Balsageek

I recently built a GWS pico stick and tried to fly it today. Everything is built according to plans and the darn thing just doesn't want to fly. It's almost like the motor (I'm using the GWS flight pack) isn't powerful enough. I have tried moving the wings back, and I tried moving the cg back. It still won't ROG and when I throw it, it stalls, gets airspeed flys but always down. I give her some up elevator and it starts to nose up but just slows down and continues the descent. ! I tried removing weight like throwing the prop spinner out and I even scraped a prop down (that's an ol free flight trick). The darn thing still doesn't want to fly.

Maybe it's me who is used to a flying grossly overpowered airplanes. AND, Maybe that Radical edge is a better park flyer choice for me.

Oh well any help on the pico is appreciated!

Matt

Jon Mead

Let me tell you what happened with my Multiplex Lupo. I flew it for the first time indoors in a local sports hall, and it was fine, if anything it had a tendency to climb like crazy at full throttle. I packed away at the end of the evening well satisfied.

A week later, and I was up at the field, in some nice calm weather, so in between glow flights, I thought I would try the Lupo. It wouldn't ROG and from a hand launch, even at full power, it would just sag and descend to the ground in a mushy semi stall. What the h*ll was wrong? I had removed the prop to lubricate the gears with some fluorosilicone grease, and on replacing the prop, I had put it on backwards. A quick bit of spanner work in the pits, and the performance was transformed.

I'm not saying that this is your problem, but it sounds awfully familiar.

Outlaw-RCU

I have a couple of gws park flyers and had the pico stick. One huge problem I had when flying that thing is even if you hit the prop on a feather it wouldn't fly. Those props are very delicate and only last one landing before they are replaced. I probably have 20 of those props that are useless. When they get a little hit on them like on landings the pitch changes like crazy. I now use an apc on my pico stick fuesalage and it has way more pep. If you have the stick version I tell you one thing. DON'T DO A LOOP. I did that and my right wing ripped in half and that was the end of that gws. The fuse version are worth the extra money.
One other thing that you might check is the trim on your radio. It could be all the way down and not getting the power it should

Dandi6065

I have had nothing but trouble with the IPS motor system. I have owned a couple Lite-Stiks and a Pico Stik FD, I had only one motor that worked well, for about 20 flights, the others didnt last. yes I had a heat sink, 7.2 volts only 280 mah, no frontal hits. I have a background in R/C car racing I know how to treat a motor. Try a different motor like a Johnson 250 $1 from: http://sales.goldmine-elec.com/prodinfo.asp?prodid=3009
Here is a link: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...highlight=4046
Hope this helps.

robind

are you useing an indoor prop if so try ther out door one

rcav8or

My Feedback: (5)

Don't mean it to sound silly, but actually saw it once - make sure you don't have the prop on backwards...your symptoms exactly...

I have 3 of the LiteStiks, one with well over 200 flights, one with slightly over 100 (one not ready yet). One with heatsink, one without. Never had a lick of a problem with either! AND, I have only replaced one prop, with an APC, just because I wanted to try the APC...so I still have a spare.

All my takeoffs, after the second hand launch, have been Roll Off Ground, probably well over half off of grass, some quite tall.

And I have probably looped at least once in every flight. I have even done touch-n-goes off of picnic tables, and sometimes crash-n-goes off of them. And I have yet to tear one up, that a little bit of tape didn't fix. I have replaced the wings and tail on one, so that was another $11....this is by far the best $35 I have ever spent.

My 10 year old daughter flew one for the first time last summer, and on the 2nd flight, the motor died, 10 feet off the ground over the runway...she landed it just perfect, on her 2nd R/C flight ever!!

So, I still think they are great, and possibly some might be lousy out of the box, but I have never seen one....

You can do a Google search for LiteStik, and come up with all kinds of modifications, etc...such as fishing line to keep the dihedral in, V-tail configuration, biplane Stiks, twins...just all SORTS of goodies! I have the wings I replaced still, in case I decide to patch them up, and make a twin-boom twin engine LiteStick...

Good luck with it, and have fun! Let us know what fixes it, if you get it fixed....

4 stroken ron

My Feedback: (29)

I agree with Roger, I have a couple dozen flights on my, all of them ROG from grass. I built mine more or less stock and it has been fine. I still use the original prop. I have been using the 7.2 v 280 mil pack that comes with the PICO flight pack and it has worked fine.
Ron

Balsageek

You guys are right about the prop. I put the D@*n thing on backword ALL THREE TIMES I'VE had it off and on! Gee to I feel stupid. The thing looks completely unnatural to me when it's on correctly but at least it flies that way. It almost jumped out of my hand when I revved it up in the basement.

Thanks everyone, I guess we all need a little reality check every now and then.

Matt

DougX

I would also: A) Remove the landing gear and land on grass or catch it as it glides in. B)Get some NiMH batteries. The stock battery is lame at best.

Also watch out for the wing brackets they are very flimsy and prone to cracking in cold weather. If you do break one you can "weld" it back together with a soldering iron and some left over plastic from the tree they came attached to.

Good Luck