Great Planes 27% Extra 330S ARF Review [Archive]

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sun.flyer

Aug 08, 2008, 06:45 PM

!Introduction

| spec2
| @1956048: Great Planes 27% Extra 330s
|> Wingspan: |< 79.5"
|> Wing Area: |< 1209 sq. in.
|> Weight: |< 14 lbs. 9 oz.
|> Length: |< 78"
|> Wing Loading: |< 27.7 oz/sq. ft.
|> Servos: |< <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDWF8&P=ML>(5) Futaba S3305</a> and <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXH299&P=ML>(1) Futaba S9202</a>
|> Transmitter: |< <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTTM1&P=0>Futaba 7c 2.4GHZ</a>
|> Receiver: |< <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTHL6&P=V>Futaba R617FS</a>
|> Battery: |< <a href=http://www.tntlandinggear.com/>(1) 4.8V 2600mAh NiMH and (1) 6.0v NiMH 2700mAh</a>
|> Motor: |< <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=SM&I=LXNGC0>Fuji Imvac BT-43EI</a>
|> Prop: |< <a href=http://www.desertaircraft.com/page.php?Page=Menz>Menz 20 x 8 at 7400 RPM</a>
|> Manufacturer: |< <a href=http://www.greatplanes.com/performance/airplanes/gpma1413.html>Great Planes</a>
|> Available From: |< <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTAW7&P=ML>Tower Hobbies</a>
|> Retail Price: |< $399.99

The <a href=http://www.greatplanes.com/performance/airplanes/gpma1413.html>Great Planes 27% Extra 330S</a> is the newest addition to the already outstanding line of <a href=http://www.greatplanes.com/performance/gpm-performance.html>Performance Series</a> IMAC precision/3D capable scale aerobatic airplanes currently being offered by Great Planes. The Extra 330S was bred to be an aerobatic champion, and Great Planes has done a great job of replicating all of those champion qualities in this great looking and terrific flying airplane. The Great Planes 27% Extra 330S can be flown on a wide variety of power setups including glow, gas and even electric power, making this a very versatile airframe for pretty much anyone looking for a great way to get into a giant scale airplanes.

So let's take a look as Tim Tworek sets out to see if the new <a href=http://www.greatplanes.com/performance/airplanes/gpma1413.html>Great Planes 27% Extra 330S</a> can meet or exceed its aerobatic pedigree.

!Kit Contents

@1969937: A great looking shot of the finished Extra 330s adorns the cover of every box.
@1969938: Everything was neatly packaged and protected inside the massive box.
@1983541: The Extra 330S out of the box and ready to be assembled. Expect the average building time to be 20-24 hours from start to finish.

My 27% Extra 330S arrived in a <big>HUGE</big> box with a beautiful picture of the finished product adorning the top. Upon opening the box I was very impressed with how well every part was neatly packaged and protected, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the great looking covering scheme that Great Planes has used on the new Extra. After unbagging all the parts, I was equally impressed by how well the MonoKote® looked, and I noticed very few wrinkles in the covering. I couldn't wait to start building this beauty!!

The GP 27% Extra 330S ARF contains:

*
*Lightweight laser cut balsa and plywood construction
*Pre-covered and highly visible 4-color covering scheme
*Very complete high quality hardware package (even includes an aluminum spinner)
*Installed motor box (already fuel proofed)
*Painted fiberglass wheel pants and cowl
*Painted contoured composite landing gear

The GP 27% Extra 330S ARF requires:

*
*4-6 ch. radio with 6 high torque METAL GEAR (more on this later) servos, 1 standard servo
*2-stroke 1.6-1.8cu. in., or 4 stroke 1.8-2.1cu. in., 32-43cc gas, or large outrunner brushless motor/esc/battery packs
*Servo extensions (sizes will vary based on radio tray location)
*(2) On/Off switches
*4.8 ignition pack minimum capacity of 500mAh, receiver pack (I chose a 6.0v 2700mah NiMH pack)
*Sullivan #484 gasoline fuel tank conversion kit
*Tygon 3/32" fuel tubing (at least 3')
*18 x 8 -20 x 10 prop
*Gasoline fuel
*Miscellaneous building supplies (CA glues, epoxies, tape)

Items used to complete the Great Planes 27% Extra 330S ARF:

*
*Fuji 43 cc gas motor
*(6) Futaba 3305 high torque metal gear servos, (1) Futaba 9202 coreless servo for the throttle
*6v 2700mah NiMH pack for the receiver, 4.8v 2600mah NiMH pack for the ignition
*Futaba 7C 2.4 GHz radio with a FASST 7 channel 617FS receiver
*(4) 24" servo extensions, (2) 6" servo extensions
*Great Planes 1/4 scale pilot bust
*Menz 20 x 8 and 20 x 10 props

!Assembly

The Manual

@1986241: The comprehensive and well laid out Extra 330S manual
@1986242: Typical page layout showing text with nice illustrations. Very Nice!!

