Kostas1

It's glowpowered?

Ryguy

My Feedback: (1)

Look in the cowl. That's electric.

Kostas1

Someone that converted it to glow?

stinger40

Ryguy,

That is a good suggestion. I will probably put a 450 in it.

S40

Ryguy

My Feedback: (1)

What are you planning to do with the yak, Stinger? If you're looking to 3D it, go with a Park 480, or better yet, Torque 2830/1095 or Hacker A30-28S (both the weight of the 450 outrunner but the power of the 480). If you're just looking for a good sport plane the 450 is fine, it should hover, but won't have much pullout at all.

Planeclothes

My Feedback: (1)

This is an electric 3D flying forum, for crying outloud!

Fighter Pilot

I think these glow guys spend too much time around open jugs of nitro in low ventilated areas. LOL!!!

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

I like the idea of a yak...but I HATE that clear covering.
You cant see clear planes in the air. Bottom to top leaves very little to distinguish between the two. I dont know why they keep doing that on electric planes.
Its a nice looking yak though.

Ryguy

My Feedback: (1)

I agree with you, Brian. I'd love a Yak in the 40" range, 25oz or so, but the covering on this one looks awful with the clear.

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

You could strip it and recover it...
Im hoping Seagull comes out with a yak, and a edge 540 to match the extra 300 that I have.
I think I will hold off on this one.

LeeU

My Feedback: (5)

Here is the link to the manual. http://manuals.hobbico.com/gpm/gpma1542-manual.pdf
This plane may get my Himax 2025 and Cobri gear box. Any one fly it yet?????
LeeU

LeeU

My Feedback: (5)

Has any one had problems with weak horizontal stabs? I was reading on another forum that three have broke one with a total loss in the plane, they said the Yak flew awesome until the tail broke.
LeeU

flyingace451

A glow conversion is not smart! All you gasser pilots get that into your stinkin' heads! Electrics are built extremely light so putting a heavy duty or even a small engine in them would rip them apart.

Compared to almost all electric balsa 3D planes, the E-flite Edge is indeed built like a monster. That plane has sooo much reinforcement in it and that's why it can handle a glow engine.

And I'm sorry dav0012, but if your plane doesn't have unlimited verticle than how the heck does it hover? That makes no sense...it can't climb straight up but it can hover at 3/4 throttle? If it hovers at 3/4 throttle than what does it do at full throttle? I'm just curious...

Please, take the glow conversions to the glow forums. This forum is for electric only. Anyways, now that my mean side has been shown...This sure looks like a beautiful plane! I can't wait to hear a flight report and see a video!

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

Ok guys, I went ahead and got one.


First...BAD choice for a electric to nitro conversion. The airframe just cant handle it. The firewall is only 1/16" thick, and isnt even suitable for electric motors much less a nitro motor. Also, the wing spar is balsa. It will snap like a twig at the wingloading you would have with a nitro engine. There is no way to make it fuel proof, as the fuselage has a huge battery cover that extends from the cowl all the way back to behind the wing spar. There isnt any where to put a fuel tank...or any way to get it in there...and thats assuming you could get it to balance correctly without adding lead to the tail. The tail surfaces are only 1/8" thick, and will also snap...probably even with a hard pull on an electric motor. The airframe is only 12oz, built extremely light for electric, and would be shaken to peices by a nitro engine. There is also insufficient space inside the cowl for a nitro engine, and no place for exhaust. You would have to mount it sideways, and modify the airframe to fit the muffler in there.

This would not be a good choice for a nitro conversion. If you intend to convert a electric over to nitro...I would suggest the Fliton Rogue 3D. Its already set up for a OS .15LA if you so choose to go that route, and it already comes with the motor box/mount for that nitro engine.


The plane looks pretty nice. Its a pain to build mainly because of the spar you have to epoxy. In its stock configuration, it wont hold up to much 3D flight. You will have to reinforce the spar significantly if you want it to stay together. Carbon struts on the elevator are also needed, and the motor mount is so thin, a 480 will shake it to bits. Cut a new one from 1/8" ply, and it should work ok. There isnt much space to get your fingers into the fuselage to install everything, so be prepared. The linkages are like the flatout linkages, and work pretty well. I like em.

After spending considerable time reinforcing mine, it flys great. Very nice flying plane. It flys everything very well. On the recommended 3D rates, snap rolls are violently fast, but it doesnt overrotate, and stops when you want it too. KE flight exhibits a little push to gear, but nothing that isnt manageable. You wont even need mixing. Just fly it. It does really nice tumble maneuvers if the CG is set right. Harriers are very stable with little to no wing walk right side up or inverted. Be gentle on the rudder in a harrier though. If you over do it, it will drop the nose and try to spin. You can kinda tell when its too much, and when to back off, but if your low and slow it could catch you by surprise. The tail lifts off early during takeoff, so high throttle takeoff's can result in a nose over. Take off with smooth throttle, and a little back pressure on the elevator. Landings are a breeze as it is very stable at slow speeds due to its extremely light wingloading. Its a floater.
Check the rudder and elevator pushrods for binding before glueing everything up. If you dont have the control horns lined up properly, the pushrods can bind inside the fuselage pushrod guides. Take your time here.

