niteman

Calling all Rabbit owners !!

In the market for a 19-20 lb turbine, actually need 2 and would love to get some feedback from real Rabbit owners.

How long have you had it ? Any issues on start up (new glow filament) etc... ??

Typical run times on how much fuel that you are using ??

Ecu battery your using and run times ??

Fuel oil mix - 5% ??

Appreciate any comments, Dan

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

I havent flown mine yet but I run it every weekend just for the hell of it. Love it!
It makes a really cool sound when it spools up (soo fast!).

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

I had a rabbit once, cute little brown one, died about 2 weeks after I got it though, think it ate something it shouldn't have, that's ok, it stank too. My sister had one, noisy little *******, couldn't sleep at night it would bounce around so much, hated that one. I wouldn't get another one, dogs are so much nicer

sweetpea01

My Feedback: (10)

Have not ran mine yet. Though from seeing Erics posts he recs 2.5% not 5% so that is what I'll run.

Crazy4Flight

My Feedback: (540)

My girlfriends rabbit died...

meps

My Feedback: (10)

I love that response.
Steve

BlackCloud

My Feedback: (12)

Fantastic turbine. I got serial number 9 when they were first released. No issues at all with the internal glow ignitor. Just a little strange with the 8 second pause but it is by far the smoothest starting turbine I have ever run or seen and that is confirmed by many others at the field.
Just under 3 second idle to full and same in reverse.
Fuel burn is the same as the super bee I was previously flying if not better. 6 oz a minute.
oil mixture is 2.5% like the bee or you can also use 5% with no issue.
ECU battery is the Li-Ion from TBM that comes with it. I think it is a 5200mah. I haven't flown enough in a day to worry about recharging.
Unfortunately I also had to have it repaired after a crash and burn. As always excellent repair turn around time. I shipped it off to Eric. (Eric gets it next day when I send it UPS from here. Then he shipped it right off to Mexico city same day he got it.)
Three days from when I dropped it off at UPS I had a quote with what needed replaced. When I gave them the go ahead to repair it I had it back 3 days later.
I actually just spoke to Eric about another one and was told they are only a 10 day delay to order one. They are finally catching up with the high demand for such a great turbine.
I can't say enough about the Rabbit. If you are debating brand versus brand. Hands down I would go with the Rabbit. The thrust is phenomenal for the size of the turbine and yet burns the same fuel as a 14 pounder.
Best of luck in your decision. I am verry happy with the one I made and will be getting another.
Mark

niteman

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the detailed report and solid endorsement.

Could you kindly comment on your propane start procedure ? Do you use the on-board propane tank or go straight to the solenoid from an external prop-tank ?

Do you use standard propane or a powermax blend ? any tips or tricks on that procedure for the rabbit compared to others ?

Did you have to fine tune the ECU at all for start gas or was the voltage correct right out of the box ?


Thanks again and appreciate the reply. Dan

BlackCloud

My Feedback: (12)

Originally I had an onboard propane tank. After the crash I decided it was a dumb idea leaving it onboard. That is the easiest thing to ignite on impact. I then just ran the solenoid with a one way valve. First I tried a method still using the propane can to start. Using another check valve and an on/off valve attached to the can I filled it first then attached it to the airplane solenoid for start. That was a bit cumbersome and then scratched that idea and just run the propane can direct to the solenoid with a check valve in between to hold backflow pressure from the solenoid. I have been using powermax only and never changed amy settings. Right out of the box it was fine. Coleman green can propane is also commonly used as well. You just have to hold the can upside down. I may switch to that. I just have a big supply of powermax to use up.
Really no tricks. Just simple plug and play for lack of better terms. Attaching gas direct is so much easier and less hoses and onboard.

KC36330

this is something that has kept me away from every owning an Artes turbine............i've asked Eric about the fuel consumption and all i can get is 'It's the average, with throttle management' well for those of us who fly left stick in the ON position, what's the true fuel consumption???

niteman

KC,

The independent test in the Artes support area ( http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8121374/tm.htm ) I thought was pretty straight forward at 7-8 oz max at WOT near 20lb thrust, very impressive stat's. But thats why I'm asking for feedback from real users etc....

RCJI gives stats in every issue of all or most of the turbines they've tested and it appears that fuel consumption statistics at WOT released by most turbine manufacturers are a-bit like the auto industry's, exaggerated . Real world numbers at WOT appear to be higher, sometimes alot higher in their test results, but so far from what I have read the stat's for the JC Rabbit appear to be very close.

