Cox EP380 4ch Trainer maiden...my first ARF.
02-24-2010, 10:25 PM
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Cox EP380 4ch Trainer maiden...my first ARF.
Today I maidened my first ARF, a Cox EP380 4 ch trainer that I picked up around
Christmas 2008 as Cox was going belly up for the sweet price of $30. It comes with gear
driven brushed 380 motor. A very nice looking model from not too close, get close and there
alot of wrinkles in the covering. I tried my best to iron them out but oh well. The build was OK
as it's my first ARF and I didn't have much to compare to. I think it came out all right.
Now on to the maiden: It was done on Dubro parkflyer skis!!! I flew my HZ Supercub 2 days
before with the same skis and I felt confident. The skis fit fine and performed well as the
2 planes are similar in size. The first problem was the EP380 is only equipped with a
steerable tail skeg, not a wheel, so it dug into the snow till the elevator was on the snow.
No problem though as I easy onto the throttle, which by the way the TX/RX was salvaged out of
my Flyzone J-3 cub, 72 mhz ch 42, 4ch Tactic and using a 3s 1250mah lipo on board. The tail lifted
and I taxi around a bit to get the feel of it...into the wind...punch it... and off she goes! not very fast
or much of a climber that's for sure. Very scale take offs and flight too. After getting it trimmed,
I brought her in, no problems. Up again, very slowly!....get higher this time , do some loops
and some low level passes. That gear box makes alot of noise! Bring her in and up one last time.
Total time in the air...12-14minutes.
Happy with the flight, no crashes, not happy with the performance. The brushed 380 and gear box
is very slow, barely adequate. Couldn't imagine it getting off the ground with the optional
1200 mah ni-mh's...no way! Will consider a 380 brushless 2200kv inrunner upgrade
[img][img][/img][/img]
Hemicuda
Christmas 2008 as Cox was going belly up for the sweet price of $30. It comes with gear
driven brushed 380 motor. A very nice looking model from not too close, get close and there
alot of wrinkles in the covering. I tried my best to iron them out but oh well. The build was OK
as it's my first ARF and I didn't have much to compare to. I think it came out all right.
Now on to the maiden: It was done on Dubro parkflyer skis!!! I flew my HZ Supercub 2 days
before with the same skis and I felt confident. The skis fit fine and performed well as the
2 planes are similar in size. The first problem was the EP380 is only equipped with a
steerable tail skeg, not a wheel, so it dug into the snow till the elevator was on the snow.
No problem though as I easy onto the throttle, which by the way the TX/RX was salvaged out of
my Flyzone J-3 cub, 72 mhz ch 42, 4ch Tactic and using a 3s 1250mah lipo on board. The tail lifted
and I taxi around a bit to get the feel of it...into the wind...punch it... and off she goes! not very fast
or much of a climber that's for sure. Very scale take offs and flight too. After getting it trimmed,
I brought her in, no problems. Up again, very slowly!....get higher this time , do some loops
and some low level passes. That gear box makes alot of noise! Bring her in and up one last time.
Total time in the air...12-14minutes.
Happy with the flight, no crashes, not happy with the performance. The brushed 380 and gear box
is very slow, barely adequate. Couldn't imagine it getting off the ground with the optional
1200 mah ni-mh's...no way! Will consider a 380 brushless 2200kv inrunner upgrade
[img][img][/img][/img]
Hemicuda
02-24-2010, 10:38 PM
#2
Senior Member
RE: Cox EP380 4ch Trainer maiden...my first ARF.
That's great welcome to the world of RC planes. Before you know it you will have ten planes and be flying every chance you can get. Go brushless and have fun and enjoy.
02-25-2010, 12:34 AM
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RE: Cox EP380 4ch Trainer maiden...my first ARF.
Thanks, I already have 7 planes, this was my first ARF. Not much into building.
All others have been RTF, either new or used .
Hemicuda
All others have been RTF, either new or used .
Hemicuda