Great Planes has always done a fantastic job of providing a build/flying manual that is easy to follow and that provides the builder every detail needed to complete the model from start to finish. The 27% Extra 330S manual is no exception, and I found it extremely user friendly and easy to follow. The manual covers how to setup the Extra using gas, glow and electric power systems, and pretty much all the hardware needed to accomplish this is included with the kit. It really leaves nothing to the builder’s imagination; everything is clearly explained. Great Planes has even added a 3D flying section in the Extra 330S manual that explains how to fly 10 different aerobatic/3D maneuvers. I found many of the explanations and approaches on how to perform some of these maneuvers quite helpful, and I've put many of these instructions to good use at the field.

!!Wing

<div class="dashed">

<big><center>TECH NOTE</center></big>

June 17th, 2008: Great Planes issues a addendum stating that the servos used on the control surfaces of the 27% Extra 330S should have metal gears.

</div>

@1987171: All control surfaces make use of pin hinges.
@1987174: Aileron servo setup
@1987178: Excellent contrasting covering scheme used on the Extra 330S

The first thing you notice when you start to work on the Extra 330S wings is how large the control surfaces are and the distinct covering scheme used on the top and bottom of the wings. While the 27% Extra 330S is by many accounts a large airplane, when flying this size of an airplane through IMAC (International Miniature Aerobatic Club) sequences it's nice to have a covering scheme that will aid in good orientation, and the 27% Extra 330S comes through with flying colors.

The Extra 330S makes use of robart style pinned hinges on all the control surfaces, and I chose to use 30 minute epoxy to glue all my hinges in place. There is plenty of surface deflection area available as the wing’s trailing edge and the aileron leading edges are fully beveled. To handle the control of the ailerons I used a <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDWF8&P=ML>Futaba S3305</a> on each wing half. These are very affordable, high torque metal gear servos that put out 124 oz./in. of torque on 6v. I chose to use the <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD668&P=ML>Dubro long arms</a> on all of my control surfaces. The Dubro arms allow for full 3D deflection when needed, and I have found that they work absolutely flawlessly in my Extra 330S.

The pushrods on the 27% Extra 330S require one end to be soldered. Take your time on this, and ensure you have a good solder joint. The manual once again does a great job of explaining this and provides a very easy to follow procedure. My soldered pushrods have worked out great in this airplane.

The wings ride on a VERY robust aluminum wing tube that weighs in at 12.6 oz.. There is no doubt in my mind that this tube will withstand a tremendous amount of force that may be exerted on it in-flight. It would have been nice to see a carbon fiber wing tube come with the Extra 330S as I'm sure a fair amount of weight savings could be had by making the switch. As it is, I know the aluminum wing tube will not let me down.

!!Tail

@1996349: The rudder and elevator hinged and mounted
@1996372: One of the elevator servos installed
@1996346: One of the rudder servos installed
@1996350: The Extra 330S comes with a very nice tail wheel assembly and hardware.
@1996347: The Extra 330S with the tail wheel installed

The tail surfaces on the 27% Extra 330S hinge together in a similar fashion to the ailerons, and in no time my rudder and elevator control surfaces were installed. The horizontal stabilizer on the Extra 330s needs to be epoxied in place, and I chose once again to use 30 minute epoxy for this. It would have been nice if the Extra 330S had a removable horizontal stab riding on a carbon fiber stab tube. This setup makes transporting an airplane of this size much easier for those driving smaller trucks or cars. However, I have had no problems transporting my Extra 330S in the bed of my Ford Ranger (plenty of room). The elevators on the Extra 330S make use of one servo per elevator half, and the setup was very straightforward and installed per the manual.

The rudder also makes use of two servos, one mounted on each side of the fuselage tail. The manual shows a couple of different rudder servo configurations based on the motor being installed. Because the Fuji motor is the heaviest motor choice, the tail mounted rudder servo locations are the best to use so that the correct CG can be obtained without having to add dead weight. For ease of programming and trying to set up two rudder servos (my first time doing so) I just simply used a Y-harness between the two rudder servos and plugged the servo connection right into the rudder channel on the receiver. This setup has worked great, and with the rudder servos located in the tail I have had to add ZERO additional weight to get my Extra 330S to balance correctly.

