H9 Funtana 40

[edkoz]

I have never done a conversion so excuse my ignorance.

I really like the looks of the Funtana 40 (I have the Mini now).

Would the new Himax Outrunner 3522-0700 and (2) 3s1p TP3000mah in parallel get it in the air and keep it there. Not looking for 3D, but decent aerobatic perfomance.

The reason for the two packs is that I would like to be able to use the 3s1p packs in my other planes and then double them up for the 40.

I'm concerned about having enough power and not burning up a motor.

Ed

[MikeF]

The max power rating for that motor is 400watts. The Funtana 40 will be be something around 6+lbs so you'll need more like 800W minimum. I fly mine with an AXI 4130/16 on 6S at around 45amps. It has decent speed and power for most any aerobatic manuever but definately not true 3D. Do a little searching, there are several conversion threads for this bird.

MikeF

[edkoz]

Mike:

Nice looking Funtana.

What you say makes perfect sense.

I am confused by the specs on the Maxx Prod website. They say their 3522-0800 outrunner will handle a 96 oz plane for aerobatics ........ but it also says it has a 450 watt max. The AXI is obviously a stonger motor.

Thanks for your input, I better do some more research before I take that first step.

Ed

[ray foley]

The specs on the motor compute to 75 watts per pound. This will get you a plane that will probably take off but will be anemic at best in the air. For good aerobatic performance, 100 w/lb is a lot of fun. >100 w/lb increases the whoopie factor. I use an AXI 412018 with about 800 watts. The flight of this bird is stunning. :D Just watch out for low speed tip stall and snap on landing if you slow it down too much. :eek:

ttfn, foley

ps: Mike F;

my AXI 413016 with 6s 4400 polyquest lipo, CC phx 80 ESC, and an APC17x10 eprop turns at 5750rpm, 50 amps, 21 volts, 1050 watts. :D Prop it up some, Bro! ;)

rjf

[edkoz]

Ray:

Thanks for the information.

If I understand, The AXI 4120/18 with (2) TP 3s1p 2100 15c set up in parallel would generate aproximately 700 watts.

Would I be better off to wire the batteries in series for the higher voltage?

Would this allow respectable aerobatic performance on the Funtana 40 or am I still screwed up.

Ed

[MikeF]

Ed,
You'll need to run them in series (6S) to get the power you need. Also the currrent will be in the 40+ amp range so the TP2100's won't cut it. You would need 2P TP4200 packs or other larger packs like the polyquest Ray mentioned. I fly mine with 2 3S3P TP6000 gen2 10-12C packs in series.

Ray,
I'll have to try the 17x10. I've never run larger than 15x10. I tend to be conservative with the big stuff as I can't really afford to replace it if I screw it up! :eek:

Mike

[twest]

Here is a conversion of that plane that I saw on the astro website (under "customer photos"). I think the recover in yellow is for aesthetics only. Here is the Quote:

Terry's Funtana .40s
AUW- 5 1/2 lbs
Power sytem- Astro 840g
Phx-80 and UBEC
TP 6s2p 4000mah Prolight pack
APC 16x8 prop
Over 800+ watts staticly
Recoved in Nelson Light Film strong 12-14 min flights with unlimited vertical through the whole fligt take off and have unlimited climb out @ 2/3 throtle!!! Hover just about 1/2 throtle!

[edkoz]

Guys:

I want to build the Funtana 40 but I also don't want to tie up more money in batteries. Everything I now fly uses my TP 3s1p 2100 Gen2 packs, of which I have 7.

I would like to take what I have and make up a harness to create a 6s2p pack.

I have attached a rough sketch showing what I would do. My question is will this work?

Ed

[mvortex]

Guys:

I want to build the Funtana 40 but I also don't want to tie up more money in batteries. Everything I now fly uses my TP 3s1p 2100 Gen2 packs, of which I have 7.

I would like to take what I have and make up a harness to create a 6s2p pack.

I have attached a rough sketch showing what I would do. My question is will this work?

Ed


Ed,

That is exactly what I did and it works great.

Mark

[edkoz]

Ed,

That is exactly what I did and it works great.

Mark

Mark:

Did you use 13 ga wire ??

[mvortex]

14ga wire

[edkoz]

Thanks for your help Mark.

[edkoz]

I just picked my Funtana 40 up and weighed all the parts, including plastic wrapping. (Spreadsheet attached)

How are you guys coming in at AUW of 5 1/2 lbs??

