Dirtnapper

Well, I finally finished my CG Sukhoi with an MVVS 160 gasser. I went with their tuned pipe because everyone with one said it really livens it up and it does. I also have the MVVS 3270 muffler and had to put it on when my tuned pipe hanger failed and it made a noticeable difference. They say 900 rpms more with the pipe swinging a 18x8 prop. I maidened it this week and am very pleased with the way it looks and flys. My only dissappointment is that on my bathroom scale it came in at 13.5 pounds. CG claims a weight of 9-10 pounds so I was hoping to come in around 12 with the gasser. Didn't happen. I used the pull-pull system because mine was tail heavy at the 5 inch CG. I robbed the CF tailwheel off my H9 27% Extra to save tail weight. I did make a servo mount toward the back of the canopy so it wouldn't be in the way. I also bolted the stab on but it really moves around. I am going to glue it.... it worries me. I got two small pieces of solid aluminum stock and glued them in the spar before I drilled and tapped it. I'm breaking the motor in and plan on flying it a lot the next two days. My cowl came uncracked but I beefed it up in the areas where others cracked. I haven't flown it with the cowl yet as I want to make sure the motor is running right. I also need to make cooling baffles before I do. Other than buying $50 CF landing gear, I don't know where I can save much weight. Can't wait to fly it more!!!! It's really a handsome plane.

callen

Nice going Dirtnapper. I just finished reinstalling my speed controller today. Hope to maiden this week but a cold front is due in Wed. My electric version is 13 lb 14oz. but she has a healthly power pack and motor in her. This is the first time I have used a PCM receiver. It has exceptional qualities over the FM. plus i like the fail safe part of it. I get a lot more flitches on the FM and just lost a beautiful Flitron 330 using a 127 DF Futaba. Had a loss of control all the way to the ground. However flew it all summer and loved the plane. Well we'll try and keep um in the air up her in Parrish and maybe I'll see you one day at SRQ.

Dirtnapper

callen, I went with a Fut PCM on mine as well. Even with power, I was concerned about wingloading affecting flight characteristics at too heavy a weight. FYI, Someone at SRQ had this Sukhoi and warned me about too much elevator travel inducing snaps. Good luck with yours. Let me know how the maiden goes. You don't have to worry about some wind. It's really stable. I'm off to the field.

callen

Well, just as I thought everything was ready. OPPS I have a Futaba 7CAP radio. Well I programmed the dual elevator servos on 2 and 5. Everything was just swell until I found out by chance that you can mix chanel 2 to follow 5 and subtrim etc. but IT WILL NOT TRIM IN FLIGHT EXCEPT ON THE CHANEL 2 ELEVATOR. Futaba confrims this. So the madien has now been lengthly delayed. Now how do I solve this problem? Well I can buy a Futaba y harness with reverser just operating off of chanel 2 for $36/00 OR I can buy a Futaba 9c PCM radio which has trim with an elevator mix. So with a $40.00 discount and an $30.00 gift certificat, no tax and no shipping. DUH I just hit the order button. Comes with a 9 chanel PCM receiver which is worth 159 buckos. Merry Christmas to ME! About another 3 week delay as I'm out of towm for Xmas. Go to Cummings GA and check on Cliff at ATL Hobby. My daughter lives there. More later. MERRY CHRISTMAS oh I mean HAPPY HOLIDAYS.........

Dirtnapper

callen
I've got the 9CAP and have been very happy with it. I've even dropped it hard twice with no apparent problems. I did buy the Harry Higley book to aid in the programming....well worth it. The stock manual assumes too much of me. I flew Monday in pretty strong winds with an 80 degree crosswind component and it flew great. It does seem to fishtail in the air flying crosswind. Holiday cheers! Walt

callen

Great. Glad your out flying. How much throw do you have on the elevator in high and is it snappy or what. Great suggestion you had about the Harry Hingley book for programing the 9cap. I didn't even know they made one. The Futaba manuals are all the same. They are written initally in Japaneese and when they translate it. it loses a lot. Back when I was a boater in the Keys all the Loran and GPS manauls were like that. They've cleaned them up quite a bit now. Like a lot of toys you buy that need assembly that are made overseas, and after the English translation....DUH Well anyhow thanks to you, Merry Christmas to me again. Flying Sat. and next weeks and then out for the rest of the year. More later.

mile hi flyer

This is for you guys running a Saito 180. Are you using the stock fuel tank? If so, what kind of flight times are you getting?

jbflier

The Saito 180 uses aprox. 2oz/minute...........20oz tank=10 min flight or 6 flights per gal....

mile hi flyer

Thanks jbflier. I wasn't sure how big the tank was.

Troy

callen

Well she's finally finished. Range check tomorrow and then wait for some calm winds to test hop her. If she flies as beautiful as she looks, then I'm in for a treat. Took me a little while to read up on the Futaba 9c super I got from Santa.

callen

Well I finally got her in the air today. Sweet. Only kept her up 6 minutes, but after charging batteries I had only used less than half, so she should be good for 13 minutes. Took it easy as I discovered a engine problem which requires sending it back. Not developing full power because of winding problem in the big outrunner. Easy swap out. However she goes straight up at 3/4 power. Lands a lot slower than I had planned for. Can't wait to get her twiked out. What a nice airplane. It took absolutely no trim inputs right out of the chute. First plane ever that has taken no trim on madien. She's really quick on high rates as I have at least 45 degress on all surfaces with high speed high torque servos. More later.....This airplane weighs 13 lb 4oz.

easton24

My Feedback: (1)

Hey dirtnapper how did she fly with the 1.6 gasser? I have a saito 150 on mine and was contemplating switching it to a small gas motor.

