RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Yep, that's it. I've had good luck with them on my 33% planes and the price is about the same as a standard switch.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Here is another idea for the airleron servos. I have have this set up in my 40% Pitts and it is beautiful with no exposed wires. Install the top wing servos and instead of running the leads to the inside of the wing, cut a hole where the interplane strut is and run the lead down the inside of the strut, install a standard y connector in the bottom wing. Plug both servos into the Y and have the one lead coming out of the bottom wing center. From there you can use a Y splitter and use one channel for airlerons or mix them in on two channels. Very clean, with no exposed wires. People will wonder how you did it.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Sounds like a neat solution and I like the idea of being hidden, but how long are your servo extensions? I am always afraid of going with to long extensions.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Looks like extension length might not be too much longer than the standard setup, maybe only 30-36" total for each servo. Should be fine for most servos.

Engine Choices (and a question)
 

:eek: I'm contemplating the purchase of one of these (have flown the Pitts, and really liked-it, but I think the Eagle is MUCH better looking aesthetically!) My question is regarding engine choice. I currently have an OLD G-38 that came from an even older Byron CAP21 (also flew great). The engine has only an hour or so of run-time, and is NOT converted to electronic ignition. I'm wondering if this will be 'enough' engine for the Eagle (don't care about hovering, really, just want decent performance). I know the Zenoah's don't make lots of horsepower for their weight (especially in stock configuration), but if the Eagle will fly relatively well with it, it's probably the 'GO' signal for me to pick up the kit. If I have to also purchase a new engine, it'll probably have to wait awhile! THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY OF YOUR EXPERT OPINIONS!!!!

RE: Engine Choices (and a question)
 

BUMMER !!! [:o]

Just talked to Desert Aircraft, and my DA 50 won't ship until two weeks from now, since they are doing a upgrade (some sort of upgradd bearings and other stuff) to improve the engine even more, and the next production run is not ready until two weeks from now. Darn. He said he had one laying around, but would prefer to send out nothing but the new ones. Well, if they have a upgrade I want of course a new one too. ;)
I guess that leaves nothing but to wait and meanwhile build on the eagle what I can and doesn't require the engine. Well, at the end I know it will be worth it. Another positive thing will also be that within this time others will have already theirs flying and can give us some tips and hints what to modify or do different. [8D]

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Hey Texas,
As far as the servo extensions, The top wing servos would only require a 6" extension because all you are trying to do is get the connector to the bottom of the strut. From there the lower servos plug into the y connector back to the wing opening. Probably not more than 20" total give or take

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Skyhawk_1603

While a G-38 will not provide 3d peformance, although it should fly the plane well. The GP Eagle is very similar in size to the older Byron Christen Eagle (maybe a little lighter). Many of those were flown with G-38's, I flew two with G-38's and one with a Quadra 50X. I have not got very far on mine yet, but I can tell you that it appears to be a very nice kit.

Regards,

3D flight

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Is anyone flying it yet? I want to 3D with this plane and the elevator looks large enough. Realize that it won't be an optimum 3D machine but, I'd still like to have fun with it. Will it knife edge spin and waterfall? And how well does it hold in knife edge flight?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

I'd like to find that out too, which is why I'm going to try 3D rates on the elevators and see what it can do. I'm sure it'll torque roll if you have enough power, and it should knife edge just fine too. I'm not expecting it to be an Extra though.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Another qustion, d'ya think a G62 on ignition is too much for this plane?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

No, but you will void your warranty. The plane is built very well.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Hey Ryan, have you flown your Eagle II yet?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

No, I haven't bought the radio gear yet. The weather here has been pretty bad for flying lately, so I'm not in a huge rush to get the gear just yet. I have heard from someone who flew his Eagle with an FPE 3.2 and he was very happy with how it flew. I do have my engine mounted and just need to do the wheel pants, cowl, and hinge the tail surfaces before the radio gear needs to be installed. The plane builds very well and I am very happy with the quality.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Nearly had a mishap today on my Pitts on a topic I have been warned about. Darn, I almost had to learn the hard way. Two out of three of the CA hinges on the rudder sheared off with a clean break like someone took an exacto knife to them. I have never had this happen before any any of my planes. In fact, several guys with 20 and 30 plus years experience said the same thing. They had never had a CA hinge fail. I had read post about this, but felt guys had just installed them incorrectly. These things just cut without me doing anything wild and crazy. Fortunately I was able to get the airplane down without any problem, but this could have been very bad. I am going to replace all the movable surface hinges once I figure out exactly which ones to use. I was warned about this, but didn't listen and took the path of least resistance and nearly lost the airplane. Arrgh! very lucky!

