I just got my Lanier Edge 540. I read both reviews in the magazines but I want an oblective view from some of you guys that really built it. Any special quirks when building, flying or setting up this plane? I plan on using a Saito 180 I bought used. I haven't decided on servos yet. Lanier e-mailed me back and said standard servos were what they used but I am a little concerned if they would holdup.

Tim

make sure you reanforece the fire wall with that motor or call lanier and thay will mail a backer plate to beef it up for that motor

Be sure to glue the locating pins in the wings and stab,one on one of my stabs came loose and vibrated into the stab in mid flight,making for an interesting flight,I did get it down safely though,but it was exciting for a moment.

with TNT replacement gear. You also need to look at the landing gear mounting plate. Very weak. The tank is causing a lot of problems at our field, so most don't use it. They are also glueing in the stabs on instead of the sloppy removable system (this may be a first run issue.....)

Great flying bird......

Pug

I also need to know what prop to use with the Saito 180. I am thinking about a 16x8 or 16x10. I asked Lanier and they said no clue. I am going to use some more triangle stock on the firewall. Will that be enough or do I need to do something else? Also is there anyplace to get an instrument panel for this plane?

Thanks,
Tim

for the saito 1.80 use a 16/8 will fly faster with less braking on the prop when slow down i have used a17/8 pulls like hell on 20% fuel be will going to 30heli fuel motor will slow down better on landings with the larger prop and make sure you throttle back on dives or you may over rev the motor

I signed up for a Lanier 540 also - the constant backorder/wait for the H9 version finally stripped my patience.
The firewall mount *does* look like another set of triangle stock braces on the back side would help. I have a few Hitec 615MG servos laying around and plan on using them but with the elevator servos aft-mounted (I'll pay the weight penalty when balancing) with carbon fiber pushrods (Central Hobbies).
I haven't signed up for the Saito 180 yet and will use my trusty old 150GK for a while - any suggestions on prop for the 150? I fly at 6,800 ft. MSL.
Also, I think I read where someone commented on the Lanier fuel tank deal being a bit on the not so good(?). I plan to hog out the opening in the 2nd bulkhead and use a 20oz. Dubro.
All the other comments/suggestions have been helpful - THANKS! Oh, and I did throw out the "decal" stickers and ordered some IAC-styled lettering to at least make it look different.

Mike

MRMIKE:

Do yourself a big favor and wait until last to install your elevator servos. (As the instructions suggest.) That way you can test balance the airplane and find out just how much noseweight you will need before you cut into the back of the fuse.

You can expect to add at least 16 ounces of nose weight and maybe a lot more. Your completed airplane will weigh well over 13 pounds and I suspect, at 6800 ft., you will not be happy with it's performance. Even with a 180.

Jim

Jim wrote ...
Your completed airplane will weigh well over 13 pounds and I suspect, at 6800 ft., you will not be happy with it's performance. Even with a 180.
>>>

Dude, here's a little data point for you: I've been flying a fixed-gear UltraSport 1000 (original plans version) that weighs 11.5# for about 10 years (it's being retired for the E540) - originally started out with a piped 1.08 then 2 years ago with the Saito 150. It won't torque roll but it does 700 ft. loops with ease. The 150 seems pretty happy with an APC 16x8 and some nitro; if I wanna go faster I slap on a 15x10.
Yeah, we give up a little here at altitude: one of them is we are not overrun with modelers
I think the Lanier 540 will be OK for my needs - it's not like I'm gonna send it back or give it away to somebody who lives at Sea Level. VbG

Mike

MRMIKE: I'm not knocking your altitude, your engine, your flying style or anything else. Just trying to say that, since that kit will build up tailheavy to begin with, putting the servos in the tail and then adding the required noseweight will make your airplane as much as a pound heavier than if you put the servos in the front tray.

That extra pound will make a big difference in the way it flys, regardless of engine and regardless of altitude. But maybe you'll like it with the extra weight. What do I know?

Jim

In the instructions it says to put your servos in the tail if you are going to fly 3D. If you put them in the front tray will you still be able to do 3D? Also there is only enough room for three servos so do you make a servo tray for your throttle and put it farther forward?

