New Radian
11-06-2009, 09:46 PM
#201
RE: New Radian
In my opinion, I don't think you would gain that much. At least not worth the extra wieght. But hey, if you feel like experimenting, go ahead. Replacement wings aren't that much.
11-07-2009, 11:37 AM
#203
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RE: New Radian
I know that people have added ailerons, but it seems to me that ailerons with that much dihedral is sort of pointless unless you are just using them as spoilers/flaps. What I was thinking was that with a flat wing you might actually get some actual roll action and make it a little more maneuverable - sort of like a hotliner. Mind you I'm not complaining, its a great plane as is, but you know how it is...
11-08-2009, 02:37 AM
#204
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RE: New Radian
I agree with Tom you wont gain that much but if you want to experiment then go ahead.
IMHO the Radian is not meant to have ailerons, making it more maneuverable would not be a good thing. It is already pretty fragile and flimsy. Just simple loops have been known to remove the wings from their seat and break other parts. If you want a more maneuvrable glider then go and purchase one that is designed to do it. The Radian is meant to be an entry level glider for thermaling, nothing else, and thats what i use it for!
IMHO the Radian is not meant to have ailerons, making it more maneuverable would not be a good thing. It is already pretty fragile and flimsy. Just simple loops have been known to remove the wings from their seat and break other parts. If you want a more maneuvrable glider then go and purchase one that is designed to do it. The Radian is meant to be an entry level glider for thermaling, nothing else, and thats what i use it for!
11-14-2009, 09:53 PM
#205
RE: New Radian
Hey, did you guys notice that Horizon is offering a "new and improved propeller"? I must have replaced mine at least 6 times this last year. Not to mention the motor mount breaking. Check it out. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=PKZ4700
04-21-2010, 11:16 PM
#206
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RE: New Radian
Hey guys, for more fun with your Radians put a light kit on it and fly in TOTAL darkness! I have stopped traffic with mine in the country serveral nights at 10:00 pm.
04-22-2010, 07:34 AM
#209
RE: New Radian
loungefly, 2nd replacement fuselage? I envy you. I'm still flying the original fixed glued and taped Radian I bought a year ago. Stabilizer is a little crooked but still flies. Wrote down flight #41. 38 mins 949 ft..
05-05-2010, 08:58 PM
#210
RE: New Radian
and today, flying in too high of winds, the bottom of the fuselage under the wing saddle broke. Fortunately only at about 30 ft. before wing separation. Some glue and some strapping tape, she'll fly again. Man my Radian is beat.
05-05-2010, 11:21 PM
#212
RE: New Radian
Yeah, actually it is. But since I have the top all taped with reinforced shipping tape, it's got to break somewhere. So with the high winds the bottom broke across the belly. The only place I haven't reinforced yet.
05-07-2010, 04:46 PM
#213
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RE: New Radian
ok im here to dont forget me i just bought mine and i hate those little fragile screw holders yup you guessed it i broke the elevator one no problem went ot lhs and picked up wire and i put a z bend on both ends and the radio is close to zero wow what luck cant wait to madien my to but i hear rain for us tommorow i am going with a 1300 blue lipo and it fits good so ill try it.
05-07-2010, 08:40 PM
#214
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RE: New Radian
Mine is like a new bird now. Put in lighter motor and batteries, shaved a bunch of weight off it. Want to get a new fuse to put in lighter gear and use my current tape, glue, cloth and spackle for windy days since it is heavier and use a new light one for gentle days. But, SNOWING here today and tomorrow, so rats. Broke a prop other day on run up in house, put in my last one, launched...crack buzzzz, DANGIT! So, waiting to fund my pp acount and ordering graupner blades for it. In the meantime, will have to fly with non folder and see how it works with that. I had about 5-6 sets of stock blades, went through them in a hurry. At least they're gone and not ever buying a pz prop again. How is everyone elses radian holding up?
05-08-2010, 08:29 AM
#215
RE: New Radian
Mine is fixable from the current fuselage break. It will be a good activity on a cold and rainy day that we're suppose to have here today. Have you gotten the one free prop replacement from Horizon? They seem to have realized the problem with the original and have come up with a better material for the newer one. Check the Product Bulletin here http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=PKZ4700 I've wondered if its the prop or the firewall where the motor mounts. Get a crack at one of the mounting screws and that motor can vibrate all over the place, and could be the reason for throwing a blade. I've epoxied/glassed that front surface. The Radian is great on a low wind day and I have to remind myself its better to save it for days like that. So mine is really beat up but I enjoy flying it so much that I will fix it again. Not sure if the replacement would be a new Radian or something like it.