Ed

[ray foley]

EDKOZ

that is about right for weight. Also the wiring info and photos were right on the money.

good luck


Mike F

no sweat, bud. This setup is not radical by any means. I use a dubro spinnernut and the radial mount kit which causes cooling air to be jammed into the AXI. As long as the warm air can escape, cooling this AXI beast is real easy. Mine is seldom much warmer than ambient + 20 deg. That is, real cool. Make sure that the ESC and batteries are also properly cooled and life is real good even at elevated power levels.

Fly high with serious Epower! :D

Ray Foley

[edkoz]

What do you guys do for an on/off switch, if anything. Seems like a real pain to hook the battery up, install the wing and fly. Take the wing off and un hook the battery when done. I'm assuming I can get a couple 5-7 minute flights out of the battery pack. 6s2p 4200.

I have one on my Mini with the Cool Running esc and love it.

[MikeF]

Ed,

I cut a hatch in the top of the fuse held by the cowl and small magnets. I don't bother with a switch and haven't taken the wing off in a year. I'll post some detailed pics by Sunday evening.

Mike

[edkoz]

Mike:

Thanks, I'll wait for the pics. It sounds like your doing it similar to the MF.

Ed

[MikeF]

Let me start by saying I'm no expert. This was my first E-conversion and what I did seems to work but others may have better solutions.

I started by cutting the hatch out from the firewall to the second former, flush with the inside of to outer 2 stringers on the top of the fuse. I used 1/32 ply glued to the bottom of the stringers to make a lip for the hatch to rest on. Then I used square stock to build a frame around the edge of the hatch. I used 8 rare earth magnets from Radio Shack to secure the hatch, 4 on the hatch, 4 on the fuse. Kind of overkill but that's just me. The front of the hatch slips under the cowl so the front mags probably aren't necessary. The battery tray extends all the way back to the front of the canopy, also unnecessary because the batteries sit within and inch of the firewall for proper balance.

I made my own motor mount plate from 1/4" ply and used 8-32 bolts into the blind nuts preinstalled for the glow motor. I picked up the nylon spacers at the local hardware store. Somewhere I have the template I made for the plate and I can scan it & post it if you like.

Hope that makes sense. Here are the pics.

Mike

[MikeF]

Don't forget the cooling air inlets and exit. You can see I cut big holes in the fire wall. I added 1/16 balsa between the stringers behind the wing to make a nicely shaped exit hole.

Also the extra tall CF landing gear from Fiberlite.com are excellent. Necessary for swinging a 15-17 inch prop. I fly from a grass field so I used 3" wheels and skipped the wheel pants.

Mike

[edkoz]

Mike:

Thanks a lot. Your pictures will be a big help. I really like the setup for cooling the ESC.

Just curious, what are the straps in the "oval cutout" picture for?

Ed

[MikeF]

Plane hangs from the ceiling in my way to crowded shop! The straps are top tethers from the many child safety seats we've purchased. We drive stationwagons so I've never been able to use them for their intended purpose. Finally figured out something usefull to do with them!

Glad I could help.

Mike

[edkoz]

O.K., the Funatana 40 is built, Received my AXI 4120/18 and CC Phx 60. and have the TP 6s2p 4200 batteries.

Last hurdle since I'll be running 4 standard servos is how to power them. Should I go with something like the SBEC or add a receiver battery. Whether it's SBEC or battery, what do you guys use and or recommend?

Ed

[feathermerchant]

I have used SBEC, UBEC and Medusa.
The UBEC seems to have less interference so has a better chance of getting a good range check. I don't want to keep up with a flight pack. On a plane with mechanical retracts I had the gear hang partway up for about 1 1/2 min on the maiden until I figured it out. The extra draw did not seem to affect the UBEC's ability to power the rest of the radio equipment. It is more expensive and a little heavier but I think it is the best around.
I don't use a switch either.
Whichever one you choose, follow the instructions carefully.

[MikeF]

I also use the 6V UBEC. Haven't had any problems. Make sure you diconnect the positive lead to the ESC. I just pulled the pin and taped it back to the wire. Cutting it off was a little to permanent for me.

Mike

[edkoz]

Gentlemen:

Since all the help you've given me so far has been right on the mark, I gotta bug you one more time.

