BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

The CG range shown on the plans is fairly conservative, as you might expect. My suggestion is use the 18 oz., but make it removeable so you can experiment later with shifting the CG aft. Yes, that seems like a lot of weight, but if that's what it takes, then use it. Everybody hates to add dead weight, but I'm sure other will confirm that the model can handle a few extra ounces with no problem. Balancing upside-down is fine; that's how I do it.

Bruce

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Mine took 11ozs with a P60 installed. Empty weight is 18 1/2 pounds with a full UAT. Flies GREAT! See my flight reports. Thinking about moving the CG aft a bit to the rear limit. Spins are terrible right now. All else just fine.

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

I failed to mention that I also added a redundant battery system up front and switched to 3300 mHa ECU battery to help with my CG too. Regardless the wing loading on this airplane is light compared to many of the other jets flying so don't worry about the weight that you had to add. If you built it straight she'll fly great. Good luck with the maiden flight. These R54's fly like a dream

Post photo's of your ship when you can.

Cheers,

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Guys,

I am just doing the final installation on my R54. I would like to know where you all have your Rx Antenna. I know Tim has a whip antenna and I can see bruce has his in a tube down the side. I would like to avoid the whip if I can (I dont like the look). My plan was to run a tube down the side away from the pump wires. I have my pump in the boat tail and the ECU is there also.
I have a 9ZAP with a 149 dp PCM Rx.


Any suggestions.

Thanks

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Tommy,
I run mine OUTSIDE the fuse parallel to the bottom to almost the leading edge and then angle it up. Just taped in place. See below

Dave Rigotti

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Dave,

That was quick service.
I was thinking of the same place but in a tube in the bottom corner inside the fuse. I guess you have no inteference problems with the antenna there.

Regards

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

None..plenty of range too! Outside gets the antenna a bit further away from the noise. I AM looking at a Revolution whip...maybe someday.

Dave

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Dave,

What radio do you have?.

Regards

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Futaba super 9C with R149DP PCM rx.

Dave

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Tommy,

To keep it clean I would just run the antenna in a tube like Bruce did with his. One thing to be very carefull about is to keep it away from the ECU and the electric fuel pump. Both put out a bit of RF that will interfere and shorten the effective range of your receiver. A 10 to 15 percent reduction is about the norm when the engine is running. That brings up another point...Besure to test your range "with" the turbine running at the different power setings.

The reason I went with the whip antenna is that I couldn't find a clean way of installation without getting too close to the other RF type equipment. Plus I read a lot of favorable comments and reviews on how the base loaded antenna's will actually out perform the standard receiver antenna leads. $4600 into an airplane is a lot of money for me and takes a while to build up. I really didn't want to take any chances. The whip antenna has performed very well and in range testing between the standard receiver lead and whip I saw an increase of about 15%.

There are several types out there that may look better then mine and would be hard to see while flying. Hayes makes a good one that has proven to work well with R/C helicopters. Those things have a lot of moving parts with metal to metal contact and subject to RF noise.

Again do test your range carefully and don't take any chances. You have a good deal of time and money invested and I hate to see you auger in do to radio problems.


Cheers,

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Tim,

I got all the nose gear installed tonight, steering cables work Ok. I just need to mount the retract valve and the RX and it will be done. I will probably run the new engine on the test stand before I run it in the model.
The flight reports you guys have posted have really made me get on with the job.

I have a large 7 cell nicad battery for the brake and a five cell rx pack and a four cell pump battery, all right up the front.
I don't have any onboard gas or fuel valves. I use an external starter battery and glow driver. I hope mine will be not too heavy. I have also moved the engine a little towards the front.

We have a relly great field 900'x80' close mown grass, so I don't anticipate any problems with the maiden flight.

I wont have it ready for next weekend, probably the one after.


