brett65

My Feedback: (18)

I will be maidening my extra this week, I have all surfaces straight and level, both cg's are balanced, and the engine has a tank through it on the ground. Thought I would ask for some tips on anything else. I have maidened one plane before, a 25 size ugly stik type aircraft. I'm a little nervous, but I think that is normal right?

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

Since you didn't specify which extra, I can't provide any specific tips, but here are the general rules I follow when maidening a new plane:

1. Don't do it alone. Have an experience flyer stand next to you where they can reach the transmitter in your hand. You may not need them, but it often helps to have a second set of hands to adjust the trims while you fight the plane. Tell them specifically what you want them to do.

2. Don't yank the plane off the runway. Let it build up plenty of speed before you take off.

3. For aerobatic planes, I like to have them set on high rates with about 50-60 percent expo. This allows you to have full motion on the control surfaces, but small stick movements act like low rates.

4. Check your CG again at the field. Along with that, make sure you do a thorough ground check. Pull hard on the hinges. Do a range check with the engine running.

5. Get everyone else to let you have the sky to your self.

6. Once the plane is in the air, get plenty of altitude before you start messing with things. Remember that 3-4 mistakes high when you were training?

7. Trim the plane at 1/2 throttle.

8. Once you get it trimmed at half throttle, fly it at idle to see how it behaves. Look for the wing tip stall. Learn how it stalls at a high altitude, and recognize when the stall is imminent. Do this before you try an approach.

9. After its trimmed, you've tried it slow, now practice your approaches with it. Do two or three missed approaches before you try to bring it down.

10. Land the plane. Don't worry that its only been in the air a few minutes.

11. Now check it over thoroughly again. Look for any vibration induced failures (glue joints, hinges, engine mounts, fuel leaks, loose landing gear, etc).

Have fun.

Brad

brett65

My Feedback: (18)

Sorry, Phoenix models Extra 300s w/55ax.

dignlivn

Brett,

I would say that Brads advice is great advice !

I was more nervous 2 weeks ago about my
40 size big stick, than I was when I soled.
Take plenty of Water with you, as my mouth
got as dry as a Desert. Good Luck,

Bob

plugin

Extras like to come into lading a bit hot. Keep in mind that this plane will stall at a much higher speed than a stick or a trainer. This means that your glide slope will have to have a much narrower angle than a regular stick approach so you can maintain that speed until you touch down. Because you're coming in a little fast, your flare has to be very smooth so the plane doesn't gain altitude again. As soon as you touch the ground this plane will want to nose over so make sure to pull a little on the elevator to sit the tailwheel properly.

hawes99

I have this exact plane and engine and maidened mine about 4 weeks ago. I love this plane. Just a few points:

1)My first few landing attempts were very fast. I was nervouse so I circled around and landed on attempt #4. Don't be surprised by this. Even though it landed hot the first few times, I've since got more use to it and can land it a little slower. It wouldn't be a bad thing if you had a good head wind the first time around to help slow up your landings.

2)I set the expo at 30%. This seemed to work very well. My first few flights I set the aileron travel to only 50% and the elevator to 80%. This made it less sensitive.

3)I'm not sure if plugin has had a different experience, but I don't need any elevator on landing. My plane does not have any tendency to nose over.

Good luck on the flight. Once you get it dialed in you can get more aggressive with it. It is a very fun plane to fly.

plugin

It's then probably due to my different kit. I have a GP .60 size with a .91 engine which probably gets that nose all worked up with momentum as this engine is heavier than the .55 AX.

hawes99

Brett...did you maiden the Phoenix Extra yet? If so how did it go?

Nate

brett65

My Feedback: (18)

I took her up for the maiden last night, and she did great. Needed a little up, a hair of left aileron and no rudder! She surprised me at how slow she would fly before stalling. She may fly even slower after I put the cowling on! When she does stall, it falls off to the left. I balanced it laterally but it is a hair heavy on that side, but its very predictable so I'm not worried. I'm very pleased at how good she looks and how good she flies. I found out real quick what they say about giving too much elevator and causing tip stall, I did it way up so that I would know what its like. Kinda neat when you understand the theory of flight.

TedMo

Ok Brett now that you know about tip stall hopefully you have taken action to prevent it. I'm sure you can reduce your elevator throw enough so it won't happen but still have plenty of up for your manuevers. Sure it's not going to happen long as you keep enough speed and go easy on elevator BUT! you don't want it to happen when coming in for landing and give it that up to flare , REDUCE IT.

JohnW

My Feedback: (6)

I can't guess as to if the plane has too much throw in it now. Without seeing and flying the plane and knowing your skill level better... let me say this, on a aerobatic plane you want to be able to stall the plane with elevator. There are two whole classes of maneuvers (snaps and spins) that require you to stall the plane. If you are not having an issue landing, I wouldn't reduce elevator throw unless is it overkill for aerobatics to begin with.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I was going to say what John said, I have A lot of elevator in my Extras, mater of fact, all of my stunt planes. If you know it's there you won't yank on it when landing. If it worries you remove it in your low rates and just flip the switch on landings. Extras are my number one planes and one thing I have noticed on all sizes of Extras, when they are going to stall they tend to rock there wings to warn you that you are going too slow. Give it A try way up there and do some fake landings and see if yours doesn't rock for you. Just A little something none of my CAPs ever did for me.[]