Grodus

I have one that is still in the box so I have no data on mine yet. I would be thrilled with 8oz a minute WOT but I am not going to plan my fuel load based on that. I will use the detailed data in the performance chart on the Jet munt website for the Merlin 90. Is supposed to be the same engine and it looks like WOT is 11oz per minute. 6oz per minute equal about 10lbs of thrust.

KC36330

20lbs at 8oz would be impressive, if that is in fact a true WOT (it wasn't that clear if it was) or just an average over the time he ran the turbine.

niteman

The M 90 flow chart does raise some real questions about actual fuel consumption of the Rabbit at WOT. From the little I understand from here on RCU and asking around the engines are supposedly identical from an engineering aspect including identical ECU software, but please feel free to correct me on this. Thats why I started the thread, cause I dunno .

Again, need real input from Rabbit owners on all of the above and might as well throw in some happy M90 owners for clarification as well !!

Please keep the helpful feedback coming.

Many thanks, Dan

Robrow

Speaking as a happy Merlin 90 owner, (but not independantly as I am a dealer), in the real world I don't fly WOT all the time, if I found I had to then I would be looking for a better matched engine/airframe. In my BVM Bobcat I get over 10mins using the 2x 34oz wing tanks, on landing the the 3rd Sullivan 16oz tank is always still full. The math is easy..6.8oz/min AVERAGE.

This in no way represents any figures for the Rabbit as despite what has been said it is a different engine.

Rob.

Jgwright

Dan

You asked about Merlin 90 performance.

Tom Wilkinson for RCJI has recently conducted his usual thorough tests of a Merlin 90. The engine perfomed superbly giving substantially more thrust than specified.

You can answer your questions about fuel consumption from the comparison chart at the back of the RCJI. If you look at the chart a fuel flow of 7-8 oz min represents about 11-14 lbs thrust depending on the particular engine. If you expect a constant thrust of 20 lbs then you would expect the fuel flow to be about 13 oz min. The Merlin was significantly better than that but you will have to see the actual figures in the next issue!

John

chipperg

My Feedback: (9)

My wife loves hers!!!

Robrow

Mine is doing 21.5lbs @ 152k and gets through around 12oz of juice in a minute.

Rob.

KC36330

that's a much more believable consumption rate for the thrust on just about any turbine.

Robrow

Well it is when I hold full throttle for a minute on the ground but in the air because I only use full beans for take off, fast passes and some of the vertical stuff it works out at a little over half that consumption.

Rob.

niteman

Thanks to all for the helpful feedback, please keep it coming !

RCISFUN

My Feedback: (44)

So to clarify, under normal operating conditions you are using about 6 oz/min....correct?

BluFox

My Feedback: (10)

KC36330

I have yet to meet a jet pilot / turbine owner who from the time he takes off to the time he lands, goes to WOT (high throttle stick) and NEVER pulls back. The interest in fuel consumption operating in this manner never ceases to amaze me as it is for the masses useless information. However, this being said, I will take my ne BobCat out sometime in the next 10 days, fill it up, start it and wait until it has exhausted all fuel but for the UAT. I trust a Breitling chronograph used for timing will be acceptable.

The reality of this question as it commonly reflects on a turbine /jet kit combination rests upon one often asked question. . .three times today as a matter of fact; " Eric, I have a Rhino and my total fuel capacity is 200 ounces. How long should I plan my flight for?" Answer, 8 to 9 minutes then set up for landing. I have never given a dishonest assessment of fuel consumption. For the record, please note the following.

Super Bee 14 lb thrust 6 - 7 oz per minute
Rabbit 19 lb thrust 7 oz per minuet
Falcon 22 lb thrust 10 oz per minute
Super Eagle 30 lb thrust 14 oz per minute
Rhino 36 lb thrust 17 - 19 oz per minute

The above are based upon the way we fly, the way our customers fly and the way most jet pilots fly. We realize there are those of you who may go WOT without the slightest change in throttle. . .I personally have never met such a person nor would I let such a person fly any jet of mine in this manner just to check the fuel flow of the turbine in question.

Niteman: give me a call or post in this forum. I will be glad to answer any and all questions. Rabbits with Lifetime Warranty available now !

Thanks for reading.

Eric

jetflyr

.

highhorse

My Feedback: (2)

All in all though, the only way we can reliably make comparisons is to use ONE standard to the greatest extent possible. Unfortunately,there is no standard for a "normal" flight. A 20 lb engine in a 20 lb model will burn fuel at a much lesser rate than when installed in a 30 lb model, will it not? And that same engine installed in ANY given model will vary it's burn considerably from pilot to pilot even as an individual's pilot's burn will vary from day to day.

The only standard we really have is WOT where we compare the max burn rate of a given engine to others in it's class. Anything else is comparing is apples to oranges, right?