Tim

I have this plane with the OS 160FX with a 18x8 Zinger prop.The elevator servos are in the tail and the rudder servo is in the tray with a pull-pull setup.I also have the Troy built carbon fiber gear.The plane weighs 10lbs.2ozs.and balances good.I haven`t flown it yet we still have about 3 feet of snow,so in a few months I will.Thanks Jon

WOW! 10 pounds, 2 ounces! Mine has an OS 160 fx, one elevator servo in the front tray and no added weight at all. It balances 1/4 inch behind the recommended point and it weighs 12 pounds. Most of the ones reported here and on RCO are heavier than mine.

Tell us, please; what did you do to take two pounds out of your airplane?

Jim

It`s built right out of the box.Carbon fiber gear and a klett tail wheel are the only things that didn`t come in the kit.I`m pretty sure my scale is right,it weighs within a couple ounces of my buddies scale.I didn`t do anything extra to it to lighten it.I just weighed it again and I got 10lbs 4ozs.I have added a fuel dot and a fuel filling T since I weighed it last.Don`t know what to else to say.Later Jon

Jon,thats pretty impressive!!I have a Brison 2.4 up front,20-8 Pro Zinger,Vortec spinner,Ignition battery,and ignition module,in the front compartment,reciever battery and fuel tank on the CG,and elevator servos in the tail.I still added 12oz of lead to the firewall and it balanced @ almost 1/2"behind the recomended CG.it flies pretty well at that point,but will snap out if you are not careful.It weighs a little over 13# and is built as per the book with the exception of Rocket City hardware,I didn't add anything extra,wish I could get mine under 13#,I just recieved carbon push rods from Central to possibly move the servos forward and get rid of some of the extra added lead.Guess you got a good one.

Mine balanced at the back of the recommended CG.I haven`t flown it yet,so I may try to move it forward some.My throttle servo, battery and switch is all far forward.I hope it flys well.Later Jon

This is how I got mine setup.

What I did to compensate for it being tail heavy was

1. The 1/4 inch on top and bottom where the cowl rest when on the fuselage. I stripped the covering off of that strip and added 1 inch of balsa then recovered it.

2. I used a Great Planes engine mount, which allowed me to move the engine out 3/4 of an inch.

3. Replace the stock tail wheel assembly with a Sullivan assembly and I used a Dave Brown light tail wheel.

4. Used dual carbon fiber pushrods for the elevator halves.

5. Replaced all the hardware with Rocket City 4-40 (My preference, Was not impressed with stock hardware)

6. Replaced the stock Landing gear, it was very flimsy. I also used Dave Brown light wheels. (Saved a couple of ounces)

7: My instruction said to use a 3 1/2 in spinner. That is false. It takes a 3-inch spinner. Also when you are going to mount your engine, my instructions said I think it was measure up 3 1/2 or 3 3/4 (cant remember off the top of my head) That was wrong as well. You only use that measurement if you have the bottom of the engine box installed. Of course per the instructions they have you install the engine mount before you put the 1/4 plywood on the bottom of the engine box.

8. Mounted my battery to the back of the firewall.

All this got my plane to balance at the front of the CG range without adding any weight to it. With 5 JR 8411's, 1 standard server for throttle, and a YS120 the plane ended up at 11.5 pounds finished weight.

Hope this helps.

Michael

I just bought a Lanier Edge 540 (73") from ED (by the way he is a great guy/got a great deal!) and I am concerned after reading the differences of nose weight added/overall weight of different people's models. First of all - How can there be that much difference in different people's weights and balances when most of them are going right by the kits instructions and using most of the parts in the kit? Hey...these are big differences! lbs! not ozs!

I think I will go with an OS 1.6 or Saito 1.8 - anyone have experience with both engines and know the power differences? how about the thirstiness of each engine in a plane like this -flight times? Should I really get a 24 oz tank or use the 14 fl oz tank (I actually measured the tank capacity) that came with it? Are these tanks expressed in fl ozs or actual weight ozs? Driving me nuts...

Anyone have any experience with different servos in this plane? I plan to 3D it. Karbonites ok here? (trying to save any weight possible in the tail!)

Regardless of anything I have read - good or bad..I think I will place everything in the plane where I plan to put it and check out the balance before doing any cutting or hard mounting...

I will post the results on mine as soon as I finish it to help others! So far its going well though...I had to sand/file a bit here and there to make things fit the way I wanted them to fit...but not too much tweaking yet. One thing that was kind of annoying with the rudder is that the bottom of the counterbalance rubs not so nicely on the top of the rudder...have to touch that up soon and remonocote.

Also, someone mentioned the landing gear is flimsy...but mine is 1/4 aluminum and seems very rigid!
-Todd