RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

You have your engine mounted a little low. The horizontal mark on the firewall should be where your engine center lines up. It looks like you are about 6mm low from that. The engine center is lined up with the bottom of the engine mounting lugs, and that is where you want the alignment with the firewall to be. I'm sure your engine install will have no flight effect, just cosmetic.

Buka

well i actually installed the stock mount in its origianl holes and fit the cowl ... and the center of that mount came out a bit low as well ...
maybe its just a mistake they made at the factory ... since i aligned my motor with the center provided by the stock mount .. and the clearence from the fire wall is by the book ...

well at least i didnt mess up it was the master builders

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

When I re-fit mine for the inverted Saito .65 I centered and redrilled new holes for the mount. I punched out the blind nuts and reused them. I ended up with about 9/16" - 3/4" space between the cowl and spinner backplate, but it looks good, and I doubt it will fly different. I have yet to balance and fly it, due to COLD weather, but I will post my results when I do.

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

So, the firewall holes are not correct for the engine mount? Sorry to hear that. At least I am forewarned, and I will check my kit for that when I receive it. It won't be the first time I have had to redrill a firewall!

Buka

well it depends on the engine u are using ...
if its something small then it will fit the stick mount ...

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Yeah, the stock mount is perfect for a 45degree mounting .46 2stroke. However, a mod is needed for mounting a 4 stroke inverted on a different style mount.

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Finally got to balance my plane today. Took 3oz. on the tail to balance. I figure that is partly due the larger motor, but also partly because it is shoved forward a good half inch further than spec.

Buka

i made my motor mount by the book and mounted the sevos in the tail ... so now i can adjust the cg with the battery pack recomend doing so to every one who is going wit a larger than suggested motor ... standard servos fit bicely in the tail with minor reinfocements

swmarkham

Got my kit in tonight.I'll take it slow being my first build.Great to have this sight for info.

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Buka, I would like to move one or both my tail servos to the rear, but am not very good with those type mods. Any chance you could post some pics?

swmarkham, It's a really easy kit to put together. Feel free to ask even the smallest questions. I am sure all present want you to end up with a plane that will not only last a long time, but one you will enjoy as much as we do.

hezik

Is there any side thrust built in there yet? You might be able to get the engine on the correct place, using washers. In my Oxalys the engine is mounted off-centre as wel, if you were to look at the backside. But because of the sidethrust the axle leaves the cowl in the middle.

Buka

hey primodus

well u can see in the photos there is a ply peice i put it in the elevator servo nest. this is dont to reinforce the area . i dont like the idea of mounting servos to balsa wood. the rudder servo is mounted a little closer to the elevator surface and closer to the front of the airplane . u basicly need to make the neccessary mesurements to make sure the servos fit in side the fuse with out touching each other. what i did was cut 2 cardboard tepmlates the size of the servo mounting dimensions and just played with them on the one side of the fuse to see where about the holes should be. i then cut one of the holes open and went on to the other sipe of the fuse. u can use the stock pushrod opening s as a guide to where the other servo should be. the fit is pretty close but there enough space to fit both servos. be aware that putting a servo to far back may cause it not to fit as the nest will not be deep enough to accomindate it . also installing it too far forward will lead to to the frame inside the fuse ... the mounting lugs should be just before that frame so that u can install reinforcments for the servo screws.

good luck

if u have any further questions please ask

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Thanks for the pics Buka. I am going to study on this one for a bit, but it looks promising.

I have a friend considering the Decathlon. He has a Saito .56 on hand. Any thoughts one this combo?

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

I received my kit today, and it looks good. Huge amount of prefabrication, engine mount is installed (angled), windows are installed. I'm going to have to struggle to find things to do on this one (I will, of course), such as wheel pant attachment and a real axle. I will be picking up my Mag 52 4 stroke soon to see how it fits in there.

The manual is amazing: has pictures AND words! Lots of them! [sm=thumbup.gif]

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

I like pikchurs. [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

Can't wait to hear your first flight report with the 52. Should give a good barometer of how the 56 will pull.

