Lemme ask this....

What is it exactly that makes a good "second plane"? My first plane was a Kombat 40.... http://kombat40.com/k40.html

This plane is a high-wing with a symmetrical airfoil, and no dihedral. You can do many different types of aerobatic maneuvers with it. Of course, the control surfaces aren't very large, so it doesn't do them very quickly. Additionally, the plane flies fast. Not pylon racer-fast, but much faster than a trainer should. The only thing "trainerly" about it is the fact that it's very tough. Although it's ugly as hell, it flies more like a sports plane.

What's more, out of laziness, I didn't balance it particularly well, so I always had to make an effort to keep it flying straight. It definitely wasn't one of those point-and-fly planes. Having flown it, I've learned some basic aerobatics. My landings in wind are a tad rough, depending on the speed of the wind, but not too rough (a few broken props at most).

So kinds of planes are there between this and the Flip 3D? It really seemed to me that the next step up would either be a 3D plane, a more challenging plane to fly (such as a Pitts, Cap, or Extra), or a racer.

Pro's ANd Con's ........ On the Flip 3 D.......

1st .. What do you want to do with the plane ?? I.E. Push you limits in 3d or just poke around in the same old borring pattern around the feild.
PRICE
Con: The kit is about $225.00. Ouch....
Pro : Bit the bullet, the sting is WORTH it..

Assembly...
Con... If you read Chineese well, no problems..
Pro: Your chineese reading skills and comprension got better...

The assembly process is not that painful. There are a few things that I changed.
Overall, though Not Bad ( I.E. Stiffer pushrods , Taller landing gear to swing 16 x 4W prop )

Outfitting:
Hi Tech 605 all the way around, SAITO 100 ( yes, I know PLENTY O' POWER ) APC 16x4W, 6v battery pack.

Flight
It will be the hottest thing you will have ever flown. IF there were a TOC for 40 size, this would be the CHAMP.......... Any manuver done to date and will eventually coin some of its own...

Durability:
Sort of like Waterford Crystal, Pretty but expensive when you break it. There is a bit more upkeep to this bird than the other 40 sizer's. Thankfully there is 5 minute epoxy and monocoat.


But really: This bird will 100% increrase your 3d skills ; Or building / Repairing skills.


My vote : If you have the cash sure..... If you are on a budget Well I would steer you towards this plane for the 4th of 5th.

That's all I have

Big Daddy T>>

I would try the flip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great airplane for advaced pilot but not for beginer. Speed=stability

One of the things I'd like to do is to find a better way to get the two halves of the elevator to move together. I'm not a huge fan of those "C" connectors that make the two elevator halves move up and down together. I was wondering if there was a way to make the elevators pull-pull type.

NebulaDDS

I think you would love the Flip after seeing the pics of the Kombat 40. You should have no more problems than the rest of us flip fans and pilots. I have put a servo in the botom of the fuse for a Pull/Pull rudder and have had no trouble with the Elev connector on two of these but agree that it may be better some other way. I now have two open side servo ports. Hmm.... maybe a pair of elevator servos on a Pull/Pull system. I am not sure of the answer yet.
yoz420 Makes some very good points about this bird though. Pay heed to all of the hinges and linkages.

yoz420, We need to talk. I would like some specific info on your Saito 100 install. That is exactly what I am doing now and would love some info before I goof it up. Please contact me at [email protected].

Good Luck NebulaDDS,

Errol Wilkinson

want 3D, dont want too spend alot of money, build a spa3d they are VERY stable almost indestroyble 3ds, very good 3d learner it hovers extremly well and harriers are very nice with little or no wing rock. flats spins are averge and with a strong .46 like a magnum XLS or OS FX it is a fun plane. and the price is unbeatble. check out the website www.spadtothebone.com

Does the Flip use CA hinges, or plastic ones?

Which type do most people think is better? I prefer CA hinges because of their ease, but then again.......I'm still somewhat new at this.

