Senior Telemaster Kit questions

[Mayday!Mayday!]

I have picked up a ST kit and had a few questions about power and servo options. I did do a search here and spent 4-5 hours reading last night. Now my eyes are crossed. Of the threads I found, they did not mention some questions I had.

I have on hand an E-Flight Power 46. Would this be enough to fly the ST? I don't plan on fast flights, aerobatics, 3D and what-not. Just a lazy, slow flier.
I expect to be at 8-9 pds AUW. Using 4 cell lipo.

What kind of servos would I be looking for if I had ailerons and flaps? I am not sure of weight or torque. I would think something in the way of 30-35 oz torque for them. Maybe 40-50 oz for rudder/elevator?

I do plan on building flaps/ailerons and not sure what length each should be.
I also plan on building this as a 2 piece wing. I pretty much have that figured out.

Any kind of info or tips that can help me out here, gets a big thank you, :D
as this will be the biggest wing span plane I have built.

Thanks,
Mayday!Mayday!

[iflytailies]

you should go with at least a 60-size electric motor (around 400kV). Your 46 will just fly it, but you will have marginal power. You will also need a ton of nose weight with that one. If you want to come out at 8-9lbs. you will have to build very light! I would recommend a bigger motor than your 46!

You may use standard servos, the torque you suggested is fine. Even for the rudder/elevator you can go with around 40oz./in. torque for the style of flying you have described.

I have done one mod where the flaps were 14" long. Again, for your style of flying they would not be necessary. The TM is a floater! If you would go with the flaps, just hold the wing again a light source and locate the screws that hold the ailerons in place. The ailerons come already hinged and everything.

I have modified TM's for aerotowing. Maybe you might find some recemmendations applicable to your project. The article starts on p. 35:

http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com/pdfs/RCSD-2009/RCSD-2009-04.pdf

http://iflytailies.jimdo.com/

[navee8or]

May day I have a "wet" power version of the plane and I have flow it with just standard servos and have had no issues in over 5 years of flying it. One option you should consider are flaps they are such a ball to have especialy on this bird. BTW 8to9 pounds is being very optomistic on the auw. Not saying it can't be done. Enjoy !!!!! navee8or

[Mayday!Mayday!]

The only reason I say 8-9 pds is,
the threads I did find any info in most builds were 9 pd and up to 11 with cameras and such.
I do tend to build light. The ones I have built-
micro- calls for 6-8 oz AUW. Mine came in at 4.9 oz and flies great
mini- calls for 23 oz AUW. Mine came in at 15 oz. Also flies great.

In one of the threads someone came in at 7.5 pds AUW, so I think I could do 8 pds.
I guess I could also shave some weight by not doing flaps. I know the tele's fly great without them.

Thanks for the info so far.
I was kinda hopin' the 46 would be ok, as I already own one.

[Mayday!Mayday!]

I got to thinking about this some more.
I would believe that 75 watts per pound should be ballpark for a trainer. Especially a Telemaster. If I was to come in at 9 pounds- 9 x 75 = 675 watts.
The Power 46 with a 13x8 prop on 4 cell is about 730-740 watts, which is about 82 watts per pound.
If I get down to 8 pounds that would put me at 93 watts per pound.

Is my thinking off base here, or am I missing something?

[Monza Red]

Mayday, you might just get away with your intended power set up.

I import Telemasters into the UK (www.telemastersalesuk.co.uk) and have four TMs ranging from the Micro to the Senior Telemaster (STM.)

My STM is an ARTF as we say over here, and uses four standard Futaba S148 servos which have posed no problems at all; two servos being required for the ailerons and one each for the rudder and elevator.

My motor however, is a 1400 watt job driving a 17x10 propeller. I use a 6S 5000 MaH LiPo in order to get flight times of 20 minutes plus. I use the model as a trainer, taking up novices on a buddy box so need this sort of duration. In this configuration the model weighs 11.5 lbs; the battery pack alone weighs 2lbs.

My T40 weighs 6lbs and uses an 800 watt motor driving a 12x6 prop and a 5000 4S LiPo. It draws 600 watts with this set up. I'm lucky to have three qualified electronics engineers in my club and we've tested the 800 motor using several different props. When fitted with a 14x8 prop it drew nearly 800 watts and the comment was that this would be sufficient to fly the STM.

So your Eflite motor would probably fly your STM if you built it light and covered it in film, after all Hobby Lobby claim that it will fly powered by a modern 46 two-stroke engine, but I agree with Iflytaillies that a safer option would be to fit a more powerful motor.

I suppose you could always fit a larger motor later, it's nice to have some extra power to clear the ground more quickly if you're caught by a gust of wind.

