Hey everyone, I just started building my new Ultra-RC yak 54 .40-.50 size. This is the first one I found in this size range. It is an awesome fiberglass fuselage. Its the first ARF i've had that needed NO HEAT GUN or IRON work at all on the covering, what little there is anyways. The landing gear are very strong and Nice Carbon Fiber, not sure if its real, but good enough to fool someone who knows probablly. The paint on the fiberglass( or gel coat ) is excellent. I've seen a few other post on this plane, some good some bad, but I am truly amazed at what you get for $159 bucks! Here's some pictures. I want this thread to be a QA on this plane and also on some setup changes I'm doing. If anyone knows alot about rigging up pull-pull stuff with split elevators, SPEAK UP. I'd like ot go with that instead of the split pushrod way they show. It already has a good pull-pull system on the Rudder, so I want to go all out but need some advice so as to keep the split elevator pull-pull as light or !LIGHTER! than the split pushrod stuff.

I'll be more then happy to help you with this thread. I've got hundreds of flights on mine now. The people that have been crying and whining about the plane just either don't know how to fly or think it's going to be super light 3D plane. It's not ... it's a scale plane that will outfly circles around anything in it's class.

Everything I used was stock. You'll get a TON of throw from the split elevators, don't worry about putting pull pull on them.

One important tip about the elevator. Low rate 1/4", High rate 3/4". When you find a good low rate then you can max out your high rate. This is just so you have 2 safe buffer zones. You find the best low rate when you do straight and level and pull elevator with no snaps.

I've subscribed to this post so if you need anything just ask.

Thanks alot, If I use the dual pushrod setup, Id like to go with a carbon rod system just to eliminate wood in the control linkage because I've had a few bad experiences. Also, what motor are you using on yours? I put on a thunder tiger .61 pro and that helped with the balance issue. Also, did you set the wings incidence with a meter, or did you just predrill the dimples on the fuselage side and go with that? My estimated wing loading is going to end up around 28 oz., and I already knew before I bought it that it wasnt a 3D plane, and I agree that most of the whiners do not understand this part. What servos did you use in the ailerons? Im going with 3004's, but rudder and elevator are hitec ultra torque metal gear units, I think 5645's, about 144 oz of torque, and I know thats overkill, but they were sitting there and I didnt have any other high torque servos so hey! The throttle is a hitec HS-81 mini servo. Have you ever deadsticked it at all. If so, Does It do fine if you keep the speed up? And i'm assuming takeoffs need to keep the speed up before pulling vertical to make sure the wings are doing a good job first. Hey, post some pics of your yak on here if you can, Thanks again, JOHN

Just a thought, but if you noticed I put this thread under Sport Flying, Not 3D flying like everyone else, as I knew what I was buying when I bought it.!!! Smart thinkin eh?

Thanks alot, If I use the dual pushrod setup, Id like to go with a carbon rod system just to eliminate wood in the control linkage because I've had a few bad experiences. Also, what motor are you using on yours?

Saito .72

I put on a thunder tiger .61 pro and that helped with the balance issue. Also, did you set the wings incidence with a meter, or did you just predrill the dimples on the fuselage side and go with that?

I set the wings with the anti rotation pins, they are true. These are not just dimples ... whether you may already know that.

My estimated wing loading is going to end up around 28 oz., and I already knew before I bought it that it wasnt a 3D plane, and I agree that most of the whiners do not understand this part. What servos did you use in the ailerons?

I've got Hitec 635's all the way around and that's all you'll need. 5645's are not needed even close ... be careful with them.

Im going with 3004's, but rudder and elevator are hitec ultra torque metal gear units, I think 5645's, about 144 oz of torque, and I know thats overkill, but they were sitting there and I didnt have any other high torque servos so hey! The throttle is a hitec HS-81 mini servo. Have you ever deadsticked it at all. If so, Does It do fine if you keep the speed up?

If it deadsticks just find it's best glide speed and no hard turns. But I've deadsticked mine many times. Notta problem.

And i'm assuming takeoffs need to keep the speed up before pulling vertical to make sure the wings are doing a good job first. Hey, post some pics of your yak on here if you can, Thanks again, JOHN

Just a thought, but if you noticed I put this thread under Sport Flying, Not 3D flying like everyone else, as I knew what I was buying when I bought it.!!! Smart thinkin eh?

Yes, everyone thinks because it's a Yak it falls into 3D by default, thus the whiners. Why don't we see Great Planes Extra 300 in the 3D forums? Or even 33% Pitts Special? HA!

My UltraRC Yak-54

My fuselage didn't have the holes drilled for the pins, so I was wondering if I drilled through the dimples wether the incidence would be good or if I would have to adjust the holes a little to bring it in check. I've heard other people say theirs were already drilled, but mine weren't. good choice for a motor. I was thinking about leaving the canopy floor out, and I thought it would make it look like a bigger 33% plane or so, because they never put a canopy floor in them. What do you mean by be careful with the 5645's? too much servo shouldn't hurt anything as long as there isn't any binding right?

My fuselage didn't have the holes drilled for the pins, so I was wondering if I drilled through the dimples wether the incidence would be good or if I would have to adjust the holes a little to bring it in check. I've heard other people say theirs were already drilled.

They are not drilled, you need to drill them. These dimples are for anti rotation pins which you can see in the photos. You use the copper tubing and glue the copper tubing into the wings.

I was thinking about leaving the canopy floor out, and I thought it would make it look like a bigger 33% plane or so, because they never put a canopy floor in them.

It's your plane, do what makes you happy. It's nice to be able to look inside it to make sure things are nice and tight. I took mine out after 3rd flight.

What do you mean by be careful with the 5645's? too much servo shouldn't hurt anything as long as there isn't any binding right?

