Hi everyone. Started flying my Magic over the weekend and now I have some questions. Hoping to learn how to hover with this plane. I'm flying with the recommended rates and the CG as specified in the manual for now. Its great fun! As I am pretty new to 3D, I'll be mighty thankful for any help/suggestions that come by. (and yes, I've read the setups tips at terynd.com)

Power
Tried to keep the weight down and put in an OS .32SX I had lying around. It's turning an APC 11 x 4 prop as recommended in the manual. Tempted to try a 12x3.75, but I'm thinking that may be a little too much prop for the little 32 and throttle response would be a problem. I know its got more than 1:1 power to weight cuz it will just keep climbing if I point it vertical and just hold full throttle. I do have a number of other possible engines on hand - a saito 56, OS 40 FP, OS 45F, TT 46 and an ST 51 - but thought I should keep things light and stick to 2 strokes in case I crash. On paper at least, the power to weight of the 32SX seems pretty good. Apart from hovering (which I can't do), the plane flies great and the 32 seems almost too much power compared to the sport/pattern planes that I've flown.

(Attempted) Hovering
Well, I'm really surprised at how much the plane behaves like the foamy I was flying just before it. It tends to torque roll to the left quite a bit as I try to hold it vertical. With the foamy, to solve the same problem, I had to increase my aileron throws and keep the aileron stick to the right with blips of throttle to stop the plane rolling. Is that the right way to do it?

Power wise, I think that just under 3/4 throttle is holding it in a hover. Is that enough for me to learn to hover on? Or do I need to start thinking of putting something with a little more power (and weight) on it? Don't need ballistic performance, but is this enough reserve power to pull me out of trouble?

Setup and Throws
I've got the recommended CG with no extra added weight. With the foamy, it became a lot easier to hover or manouvre in stalled flight as I moved the CG back progressively. Is this a good idea for me to try on the Magic while I'm still at the learner stage?

Similarly, I'm flying all the time with the high rate throws recommended, but they don't seem to be enough especially in a hover, particularly on the ailerons. Any down side to me upping them significantly?

Harrier/Elevators
Tried some high alpha flight with the ailerons neutral but noticed quite a bit of wing rock. Setup 70% up spoilerons and now the plane will just about harrier itself with just a touch of up elevator and the engine just over idle; can't wait to try this with a little wind! Landings in this mode are incredibly slow and precise! Is this an acceptable way of doing things? Seems weird that I can get the plane to basically fly itself so slowly just by flicking a switch! Or should I be trying to harrier with just the elevator?

On a related issue, I know its a semi symmetrical wing and I've read about the tendency to tip stall when flying inverted, but any issues if I set up flaperons and try the same inverted (up high initially, of course)?

Thanks.

I have a magic, and I love it- but hovering and tq'ing aren't it's best attributes. I have a 46 evo on mine, and I needed to place the battery and rudder servo in the fuse behind the wing to get it to CG.

Watch out for full elevator/ full throttle maneuvers- like waterfalls etc. Mine will do wicked snaps at full throttle and full down elevator-

What I did to help with the stall problem was cut the tips off, made 1/8" balsa caps that match the airfoil, and covered over them. Then I took some 5mm coroplast and made some H*U*G*E side-force generators that enable the p[lane to do awesome rolling harriers. It also makes inverted alot more comfortable- but not perfect... Oh- and you won't need as much reflex for harriers either.

As for the rest- maybe try moving the CG back- and ideally, you want to hover around 1/2 throttle- so maybe that OS 40 or the 46.

Cody

The Magic will hover just fine I would put that saito 56 on it with a apc 12x6
the CG is the key to getting her to hover like a good girl but once you have it right she will huck on the deck with the best of them
Try anything with the magic I have been messing with spoilerons as well didn't have much luck with flaps
watch these videos and you'll see what a Magic can do the flat spin landings kind of kill the weak landing gear talk and BBQ landing says the Magic will hover anywhaere you have the guts to try
at the bottom of the page are great setup details
enjoy the Magic it can take you a long way in the hobby

http://www.terynd.com/magic/magicmain.html

I have pulled some of the videos temporarily on this site. If you want to see a particular one, let me know. I can give you the correct link.

Teryn

here's my setup it works great you can see the videos i have, but the secret it's the practice. you have a great plane.