What prop would you recommend with the 4120/18, 6s2p TP4200, & CC 60 ESC?

The front hole in the APC props I have is not large enough to accomodate the .315 (8mm) shaft on the 4120/18. I have the 8mm adapter ring for the back of the prop, what do I do about the front?

I'm not big into 3D. I'm looking for decent speed and power in reserve for those last second emergency situations.

Ed

[MikeF]

Ed,
I'm not sure what prop to use for that motor. I have the 4130/16 and use a 15x10. I'm out of town this weekend so I don't have my Motocalc. I would start with a 14x10 and go up from there. Being on the conservative side myself I would prop for a static current draw in the low 40's.

As for the prop hole, just drill it out larger than 8mm but smaller than the outside of the insert diameter. Kind of a fine line. I picked up a cheap imported 100+ piece drill bit set from Menard's. Not the highest quality but effective when you need funky sizes!

Mike

[ray foley]

I use an APC 15-10 eprop with 18 nimh gp3300. With a 6s lipo pack an APC 14-10. Check the results with a wattmeter before flying. Remember to set the CC60 for lipo mode and soft cutoff, no prop brake, and whatever else you like.

Just watch for ground clearance. Email TNT landing gear if you have a problem with clearance. They can hook you up with a taller gear like they did for me.

ttfn rjf

[edkoz]

Ray:

Do you think this calc program is any good ??
http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=PROP+CALCULATOR&page=3&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D2 d0f93f760dc37ea%26clickedItemRank%3D32%26userQuery %3DPROP%2BCALCULATOR%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A% 252F%252Fbrantuas.com%252Fezcalc%252Fdma1.asp%26in vocationType%3Dnext%26fromPage%3DNSCPNextPrev%26am p%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrantuas.com%2Fezcalc%2Fdm a1.asp

According to this one it looks like a 13x8, 13x6 or 12x8.

Ed

[RCFEVER]

Hi Ed,

I've been interested in this conversion for awhile now, anxious to see how yours turns out! Maybe I'll get a chance to see it in action at your field.

Good Luck!

Matt

[edkoz]

Hi Ed,

I've been interested in this conversion for awhile now, anxious to see how yours turns out! Maybe I'll get a chance to see it in action at your field.

Good Luck!

Matt

Matt:

I really like the looks of this plane. You're more into 3D than I am so my setup probably wouldn't work for you. I'm going with the 13x6.5 prop.

It should be done and ready for this Saturday but the wind forecast isn't looking too good. Just so you know, if you go out there the gate may be locked. I talked to the city and they said just park at the gate and walk in.

Ed

[RCFEVER]

Yeah, weather hasn't been to favorable this Fall so far. Hopefully, we'll see some decent days before the bitter cold hits and the white fluffy stuff starts falling!

Thanks for the tip on the gate! I'd hate to leave once I got there!

Be sure to post some pics of the finished conversion along with your flight report!

Matt

[edkoz]

Help.

I'm trying to prop my Funtana 40 and the program I used (by Diversity Model Aircraft) was off so far it's a shame.

Equipment:
AXI 4120/18
6s2p TP 4200 (2 3s1p in series- 4 3s1p packs)
Castle Creations 60 ESC

This program calculated a 13x6.5 prop giving the following info.
Motor amps = 33.9
Watts in = 659
Watts out = 543
RPM = 8700
Static Thrust = 106.2
In flight thrust = 82.2
Prop Pitch Speed = 53
Full throttle duration = 7min 26 sec

I installed the 13x6.5 hooked up my whattmeter and tach and here's what I got:
Amps = 19
Watts = 400
RPM = 6700

Not even close.

I would really appreciate it if someone could run these numbers in Motocalc.

Ed

[MikeF]

Hi Ed,

I ran the #'s in Motocalc and got figures nearly identical to your's. Interesting that it calculates my setup (4130/16, APC15x10, 6s3p TP6000) accurately. I wouldn't worry about it. Just prop up until your comfortable with the current draw and go fly!

Mike

[mad skill]

How would the Funtana 40 fly with an axi 4130/16, Jeti 70-O, TP5300 5S4P Li-poly and 16x10 APC-E.

[edkoz]

I just put a APC 14x10e on the Funtana 40.

Full throttle 800+ watts 45amps (static)
Half throttle 440w 25amps (static)

These readings are in line with what was calculated using the DMI program for the 14 x 10. There must be something screwy using a small pitch (6.5) claculation in that program. The spec sheet that came with the motor doesn't show anything less than 8 pitch.