Right, high torque/hi speed servos are fine, just be careful how you use them. I hope your using a good digital radio. When it's all ready to go we'll go over the numbers and if you do just what my settings are ... you'll be peachy keen.

Yes, Im using a futaba 6EXA transmitter for now, I just bought a 7CAP but I need to get a couple recievers as the 7CAP is low band and my 6EXA is high band. Dang Futaba brainiacs! Anyways, what did your all up weight come out to with yours? The saito and the thunder tiger should weigh pretty close to the same. You know what I mean about the canopy floor, and your right, I would like to be able to look in there and physically SEE that all is well. I should be ready to set up the controls tomorrow evening, as our club meeting is tonight at 7, otherwise it would be ready tonight. Just need to cut the cowl, drill the anti rotation pins and glue them in, and finish off the control rods, pull-pull stuff etc... and Ill be ready to go. What was a good starting CG, I read alot of the whiners complaining about the recommended CG feeling off?

I've never weighed mine. I set the CG just a hair behind the manual, about 1/2" less.

about a half inch towards Nose Heavy, or a half inch towards Tail Heavy?

1/2" back

So that would make it more nose heavy, correct? Anyways, I got the rudder and elevators hooked up last night, so what would you reccomend for starting throws on low rates?

Low rates about 1/2" max. High rates about 1" max.

Well, between saturday and sunday, I got four flights in on the Yak. WOW! For all the negative comments i've read about it, what a bunch of morons. THIS plane flies awesome! Its no 3D plane, but it is a very scale aerobatic plane. Snap rolls are amazing!!!!!! Only one time did it snap when i pulled hard on the elevator, but that was on high rates. On low rates it will do anything you want it to. Rolls are very defined and axial, loops track dead on. Stall turns are fun, but doesn't require much rudder. The first one I tried ended up in looping the plane with the rudder in a spin, neat trick to do though. all in all, use bigger wheels and it's an awesome airplane. I was so worried about it from the negativity of everyone, but maybe they were expecting a fun-fly plane? Its fun, but on a different level. The .61 seems to be the perfect engine for that plane. vertical was out of sight if you didn't pull back on the throttle.
Cant tell I like the plane can you?

Did you guys have to add quite a bit of weight to the nose to get this plane to balance? I've got a two ounce spinner weight and I still need to add 6 OZ to get it even close to balancing. Haven't added the 6oz permanently yet. Trying to figure a way to take weight off the rear.

For what it's worth I've got a YS 63 in the nose and I've got the battery up under the tank.

Any more folks flying this bird with success? Have a friend who is a 3D flyer. Wants to sell his as he rarely goes higher than twenty feet and rarely flies anything that is not a profile. Have a Saito 91 looking for a home and it sure is "perty".

Eric

sorry it took so song to reply guys, ive been busy. Yes this plane needs alot of nose weight to balance, i have a t.t. .61 pro with a pitts muffler and I put a 1400 mah battery under the tank and still needed a 1 oz. weighted washer on the prop. First thing you NEED to do is throw the wheels away that come with it and give up any hope of fitting the wheel spats on it. It didn't work on grass, and didn't even work on an asphalt runway either. Ended up scraping the h#%@ out of the underside of the cowl from sliding to a stop on its nose. But all in all if you want a hot little aerobatic plane, this is it. build it light and fly it right, and you wouldnt have any bad habbits. keep the speed up and it'll be just fine. I was impressed with how slow it was on landing.

hello yak flyers my name is steve .I just picked up a ultra rc yak 54 .40 size.I plan on putting my saito .72 4 stroke in it (thats good ?).I would like to make this a brilliant little plane, so any help on changes that would be a possitive step to making this little girl perform brilliantly would be greatly appreciated.I got the plane for 125.00 canadian .

There is one other member here who has crashed his Yak that is reading this thread. I dont feel offended, but when somebody keeps calling guys who crashed this plane morons and idiots and everything else I had to post. Flame me for posting but at least I shall speak up for those who have crashed. 10 guys PMed me with questions reguarding this plane.All 10 have now crashed in the last 6 months. Its a pig in my eyes and I did not even plan to use it for 3D. I laterally balanced it as well as set it dead on reccomended cg. I had a Magnum .91 FS in it and still had to add nose weight after moving batts under tank and RX and everything up front. I set my low rates at 3/8" throw and my highs at 1/2" max. Maybe not even that. It would not even do a loop it was so snappy. I check incidence and it seems pretty square. I hear about you guys with 20,000 flight hours on it, do me a tight loop, or just a scale loop.... at your 1" throws... Maybe I got a lemon? WHo knows. I have a Top Flight Bonanza that can do better scale areobatics than this POS. Junk!

Oh, I have a nice canopy,canopy base,and left wing if somebody would like a spare. The gear and Spats are in great shape as well. If you pay shipping, you can have the parts. I'll turn this into a positive...

I have also stuffed a Flair Yak which I think is the same aircraft, mine had an OS70 up front, I put in lightweight carbon rods for the elevator connection and had Ailivators programmed in, this thing would snap roll in any violent elevator movement, you just had to be smooth to get it to perform proply, my crash was my fault, trying to do something flash, as you will.
However the Ailivators where a revelation at slow speed, I had full lateral control all the way down to the stall, just don't do it at low level, as if I did.

My high rates elevator was 1/2". My low rates was 3/16", I never even got out of low rates. You can snap my Yak at 3/16". I dont need that kind of ill flying plane near me... Thats my opinion. I would like to buy another and put proper wing loading in it. Build some sweet wings and bigger tail. I like a 3D style plane that can be flown normally too...

Could you please let me know where is located the CG of this plane, I have lost my manual.

Thanks,

NV

Hi
150mm out from fus and range of 80~90mm
Mike