Editor
Jul 05, 2003, 08:18 PM
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369.jpg"><img alt="DCP04369.jpg (50005 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369_t.jpg" border="2"></a><br>
Hobby Lobby's pocket-rocket hotliner delivers an outstanding combination of performance and good looks.
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<strong>Specifications</strong>
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<b>Wingspan:</b>
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60 in (1520 mm)
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<b>Wing Area:</b>
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333 sq. in. (21.6 dm^2)
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<b>Length:</b>
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36 in (925 mm)
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<b>Flying Weight:</b>
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30 oz
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<b>Wing Loading:</b>
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13 oz/sq. ft.
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<b>Motor:</b>
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AXI 2808/16
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<b>Prop:</b>
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Graupner CAM 9.5x5
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<b>Cells:</b>
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7 cell, 4/5 AUP 1700 mAh NiMH
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<b>ESC:</b>
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Jeti 30-3P
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<b>Radio:</b>
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Multiplex Cockpit transmitter/ Hitec 555 receiver/ 4 HS-55 servos
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<b>Price:</b>
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$149.00
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<b>Available From:</b>
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<a href="http://www.hobby-lobby.com/">Hobby Lobby International</a>
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<p>
<big><b>Introduction</b></big>
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<blockquote>
<p>
"Hotliners" - a term applied to hot rod sailplanes - have become increasingly popular over the
past few years, and it's little wonder why. Sleek and incredibly powerful, these machines
rocket up to speck height in seconds, dive down at incredible speeds, perform all manner of
aerobatics, and will even thermal when you want to relax a bit. Perhaps the only down side is
that many of these machines have been fairly expensive to buy and outfit in the past, and
sometimes their size makes transportation challenging for small vehicles or trips. The new
Pelikan Highlander, sold through Hobby Lobby International, possesses all the good things of
other hotliners, with the added plus of a smaller size (and lower cost!) and the ability to
break down into an easily transportable package. Now you can build a high performance
hotliner without having to take out a second mortgage, and keep your favorite toy with you at
all times!
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Kit Contents</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
Components for the Highlander are beautifully constructed. The fuselage is nicely constructed
of fiberglass, and coated with yellow gelcoat. The wings are sheeted foam core with ailerons
pre-installed, covered with a red and yellow film covering. Tail surfaces are prebuilt of
balsa and covered with red and yellow film. A complete hardware package is included, along
with fairly good instructions. I'll comment one the areas where the instructions could have
been improved as I go through the building sequence. As a side note, the red and yellow color
scheme is excellent for visibility in the air! Although the Highlander is largely pre-built,
it's not really a beginner's kit. There are a few things along the way that will require a
little thinking, but the end product is very rewarding.
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03885.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03885_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03887.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03887_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
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Here's what it looks like right out of the box. Sharp color scheme and high quality
components!
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<p>
<b>Power System</b>
<br>
Hobby Lobby supplied their AXI 2808/16 motor and Jeti 18-3P controller for this review. I
was a little skeptical about the ability of this tiny motor to produce true hotliner
performance, but as you'll read later this is the little motor that could! I ended up
swapping the Jeti 18-3P for a Jeti 30-3P, which turned out to be a good idea since the
recommended setup drew 24 amps turning the supplied 9.5x5 prop 9200 rpm on 7 cells fresh off
the charger (8800 rpm at 23 amps after 30 seconds). The biggest issue with the 2808 motor is
the forward, side-mounted wires. They're difficult to squeeze in the trim nose of this
plane, so I ended up running them out the top of the fuselage (see the Motor Mounting
section). The supplied "Turbo" spinner is a great idea - a sleek spinner that allows cooling
flow through the nose of the spinner, and also mounts easily with a central bolt through the
center of the cooling hole.
</p>
<p>
<b>Motor Specs</b>
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<ul>
<li>
Kv: 1550 rpm/volt
</li>
<li>
Io: 90 mOhm
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Max Efficiency Current: 10 - 20 Amps
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Max Current: 25 Amps/ 30 seconds
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<li>
Shaft Diameter: 4 mm
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Weight: 78 g
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Dimensions: 35 mm diameter x 34.5 mm length
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03891-1.jpg"><img alt="DCP03891-1.jpg (36983 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03891-1_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03892.jpg"><img
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The AXI 2808/16 motor shown with Jeti 18-3P controller. The second photo shows the
AXI 2808/16 next to an AXI 2820/10 motor. Smaller in length and diameter than the
2820/10, this is a very light motor with a huge amount of torque for its size.
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03894.jpg"><img alt="DCP03894.jpg (44405 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03894_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03893.jpg"><img
alt="DCP03893.jpg (42244 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03893_t.jpg" border="2">
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Detail photos of the front and rear of the AXI 2808/16 motor.
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03895.jpg"><img alt="DCP03895.jpg (56946 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03895_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03896.jpg"><img
alt="DCP03896.jpg (33102 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03896_t.jpg" border=
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Turbo spinner with Aeronaut CAM 9.5x5 prop. I really like these spinners; the open
nose allows cooling air flow to the motor, while the central bolt makes installation
very easy - no spinners to remove and install.