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Got a couple of flights in today. The .65 pulls with authority. I have it swinging a 12x8 wooden prop. Not the best choice, but it's all I have on hand at the moment. Would prefer a 13x6 APC. Running a 15/20 custom blend. May up to 25% or 30% for a little more power. It was cold and a bit breezy out, but the Decathlon was smooth and stable. Control was very responsive. I noticed a snap tendancy at full elevator. I will adjust my throws accordingly and may add some expo to calm it down some. Rudder usage is a must as well. When turning, it definately helps to use it to kick the tail around and makes for a smoother looking turn. This really is one great looking plane and it's a blast to fly.

IronCross

I have two of the Pheonix SD's.. I put a Saito .56 in the first one and had a blast with it... I wanted a little more power though so I put a Saito .72 in the second one... Perfect match for me.. The Satio is swinging a 14X4 APC prop on 15 percent PowerMaster fuel.. Lots of pull...
Both engines are mounted in the supplied mounts in the as comes location... I mounted the engines as close to the firewall as possible and then fit the cowls... No problems there.. I did end up nose heavy though so I cut the covering on the bottom and mounted the battery pack about midway back in the fusalage and replaced the covering...
I also added some differential to the ailerons so I did not have to use the rudder in truns... Makes beautiful turns now...
Take offs get a little squirrly at times and can get ugly but the .72 has the power to pull me out of a lot of them... Once in the air I love the way this plane flys... I don't understand the "pig in the air" comments at all... I have the elevater etc set at recommended throws and have not had it snap on me yet... Just a pleasure to fly....
On landings I find that I have to keep 3 or 4 clicks on the throttle and let her settle in cutting the throttle about the time the wheels touck.. If I chop it while the plane is higher it will bounce every time...
IMHO these are well worth the money...

Fastsky

"I don't understand the "pig in the air" comments at all..." < I agree! Its a goes where you point it type of plane, nothing wrong with that. Its sensitive but once you get used to the small inputs, its an easy predictable flyer!

IronCross

And a couple more

DukeZillo

hereĀ“s a video of my phoenix models decathlon, she got an os surpass 70 with a master airscrew 12x8 prop, ohio tailwheel And Don Ramon has a pilot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5fnxmGa0cU

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Awesome vid! You really put her thru the paces. A fantastic demonstration of the Decathlon's capabilities.

More More More!!!!

Primodus

My Feedback: (56)

Too quiet out there! You guys building or flying?

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

I'm gradually putting mine together, can't call it building.......this thing is so prebuilt! I bench ran my Mag 52 FS yesterday, and it's ready to mount on the plane for completion of the break in. I'm mounting the wheel pants with 4-40 hex head screws and used real axles (the nut and bolt arrangement provided in the kit doesn't stay put for me), I have put some striping tape along the fuse, am awaiting servos and battery which should arrive today or tomorrow. I want to "extra" glue around the firewall, but its hard to reach in there, guess I'll have to think of something to get it done with. Also, on the wing struts, I extended the "pinched" length by about triple so the parts will mate up smoothly.

Patience is not my strong point. [sm=72_72.gif]

IronCross

On my struts I installed ball joints on the wing connectors... I got tired of replacing clevis's with bent pins all the time... I drilled the hole slightly larger on the brass part that screws into the wing and mounted the ball portion of the ball-joint to it.. Then I remobed the clevises and replaced them with the female part of the ball joint... Now I cna just snap them on and off... Works great and takes all of a minuet or so to hook up... I do not remove my struts when done... After unsnapping them from the wing I just swing them back and tie them to the fusalage.... Makes it much easier to use the struts which IMHO add so much to the appearance of the plane....
I also replaced the tail wheel with a Sullivan unit... The wire in the original was too soft and kept bending...
One other thing, on the main gear... There is enough slop in the mounting holes that as things compress and the bolts loosen a little the gear will shift out of alignment and ground handling will become even more squirrly... I cut a thin strip of hardwood and glued it in behind the two halves of the gear... This had kept it aligned perfectly so far... I am not really a fan of the two peice main gear...
Hope this helps

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

Some good ideas. Thanks for the pointers.