Now my only concern is that if I dont let go of the plane it's liable to take me up in the air with it.

Ed

[edkoz]

I received the last piece of the puzzle in the mail today, the Ultimate BEC.

Just so I don't screw anything up I wanted to bounce my proposed hook up off you guys.

1. Disconnect the middle (red wire) from the Castle 60 ESC.

2. Wire the Ultimate BEC Red Wire(+) to the Red Wire(+) on the Deans Connector coming from the ESC going to the battery.

3. Wire the Ultimate BEC Black Wire(-) to the Black Wire(-) on the Deans Connector coming from the ESC going to the battery.

4. Plug the Connector from the ESC to Channel 3 of the receiver.

5. Plug the Connector from the UBEC to the Battery channel on the receiver.

Is this correct or am I going to make sparks and smoke ?? :D

Ed

[MikeF]

Sounds right to me.

Mike

[RCFEVER]

That's how I hooked mine up....no problems yet. :)

[edkoz]

Thanks guys, got it all wired up and tested. Everything works, no sparks, no smoke, no errors.

Looks like maybe Monday will be the maiden, around 5mph unless they change the forecast.

[RCFEVER]

Now my only concern is that if I dont let go of the plane it's liable to take me up in the air with it.Ed

Don't forget to let go!! :D

Good Luck! Hope all goes well.

[Michael in Toronto]

I've had a lot of luck with this set-up: Hacker B50-13S brushless geared 6.7 to 1, 15" prop, 4S 8000mah TP battery pack. See photos.

One of my best flyers. Although power is not at the high end of what people recommend, it has done knife adge and hovering. Weight is about 6¼ pounds. Power is close to 600 watts at full power. Takes off easily from rough grass.

[edkoz]

Michael:

Nice looking setup. You don't realize how much right thrust there is until you look at it from the top with the cowl off. I'm still waiting for the winds to calm down to maiden mine. They've been 20 to 30 mph for the last week. Sunday is forecast for 7mph so I'm hoping to get it in the air then.

Did you do any reinforcing on the landing gear for your grass take offs and landings?

Ed

[edkoz]

Here's some pics - All done and waiting for Sunday.

Funtana S40
AXI 4120/18 ......................(12/06/05 Changed to a 4130/16)
Castle 60 ESC
Ultimate BEC - Aircraft Version
(4) Hitec HS425 BB Servos
Hitec 555 Dual Conv Receiver
6s 2p 4200 Thunderpower Gen2
APC 14 x 10 E ....................(12/06/05 Changed to 16 x 8)
Stock Landing Gear ............ (12/30/05) Changed to TNT "Tall" landing gear
3" Tires - No Wheel Pants
Weight w/o Batteries - 4lbs 11oz
Batteries - 1lb 5oz
Total All Up Weight 6.0 Pounds

Thanks to Mike F. for his pictures and help. I cut the oval air vent on the bottom and copied the hatch idea. To make battery installation a little easier I mounted them on a piece of 1/16 ply so I can just drop them right into the hatch and tie them down with 2 velcro belts.

Thanks to Ray F. for the idea on the Dubro Spinnernut. Should get some good air flow over the ESC, Motor, UBEC and Batteries.

Ed

[RCFEVER]

Looks great! Nice job on the hatch for the bats.

Good luck tomorrow!

[edkoz]

Finally got a nice day - winds between 7 & 10, Sunshine and 42 degrees.

Since I haven't flown in about 10 days I put the Mini Funtana up first. It was moving around a little in the wind but not that bad. Did a few take offs and landings and was ready to try the 40.

Did a radio check from about 30 feet, ant down and everything was working fine.

Set the throws on low, taxied it around the infield, lined it up into the wind an off we go. Super looking scale take off, nice gradual climb out to get some distance between the plane and the ground and then a gentle bank to the left. (at this point I was grinning from ear to ear)

A few laps around the field to trim it out (Only required 3 clicks of left aileron), and then just enjoy the hell out of it.

Since this was the first flight I didn't try anything crazy, did some full power vertical climbs and some rolls on low and high rates. Plane responded great, no nasty tendencies. Tried some nice slow laps and the plane handled very well.

Cruises at a little less than half throttle.

