HobbyKing EPO YAK54
09-05-2010, 11:16 PM
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HobbyKing EPO YAK54
Recently hobbyKing introduced a new product : "HobbyKing YAK 54 Brushless EPO Plug-n-Fly".
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...451&aff=260557
It applies to the more experienced flyers for 3D flight and aerobatic flight. This plane was designed from scratch making it lighter andsuitable for 3D flights.
Specification:
Wing Span: 750mm (29.5in)
Length: 675mm (26.5in)
Weight: 355g (without battery and receiver)
Battery compartment size: 99x39x16mm (Important)
Center of gravity : 52-60 mm behind the wing leading edge
Not supplied : Your TX & RX
I used this 7.4V 2S 1000mah lipo battery.
For the advanced pilots - 11.1V 3S 760mha Lipo battery
Packaging:
The plane arrived in a blank cardboard box. inside the box there were two layers of bubble wrap and beneath, also wrapped in bubble wrap the wings. I should point out that the two wings are made in one piece, what should increase the wings durability. The rest of the pieces were tightly secured beneath the wings. Overall, It seems that Hobby King did their best to secure everything in order to avoid damage during the voyage to the holy land, a good example for this is the horns that came wrapped in a thin sheet of foam to protect them. HobbyKing took the ecologic approach and didn’t supplly any hard copy instruction manual .
What's inside the Box:
1.The body of the plane with an ESC motor and two servos already mounted with push rods.
2.One centreral wing with servo mounted as well.
3.Rudder and elevator attached with horns .
4.Two 40mm (1.5 inch) foam wheels on landing gear .
5.Two EPO spinners.
6.Two 8X6 3 blades propeller.
7.Plastic bag with one Hex key),two spare clevis, two nylon screws (for wing assembly) ,one metal bolt (for elevator assembly) , and one small wrench which I didn’t use.
First impression:
The airframe seems of a high standard, all the parts are fit together in harmony. I couldn't notice any defects with my naked eye. Again Hobbyking insist on the minor details The plane seems and was decorated as a real plane and not like flying foam. The body has an air inlet that is not only pretty, but actually cools the ESC. Moreover since trying to give this plane a scale look the accessibility of the motor is impaired (not clear senetece) . What compromised the lack of accessibility is a small hole in belly that allows removing the motor from its base. The hinges of the rudder are very elegant and the rear wheels attachment seem robust. The plane has a very realistic appearance due to the ailerons system that doesn't have any horns. Furthermore the canopy hatch can be easily open and close thanks to the two plastic hinges and the magnetic bolt.
The electricity of the plane seems to be consisted from a 2409-18T motor attached with 3.5 bullet connectors to the ESC. The ESC- battery plug is JST connector. There are three 5 grams servos, all the servos are accessible and can be replace by removing two small metal screws, in case of malfunction.
Assembly of the plane:
A 10 minutes movie with the full assembly of the plane.
Video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B59e8VrLpI[/youtube]
Step 1:
Attaching the elevator to the main body: In the elevator there is a small groove that enters the body to ensure proper orientation. You just need to remember to attach the elevator when the horn is facing down. After you connect it,just screw the metal bolt until the elevator is tightly secure in its place. (Use a proper screwdriver).
Step 2 horizontal stabilizers:
Just push the horizontal stabilizer into two plastic hinges until you here click! You will need to take care while inserting the wired loop into the plastic cavity (I really liked this method, its gives the back wheel the toughness to endure hard landings.
Step 3 wheels assembly:
For our convenient the cover of the landing gear is marked with R and L to ensure proper assembly, just attach it to the plastic socket in the underbelly of the plane.
Step 4 propeller assembly:
Make sure the two side stickers are facing forward to the direction of the flight. After the propeller is secure peel the cover of the sticker and attach the EPO spinner firmly.
Step 5 wing assemblies:
Carefully enter the wings into the wing slot in the main body. Screw the two nylon bolts all the way. Make sure that the Esc lead plug is nowhere near the wing socket or you will have a dent in the wings. That's it you just need to add a receiver battery and into the field.
Flying report:
The airplane was tested twice with 2 cell battery and with 3 cells battery as well.
Video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8skNMbZ6Mf8[/youtube]
2 cell setup:
Relatively long distance for takeoff , very aerobatic plane, very agile and sharp but not very fast. Even thought it small size it Doesn't affect by the wind at all . By using 1000mha battery there are about 7-10 minutes of aerobatic flying. The landing required some skill, but the plane itself very resilient to crush, I crushed it twice from low altitude and I could not notice any damage.
