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Review by: Mike Buzzeo
(MinnFlyer) Email Me
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Hangar-9
Distributed through Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: (217) 352-1913
www.hangar-9.com/
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Window Media Player
FuntanaS 90
VIDEOS
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- Fast
Easy Assembly
- Very Light, yet Strong
- Quality Covering (Oracover/Ultracote)
- Excellent Hardware
- Pre-installed Antenna Housing
- Fiberglass Cowl, and Wheel Pants
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Airplanes come and airplanes go but every few years an airplane hits the market with a
bang and leaves a lasting impression. This seems to be the case with
Hangar 9's new FuntanaS 90.
According to Horizon's Mike McConville, "The Funtana is based on [Sebastiano Silvestri's] TOC Katana, but changed in many ways to make it lighter loaded and better
for 3D. It's not a scale Katana and isn't within any 10% deviation rule. Basically, the Funtana is optimized for flight performance
without any consideration to staying within any scale deviation limits."
The FuntanaS 90 is the new "big brother" to H-9's 40 size Funtana. However, the larger version seems much more stable than its smaller counterpart. Although I have not personally had the pleasure of flying the original, everyone that I have spoken with who has flown both, overwhelmingly prefers the new 90 size.
The New FuntanaS sports a constant thickness wing (like the original), but it adds a new wing fillet design to aid in slow speed stability. And not only is it stable, it looks great too!
I wanted to take a great picture of the Funtana to place here in the introduction, and my "Baby Sister" happened to overhear me talking about it, when she said, "I always wanted to be one of those girls on the cover of your airplane magazines".
That gave me the idea for the shot. So here you go Beanie, you've been
immortalized on the Internet!
Now let's get a closer look! (At the FuntanaS 90 that is!)
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Name:
Hangar 9 FuntanaS 90
Price:
$209.99
Wingspan: 69.5 in (176.5 cm)
Wing area: 1107.8 sq in (71.5 sq dm)
Length: 68.5 in (174 cm)
Weight per Mfg: Total: 8.1 lb (3.7 kg)(dry)
Actual Flying Weight: Total: 9.0 lbs. (dry)
Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced
Engine Used: Y.S. 110FZ
Radio Used: JR 6102 6-Channel Tx
(5) Hitec HS-5475HB
servos for elevator, rudder, ailerons (2), (Standard servo on throttle)
Channels Used: 4
total - elevator, aileron, rudder, throttle
Battery Used: 1 JR
6V 700 Mah NICD
Prop Used: APC 16x4w
Required to Complete:
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4-channel radio with 6 servos
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Servo
wire
extensions
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CA glue
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30
minute epoxy
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RC-56
canopy
glue
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Foam
rubber
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Loctite thread lock
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90-100 class 4-Stroke, or 60-100 class 2-Stroke
engine, and
propeller
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2 1/2"
spinner
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Standard building tools
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The FuntanaS 90 arrived in the typical cardboard shipping box, inside which was
the typical colorful
box covered with pictures and specs. Beyond that, nothing was typical with this airplane. From the time I opened the
box I was amazed. While everything was laid out well, and nicely packed, there just seemed to be something different about this plane. As I removed pieces from the
box I couldn't get over how light everything was.
I was so intrigued by the weight (or lack thereof) that I decided to experiment a little. I pulled out a
postal scale and placed the wings, fuse, cockpit and
canopy on it. They came in with a combined weight of 3.54lbs. Then, just for a laugh, I weighed the empty cardboard shipping box. It weighed in at 3.68lbs! Are you starting to get the idea that the Funtana is LIGHT? And as light as everything was, it was solid as a rock due to its construction. The Funtana is built much the same way as the
Hangar 9 46% Ultimate, which I had the pleasure of helping with last
Autumn.
Manual
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The FuntanaS 90 is accompanied by a 44-page
manual, which is everything you need in the way of instruction. Its instructions are well thought out and explained, and the
photos guide you step-by-step through the assembly process. I did notice one instance of the
manual deviating from the product when it came to the
wheel pants. In the
manual, the pants are held in place with one screw, while the actual plane was set up for two screws.
Not a big deal in my
book.
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Assembly begins with the installation of the
aileron servos. I chose to use Hitec HS-5475HB digital
servos on the control surfaces and a standard JR servo for
throttle. While no preinstalled string is provided for snaking the wires through the wing, the
transparent covering on the underside of the wing makes this an easy task.
Once the
servos are in place, the ailerons are attached using the provided CA
hinges. I must confess that on control surfaces with this size and mobility, I would be more apt to use Hinge Points.
I have heard some of the RCU members already flying the FuntanaS 90 have had some hinge failures.
I have since confirmed that at least one of these incidences was due to improper
installation. Nevertheless, CA hinges were provided, so that's what I used.
