I went out with the Edge today and had a blast. My landings are coming around, something that was giving me problems with this plane. It's my first bigger airplane and it really likes to float. My DA 50 is starting to break in nicely now, it's to the point that it starts on the first - third flip unlike before. Hovering is different than the smaller planes I found out, I realize you have to hit the throttle for some prop blast which is something I'm not used to with smaller planes. Still no expert but I see what needs to happen to do it so thats a start. Got a good flat spin and waterfalls out of it. My favorite today was the harrier. I held it like I never had before and man I was happy with myself. It does have some wing rock but nothing you can't deal with. I will activate my airbrake, flaps I think, and try it like that and see if it helps with the wing rock. Knife edges have been a bit difficult becouse not only does the plane couple but it rolls too. I'm working on mixing it out but having a little bit of a tough time. Has anyone else noticed this in knife edge flight? All and all I have to say that I really like the plane and with my graphics kit from Bad Brad Graphics it looks awsome. I had several compliments on it today. The airplane looks great anyway but these really brought it to life. For anyone reading this who might be thinking about buying this Edge from Wild Hare all I can say is do it. Tom has a great price for a great plane. The picture on their web site does this plane no justice at all. It looks so much better in person that you would have to see it to believe it. Great job to Wild Hare again! Their staff is wonderful to deal with too. My buddy bought a new 33% Edge from Tom at Wild Hare and it looks as sharp as you would expect it should. Another winner I think. Keep it up guys and thanks for the awsome planes we fly.

Glad to hear you like your WH Edge. I have the same plane with a DA 50 also. After adjusting the carb
the engine runs a little rich but runs up lines and inverted and knife edges with no sag in power. I already had 22-8 a couple Zingers in my hanger so I used them for break in. The guys on these threads had told me to try the NX 22-8. It seams to load the engine just about right. A friend of mine has a Yak and he is running a NX 23-8. Think I'll stay with the 22x8 at least for a while yet. Although I have about 3 + gallons through the engine it just gets better and better. The plane weighs 17.2 and 5" on the CG. I've had several good comments on the looks of the plane also. Most of the guys find it hard to believe the way this plane slows for landing. I let if sort of drop out of the sky and just before touching I give up elevator and sometimes a little goose on the throttle and it just settles right down on 3 points.
When ever I go the the field I bring 2 planes. The Edge and whatever...... Bill

Most Edges, Caps, and Extras exhibit some pitch coupling in knife edge flight. With both the W/H 28% Edge and Extra I think you will find that about a 4% elevator to rudder mix in right to left, canopy to you K/E will eliminate the coupling. In left to right the percentage will be a little bit more or less. Sorry I can't remember which way and how much. Have a friend at the flying field take some notes for you before you perform any mixes to note which direction couple the most and to which direction. Try to just roll the plane on edge and use the rudder only without any elevator or aileron to make a true determination. Use a power setting that will let the plane hold altitude relatively well. Do one mix a little bit at a time, landing between test flights to make the changes. It can get a bit dangerous trying to push + and - buttons in the attepmt to make the changes in flight.

Your next mixes will be in a vertical upline at full power to see if there is any up/down or side to side pitch changes. That will be a throttle to rudder or throttle to elevator mix, perhaps a little of both. The reverse will be true for the vertical downline at low power settings.

Trimming a plane for excellent flight in most, if not all, flight attitudes is the name of the game and will make you look to be a much better flyer than most people at the field. It's a slow process and will take many, many flights. The location of the c/g is part of the trimming equation and should be the first change you make before you add any mixes. I had forgot to add in the first paragraph that pitch coupling in knife edge will often be affected either positively or negatively by the c/g location. Move it back to about 5-1/4 to 5-1/2" if you're not already there and see what the effects are. Then start the mixing-trimming process and fly well

Hey Bill, I have had to goose the throttle several times on landings but only becouse this plane slows down so well I thought I would stall it if I did'nt. I was running a Menz 22-10 for a while even on break in, which I'm still doing just over 2 gallons later, but I had a little crash and broke my prop so I went ahead and threw a NX 23-8 on it becouse alot of people say this is the prop for 3D with a DA50. I thought it might be a little early to do so but I got to say this thing pulls verticle better than ever! I'm not sure if it's becouse the mototr is coming around or just the prop itself but my uplines are unlimited pretty much and I'm loving this combo. On up lines my Edge wanted to fall a little toward the nose does yours? How about knife edge? Does yours roll as well as pull toward the gear? I got a new stab and elevator set after mt little crash but only changed the left side. Afterwards I noticed that the new elevator tappers off from the inside to the outside at a different angle then the original set. I flew it anyway and did a couple of loops to make sure it would'nt snap out becouse of this and it was ok. I am going to change the other side now so it matches. I guess they changed the design of the elevator. I dont know if thats causing my upline pull or knife edge roll or not thats why I'm asking if yours does it. I did'nt notice it before the left side was changed but then again I was mainly just trying to run fuel through it for break in and was'nt doing much more than flying in circles at the time.

