EPP, CF, COroplast thermal 2M: DONE!

[CactusJackSlade]

Well,

Here it is! My EPP wing and pod, CF boom and Coroplast/CF tail feathers high performance (I hope!) thermal ship.

I test tossed it this late afternoon and in ZERO wind and fading light. Only minor trim changes during the flight - this baby FLOATS!

For a 33 oz foamie I was very pleased! I was tossing from a small "bump" at the end of two soccer fields - maybe about 8 feet above the field and it went accros the one field and 1/4 the way across the other - very nice!

I tossed it back and forth a few times then stood on the "bump" and did 360 degree throw and catches until it was dark! Turns well, doesn't fall out or into the turn, well tempered!

I will set up my bungie launch tomorrow! It seems to handle very well, but given the conditions I was trying to "float it" so I will need to really put it through its paces before I make the final call but so far I am STOKED!

For more photos on the constuction during this project go here:

http://hobiehawk.com/EppHyper.html

Here is a photo of the finished project:

[jrgospod]

Looks like a great plane. What are the dimensions and dihedrals?
Can't wait for the flight report.

[CactusJackSlade]

Here are some spec's

Wingspan: 71.5" - 1.8 meters
Length: 50" (yes - long, but I want to discus launch it - with a different tail!)
RTF weight: 33 oz.
Area: 554 Sq.In
Airfoil: SD7037 (this is a DAW wing kit with modified tips)
Wing loading: 8.5 oz/sq.ft
Controls: aileron, rudder, elevator (V tail)


I test flew it today on my big hi-start in zero wind conditions. It was awesome! It floats, circles with minimal input and has excellent aerobatic capabilities. When I stalled it (on purpose) it stayed perfectly straight, dropped the nose a bit and kept on going.

I was using a large blacktop area and once I went to flair for a catch and it popped over my head and landed straight on it's nose from about 8 or 9 feet, I mean straight in! Zero damage to report, slightly wrinkled tape on the nose. Cool! This thing should be FUN!... NO crunchie worries!

I can't wait for a blue sky (thermal?) day!... or even some good wind and I will do a slope report! So far I am STOKED! I am already thinking about ways to simplify the building process, not that it was too bad, most of the time was figuring out what I wanted to do and how to do it! I think I have about $75-$80 into the plane itself - not bad!


You can check out additional info and building photos here:

http://hobiehawk.com/EppHyper.html

Maybe I should call it the "Orange un-CRUSH-able"

[CactusJackSlade]

Oh,

I do not know the degrees, but the dihedral with one wing flat and the other raised is 3-3/4" at the wing tip on a 71.5: wing - the stock amount recommended by Daves Aircraft Works.

Hope you liked the pic's I'm going to enjoy flying it!

I think this plane will be kinda like my Art Hobby Boar, only un-Crush-able!

[Jack Rowland]

CJS,
Speaking of the Art Hobby Boar, did you stick with stock dihedral on that one?? How is the thermal performance on the Boar?
Great job on the foamie. Very nice. What is the small tube on the top of the nose?
Thanks, Jack

[CactusJackSlade]

Well, as this is a bad time of year for flying in general and very little thermal activity at all (gray skys, little sunshine) I have not been able to thermal the Boar yet - so I will have to post a "review" on that later.

The litle red thing on the nose of the EPP Hyper (as I seem to be calling it) is a switch-jack - a combination on/off/charging switch - the coolest way to turn your ship on and off as well as charge it. Very low profile, weighs almost nothing - very slick!

You can go here to see what I mean:

http://hobiehawk.com/SwitchJack.html


CJS

[CactusJackSlade]

I just posted a couple flight photos... I was pilot and photographer, forgive the quality!

I was getting 350-400 feet on the hi-start today... again zero wind, slight overcast so no thermal activity either... still I did 15 launches or so - much fun!

Just put it in a circle and it's almost hands off, should thermal well, and I've said it before, what a floater!

Here are the pic's - bottom of the page:

http://hobiehawk.com/EppHyper.html

CJS

[CactusJackSlade]

Well, I had my first semi-thermal flights today. It was on a mellow slope and very conditions.

There was just enough slope lift not to sink out, I really had to scratch, but the "Orange UnCrushAble" hung in there. I finally picked up a few thermals and before long I was up 200-300 feet.

Once at that altitude it was much easier to catch thermals and so I was able to stay up for 10 or 12 minutes, I then wanted to do some loops and rolls to see what she could do.

Very nice! I could do VERY tight loops and the roll rate was pretty good as well. The rolls were not very axial so I will try some differential in my ailerons, that seemed to make a big difference on my Art Hobby Bore.

This thing circles very well! once you get it turning it is very neutral and circles pretty flat. I started using a little rudder in my turns and they were even flatter so I programed in some rudder/aileron mix on a switch that I can turn on/off.

I am very pleased and I have already had a few mishaps, all without any damage what so ever! My buddy "landed" his Zagi on my tail feathers while it was on the ground and all it did was knock the coroplast tail feathers out of position, which I just slid them back onto their rods. Cool, that was what I thought would be the weakest link and it survived a smack - nice!

Well, I already want to build another, maybe a 1 meter!

Good flyin'

CJS