VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

I should get my VectorFlight Sukhoi 31 this week after a 2.5 week backlog wait on the order...they must be doing something right to have such a number of orders build up. I hope its as good an ARF as some here at rcuniverse.com have suggested. I'm putting a new Thunder Tiger F-91S 4-stroke in it. Any suggestions from people that have this ARF as far as assembly,flight setup, or any general tips with this plane are welcome.
Thanks-

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Where do you fly?
I am getting one also and would like to maybe meet up.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

I'm in Fayette, 30 miles south of Atlanta, and I fly near Griffin.
And you?

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

I am a Griffin and Conley Member.
I usually fly in Griffin in the winter and Conley in the summer.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Well, once you guys get these planes and get to flying them, post on here what you think about them. I'm on the verge of buying one of them (had it in my "shopping cart" at least 5 times this week already) and would like to know other peoples impressions. I've only heard (make that read) good things about the vector flight line, but nothing specifically on the sukhoi.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Hopefully mine will be here tomorrow or Friday so I can work on it this weekend. VectorFlight e-mailed me back Monday saying it would go out this week. if not i'll go fly the Shrike I just finished the other day....

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

In process of building one now. Damn nice covering and seems to be build like a swiss watch. Attention to detail is outstanding.

Only negative is the instructions really leave a lot to be desired. They are not very detailed so make sure this isn't your first plane building exp or you will get too blasted frustrated. The assumption is that this is being built by experienced builders and you should automatically know how to install a fuel tank and where it goes and how to secure it..because there is not one word in the instructions about it. And that is my only complaint.

The product itself arrived with a cracked cowl that probably happened in shipping but a single email to VF and they called me back on the phone. After we determined where it was cracked they told me the best way to repair it as a temperary measure and promised to send a new one out immediately. They also promised to send some touch up paint so I could paint the repaired one so I would have a spare. You just cant beat Customer Service like that.

They also make a couple of other suggestions like reinforcing the tail feathers with angle stock and placing washers under the rear of the landing gear to move the wheels a little forward. Said they had heard it was easy to nose dive in tall grass.

Very pleased so far.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Received another call from Customer Service tonight informing me that my cowl shipped out today. (sheesh..less than 24 hours after the original communication a replacement part ships? Fantastic :))

One of the questions I asked was about the supplied CA hinges and why didn't they use a different type. The rep took a lot of time explaining their reasoning for going with that type of hinge because of the way they engineer the control surfaces. The ailerons are cut to be hinged at the top..not in the middle. They are engineered with a built-in upper/lower differential to improve the roll characteristics and the CA hinges being very thin works great.

The more I work with this manufacturer and their product..the more I am impressed with them.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

I ordered mine on 7/16/03 and they said on their web page that there was a 2 week delay on orders. Its got to come early next week! I'm ready now....When was your order placed?
Glad to here that the quality is excellent..I've built a couple of planes, so I guess that tank placement and reciever and battery placement won't be that tough to figure out for me although I do know that tank placement can affect how well your engine runs. I do see your point though that for someone who hasn't done it before you would kinda be in the dark. The tank can be critical especially if the engine is mounted inverted. Doesn't this arf call for a 45 degree engine mount?

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Hi
I am also building the VF Sukhoi. I am installing an ASP .91 engine with a half-wave tuned pipe(similar to a mousse can muffler). The trick is to rotate the engine so that the exhaust header is lined up between the landing gear legs. I had to buy a "long" MAC extension header to clear the bottom of the belly pan. I also used a different engine mount than what was included in the kit. I have included several pictures of the installation.

vector flight
 

I am glad they gave you good service, I ordered a edge and they shipped it UPS and it arrived with the fuse smashed from the front to the back, It was clear UPS dropped something heavy on it. Well they said they would replace it and would ship the new fuse out monday. Well it has been over 3 weeks and still no fuse. I e-mailed them 4 day ago and got no response. If I don't hear from them I will call them and ask what gives. I can understand them being busy, but when you promise to ship the fuse right away and don't it makes me wonder what they are trying to pull. IF it was going to take 4 or 5 weeks to replace it they should have said so instead I sitting here wondering if they are really ever going to do what they said. I hope so. They also said they was going make a claim with UPS and that UPS was going to contact me as of yet UPS has not contacted me and that also makes me wonder it something isn't right. I hope so.

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Sorry to hear about your exp Waco. As I said, I only emailed them once and to date have recieved 2 phone calls and 2 emails from them making sure everything was to my satisfaction. I wonder if your email is getting lost somehow?

As far as engines, I am installing a Saito 91S and used the supplied mount. Installing it in the second set of predrilled holes in position that places the muffler straight down so I wont need to modify it.

I noticed the coloring on the belly pan and servo cutouts on the above picture is red..mine are both white. Wonder what's up with that?

