Today was absolutely perfect for initial flight tests. First hour or so was dead calm. Then the wind picked up, quite gusty at times. So I got to see how she handles calm and wind. Here's what I found:

Mine definitely needs the extra tail weight (see the other Matrix thread for the story on that), as I needed four clicks of up elevator trim immediately. The nose drops quite a bit in an aileron turn, and like a rock when you roll inverted or chop the throttle on final approach. Also the pitch trim is quite sensitive at different throttle settings. All of this is evidence of a nose-heavy condition. Once I realized that (like I didn't know it was going to happen), I could compensate for it and drive on.

This airplane is very smooth and stable. On low rates, it flies just like a pattern ship. There's more to that wing than meets the eye; I was worried about how skinny it is in the chord at the tips, but I just could not make the airplane stall and snap unless inputting deliberate snap roll inputs at high rates. Neither wing dropped; it just dropped the nose and kept mushing when slowed down to the point where it stopped flying. Now, this may well be because of the nose-heavy condition. With the CG farther back, it might be a different animal in this department.

The flying tail is VERY sensitive; I have 30% expo on low rates, and 80% on high. Those big elevators are very effective, yet I noticed no tendency for the model to snap out during hard pitch inputs. The Matrix will make a square corner with no sweat. The rudder is very effective as well. I had to dial in some expo on it to slow it down, because I was zig-zagging all over the runway on take off. Knife edge flight is very "clean"; i.e., the tail is not noticeably down like on a lot of so-called aerobatic models.

Suggested low rates on the ailerons (3/8" up and down) are not enough; use a half inch. Suggested low rates for elevator are fine.

Since I ended up using two elevator servos (see that other thread for why), I have ailevators set up. At max throws, the roll rate is simply blinding; there's no other word for it.

Since I had a nose-heavy ship on my hands, I didn't bother to try any "3D". Landing was a bit of a dance at first, but only because I came in hot the first two times to avoid a snap. Once I realized the airplane was not going to bite, I slowed her right down and even drug it on the prop at a high AOA. Once I get the balance right, it will be a *****cat to land.

Speaking of props, what I have on there is not exactly the best; a DynaThrust 13x6. But it was all I had handy, and I wasn't going to buy a "good" prop until I saw how it flew. An APC 14x4 will be enroute Monday. Might try an APC 13x6 sport stick too (the skinny one, as opposed to the fat-blade 14x4). That was the best prop on the Contender.

Anyway, a combination of marginal propellor and excessive nose-heaviness prevented me from a thorough evaluation. But I flew the model enough to be convinced it has potential. Too bad it was such a PITA to assemble and set up. Wonder of wonders, everything worked- the Dubro fuel valve, the MPI on-board glow, etc.

I'm still not exactly thrilled with this airplane, but I'm glad to know that is not the pig in a poke I thought it would be.

BTW, be VERY careful handling the model; it is every bit as fragile as the UCD, especially on the turtle deck and empennage.

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