The flip come with metal pin hinges. Ive foundtheese veryhard to get a gap free surface. As i pulled my rudder out fir the second time yesterday (even tho it was pinned) i am goint to try for some cyno hinges from IH.

Guys, I need help!!

I've been flyin' my Flip 3D and I'm not really impressed at all. It's super light and I'm using a West 50 T1 for power w/ an APC 13x4W.

1) I can't get it to hover easily. I falls off to the side and I try to catch it w/ the rudder/throttle, but it's too much of a struggle.

2) Harriers are really sloppy. Takes alot to get Hi-Alpha

3) Knife edge really sucks w/ this one. Pitches violently towards belly in either direction.

4) When I stall the Flip at a low throttle setting, the nose pitches down at about 50-60°

*My CG is at 6½" (w/ no fuel in tank)
*Max Hi-rate throws w/ 60-70% expo
*JR DS811 on all surfaces
*Flying weight 4lb. 11oz (w/ no fuel in tank)
*CF pushrods on all surfaces for stiffness
*Wing tips have NOT been removed

Could this be a CG issue? I'm kinda' afraid to move the CG any further back, because landing is now becoming a mission. Or should I continiue to move it back 'till I get the results that I'm lookin' for?

my first plane was a eagle II and then i fly a fun fly, it can be realy but its not good. we have to go step by step. flip 3D its very nice, but fragile, i thing its a third plane. now you have to buy a stronger but acrobatic plane, i dont know what is the second model in your list, but thing you landing in a windi day whith 4.9 lb. and 930 sq in. (you said secon plane)

Squabbler,
Did you ever get your Flip flying sorted out?

Thanks for asking errolw, many of the wrinkles have been ironed out except for a few.

I've coupled up a few of the controls and and it sorta' resolved my K/E pitching prob.

Also, I reduced the prop size and that resolved the twitchin and torquin' on hi-alfa/hover.

Harriers/elevators still suck, tho. I've tried spoilerons, but it only seems to get worse.

I've been able to hover it (very stable now) down to the ground and hold it there as long as I want, but it won't T/R by itself (I have to feed in L. aileron).

Rolling harriers are very sloppy, however, I think it's still a coupling issue.

Any suggestions on my harriers/elevator & rolling harrier issues?

How far back should my CG be?


Oh, and also, how do you like your up-scaled Flip? Love to see some flying/hovering pics!

Squabbler,

I am probably not the best person to give flight advice. I am still learning everyday and altitude is still my friend. I can get a hover to the ground stabily, but don't stick around there long. I can still dumb thumb with the best (or worst) of them. A couple of things I have found with the Flip though are the KE pitch and roll couple issues. I find that I need to fly KE, Rolling circles etc at a certian airspeed that I have my radio mixing out these couplings for me. It seems like the plane will display one KE coupling personality with 1/2 rudder input and be completely different at 1/4 and 3/4 rudder input. At full rudder deflection, (mine will touch the elevator if I do not limit it) the roll couple is very strong. I don't know if there is any cure for this. I stick to the airspeed that I have the coupling mixed out for and it does really well in rolling moves. Too much rudder in these rolling moves will ruin them with my plane though. Any other speed requiring a different rudder input I can look pretty sloppy and a better pilot would fly the corrections beter than I do. I am running my CG at the rearmost spec of 150mm(just shy of 6 inches).

The one thing that really is fun to fly and, for me stabilized the Harrier and elevator moves was a piont mix for full spoilers from 75 - 80% of up elevator and flaps for same range down elevator. My elevator throw is quite rediculous as well. Somewhere on the order of 60 plus degrees. This may be stablizing them as well. This mix is just a blast in pitch rolls and also has made waterfalls much more stable as well. Did you try the spoiler mix on a point or linear?

So far I have about 10 flights on my Flip with the 100 on 15% and a 15X6 and love it. I am going to try a 16x4w next and 30% to see if it is any better than it already is. The funny thing about the covering job is that the plane looks bigger in the air and is easier for me to control.

Good luck and good flying. Rain, Rain go away........