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</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Assembly</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
<strong>Wing</strong>
<br>
Wing servo installation wasn't hard, but I was surprised by a few things. Servo location is
marked by a ring on the bottom of the wing. I assumed that once I cut the covering to free
the ring, it would open to a pre-cut bay. Not the case! The ring is simply part of the skin
and is glued to the foam core. When you cut the ring free, you'll need to peel it off, then
cut out the servo bay. The instructions discuss building your own servo box or installing a
pre-made box. I opted for a different method. Following a concept used in several foam
planes, I simply cut out an opening for the servo in the foam, making it slightly undersized
to hold the servo securely. The servo was held in place by double-sticky tape between the
servo and the top wing skin, and then covered with plastic tape to make certain nothing
moved. This mounting is light, simple, and very secure. Servo covers are supplied, but they
didn't quite fit my installation, so I left them off at the current time. I may make some
modifications and install them later.
</p>
<p>
The wings do have the servo wire tunnels pre-cut in the wings, so the only thing needed to
complete the opening for the wires is to cut out the covering film over the servo wire exit
holes. You'll have to feed in a long servo extension through the tunnel to the servo, then
solder the servo extension to the servo wires (done before the servos are fully installed).
One thing I would love to see is sailplane makers cut large enough wire tunnels that I could
feed a simple plug extension wire through the wing, removing the need to solder the wires.
My technique for feeding the extensions through the wire tunnels is to first run a thin music
wire or pushrod sheath through the tunnel, then tape the extension wires to the music wire or
sheath, and finally pull it all back through. It works pretty well!
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04307.jpg"><img alt="DCP04307.jpg (21076 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04307_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04308.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04308.jpg (26694 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04308_t.jpg" border=
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Here's how I installed my wing servos (HS-55's): Cut the servo bay ring free and peel
it off the wing, outline the servo in the foam, then cut out the foam a little
undersized for the servo. Next, feed the servo wire extension through the servo wire
hole and solder the wire to the servo wires.
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<p>
After the servos were fully installed, the aileron control horns are glued in place with CA,
and the aileron linkages were installed. Aileron brass threaded clevis couplers are soldered
to the aileron pushrod wires. The non-clevis end uses a Z-bend to attach the pushrod to the
servo arm. Here I would prefer threaded rods (I don't always trust the solder joint), but my
pushrods are doing well. I did, however, have to re-solder one of the clevis couplers after
it came loose during construction.
</p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04309.jpg"><img alt="DCP04309.jpg (22817 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04309_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04311.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04311.jpg (20533 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04311_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a><br><a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04312.jpg"><img alt="DCP04312.jpg (27071 bytes)"
src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04312_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
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The first photo shows the Hitec HS-55 servo installed in the wing. In the second
photo you can see the servo wires exiting the wing. The third photo shows the
aileron control horn and pushrod linkage installed.
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<p>
A steel joiner keeps the wing halves together against the forces of flight. As a
high-performance ship, wing strength is of the utmost importance! Wooden dowels, cut to
length, are supplied for the wing hold-down pins. First the fuselage is drilled (as shown in
the second set of photos below), then the wings are set in place on the fuselage. Wing pin
holes are then drilled through the fuselage holes into the wing, and the dowels are epoxied in
place.
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04342.jpg"><img alt="DCP04342.jpg (26449 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04342_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
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Detail of the wing pins and steel joiner rod. Quite a strong arrangement!
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<p>
Drilling the holes in the fuselage for the wing pins requires some careful measuring to find
the center of the fuselage (not necessarily the center mold line), then measuring
approximately 7 mm to each side of the center under the fuselage lip that covers the front
center of the wing. Then the holes are drilled at these locations. I found it easier to
start with a small bit to locate the holes well, then work up to the proper bit size.
</p>
<p>
Once the wing dowels are in the wings and the fuselage has been drilled for the dowels, the
wings are installed and holes are drilled into the fuselage through the bolt holes already in
the back of the wing for the wing screws. You'll have to cut an opening in the top of the
fuselage for the servo wires in order to get the wing to sit on the saddle properly, although
the plans don't mention this. I found the wings were not sitting perfectly flat since they
have a small amount of dihedral from the joiner, but they came our square once everything was
fastened down tight. I had trouble drilling out the plywood back plate for the nuts without
splitting the wood, so I eventually made a new piece, cut it in half, installed a nut into
each piece of the wood, and epoxied the two pieces in place using the screws to hold the plate
halves to the fuselage. If I had it to do over, I would first epoxy the plate in place under
the wing screw holes, then just drill it out for the nuts and install them afterwards.
</p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04340.jpg"><img alt="DCP04340.jpg (26753 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04340_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04341.jpg"><img
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Modifications to the fuselage for wing mounting. The first photo shows the holes
drilled for the front wing dowels. The second photo shows the cutout for the servo
wires and the wing mounting screws installed.
