stryker_kyle

I just started getting involved with RC about 4 days ago and thought I would share my story for those thinking about getting into it or buying the Stryker F-27 and ask for others opinions about my decision to jump to a 3-channel w/o experience on a 2-channel.

Like many I have wanted an RC plane for a long time, and after seeing a program on discovery I decided to do a search on ebay for rc planes. Whelp, I bought a crappy little no-name 2 channel for $30 and took it out for a couple of days, and decided it was a waste of time, so I went to Hobby Town USA and the owner there (at least I assume he was the owner) had a stryker out of the box and demoed it for me outside. I bought one that day (yesterday) and gave my little toy to my friend.

Yesterday I nearly destroyed it. I kept nose diving it on the launch, and when I finally got it in the air the first time I hit a light pole, hard. Took it home glued it and taped it up, and took her back out in a more open location that afternoon (this plane is indestructable). Couple more nose-cone damaging dives off the launch until I got it up and noticed I was having to fight the plane to keep it up. Well, I removed the tape last night elmered the pieces of the nose cone back together, and and adjusted the linkage so that the ailerons wouldn't be forcing my plane to the ground.

Today I got started pretty early and met a couple of my friends at another park that is more open than the one closest to my house. My friend Donald flew the little ebay plane I gave him, and his brother-in-law flew his firebird which is also a 2-channel. I had no trouble launching the plane by hand. I love throwing it w/o throttle, hitting the throttle, and watching as the plane take toward the sky after losing height off the throw. I did have to bring the plane down to adjust the linkage again (I over did it a little the first time), and from that point on, it flies extremely stable and true. By the end of the day, I was performing loops and barrel-rolls w/ the plane still in the limited 'A' flight mode, and have been able to land the plane softly.

After seeing their 2-channels scoot around, I'm really glad I got the stryker and started with a 3-channel plane. I have given this plane alot of abuse, and it suffered nothing more than aesthetic damage. Plus, the parts are cheap. I can buy a whole new fuselage for $19, and the nose-cone and wing tips are break away and replaceable. So, although it seems to be geared towards aerobatics, I think it is a great trainer.

Well, I hate to make my first post so long, but I'm really excited and hooked already. I'm gonna fly this plane for some time I'm sure, and then I'm going to start looking for a 4-channel - hopefully a 3d. Have I missed out on any fundamentals by jumping into the 3-channel or did I just avoid the "training wheels"? Any suggestions for maneuvers to practice to become a decent pilot?

Thanks,
Kyle

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Congratulations on getting your plane flying.

There is not real benefit to starting on a two channel plane. I recommend people start on three channel planes because there is more control of a three channel.

The plane you started on, the Stryker, is not one I would recommend to a new flyer. Delta wings are not stable platforms, can be trick to handle and overall can be tough to use as a trainer.

Traditionally high wing planes are used as trainers becaue they tend to be much much much more stable and easier to fly. Planes like the Cub, the Aerobird, the T-Hawk, the Slow Stick and the like.

You should be very proud of your accomplishment with the Stryker. You started with a tough one and made it to pilot status.

Welcome to a wonderful time!

supertiger2004

I am also impressed with this plane a friend of mine asked me to come see him fly it one afternoon and when i got there he had already broken off the nose cone from an erlier attemt to fly, He ask me if i wanted to try it first because he was affraid that he might wreak it if he flew first. so i went for it and it flew great. after i trimmed it for leavel flight i did roles and loops low fly bys ect. and then landed and let him try his new plane. well He tried his best to tear it up it suffered no less than 5 strait into the ground nose first crashes and all we had to do was put the battery back in and staiten a aileron push rode and it was ready to fly again. i dont think even my old SPAD airplane could survive the crashes this plane did, i am impressed. and if you do tear it up it only cost 20 dollars for a new fuse.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I guess you would call this hi-impact pilot training!

stryker_kyle

Thanks for the encouragement. I hit a bird today and it looked like my plane exploded. I didn't have the plane in the air more than 3 minutes before the crash. Again the plane held up great. The battery went flying and hit hard on concrete and is pretty banged up, but the plane fluttered end over end gently to the ground and suffered no damage. I charged the battery and reassembled the plane (hehe) and put it back in the air which proved to be a mistake. One of the contact plates between two of the cells apparently came loose in the air, and I lost complete control of the plane, which dove and stalled a couple of times before landing on it's nose. Again, no serious damage - just broke the tip off the replaceable nose cone right where it was glued from the first time out. I'm telling you, this plane is unstoppable. Anyways, at least I got to try something new before the mishap - I had just rightened the plane after an inverted flyby. Time for new batteries.

