Mike_T5

Well, at last, here she is! Pete emailed these pics over to me, so I haven't seen her in the flesh yet. But, I will collect the plane sometime this week, and maiden her hopefully at the weekend. So, if all goes to plan, video will be up here by this time next week.

Mike.

DLEVETT

My Feedback: (13)

That looks pretty awesome Mike you must be really pumped up to get it flying. Thanks for the pics I,m still looking for a US distributor, still no success though. Good Luck with your maiden flight.

Dave

Mike_T5

Hi Dave,

'Pumped up' is an understatement!!! I have never been so excited about a new plane, not even since I was a kid (this is the third time in the hobby for me now)! Partly why I am so excited is because of the sheer build and finish of the kit, and partly because Pete at Probuild has paid unbelieveable attention to detail!!! Also very excited about how the engine will perform, as I have very quickly fallen in love with the Laser 70 in my Funtana... best part of the plane!
My dream is to get my DP Extra and Laser 240V built and in the air, but my suspicion is that the Giles will be the best plane I will own, since I feel that although good for 3D, I think the design also lends itself to pattern flying, so I reckon it will be a good alrounder.
My next majot decision is whether to fly it 'as standard', or swith to CF landing gear and wing tube, which will save 1/2 a pound?

Night for now.

Mike.

simon 3d

Hello Mike, the Giles looks superb!! bet your fingers are itching to have a go![sm=thumbup.gif]
I dont know if you still want me to fly it for you?
Has Pete spoken to you about it?

Cheers
Simon

amp/eater

Hello Mike T5 any news on the first flight of your giles? i've bought one myself to convert to electric power awaiting news of your maiden flight with great interest!

smokingtommy

hi have you got a vid of this beast yet [8D]

Mike_T5

Hi,

Sorry for the lack of posting... have been run ragged of late!

Spoke to Pete at Probuild in the week, and the plane is now 100% ready to go! Will get down to Probuild next week to collect it, and maiden the Giles as soon as I can!

Amp/eater... what are your impressions of the X-Tech Giles, now that you have one? I hope you are impressed as I am! Just have to get my finger out now, and make sure I maiden mine before you maiden yours!

Mike.

Mike_T5

Well, at long last I finally got down to Probuild today and collected the Giles! She was ready over two weeks ago, but I have been too busy to get down to there. Any, everything is installed and ready to go. All I have to do, is set up the radio and center the servos. C of G is bang on with 2400 LiPo battery up front, and voltage regulator. All up, she comes in at bang on 10.1 lbs... or, 10lb 1.5 ounces, so I am well happy!!! Am hoping to maiden at the weekend, but my Misses wants us to get away at the weekend, so we'll have to see how it goes

As for build... Pete's workmanship is nothing short of superb!!! Attention to detail is absolutely second to none!!! Will take some 'detail' pics hopefully tomorrow.

Mike.

amp/eater

Hi Mike first impressions when i opened the huge double boxed kit was WOW!! it looked fantastic when examined closely i'm not disappoined as i have been in the past with some other artf's havent found any loose joints either its well glued.Most of the fittings are very usable but i will change the pushrods for carbon jobbies. may only use one elevator servo by useing a stapel link.I'm going electric on mine choice of two motors Hacker C5014xl or AXI5330/18 the hackers in a 2metre Katana at the moment so will try the AXI first off. What wing tube position did you decide on ? and why.from you photos i can see its at one extreme but can't tell if it's forward or rear.also found the instruction manual almost useless whats the c/g position have you decided on for first flights? mine will be about another month before i'm able to complete,times precious at the moment.anyway all the best for your maiden flight stay cool [8D] [8D]

Mike_T5

Hi Amp,

I'm planning on maidening the Giles in just a few hours time! I will get a mate to video the first flight, but don't expect anything too special as I'm new to 3D flying! I'll post this 'first flight' vid in the next day or two.

On mine, Pete at Probuild built it with the wing position at the rear, as the Laser engine is pretty light. Pete upgraded all of the standard pushrods to really posh carbon ones, and they look luuuurvvvly! Will take some pics of it at the airfield.
Not sure on the CofG, but it seems somewhere near right

Mike.

Mike_T5

Well, am back from the maiden!

Actually went to the Weston-Super-Mare club flying site, as a friend of mine is a member (Heli) and talked me into going there. Was suprised when I got there though, as I figured that the runway strip which is in one field, between two hedges, was way to short for a plane of this size! Also, it was very windy! Anyway, temptation got a hold of me, so I flew. Take off was good, but even with a fair degree of expo set up, the controls seemed extremely aggresive, so took off, and into a sudden steep climb! The plane needed not a single click of trim in any direction! Landing was beatifully easy, as it was easy to bring her in very slow with quite fast descent, and feather out to an easy touch-down, all of which needed only half the length of the short runway! I was very pleasantly suprised that the plane didn't glide-on really fast like my Goldberg Extra.

