Barry Cazier

My Feedback: (17)

I flew my Reactor 4 more flights last Saturday. I had removed .8oz of weight from the tail prior to these flights. It helped quite a bit in KE flight but still have moderate coupling to the canopy. It is slighty harder to hover but still pretty easy. Waterfalls, and flat spins seem uneffected.
I really am starting to like this plane. It is just so much fun to fly. I'm still considering wheither or not to leave the tail weight off.
One of the best things about this plane is it's ease of landing and overall confidence inspiring flight characteristics. It doesn't do much to give you concern.
My (like others) seems to drop a wing a bit if you "slam" into a wall. But only if you are going very slow. And even then it's not problematic. Just adjust with the rudder and continue on.
Like my UCDs this plane is all about having a good time flying. Just nothing to worry about and easy to fly and a lot of fun.
My DA 50 seems to be a perfect match power wise. My carbon fiber wing tube seems to be holding up great. I'm getting braver with the violent moves trying to test it a bit. I'm doing full on "blenders" now without any problems and it really stresses the airframe when you do them. Also, so hard fast walls, and some snap rolls that are pretty impressive. I don't think the wing tube is going to be an issue. I'm just gonna fly it like I would with any configuration and see how she holds up.
Anyways, very satisfied with this plane. Gonna be a favorite.
Thanks
Barry

SportFlyer3

Barry, where did you find that carbon wing tube ???

Barry Cazier

My Feedback: (17)

I got my wing tube at TBM. It is over 7 ozs lighter than the stock one. I was a bit surprised though...everybody's been saying their planes are coming in right about 16lbs. So....I expected mine to be about 15.5lbs. Well I'm right at 16lbs so I'm not sure what is going on with that.

The wing tube I ordered is JAE.875x30 (F101A) $19.99. Mine was a tight/snug fit but went in with no problems. Since I've got 20 or so flights on her the tube is looser but still pretty snug. I'd call it a perfect fit,,,now. It's a very thin wall, but like I've been posting....no problems, yet.
Thanks
Barry

SportFlyer3

Thanks for the info Barry...Man!!! for that price I may have to get one on my next TBM order!!!

fritzdecat

Just got back from flying tonight perfect day, blue sky ..0 wind Sunshine Ahhhhh

 Even had a real bird come in for a visit between flights.

 Have to agree with Barry the Reactor does inspire confidence, this plane is great


 

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

I got my Reactor out for one flight today, pretty windy, and the sod cutters were busy.  I had to fly off some relatively tall grass to avoid the sod cutters, and the noticed the plane had a little tendency for the tail wheel to bounce up a lot of the ground even with full 3D elevator deflection.  It's ok on our regular grass.  I commented before that the elevator low rate deflection wasn't enough, well the aileron low rate isn't enough either.  No biggy, minor radio change.  So far so good after three flights, but need some calmer weather to start to dial it in.  The DL50 provides tons of vertical.

I do have a question on landing.  Because our field is a little short, I find I have to bring the plane in relatively low to be able to flair without running out of room, and because of ground obstacles, this can shorten expiration dates.   I'm used to a Sukhoi and Ultimate that have wide bodies requiring a little throttle to land.  This plane doesn't have the frontal area and doesn't want to slow down very fast.  So with that and the low wing loading it wants to float on by. This was a problem today even with a stiff head wind.  How do you guys get it slowed?  The idle is as low as it goes with a 22x8 prop, the issue is my technique.  There were comments earlier in this thread about the plane landing like a cat with sore feed, this is very true.  It sets down nice and easy, I just need help to slow it down because of the short space.

Chuck

fritzdecat

When I make my final turn to land I go out far enough depending on the wind to get it to land with enough room, that is about it

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Had the Reactor out for just one flight today, servo arm fell off on one of the aileron servos.  It wasn't noticeable until landing.  The longer approach helped a lot, thanks Fritzdecat.  I've been working on trying to hover for a few years and have been getting better, but this plane hovers darn near by itself.  Must be the long tail that helps.

Chuck

fritzdecat

I would recommend SWB servo arms I have them on mine and there is no way they are coming off, they have an extra screw to tighten them down

 

kochj

I use the Heavy duty stock servos that come on the Hitech digital servos....never a issue...

ALSO>>..........I am very confident that the anouncment of this bigger, but small ractor bipe, will lead to a 1.60 Sized BIpe!!

If they follow the trend they have been doing with the reactor series....Can't wait.............

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

The servo screw fell out.  There wasn't anything wrong with the Hitec arm or the servo, it was the guy who put the plane together and maintains it...me.  Something good to be said for dual aileron servos.