But please guys, CA hinges MUST be installed properly! Note the amount of deflection in the aileron above. I ended up with about a 3/32"
gap, huge by some people's standards, and I did not seal it just to prove a point. Squeezing that gap closed WILL cause CA hinges to fail! More on proper installation HERE.
Once the
ailerons were hinged, the control horns were aligned and installed, and the pushrods are connected. At this point, I would like to bring the hardware to your attention. Notice the
ball links that are provided. This is a very nice feature!
The
wing then mounts to the fuse with a black anodized
aluminum tube, and with a protective layer of plastic on the
fuse, the wing fillets are epoxied to the inboard
trailing edges. Once the epoxy is cured, the wing assembly is complete.
The
tail assembly is like most others with the noted exception of the addition of two
carbon rods used for bracing. The manual cautions the builder not to omit these supports.
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Servo Spotlight
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Motor Type: High Performance 3 Pole Ferrite
Bearing Type: Dual Ball Bearing
Torque 4.8 / 6.0v: 61 / 76 oz. (16 / 19 kg.)
Speed 4.8 / 6.0v: 0.23 / 0.18 second
Size: 1.5"x0.8"x 1.4" (39 x 20 x 36mm)
Weight: 1.41oz. (409g.) |
The
Digital servo programmer is housed
in a solid aluminum case with a
4.8V. rechargeable nicad internal
battery, and
uses an easy to read LCD
display for programming all of the
servos.
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Programmable
Features include
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- Reset
to factory default
- End
and center points
- Direction
of rotation
- Dead
band width
- Failsafe
point
- Speed
(reduction
only)
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Next, the
tail wheel bracket is epoxied in place. While I would usually prefer to see a stronger
tail wheel assembly, for the sake of keeping the Funtana light, I can see why
Hangar 9 decided to go with the type provided.
With the
bracket in place, the rudder and elevators can now be hinged in place.
Three servos mount in the tail for the controls. Due to the placement of the elevator servos, you must either have a
servo reverser, or a reversed servo. In my case, since I was using
digital servos, I used the Hitec
Digital Servo Programmer to reverse one
servo.
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The gear assembly was easy enough - two screws go through the
aluminum main gear into preinstalled blind nuts in the
fuse and the 5/32 axles are installed into the gear. I was very impressed with the
wheel pants. They are molded from fiberglass, with wooden inserts already installed. They simply slide over a bushing on the axle, and are held in place with two wood screws through the aluminum gear.
TANK AND ENGINE
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If you've ever installed a tank before, you'll find no surprises here, except to say that they give you plenty of
fuel line. I still had to add some only because I chose to mount the tank behind the
wing tube. The YS engine's pump will be more than enough to bring the fuel up.
The Firewall is predrilled with blind nuts installed to make attaching the mount a snap. The YS 110 fit perfectly, and I am told that the Saito 100 fits just as well. Once the mount is in place, the Engine is placed on the mounts, and holes are drilled for the bolts and lock nuts.
There's nothing like seeing a brand new engine on a brand new airframe! With the 110 in place, a hole is drilled through the firewall to accommodate the throttle pushrod. And with the fuel lines connected, Engine installation is complete.
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Engine Spotlight
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I was originally planning to use my YS 91AC in the Funtana, but it was long overdue for an overhaul, so I visited Tom and Jeremy down at Hobby Warehouse in Minneapolis. They had the new YS 110 in stock. So with my wallet a bit lighter, I walked out with the new YS.
By the way, the guys wanted me to mention that Hobby Warehouse is my favorite Hobby Shop in the Twin Cities
(which is true), and that they have the best looking staff in retail
(which is a lie). But, back to the engine.
The 110FZ replaced the discontinued YS .91FZ as of July 1, 2003. It is the same physical size and weight as the 91 and produces 5 to 8% more power depending on fuel used (I was using Wildcat YS 20/20 mixture). Propellers used on the 91 will normally turn 500 to 700 rpm more on the 1.10. YS recommends prop sizes which allow the engine to turn 8800 to 9500 for best results.
- Bore: 1.197" (30.4mm)
- Stroke: 976" (24.8mm)
- Displacement: 1.098 cubic inch (18cc)
- Practical RPM Range: 2,000 - 13,000rpm
- Weight: 25.75 oz. (730g)
YS claims that the FZ110 is the most powerful 91 four cycle engine available. This engine offers many exclusive features that have been proven on other YS engines.
- Supercharged system with simplified structure to keep weight to a minimum while still retaining maximum efficiency.
- Air chamber that uses crankcase pressure coupled with a double throttle valve system which allows a bigger charge of fuel and air mixture to enter the intake valve for more power.
- Same proven piston design as the
140 Limited which creates more crankcase pressure for a more consistent fuel flow to the regulator.
- Fuel injection system for superior throttle response. This system is unaffected by tank position or by the attitude of the model.