Second takeoff was beautiful. On this flight, I tried pulling the sticks a little harder. Knife edge was really easy, and with no mixing. Elavators were absolutely stunning, either right way up, or inverted! The plane would just point into the wind, engine on idle, full elavator, and just float down like a feather with virtually no forward movement!!! Hovering was dead easy, and the icing on the cake being that my Laser 150 WILL pull her out of a hover and climb vertically endlessly! I am well chuffed!!! (pleased) Second landing came in so slow, that she dropped the tail a little and came in harrier style... something I couldn't seem to do with the Funtana! (I never said I was good!)

Had two guys doing video... John tried zooming in so close, that he couldn't keep the plane in the frame Pete did some, but got bored and wondered off to talk heli's with the other guys, so no 'Elavators' on tape I'm affraid But, he did get the first bit of knife edge before he switched the video off.

In summary, this plane seems to have the responses and control authority of my Funtana 40, but with the stability of my Goldberg Extra (old one, not 3D one), and seemingly with the precision of the Extra. I will edit and get some video up here, but don't expect anything flashy!

But, will get a friend to fly this hopefully tomorrow eve, who will be able to get it to perform in the way that I'm convinced it can!!!

Luuurrrvvveee it!!!!!

Mike.

DLEVETT

My Feedback: (13)

Sounds awesome Mike, I,m glad that it has worked as as well a you had planned. Looking forward to seeing the video.

Dave

amp/eater

Hi Mike Thats fantastic news bet your chuffed as mintballs,sounds like one sweet flying beauty. Glad to hear your Laser is up to the job! Looking forward to the video, i'm not a 3d flyer myself more pattern but theres no excuse now for not practicing some of the 3d moves.unfortunatley i havent made a start as yet but will get some time next week thanks for the wing tube position info thats useful as my AXI motor weighs 28oz with its mount so i'll go for the rear position as well cheers for now. [8D]

Dave

Mike_T5

Well, Here is a video of sorts. Sorry if it is a long download, or not 3D, but this was the second of two flights which were probably 7 or 8 minutes each, on a small flying site I have never seen before, and in pretty strong winds! Will get more video next time when I get more aquainted with the plane. Will also get more video of the plane being flown by a decent 3D pilot on the next few days.

Anyway, hope this link works...

http://media.putfile.com/X-Tech-Giles-202-48

Mike.

amp/eater

Hi Mike just caught your video it didnt run long and i got a bit dizzy with the shacky camera work but the Giles sure looked good enough to eat! your Lazer seems to have enough 'go'so go fly your socks off her! any idea what cofg shes at ?

aerobatixkid

Hello all.

I have been following this thread, this looks like a really good airplane. I sure hope a company in North America imports this airplane. I have a Giles now, a few inches smaller, but 13pounds with my Saito 150, it does ok, but not unlimited vertical. This looks like a great home for my Saito 150, and if it came out at 10 pounds, it would be a great combination. What prop do you use on your Laser, and what RPM?

Shane M

aerobatixkid

Sorry, I just read what RPM it turns a 16x8 at. My saito turns a APC 16x8 at 9700rpm tuned for flying, I run a 17x6APC on it at the same Rpm, an 18x6 MAS gives me 8600RPM, looks like my Saito would do good. Now!! IMPORT IT SOMEONE

Mike_T5

Well Guys... flew the Giles again this eve! Am incredibly happy with this plane! One of my flying buddies, Bob Blackmore took a go on the sticks this eve. He reconed the plane was very nose heavy, and that I should move the C of G back at least an inch. Despite that, he reckoned it was a very nice plane. Everyone at the airfield (was the monthly club meeting tonight, but held at the flying site because of good weather) was very impressed with the quality of the plane, and also with the way it flew.

Another flying mate 'Toby Black' is going to fly my Giles at the forthcoming 'Woodspring Wings Airshow' next month. He would have had a flight on it this eve, but he's mode 2 (I'm mode 1), and reckoned he would have a go once the C of G was sorted.

For me, the plane flies lovely, but she does lose quite a lot of height whether right way up, or inverted, unless on high revs. Elavators are lovely, but the plane seems to travel forward slightly more than I would like, I guess because I can't get the tail down enough, again because of C of G. Still very nice all the same. Landings are a snip, and it is very easy to lose height nice and quickly without gaining too much airspeed, so is very easy to land on small sites. I reckon that with the C of G further back, it will be even easier!

There is no question that even as it is, this is the best flyer I have ever had! I have some pretty good video now which I will edit and get posted as soon as poss. Once I have the C of G sorted, I will get a decent video done at low altitude!!!