Chuck

fritzdecat

This is what I have on the Reactor, long SWB arms
Notice the thru bolt next to the black screw these thing do not come off , you can even see the scratch marks at the split where I had to pry it apart to remove it once.
Troy built models sells them

go vertical

My Feedback: (1)

I just changed my reactor to 2.4 gig what a differance in the way the plane responds I didn't beleve it when others told me it would but after the change i am a belever it is just a crisper feel to the plane it is great

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

How do you guys tighten you wing screws?  I tighten them real tight with my fingers, but they still have a tendency to loosen up.  Also, what is the best way to laterally balance the plane? 

Barry Cazier

My Feedback: (17)

Chuck1,
I exchanged my wing bolts for these. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJUP0&P=7
They are much easier to tighten down and I haven't ever had one come loose.

A way to get pretty close on lateral balance is to tape the rudder so it can move and be sure your tail wheel is as straight as you can get it. Then turn your engine so it is "off" compression and lift the plane with the propeller tip. If the plane falls to one side it is heavy on that side. I do this several times to verify which side is heavy. Than add weight to the other side until it stays stable without falling one way or the other. This should get you close enough.

Another even more accurate, but more difficult as well, is to hang the plane upside down ( usually do this in my garage) and use light wire or fish line. Again with the rudder taped so it can't move run the line right around the base of the tailwheel mount and around the prop hub shaft ( I usually take the prop off for this) and then lift it up. It will fall to the heavy side. Add weight to the other side to get it balance.

On my Reactor I thought I had a lateral balance problem because it seemed to drop a wing in walls and a few other maneuvers. But when I did both balances I couldn't get it to drop one side or the other. It seemed perfectly balanced as near as I could tell. So I just entered the maneuvers slightly faster. I think I was actually stalling one wing sometimes.The extra speed seems to help quite a bit. No more wing dropping.

Anyways, either of these balances will get you very close.

Thanks
BArry

fritzdecat

Has anyone flown the smaller reactors? I was thinking of buying a little one and doing it electric....

 Those UCan Do wing bolts look like a good idea, I have been using a dime in the slot to tighten mine

Barry Cazier

My Feedback: (17)

I really like the UCD wing bolts. They are the only ones I use now. They are about 1" in diameter and they are slightly square. Very easy to get your fingers on and have enough leverage that I only tighten with my finger. They never seem to come loose. Also they areshort enough you don't need to either cut off or screw for an hour to get them tight. I recommend them.
Thanks
Barry

SportFlyer3

Also make sure that your elevator halves are moving the same throughout the range and are trimmed equally. If they are moving differently or are not exactly equal then they will cause the plane to seem like it's dropping a wing...The best way to do this that I have found is to get two straight dowel rods and tape them to the elevator halves with them meeting in a point behind and in the center of the rudder. Then line them up to they match and also make sure that they match as you move the elevators. I had to get a matchbox to make sure mine was aligning perfectly and the plane tracks much better...Walls stay on track also...



As far as lateral balancing I have one thing to add...Trying to use the engine shaft is not a great idea because most of the time the engine is at an offset due to having right thrust built in, so the best place to balance from is to use a screw in the middle if the firewall as it will be in the true centerline of the plane....

chuck l

My Feedback: (17)

Well I diggered my Reactor today coming out of an elevator, lost orientation and pancaked it in to some tall grass.  The fuselage, canopy, and cowl need to be replaced.  With my Tower Hobby Supersaver discounts and free shipping, the cost will be about $165.  Anyway, I need your thoughts on removing the Robart hinge pins on one elevator half, so that the stabilizer can be slipped into the new fuselage.  One way is to use a Dremel cut-off wheel to grind off the end of the hinge pin.  But that would do a little damage to the balsa around it, since there is zero gap between the elevator and stabilizer.  Any other ideas?

Sad in Minnesota,
Chuck

SportFlyer3

Sorry to hear about the Reactor. I am currently rebuilding an old Extra that I cut off the Robart style hinges....I thought I could get away with not recovering the tail but the wood was damaged and so was some of the covering...Sorry to say you may need to recover...

malcolmm

I have a Reactor .46 monoplane on electric, as well as the small bipe.

Both are excellent planes, highly recommended.

fritzdecat

Thanks that is what I wanted to hear Gonna go for the 46 size

Mrawls

1.60 reactor fliers,

guys inspect your ribs in your wings. look at the passage way the aliron leads go down. My reactor has every rib broken!!!! I have 20 flights on it and am lucky I found the problem on the ground as in the air would have been sad. I have flown my plane very conservative, hoovers, waterfalls, knife edges. I did a few snap rolls the last day but they where all at half throttle. Anyways guys check your wings carefully!!!! I have written GP and would be interested in your findings on your planes!!!

fritzdecat

Thanks for the heads up...I just checked and luckily mine is OK


They should give you a new wingset

SportFlyer3

Hey Barry Cazier,

Thanks for the info on the carbon wingtube. I dropped 9.4 ozs by swapping it out and my all up weight now is 16lbs 4ozs confirmed on a digital postage scale...The old tube weighed in at 11.4oz and the new carbon tube is only 2.0ozs!!!