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Hey wazted,
Regarding your color qustion, ask VF. Email them. They respond within hours.
[email protected]

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Man, I finally got my Sukhoi-31 after 32 days. Its a good looking ARF. The covering is something I'm just not used to. Not sure what it is although it seems to be pretty tough. I'm not looking forward to trimming the belly pan for sure! Plenty of room inside. I assume that the tank goes just behind the firewall. There seems to be a good fit of the tank in that area. It just needs some foam to brace it into place. I'm putting a TT .91FS in it. I guess I'll have to cut the cowl to allow the head of the engine to stick out of the cowl. Not that I want the head poking out, its just that the head is too long to fit within the cowl completely.

Hey Frag
 

How's that sukhoi coming out? I was just over at the vector website and it looks pretty tempting. I also have a spare TT .91 looking for a home. What prop are you planing on?

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Sigfan

The Sukhoi is coming along pretty good. Overall, the plane looks awesome. The trimming part is what is getting to me because I'm just not able to trim the belly pan or cowl to look as good as the rest of the plane. Other than that small problem its going well. I also learned not to try to trim the belly pan after a couple of big Asahi! And learned that ca will bond pieces back onto the belly pan. I'd recommend this plane so far, but it took 4 weeks to get it!! They must be pretty busy up there in Canada....

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Hey Waco, I'm trying to figure out how the fuse got crushed. I've got two planes from Vector, and they were both packed so well, it would have taken a car engine to crush the box. And to get to the fuse, just about everything else in the box would have to be destroyed too. I have noticed at work, that UPS has been a lot more sloppy with their handling of packages lately. Maybe they're getting ready to ask for a raise! Ha! If I were you, I'd be more pis_ed at UPS than Vector Flight. :D

Belly pan
 

Just want to get a quick survey of opinions on how to attach the belly pan to the underside of the Sukhoi. I suppose you could epoxy it to the wing and cut hole to access the wing bolts. Or, you could use 4 or 6 servo screws to attach it to hard points of the fuse and/or wing. I'm leaning towards using screws although you'd have to remove these each time you wanted to get to take off the wing for transport. Any other ideas for a clean install?

Pete

VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Frag,

Take a look over at the other thread a few down from this one, I think it's called Vector Flight Any Good? The two Davids in there talk about using blind nuts. I do not have a kit yet, but am planning on the edge. Sounds like the belly pan area is similar on all of their models. Basically, he mounted the pan with the screws. Took it off and located the holes. Reinforced with scrap on the inside and installed blind nuts. He even showed the part from tower that he used. I already found some at my local hardware store, so I won't have to order any. From what I see, I like this method because it will really reduce the wear and tear associated with installing and removing the pan for setup and tear-down. I hope this will work for you on the Sukhoi. Take a look.

John

Thanks!
 

Thanks John - I read that thread and it makes good sense. I'll use blind nuts. I was going to just use servo screws and reinforce the balsa with ca but I think the blind nuts will be more durable for sure. All I have left to do now is get that on there and the rudder and tailwheel and the throttle linkage and cowling trimmed and cowl decals...well it may be another week after all!

Pete

540 damage
 

here is the damage done to the edge by UPS, The only thing in the box to keep it from crushing the fuse was a 1/2 in piece of foam board which got crushed too. Vector flight has contacted me and said they would ship me a set of wings and fuse and tail feathers since they changed the color scheme on the edge since I had gotten mine. I will be waiting for it hopefully it will show up in the next week.

540 edge damage
 

here is another picture that shows it better. I order two planes from them at the time, one came priority mail with no problem and this one came UPS with damage. why they decided to ship this one UPS I don't Know. Vectorflight seem to be good at responding to e-mails but slow on shipping must be overloaded with orders. IF they come through with what they promised I will be pleased even though It has been almost 3 months since I order this plane. replace the plane at no cost to me. Not bad if they come through.

RE: VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Well I've got it all together and fired up the TT .91 yesterday to break-in the engine. This plane seems nose heavy because with hardly any throttle it wanted to nose over. I read somewhere that VF recommends putting shims on the rear edge of the landing gear to tilt the wheels more forward. Other than that, I guess I can try to get the battery further back or add some lead to the tail. Suggestions?

RE: VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

If you are taking off asphalt or concrete or hardpack, you don't need to shim the landing gear! If it's noseheavy add weight as required.

Did you externally brace the horizontal stab? If not, do so, and that will add some tail weight. It will also save the airplane! (Stabs fail easily)

Good luck

RE: VectorFlight Sukhoi ARF tips wanted
 

Has anyone flown this plane? How does it fly? The last Sukhoi I had was a real handful and if you did not watch yourself it would snap right now if the flying speed drop to low.