Im trying to hover an electric airplane called the Mini laser 3D. Most of you are probably familiar with its bigger brother the Laser 3D. I have my elevator setup with 45 degree throw each way. But in hover I dont seem to have enough elevator. Could this be a symptom of a bad CG? I have it set at 40%. I can hover and torque roll quite well in G2, but I realize in real life things will be much different.

I have one more question, in knife edge the nose always wants to pull left or right.. I cant remember which. I read somewhere that you could get rid of this by tuning the angle of your ailerons. Which way would I move the ailerons if the nose is rising (going towards the canopy)?
Thanks,
touser

Don't have a clue on the first one.

On your second question usually in knife edge the plane tucks towards the gear. So for this you have to mix in up elavator to correct usually about 5 to 10 percent is all that is needed. You have to be able to switch it on and off or you will have real big problems. If your plane is going towards the canopy you would need down elavator mixed in. Hope this has helped you.

In Knife Edge, two things happens, usually the plane want to tuck to the belly or canopy (left or right) and the plane wants to roll. The fix you have mentioned is for the roll. You will have to mix elevator in for the left right movement.

if you are using the original motorisation, you may forget it

Im running a hacker b20-15L.. plenty of power for KE. What i meant on the ailerons is someone said that if your airplane wants to pitch towards the skids or canopy in KE it usually means that your ailerons are reflexed one way or the other. If my ailerons are reflexed down (like flaps) then the nose would want to go..... ?

if your alierons are down like flaps, and then in knife edge it will push the plane toward the canopy.


If your alierons are up, and in knife edge it will push the plane toward the wheels. Yes moving the alierons will help knife edging, but at the way your doing it its probably going to hurt your vertical performace. Because just about everyplane made has some sort of knife edge to elevator coupling.


Here is my opinion on setting up your plane..

To get the alierons in the right spot, you want to fly your plane from left to right or right to left first, about 1/2 throttle.

Then pull a vertical line directly in front of you. Then watch what the plane does. Watch if it pitches toward the canopy or wheels. You will probably need to do this several times. This do it from the opposite dirrection, and see if still pitches toward the canopy or wheels.

If it pitches to the canopy. then your the alierons are to far down, and need to screw out on the clevis about a 1/2 turn on each one.


If ithe plane pitches toward the wheels. The alierons are up to much, and then need to be screw in your clevis about a 1/2 on each side.

Once you make the adjustment, flight it again in the process above, eventually you will have a plane that will fly vertical with almost no correction, if you have your thrust set correctly.


As for CG, you will want to set your CG to where you fly the plane right side up, and the flip it inverted, and have to give it just a tad bit of down elevator to keep it flying level. when you can do that your CG is dead on.

As for thrust you want to be able to fly the plane, directly in front of you on a vertical up line, and it doesn't move off of its course from left to right. most of planes have to have a small degree of right thrust.

Only work at 1 thing at a time. I would do it in this order.
thrust,
CG
ailerons.

All the old guys at my field, wonder why I spend so much time setting up a small plane.

But to me, there is more to setting up a plane then moving trim tabs.

For a properly set up airplane, it is the easiest thing to fly.

thank you for the setup advice, exactly the sort of help i was looking for

strange,,,,,,, I have the exact opposite problem. I can torque roll the plane quite well, but when I try knife edge flight, it always looses altitude. It has a nice angle, full throttle with a B20 15L, but it still sinks. I also have 45 or so degrees on the rudder. Any ideas?

bigger rudder will always help. You could play with props. , maybe moving the CG back just a tad might help.

I am using a mini laser 3D, which should have a plenty big rudder, and should I go for more pitch and less diameter or the opposite? thx for your time, Dan

If it keeps dropping altitude in knife edge you need more airflow over the tail.

I have a Sig Something Extra that does the same thing, and what solved my knife edge problems was to get more pitch on the prop, but it hurt my hovering abilities. So I have to swap props depending on what I wanted to do.

MORE POWER

I will go to the hobby shop today to pick up some props. I was using a 10/4.7, I think I will go to a 9/6. Thanks for the help, DAN