I had concerns about the landing gear coming in on grass, but I shouldn't have. Sink rate on the approach was super, no floating tendencies, touched down, no bounce and rolled to a nice stop. I think the 3" tires were a good idea.

I only planned to do 1 six minute flight because I wanted to see what happened with the batteries and also take it home, get the cowl off and check the motor mount etc, to make sure nothing was working it's way loose .

Motor and battery were BARELY warm to the touch after the flight.

Got it home and all connections were still secure. Charged the batteries and here's what I got.

Battery #1 Start of Charge 11.57v End 12.60 Put in 867mah
Battery #2 Start of Charge 11.58v End 12.60 Put in 872mah
Battery #3 Start of Charge 11.75v End 12.60 Put in 723mah
Battery #4 Start of Charge 11.66v End 12.60 Put in 730mah

It looks like I should get (2) 6-7 minute flights out of the 6s 2p pack. That was my goal so I'm happy.

I doubt you could do serious 3D with this setup, but since I'm not into 3d it's a non issue.

All in all I am Very Happy with this plane, wish I would have tried this sooner. In my opinion it's easier to fly and land than the Mini.

Ed

[RCFEVER]

Congratulations, on the maiden, Ed!

Sounds like it flew real sweet!

[edkoz]

Thanks Matt, I was halfway expecting to see you out there today.

[edkoz]

I have changed the motor to an AXI 4130/16 with a 16x8 E prop. This should give me 103 oz of inflight thrust @ 40amps.

When I get the 16x8 prop I'll see what kind of ground clearance I have. I hate to spend another 25 on landing gear unless I have to.

If I need the taller LG, I like the looks of the painted white aluminum, so I'll probably stay with that as opposed to the carbon fiber even thought it would be lighter.

[Tram]

Good thread.. :) I really wanna do one of these or a UCD..

[edkoz]

Good thread.. :) I really wanna do one of these or a UCD..

Tram:

Thanks, this was really a fun build. Plus, being my first conversion, I got a real education.

Ed

[edkoz]

Got the 4130/16 mounted, now waiting for the winds to die down to try it out.

With the 16" prop and 3" wheels I have 2 inches of ground clearance using the stock landing gear.

[plasticman]

After destroying my beautiful Fliton 330S I decided to move all that remained to this Funtana-40. Only one flight so far as weather has been downright nasty. I think this will be a good flier but more flight time is needed. I hope this thing helps me get over my 330 as it was just perfect.

Thanks to this thread and all the good suggestions for the F-40. It really helped me get this thing together right.

Plasticman.

Equip: Axi 4130/16, Jeti 77-Opto, 17x10APC-E, Twin TP-PL 4000 3s. Pushing a little over a 1000W! AUW=6-3/8lbs.

[feathermerchant]

Most run 15X10 or 16X10 on 6S with that motor. I was pushing 1kW too until I burned it up. Be careful. Try a 17X8. It may be better for 3D anyway.

[edkoz]

Those JR Decals really look good on the plane.

I also think you would be better off with a 6s pack.

[plasticman]

As I stated....I am running two TP-PL 4000 3s. These are in series which gives me 6s.

Plasticman

[edkoz]

I was also confused by the way it was worded. It seemed odd that you could be pulling that many watts without it being 6s 2p

[plasticman]

Yeah...I guess I did not make that obvious. I do have two new 20C 3s 3700mAh PQ's to try in this plane as well. I think I will take feathermerchant's suggestion and give a 17x8 a try. I flew my Fliton 330S with the 17x10 for almost 30 flights without a problem and always checked the motor for heat. Never did it get warm but then a big 60+ Amp burst would probably burn the Axi up in-flight.

This plane will probably be my last big e-conversion. After losing over $300 in batteries alone in my 330 accident, I am going to keep with glow for the big planes. Nevertheless, it sure is nice to not have to mess with fuel when its 20 degrees outside.

Plasticman.

[feathermerchant]

FYI on both of my AXI failures, the stator (the part with the wires on it) turned from the torque/heat. That pulled some of the wiring loose. The Jeti 77 opto caught FIRE and melted everything (solder) off the circuit boards. Including all the wires. The Castle Phx80 refused to start the motor.
These were the 'older' generation AXI and the new ones are supposedly built better.
It's just not much fun having a failed motor.

