Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

Looking to fly my Lanier for the first time. I have flown a 46 sized Stick and an Avistar advanced trainer. I'm pretty bored with these aircraft, I can land and take off pretty good. I have a brand new Edge w/ a Saito 180 in it ready to be flown, but I don't know what to expect. Anybody fly one of these ? If so how does it act? Can I go easy with it without it torque rolling???? Comments??

Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

Well sir,
This model was made to do hot aerobatics! SO:
The main thing yo have to watch out for is the model
being tail heavy!!!

Be very careful of the C.G. on this model !! I suggest
putting about 6-ounces in ther nose anyway !! If you use a
heavier gas burner, you will probably be o.k....
BUY:
If you are tail heavy, you will snap yourself into the ground
so fast that you will wonder if the radio failed you !!

The other thing to watch out for the the "roll-rate".
This sucker can get away from you very fast. It is NOT
what you could call a "smooth" or "stable" model;
especially on the first flight !! Be sure to put in the maximum
expo on the ailerons !! Be very carful to set up all of the
controls as "neutral" as possible. You will not have much
time for "corrections" after the takeoff. If that sucker
is very far out of trim (or balance) you will "auger in" !!!!!!!

I also suggest you have a very experienced pilot check out the
model, and perhaps even fly it for you for the first time...

Good luck !! Regards, Robert (Masked Pilot).......
Let us all know of your first day out with the Edge.....

Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

If you are stepping up from an Avistar and a stick, some words of advice. Be carefull LOL. Just put the balance where the instruction say to and reduce all of your control thows to the absolute minimum. Belive me you won't need them and forget about TR'n for the time being.
If I had a nickel for every senario I have seen like yours... Most comon mode of failure, Tail heavy and wayyyyy to much control throws. You can err to the noseheavy side, but just make sure it is in the ball park.
RP

Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

And be SURE to check out the engine idle, and high speed
setings. Have someone hold the nose up 90 degrees, and see
if the engine will hold the setting and not go lean. Look for
a generous exhaust smoke trail. Too lean and , you will overheat, and quit... The Edge does not like to dead-stick, either!
Of course, do the normal radio "range check"; engine off and
engine on.
One final tip, on the landing approach, be very careful not
to point the transmitter tip directly at the model; the
radio signal is very weak from that direction. Keep the tip UP !!!

Not many people would think of this, but it is very
important...

Let all us R/C Universe folkd now how you do !!

Regards, Robert (Masked Pilot)...........

Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

I will give you my 2 cents for what it's worth. The above posters are right about everything they have said, but don't let this intimidate you just stay calm and cool and all will go well.

This bird takes off well but be prepared to add some rudder input, on landings don't be afraid to slow the plane down it will land very slow and it won't tip a wing. Just land it like a trainer with about 2 clicks of power and just apply slight pressure on the elavator stick and it will float in for a nice 3 point landing.

When I flew my first 1/4 scale airplane I had a smile 1/2 a mile wide when I got done. Bigger airplanes fly alot better once you get past the pucker factor. Good Luck with your first flight.

Edge with a G23
 

I've got one of these that I've had for a year or so...
I love it...
I went to this from a 4 star 60. This thing is very stable in the air and at slow speed... Landings are a breeze with a blip of the throttle to keep it moving, won't tip stall! Keep the control throws low to start!, you don't need much elevator, and it will snap easily with too much!
I did lateral balance mine with about 2 oz's on one tip...
I started with an OS-160 and it was 12 lbs. A real nice combo, but I could not keep the engine cool enough... I will disagree with the comment about it's dead stick flight quality... With the 160 on it I had a dead stick on quite a few flights, and I had no problems, in fact, it is one of the better dead stick landing birds I have flown due to it's slow as a walk landings... Keep the nose slight down and you're good. I switched to the G23 and i'm not looking back. With a 15-10 prop it flies well. It is somewhat under powered, but really it makes you FLY through a manuver, which is not a bad thing.
Best thing is that I can fly for 15+ minutes on 8 oz of cheap gas... My OS would suck down about 1 oz per minute, and I think the Saito is worse...

Anyway, to move up to a 1/4 scale this is a great plane. I just sold a Great Planes Giles 202 with a 160 on it, and that plane flew great too, but you need speed on landing, much more than the Edge...
I like the Edge so much I'm building a 33% aeroworks now.

Good choice, you'll enjoy it.
One tip, have an experienced guy (or girl?) check fly it & give you some feedback, you'll be glad you did.

Erik

Lanier Edge 540 Ready???
 

I agree w/ Cap & Debris. My first 1/4 scale Hi-Porformance plane was a Cap. Probably one of the most un-stable Hi-Po. planes.
From experience I can tell you that going to these type planes for the first time does take pretty good pilot skills but is also a 100% mental thing. I had a phobia for the snap the Cap is famous for. To over come this sort of stuff first make sure your surfaces are as close to nutral as possible so on the first flight you dont spend alot of time trimming out the plane. Once you have it trimmed spend the whole flight learning the stall tendencies at low speeds. Get the model up high and slow it down. See what it does w/ no elevator applied then do the same thing while applying elevator. This will help you undestand what and "HOW MUCH" you can get away with. Bring it over the runway at a safe altitude slow as if you were landing to see how it slows down and about where it would touch down. Most importantly the type aircraft do not need alot of control throw to do basic flight or even some basic aerobatics. Once you have your low rates set (recomend the manufactures specs) set your hi rates about 10 to 15% BELOW the low rates. That way if your throws are to much on low once you get in the air you can "flip the switch". I personally would not recomend any expo in the plane till you know what what it needs. Expo can allow to much over correction in bad situations especially on first flights.
The main thing is to know the charecteristics of the plane. Once you KNOW what it will do you will not be AFRAID of what it MIGHT DO!
MY to cents worth & Good luck!

Steve