I would highly recommend the E-flite 480 as a powerplant for it. This motor will give you unlimited power, ballistic verticals, and plenty of punch out power. If you follow my suggestion about making a new motor mount out of 1/8" ply, you can drill it for the 480. The 480 will not fit the stock motor mount. Also be sure to put in the right and down thrust that the original mount has into your new mount for maximum performance.

bzyguy01

Hey all,

Great plane...Flies Awesome!!! Once you see the plane in person and it's built....You will change your opinion of the clear covering!

First:
The Horizontal Stab is WAY TOO WEAK! I crashed mine first flight! My buddy Almost crashed his as the elevator fluttered and broke but was able to get her to the groung!! And another pilot Totalled his as well on first flight due to the elevator breaking.

Second:
The plane will most not likely make a good Glow conversion due to the light electric setup airframe.

Third:
Check out this FIX IT THREAD for the elevator= http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5051296

bzyguy01

A Few pics..

bzyguy01

Oh Yeah...Bdavison,

Excellent post. Thank you for taking the time to post this great info.

Just a note about power sources....I used the Electrifly suggested motor and it was not so great until I used a 4 cell on it. My buddies has a Hacker A30. That motor is KILLER compared to the Rimfire by electrifly. Have not used the 480 yet but I think it will be a good choice as well but the Hacker was KILLER!

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

The 480 is a great motor for it in my opinion. Plenty of power. Probably the best power to weight ratio I found on any plane that Ive stuck a 480 on. Just seems to fit it very well.
One thing that is great about the yak, is the BIG wide open cowl. Plenty of airflow to cool motor,esc, batteries. I didnt cut the monokote on the hatch cover on mine. Didnt really need it, and I like a clean solid look to my planes.
There are a lot of things I would change on its design, but all in all, its not a bad airplane.



Despite its shortcomings on the build, its flight performance makes up for it. I like it. Im still not crazy about the transparent covering, but Ill get used to it or change it.
The key with it is to reinforce everything, spar, tail surfaces, firewall...etc. This isnt a suggestion...its a necessity, if you dont...it wont be flying long.

dubd

The fact that you have to reinforce everything has killed my desire to buy this plane. I'll go back to flying my EF Yak 54e.

bzyguy01

Roitgear, I can't say that I agree that the plane needs all of the recomended mods other than the elevator stab. Bsdavison is building his plane to stand the test of time, fine, and with his mods you are way overkill in my opinion. But regardless.... the plane requires a fix right out of the box.
So I can't say that I blame you for not wanting to mess with it. BUT ...it flys AWESOME! And I have ALOT of planes Over 40+ to be exact............

wing1

I agree with bzyguy01 on this. I too have had a few planes that required just one mod. It's no big deal. I think people have good intentions when they mention they are having troubles with there plane and the truth of the matter is that it is one in a thousand of these that will ever have a problem. I have posted a general question on the rcgroups site as to how many people have actually had a problem with this plane. I don't think too many people will answer back. Don't be fooled by the banter. Fly it with the recommended setup and fly it----don't huck it. You'll be fine.

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

I have 2 confirmed wing spar failures, and 7 confirmed horizontal stab failures. Thats not banter...its fact. It has to be reinforced unless all your going to be doing is flying circles. Great Planes is now telling everyone with a failure to send the plane back to them for a replacement.

If you like the yak, its worth the effort to reinforce it. It doesnt take long, and is just a little extra work. At least you didnt have to build and cover the thing. Flying it around is worth the effort. Its a good plane.

wing1

Okay. Let me rephrase. I think that when we (especially me) put these planes through such hard abuse, there are bound to be a few problems. I agree that some reinforcement of the stab is important. I like the idea on the brio. This is cool and reminds me of my 40 size extra 300. As for the wings---this does sound like a company issue---provided they were put together properly. I will be the first one to admit to being a poor builder and if it weren't for ARF's I would not be flying today. I also have heard, but not witness, wing failers in 1/4 scale and larger planes do to poor building. I reitterate that it might be a company issue. I remember one guy on one of these forums saying he lost the wings on his Reactor and his Yak---that's got to be just plain bad luck and I feel for the guy. He did get two new birds though from the company. So, I think it is a stand up company and if there are any more problems, I think they will fix it.
To summurize-Reinforce the usual: the stab, epoxy the motor mount, and epoxy the landing gear mount. Follow the directions and don't skimp on the wings. If they fall off, take it directly to the company. I do appologize if I offended anyone on this forum.

riotgear, I think, if I remember correctly that some of the EF birds needed some stab reinforcement as well. I still think 9 out of a thousand or so birds are not bad odds. My friend, nomadd, is putting his in the air this weekend-weather provided-and I must say it is a gorgeous airplane and I will let everyone know how it goes if he doesn't.
Jim

wing1

FLIGHT REPORT********
This plane looks great! But as soon as it was in the air, it is evident that it will need a different type of covering job on the bottom. The clear has to go. As far as flying goes------this plane ROCKS! This has to be one of the smoothest flyers I have seen fly in this size range. The stock motor flies it at a nice speed and has plenty of power for pullouts out of hover with the 2100 tp. Nomadd may fill you in on RCgroups. He didn't have to do anything to the stab and didn't have any flutter. The speed was kept to a minimum on the down line so not to try his luck. Good plane overall.
Jim

WGRoper

My Feedback: (2)

I wonder how the Rimfire 1250 or 1450 will do on this plane? I've seem several negative comments on the 950, but the specs indicate it puts out plenty of wattage for 3D. Tower is out of stock until mid-February, so I may wait and try to snag one at the SE Model Expo in Perry, Ga in March.

-Greg