New Mini Xcalibur
#77
Thanks for good news Dave! I'm sure Mini Xcalibur will be another X-series winner.
#78
Thread Starter
Unfortunately not. Ripmax's original plan was for both, but the inlets are too small, the static current on a 90mm fan was massive with a stalled fan. Opening the inlets and re-profiling them over the main gear pockets would completely change the appearance.
Denis-for sure!
Dave
Denis-for sure!
Dave
#81
Thread Starter
So,just back from the Nuremberg Toy fair where the mini Xcalibur was released officially. The new Sports scheme was shown along with the already seen Red Arrows scheme. Looks like the boat won't arrived in Europe until 2nd week in March with timings. Just in time for the start of our season!
Pictures are not great as didn't have a camera and lighting is not great. But it gives you an idea!
Pictures are not great as didn't have a camera and lighting is not great. But it gives you an idea!
#82
Very nice incoming winner!
#85
Picked up my xcalibur from Paul today , who collected it from Motor's & Rotor's yesterday .
Quickly unpacked and slotted together, colour scheme looks awsome!!
Will commence assembly in the next week or so once ive cleared the bench of the last couple of jobs, Jet Cat P-20 , JR servos and DMSS headed for this one
Toby
Quickly unpacked and slotted together, colour scheme looks awsome!!
Will commence assembly in the next week or so once ive cleared the bench of the last couple of jobs, Jet Cat P-20 , JR servos and DMSS headed for this one
Toby
#87
Very nice! ...will surely be a winner
#88
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Yesterday I had the maiden flight with my Mini Xcalibur and all was going well until a medium speed turn back into wind caused what seemed to be a tip stall, managed to power up and just missed impact with the ground.
Had a few more circuits keeping the speed higher with wider and flatter turns with no signs of tip stalling, selected full flap and completed one full circuit and had a reasonable slowish landing.
Just wondered if anyone else has flown there's yet and has any comments on flight characteristics, cg position, control throws etc, my cg is 5mm behind the recommended position even with two 1450mah receiver batteries and the fuel pump in the nose, ailerons quite sluggish at the recommended 7mm each way with elevator quite responsive at 20mm each way.
Maybe just too slow with too much elevator on my part but it didn't seem that way at the time.
Had a few more circuits keeping the speed higher with wider and flatter turns with no signs of tip stalling, selected full flap and completed one full circuit and had a reasonable slowish landing.
Just wondered if anyone else has flown there's yet and has any comments on flight characteristics, cg position, control throws etc, my cg is 5mm behind the recommended position even with two 1450mah receiver batteries and the fuel pump in the nose, ailerons quite sluggish at the recommended 7mm each way with elevator quite responsive at 20mm each way.
Maybe just too slow with too much elevator on my part but it didn't seem that way at the time.
Last edited by chunk111; 04-23-2016 at 10:58 PM.
#89
Hello.
Stall is induced by a too high angle of attack, alfa angle. Stall can occur at any speed if you pull hard enough on the stick. High wing loading and slow speed forces you to fly with a higher alfa from the outset and so lessens your margins. I guess that you flow just a bit on the slow side with a slightly high wing loading and then pulled just a little too hard in the last turn. A classic recipe for disaster.
Happy landings.
Jannica
Stall is induced by a too high angle of attack, alfa angle. Stall can occur at any speed if you pull hard enough on the stick. High wing loading and slow speed forces you to fly with a higher alfa from the outset and so lessens your margins. I guess that you flow just a bit on the slow side with a slightly high wing loading and then pulled just a little too hard in the last turn. A classic recipe for disaster.
Happy landings.
Jannica
#90
Thread Starter
I've now had 14 flights on my own model, 8 this weekend at the Nye Jets weekend. I saw a comment on another forum about something similar, at first I was a little surprised as all the flights were faultless and I experienced no issues with the prototype in lot of flying in mixed conditions.
I decided to 'yank' on the elevator and even going quite fast I could get it to bite, but snaps on the top of a loop stop nicely just like the other Xcaliburs.
Thinking about it maybe some thought is needed with these small jets, the Mini Xcalibur was purposely designed with a 1 ltr fuel tank, to give long flights, I have a 2oz hopper in addition and was regularly flying between 8 and 9 minutes all weekend. I guess 1ltr of kero weights over 1 1/2 lbs, so 20% of the models dry weight! I do lots of mixed flying, but restrict slow flying until half way through the tank (4 mins plus on my throttle use) The Mini Xcalibur as the people saw all weekend lands nice and slowly, but we joked about running out of fuel and it not gliding well...this would be fact, the wing loading will be higher than the normal Xcalibur, so this needs thinking about. I do have 3mm of CROW for landing and as these slow fly-bys show it cruises around.
Also these baby turbines take a while to accelerate any model, maybe the throttle use needs to be understood, I don't below mid stick at any time during a normal flight.
I would not go behind the manual balance point either, mine has a 2200 and 1600 2s li-po in the nose and is a fraction nose heavy over the manual figure I set at 115mm.
Aileron movement of 7mm is at the tip, but the manual missed this!