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<p>
<strong>Stabilizer</strong>
<br>
The stabilizer is designed to be screwed into the top of the vertical fin, with a dowel pin to
hold it in alignment. I like the detachable stabilizer concept - it makes the Highlander a
truly transportable airplane - but I found a little building quirk in assembling everything.
Locating and drilling the hole for the stabilizer bushing was relatively simple, but
installing the nut in the fin proved to be something of a challenge. According to the
instructions, the nut is to be installed into a wooden block and epoxied into the top of the
fin where the hole is drilled for the screw. This is actually impossible, since the nut is
wide enough that it won't fit all the way up into the top of the fin (it tapers a little at
the top). If you try to drill out the block, it will split due to the narrowness of the block
needed to fit the fin. I ended up using some of the thin, flexible wood from the wing servo
cutouts to make a mount for the nut. It still didn't fit all the way flush, but it's a strong
mount. I also used a screw for the rear stabilizer guide rather than a pin. I didn't find a
pin supplied in my kit, but the lack of the block made the screw option a better choice
anyway. I threaded the screw into the top of the stabilizer and through the nut mounting
plate.
</p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04345.jpg"><img alt="DCP04345.jpg (20986 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04345_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04347.jpg"><img
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One of the trickier parts of the assembly: mounting the stabilizer. Installing the
screw bushing (first photo) into the stabilizer was relatively easy, but installation
of the nut into the fin was a little trickier. The second and third photos show how I
mounted the nut to a servo bay cutout remnant from the wing, then cut it to shape.
The flexibility of the wood and the type of wood kept it from splitting.
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04353.jpg"><img alt="DCP04353.jpg (18222 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04353_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04354.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04354.jpg (17254 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04354_t.jpg" border=
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A couple of views showing the stabilizer/elevator mounted with the main mounting screw
and the secondary screw (used in lieu of the locating pin) holding everything square
and in place.
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<p>
The control rod for the elevator is a thin piece of music wire running through a sheath from
the servo near the front of the fuselage. A simple 90 degree bend is used to connect the wire
to the control horn, which is CA'd to the elevator. This allows easy removal of the
stabilizer/elevator assembly.
</p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04399.jpg"><img alt="DCP04399.jpg (23820 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04399_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04400.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04400.jpg (22017 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04400_t.jpg" border=
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Elevator control rod sheath is glued in place through the fin closeout. A 90 degree
bend in the music wire engages the control horn.
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</p>
<p>
<strong>Rudder</strong>
<br>
Rudder installation begins by gluing the balsa close-out piece to the end of the fin. A
centerline is marked to guide the slots for the rudder. The rudder is pre-covered and needs
only to be slotted and hinged for installation. The control horn is CA'd to a slot in the
rudder.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03890.jpg"><img alt="DCP03890.jpg (19138 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03890_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04355.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04355.jpg (35054 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04355_t.jpg" border="2">
</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The rear of the fin is open, requiring the installation of the supplied balsa
closeout. The line shown in the second photo guides the slots for the hinges.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04397.jpg"><img alt="DCP04397.jpg (26216 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04397_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04402.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04402.jpg (27654 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04402_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Rudder installed and hooked up to the pushrod. The pushrod sheath is epoxied or CA'd
in place at the rear in a hole the builder drills in the fuselage at an indention in
the fuselage. The threaded coupler is soldered to the music wire.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Motor Mounting</strong>
<br>
A nice, pre-drilled motor mount is supplied for motor installation. I added a couple of extra
holes to allow the motor to be mounted with 4 screws. The mount was then epoxied in place in
the nose.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04339.jpg"><img alt="DCP04339.jpg (24681 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04339_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04338.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04338.jpg (33526 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04338_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
AXI motor test-fitted to the plywood mount.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03889.jpg"><img alt="DCP03889.jpg (37548 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03889_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04343.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04343.jpg (32907 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04343_t.jpg" border="2">
</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The first photo shows the opening in the fuselage for the motor mount. I found the
overlap in the fiberglass fuselage joint made the installation of the mount a little
difficult, so I sanded the overlaps a bit, then made some cutouts in the plywood mount
to allow it to fit properly. The second photo shows the firewall installed. It's set
back around 2 mm from the forward edge. Alignment with the forward edge gives the
correct right thrust and down thrust.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
I couldn't seem to get the side-mounted motor wires to fit inside the nose without interfering
with the rotation of the motor (they were squished against the motor), so I ended up taking a
different course - I routed the wires through the top of the fuselage nose and back inside at
the front of the canopy. This worked quite well, and actually looked pretty good.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04356.jpg"><img alt="DCP04356.jpg (32714 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04356_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04357.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04357.jpg (35602 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04357_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
These photos show how I routed the motor wires through the top of the fuselage. I
drilled a hole just behind the firewall (motor mount), then enlarged it to an oval to
fit the wires.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Equipment Setup</strong>
<br>
Elevator and rudder servos were installed in the pre-cut servo tray, which was epoxied in the
fuselage near the center of the canopy cutout. The battery tray was supposed to be screwed to
the back of the servo tray, but I found I didn't have enough overlap to run a screw through
the two trays, so I epoxied the battery tray in place. Pushrod sheaths were cut to length,
and Z-bends applied to the end of the wires to fit the servo arms. The sheaths were then
epoxied in place to the side of the fuselage near the front.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04358.jpg"><img alt="DCP04358.jpg (32925 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04358_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04360.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04360.jpg (38370 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04360_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The Hitec HS-55 servos fit the servo tray quite well. I just had to slightly
lengthen one of the openings to fit the servo. Placing the servo and battery tray in
the fuselage was a little trickier, requiring a number of trial and error fittings to
make certain the battery would fit and the CG would be correct. The servo tray was
then epoxied in place. Once dry, the battery tray was epoxied in place as well.
