I seem to be having issues getting my Extra 260 to fly with any authority. I currently am running a BL 2217/6 with a 35A
align ESC. This is powered by a 20C 3S 1300 mAh lipo. I have tried props ranging from 10 x 6 , 11 x 5.5, and a 12 x 6 APC's as well as a 12 x 6 Eflite SlowFly prop. I wanted the authority to pull the plane out of "risky situations" but am overamping the batterys and ESC. On the WattsUP meter with the 12 x 6 I am pulling a whopping 50 Amps and getting about 425W. Should i prop down a bunch (say a 9 x 6 APC or smaller)?

The battery and ESC as well as the motor will not handle this much for prolonged periods. The battery was extremely hot after a short static test just to measure Watts and Amp draw. Smaller prop? Bigger motor and ESC? I am looking to get about 125W per lb (about 2 lbs AUW with battery) Getting tired of buying props only to have them not give the preformance I am looking for.
The manual for the plane suggests the 11 x 5.5 but I could barely get the plane off the ground using it.


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Of all the things I ever lost....................................... I miss my mind the most! </p>

Hmmmmm.....I'm not sure of the specs of your motor Arrow, but I had an Edge 540 with a 50" w/s. Flying weight was about 32oz. Iflew that plane with a Rimfire 35-30 motor, 10x7 prop. That motor draws about 35 amps, 372 watts at full throttle on a 3s1p 2550ma LiPo. That plane flew very fast.......
Sounds like you are overpropped with those draw numbers, and a 1300ma battery might be too small.
Try a smaller diameter prop with more pitch and see what your numbers look like.
Also, what kind of flying are you doing? Are you going to hover? Or do you want faster speeds? What's the kv rating for that motor? My Rimfire is 1450kv, so it turns a smaller prop with higher rpm's. You need a motor with a lower kv rating if you want to turn a large prop, it all depends on the type of flying you want to do.
Larger prop with a shallow pitch for hover/slower maneuvers, smaller prop/higher pitch/higher rpm's for more speed.

<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: larger;">Arrow dude ... your specs are wrong.

Batt

The 40" planes will not like a small 1,300 mAh pack ... you want to go with 2,000 mAh if you can. I know 1,500 mAh can do too but let's keep them to 25C. With 20C 1,300 mAh packs you are pushing the packs to their limit and in your case, waaaay past the limit. You want to pull about 25-30A with the right set up.

Motor

The BL 2217/6 is good for an 9x9 prop. With that Fliton you want something like an 11 x 4.7 or even a 10x6 if you got the RPMs and wanna fly aerobatics. My Prodigy was using a Himax 2816, it was great stuff. Look for perhaps a China made motor of 2830 and around 1,100 KV max. You will turn an 11 x 5.5 and pull approx 30A max.

The answer is not in watts/pound but how much thrust you are getting out of the system. Watts/pound is not very accurate. My small FunJet has been pushed to 1KW ... but that set up will not work in a bigger plane, insufficient thrust with the small prop spinning at 40KRPM.
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