!!Fuselage

@1996542: The lightly built but robust fuselage of the Extra 330S
@1996541: A picture of the front half of the fuselage which will soon become the fuel tank location
@1996549: The Extra 330S comes with a built in dual rudder pull-pull tray. Also note the pre-installed tube for the received antenna.
@1996540: I really liked the solid look of the landing gear plate assembly in the Extra 330S.
@1999007: The landing gear legs installed. Very simple installation and very robust.

<big>WOW!!!!!</big> That was the first word out of my mouth when I saw the inside of the fuselage on my Extra 330S. This fuselage does not look anything like the older 78" Patty Wagstaff Extra or for that matter any previous Great Planes giant scale airplane. I was completely blown away by how little balsa and ply was used inside the fuselage. The only built up area inside the fuselage is the turtledeck area and that just consists of lightweight balsa and foam. The fuselage has all the right support where it needs to be without adding any unnecessary plywood or balsa.

The fuselage is very roomy inside and allows plenty of access to the radio compartment (more on that later) as well the fuel tank and wing bolts. I was also very impressed with the landing gear plate which is actually located on the bottom of the motor box. While at first I wasn't sure how this was going to hold up, I have since become sold on it and have had ZERO issues with the landing gear plate after many flights on the airplane.

!!Fuji Motor Installation

<div class = "leftside">

|
@2000655: <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=SM&I=LXNGC0>Fuji Imvac BT-43EI-2 gas motor</a>

|
| Carburetor: | Walbro
| Muffler: | Steel bolt through construction
| Spark Plug: | Champion RCJ6Y
| Displacement: | 2.6 cu. in. (43 cc)
| Output: | 4.2 hp @ 11,000 RPM
| Weight: | 3.5 lbs. w/ muffler
| Recommended prop: | 20 x 10
| Prop Tested: | Menz 20 x 8
| RPM: | 7400
</div>

@1999015: "X" marks the spot. The motor box comes with etched markings on it for both glow and gas motor mounting.
@1999032: The Fuji 43 motor installed and throttle linkage attached
@1999021: The addition of a chock pushrod has been added to the side of the motor box.
@1999019: The electronic ignition has been mounted with foam padding underneath the ignition box.

Mounting the recommended motors on the motor box of the Extra 330S couldn't get much easier than this. The motor box, which comes fuel proofed out-of-the-box, has etched markings on it that can be used to install your glow motor mount or recommended <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=SM&I=LXNGC0>Fuji Imvac BT-43EI</a> gas motor. I decided to go with the Fuji 43 gas motor as this is the largest gas motor recommended by Great Planes. The etched "X" cross markings on the front of the motor box are located perfectly for the Fuji motor which simply bolts to the front of the motor box. The Fuji motor also comes with a paper template that could be used as a backup reference as to what bolt pattern you need to drill out in the motor box. The throttle linkage on the Extra uses approx. 26" of nyrod and some threaded 1" rods to connect the plastic connectors to the throttle. The length of nyrod will depend on which radio tray position you end up using based on your motor selection.

The Fuji electronic ignition box comes in a plastic casing that I simply mounted to the side of the motor box with two screws with some foam padding placed under it to reduce some of the vibration on the EI unit. The muffler on the Fuji 43 is very compact, and as I came to find out, fits perfectly inside the cowling of my Extra.

I really couldn't have been more pleased with how well the Fuji 43 mounted and the ease of setting up the throttle/choke linkages. It really doesn't get much easier than this!!!

@1999016: Fuel tank location as recommended by the manual
@1999018: My 720cc fuel tank location with fuel plumbing installed

I was a little bewildered by where the manual instructed me to place the fuel tank and mounting plywood. The manual shows a forward fuel tank placement that puts the fuel tank half way into the motor box area. In my past experiences with gas airplane setups I've always placed my fuel tanks in gas powered airplanes as close to the wing tube phenolic as possible to minimize the change in CG due to fuel burn during each flight.

I'm sure the forward fuel tank location would have worked out just fine but I decided to use some of the additional plywood supplied in the kit and 30 minute epoxy to make a fuel tank plate that mounted directly in front of the wing tube phenolic (see picture above). As it turns out this location has worked out perfectly for me as my Extra's CG needed to be moved aft to obtain a more neutral flight characteristic while inverted. The forward fuel tank location would have required additional weight/battery packs to be mounted well aft of my radio tray location to obtain this neutral flight mode.