I fitted an iGyro 3e to mine as my first experiment with a 3 axis gyro and I flew it with and without it activated, the main thing I noticed with it stops any fidgeting, smoothing things out in choppy conditions. I only have it set at 20 something percent so far, but it worked fine even at a low figure that only moves the ailerons a few mm at fairly big rock angles.
I love mine and it was very well received this weekend.
I decided to 'yank' on the elevator and even going quite fast I could get it to bite, but snaps on the top of a loop stop nicely just like the other Xcaliburs.
Thinking about it maybe some thought is needed with these small jets, the Mini Xcalibur was purposely designed with a 1 ltr fuel tank, to give long flights, I have a 2oz hopper in addition and was regularly flying between 8 and 9 minutes all weekend. I guess 1ltr of kero weights over 1 1/2 lbs, so 20% of the models dry weight! I do lots of mixed flying, but restrict slow flying until half way through the tank (4 mins plus on my throttle use) The Mini Xcalibur as the people saw all weekend lands nice and slowly, but we joked about running out of fuel and it not gliding well...this would be fact, the wing loading will be higher than the normal Xcalibur, so this needs thinking about. I do have 3mm of CROW for landing and as these slow fly-bys show it cruises around.
Also these baby turbines take a while to accelerate any model, maybe the throttle use needs to be understood, I don't below mid stick at any time during a normal flight.
I would not go behind the manual balance point either, mine has a 2200 and 1600 2s li-po in the nose and is a fraction nose heavy over the manual figure I set at 115mm.
Aileron movement of 7mm is at the tip, but the manual missed this!
I fitted an iGyro 3e to mine as my first experiment with a 3 axis gyro and I flew it with and without it activated, the main thing I noticed with it stops any fidgeting, smoothing things out in choppy conditions. I only have it set at 20 something percent so far, but it worked fine even at a low figure that only moves the ailerons a few mm at fairly big rock angles.
I love mine and it was very well received this weekend.
#92
Dave, mini X looks very good indeed! A little...big winner.
#93
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Test flew myMini last Sunday, dead cross wing 15-20mph and it handled it without any realissue, and today flew some excellent routines the Mini really is an all-rounderand my P20 is more than enough. Great little model.
#94
Thread Starter
Mark
Excellent news, was flying mine again Saturday at our grass site, long grass and rough ridges with our cross wind runway, no problem. Beardy even did a short video will try and get posted tomorrow.
How long you flying for? I get a consistent 8 mins+
Dave
Excellent news, was flying mine again Saturday at our grass site, long grass and rough ridges with our cross wind runway, no problem. Beardy even did a short video will try and get posted tomorrow.
How long you flying for? I get a consistent 8 mins+
Dave
#95
Thread Starter
Video time!
This was on Saturday, cross wind at our strip, so a bit rough with uncut grass and various patch extensions making ripples. Copes well with little wheels!
This was not a full tank, it started 1/2" from the top.
https://youtu.be/t_MMa5gueRM
This was on Saturday, cross wind at our strip, so a bit rough with uncut grass and various patch extensions making ripples. Copes well with little wheels!
This was not a full tank, it started 1/2" from the top.
https://youtu.be/t_MMa5gueRM
#96
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I have flown my Mini last couple of Sundays, first was cross wind and again last Sunday and the only time I noticed a flip I hadn't initiated was when using too much elevator and she performed a high speed snap role. I will adjust the elevator but I have found my mini to be very docile and providing you maintain flying speed very forgiving. I have a 1600 and 2200 Lipos in the nose for receiver and turbine (P20). Check your balance point and consider using exponential on elevator, aileron and rudder, if you haven't already that is.
Last edited by FlyingMT; 05-03-2016 at 01:49 PM.
#97
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Hi Dave,
I'm averaging 6min and there's plenty of fuel left, not using a UAT so just the main tank. As a second throw it in the car/van with minimal assembly, just add outer panels its a great little model. She also performs nice combination snaps on the vertical with easy recovery. I always throttle back allowing the model to descend before throttling up. Most of my flight is at half throttle. Glad I got it Dave.
Anyone who hasn't got one and wants a small go anywhere model it seems ideal and the obvious choice.....If I keep on praising it you're have to put me on your payroll Dave!!
We also have two 100 size Xcaliburs on the way (North Weald MFC) that I'll get to test fly when there ready and if they perform as well as the mini the guys will be very impressed, as will I.
I'm averaging 6min and there's plenty of fuel left, not using a UAT so just the main tank. As a second throw it in the car/van with minimal assembly, just add outer panels its a great little model. She also performs nice combination snaps on the vertical with easy recovery. I always throttle back allowing the model to descend before throttling up. Most of my flight is at half throttle. Glad I got it Dave.
Anyone who hasn't got one and wants a small go anywhere model it seems ideal and the obvious choice.....If I keep on praising it you're have to put me on your payroll Dave!!
We also have two 100 size Xcaliburs on the way (North Weald MFC) that I'll get to test fly when there ready and if they perform as well as the mini the guys will be very impressed, as will I.
Last edited by FlyingMT; 05-03-2016 at 01:51 PM.