Engine: OS .46 AX
Prop: APC 12.25X3.75
Servos 4 Futaba 3004 and 1 GWS Pico in Throttle
Receiver: Hitec Electron 6
Batt: Futaba 4.8 600 mAh placed behind the fuel tank.
C.G. same shown in the manual.
Throws: Same the manual
Expos -55% elev. -65% Rudder -50% aileron.

the model have a pull pull system, i put just one for the rudder and i replace one stronger for the elevator. this give you more smothness in the control throw. i don't use any mix with this plane, i have a Y in the ailerons.

Teryn is a expert in the magic, he use a 4 Stroke engine and you can take a lot of tips in his web page.

Video Links:

http://www.rcuvideos.com/view_video....14835fa648a48f

http://media.putfile.com/Magic-Limbo-Pass

Luis, it's good to see you again!

Thanks for your videos!

Cody - thanks for the heads up on the snap tendency. Will be trying my first waterfall this weekend so I'll be careful.

Skiman - the spoilerons are really working great for me! On of my favourite moments now is harriering the plane in for a landing with the spolilerons up floating in at my feet slower than my friend's Slow stick. He can't believe it and neither can I! Working up the nerve to try it in reverse with the plane inverted.

Hi Luis and Teryn, thanks so much not just for your replies, but also for your videos - I watched them even before I opened the Magic box. They were an inspiration!

Well, the good news is that I think the .32 has enough power to hover (at a safe altitude) and you're right - practice is the best setup tip! I flew the Magic both yesterday and today and already I can feel myself getting better with each flight! Managed to more or less hold a hover (for a while) today at just under 3/4 throttle. Not sure if it will be worth the weight penalty to put a 2S .46 on board, but perhaps when I'm a little more competent, I'll bolt the saito 56 on. I'd been flying 4 strokes most recently, and going back to a 2 stroke and flying with the fuselage vertical, I can really feel the difference in the spool up and power band. And that's not even saying anything about the sound!

Also discovering that when hovering, too much throw is better than not enough! I'm already past the recommended throws; think my ailerons are about right as I could stop the torque rolling today, but think I could use a little more on the elevator and rudder - sometimes when the plane flops over a little too much, I can't seem to pull it straight even with full throttle and the stick hard over in the right direction. Or is that because I don't have enough power?

Louis - I'm using a single, thicker pushrod for elevator as suggested by Teryn too. Works great. Had to change the rudder push rods to 2mm ones because I could get the stock clevises to fit the supplied push rods.

Thanks again guys!

Teryn
I am having trouble hovering. Can you help me? I have my Magic over powered with a Saito 72 . I know I don't need that much engine but I had it already. I am turning a 14X4 APC and the CG is at 115 . I am using 475 Hitec on the elevator and 422 on the aileron and rudder. What would you change?

Hi WRM, I'm no expert, more like a newbie, but I think the problem is with your CG. You certainly have more than enough power - pull out with my Enya 35X and an 11" prop was *more* than adequate once I got the hang of it.

Can't remember off hand what the manual recommends, but I eventually had mine quite a bit further back. ("had" because I sold off my Magic when I wanted to do more knife edge manouvres.) I was using plain old Futaba 3001s on the elevator/rudder and 3003s on the ailerons and they worked fine.

I have to say that my current fun fly - a Hokusei profile with a saito 56 and cheapo JR digital sport servos is an absolute blast! Perhaps its all the practice I've put in since I flew my Magic, but hovering seems to be that much easier now.

One thing about the Maigc though - I haven't flown or seen a plane that flat spins quite as well or as easily as it did! Still regret selling mine.

Hope that helps.

I use an 11 x 3 on mine, not so good vertical but better hovering.
try reducing your rudder, elev, aileron expo for sharper control in hover

efish
Where do I find a Hokusei profile?

Hi WRM, not sure. Mine was the only piece in a LHS. Think they brought it in as a trial and I've not seen one anywhere else.

Guess you could order one from the Japanese website, but I think that would be quite a lot of money for a China made product. I have been given the impression that as far as profiles go, the OMP ones are second to one. Have a look at their website and support forum!

My Hokusei with the Saito weighs about the same as the Magic with the Enya. They're both as easy to hover though the profile does have quite a bit more punch out plus the 4 stroke really does make hovering easier. Best thing about the Hokusei is that I can do knife edge laps around the field plus fly a little pattern on low rates when it gets windy. For whatever reason, my Magic never did track very well and I could never get it to knife Its my first non foamy profile and I'm hooked! Won't be my last or only plane, but they're too much fun not to try at least once!

I have a Saito 72 too. Guess I'd put a 13x5 on it if I had it on a Magic. As long as you have the thrust, I'd be surprised if it was the prop/powerplant that was making the plane difficult to hover.