Velcro added later serves to keep the battery in place.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
I took some time in positioning the servo and battery tray to allow the installation of my
battery pack, which was a tight fit. I ended up placing the speed control on the top of the
canopy with Velcro. I used plastic tape to secure the canopy to the fuselage.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04363.jpg"><img alt="DCP04363.jpg (40423 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04363_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04364.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04364.jpg (40587 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04364_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Photos of the battery tray installed and of the battery, servos, and speed control in
place.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04401.jpg"><img alt="DCP04401.jpg (20179 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04401_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04366.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04366.jpg (35556 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04366_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
New 7-cell 4/5 AUP NiMH battery pack. Holding 1700 mAh, this light package will
handle up to 30 amps and provide a lot of flight time in the Highlander while keeping
the weight down.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
The directions showed the receiver under the battery tray, and just behind the servo tray.
Besides the fact that I glued the battery tray in place rather than use a screw, I also found
that the Hitec 555 receiver was too large to fit under the tray. I opted to place it behind
the battery tray instead, which made me more comfortable anyway in the event of a crash.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04365.jpg"><img alt="DCP04365.jpg (27003 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04365_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The Hitec 555 receiver fits well behind the battery tray. I had to enlarge my
opening in the top of the fuselage to allow installation of the receiver, but
otherwise it was an easy installation..
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<b>Finished Product</b>
<br>
While there were a few head scratching points in the construction of the Highlander, the end
result was well worth the effort. This is a beautiful plane, and one that I can carry with me
easily on travel in a gun or bow case. I really like the color choice - it's very visible in
the sky, and attractive as well.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04367-1.jpg"><img alt="DCP04367-1.jpg (51933 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04367-1_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04368-1.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04368-1.jpg (69346 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04368-1_t.jpg"
border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
When finished, the Highlander is a beautiful plane with stunning lines.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369.jpg"><img alt="DCP04369.jpg (50005 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04370.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04370.jpg (62499 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04370_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
My daughter holding Pelikan Highlander, showing the sleek lines of the plane.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Flying</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
As good as it looks, the Highlander really stands out in flight. This is a hot performer that
will do just about whatever you ask of it. I thought the small AXI motor would just give me
modest performance (it didn't feel very "thrusty"), but what a surprise! As soon as I
released it at launch it took off like a rocket and climbed incredibly. It appears to be able
to sustain a 70 degree climb, and will climb vertically for quite a distance. You can fly it
fast, almost like a pylon racer, run through great aerobatics (huge loops, fast rolls,
inverted flight), or set it up for some nice thermaling. Just don't get it too slow, because
it will drop a wing sharply if it stalls. I didn't have any problem in normal flight,
however, and I found landing quite easy and within a reasonable distance using spoilerons.
Using the 4/5 AUP cells (1700 mAh NiMH batteries), you can get a huge number of climbs off a
charge. This is a plane I absolutely love to fly! When I made my first flights, there were 4
people flying Firebirds in the same field. They stopped and sat down to watch as I launched
the Highlander, then proceeded to make numerous comments of awe as the Highlander went through
its paces. This is definitely an attention-grabbing airplane!
</p>
<p>
I set up the elevator and rudder throws per the instructions. In the case of the ailerons,
however, I increased the travel from 6 mm to 10 mm on the up side and from 3 mm to 5 mm on
the down side for an increased roll rate and to give me some additional spoileron slowing.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04371.jpg"><img alt="DCP04371.jpg (42578 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04371_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04372.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04372.jpg (53023 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04372_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The Highlander in flight. Here's where this pocket hotliner really excels. While
smaller than some other Hotliners, this plane is still easy to see and fly, but with
performance that's breathtaking!
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Conclusion</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
If you have enough experience to get through the minor building quirks, you'll find the
Pelikan Filip 400 Sport Highlander to be a very rewarding airplane. It's fun to fly, very
impressive to watch, and easily transportable. I highly recommend this plane for anyone who
likes hotliner-style flying (and I can't think of any type of flying that's more fun!).