3 cell setup:
Here this plane comes to the big league ,and you should be in the big league as well. It is a fast and spicy little devil, very aerobatic, Extreme agile and kicks as well. Can do knife but not hover in place. This plane will definitely give you adrenaline boost but beware, you have to be intermediate or expert because you won't have second chance.Conclusion:The assembly process was a piece of cake, it’s a good thing that this plane require only 10 minutes to assemble, especially for busy people like me. Due to its weight and this airplane is not a 3d very capable one but rather a F3A aerobatic airplane. You should start with the 2S setup and then move to 3S setup. This plane will give adrenaline shoot to the intermediate-expert flyer but will be very frustrating for the beginners-novice pilots. Its look and appearance belongs to much expensive airplane. I can reassure you that whereever you go ,this plane will definitely catch the attention.
Conclusion:
The assembly process was a piece of cake, it’s a good thing that this plane require only 10 minutes to assemble, especially for busy people like me. Due to its weight and this airplane is not a 3d very capable one but rather a F3A aerobatic airplane. You should start with the 2S setup and then move to 3S setup. This plane will give adrenaline shoot to the intermediate-expert flyer but will be very frustrating for the beginners-novice pilots. Its look and appearance belongs to much expensive airplane. I can reassure you that whereever you go ,this plane will definitely catch the attention.
Special thank: www.efly.co.il
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...451&aff=260557
It applies to the more experienced flyers for 3D flight and aerobatic flight. This plane was designed from scratch making it lighter andsuitable for 3D flights.
Specification:
Wing Span: 750mm (29.5in)
Length: 675mm (26.5in)
Weight: 355g (without battery and receiver)
Battery compartment size: 99x39x16mm (Important)
Center of gravity : 52-60 mm behind the wing leading edge
Not supplied : Your TX & RX
I used this 7.4V 2S 1000mah lipo battery.
For the advanced pilots - 11.1V 3S 760mha Lipo battery
Packaging:
The plane arrived in a blank cardboard box. inside the box there were two layers of bubble wrap and beneath, also wrapped in bubble wrap the wings. I should point out that the two wings are made in one piece, what should increase the wings durability. The rest of the pieces were tightly secured beneath the wings. Overall, It seems that Hobby King did their best to secure everything in order to avoid damage during the voyage to the holy land, a good example for this is the horns that came wrapped in a thin sheet of foam to protect them. HobbyKing took the ecologic approach and didn’t supplly any hard copy instruction manual .
What's inside the Box:
1.The body of the plane with an ESC motor and two servos already mounted with push rods.
2.One centreral wing with servo mounted as well.
3.Rudder and elevator attached with horns .
4.Two 40mm (1.5 inch) foam wheels on landing gear .
5.Two EPO spinners.
6.Two 8X6 3 blades propeller.
7.Plastic bag with one Hex key),two spare clevis, two nylon screws (for wing assembly) ,one metal bolt (for elevator assembly) , and one small wrench which I didn’t use.
First impression:
The airframe seems of a high standard, all the parts are fit together in harmony. I couldn't notice any defects with my naked eye. Again Hobbyking insist on the minor details The plane seems and was decorated as a real plane and not like flying foam. The body has an air inlet that is not only pretty, but actually cools the ESC. Moreover since trying to give this plane a scale look the accessibility of the motor is impaired (not clear senetece) . What compromised the lack of accessibility is a small hole in belly that allows removing the motor from its base. The hinges of the rudder are very elegant and the rear wheels attachment seem robust. The plane has a very realistic appearance due to the ailerons system that doesn't have any horns. Furthermore the canopy hatch can be easily open and close thanks to the two plastic hinges and the magnetic bolt.
The electricity of the plane seems to be consisted from a 2409-18T motor attached with 3.5 bullet connectors to the ESC. The ESC- battery plug is JST connector. There are three 5 grams servos, all the servos are accessible and can be replace by removing two small metal screws, in case of malfunction.
Assembly of the plane:
A 10 minutes movie with the full assembly of the plane.
Video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B59e8VrLpI[/youtube]
Step 1:
Attaching the elevator to the main body: In the elevator there is a small groove that enters the body to ensure proper orientation. You just need to remember to attach the elevator when the horn is facing down. After you connect it,just screw the metal bolt until the elevator is tightly secure in its place. (Use a proper screwdriver).
Step 2 horizontal stabilizers:
Just push the horizontal stabilizer into two plastic hinges until you here click! You will need to take care while inserting the wired loop into the plastic cavity (I really liked this method, its gives the back wheel the toughness to endure hard landings.
Step 3 wheels assembly:
For our convenient the cover of the landing gear is marked with R and L to ensure proper assembly, just attach it to the plastic socket in the underbelly of the plane.
Step 4 propeller assembly:
Make sure the two side stickers are facing forward to the direction of the flight. After the propeller is secure peel the cover of the sticker and attach the EPO spinner firmly.
Step 5 wing assemblies:
Carefully enter the wings into the wing slot in the main body. Screw the two nylon bolts all the way. Make sure that the Esc lead plug is nowhere near the wing socket or you will have a dent in the wings. That's it you just need to add a receiver battery and into the field.