[plasticman]

Feathermerchant,

I know what you mean. I did lose my Jeti 77-Opto in the 330 crash but I have replaced it since for this Funtana. That's more of a reason that I am going to stick with glow/gas for the bigger stuff. I really hate dishing out $170 for an ESC when I can almost buy a good 4-stroke for that price.

Plasticman.

[EarlC]

I have changed the motor to an AXI 4130/16 with a 16x8 E prop. This should give me 103 oz of inflight thrust @ 40amps.

When I get the 16x8 prop I'll see what kind of ground clearance I have. I hate to spend another 25 on landing gear unless I have to.

If I need the taller LG, I like the looks of the painted white aluminum, so I'll probably stay with that as opposed to the carbon fiber even thought it would be lighter.

Have you had a chance to try the new motor and prop set up. If so how did it go.

Earl C.

[edkoz]

Have you had a chance to try the new motor and prop set up. If so how did it go.

Earl C.


Earl C.

Unortunately I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Winds have been horrible and the forecast for the next week doesn't look good either.

[edkoz]

Winds finally died down today (Sat 12/24) so I had a chance to try out the 4130/16 and the 16x8 prop. Everything worked great, good vertical but not unlimited. I had some concerns about the 16" prop and the stock landing gear but it wasn't a problem taking off and landing on asphalt. I doubt that it will work in the grass so I'll probably order a taller one.

I got two flights out of the pack (6 min each) and could probably have squeexed a third if I wanted to. All the way to the end of the second flight there wasn't any noticeable degradation in power.

Batteries and motor were just "warm" to the touch after each flight.

the only excitement for the day was when some idiot came into the park while we were flying and turned his radio on without checking to see what frequencies we were using. He was on 52, I was using 34 so I got lucky, my buddy was on 52 and was in the air when this jerk turned his radio on. Ended up corkscrewing it into the ground. I was surprised that my buddy didn't corkscrew the idiot into the ground.

It amazes me how many "clueless' flyers there are out there.

Ed

[edkoz]

Ordered the "Tall" landing gear for the Funtana 40 from TNT Landing Gear. I put some lightening holes in it to get it close to the weight of the stock gear. Works great, I now have 4" of ground clearance with the 16" prop. No problem in the grass.

Ed

[plasticman]

Hey Edkoz,

I have got in about 5 flights on my F-40 and am still doing minor adjustments. I have switched from a 17x10 to a 17x8 and it is amazing how much vertical performance is lost. I have not checked the current draw with this setup but will try that tomorrow.

Do you find that this plane carries a great deal of energy on landing? It seems to take a bunch of runway space to get this thing down. My Fliton 330 was really easy to land in about 150 feet.

Plasticman.

[edkoz]

When you say 150 feet, is that from touch down or is that the start of your approach? I'm not really sure what you meant.

I haven't really paid that much attention to the runway space because where we fly we've got a a pretty long stretch to land on. I'm going out tomorrow morning (Sunday) and I'll pay attention to that aspect of the landing and let you know.

I gotta believe a couple hundred feet should be plenty.

Tomorrow will tell.

Ed

[MikeF]

I always seem to use alot of runway bringing mine in. Probably because I'm chicken to slow it up on approach. I usually come in kind of hot and use up more than half a 600ft runway 2ft off the ground waiting for it to slow down enough to settle in gently!

Mike F

[mpope1]

I have the funtana 40 and have to use alot of runway to land also. I havent been brave enough to try using flaperons yet. I have a e-flite 46 w/ castle creations 60 amp cont. I run 2 4s2p in parallel spinnig a 14x7 prop. 670 watts drawing 53 amps. It will hover for a bit but not enough juice to pull out of it. But it is a blast to fly.

[plasticman]

Ed,

The 150' was just runway not runway+approach. I would say that the F-40 takes easily 200' or more to get it to a stop. I may have to try flaperons to the air speed down.

Plasticman.

[edkoz]

Got a break in the weather and met MTwallet and a friend of his Sunday and got a chance to get F40 up again with the 16x8 prop and the Tall landing gear. It flew great but still lacks the vertical power I thought I would have. Landing and taxiing in the grass was piece of cake with the taller gear. I'm going to pick up a 17x8 prop and try that next. It should give 144 static thrust and 118 in flight. I got in 2 six minute flights on the pack and could have done a third.

I'm not into 3D, but after watching MTwallet put on a show with his plane, it looks like it could be a lot of fun.

