RCU Forums - nexstar ep

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Who has seen this and how is it?

The plane is just like the regular Nexstar.

It has a good brushless motor. It should be great.

The best thing about the Nexstar is the top-quality O.S. Max ball-bearing engine. I'm so glad they found a way to remove it!

Seriously, I would be more interested in the Electristar than the Nexstar EP for the same reasons that I think the Superstar .40 glow trainer is a better value than the Nexstar Select RTF .46 glow.

With the Nexstar, you're getting a really large wing chord that doesn't turn well in moderate breezes. You're paying for air brakes and wing pods that you don't really need. You're paying for an Auto Levelling System (ALS) that only works well if you fly only at noon.

The Electristar and the Nexstar EP offer very similar brushless power systems, and the Electristar also comes with the simulator included in the bundle. The Electristar is a cleaner, better flying airframe and you don't have to disconnect the ALS to take it flying.

Quote:

ORIGINAL: bigedmustafa

The best thing about the Nexstar is the top-quality O.S. Max ball-bearing engine. I'm so glad they found a way to remove it!

Seriously, I would be more interested in the Electristar than the Nexstar EP for the same reasons that I think the Superstar .40 glow trainer is a better value than the Nexstar Select RTF .46 glow.

With the Nexstar, you're getting a really large wing chord that doesn't turn well in moderate breezes. You're paying for air brakes and wing pods that you don't really need. You're paying for an Auto Levelling System (ALS) that only works well if you fly only at noon.

The Electristar and the Nexstar EP offer very similar brushless power systems, and the Electristar also comes with the simulator included in the bundle. The Electristar is a cleaner, better flying airframe and you don't have to disconnect the ALS to take it flying.

Ditto all of the above. I learned to fly on the nitro Nexstar. I think this is a last gasp for Hobbico on a somewhat failed airframe that 5 years from now you will go to the feild and people will ask, "Next what?" not even remembering the trainer.

Have any of you flown the nexstar ep version yet? If you have, please tell me how well it does and if there are any problems with it. Thanks.

I flew the EP for the first time yesterday (first RC flight ever). I have spent a couple of weeks on the RealFlight sim. I had an instructor on a buddy box.

My general feeling was that it was a well behaved predictable and nice trainer that will certainly keep me happy for some time to come. As far as all the "training wheels" go, first thing that happened when I got to the field was that the instructor told me to remove the speed brakes and the AFS. Even with these features removed I personally didn't feel that it was too much to handle for a first flight.

As far as value for money... I really can't comment as I have never flown any other trainer, yes it probably is one of the more expensive trainers out there, but I also feel that you get what you pay for, for instance it comes with a nice 6-channel Futaba transmitter which allows for you to grow a little and still use the same controller.

The only weakness I could see was that it seems a little heavy and under powered at take off. Once it gets going, it flies fine but it lacks in acceleration, take off roll was long and even then initial flight and climb was a little wobbly. Reading the manual it states that "After initial flights the 10x5E propeller can be replaced with a 10x7E for more power". I will certainly do that even before my next flight, it is easier to have the power and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Assembly was easy, the only part of the instructions that wasn't very clear was how to secure the battery packs. I ended up buying some adhesive Velcro and glueing a strip to the bottom of the battery tray and then on the battery packs. The factory set trims were off by about a mile! The elevator, rudder and nose wheel steering needed to be adjusted a lot. Also after the first flight my instructor advised me to decrease the sensitivity of the nose wheel steering. It was set at max sensitivity (push rod installed in the hole furthest from the servo on the clevis), I moved it to the minimum sensitivity and still there was plenty of throw available for taxi and take off.

Quote:

The only weakness I could see was that it seems a little heavy and under powered at take off. Once it gets going, it flies fine but it lacks in acceleration, take off roll was long and even then initial flight and climb was a little wobbly. Reading the manual it states that "After initial flights the 10x5E propeller can be replaced with a 10x7E for more power". I will certainly do that even before my next flight, it is easier to have the power and not need it than to need it and not have it.

This is normal. My avistar needs a lot of time for a stable airspeed or I stall and crash (happened two times [:'(]) but I’m sure this is because of my OS. LA 40 that is very weak due to a leak in the crank case (or whatever you call it). I’m sure once you get a 10x7e it will be over. Thanks for your input biker joy

I just flew it on a 5S LiPo for the first time today, and all I can say is WOW!!!

Power is WAY up, weight is down by more than a pound. All the sluggishness and bad characteristics are gone. It climbs great, it turns better, approaches and landings are much easier since the weight is lower.

My recommendation would be to not waste 149 dollars on the 2 NiMh packs / charger combo, put that money towards a LiPo pack(s) and charger instead. My plan was to keep flying the NiMh packs, but really I don't see that happening after flying the LiPos.

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Bikerjoy

I flew the EP for the first time yesterday (first RC flight ever). I have spent a couple of weeks on the RealFlight sim. I had an instructor on a buddy box.

My general feeling was that it was a well behaved predictable and nice trainer that will certainly keep me happy for some time to come. As far as all the "training wheels" go, first thing that happened when I got to the field was that the instructor told me to remove the speed brakes and the AFS. Even with these features removed I personally didn't feel that it was too much to handle for a first flight.

As far as value for money... I really can't comment as I have never flown any other trainer, yes it probably is one of the more expensive trainers out there, but I also feel that you get what you pay for, for instance it comes with a nice 6-channel Futaba transmitter which allows for you to grow a little and still use the same controller.

The only weakness I could see was that it seems a little heavy and under powered at take off. Once it gets going, it flies fine but it lacks in acceleration, take off roll was long and even then initial flight and climb was a little wobbly. Reading the manual it states that "After initial flights the 10x5E propeller can be replaced with a 10x7E for more power". I will certainly do that even before my next flight, it is easier to have the power and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Assembly was easy, the only part of the instructions that wasn't very clear was how to secure the battery packs. I ended up buying some adhesive Velcro and glueing a strip to the bottom of the battery tray and then on the battery packs. The factory set trims were off by about a mile! The elevator, rudder and nose wheel steering needed to be adjusted a lot. Also after the first flight my instructor advised me to decrease the sensitivity of the nose wheel steering. It was set at max sensitivity (push rod installed in the hole furthest from the servo on the clevis), I moved it to the minimum sensitivity and still there was plenty of throw available for taxi and take off.

He, he, my trainer is a .40 size and yet has a .61 size engine.:D No such thing as too much power.

Hi
How long each of the batteries last is it 10 minutes or more?

What brand do you have (5S LiPo pack(s) and charger). It looks like you are quite happy with the performance of the LiPo pack(s)
Cheers
Paul

Hi,

I fly the Dualsky LiPo 5s 3700mAh batteries http://www.rcaccessory.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=286

Charger is an e-station BC-6 http://www.rcaccessory.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=241

I strongly recomend this vendor, very service oriented and both my orders have been shipped the same day I ordered.

Flight time on the LiPo is right at 10 minutes doing light aerobatics (loops, rolls, inverted flight). Staying at 75% throttle or lower, your flight time is 15 min or more. Charge time with said charger is 60-70 minutes.