Regards

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Tom, I suggest running it inside the fuselage, then range test thoroughly as Tim recommended. Have someone hold the model and rotate it around, looking for glitches. It's worth running a tank through to do this test. If range is maintained with the turbine running, and the controls are solid as the model is being rotated, then you should feel pretty confident. If it doesn't pass this test to your satisfaction, then you can move the antenna or try a whip. My bet is it will work just fine inside the model if you keep it a couple inches away from the pump and ECU.

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Just an announcement to everyone that today I received my waiver from the AMA!!!

AMA Waiver # 11010.


Got a really nice Certificate and a card to go along with my logbook. I'll probably frame the certificate and hang it up in my hobby room....


Cheers,

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Yeah Buddy! I can smell the Jet A getting burned from way up North! Weather looks like crap for us this weekend. Hope yours is better!

Dave Rigotti

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Well Done Tim,


Regards

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

OK Folks,

Anybody see my skis for the Reaction 54?

STILL snowing! Can't believe it was 80 degrees last Tuesday!

TonyF...Do ya miss this?????

Dave "ain't flying turbines this weekend" Rigotti

causeitflies

Sorry Dave, it's my fault. The weather always turns bad on my long weekend[&o]

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Dave,

What is all that white stuff?.

We never see anything like that here in Australia!!!.

We sometimes have "Complete Fire Ban" days, and we can't even start a turbine let alone fly.


Regards

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Tommy,

First picture is from this morning, the second at 5PM today.

STILL snowing! Windy 15-25MPH at 30F (0C)

Polishing the Monokote today!

Dave

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Well Dave if its any conciliation to ya...I didn't get to fly this weekend either so that I can test out that new waiver of mine.

Yesterday it was rain and strong winds. Last night we had a light snow flurry so I found my car with about a 1/4" of snow on the hood of my car this morning and for most of the day the winds at 16 with gusts to 25. This kind of weather really sucks...

But it does give you time to tend to other projects related to the hobby. Now I'm working on a 5 Gal. fuel container for my turbine with a pump and a radio flier wagon to haul my stuff around at the different jet rallys.

Also working on a solar charging system for my trailer...

Hopefully the weather gods will get it right some time soon so that we can cause shortages of available kerosene at our local gas stations.


Cheers,

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Yes I agree! I'm thinking NEXT weekend wouldn't be good either. The long range forecast sucks for this area.

This will give me some time to make progress on the secret project. The nose gear unit was sent back as they sent a belly mount instead of a firewall mount. Bardstown for its debut is looking dim......

BTW...STILL snowing...more than a foot on the ground. Weather man says not until early on Monday morning will it stop. We had a record snow fall this year to boot. This will shatter it by more than 15" inches!

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Well folks,
It stopped snowing! Since I could not fly and polishing the Monokote took only an hour I thought I'd install my Revolution whip antenna. Install was pretty straight forward. I located it pretty close to the RX and away from the ECU. Drilled (2) 3/16" holes in the nose wheel well floor I added. (this is not included in Bruces kit!) Trimmed the RX antenna to 4" and soldered on the connector. I mounted the antenna to the side of the fuse with wing seating tape. This stuff is great for retaining servo wires, air lines, etc. Next I connected it to the RX and taped the joint to prevent what would be a catastrophic event should it come apart! I located the exit point in the hatch and installed a 3/16 ID grommet. I cut one "flange" off of the grommet before CA'ing it in place. Makes installing the hatch before flying a bit of a pain though as I have to "find" the hole with the antenna tip to feed it thru. Overall, looks a LOT better than the RX antenna wire just taped to the fuse side. I'll range check with and without the turbine running before I fly. ALL posts on this subject suggests an increase in range!
What do you think?

BTW...Notice in the right most picture the orange surveyor tape? This is attached to the tank vent plug to HELP to keep me from losing it! Sort of a "remove before filling" reminder too! Never did find the first one I HAD!

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Looks great Dave,

And I'm sure you'll appreciate the increase in range. One less thing to worry about when flying these fast movers...


Cheers,

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Yeah Buddy!

"I can almost taste that soda pop on Sunday at Bardstown!"

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

A couple of cool ones will be in the cooler waiting for ya...

Cheers,