Dirtnapper

easton,
I like the way it flys. The power with the MVVS tuned pipe is better than scale and I'm only just beginning my second gallon of gas.... it doesn't burn gas, it makes it. I have a 14 oz tank in it and flew for 25 min. before I ran out using various throttle settings. The vertical is not unlimited but quite good. I haven't done any 3D but that was not my intention for this plane. In a lighter plane( my Sukhoi came out at 13.5 lbs. ). 3D would be possible. I saw a video clip of an Ultra RC Giles with the MVVS 160 hovering and pulling out strongly.

callen

Well I've got 3 flight on her but I still have a top end problem with the motor. Castle is shipping me out a new speed controller, which I think is the problem.. Even flying her at 3/4 power she goes straight up. Really a nice airplane. CG is at 5 inches but think I will be moving her back a bit.

Dirtnapper

callen,
Glad to hear you're flying yours and sorry to hear about your engine problems. I just put together a little Eflite Yak with a Park 400 Outrunner and have been having fun with it. I have to admit that I much as I like the smell and noise of burning petroleum products, it's nice to be able to fly almost anywhere and not have to clean up after the flight. My Sukhoi is down. I knocked the gear off it when the motor quit and the wind was blowing away from the runway and I couldn't milk it back to the browe so I could see the plane to flair at the appropriate time. It's definetly fixable. That's why the call me Dirtnapper !!!

callen

Dirtnapper, sorry to hear about your mishap but glad its fixable. Plan to bring mine down to SRQ with Barry Wright when I get the motor issue solved. Have a Fliton 330 Extra just about ready to go. Love that plane. Weights about 7 lbs. Crashed my last one due to radio failure, but at least flew it for 6 months. More later.

hcuellart

My Feedback: (41)

Callen, I know you are running the 5330, what pack are you using with this motor? I just ordered mine 2 days ago and will electrify it using an Actro. I should be able to pull little over 2000W from my setup. I am interested in the propeller and battery you have on yours so as to have a point of comparison. I am excited with this project as my first big project I already own a Fliton Quiet Storm, an Air Blaster (Hobby Lobby) and a Lark which I purchased from Esprit Models in Florida and this last plane is just the best tracking/flying plane I have ever owned I highly recommend it and they have it on sale right now.
I am hoping that is Sukhoi will be as the Lark and I am pretty sure it will be.
Any additional info will be greatly appreciated.
Homero

DPRC

I dinged the stab on my Sukhoi. Does anyone have a stab-elevator combo left over from their "really dinged" sukhoi laying in the corner? Thanks.

Harvey Kreit

Mine has a YS160DZ with an 18x6 prop. I added Goldberg Ultimate pants to the wheels and it really dresses it up sharp. Great plane and does all I ask it to do except rudder loops. Not quite enough power. If I built another one, I think I'll go gas

Dirtnapper

Harvey,
I have an MVVS 160 gasser in mine and the power is good with their tuned pipe but nowhere near a YS 160. The finished plane weighed in at 13.5 lbs., so I don't think a larger gas would be viable... the wing loading would be too high with only 950 sq. in. I'm surprised your YS doesn't swing a bigger prop. Have you experimented with others ?

I'm also looking for spares : right elevator ( it fell off in flight but I probably slammed it into to something carrying it around ), left wing, cowl and what have you.

Repairing my plane after a dead stick landing accident, I noticed some parts were just hot glued. They tell you to go over the plane with epoxy and now I see why. A little epoxy would strengthen it considerably, especially around the gear area.

callen

HCUELLART This is a wonderful plane and is my biggest to date. I have some issues with my speed controller, Castle HV 85 but will have it resolved soon I hope. I am running a Axi 5330/ 18 with 20x11 prop and Tanic 10s2p 6500mah 15 20C. Good set up but the Motor washes out after 60 amps and makes a weird sound. I have flow it twice and just use 3/4 power and it really goes but will not fly it anymore until I resolve the issue. It pulls 2000 watts at 60 amps but it should run on up to 70 with this prop. Time will tell. I put all my servos in the tail and glad I did as she came out a little nose heavy with the big batteries. Used HiTec HS5625MG on all surfaces except rudder and use HS5645MG on rudder. Shes a sweet flyer and you will be nervous on your first take off but its a piece of cake. I put the CG as reccommended and used no trim on the first flight. I used Dubro plastic hinges and would reccommend the sullivan tail wheel assembly even though I didn't use it. Good Luck. Let me know how she works out.

callen

I go over everything with thin CA and epoxy in some areas. I also glass the engine box with thing fiberglass cloth and thinned epoxy.

hcuellart

My Feedback: (41)

Thanks for the info callen, as soon as I receive this beauty and hopefully not having to deal with broken parts, I will start it. I'll let you know how it goes. My system should give me around 1900-2000W, how did you feel your bird with this power or do you think it will be underpowered???
Homero

callen

HCuellanrt. I made two flight with my present set up pulling around 2000 watts at 3/4 power and it is more than enough. Got a nice email from Dan Landis ( the Futaba and CC team pilot) and I think he has solved my problem. He has had the same experience as me and says my prop is just too much for the motor so I'm backing off to an 18x12 from the 20x11. Makes sense as I always think the worst. But it just seemed to me that the amps would just go on up with this prop if too big. Guess it just overpowered the engine. He has over 800 flights on this engine. The Axi 5330/18 comes in a stock and an F3A which seems to be two different breeds. More later.

callen

The problem with my motor has been solved and the Sukhoi is ready to go. Next good day.