07-22-2010, 10:25 PM
#216
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RE: New Radian
Hi, could us e a little help. Been flying my new radian for a couple days now and am having a slight control issue. Seems like the controls don't 'center' when i zero my joystick. Let me explain. After I turn left, I release the joystick, and the rudder returns to almost center, but a little left of center. When I turn right, then release the joystick, the rudder again returns to almost center, but this time a little to the right. This happens both when flying under power or in glide. I taped/glued down the pushrod snake, so there's a solid foundation. Also installed Mini EZ connectors from Dubro at the control horn end. basically, seems like all is rock solid at the control horn end. Do I have a sloppy servo? I looked at the servo arm, and maybe there is a little play where the little 'z' in the pushrod sits in the servo arm. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Josh
Thanks in advance,
Josh
07-23-2010, 07:09 AM
#218
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RE: New Radian
Thats was going to my question too Tom!
My new radian fuse has a large bend in the tail and as a result i have the rudder trimmed to half left trim to counter the tail and it still finds lift fine. I cant believe how far from the centre the rudder can be and it doesn't affect performance.
You may have a loose servo as they are only glued in with a weak silicone and the servo moves in its hold a little.
My new radian fuse has a large bend in the tail and as a result i have the rudder trimmed to half left trim to counter the tail and it still finds lift fine. I cant believe how far from the centre the rudder can be and it doesn't affect performance.
You may have a loose servo as they are only glued in with a weak silicone and the servo moves in its hold a little.
07-23-2010, 12:31 PM
#219
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RE: New Radian
Shoulda specified that - sure does affect flight. As opposed to tracking along straight and level, my plane is all over the place. Sometimes turns gradually to the left, sometimes to the right. Hopefully I'm doing something wrong, cause if it's my $200 plane, I'm gonna be a bit frustrated :/
07-30-2010, 07:41 AM
#220
RE: New Radian
For all you budding glider pilots, I have a resource for you.
The Novice Lounge of the Eastern Soaring League
http://forums.flyesl.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=14
The Eastern Soaring League is a competition sailplane league that operates on the East coast of the US. In addition to running 30+ contests a year the ESL maintains a web site that includes a forum called the Novice Lounge. There are over 40 articles on soaring that are directed toward the novice pilot.
The ESL is not an electric glider league, but many of the articles will be of interest and use to you whether you fly pure gliders or electric gliders.
You don't have to register to read the articles, so feel free to take a look, to use this as a learning tool. And, if you decide to give pure gliders a try some day, you will find helpful articles there to guide you along.
I hope you find it useful.
11-22-2010, 09:27 AM
#221
RE: New Radian
For those who have been enjoying the Radian with the RTF DX5e I am sure you have seen there is a new Radian Pro out that has flaps and ailerons. If you want to add that one to the fleet, here is how you would set it up on your DX5e radio.
SETTING UP A RADIAN PRO ON THE DX5e AND THE AR500 RECEIVER
Your DX5e absolutely has all the controls needed to use all the features of the Radian pro. 
You won't be able to do the fancy surface mixing that at the expensive radios can do but you can absolutely fly the Pro on the DX5e and the AR500. And, if you set it up as I suggest you will be able to do more than you might have thought.
You won't be able to do the fancy surface mixing that at the expensive radios can do but you can absolutely fly the Pro on the DX5e and the AR500. And, if you set it up as I suggest you will be able to do more than you might have thought.I will be laying out controls based on Mode 2, the most commonly configuration used in North America. Mode 1 or 3 would place things differently but the effect is the same.
Pitch and roll - right stick
yaw and speed - left stick
ELEVATOR stays on right stick as pitch goes on the right stick.
AILERONS - AR500 has a built in "Y" cable so it has two aileron channels. You can just plug in the ailerons in the aileron channels assuming that they are set-up facing opposite each other, which is what I would expect. You will control these from the right stick which is where primary roll control always goes regardless of what surfaces you have.
*Rudder - moves to the left stick. This is true of every plane that has ailerons. Rudder now becomes your yaw control which goes on the left stick. You now have finer control of the Radian Pro than you had of the Radian because Yaw and Roll are no longer coupled.
Throttle and Flaps - Where to put them on the DX5e?
opcorn: Well, that depends on you and your intent.
opcorn: Well, that depends on you and your intent.If you are more of a power plane pilot, then you put the throttle on the left stick and the flaps on the switch. The flaps will need a Y cable which may be included with the Pro. That means you use the throttle a lot and the flaps are only used as brakes just before you land. Nothing wrong with this, but this is not the way I would set it up.
If you are more of a glider pilot then you put the throttle on the switch and the flaps on the left stick. I am more of a glider pilot so that is what I would do. To me flaps are more than brakes, they help me reshape the wing in the air to control speed and glide path. I want fine control of the flaps.
