12X6 is right on the edge for a .46 engine. Try stepping down to a 12X4. It's going to be slower than the 11X6 but it will pull harder.

Heres an odd but interesting prop for you. MAS 12x4, I use it on my Uproar40 with the OS 46AX, it will hover like no tommorow. Definately a prop hanger type prop. If 3D is your thing. my $00.02

you can try a 12 X 3.25, thats what I used for my GP extra. It slowed her down alot and dident stall because there was more pull on slower speeds.

Thanks a lot guys. I guess we'll have to grab a 12x4 next time we're at the hobby shop!

That sounds like the thing to try. I like my .46 in this plane so I will try the 12x4 see how it performs.

Hello fellow Phoenix Extra 300s owners!

...I bought mine with Christmas cash, and like others have noted, the price is hard to beat. Very complete, and with the surfaces already pinned and hinged. LOVE IT!

I thought it went together well. One problem I had was clearance on the .46 AX muffler. I had to order and extension. Nobody else has mentioned if they needed to do that also. Also to balance, I had to put 2 oz on the tail.

I have about 8 flights on it now, and am trying to really dial in the trim. I can't seem to get it to track straight thru loops. It wants to roll out. I laterally balanced, statically, but have ended up taking the weight off because on a straight vertical climb, it drops the left wing and does a hammerhead without any rudder input. I have added some washers behind the left side of the motor mount to create right thrust...has anyone else had to make these type of tweaks?

Has anyone else had any trouble dialing their 300s in?

Cheers!
~Tip

Here are some pix. I pimped her out with some extra white trim...and got creative with the stars.

Hi guys,

I just ordered the Phoenix Extra and am wondering about the setup. What are the throws and center of gravity compared to these from Tower Hobbies? And also, what is the true wieght. 3.52 lbs does not sound correct. I need to buy an engine for this and am wondering if an Evolution .61 is too much?

Center of Gravity: 3.5" (90mm) Back from the wing's leading edge at the fuselage
Control Throws-
Elevator: Up & Down 0.43" (11mm)
Rudder: Right to Left 0.79" (20mm)
Ailerons: Up & Down 0.31" (8mm)

I know it is more than the 3.5 lbs that they have listed on tower.

I am still trying to get mine flying right, but I have mine set up on low rate to the exact manual spec's, and the aileron maxed on high.

...all in all it is a good plane for the money. It does not seem to have enough rudder to do a really great knife edge, and I am trying to work an issue where it rolls out on tight loops. But for 109 it could be alot worse.

good luck!
~Tip

Does it have TIP STALL or Spiral Mode issues?

I ordered this plane almost on impulse because it seemed to be a good deal, looks classic, and is in the same family as the Cap 232/Edge 540 crowd, which I'm a big fan of. While it's been on order, I've done some research and have to admit that I now have concerns about this plane.

I should explain that I fly a lot of heavily loaded models for work (I am an aerospace engineer by trade), but when I want to relax, I like to fly 3D and especially like to hover. I always thought I'd get an Edge 450 or something like that, but when this plane rolled along, it was difficult for me to pass up. I plan to run my Tower .46 with tuned pipe that really made my last fun fly scream. I realize it may not hover, but it's the only engine I have right now (and it's actually borrowed).

My main concern is the way the Extra 300S flies in simulation in RealFlight G3. I realize that's a 0.91 powered model, but it seems to me that it has a very nasty spiral mode. I have to be gentle with the elevator, or risk a wing tip stalling and losing a lot of altitude before it can be recovered. I have not seen this tendency noted on any of the forums I'm a member of, except above where you talk about it "rolling out" of a loop.

tramsay: "I can't seem to get it to track straight thru loops. It wants to roll out."

Anyone have input?

Also, FWIW, I was able to reduce the tip stall problems in simulation by adding about 5 deg of incidence to the inboard sections of the wing (linearly tapering to 0 deg at tip) and adding some 90 deg winglets for lateral area.

I actually no longer have this plane. I sold it at an auction a while back. I can tell you that this is only good for fun fly. It is not precise, nor 3D capable. Sorry for the bad news. It is a good looking plane for the price though, so if you just want somthing to "Fly" you should have fun with it.

~tip

I realize tramsay that you say it is not 3D capable, but I was wondering if you could take the existing rudder and elevator and make it into a 3D machine. Did you have the throws maxed out when trying 3Ding?? I have been flying my AirCore Colt 40 and with my new Tower .75 I can actually hover it at about 100 feet for 15-20 seconds then I stall it because I don't have enough throws in the rudder and elevator. I figure that when I get my Extra I will just play with it for a little and see how far I can push it into 3Ding as far as hovering is concerned. I practice a lot on G3 using a Nextar and seeing how close to hovering I can get. I want to know....Is it POSSIBLE??

Well sure you might be able to hover it for a few seconds, but that is not 3D'ing. At least not what I consider 3D'ing... and that is why I sold mine. I did have throws MAXED out so much so that i would flex the control rods. I had to repalce the ones supplied with new dowls.

...on modifying the control surfaces, i asked the exact same question, and was strongly steered away from it. The planes are built really heavy, and so makes it difficult to be a good 3D bird, whether you have 3D surfaces and rates or not.

Fly it, have fun with it, and if you do decide to modify the surfaces, let us know how it goes. Good luck!
~Tip

Here are some pics of my new Phoenix Extra. I replaced all the hardware with Dubro control horns and a pull-pull rudder. I am running a Tower .75 with a Bisson Pitts muffler and an aluminum Vortex 2 1/4" spinner. I am also running Futaba High-torque 3010 standards with an older Tower Systems 3000 on the throttle. I replaced the tailwheel mount with a Sullivan tailwheel assembly, and I added a GP EZ Filler and their switch/mounting jack for easier access. Can't wait to maiden it tomorrow!