[maxxnut]

I built the 8 foot TM in summer of 07, and it had a 3 piece wing...4 foot center section, and 2 foot outer panels that plugged in using brass tubes. I would not do that process again, I would do a 2 piece wing with a large maple dihedral brace, or wing struts. I called Hobby-Lobby and their tech support guy sent me a drawing of the mods for a 2 piece wing. anyway, the finnished plane weighed about 11 pounds because of on board lighting, power panel for the servos, the wing mods, servos for flaps, ect. Power was supplied by a trusty, old OS 50 helicoper engine with a heat sink head and a 12x5 wood Zinger prop. Plane flies great, "on the wing" and I don't do loops with it, just floating around and flap landings. 12 ounce tank gives aabout 40 minutes. hope the picture turns out...

Neil

PS, that's not me in the pic, just some ugly dude.

[frogstomper]

Hi, everyone

About nine months ago I ordered a Senior Telemaster (yellow) and I have been slowly working on her all this time. She is just about ready to take to the air but before I do that I would like to ask a couple of questions....

What size and/or kind of rubber bands are best for her? I have some #64 "ligos de hule" (that's Spanish for rubber bands) that I use on my much smaller SuperCub, but they are too short for the Telemaster wing cord. Just wondering what you have been using successfully.

The electricals are all set and ready to go, but I am a bit leary of trusting the 80 amp combo ESC/BEC with all that voltage. She is fed initially at 24 volts and the BEC has to reduce the voltage down to 6v to power the four digital servos. I have an external BEC and 6v batt pak and it wouldn't be difficult re-install those electrics. Have any of you used a combo ESC/BEC with 24 volts (equivalent of 6s Lipo), and what has been your experience?

Thanks ahead for your answers. I appreciate it.

FS

[minitelemaster]

I use an ESC with a built in BEC on 6s in my telemaster, and it works great. However, my ESC has a switching BEC. If your BEC is linear, and not switching, you're going to need a separate BEC.

[Monza Red]

Concerning elastic bands, the conventional wisdom is that they should be half the wing chord unstretched, so 7 inch bands (18cms) should be just fine on the Senior Telemaster.

For what it's worth, I fly my STM with a seperate battery for the receiver and servos.

Weight is hardly an issue with models of this size!

[frogstomper]

Thanks, Guys, for the replies

I have 7" x 5/8" rubber bands coming from Staples. They are "premium" grade, so I am pretty sure that they will work well on the STM wing. Just in case someone else might be looking for appropriate rubber bands they are Staples #515890, 50 for $6.99 (Alliance #107).

My Turnigy 80 Amp ESC/BEC is switching so I'll go ahead with it since I am powering only four Spektrum digital servos.

I appreciate the response.

FS

[maxxnut]

when you start to fly the new plane, be sure to mix in about 20% rudder with your ailerons, makes the turns smoother, add or reduce rudder mix to suit.

[frogstomper]

I'm devastated!!! My STM is demolished. It didn't even make it to the flying field. My fault!

Wifey pulled the car out of the garage to go to the hair stylist. Having that extra room right next to my work bench prompted me to set the fuse aside there while the glue on the hatch magnets dried. And I started working on the wing control horn connections.

Having been about an hour since she left I had sort of forgotten that the STM was on the floor where the car usually is parked. The garage door came open and in she came not noticing that big yellow giant sitting in her path. The first crunch sent shivers up my spine. I couldn't get turned around fast enough before the rudder, stab, and fuselage were crushed beyond my ability to repair.

Well, that's that. I should not have placed the plane there on the floor. Wednesday was to be her maiden, now to be her funeral after I salvage all I can from her. Gosh, I'm SO stupid...!!!

FS

[Mayday!Mayday!]

That..that..well makes feel bummed. Sorry to hear it.

[maxxnut]

I feel your pain. My wife ran over my best 10 inch protable table saw during construction of the new house....not once, but twice !!! Bought a new saw, tied a helium balloon to it and said "LOOK, DON'T HIT " I made dinner that week.

[frogstomper]

Well, the fuse and tailplane arrived yesterday. I was surprised that HL had the parts and even more surprising is that they had them in my color, yellow. The fuse comes with a new set of pushrods, hatch cover, extra yellow covering, and ply for the batt box. The other surprise is that this was not expensive. I am happy with HL. They have always served me well.

Can't get to the rebuild right now 'cuz I have an Elektro Junior S on the workbench taking up both space and build time. Hope to have the STM ready for the air much quicker than the first time around. And I have benefited from the little mistakes I made on the first build.

I love my Radian! Any of you flying that really cool bird?

FS