Predator
03-14-2007 | 12:32 AM
#26
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From: LA,
CA
03-21-2007 | 11:37 AM
#27
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From: West Chester,
PA
RE: Predator
I found out last night that if you carefully cut the covering away from the mating edge of the elevators to the fuselage the two pin holes are visible in the elevator.
My question is since the pins are small and my holes into the fuselage are 3 times the size of the pins do you just fill these large holes with epoxy? Does the epoxy just run thruout the fuselage? Are the pins more for locating and not for strength?
My question is since the pins are small and my holes into the fuselage are 3 times the size of the pins do you just fill these large holes with epoxy? Does the epoxy just run thruout the fuselage? Are the pins more for locating and not for strength?
ORIGINAL: jfail1
I started building mine last night. I was suprised at a few things on it. The wings are intended to be glued on and not removeable. If one did that it would be pretty tough to change an Aileron servo if it was required. I am going to try to figure out something to get around that problem such as cutting an access hatch in the bottom or top of the fuselage.
Also I see that no access holes are cut in the fuselage to route the servo wires into the fuselage although they are cut in the wing root. I am using HS-65 servos for the Ailerons they bottom out in the wing and I had to make small mounting blocks and glue them to the wing to avoid that problem.
I also see that holes are not drilled in the Elevator stabs for the steel pins that go into the fuselage even though they are present in the fuselage.
Seems like the manufacturer left out some details on this plane. Not a big deal for the price but kinda strange.
What flight configuration did you guys use, Elevons?, conventional Aileron/Elevators?
I fly off of a dirt runway and the lack of steering is of a little concern to me.
Any input would be appreciated on configuring the flight condition, building etc. Also the throws used would be valuable.
The article about the predator in Backyard Flyer is an absolute joke with no details of any kind and no mention of problems (such as the lack of holes for the Aileron servo wires) among many others. As per usual in the magazine reviews they say the plane is perfect so that manufactures will still advertise in thier magazine.
I started building mine last night. I was suprised at a few things on it. The wings are intended to be glued on and not removeable. If one did that it would be pretty tough to change an Aileron servo if it was required. I am going to try to figure out something to get around that problem such as cutting an access hatch in the bottom or top of the fuselage.
Also I see that no access holes are cut in the fuselage to route the servo wires into the fuselage although they are cut in the wing root. I am using HS-65 servos for the Ailerons they bottom out in the wing and I had to make small mounting blocks and glue them to the wing to avoid that problem.
I also see that holes are not drilled in the Elevator stabs for the steel pins that go into the fuselage even though they are present in the fuselage.
Seems like the manufacturer left out some details on this plane. Not a big deal for the price but kinda strange.
What flight configuration did you guys use, Elevons?, conventional Aileron/Elevators?
I fly off of a dirt runway and the lack of steering is of a little concern to me.
Any input would be appreciated on configuring the flight condition, building etc. Also the throws used would be valuable.
The article about the predator in Backyard Flyer is an absolute joke with no details of any kind and no mention of problems (such as the lack of holes for the Aileron servo wires) among many others. As per usual in the magazine reviews they say the plane is perfect so that manufactures will still advertise in thier magazine.
03-21-2007 | 12:19 PM
#28
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From: Mesa, AZ
RE: Predator
Yes, I thought the holes were not drilled in the Horizontal stabs also. Like you I sanded the root down and sure enough there they were and I did use them. Yes, I put epoxy down the tubes to grip the steel pins. I did not note any epoxy flowing into the fuselage but I did not use all that much expoxy in them. I sanded the pins a bit to make them rough so the epoxy would hold a little better. I would say the pins are for location AND strength. I also exposed the balsa between the holes on the fuselage so that it would get a little better bond to the sanded root of the stabs.
The steering turned out to be a non-issue in that the plane tracked straight down the runway on takeoff and landing. Apparently some have added nose steering to the plane. I use a DX7/AR6100 on mine and just used the V-Tail function which required the use of the rudder channel so I just went with the fixed nosewheel.