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Ouch - scary! I always thought CA hinges were pretty good until the hinges on the rudder of my DP Extra snapped in half. I don't use them any more. On my Eagle, I used the Robart Medium Hinge Points, and they should work very well. I am also using them on my Midwest Extra and Kangke Fun 50 and they are holding up great. I also used them on my H9 Extra and they are still holding up with the plane's new owner. I glued them in with medium CA, and used a small dab of caranuba wax on the joint.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

I used a new flexible thin CA from BSI on my Christen's CA hinges. It holds just as strong and dosent have the cracking sound as you move the surface. Just have to see how they hold up. BSI says it was designed just for the CA hinges. Someday my prop and spinner will get here and we'll see how this thing flies.

Eric

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Why don't you use the Robart Giant hinges with metal pins?. They are easy to install and work very well. They don't fail either..not that I have ever seen any way. Regards BobH.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

I picked up my radio gear at the AZ jet rally. I would like to hear your opinions. And my DA 50 came back on Friday so I'm highly motivated to get this finished.

Ailerons Hitec 4 x 605's
Elevators 2 x 625mg's
Rudder 1 8411 had an extra laying around
Futaba 149 DP rx

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

OK, finally can tell everybody that the correct standoff size needed for the DA 50 and the Eagle is 2 3/4". The supplied standoffs with my DA where only 2.5" long so they didn't work.
Oh boy, and what a bi.... it is to get the screws behind that box. Due to the thickness of the firewall, you will need at least 1" long 1/4"-20 bolts. I drilled the needed mounting holes in the box out with a 1/4" drill bit and then drilled through the firewall in the fuse also and expanded that hole (not the one in the box but in the actual fuse) with a dremel saw drill (you know one of those that look like a drill bit) wide enough so the head of the screw would fit through it. I then inserted the screw from inside the fuse all the way to the front through a washer which I inserted through the openings in the box holding with needle nose pliers . That was the only way I could figure out on how to get the screw from the inside through the box without having to butcher open the whole box. Just had to cut the openings (slids in the box) a little bigger, since I used a large diameter washer to spread the load. Came out pretty clean. Did I make sense here, or was it to confusing ?
The DA fits nicely under the cowl, and I think only a minor opening will have to be cut for the spark plug cap.
The supplied 4" spinner looks neat, but does not hold those larger props like the Biela (wil be using that one) or Meijzlik. Will have to buy me a nice Tru Turn Ultimate spinner. Anybody wants to buy the supplied 4" spinner from me drop me a PM.
Anybody flying theres yet ?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Hoss:

What was wrong with your DA50?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Is the BSI you are referring to Bob Smith Industries? If so, is there any special name for the new flexible CA?

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

My DA was on a Lanier cap that met it's match with the ground. So I drove down to Tuscon and delivered my 50 and a friends 100 that met the same demise. When I was their they informed me that they were changing the cranks in the 50's to accomadate a harder bearing race (sp?). They asked if I wanted to wait until the new cranks came into check it over and they would put a new crank in at no charge. Of course I decided to wait as I didn't need the engine. This is the reason way there has been a delay in people getting their engines delivered. They said there was nothing wrong with the crank that is in the previous 50's but they figured stronger is always better.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Ulf

I started to mount the 50 last night and was thinking about doing the same thing you did. I made the holes bigger on the bottom but still could not get the bolts into the hole, and was figureing that I would have to go from the inside like you mentioned. I guess I will be doing that tonight.

RE: GP CHRISTEN EAGLE
 

Hoss:

Makes sense. A harder race bearing would be a upgrade, although the ones out previous would not suffer. Someone had said a little while ago that there was a minor upgrade, guess that was it. Sorry to hear of your plane meeting it's maker. Happened to me this past season too. Had to put a new bearing in a BME.