BTW, the bird is fine.

rharrismcse

Just posted two new Stryker Videos on my site

http://rc-galaxy.com/?Q=Video

Enjoy!

stryker_kyle

Good footage! I'm still trying to work myself up to switching to the 'B' flight mode and then adjusting my linkage for more range of motion on the ailerons, but I'm able to do most all the manuevers I want as is. How is yours set up?

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Fantastic videos. Thanks for posting the link.

This F27 looks like a lot of fun. Easy to fly?

rharrismcse

My Stryker has a few mods on it, but nothing major
1) The rear fins are epoxied on
2) Clear packing tape cover the entire thing -in a nice fashion. This really saves your plane!
3) The controller has a high rate mod, check that out here http://rc-galaxy.com/Default.asp?Q=F...t.asp?Q=Forums
4) I have heat sinks on the 480 motor to help keep it cool during flight. I guesstimate I get about 1min more flight time?!

Most of that is posted in the Stryker forum on http://RC-Galaxy.com so you can check it out there.

My next mods are;
1) 9.6v batteries
2) Landing gear!

stryker_kyle

I took the stryker out to play in the wind today. Just to guess, I would say there were 10-15 mph gusts. I was able to point the nose into the wind, cut the power and just float the breeze. I learned the hard way today to keep the plane in front of you (not to fly over your own head) especially when there are obstacles such as large ball field flood lights- ouch. It's nearly impossible to follow the plane flying overhead and look ahead of the plane. By the time I realized I was headed for the light it was too late.

Oh well, at least I looked like I knew what I was doing for a little while. This plane really cuts throught the wind nicely.

lbwinn

I just tested the landing gear I made for my stryker. I used some aerobird wheels and some light steel wire. I just hot glued them into the fuselage. It rolled very straight and smooth. However, I could not get it to take-off from the landing gear. So I hand launched it and it flew very nicely with the 3 wheels. Landing was great! No more landing in the weeds for me. This plane lands so soft that you dont need a springy landing gear like the aerobird. If anyone can get this plane to take off of a runway I would like to know how they did it.

rharrismcse

Yeah, my tests with landing gear were about the same. I think the nose needs to be pitched way up in order for it to work. The air just moves over the plane because it's so low to the ground.

kaikid

Kyle,

What's up? Thanks for the informative post. I had similar problems on my 1st Flight. Now that I've figured out the pitch problem, my plane wants to role to the left. I first noticed my engine was a little tweaked to the left. I re-mounted it and it looks a little straighter, but it still wants to turn. I also noticed out of the box, my flaps on the trailing edge are tweaked up a little. It looks like a poor tape job to the wing. Are your flaps flush to the wing?

Any info on this,
Thanks,
Kai

stryker_kyle

Kai,

Sorry to take so long to reply. I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean by "tweaked up", but the ailerons on my plane are pretty much flush to the top edge of the wing. You should be able to compensate for this role problem by adjusting your linkage/trim. If you have maxed out the trim in the opposite direction of the roll with no success, I would just give the clevuses (clevi? ) a couple of turns each in opposite directions so that if the plane is rolling left, your adjustments cause the left aileron to move up and the right to move down, then try to trim it out in the air.

Hope that helps,
Kyle

stryker_kyle

I just got back from flying. Well, I was asked to stop flying at the park where I usually fly. I then decided to drive to check out a local RC club that I was thinking about joining, but the fence was locked - I guess because it is so windy today. I finally decided to fly in some open framland near a local school. I have to say that flying on gusty days is my favorite thing to do. I must have got 30 mins out of one battery, because I was able to sail on the breeze w/ the throttle cut way back or completely off. I think the challenge of fighting the gusts makes flying all the more enjoyable.