[edkoz]

Can you say "Unlimited Vertical". I was a little concerned about adding another 6 ounces by using the MaxAmps batteries but it turned out to be a non issue. The 17x8 really brought this plane to life.

I've listed below what I started with and what I ended up with. I flew it in 15mph winds today with no problem. I doubt I will change anything else except maybe a larger ESC. Haven't had any issues with the 60 but per Castle I shouldn't pull more than 48 amps with it.

Funtana S40
AXI 4120/18 ................................(12/06/05) Changed to a 4130/16
Castle 60 ESC
Ultimate BEC - Aircraft Version
(4) Hitec HS425 BB Servos
Hitec 555 Dual Conv Receiver
6s 2p 4200 Thunderpower Gen2 ...... (01/08/06) Changed to 6s2p 4200 Max Amps
APC 14 x 10 E ..............................(01/08/06) Changed to 17 x 8
Stock Landing Gear ...................... (12/30/05) Changed to TNT "Tall" landing gear
3" Tires - No Wheel Pants
Weight w/o Batteries - 4lbs 11oz
Batteries - 1lb 5oz ........................ Changed to Max Amps (1lb 11oz)
Total All Up Weight 6lbs 6oz

[MTwallet]

Got a break in the weather and met MTwallet and a friend of his Sunday and got a chance to get F40 up again with the 16x8 prop and the Tall landing gear. It flew great but still lacks the vertical power I thought I would have. Landing and taxiing in the grass was piece of cake with the taller gear. I'm going to pick up a 17x8 prop and try that next. It should give 144 static thrust and 118 in flight. I got in 2 six minute flights on the pack and could have done a third.

I'm not into 3D, but after watching MTwallet put on a show with his plane, it looks like it could be a lot of fun.
Hey Ed, thanks for the kudos.
I thought I'd show ya this, I cut and pasted it from another thread. The plane is one I'm working on, a Fliton Extra 330 (I'll be using a different power system though) and since the planes are close in size and weight I figured this might be helpful.
It would seem to me that a 17x10 prop might do a little better because in all likelyhood you should have lost some speed going to a 17x8 from the 16x8. The 17x10 should give you some of that speed back without sacrificing too much if any thrust. I know you don't 3D and for sport/aerobatic flying, speed is a good thing.
Anyway, just a thought.
When we gonna get together and fly again? I'm trying to get some more planes in the air. I have a lot of irons in the fire now though, hard to stay on track. But I'm trying. :)



MT



Here's a link to the entire thread. It's huge though, over 1000 posts.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=388751

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295007&page=34


Dec 12, 2005, 02:57 AM
Rugar
"Fly It Like Ya Stole It"



I maidened mine today and put four flights on her. Man what a sweet flying plane. Im still fairly new to RC flying (1 1/2 yrs), and this is the largest plane that I have ever flown. I had a blast flying knife edge circuits around the entire field. Not a hint of coupling. This plane has really got my confidence up as a pilot, which I'm afraid may bite me if I'm not careful, as it does everything you ask of it with ease. Truly unlimited vertical. I never even dreamed it would have this much power. I cant even imagine what you guys have for power that are using the Hacker set ups.

Axi 4130/16
Jeti 77 Opto
6v UBEC
TP 6S2P 4200 PL
APC 17X10E
Hitec Super Slim 8 RX
4 HS-5475HB Digital servos (Elevator servo mounted in the tail, Pull-Pull Rudder)
4-40 hardware for control linkages with Dubro Ball Links on servos
Tru-Turn custom cut spinner with lightened back plate

55 amps @ 1267 watts
AUW 6lbs 8oz of pure adrenaline rush




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[edkoz]

Hi Mike:

We went out today (Sunday) around 12:30 ... 5mph but COLD.

I brought the 40 in for a landing on the dirt parking lot and touched down really nice and then rolled across a deep pothole .... adios landing gear. No damage to the plane other than the gear which I should have fixed by tomorrow.

I've thought about the 17 X 10 but I ran the numbers and the 8 seemed to be more what I was looking for. I'll email you the Excel spreadsheet where I laid out all the numbers. The 10 would give and extra 9mph, inflight thrust would go from 118 to 106 and amp draw would go from 45 to 50..

The Fliton 330 is a sharp looking plane .... look forward to seeing it.

Friday and Sunday of this week look promising wind wise.

Ed