Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Been flying with the slow stick stock tail for some time now and after I crashed it, decided to try the V-tail setup.
Bought the V-tail mount from radicalrc. Was easy to set up the tail, just split the elevator in half and mount it on the stick.

After two flight attempts with the new tail my slow stick is a total wreck now. On both occasions the plane went into a hard left dive and I couldnt straighten it out.
I thought maybe I set up the controls wrong. The controls are as follow:

stick right -> right ruddervator comes up and left ruddevator goes down.
stick left -> the opposite of above
stick down -> Both ruddevators down
Stick up -> the opposite of above

Is this right??

The ground handling was weird too. The plane tended to veer to the left, but when I countered this by turning right it only made it worse.
Turning to the left straightened it out, as if the controls were backwards.
To me it makes sense that the sufraces would work similarly to aelerons, after two crashes I'm not so sure anymore :)

With stock tail the plain did veer slightly to the left, but it didnt really bother me. Was maybe misaligned elevator or something with the main wing.
I'm thinking if it was the main wing and the V-tail make the plane more unstable it could possibly cause the left dive that it does.
I'm just guessing here...any ideas?

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Backdraft you have it backwards!

When you push you're stick to the RIGHT:
you're left control surface should move UP and "to the right" and you're right control surface should move DOWN and also "to the right"

Stick to the LEFT:
You're left control surface should move to DOWN and "to the left" and you're right should move UP and "to the left"

When you push you're stick UP:
both surfaces should go DOWN.

Push your stick DOWN:
both surfaces should go UP.

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

You called it, they are ruddervators not ailevators.

Think rudders and you will be fine. You set it up thinking ailerons.

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Thanks for the reply.

Well that was a dumb mistake. Should always check these things before trying out new stuff.
Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way...

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

I think several of us learned a bit from your post.

I was also thinking elevons or ailevators.

Good stuff!!

CGr.

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Yeah, get that fixed and get her trimmed out. You'll really like the V-tail from radical RC. I put one on my SS maybe a year or so ago. I think it makes it feel "snappier" in the air than before, a little better control, possible because you have more surface area acting during a turn?

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

After two nights of rebuilding my SS, I got it to fly with the v-tail now.
All I can say is it's crazy with the towerpro brushless and 3 cell lipo, It's really responsive but not as stable as before.
With full throttle it rolls like a 3D plane :) Dont know how long the wing can take abuse like that, but I'll enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Thanks again for all your help.

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Now that I've been flying with the new setup for awhile I can't say I'm too happy with it.
Sure its fun to have good roll on the plane, but it just too unstable in higher speeds.
The plane doesn't straighten itself out as it does with the normal tail, in a high speed dive it starts to roll out of control very easily
and when you counter it overshoots the other way. Seems to me that the v-tail might be good with the stock engine but not with a brushless.

Is it just my SS that does this? Are there any brushless V-tail setup owners out there that can comment?

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Hmmmmm, I have the same V-tail on my SS and also have a BL motor (one of the tower pro can motors - I barely fly above 1/2 throttle, and cruise at 1/4 throttle). I've never had any issues you speak of. In fact, like I said earlier, I think it flies better.

Mine was still rock solid stable with the V-tail. Is it possible you installed the V-tail crooked or something that may be causing it to create some instability? Maybe try contacting radical R/C. There's also a guy whose screen name is "boomerace" over on wattflyer.com who has tons of SS experience including with this V-tail. Maybe try shooting him a PM or alert him to this thread.

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Yeah my brushless slow stick doesn't see much above half throttle.... full throttle is insane... only time i go to full throttle is to make a quick climb for a glide back down.. I think either (slow stick or slo v) planes are very unstable under a big power load (wing flutter, control surface flutter, pretty much just beating the hell out of the fragile airframe)

RE: Slow stick V-tail problem
 

Thats all I needed to know. Gonna change back to the "T-tail".
Yesterday I crashed my SS again in a uncontolled dive. Luckily the damage was only a bent shaft this time.