</p>
</blockquote>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="500">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" colspan="2">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369.jpg"><img alt="DCP04369.jpg (50005 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369_t.jpg" border="2"></a><br>
Hobby Lobby's pocket-rocket hotliner delivers an outstanding combination of performance and good looks.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" colspan="2">
<strong>Specifications</strong>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Wingspan:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
60 in (1520 mm)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Wing Area:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
333 sq. in. (21.6 dm^2)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Length:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
36 in (925 mm)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Flying Weight:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
30 oz
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Wing Loading:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
13 oz/sq. ft.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Motor:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
AXI 2808/16
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Prop:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
Graupner CAM 9.5x5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Cells:</b>
</td>
<td align="left" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
7 cell, 4/5 AUP 1700 mAh NiMH
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>ESC:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
Jeti 30-3P
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Radio:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
Multiplex Cockpit transmitter/ Hitec 555 receiver/ 4 HS-55 servos
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Price:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
$149.00
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<b>Available From:</b>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#E6E6E6" valign="top">
<a href="http://www.hobby-lobby.com/">Hobby Lobby International</a>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<big><b>Introduction</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
"Hotliners" - a term applied to hot rod sailplanes - have become increasingly popular over the
past few years, and it's little wonder why. Sleek and incredibly powerful, these machines
rocket up to speck height in seconds, dive down at incredible speeds, perform all manner of
aerobatics, and will even thermal when you want to relax a bit. Perhaps the only down side is
that many of these machines have been fairly expensive to buy and outfit in the past, and
sometimes their size makes transportation challenging for small vehicles or trips. The new
Pelikan Highlander, sold through Hobby Lobby International, possesses all the good things of
other hotliners, with the added plus of a smaller size (and lower cost!) and the ability to
break down into an easily transportable package. Now you can build a high performance
hotliner without having to take out a second mortgage, and keep your favorite toy with you at
all times!
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Kit Contents</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
Components for the Highlander are beautifully constructed. The fuselage is nicely constructed
of fiberglass, and coated with yellow gelcoat. The wings are sheeted foam core with ailerons
pre-installed, covered with a red and yellow film covering. Tail surfaces are prebuilt of
balsa and covered with red and yellow film. A complete hardware package is included, along
with fairly good instructions. I'll comment one the areas where the instructions could have
been improved as I go through the building sequence. As a side note, the red and yellow color
scheme is excellent for visibility in the air! Although the Highlander is largely pre-built,
it's not really a beginner's kit. There are a few things along the way that will require a
little thinking, but the end product is very rewarding.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03885.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03885_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03887.jpg"><img src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03887_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Here's what it looks like right out of the box. Sharp color scheme and high quality
components!
</td>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<b>Power System</b>
<br>
Hobby Lobby supplied their AXI 2808/16 motor and Jeti 18-3P controller for this review. I
was a little skeptical about the ability of this tiny motor to produce true hotliner
performance, but as you'll read later this is the little motor that could! I ended up
swapping the Jeti 18-3P for a Jeti 30-3P, which turned out to be a good idea since the
recommended setup drew 24 amps turning the supplied 9.5x5 prop 9200 rpm on 7 cells fresh off
the charger (8800 rpm at 23 amps after 30 seconds). The biggest issue with the 2808 motor is
the forward, side-mounted wires. They're difficult to squeeze in the trim nose of this
plane, so I ended up running them out the top of the fuselage (see the Motor Mounting
section). The supplied "Turbo" spinner is a great idea - a sleek spinner that allows cooling
flow through the nose of the spinner, and also mounts easily with a central bolt through the
center of the cooling hole.
</p>
<p>
<b>Motor Specs</b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
Kv: 1550 rpm/volt
</li>
<li>
Io: 90 mOhm
</li>
<li>
Max Efficiency Current: 10 - 20 Amps
</li>
<li>
Max Current: 25 Amps/ 30 seconds
</li>
<li>
Shaft Diameter: 4 mm
</li>
<li>
Weight: 78 g
</li>
<li>
Dimensions: 35 mm diameter x 34.5 mm length
</li>
</ul>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03891-1.jpg"><img alt="DCP03891-1.jpg (36983 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03891-1_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03892.jpg"><img
alt="DCP03892.jpg (36903 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03892_t.jpg"
border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The AXI 2808/16 motor shown with Jeti 18-3P controller. The second photo shows the
AXI 2808/16 next to an AXI 2820/10 motor. Smaller in length and diameter than the
2820/10, this is a very light motor with a huge amount of torque for its size.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03894.jpg"><img alt="DCP03894.jpg (44405 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03894_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03893.jpg"><img
alt="DCP03893.jpg (42244 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03893_t.jpg" border="2">
</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Detail photos of the front and rear of the AXI 2808/16 motor.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03895.jpg"><img alt="DCP03895.jpg (56946 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03895_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03896.jpg"><img
alt="DCP03896.jpg (33102 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03896_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Turbo spinner with Aeronaut CAM 9.5x5 prop. I really like these spinners; the open
nose allows cooling air flow to the motor, while the central bolt makes installation
very easy - no spinners to remove and install.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Assembly</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
<strong>Wing</strong>
<br>
Wing servo installation wasn't hard, but I was surprised by a few things. Servo location is
marked by a ring on the bottom of the wing. I assumed that once I cut the covering to free
the ring, it would open to a pre-cut bay. Not the case! The ring is simply part of the skin
and is glued to the foam core. When you cut the ring free, you'll need to peel it off, then
cut out the servo bay. The instructions discuss building your own servo box or installing a
pre-made box. I opted for a different method. Following a concept used in several foam
planes, I simply cut out an opening for the servo in the foam, making it slightly undersized
to hold the servo securely. The servo was held in place by double-sticky tape between the
servo and the top wing skin, and then covered with plastic tape to make certain nothing
moved. This mounting is light, simple, and very secure. Servo covers are supplied, but they
didn't quite fit my installation, so I left them off at the current time. I may make some
modifications and install them later.