I only use the motor to climb so it is on or off in 30 seconds typically. I really don't need fine control on the throttle so I would put that throttle on the switch. In fact many high end competition e-glider pilots with expensive radios and planes put their throttle on a switch. Power on/power off is all you need.
With the flaps on the left stick I have fine control of the flaps and that means I can use them for full glide path control as well as braking. Flaps would be neutral with the stick all the way forward. If you think of this as a speed control, flaps neutral is my high speed position for them. Left stick pulled all the way back is my low speed or stopping position. That is the standard way to set them up on a glider.
If I find lift, I can apply a very small amount of flaps to increase the undercamber shape to the wing in a thermal and to climb more quickly. That means I would pull the left stick slightly toward me, back, to bring the flaps down a couple of mm or about 1/4". On my Futaba 9C sailplane radio I have this on a switch, but using the DX5e I would just move the left stick a little.
If I am up high and want to get down I can ease in more flaps to help me bring the plane down steeply without gaining a lot of speed. I might not put them full on, depending on my goals, my distance from the field, etc. I have fine control so I use it.
As I am coming in for a landing I can ease the flaps in and out as needed to control the glide path for a precision landing. Remember I am a glider pilot so the idea of using the motor on approach is not part of my flying style.
I might even be able to work out a way to raise the flaps slightly for a reflex position to enhance penetration into the wind. I would set up some kind of mechanical stop on the throttle. Perhaps a piece of wood stock that is taped on the radio. When it is flipped toward me it would stop the stick from going all the way forward. I would adjust the flaps so that tis would be flap neutral.
When I want reflex, I flip this block out of the way allowing the stick to move all the way forward. This would be set up to have the flaps raised up 1-2 mm. Now I have reflex for wind penetration or high speed glide out of sink. Believe me, glider pilots were doing this kind of stuff long before there were computer radios.
As you can see a DX5e and the AR500 can be used to fly the Radian pro and you will have advanced controls as compared to the orignal Radian. You won't have crow, you won't have full trailing edge camber control and you won't have flap to elevator mixing.
FLAP TO ELEVATOR MIXING - As you apply flaps you increase the lift of the wing. If you have a computer radio that can provide automatic flap to elevator mixing then you mix in some down elevator as you apply flaps. Even basic computer radios like the DX6i have this mix. Otherwise the nose of the Radian Pro will "balloon" up and the plane will tend to stall. Without this mix set you have to do this with your right stick manually.
If you are flying the DX5e or other standard radio without mixes you will need to learn to apply some down elevator whenever you apply the flaps. If you don't you may find yourself crashing a lot. This is true whether you have the flaps on the switch or the left stick. It is a learned process and after a while it becomes automatic. But this is one reason people like computer radios. They do this for you.
So, as far as the flaps go, I am just not sure if you will need a Y or a reversing Y on the flaps as I don't know what is included. The manual does not say and I can't find a photo of the bottom of the plane to see how the servos are faced.
04-23-2011, 07:00 PM
#222
RE: New Radian
Well I was going to try to fix my old Radian and then it dawned on me. Even if I fix it again, its going to fly pretty cruddy. So I could put six hours into trying to fix it, or just buy a new PNP version. So I ordered a new one from Horizon and they had it to me by the following day. The fun starts all over for me.
05-24-2011, 02:07 AM
#223
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RE: New Radian
I was just pricing the Radian out. I love my lhs but they are big in the Radian Pro and RTF. I figured the Radian was all I need/want for now, and who doesn't have a couple extra AR500/600's laying around the house? So PNP is for me. checked out HH and a couple other sites that had the right price, and free ship, but all charged about 13.00 for oversized handling. I checked on Amazon where HH is a seller, and found that their free shipping really is free, so mine is on the way.... :-)
07-11-2011, 07:31 PM
#225
RE: New Radian
Want to make an airborn search plane out of my Radian
I am thinking that it would be good to have a camera system for my Radian that would allow me to search for planes that have gone down in the woods by flying over them.
I would need a camera system that would transmit back to my laptop or some kind of monitor device. Figure I need at least 1/2 mile range.
This would only look down. I don't need pan or zoom features.
I would want it to be light weight and preferablly easy to remove or attach.
Color would probably be best, but sound would not be needed.
I have no other purpose for this other than to find lost models.
The lower the price the better as I hope to not need to use it too much.
Any suggestions for a set-up?
I am thinking that it would be good to have a camera system for my Radian that would allow me to search for planes that have gone down in the woods by flying over them.
I would need a camera system that would transmit back to my laptop or some kind of monitor device. Figure I need at least 1/2 mile range.
This would only look down. I don't need pan or zoom features.
I would want it to be light weight and preferablly easy to remove or attach.
Color would probably be best, but sound would not be needed.
I have no other purpose for this other than to find lost models.
The lower the price the better as I hope to not need to use it too much.
Any suggestions for a set-up?