Flying report:
The airplane was tested twice with 2 cell battery and with 3 cells battery as well.
Video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8skNMbZ6Mf8[/youtube]
2 cell setup:
Relatively long distance for takeoff , very aerobatic plane, very agile and sharp but not very fast. Even thought it small size it Doesn't affect by the wind at all . By using 1000mha battery there are about 7-10 minutes of aerobatic flying. The landing required some skill, but the plane itself very resilient to crush, I crushed it twice from low altitude and I could not notice any damage.
3 cell setup:
Here this plane comes to the big league ,and you should be in the big league as well. It is a fast and spicy little devil, very aerobatic, Extreme agile and kicks as well. Can do knife but not hover in place. This plane will definitely give you adrenaline boost but beware, you have to be intermediate or expert because you won't have second chance.Conclusion:The assembly process was a piece of cake, it’s a good thing that this plane require only 10 minutes to assemble, especially for busy people like me. Due to its weight and this airplane is not a 3d very capable one but rather a F3A aerobatic airplane. You should start with the 2S setup and then move to 3S setup. This plane will give adrenaline shoot to the intermediate-expert flyer but will be very frustrating for the beginners-novice pilots. Its look and appearance belongs to much expensive airplane. I can reassure you that whereever you go ,this plane will definitely catch the attention.
Conclusion:
The assembly process was a piece of cake, it’s a good thing that this plane require only 10 minutes to assemble, especially for busy people like me. Due to its weight and this airplane is not a 3d very capable one but rather a F3A aerobatic airplane. You should start with the 2S setup and then move to 3S setup. This plane will give adrenaline shoot to the intermediate-expert flyer but will be very frustrating for the beginners-novice pilots. Its look and appearance belongs to much expensive airplane. I can reassure you that whereever you go ,this plane will definitely catch the attention.
Special thank: www.efly.co.il
10-18-2010, 09:52 PM
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RE: HobbyKing EPO YAK54
You are being way too kind. You must want to write reviews for a living and are practicing with this plane! lol I actually bought one and read your review prior. Now that I read your review again I can read between the lines. This plane flies like crap. The servos are not powerful enough to even center their control surfaces. In 22 years of rc flying its pretty much the worst airplane I have ever flown. However, it did go together very easy, and it does look great for $30 (or whatever it cost). I'm going to pull the receiver out of mine and hang it from the ceiling with the other crap flyers that made it out alive.
10-19-2010, 12:07 PM
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RE: HobbyKing EPO YAK54
Gotta agree with the dude above, plus I never had a good experience with Hobby King...the customer service is horrible. I am still waiting for my refund til this day, it has been 6 months.
10-20-2010, 08:33 AM
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RE: HobbyKing EPO YAK54
Because I think the looks of this plane are so nice I decided to give it another shot. Out of the box its not flyable. The main problem is the control surfaces bind too much and the servos are too weak to overcome it. So I cut off all control surfaces. I then pulled out the metal control rods in the wings and cut one side off the plastic pieces that hold them so they now spin freely. I remounted them. I then put the control surfaces back on with hinges so they move freely. I also modified the canopy so it slides into the front of the cockpit then gets stuck down in back to velcro. I thin some of the stock parts were missing on mine because there wasn't a way to hold it down prior. I think they had a magnet setup in mind but mine only came with half of the hardware. Bench test, fine. Off to the back yard.
It now flies great for a sport plane. It has enough power to hover but nowhere near the right size control surfaces to control it. It is not capable of 3D flight. It is capable of zipping around at half throttle or more doing plane old loops, rolls, and the basics. For example, tug back on the elevator real quick and it hardly changes pitch, it just rolls. Forget about landing on grass, this thing needs to be doing about 20MPH or it falls out of the sky. So plan on going pretty fast to land. On grass it results in a flip onto the canopy every time. I actually like that it does this because I am into landing challenges and making them look right. But I'll need a patch of concrete or pavement with this one.
Would I buy it again? Probably because I like how it looks for such a small plane, and it does actually fly with the mods I made. Does it fly well and as expected? Heck no.
It now flies great for a sport plane. It has enough power to hover but nowhere near the right size control surfaces to control it. It is not capable of 3D flight. It is capable of zipping around at half throttle or more doing plane old loops, rolls, and the basics. For example, tug back on the elevator real quick and it hardly changes pitch, it just rolls. Forget about landing on grass, this thing needs to be doing about 20MPH or it falls out of the sky. So plan on going pretty fast to land. On grass it results in a flip onto the canopy every time. I actually like that it does this because I am into landing challenges and making them look right. But I'll need a patch of concrete or pavement with this one.
Would I buy it again? Probably because I like how it looks for such a small plane, and it does actually fly with the mods I made. Does it fly well and as expected? Heck no.
