bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
05-28-2005, 03:46 AM
#76
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
So, I hate to give away trade secrets and all but in the army when we have a problem with CG.. We use tape.... I am a helicopter pilot and when the blades are just a hair off we add tape... 100mph tape, thus the name..... as you become farther and farther from the cg the moment of the tape becomes more.... Example... take a heavy object in your hands, now hold your arms straight out... It seems to become heaver but it has not its moment increased.... For the tail boom replacement I used an arrow shaft from wal mart.. 3.90... Use a pipe cutter to get straight edges.. And yes the tape thing scared the crap out of me when I found out about it but 7 yrs no problems...
05-28-2005, 01:55 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
I am not familiar woith your shorthand
"moment" ????? momentum?
also "the tape thing scared the crap out of me..." what tape thing?
All in all, I really don't understant much of what you are saying.
I the arrow shaft 3.90 a hollow carbon fiber tube?
"moment" ????? momentum?
also "the tape thing scared the crap out of me..." what tape thing?
All in all, I really don't understant much of what you are saying.
I the arrow shaft 3.90 a hollow carbon fiber tube?
05-28-2005, 02:41 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
In reply to christerflea regarding th Firebird Commander:
Hi Chris!
I've got the Firebird Commander, and I took it out for it's first flight yesterday. I think it flies real well and since it was my first time flying any RC plane I'm surprised it went so well.
I was planning on taking it out today as well but the darn weather here in the northern part of Europe, it's too windy and I fear my Commander is going to share fate with my brother's Scout.
Actually I started a thread on the Commander because I fear it has a range problem with the RX or TX. The range is very small and I can hear the motor going on and off all the time? Have you experienced this with your commander?
All the best
Jens
Hi Chris!
I've got the Firebird Commander, and I took it out for it's first flight yesterday. I think it flies real well and since it was my first time flying any RC plane I'm surprised it went so well.
I was planning on taking it out today as well but the darn weather here in the northern part of Europe, it's too windy and I fear my Commander is going to share fate with my brother's Scout.
Actually I started a thread on the Commander because I fear it has a range problem with the RX or TX. The range is very small and I can hear the motor going on and off all the time? Have you experienced this with your commander?
All the best
Jens
05-28-2005, 06:58 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
I have the Challenger and my range problem is getting it so far out that I can't tell whether it is coming of going and end up over steering in the wrong direction. I haven't gotten it so far away that I "can't steer it: though. I know the challenger body isquite similar to the commander and they can take a pretty serious crash and fly again.
05-29-2005, 01:02 AM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
Sorry man… I’ll try to be more specific…
The arrow fits over the old shaft onto the outside housing of the Fuselage... Epoxy.. Presto...
The tape thing is no crap… For real… Also they use I to cut down on leading edge wear on the rotor blades in the desert…
Moment- Is the weight of an Item times its distance from cg… As you look at a real aircraft.. It has ever 10 inches or so marked… As you ad new Items to the aircraft you have to take in its moment and effect on cg… so without a physics lesson.. Two kids sitting on a teeter totter both the same weight… One moves closer to the center… He has not lost weight only changed his position and moment…
Does that help?
The arrow fits over the old shaft onto the outside housing of the Fuselage... Epoxy.. Presto...
The tape thing is no crap… For real… Also they use I to cut down on leading edge wear on the rotor blades in the desert…
Moment- Is the weight of an Item times its distance from cg… As you look at a real aircraft.. It has ever 10 inches or so marked… As you ad new Items to the aircraft you have to take in its moment and effect on cg… so without a physics lesson.. Two kids sitting on a teeter totter both the same weight… One moves closer to the center… He has not lost weight only changed his position and moment…
Does that help?
05-29-2005, 01:01 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
thanks, I'll remember that
so, again, I take it that the arrow is some very light weight tube, possible carbon fiber? that you fit over the existing broken tailrod, like a splint? I will keep that in mind.
I don't think I will mess with trying to fly my Scout anymore, unless I come up with a 3 channell servo. I will stick with my Challenger.