!!Radio Gear and Cowling Installation

@1999020: My radio tray mounted in the aft location with all my radio gear installed and ready to go.
@1999022: A cowl mounting ring is provided to help mount the cowling and provide the right amount of spacing from the spinner back plate.

The Extra has two different areas in the fuselage to mount the plywood radio tray in the airplane. The forward radio tray area is actually located right where I mounted my fuel tank, right in front of the wing tube. However, with the heavier gas Fuji motor out front, the radio tray gets mounted in the aft location which is almost just below the turtle deck area. The provided plywood radio tray has a lot of precut openings in it that allow easy access for places to zip tie/velcro your radio equipment in place. The throttle servo bay is precut in the radio tray, and my <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXH299&P=ML>(1) Futaba S9202</a> was a drop-in fit. For guidance I decided to use my <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTTM1&P=0>Futaba 7c 2.4GHZ</a> radio and <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTHL6&P=V>Futaba R617FS</a> receiver which has worked absolutely flawless in my Extra 330S. To power my servos I'm using a 6.0v 2700mah NiMH battery pack and a 4.8v 2600mAh battery pack on the ignition. This setup is very easy to install and maintain, and I'm able to get 7 to 8 flights on my Extra before needed to recharge my packs.

The Extra's cowl gets mounted through the use of 6 wood screws and small plastic washers that get screwed into hardwood blocks that have been epoxied to the F1 former. It is very important that each area where the hardwood blocks are to be epoxied on the F1 former gets roughed up with fine grit sandpaper so as to ensure a solid bond with the wood. The Extra 330S kit comes with a cowl mounting ring for the Fuji motor which makes getting the correct spacing from the spinner back plate super easy. I dremeled some holes in the bottom of the cowl for cooling and exhaust as well as my chock pushrod. It was really nice to see how well the Fuji motor fits completely inside the cowl. It makes for a very clean finished look. VERY NICE!!! I chose to use a <a href=http://www.desertaircraft.com/page.php?Page=Menz>Menz 20 x 8</a> prop on my Fuji which puts out 7400 RPM. I had initially put a Menz 20 x 10 on my Fuji 43 motor but was not very pleased with the lower RPM readings (6400-6600 RPM) using this prop. The Menz 20 x 8 really brings the Fuji 43 motor to life!!

!!Completion

@1999314: Why the long face fella? I promise to keep the G forces to +/-10......maybe.
@1956048: My completed 27% Extra 330S with some of the great decals installed
@1999359: The beautiful covering scheme is HIGHLY visible in the air and presents very well in various sky conditions.
@1999358: A great angle showing the sleek flowing aerodynamic lines on the Extra 330S.
@1999357: I really like this shot!! The cockpit panel comes with the included decal set. SWEET!!

I was EXTREMELY pleased with the great looks of my finished 27% Extra 330S. I estimated that I put roughly 27 hours into the build of my Extra, very close to the 20-25 hour estimation Great Planes claims it should take to build this airplane. I'm sure the additional time I needed to complete the airplane was mostly attributed to taking the review photos and carefully studying every step of the manual. An experienced modeler could easily build this airplane is less time.

My finished 27% Extra 330S weighed in at 14 lbs. 9 oz. dry (no fuel) which puts my Extra well inside the weight range specified by the manufacturer (13.5-15.5 lbs.). The manual calls for an initial CG of 5 1/4" measured from the leading edge at the wing root where the wing meets the fuselage. While I used this as my starting reference point, I have since moved my CG back to 6". At this CG my Extra only requires a slight push of down elevator while inverted, and for me, that is just about a perfect CG location for both precision and 3D flying.

Control Throw Setup

|
| My control throws were set per the instruction manual
| | Low Rates Up | Low Rates Down | 3D Rates Up | 3D Rates Down
| Elevator: | 5/8" | 5/8" | 2" | 2"
| Aileron: | 3/4" | 3/4" | 1 1/2" | 1 1/2"
| | Low Rates Left | Low Rates Right | 3D Rates Left | 3D Rates Right
| Rudder: | 3" | 3" | 6" | 6"

!Flying

!!The Basics Including Takeoffs and Landings

@1999443: My 27% Extra 330S on the takeoff roll
@1999444: My 27% Extra 330S getting ready to make another graceful 3-point landing.

