Piedmont Focus "Sport" update:

I talked to Dave Guerin on the way home from the office this evening to get the details on the design expectations, design elements and the initial flight tests.

Here are a few more of the specifics about the prototype which have not been posted:

Weight: 7 pounds 10 ounces
Motor: YS 1.10 with stock muffler with Hyde .90 - 1.10 "A" mount, with APC 13.5 x 12.5
Electronics: Futaba
9650's on elevator (2) mounted in rear of fuse
9650's ailerons (2)
9351 rudder
9101 throttle
NMP 2400mah battery and 5.4volt regulator (Central Hobbies)

Miscellaneous: Bolly gear and pants, Gator aluminum wing tube and sockets, wing uses rear adjusters with 1/4-20 bolt front.

The airplane incorporates the basic outline Focus II fuselage/fin and rudder with an updated fiberglass cowl, removable fiberglass canopy/top hatch and is constructed with balsa and foam.

The FLYING SURFACES ARE NOT FROM THE BRIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, the wing tips use the wind tunnel tested shape. The wings have been underdevelopment for several years. They were originally flown on a Focus II which was lost in an equipment malfunction and not pursued during the Piedmont transition. Dave has been testing the wings on a specially built "Temptation" he built for himself. Specifically, the new wing uses a new airfoil, planform, control surface area and location. It is a new wing, period.

The new force arrangement (higher wing and stab vs. thrustline) is based on the five year's of Focus's in the field. Additionally, the new locations (less dihedral) are expected to further reduce the normal coupling issues ANY airplane has such as knife edge...

The airplane is designed to offer entry level pilots an inexpensive solution to experience the flying characteristics of a well designed airplane that can be set-up and trimmed by virtually anyone to maximise the average experience. It is not designed to be flown by superstar pilot "X" in the finals at the NATS.

(Note: If you have never seen superstar pilot "x" fly, you should get on a plane or whatever and ask them to fly the worst looking model at the field and you WILL BE AMAZED. They can fly anything!)

The constuction materials and techniques are designed to make the model durable, repairable and last 500+ flights with the same basic characteristics. If it is manufactured, it will NOT be constructed of laser cut plywood puzzle pieces.

Three test flights have been completed on an engine with 5 total tanks of fuel (Redmax 25%) using the APC 13.5 x 12.5 (remember the first generation YS 1.20's...that was the prop...1988...)

Let's assume Dave read his set-up and trimming book and the CG was at the front edge of the wing tube (he always puts the wing tube here...engineers please get out your calculators), the wing had about 1/4 degree positive and the stab had 1/4 degree of negative. As expected, the initial "feel" was that of his familiar Focus's with a distinct groove, tracking and basic stability in pitch. The initial knife edge passes needed "imperceptable" amounts of pitch input. High alpha 45 degree positive, 25% throttle (purists cannot assume 25% stick position was actually 25% power!) knife edge passes required "imperceptable" pitch input. 500 foot down lines fine, up lines fine.

Ryan Smith had a chance to drive it around. Dave flew the p-07 pattern with it. Yes, a dial here and a change there will be needed. Both pilots were pleasantly surprised by the stump pulling power of the YS 1.10, which is about 3/4 of a turn "rich" to be tuned per instructions and required no idle fiddling out of the box.

Goal of a simple, highly adjustable, robust, precision aerobatic model on a limited budget...yes, met above expectations.

I hope Dave is able to bring it to Phoenix in February so I can fly it!

Rusty Dose
Team Futaba
Team YS Performance