After an exhausting search for the "right" new plane, I bought a Pizazz a couple of days ago. From everything I'm reading here, and have read elsewhere, it seems I've made a good choice.

This is what I have: Pizazz, Futaba Super 8, Saito FA72, pull-pull rudder system, mostly Dubro hardware, carbon fiber rod for the elevator and I've ordered the TNT carbon fiber gear for the Sig Something-Extra to lighten the load.

The plane is almost done. I've yet to install the engine and have a couple control surfaces yet to hook up. All elctronics are in, including battery.

I'me using a 6 volt battery and I've placed it inside the wing as far back as it will go toward the trailing edge. I'm using all standard size servos and the stock fuel tank.

How am I looking so far on CG and general set up? Also, I'm aware from previous posts that the motor mount is weak and I'll be beefing it up as best as I can.

Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated.

Hey Lazy!

I have a YS-53 4s in the front of mine. Everything else is stock. Im using the Futaba super 7 on a 4.8v pack and I have the pack just above and aft of the fuel tank. You can see it when you look into the top of the fus right in front of the wing. This setup is just short of having a touchy elevator.
I've already snapped a motor mount and had to fabricate a new one. So be on the lookout for cracks.

Good Luck,
DD

I've got a Saito .91 in mine and it's been flying well for 2 seasons, over 70 hours. Just make sure that you seal the motor mount with epoxy and alcohol, those 4-stroke spit oil everywhere!
There isn't much room to move anything else back so just fly it! I pushed the tank and battery as far back as it went but that's it. Don't add lead.

Chris

I might be getting one of these soon. Let us know how it flies!.

I was lookin at one at the LHS. Almost every person in my club ownes one. What would be the best engine for 3D? I'm thinkin YS 63 or 91. Jordan

Its one of the best flying planes I've flown. I love mine.

I currently have one in the shop. It is a great looking airplane and can't wait to fly it. I plan on using a ys 91 hehehehe. So I will need to redo the motor mount.

I have 2 with Saito .91's. I think that the perfect combo would be the Saito .72, I don't know about the YS, I haven't flown one so I don't know what prop you're swinging. There was a world of difference between mine with a .91/14x6 and my buddies .61 with a 12x6. The four stroke was much better suited for 3D...
Maybe the .61 would work better on a 14x4 or 5?
The bigger props throw a much larger thrust column so it's easier to vector the thrust during hovers etc. With the 14x6 you could maintain a knife edge at a much slower velocity than with the 12x6. It sounded like a snare drum with the 2-stroke too.
Chris

I was thinking about a 3 bladded ma 13-8

My experience with 3-blades has been that you lose a lot of efficiency but also a lot of noise. For 3D I'd stick with the largest diameter you can swing without effecting engine transition.
MA's are a horrible inefficient prop to begin with but it doesn't hurt to try.
I've tried a 26x12 Mejlik 3-blade on a BME, a 12x6 APC on an OS .61 pumped, and a 11x5 MA on a ST .51 and none of them suited my style of flying.
Chris

The Only reason I was thinking about 3 blade is because it is a big engine on a small plane. I was thinking that 3 may reduce vibration and hold it together a little longer. By the way i have heard several different things about this plane some people say that it is very hard to knife edge and others say it will knife edge all day long. What has your experence been Can this plane do a tight knife edge loop??? Thanks

Yes it can knife edge loop all day long.... It didn't when I had an MDS .48 of the first one. The big motor/big prop gives the rudder lots of authority. A 3-blade won't cut down on vibration, that's a function of balance and RPM. Balance the prop and It'll be fine. If not, try using an out of balance prop and "timing it" so that the heavy blade is opposite of the cylinder when the piston is a top dead center (180 deg.). That'll usually do it.
I've seen a couple of postings bashing the Pizazz but the overwhelming populatiry of them would suggest otherwise. I probably only have half the flights on mine because everyone else flys it!
I did replace the Hangar 9 C/A hinges after they failed in the first season. My left aileron fell off in flight, only being held on by the clevis, didn't notice much except that it rolled funny until I landed. I used Sig C/A hinges on the second airplne.
A lot of how the airplane tracks can be trimmed out. i.e. if the plane won't hold a knife edge move the CG back... If it tucks to the gear in knife edge (it will) mix some up elevator to rudder and try using less rudder (that's what I said). At large deflections the rudder can deflect the airflow over the top of the stab at high angles of attack. Since there is generally more rudder above the stab than below it you end up with low pressure on the top (of the stab) and the plane pitches to the gear. Mixing up elev. increases the pressure on the top side...
With the thick wing it is very forgiving in CG adjustment. I have the throws up as high as they'd go (on high rates), cg at 30% of MAC and it flys beautifully.
Some favorite manuvers:
Rolling Harriers-1/4 throttle, full left aileron (low rates), bang the elevator to keep the nose high or turn, adjust the throttle to clib or decend...
Waterfalls-50% Flaperon mix (down aileron w/down elevator and vice-versa) pull to vertical hover, full down elevator and 3/4 throttle...
TR launch-with the .91 I hold the plane vertical by the canopy (glued and screwed), full throttle, let go, fly the torque roll. It usually starts rotating as soon as it leaves my hand...
I wish it were warm!

