SAB AVIO Drake Build Experience
10-29-2019, 04:15 PM
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SAB AVIO Drake Build Experience
I was interested in building a thrust vector jet and decided on the SAB AVIO Drake. This plane does not need a full build thread as the manual and build are very straightforward. I wanted to share my experience with the build and maiden flight for others considering getting into an affordable 3D capable turbine jet.
I ordered everything needed for the build from HeliDirect except for servo arms and the turbine. The box that arrived was well packaged with no damage to the contents.
Well packaged!
I ordered everything needed for the build from HeliDirect except for servo arms and the turbine. The box that arrived was well packaged with no damage to the contents.
Well packaged!
10-29-2019, 04:20 PM
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The manual is excellent. I have built four jets and help build a few more and SAB does a great job with the manuals. Each step shows what to do and references a numbered bag of hardware for that step. I have built many SAB helicopters and this kit follows the same great standard.
I did notice a few issues with QC of the hardware. I was missing a couple screws and got one pushrod link the wrong length. For a new kit on the market I can overlook these minor issues. I contacted HeliDirect and they replaced the missing parts within a coupe days.
I did vary from the manual with the gear install for the mains. I prefer to tap and harden mount points for the gear instead of the metal plates they provide. If I have a hard landing I would rather strip the screws instead of rip the mounting blocks out of the wing.
I did notice a few issues with QC of the hardware. I was missing a couple screws and got one pushrod link the wrong length. For a new kit on the market I can overlook these minor issues. I contacted HeliDirect and they replaced the missing parts within a coupe days.
I did vary from the manual with the gear install for the mains. I prefer to tap and harden mount points for the gear instead of the metal plates they provide. If I have a hard landing I would rather strip the screws instead of rip the mounting blocks out of the wing.
10-29-2019, 04:24 PM
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The SAB AVIO electric landing gear has three part numbers to order. The retract set, the legs, and the wheels. The retract set comes with a controller that drives the retracts, has a gear door sequencer, and brake controller. The wheels also come with a brake controller. The controller build into the retract unit only supports on/off for brakes or a pulsating on/off action. The controller that comes with the wheels is proportional and works well. I used the proportional brake controller. The manual does not discuss the proportional controller but I recommending using it.
10-29-2019, 04:40 PM
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Electronics setup with a delta wing, thrust vectoring, and canard were new to me. I have used the PowerBox Mercury SRS (with iGyro built in) for other builds and used it for this as well. This gyro has two gyro channels for elevator, aileron, and rudder. The Drake is a delta wing so I setup the iGyro as a delta wing type. This uses one of the elevator and one of the aileron gyro channels.
To setup all controls to be gyro controlled on the Drake you would need:
4 Yaw gyro channels (two rudders, yaw thrust vector, and nose wheel steering)
3 Elevator gyro channels (one for delta wing, canard, thrust vector)
1 Aileron (delta wing)
With the iGyro the closest I could configure was:
1 rudder for yaw thrust (I don't put a gyro on the nose wheel as a personal preference)
2 elevator (delta wing elevator, thrust vector) canard has to go without
1 Aileron (delta wing aileron)
The two rudders need separate channels to support toeing in both rudders as an airbrake. The mixes for this are opposite for the two rudders so they cannot share a rudder a or rudder b channel)
The canard I tried to use with the thrust vector control using servo matching in the Mercury. I could not get a set of endpoints that controlled the throws I wanted. I ended up using a curve in the transmitter for the canard and not going through a gyro channel.
The Cortex Pro gyro looks able to support up to 16 stabilized channels that can each be assigned to a surface. this should allow the flexibility to setup all the possible combinations on the Drake.
To setup all controls to be gyro controlled on the Drake you would need:
4 Yaw gyro channels (two rudders, yaw thrust vector, and nose wheel steering)
3 Elevator gyro channels (one for delta wing, canard, thrust vector)
1 Aileron (delta wing)
With the iGyro the closest I could configure was:
1 rudder for yaw thrust (I don't put a gyro on the nose wheel as a personal preference)
2 elevator (delta wing elevator, thrust vector) canard has to go without
1 Aileron (delta wing aileron)
The two rudders need separate channels to support toeing in both rudders as an airbrake. The mixes for this are opposite for the two rudders so they cannot share a rudder a or rudder b channel)
The canard I tried to use with the thrust vector control using servo matching in the Mercury. I could not get a set of endpoints that controlled the throws I wanted. I ended up using a curve in the transmitter for the canard and not going through a gyro channel.
The Cortex Pro gyro looks able to support up to 16 stabilized channels that can each be assigned to a surface. this should allow the flexibility to setup all the possible combinations on the Drake.
10-29-2019, 04:48 PM
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I setup the aircraft per manual and then backed off the low rates a small amount just to be safe for the first flight. The CG I set per the manual The first flight was perfect. I can highly recommend this jet for sport flying. Check back in a few months and I hopefully will have some 3D experience with the jet!
10-30-2019, 09:11 AM
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What came in the wheels box looked exactly like this set:
JP Hobby Electric Brake with Wheels and Controller ,40mm-95mm wheel JP Hobby Electric Brake with Wheels and Controller ,40mm,45mm,50mm,55mm,60mm,65mm,70mm,75mm,86mm,95mm wheel [F-P003] - US$76.00 :
The controller has a power connector for a 2S lipo and a servo style connector to go to the brakes channel. I connect this channel to a slider on my transmitter for braking force. The four exposed pins to to the brakes. Ground for each is on the outside pins. The inner pins are positive. I used the jet connector like the one for the power connector to plug onto these pins.
JP Hobby Electric Brake with Wheels and Controller ,40mm-95mm wheel JP Hobby Electric Brake with Wheels and Controller ,40mm,45mm,50mm,55mm,60mm,65mm,70mm,75mm,86mm,95mm wheel [F-P003] - US$76.00 :
The controller has a power connector for a 2S lipo and a servo style connector to go to the brakes channel. I connect this channel to a slider on my transmitter for braking force. The four exposed pins to to the brakes. Ground for each is on the outside pins. The inner pins are positive. I used the jet connector like the one for the power connector to plug onto these pins.
11-15-2019, 06:34 PM
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Well I said to check back and I would have updates on some 3D attempts. I am happy to say event an average pilot like myself can do 3D with the Drake! Here is a flight from yesterday.
The hover has some wing rock that I think is due to the aileron gain being too high. I could use some advice on this! The flat spins and high alpha work well. Lazy tight loops are great. Flips need some adjustment to my turbine to spool up a bit faster. I had to back off my spool up rate to prevent a flameout but I think I went too far with the adjustment.
I cannot get this jet to tip stall. The landings are much better when slowing the jet down for the final turn and pulling the elevator. Moving the rudders towards each other like the manual suggests acts like air brakes and the nose pitches up nicely to help slow down for landings. I am very happy with this jet so far!
The hover has some wing rock that I think is due to the aileron gain being too high. I could use some advice on this! The flat spins and high alpha work well. Lazy tight loops are great. Flips need some adjustment to my turbine to spool up a bit faster. I had to back off my spool up rate to prevent a flameout but I think I went too far with the adjustment.
I cannot get this jet to tip stall. The landings are much better when slowing the jet down for the final turn and pulling the elevator. Moving the rudders towards each other like the manual suggests acts like air brakes and the nose pitches up nicely to help slow down for landings. I am very happy with this jet so far!