Silversufer, I forget where it balanced at so I can't say for sure right now. I do remember it was barely on the aft side of the books CG if I'm not mistaken. I have'nt had a plane want to roll this much in knife edge before. I have'nt dealt with an upline issue like this either. As of now I put a program on a switch for uplines to hold it level but I hate haing to do that. If I do it by throttle stick movement at lets say full throttle for uplines then when I flew full throttle on a level line it will want to pull upward and I dont want that. I guess I'm stuck with a switch for uplines.

SB 13,
On knife edge I had noticed that the plane did roll a little at first as well as a slight pull toward the canopy. I did notice in a hover that one of the wings (can't remember which one right now and the wings are locked up in the truck ready for the morning fly) kept on droping. After adding about 1 ounce of lead and retrimming I haven't notice it rolling andy more. Sometimes it's hard to tell because I been battaling with the breeze from Lake Michigan. I haven't dialed anything out on the radio yet because I plan to lighten the plane and shift a lot of stuff around and possibly try the 5 1/4" CG just to see what it will do. Changing the CG a little could eliminate even more of the pull toward the canopy. Right now I'm paying more attention to how the engine is running etc. It has never dead sticked on me or even came close to it. Actually I am very pleased with everything but like Siversurfer said it will take time to really get it dialed in especially since I never tried to get a plane to fly as good as I want this one to fly......Of course landings are a blast because everyone expects you to come barreling down the runway and are surprised to see it float in like a trainer...... Bill

The problem I have is getting the plane low enough to let it float in like a trainer. I got so used to cutting the throttle and floating in my profiles and then I went to this plane and it has to be flown in a little more until you get low enough to cut it. If not it will fly so slow it's unreal but up too high so it will tip stall if you let it. All planes will of course, I realize that but this one will stay in place where ever you have it until it's ready to stall. I have to get used to getting it nice and low before chopping it completely.

Where do you live Bill? I'm in Valparaiso Indiana which is NW.

I live in Pleasant Prairie, Wi. I fly at a site on the state line road between Ill and Wis. We are in about 4 miles from Lake Michigan. I shouldn't complain because the lake breeze helps keep us cooler than surrounding areas west of us by a good 5 to 10 degress most of the time.
http://www.lakecountyrcclub.org/FlyingFields.html Bill

Nothing wrong with staying cool when you're out flying all day!

A little landing trick with bigger planes. At mid field on the downwind leg at about 50' or less of altitude cut to 1/2 throttle. Fly the downwind leg to the base turn point. Drop to about 1/4 throttle or so in the base turn while letting the nose fall off slightly. Hold the descent angle all the way through the turn to final still holding 1/4 throttle or so. Adjust the descent rate with throttle adjustments, not elevator. By the time you reach the runway threshold you should be low enough that bringing the throttle back to idle will just let the plane settle the last foot or so to the runway. Takes some practice but bigger planes fly more like full scale. Throttle controls altitude, elevator controls airspeed. Keeping the nose down in the turns at a reduced throttle setting and you will neither tip stall nor pick up unwanted airspeed.

Thanks Silversurfer,
I will try out your landing technique. I have landed my old 96" 230 Extra similar to what you said. Especially the throttle part of it. Without doing so it would be a handfull. The Edge bleeds off speed so fast that I was just having fun with it. That last little goose & flair just keeps everyones attention. We had a Fun Fly a week ago and one of the members had a 40% Edge and even in a stiff cross wind it landed like a feather. Boy was I impressed. How far away is Christmas?? Going to St. Charles, Ill. Saturday for a RC Extreme Aerobatics Show with the wife. Should be a blast....Bill
PS: Didn't mean to hijack your thread sb13

No problem Bill I dont mind. Thats what it's all about, everyone gets to talk and help out. I've been trying to use the throttle like you're saying and getting better with it. Coming around that last corner with the plane moving slowly and the nose dropping still freaks me out some. I feel like I'm going to lose the plane although I dont think it would stall at that point. It's me trying to get used to it.

From what you describe it might help to add a little weight to the nose. When the airplane wants to float and not come down until it stalls that is usually a sign of a tail heavy plane.

TF

It does'nt take much stick at all to fly inverted Tom. It might be on the tail heavy side but not by much. In fact, I remember the guy who built it checking the CG and it was right on the back side (aft) of your specs in the manual. I actually dont think it was past your specs but right on the edge of them.

Barely need to touch the sticks on mine when inverted but feels stable...It does have a slight tendancy to balloon when banking inverted though. I am not use to that. It's probably me more than it is the plane. I was thinking of moving the CG around a little but am having way too much fun to interupt my fly time right now.....Bill