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A standard
servo is installed for throttle control, and I added a large "U" shaped block of foam to cradle the tank. I also CA'd a piece of foam to the top of the tank which will make the
hatch add a little pressure from the top.
The cowl is then cut out and holes are drilled to match the preinstalled mounting blind nuts. This was one of the very few things that I thought was a little weird. It would have been much easier to drill the holes straight through instead of having to match the existing holes.
Finally, the canopy is
glued in place with RC-56, and the Funtana is ready for balancing. I mounted the 5 cell 6 volt pack up front, and needed 2oz of lead to get the CG to the recommended 7 1/8". I also added
fuel dots to facilitate fueling.
That's it! The Funtana is ready to rock!
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| Maiden Flight
I arrived at the field with no intention of flying the Funtana. I even left the wings home. I just wanted to run a few tanks of fuel through the new engine. When I got there, my friend Josh was putting his Helicopter through its paces. When he was done, he came back to the pits, and was disheartened to find I didn't plan to fly.
"Look at this weather!" he said. And he was right. It was the first time I noticed that it was a perfectly calm evening. Ten minutes later I was back at the field with the wings.
We fueled it up, and cranked her over. The YS 110FZ kicked right over, and with a little
needle valve adjustment, we started running it through its speed range. Everything was perfect. It was still running a bit rich, but transition from mid to high, mid to low, low to high, etc. was perfect.
That's when Josh gave me "The Look".
I nodded my head, "Let's go!" I said.
I carried the Funtana out to the runway and Josh taxied it out. One final check of the controls, and the Funtana was airborne! A click of trim here and there and she was flying hands off.
Once trimmed, Josh started putting it through its paces to start getting the feel of it. It didn't take long before he was saying "I LIKE IT!" Half way through the flight, I took the Tx. I started out on
low rates, but it wasn't long before I switched them to
high and really started to have some fun!
This plane is AWESOME! Just point it, and it goes. Add more power, and it goes with more authority. It was hovering at just over ½ throttle, and the engine is still running very rich!
The
maiden flight went so well that we decided to video tape the second flight. You will note in the videos how much smoke is being produced by the engine due to how rich we had it running, and still it had more than enough power to do an impressive job.
Josh's Comments:
I'd like to start off by saying that the Katana is one of my favorite
aircraft. It has some unusual lines and defining
characteristics of both the Edge 540 and the Extra 330. I don't know why the Katana holds such an appeal to me, I just think that it's a sexy looking airplane. The Funtana is the same bird with surfaces that can be described by one word
..HUMONGOUS! I think that the folks at Hanger 9 have been watching "Field of Dreams," a little bit too much, "If you build it they will come".
The demand for 90-sized 3D airplanes is growing and the selection is
small. Hanger 9 answered with the Funtana 90. With that said, on to the flight review.
Mike B. has pretty much summed up the flight characteristics of the Funtana. I'll just add a couple of side notes. The Funtana 90 is more stable in high alpha maneuvers than
its little brother the FuntanaS 40. The FuntanaS 90 does one of the most impressive elevators that I have seen a smaller bird do, it falls almost straight down. The video doesn't do it justice. Rolling harriers, Elevators, Harrier passes are all a simple tickle of the stick.
We balanced the Funtana right at 7 1/8",
where the manual suggests. Keeping that in mind, for the flat spins to be just a little more flat, and the hover to be a bit more stable, I would recommend moving the CG aft just a smidge more, maybe 7 ¼" to 7 ½".
The snap capabilities are effortless with the Funtana, if you think about it, it already happened. To make the Funtana 90 a more precision aerobat, move the CG just forward of the recommended 7
1/8". By doing this it will hold a better line throughout the maneuver schedules. All in all the Funtana 90 is what I would call, "A Must Have Airplane", especially for the avid 3D pilot.
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Hangar-9 FuntanaS 90
Windows Media Player Format
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High Resolution
8.2m
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Med Resolution
3.5m
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Low Resolution
738k
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How many different ways can I say "This plane is awesome!"? The combination of light weight, strong construction, and excellent design, coalesce into the most amazing 90 size plane that I have ever had the pleasure of flying. We did notice a tendency to pitch toward the belly during a Knife Edge. This is due to the extreme rearward CG. But it wasn't severe, and will lessen for those who prefer to move the CG forward. Harrier performance was rock solid. Blenders, Walls, Flat Spins, Drill Bits were all equally impressive.
All in all, I've got to hand it to the guys at
Hangar 9. They have really raised the bar with the FuntanaS
90, and to do it for just over $200 is nothing short of amazing!
And finally, we just couldn't resist the temptation to copy Seba's famous picture of the Funtana. Our apologies.
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The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review. |
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