I can't wait to get mine up in the air. I Think that I made a great choice. And over in MA its pretty cold to. Thanks for all the help

what do you guys think the 'best' engine for 3D is? I REALLY want
to get it right.I suppose a Saito 1.00 is just too much, but I've got
one available the moment. It can run on standard sevos right? since I only have 4 spares, I think I'll buy a 50-60 oz of torque servo for the rudder. Prolly JR 9411 on pull-pull. Are all you guys runin pull-pull on rudder? Does it need it? Sorry, I'm done. Jordan

You guys have given me much to contemplate. It's all together now, well at least 98% together. I have yet to install the pilot figure, sorry. I got one of those G-men from nucompinc.com, it's at least kind of original. I put the carbon fiber gear on tonight. It made a big difference in my opinion. I mounted the gear with four screws instead of two and used 4-40 bolts, washers and locking nuts to attach the wheels instead of those huge and heavy bolt on axles that come with the kit. My CG without the canopy and the 1 oz pilot figure is at 4.5 pushing 4.75 inches. I'm a little nervous about that and may be moving the battery pack. I broke in the engine tonight as well. What an oily mess that is. I have all of the throws maxed anywhere from 115% to 130% based on what my transmitter tells me. I have some generic mixes already put together. I programmed a snap just for the hell of it, spoilerons with a bit of down elevator at a 15% delay and based on what Chris300s says I'll be mixin' in some up elevator with the rudder for knife edge. My biggest problem sounds like it's going to be prop selection. I have an MA 12x8 (K series) for break in and, MA 13x6 (K series) to fly with and an APC 13x6 to try. What is the recommended ju-ju as far as "the" prop for my set up.

This is for jc4me2:

Use a 6 volt battery, max out the travel on you servos via your radio and you can even shorten your servo arm. Do all that on standard servos and you get a ton of torque. Just the 6 volt it a big help. I went to 6 volt exclusively. Based on much recommendation I'm using a pull-pull rudder in the Pizazz I'm finishing. I also used a carbon fiber arrow shaft for the elevator push rod with 4-40 wire.

I'm gonna weigh my plane in the next couple days. With all the load-lightening I've done I'm curious as to what the grand total will be. It feels light.

How much do the carbon gear run? All standard servos ya say? That'll take my cost down a bit. I'm also thinkin of recovering the plane just to be diff. I'm SO sick of that trans red. I think trans blue would br awesome. Do guys know if Stan's makes a cowl that would fit after the cheeks were cut off? Jordan

The carbon gear was $27 plus shipping from tntlandinggear.com. The carbon fiber shafts I got for free through my model club president. I'd look at the servo documentation that you currently have. It will show the torque for 4.8v and 6v. See if the 6v torque is what you're looking for. My opinion is that it would be more than adequate and certainly save you some money. I think I'm going to take a picture of my plane tonight and post it here so you guys can check it out.

Here are some pics that I took tonight. I have yet to attach the canopy, it's just sitting on the fuse. The rest is self explanatory. Go to www.olypen.com/gblight/rc/pizazz.jpg

Enjoy

though I've decided against it because I really want a kit. I like the gear. I'm gona order the one for my Four Star. Only 18. Personaly I would have bought the Four Star ones cause they wider stance and would'nt look so tiny. Is your muff standard? It looks like something from Central Hobbies. Jordan

Well I've heard from so many that the Sig Something Extra gear is the ju-ju hook up for this kit so I opted for that not knowing any better. In comparison to the stock gear, there's only about a .5 inch difference width, but a huge difference in weight.

When I got the new Saito and saw the muffler, I thought it was wrong or mis-matched. This is actually the new style of Saito muffler. I think it's adjustable internally in some way. I'll have to look at the Saito manual again.