</p>
<p>
The wings do have the servo wire tunnels pre-cut in the wings, so the only thing needed to
complete the opening for the wires is to cut out the covering film over the servo wire exit
holes. You'll have to feed in a long servo extension through the tunnel to the servo, then
solder the servo extension to the servo wires (done before the servos are fully installed).
One thing I would love to see is sailplane makers cut large enough wire tunnels that I could
feed a simple plug extension wire through the wing, removing the need to solder the wires.
My technique for feeding the extensions through the wire tunnels is to first run a thin music
wire or pushrod sheath through the tunnel, then tape the extension wires to the music wire or
sheath, and finally pull it all back through. It works pretty well!
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04307.jpg"><img alt="DCP04307.jpg (21076 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04307_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04308.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04308.jpg (26694 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04308_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a><br><a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04310.jpg"><img alt="DCP04310.jpg (23436 bytes)"
src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04310_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Here's how I installed my wing servos (HS-55's): Cut the servo bay ring free and peel
it off the wing, outline the servo in the foam, then cut out the foam a little
undersized for the servo. Next, feed the servo wire extension through the servo wire
hole and solder the wire to the servo wires.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
After the servos were fully installed, the aileron control horns are glued in place with CA,
and the aileron linkages were installed. Aileron brass threaded clevis couplers are soldered
to the aileron pushrod wires. The non-clevis end uses a Z-bend to attach the pushrod to the
servo arm. Here I would prefer threaded rods (I don't always trust the solder joint), but my
pushrods are doing well. I did, however, have to re-solder one of the clevis couplers after
it came loose during construction.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04309.jpg"><img alt="DCP04309.jpg (22817 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04309_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04311.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04311.jpg (20533 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04311_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a><br><a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04312.jpg"><img alt="DCP04312.jpg (27071 bytes)"
src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04312_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The first photo shows the Hitec HS-55 servo installed in the wing. In the second
photo you can see the servo wires exiting the wing. The third photo shows the
aileron control horn and pushrod linkage installed.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
A steel joiner keeps the wing halves together against the forces of flight. As a
high-performance ship, wing strength is of the utmost importance! Wooden dowels, cut to
length, are supplied for the wing hold-down pins. First the fuselage is drilled (as shown in
the second set of photos below), then the wings are set in place on the fuselage. Wing pin
holes are then drilled through the fuselage holes into the wing, and the dowels are epoxied in
place.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04342.jpg"><img alt="DCP04342.jpg (26449 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04342_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Detail of the wing pins and steel joiner rod. Quite a strong arrangement!
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
Drilling the holes in the fuselage for the wing pins requires some careful measuring to find
the center of the fuselage (not necessarily the center mold line), then measuring
approximately 7 mm to each side of the center under the fuselage lip that covers the front
center of the wing. Then the holes are drilled at these locations. I found it easier to
start with a small bit to locate the holes well, then work up to the proper bit size.
</p>
<p>
Once the wing dowels are in the wings and the fuselage has been drilled for the dowels, the
wings are installed and holes are drilled into the fuselage through the bolt holes already in
the back of the wing for the wing screws. You'll have to cut an opening in the top of the
fuselage for the servo wires in order to get the wing to sit on the saddle properly, although
the plans don't mention this. I found the wings were not sitting perfectly flat since they
have a small amount of dihedral from the joiner, but they came our square once everything was
fastened down tight. I had trouble drilling out the plywood back plate for the nuts without
splitting the wood, so I eventually made a new piece, cut it in half, installed a nut into
each piece of the wood, and epoxied the two pieces in place using the screws to hold the plate
halves to the fuselage. If I had it to do over, I would first epoxy the plate in place under
the wing screw holes, then just drill it out for the nuts and install them afterwards.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04340.jpg"><img alt="DCP04340.jpg (26753 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04340_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04341.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04341.jpg (27240 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04341_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Modifications to the fuselage for wing mounting. The first photo shows the holes
drilled for the front wing dowels. The second photo shows the cutout for the servo
wires and the wing mounting screws installed.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>
<strong>Stabilizer</strong>
<br>
The stabilizer is designed to be screwed into the top of the vertical fin, with a dowel pin to
hold it in alignment. I like the detachable stabilizer concept - it makes the Highlander a
truly transportable airplane - but I found a little building quirk in assembling everything.
