reyn3545

I don't know how many people have completed the build yet, but I am VERY pleased with mine so far. I wanted to get some more flights in this past weekend, but the winds were gusting over 20.... no flying for me.

Its absolutely calm and beautiful today, the plane is in the back of my SUV, but I'm stuck in the office ... AAARRGGHGHHHH

jhageljr

Just got my A/C ordered today. I believe that I have identified all but one of the necessary components to complete the a/c when it arrives. What I have not been able to identify is the length of the rudder servo control horn. Since the instructions say to not cross the rudder cables I assume that a straight double horn is used? What length/size works best for the given rudder geometry?

reyn3545

I assume you're talking about the rudder servo arm, not the rudder control horn. I used a 3" arm from SWB. There is a short 45 degree angle on the tips of the arms, but the overall width is 3 inches. With that, had to limit travel to keep the rudder from hitting the elevators at full deflection.

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

While examining all tail components before gluing, I found this elevator hinge. No sign of the pin being mechanically peened!! I will go with Robart instead. Everyone check your hinges carefully. Can't just be my plane. I know I do not posess superhuman powers of observation. Also a good thing they use about 100 hinges, "redundancy".

shundley

My Feedback: (7)

For the rudder i am using the factory arm from a 5985 servo still had to reduce the end points to keep it from hitting the fuse its about 2 7/8 inches endpoints are about 90 %

mflander

Shundley: I would keep adjusting it mechanically until you can get the desired throw at around 120% on the end points... this will give you your best resolution throughout the range... farther out on the control horn, and closer in on the control arm will reduce mechanical throw...

shundley

My Feedback: (7)

Good idea I will do that thanks for the great information

tazlittleking

I was gung ho about getting this pitts. Everything I have been reading has been that it is precise. At the field, others have informed me that a Edge would be much more precise for imac.

Is this true?

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

Some pilots can make a brick fly like a dream. If you get the Pitts and practice with it you will be sure to please the crowd and judges. At the TOC, biplanes got extra pionts because of the extra drag and Chip Hyde took full advantage of it. I saw the TOC in peson once in the late 90's after it went to an every other year event. I saw many of the big name pilots and their sweet planes. Also saw a relatively new company trying to convince people that a light weight stick built fuse ARC airplane (Edge if I remember correctly)was the way to go. That company was AEROWORKS!!!! Years before that, Godfrey 70" Ultimates, Reed Falcons, Laser 200's and other 30% scale planes that were relatively small compared to todays beasts ruled the TOC.

shundley

My Feedback: (7)

Put very well I fly 35% extra 35% yak 35% staudacher also have many 30% and 28% planes also I bought a aeroworks yak all planes of any quality will outperform the skill of the pilots some planes just take a little longer to master learn to trim your plane for the imac everybody can imac a extra take the time to learn the pitts soon you will be the dog to beat

reyn3545

I took the Python to the field for its second day of flights today.. only 2 flights. It was very overcast, showers coming in, but for February, it was very calm. I had the vess 23A on it today. Noticably slower than the 23x8 NX, but it did seem to hover and pull out better than the 23x8. I had moved the CG back about 1/2 inch from the recommended setting, this helped a ton.

I think I may need to cut some additional airflow into the engine. It dead sticked on the second flight, and the motor seemed pretty hot when I checked it. No damage at all to the plane, I was suprized how smoothly it floated in with no power. It died pulling out of a turn about 100 feet off the ground... I thought it was going to be toast. It did land in in rough grass, but very smoothly.

Did I mention.. I LOVE this plane on high rates!

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

How much of the radial dummy engine did you cut out for the cyl? How much of an exit hole did you cut out. I want to make the exit hole plenty large when I cut. I know the nice chin scoop will be gone plus a large area to boot!. I am going to continue with my build tomorrow. Hinging the elevators using three large Robarts and two small ones between to fill the other factory holes. My D/A only has about 1/2 gallon of Lawnboy 40:1 through it so far. I don't want it running hot in the cowl.

(Fast forward to the next day) I am done rigging the tail feathers, servos and all including rudder pull/pull. Went in farthest out hole on the rudder horn (2 3/8") and the 2" spacing on the straight part of the SWB angled arm. Plenty of throw on high at 125% ATV. Using an 8711 monster on the rudder and 8611a's on everything else except the throttle and choke. Using digital Hitech mini servos on them. Using the 9303 for the first time and really starting to like it. Dual servo option on all primary control surfaces and easy to select and de-select. Highly reccommended by me . On the rudder pull/pull I went with some coated kevlar and eyelets that I had on hand. Reason being, when I went to lock a jam nut on the brass ends that were included, the threads started to slide out of the ball clevis. I couldn't pull them out by hand but before the jam nut would lock tight it would begin pulling the brass end out. The eyelets I used have deeper and sharper (also harder) threads and cut in to the clevis better IMHO. Just don't want to be worrying about any more on the maiden than I need to. Some pics.

reyn3545

Whether you want to or not, you'll have to cut out a pretty big section on the bottom of the cowl to be able to get the cowl over the muffler tubes, then get the front of it over the prop shaft. Its all good, though.. like you mentioned, the airflow is good, and it doesn't show.

As for the radial engine dummy, I cut out one "slice", just as displayed in the instructions.

Update on the "dead stick"...

I didn't even look at the motor.. I was mad about the dead stick (third on this motor over about 2 years) and took the soft landing as a gift from above... I put an ad on this website and sold the engine in less than a day... engine, muffler, standoffs, 2 props.. all for $500.

Then, I was taking the motor off the plane to ship it and found the problem (feeling pretty stupid at the moment).. I didn't secure the fuel tube to the motor box properly, and it allowed the tube to come in contact with the hot muffler. It completely melted through the fuel line, choking off the engine.

