RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Kevin,

The problem with fixing the gear is that they already work fine static. You can't tell if any changes are effective until after you test it in the air. But I'm pretty sure it has something to do with either the depth or angle of the lock slot at the end of the cycle in the gear frames. You want a good lock on the down cycle but it can't be so strong that the cylinder can't pop it out on retraction. I'm going to leave this one up to FlyEagle to fix. They have had the same problem on other flights of their F-18F.

David S

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Hi

First off all, good job Steve. I am planning to do some weathering and some more stickers on mine.

Glad it all came out well David. As soon as you can please psot video.

I have a Feibao F18F, and to retract the gear, it as to be just after rotation, or else the front gear can not resist air drag to come up. See this video http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=nSysabcAXaM

What looks stange is the fact that the main gear can not come up, because air flow helps it to rectract. But at 140psi, should defenetely work.

It might be that the cilinders just have a small diameter to cope with the heavy and long struts and struggle to come up, but you said that works fine in the ground......

Can you dig this a bit more?

Regards

Nuno

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Keith,

Before you fly yours tomorrow, put it on a stand to test the retract cycle. But first put a little rear load on the main gear with your hand, simulating drag. I'll bet the gear won't retract. But as soon as you release the load, apply a little opposite load, you will then hear a definite "click" when they unlock and up they'll go. This is the problem on both nose and main gear on mine. They won't unlock under any type of load.

David S

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Interesting!!! I am just starting on the wings ..waiting for my other project to get here. For the Flaps...my SM F-18 and my friends TAM F-18...we had to use full flaps, as far as we could get them for landings. That was the best way to land this bird. I would land at almost half throttle using Alpha as me friend for speed and AOA.

Do you have the "light" or "heavy" version?

I am hoping the the boys from FEJ will fix this and send us either new gears or mods necessary to make them work.

Rex

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Ok David

I guess I now have undestood what you mean. In my Feibao F18 and my FEJ F16 I have grinded (rounded) a bit of the gear frames on the lock loop. This was to avoid it sticking and only come up when you do some force in the opposite direction untill the click is heard.

The air drang in the main wheels tends to do the opposite force of the one needed to "click" it out. The front gear, nevertheless should do the opposite and retract. have you tried to retract just after rotation, or the speed was too high?

Regards

Nuno

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Rex,

I also have a Tam Hornet with several hundred flights on it. I put two more on it just before flying the FlyEagle F-18F, just to get into the "Hornet Flying" mode. I set the FlyEagle up just like the Tam with the same degrees in flap and stab movement and took off and landed with full flap, just like the Tam.

Nuno,

I can't retract the gear until the plane lifts off at a proper speed. If you try to yank it off too soon, you risk a lot more than being too fast for the gear to retract. The issue has NOTHING to do with the takeoff speed. The exact same condition can be initiated at zero airspeed, by simply putting a little load on the gear, it doesn't matter which direction the load is. The issue is the "load" prevents the cylinders from being able to unlock the down and fixed condition.


David S

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Ok David,

It looks like a call to James on monday will be in order.

I agree, lets let FEJ come up with the proper fix on these gear. Some things need to be engineered properly and not tinkered with. This may be one case of replacement. My opinion is a larger diameter air cylinder for this beefy set of gear.

I like to trust the gear each and every time I fly. No slow take offs, no invert flight to roll the gear in, and no mishaps on landing due to something not working and getting that nervous SH-T feeling.

Just my opinion.

Kevin

PS. I love the jet and just want to have much success and fun with this one.

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

I am in touch with the factory right now and we will replace a large air cylinder for the nose gear and probably the mains too.

Attn: All F18F owners will receive NEW three larger air cylinders.



_______________________________________________

FEJ Rep/Demo Team Leader
Maryland, U.S.A

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Kevin,
I just assembled these aileron and flap boxes...why did you add the CF for the Flap box?

Thanks, Rex

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

good Still waiting on mine.....

Andy

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Andy...you will find this one to be much different than the imfamous F-16 build...I remember the pic with the grinder in it!!! It is a bit more like a BVM build, but without a manual....just pics.

Anton is the man though...he is fixing me up wih new parts for my 16...still my favorite Jet of all. IMO, Skymaster is the best at customer service.

Rex

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Rex,

As far as the strengthening of the servo box, I once had a sky master hawk lose control due to the servos glued onto the underside of wing sheeting. I followed the skymaster instructions and all, but still this was a weak area on the wing. So from that experiance I have learned that I will never glue a servo onto wood wing skin unless I add carbon fiber as a stiffener.

So with the FEJ, when I glued the wood servo boxes into wing for ailerons, that seemed OK. But the Flaps seemed to bend the skin when servo was insatlled and hooked up to flaps.

Make sure you glue the wood tabs from top of wood servo box to the under side of bottom of wing. This will also stiffen up this servo box.

So again, this may not be needed, but for me I like to be sure.

Kevin

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Congratulation David for your maiden flight with the F18. Here in north of France bad weather after snow rain and wind, today fog! I wait since 15 days for the second flight.

Best regards
Michel J.

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Michel

You got yours repaired, kool beans... On your next flight, will you still have full ordinance attached: missiles and tanks?

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

He DJ,

only missiles for the next flight, and without the two little tanks ( 24,900 kg with kero, 55 lbs). But maybe i wait for the new cylinder.

Best regards

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

All

Is anyone anywhere other than Michel using a power management system (Power box or Smart fly) or are you just running everything off the receiver?

Thanks...

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

hey DJ,

i`m using a Emcotec DPSI Twin Mini

http://www.rc-electronic.com/html/de..._mini_715w.jpg

here is the [link=http://shop.rc-electronic.com/downloads/pdf/bedienungsanleitungen/TWIN_Mini_Anleitung_EN.pdf]Manual[/link]

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

DJ,

I will be using the Smartfly EQ10, TurboReg, and two 5000+ mah A123 battery packs. To run everything from the receiver would require my using Y harnesses for elevator, rudder, flaps, and aileron. I prefer not using Y harnesses with high-output digital servos.

Eddie,

Will FEJ automatically send the larger retract air cylinders to everyone with the F-18F, or should we email them and request the replacement?

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Steven

Yeah, this is the system that Michel is using-I think that puppy is awesome. I don't know of any Americans using them for jets or giant scale props, but have to venture into it...

Thanks...

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

Gents,

here is the Statement from FEJ :

For the F18F gear cylinders, we will send 3 cylinders to all of customers automatically. They do not need to write email to us, we will send in a short time. We work overtime and try to finish all cylinders in a short time and send them to all customers.

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

David

I was going with the same smartfly but with li ion battsa123s are heavy. I have time, I will look into Emcotec system-that puppy is sweet...

Thanks...

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

You can't go wrong with the EQ-10. Servo mixing and more built in to every channel.

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

To anyone reading this: is this customer service or what? FEJ is on the One!

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

I'm with you, Sin, but Euro system is still sweet :) but since the smart fly is from the US and probably can be serviced faster if necessary, I may stay with it...

RE: Flyeagle F18F
 

DJ,

this Sytem is awesome, you can use your 2,4 GHZ as main and your 72 MHZ (or whatever) as backup, is there any issue it
will switch automatically to the backup RX, and reverse by the next failure. COOL BEANS :D:D:D oh sorry, i was instructed
by James not to use C... B.... :D:D:D LMAO