1ktCdg ) but its always the bad's that haunt me....you mentioned a couple times about flutter but you said "I believe ...", did you actually see the stabilator flutter with the flaps or is that an assumption?

For all with any interest....this FEJ F18 was built in 2009....When I got it, I ripped everything out of it and have installed all new...I went over everything I could get my hands on...the plane seems solid (probable since its the older version...) and heavy...Im flying it with a KingTech170....

I know that there have been problems with FEJ based on comments read prior to me buying it.....I have seen video's of good flying 1/7 FEJ F18's.....There must be good ones out there....correct?

....I fly what I build...I listen to ALL post and appreciate them, so KEEP THEM POSTS COMING!!!......Thanks again...

My moto is "Its a model until it flies, then its a plane!"

FenderBean

Any new pictures?