RE: Phoenix Extra 300S
Does it have TIP STALL or Spiral Mode issues?
I ordered this plane almost on impulse because it seemed to be a good deal, looks classic, and is in the same family as the Cap 232/Edge 540 crowd, which I'm a big fan of. While it's been on order, I've done some research and have to admit that I now have concerns about this plane.
I should explain that I fly a lot of heavily loaded models for work (I am an aerospace engineer by trade), but when I want to relax, I like to fly 3D and especially like to hover. I always thought I'd get an Edge 450 or something like that, but when this plane rolled along, it was difficult for me to pass up. I plan to run my Tower .46 with tuned pipe that really made my last fun fly scream. I realize it may not hover, but it's the only engine I have right now (and it's actually borrowed).
My main concern is the way the Extra 300S flies in simulation in RealFlight G3. I realize that's a 0.91 powered model, but it seems to me that it has a very nasty spiral mode. I have to be gentle with the elevator, or risk a wing tip stalling and losing a lot of altitude before it can be recovered. I have not seen this tendency noted on any of the forums I'm a member of, except above where you talk about it "rolling out" of a loop.
tramsay: "I can't seem to get it to track straight thru loops. It wants to roll out."
Anyone have input?
Also, FWIW, I was able to reduce the tip stall problems in simulation by adding about 5 deg of incidence to the inboard sections of the wing (linearly tapering to 0 deg at tip) and adding some 90 deg winglets for lateral area.