Locating and drilling the hole for the stabilizer bushing was relatively simple, but
installing the nut in the fin proved to be something of a challenge. According to the
instructions, the nut is to be installed into a wooden block and epoxied into the top of the
fin where the hole is drilled for the screw. This is actually impossible, since the nut is
wide enough that it won't fit all the way up into the top of the fin (it tapers a little at
the top). If you try to drill out the block, it will split due to the narrowness of the block
needed to fit the fin. I ended up using some of the thin, flexible wood from the wing servo
cutouts to make a mount for the nut. It still didn't fit all the way flush, but it's a strong
mount. I also used a screw for the rear stabilizer guide rather than a pin. I didn't find a
pin supplied in my kit, but the lack of the block made the screw option a better choice
anyway. I threaded the screw into the top of the stabilizer and through the nut mounting
plate.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04345.jpg"><img alt="DCP04345.jpg (20986 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04345_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04347.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04347.jpg (12983 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04347_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a><br><a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04352.jpg"><img alt="DCP04352.jpg (16323 bytes)"
src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04352_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
One of the trickier parts of the assembly: mounting the stabilizer. Installing the
screw bushing (first photo) into the stabilizer was relatively easy, but installation
of the nut into the fin was a little trickier. The second and third photos show how I
mounted the nut to a servo bay cutout remnant from the wing, then cut it to shape.
The flexibility of the wood and the type of wood kept it from splitting.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04353.jpg"><img alt="DCP04353.jpg (18222 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04353_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04354.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04354.jpg (17254 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04354_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
A couple of views showing the stabilizer/elevator mounted with the main mounting screw
and the secondary screw (used in lieu of the locating pin) holding everything square
and in place.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
The control rod for the elevator is a thin piece of music wire running through a sheath from
the servo near the front of the fuselage. A simple 90 degree bend is used to connect the wire
to the control horn, which is CA'd to the elevator. This allows easy removal of the
stabilizer/elevator assembly.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04399.jpg"><img alt="DCP04399.jpg (23820 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04399_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04400.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04400.jpg (22017 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04400_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Elevator control rod sheath is glued in place through the fin closeout. A 90 degree
bend in the music wire engages the control horn.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Rudder</strong>
<br>
Rudder installation begins by gluing the balsa close-out piece to the end of the fin. A
centerline is marked to guide the slots for the rudder. The rudder is pre-covered and needs
only to be slotted and hinged for installation. The control horn is CA'd to a slot in the
rudder.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03890.jpg"><img alt="DCP03890.jpg (19138 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03890_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04355.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04355.jpg (35054 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04355_t.jpg" border="2">
</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The rear of the fin is open, requiring the installation of the supplied balsa
closeout. The line shown in the second photo guides the slots for the hinges.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04397.jpg"><img alt="DCP04397.jpg (26216 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04397_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04402.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04402.jpg (27654 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04402_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
Rudder installed and hooked up to the pushrod. The pushrod sheath is epoxied or CA'd
in place at the rear in a hole the builder drills in the fuselage at an indention in
the fuselage. The threaded coupler is soldered to the music wire.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Motor Mounting</strong>
<br>
A nice, pre-drilled motor mount is supplied for motor installation. I added a couple of extra
holes to allow the motor to be mounted with 4 screws. The mount was then epoxied in place in
the nose.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04339.jpg"><img alt="DCP04339.jpg (24681 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04339_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04338.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04338.jpg (33526 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04338_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
AXI motor test-fitted to the plywood mount.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03889.jpg"><img alt="DCP03889.jpg (37548 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP03889_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04343.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04343.jpg (32907 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04343_t.jpg" border="2">
</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The first photo shows the opening in the fuselage for the motor mount. I found the
overlap in the fiberglass fuselage joint made the installation of the mount a little
difficult, so I sanded the overlaps a bit, then made some cutouts in the plywood mount
to allow it to fit properly. The second photo shows the firewall installed. It's set
back around 2 mm from the forward edge. Alignment with the forward edge gives the
correct right thrust and down thrust.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
I couldn't seem to get the side-mounted motor wires to fit inside the nose without interfering
with the rotation of the motor (they were squished against the motor), so I ended up taking a
different course - I routed the wires through the top of the fuselage nose and back inside at
the front of the canopy. This worked quite well, and actually looked pretty good.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04356.jpg"><img alt="DCP04356.jpg (32714 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04356_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04357.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04357.jpg (35602 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04357_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
These photos show how I routed the motor wires through the top of the fuselage. I
drilled a hole just behind the firewall (motor mount), then enlarged it to an oval to
fit the wires.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<strong>Equipment Setup</strong>
<br>
Elevator and rudder servos were installed in the pre-cut servo tray, which was epoxied in the
fuselage near the center of the canopy cutout. The battery tray was supposed to be screwed to
the back of the servo tray, but I found I didn't have enough overlap to run a screw through
the two trays, so I epoxied the battery tray in place. Pushrod sheaths were cut to length,
and Z-bends applied to the end of the wires to fit the servo arms. The sheaths were then
epoxied in place to the side of the fuselage near the front.
