woodie

I have about 35 flights on the Olympus now. Still very pleased with the value/performance of this foam plane. No major problems, I had a magnet pull loose in the canopy a little glue fixed that quickly, and the rudder hinges are slightly off center (rudder off center to the left). I need to pull the rudder off and fix that, but I have been having too much fun with the plane to take the time for the fix.

I have flown the plane with both 5S and 6S setups. Right now, I prefer the 5S setup with a 15x10 eAPC prop over the 6S and 15x8 prop. More than enough power and speed with plenty of flight time for pattern sequences. Even tho the 6S generates more rpm, the 15x8 just doesn't seem to pull like the 15x10 and the 15x10 gives a broader speed envelope. Either approach works, but I am pretty happy I can use half of a 2M flight pack (4400mah). If you get much bigger (capacity wise), the pack will be a pretty tight fit under the canopy and could impact cooling air flow.. I may need to take an APC 15x10 and mod the pitch to 15x9, the 15x10 has more than enough speed and the 9" pitch might be a perfect match. Right now, I don't use full throttle for anything, slightly less pitch would give more throttle range. Worth a try.

What is surprising about this foam pattern plane is it will do about anything you ask of it. Rolling loops, snaps, KE loops, etc. Not bad for a $270 plane. Servos are still performing well, no centering issues but time will tell.

What would I like to be different... maybe slightly taller main gear, the plane sits pretty flat and you need maybe a little more ground speed for lift off than necessary if the plane could get up on the gear and rotate easier (very minor point). You can increase the AOA on the ground by bending the tail wheel wire up a bit but a bit more would help. The paint scheme is pretty visible in the air, but don't put tape on any of the painted areas, it will pull the paint easily. Likewise on the decals, even tho they are sticky back and the edges can curl up, if you try to remove them, the paint will pull also. Once again, a minor problem on a plane like this.

After all, what can you expect from a foam pattern plane with a 56" wingspan? Several of my pattern friends have flown the plane and the reaction is usually the same, very positive. No, it doesn't fly as well as my 2M plane, but it certainly flies much better than I expected. Very pleasant surprise for sure.

Woodie