Aerobatixkid... The Laser 150 in this plane is turning a Mejzlik 18x6 at 7940 rpm using 12% Nitro. Once run in properly, I will adjust the valve clearances, and try 15%. I reckon that with a little luck, I will see 8100 or more after that? Also, in time for the Airshow next month, I hope to have a CF wing tube and LG, so will hopefully shave about 5 or 6 ounces off, which I am sure will make a difference to hover pull-out authority.

Dave... I will measure 'before' and 'after' C of G's when I address moving the RX LiPo tomorrow.

Did I forget to say how happy I am!?

Mike.

Mike_T5

Well, measured my CG today, and it was 185mm. I moved the 2400 LiPo RX battery from behind the fuel tank, to right back at the very end of the tail [X(] CG is now at about 212mm (tank half full). Will be flying again tomorrow with a little luck.

Mike.

Mike_T5

Flew the Giles again today. CG seems better. Let local Amarc club member Toby Black have a go. This vid is of his first flight, although this clip isn't this first clip of the 15 minute video. Toby reckons this plane is by far the best plane he has ever flown! He really likes it, and said he wants one, even though he will be flying this one for the spectators at the Woodspring Wings Model Airshow on the first weekend of July! Will try to compress the next clip in such a way that the quality is better.
I am over the moon with the plane, and also the Laser 150 up front! At the mo, the engine is being run on 12% nitro. The engine had had around a third of a gallon through it now, so I will now check and adjust the valve clearances, and then see if I can get two or three hundred more rpm's out of it with maybe 20% Nitro. At present the engine will pull out of a hover fine, but I reckon a little revs will make a huge improvement.

http://media.putfile.com/Giles202a

Mike.

Mike_T5

Second clip...

http://media.putfile.com/Giles-202b

Mike_T5

Third clip...

http://media.putfile.com/Giles202c (edited as it was wrong url)

Toby will be flying the Giles a few more times this week to get a better feel for the plane, so will get better video in due course, which will hopefully be stitched together into something decent

Mike.

Mike_T5

Well, went flying again today, but primarily so that Toby Black could get some airtime in on my Giles prior to flying it at the Woodsring Wings Airshow in two weeks time. A lot has happened since last flying the Giles... have been talking to Neil Tidey of Laser Engines about getting getting a little more performance out of the Laser 150 fitted to this plane. Pullout from hover was ok, but not spectacular, and that was when getting around 7900rpm with a Mejzlik 18x6 prop, on 12% Nitro. Well, Neil sent me a new carb to try, as they have just started making their own ones... certainly made a difference! But, with Model Technics 30% Nitro, and the new carb, I tached the engine before Toby took off on each of the three flights today, and it was running at 8640rpm. This made an immense difference to plane performance!!! Hover pullout is now with great authority, and unlimited vertical! The plane will hover all day at just over 1/2 throttle now. Toby reckons that the pullout is much better now, than his Funtana 90 with Saito 120, if that gives anyone here an idea of what it's like now. Flight time with plenty of hovering and extreme flying is about 20 minutes on a tank of fuel. But, the latter two flights saw the tank very much empty, although the engine was still running. I need to add about 20 grams to the left wing tip to balance the plane up properly, as the engine being on it's side is upsetting the balance a little. Am eager to try it again after.

Toby tried some more moves with the plane today, and is still astounded by how good it is. Waterfalls are wonderful now with the increased power. Knife edge spins, and blenders are also wonderful. Harrier flight is rock steady too. Knife edge flight is an absolute doddle, and it will knife edge at extremely low speed/revs too! Won't get much time for flying this week though, but will the following week, with a little luck.

Mike.

Torque Boy

Hi guys
Yeah as Mike was saying i was astonished on how the giles performed.i still cant get over how incredibly stable it is at low speeds,also it can just be thrown about the sky like a funfly and still come back for more.The lazer well who would of though it but its just so perfect for that plane its unreal plus i think mikes got a soft spot them.I am also very much looking forward to making a half decent videos for all of you,and i just spoke to mike and he said that he is thinking of putting a onboard camera on just for that added effect,trust him.

Mike_T5

Anyone else flown their Giles yet, 'cos I met three people at Woodspring Wings Airshow that were getting them?

Anyway, take a look at 'Four Way Hoversesh' pic from the Show posted by Lee Mc Crory on Flying Giants. Lee is the half-naked guy, flying the PA Edge, Toby was flying my Giles on the left side of the pic. I am the fat guy with yellow T shirt, and Toby is the skinny teenager to my right.

Am hoping the fly the Giles some more myself now, as it is by far the best plane I have flown, and I'm now starting to get the hang of hovering! (been practicing on my Funtana the last few eves).

Mike.