Anyway, to make a long story short, some guy in Phoenix is getting a great motor for a great price, and I'll be upgrading to a 3W 55CS as soon as Cactus Aviation gets them in. They are supposed to have about 20% more horsepower than the DA-50, so it should really make a difference. Not that the DA wasn't a good motor for the plane.

Anyway, even after a near-death experience followed up by a near-stupid reaction, I still love this plane... can't wait to get it in the air again.

By the way... I had mentioned earlier that I was going to try the Vess 23A prop. I used it for a couple of flights, including the last one.. all in all, I think I liked the NX 23x8 better. The 23A did get the plane up faster, and it would probably help it pull out of a hover, but there was a noticable drop in overall speed. I expected to give up some, but it was more than I expected. Stay with a 23x8.

reyn3545

Mark.. quick question...

On a 3W-50 motor, should I bolt the motor directly to the firewall, or use a motor adapter?

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

Just about done with this beast. mounted and rigged the 5245 hitech metal gear digital minis' on the choke and throttle today along with the battery packs for the Rx and the smoke system. Mounted the engine and placed the R921 2.4 rx and installed all my switches. I am trying the Wolverine dual switch in this bird and my Goldberg Monster. They mount easy and look great. They have little lights in them also to remind you they are on just in case you don't remember. Couldn't miss them at night and leave them on. The little bipe parked atop the Python is the 7 gram 2006 Missouri State Science Olympiad winning biplane with a high time of 3:07 in a 20ft. gym. Rubber free flight. My daughters team and I'm the coach.

reyn3545

Looks like everything is coming along great!

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

Thanks, I got some of the safety clips from Aeroworks and they are really nifty. Easy to install and remove, but secure. I will use them on the cabanes for the upper wing servo connections and on the lower wing ext's. Here are some more pics. This is the cowl cut I have decided on. I smeared a thin layer of Clear RTV around the cowl where it over laps the fuse to keep the covering from getting chaffed and as a shock mount for the rear of the cowl. Just smear a thin layer and let it dry. Easy! Also showing the two Rx LiOns and the smoke LiOn. The ign. LiOn is in one of the side cut-outs beside the fuel tank.

reyn3545

We gotta see some more of these planes in the air... I know AW sold more than 3 of them!

Mine's still in dry docks, waiting on Cactus Aviation to ship the 3W 55-CS. I'm out of town for most of the next couple of weeks anyway, so maybe it will be there when I get back.

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

I just mounted my smoke pump to the top side of the landing gear cover and installed blind nuts in the places where wood screws used to hold the cover on. Now I will use 4-40 screws to hold the cover on so I don't loose my smoke pump. Seemed like a good place to put it. I know it should be mounted behind the tank but I will see how this works first. Not a lot of room behind the smoke tank. I am sooooo tired of the snow and cold weather this winter and am ready for it to be over. SOOONNN!!!! Can't wait to do some flying and get my D/A broke in. I have several props to try but will leave the 22X8 on it until I have several gallons through it. Then I have a 22X10 or 23X8 to run. I would like to see a three blade on this thing.

reyn3545

I had my smoke tank mounted inside the motor box for the first few flights, then moved it back to the rudder servo tray area.... made a WORLD of difference. It flew OK with it in the motor box, but it really flew GREAT with those few ounces back a little. It shifted the CG 1/2 inch back from the recommended start location.

golfer2376

My Feedback: (3)

Hello Guys, this beauty caught my attenition in the Model Aviation Magizine. After reading all of your posts I will be jumping on the bandwagon this will be my first Gasser and I cant wait. I figure on buying this plane at the toledo "WEAK SIGNALS SHOW"
hoping for a discount!! (yea I am cheap at times..) Thanks for all your posts it helps to get some good info on the build.
I will post my progress when I get her!!!!!

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

If you need any specific pics that aren't in the posts let me know. I think you will really enjoy this plane. I haven't flown mine yet but am very close. Just need to plumb the gas and smoke tanks and mount them. Oh, and the winter weather has kept me from the field for months. I just installed a Hangar 9 gas filter inline to keep the D/A carb clean. Welcome to gas. You will love it. Here are pics of the ign. batt. in the side cut out beside the fuel tank, the Rx installation and satelite rx install on the floor of the turtle deck, smoke pump install on the gear door cover and one of my Match boxes and the H9 fuel filter. Some of these things may change location when I check the C.G. We'll see when I check it. Also used the Madison Products screw in type fuel buttons and Dons Hobby Shop has the cool little stickers for Smoke and Fuel in case you forget. Also throttle and choke from front and back of firewall.

mowery1

Just ordered mine today...I'm looking forward to the build and this thread....

rc3dflyr

Hey guys,I have been reading your threads on your pythons. I noticed the smoke systems your using add 8+ ounces to your airframe wieght. If you were to remove your heavy pump and battery and install one of my harris pumps you would save 6+ ounces. The Harris pump only wieghs 2.2 ounces and the Comp level pump plugs directly into the RX for power and only uses 25-40 Mah for 6 minutes of smoke.You can also adjust flow rate with ATV and mix it to throttle to minimize fluid wasting. Check out my site harrismodelproducts.com rc3dflyr

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

I have used the Don Harris smoke pumps before and really liked them. I even had a few custom smoke mufflers made by Don for several projects in the past. Very high quality workmanship. One of them was a Davis Acro with a O.S. 300 twin in it. It smoked like a pile of tires on fire!! On my Sullivan I mix the throttle and smoke pump together so at low throttle setting the pump barely runs. Heck, I only run 25% travel on full throttle. Any more and it doesn't burn it all. I have the pre heater in the Slimline as well. Just for C.G. reasons I may have to get the weight of the pump out of the nose area of the plane.