I was uncomfortable in gluing the wings to the fuselage in the event I ever had to change a aileron servo so I cut small rectangles in the fuselage, reinforced it behind the cutouts then covered it and used tiny aluminum brackets to attach the wings to the fuselage. The wings do not fit the fuselage all that well at the root so I made very thin plywood shims to fill the gap between the wing root and the fuselage being very careful to maintain the dihedral.
I don't think the plane flies all THAT good. I expected it to glide well with the power cut, not the case. You gotta keep speed on it all the time. It does take off and land well. I noted that you really have to keep the speed up in turns.
The steering turned out to be a non-issue in that the plane tracked straight down the runway on takeoff and landing. Apparently some have added nose steering to the plane. I use a DX7/AR6100 on mine and just used the V-Tail function which required the use of the rudder channel so I just went with the fixed nosewheel.
I was uncomfortable in gluing the wings to the fuselage in the event I ever had to change a aileron servo so I cut small rectangles in the fuselage, reinforced it behind the cutouts then covered it and used tiny aluminum brackets to attach the wings to the fuselage. The wings do not fit the fuselage all that well at the root so I made very thin plywood shims to fill the gap between the wing root and the fuselage being very careful to maintain the dihedral.
I don't think the plane flies all THAT good. I expected it to glide well with the power cut, not the case. You gotta keep speed on it all the time. It does take off and land well. I noted that you really have to keep the speed up in turns.
03-29-2007 | 07:35 PM
#29
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From: Wynne,
AR
RE: Predator
I read about your Rq-1 predator and your experience with it. I read about this predator in the Backyard issue and decided to purchased the $89 ARF. I got it and my flying buddy and myself put it together. Found that its a one piece ARF, you can't disassembly the wing, fun to transport. Found no steerable gear, but with a axi 2814/12 40 amp esc, it jumps in the air.
We taxied it and it was hard to keep it straight. We decided to takeoff and it was airborne within seconds. I continued to fly and trim and was in the air for 6-7 min. I was 100 ft and flying slow, then banked to the left and then it flew like a rock. Its easy to transport now, it in 3 pcs.
You said that you have glued the wings on many times. Does the predator have a bad stall problem? Did you use the cg in the manual ?
We taxied it and it was hard to keep it straight. We decided to takeoff and it was airborne within seconds. I continued to fly and trim and was in the air for 6-7 min. I was 100 ft and flying slow, then banked to the left and then it flew like a rock. Its easy to transport now, it in 3 pcs.
You said that you have glued the wings on many times. Does the predator have a bad stall problem? Did you use the cg in the manual ?
04-02-2007 | 01:21 PM
#31
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From: Mesa, AZ
RE: Predator
I think it does have a bit of a stall problem, I would just land it with some speed. I had expected it to glide a lot better in the air but it has a tendency to stall at a medium slow speed which I really thought it would glide very well. I did use the CG as specified in the manual. I found that you really have to keep the speed up in turns as it will slide to the side very rapidly.
I am using the Spekturm DX7 radio with a AR6100 receiver in it. I used the V-Tail function in the DX-7 which works very well. It uses one elevator on the elevator channel and the other on the rudder channel ( I think, don't have the radio in front of me). It would work just as well with straight elevators freeing the rudder channel up for steering. I found nose wheel steering un-necessary since the plane tracks very well in a straight line on take off and landing.
By the way for those using the SPEKTRUM AR6100 receiver there is a programming update for the receiver. See this link:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=SPM6100
I am using the Spekturm DX7 radio with a AR6100 receiver in it. I used the V-Tail function in the DX-7 which works very well. It uses one elevator on the elevator channel and the other on the rudder channel ( I think, don't have the radio in front of me). It would work just as well with straight elevators freeing the rudder channel up for steering. I found nose wheel steering un-necessary since the plane tracks very well in a straight line on take off and landing.
By the way for those using the SPEKTRUM AR6100 receiver there is a programming update for the receiver. See this link:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=SPM6100
04-02-2007 | 01:49 PM
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From: kent, UNITED KINGDOM
RE: Predator