</p>
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" bgcolor="#000000" border="0" width="400">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04358.jpg"><img alt="DCP04358.jpg (32925 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04358_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04360.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04360.jpg (38370 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04360_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
The Hitec HS-55 servos fit the servo tray quite well. I just had to slightly
lengthen one of the openings to fit the servo. Placing the servo and battery tray in
the fuselage was a little trickier, requiring a number of trial and error fittings to
make certain the battery would fit and the CG would be correct. The servo tray was
then epoxied in place. Once dry, the battery tray was epoxied in place as well.
Velcro added later serves to keep the battery in place.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
I took some time in positioning the servo and battery tray to allow the installation of my
battery pack, which was a tight fit. I ended up placing the speed control on the top of the
canopy with Velcro. I used plastic tape to secure the canopy to the fuselage.
</p>
<p>
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<td>
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<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04363.jpg"><img alt="DCP04363.jpg (40423 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04363_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04364.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04364.jpg (40587 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04364_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
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Photos of the battery tray installed and of the battery, servos, and speed control in
place.
</td>
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<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04401.jpg"><img alt="DCP04401.jpg (20179 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04401_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04366.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04366.jpg (35556 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04366_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
</td>
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<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
New 7-cell 4/5 AUP NiMH battery pack. Holding 1700 mAh, this light package will
handle up to 30 amps and provide a lot of flight time in the Highlander while keeping
the weight down.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
The directions showed the receiver under the battery tray, and just behind the servo tray.
Besides the fact that I glued the battery tray in place rather than use a screw, I also found
that the Hitec 555 receiver was too large to fit under the tray. I opted to place it behind
the battery tray instead, which made me more comfortable anyway in the event of a crash.
</p>
<p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04365.jpg"><img alt="DCP04365.jpg (27003 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04365_t.jpg" border="2"></a>
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The Hitec 555 receiver fits well behind the battery tray. I had to enlarge my
opening in the top of the fuselage to allow installation of the receiver, but
otherwise it was an easy installation..
</td>
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</tbody>
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</td>
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</table>
</p>
<p>
<b>Finished Product</b>
<br>
While there were a few head scratching points in the construction of the Highlander, the end
result was well worth the effort. This is a beautiful plane, and one that I can carry with me
easily on travel in a gun or bow case. I really like the color choice - it's very visible in
the sky, and attractive as well.
</p>
<p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04367-1.jpg"><img alt="DCP04367-1.jpg (51933 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04367-1_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04368-1.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04368-1.jpg (69346 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04368-1_t.jpg"
border="2"></a>
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When finished, the Highlander is a beautiful plane with stunning lines.
</td>
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<td align="center" valign="top" width="100%" bgcolor="#E6E6E6">
<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369.jpg"><img alt="DCP04369.jpg (50005 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04369_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04370.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04370.jpg (62499 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04370_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
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My daughter holding Pelikan Highlander, showing the sleek lines of the plane.
</td>
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</td>
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</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Flying</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
As good as it looks, the Highlander really stands out in flight. This is a hot performer that
will do just about whatever you ask of it. I thought the small AXI motor would just give me
modest performance (it didn't feel very "thrusty"), but what a surprise! As soon as I
released it at launch it took off like a rocket and climbed incredibly. It appears to be able
to sustain a 70 degree climb, and will climb vertically for quite a distance. You can fly it
fast, almost like a pylon racer, run through great aerobatics (huge loops, fast rolls,
inverted flight), or set it up for some nice thermaling. Just don't get it too slow, because
it will drop a wing sharply if it stalls. I didn't have any problem in normal flight,
however, and I found landing quite easy and within a reasonable distance using spoilerons.
Using the 4/5 AUP cells (1700 mAh NiMH batteries), you can get a huge number of climbs off a
charge. This is a plane I absolutely love to fly! When I made my first flights, there were 4
people flying Firebirds in the same field. They stopped and sat down to watch as I launched
the Highlander, then proceeded to make numerous comments of awe as the Highlander went through
its paces. This is definitely an attention-grabbing airplane!
</p>
<p>
I set up the elevator and rudder throws per the instructions. In the case of the ailerons,
however, I increased the travel from 6 mm to 10 mm on the up side and from 3 mm to 5 mm on
the down side for an increased roll rate and to give me some additional spoileron slowing.
</p>
<p>
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<a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04371.jpg"><img alt="DCP04371.jpg (42578 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04371_t.jpg" border="2"></a> <a href="/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04372.jpg"><img
alt="DCP04372.jpg (53023 bytes)" src="http://static.rcgroups.com/articles/liftzone/2003/jul/highlander/DCP04372_t.jpg" border=
"2"></a>
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The Highlander in flight. Here's where this pocket hotliner really excels. While
smaller than some other Hotliners, this plane is still easy to see and fly, but with
performance that's breathtaking!
</td>
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</td>
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</tbody>
</table>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<big><b>Conclusion</b></big>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
If you have enough experience to get through the minor building quirks, you'll find the
Pelikan Filip 400 Sport Highlander to be a very rewarding airplane. It's fun to fly, very
impressive to watch, and easily transportable. I highly recommend this plane for anyone who
likes hotliner-style flying (and I can't think of any type of flying that's more fun!).
</p>
</blockquote>