I did crash my Challenger yesterday and broke the front wing in half. I already have a spare for it, but I am thinking of getting some carbon fiber tape I have seen on web, or possiblly using my carbon fiber tubes & some clear packaging tape to splint my wing back together.
I do also add the packaging tape along the trailing edge of my wing where the prop might hit it in a crash.
Thanks for the clarification. hapy flying
so, again, I take it that the arrow is some very light weight tube, possible carbon fiber? that you fit over the existing broken tailrod, like a splint? I will keep that in mind.
I don't think I will mess with trying to fly my Scout anymore, unless I come up with a 3 channell servo. I will stick with my Challenger.
I did crash my Challenger yesterday and broke the front wing in half. I already have a spare for it, but I am thinking of getting some carbon fiber tape I have seen on web, or possiblly using my carbon fiber tubes & some clear packaging tape to splint my wing back together.
I do also add the packaging tape along the trailing edge of my wing where the prop might hit it in a crash.
Thanks for the clarification. hapy flying
06-03-2005, 04:30 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
They ought to have named it the "skunk", or how about a new slogan: "The No-Fly Zone"!!
You fellas are to be commended on your patience with this particular aircraft. I will copy your repair techniques but HZ needs to make good on this faupax. An 80+% failure rate is ridiculous but to keep the product on the market, seemingly duping unsuspecting consumers, is inexcusable! Who's got Clark Howard's number?? My tolerance is not as high as yours so my unit is being returned as soon as this post makes copy.
Semper Fi with Blue Skies!!!
SK JMC[:@]
You fellas are to be commended on your patience with this particular aircraft. I will copy your repair techniques but HZ needs to make good on this faupax. An 80+% failure rate is ridiculous but to keep the product on the market, seemingly duping unsuspecting consumers, is inexcusable! Who's got Clark Howard's number?? My tolerance is not as high as yours so my unit is being returned as soon as this post makes copy.
Semper Fi with Blue Skies!!!
SK JMC[:@]
06-03-2005, 09:02 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
Whoever said there's no such thing as a happy ending!?
The dealer I originally bought the "skunk" from was honestly apologetic. So much so, he issued me a store credit & dropped the shelf price on a Aerobird Challenger!!!
Way to go William!!
I sincerely applaud all of you & your handiness in creative repairs, I'm just not that in-tune yet &
believe that "RTF" should be just that.
Semper Fi & Blue Skies!!
SK JMC
The dealer I originally bought the "skunk" from was honestly apologetic. So much so, he issued me a store credit & dropped the shelf price on a Aerobird Challenger!!!
Way to go William!!I sincerely applaud all of you & your handiness in creative repairs, I'm just not that in-tune yet &
believe that "RTF" should be just that.
Semper Fi & Blue Skies!!
SK JMC
06-04-2005, 06:01 PM
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RE: bought a firebird scout, good looking plane
Great
I do advise you do the afore mentioned premptive repairs and shoring up of the tailrod . I found also it is a good idea to add a little packing tape to the styrofoam wedge inside;tape it to the inside of the fuselage. Add a touch of epoxy or hot glue to the tailrod where it goes into the fuselage and imediately wrap a single round of packing tape around it to keep it from twisting out of alignement. I strongly advise looping some heavy thread up from the fuselage bottom and around the tailrod where it fits into the little molded cradle inside the fuselage. Dental floss and a upholstery needle ( a curved needle in the shape of a half circle ) works well, unless you want to take the servo out and sew from inside and out. If you are really premptive repair conscious, get some carbon fiber strips to rienforce the main wing.
I do advise you do the afore mentioned premptive repairs and shoring up of the tailrod . I found also it is a good idea to add a little packing tape to the styrofoam wedge inside;tape it to the inside of the fuselage. Add a touch of epoxy or hot glue to the tailrod where it goes into the fuselage and imediately wrap a single round of packing tape around it to keep it from twisting out of alignement. I strongly advise looping some heavy thread up from the fuselage bottom and around the tailrod where it fits into the little molded cradle inside the fuselage. Dental floss and a upholstery needle ( a curved needle in the shape of a half circle ) works well, unless you want to take the servo out and sew from inside and out. If you are really premptive repair conscious, get some carbon fiber strips to rienforce the main wing.