My 27% Extra 330S ground handles extremely well, and with the nice wide gear track I found no evidence of the Extra wanting to ground loop. The larger rudder makes keeping a straight track during the takeoff roll very easy, and I found that only a small amount of rudder was needed to keep my Extra tracking straight as an arrow down the runway. Once airborne, the Extra 330S tracks fairly well but I did feel as though the centering on the <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDWF8&P=ML>(5) Futaba S3305</a> servos could have been a little better but was definitely manageable. My Extra 330S has excellent response to the control inputs (even on low rates), and I found the low rate settings to be nearly perfect for practicing my IMAC sequences.

The Extra 330S is a very sleek and aerodynamic airplane, and this becomes very apparent during the landing sequence. The Extra 330S is not hard to land by any means but it does require some advanced planning in order to slow it down. The 27% Extra 330S loves long and low approaches which makes bleeding off airspeed much easier and makes greaser 3-point landings possible every time. I also like to slip my Extra 330S in for a landing which allows for a slightly steeper approach without gaining too much airspeed. This may be a great technique to use if you have obstacles such as tall trees at the end of your runway.

One nice about the 720cc stock fuel tank is that you will get plenty of flight time. Plan on at least 14 minute flights with time enough for a couple of missed approaches or touch-and-goes.

!!Precision/IMAC Aerobatics Flight Report
@2000493: My 27% Extra 330S on an inverted pass
@2000494: My 27% Extra 330S on a belly in knife edge pass

One of my recent passions this year has been competing in IMAC (International Miniature Aerobatics Club) events. These events require the pilot to be in complete control of his airplane while flying precision aerobatic maneuvers and be judged based on how well they fly the sequence maneuvers. So I decided to see how well my 27% Extra 330S would perform flying the basic class sequence (which is the class I have been competing in this year in the North Central Region).

*
*Roll - My 27% Extra 330S rolls very axially, and my low rates setting with 40% expo. feels just about perfect. I did not feel the need to add any aileron differential.
*Half Cuban Eight - The pull through the half loop requires just a small amount of elevator and rudder to maintain a nice linear shape. The 45 degree downline requires just the smallest amount of down elevator.
*Hammerhead - My Extra 330S tracks the vertical line extremely well with only a small amount of right rudder needed to maintain a straight line. A flip to high rate rudder results in an easy to define "kick point" that produces a nice one wingspan radius turn to the downline.
*Loop - By entering the loop with full throttle, my Extra 330S tracks nicely throughout the entire loop. Power will need to go to near idle on the backside of the loop so as not to blow the exit point.
*Pull Humpty Bump - The pull to vertical is very solid, minimal rudder correction is needed to maintain vertical line. The pull over-the-top results in a nice vertical downline and axial roll out to upright exit.
*Reverse Shark’s Tooth - My Extra tracks the 45 degree upline easily, roll to inverted requires only light down elevator to maintain inverted 45 degree upline.
*Aerobatic Turn - My Extra 330S needs 1/2 to 3/4 power on entry slightly before rolling into the approx. 60 degree bank. Power and slight up elevator pressure is needed on the backside of the turn to make a clean exit
*Shark’s Tooth - Once again the vertical line tracking requires some right rudder, and the pull through the 1/4 loop to the 45 degree downline requires just a touch of down elevator.
*Vertical line push to 1 1/2 positive spin - Using low rate aileron/elevator and high rate rudder my Extra 330S will stall with a nose drop and will produce a nice coordinated spin. Exit requires neutralizing the controls, finishing the downline and a nice pull to upright.

!!3D Flight Performance Report

@2000535: My Extra 330S just hanging out.
@2000536: My Extra 330S coming in for a knife edge photo pass .

I hope you don't think that all the Extra 330S is capable of performing is precision aerobatics, far from it. The Extra 330S is also very capable of performing mild 3D aerobatics. What I have come to discover about my Extra 330S is that the airframe is <big>FULLY</big> capable of performing most any 3D aerobatic maneuver. The control surfaces on the Extra are definitely large enough to make this airplane tumble all over the sky. The Fuji 43 does an admirable job of pulling the Extra 330S through most mild 3D maneuvers but really lacks the brute power needed to allow any kind of DOD (down-on-the-deck) 3D flying. While the Fuji 43 cc motor is at the top of the power setups recommended by Great Planes the Extra 330S really needs a solid 50cc motor in order to take full advantage of its 3D prowess.

Below is a compilation of some of the 3D maneuvers I've flown with my 27% Extra 330S and a brief description of how the Extra 330S performed each of them:

*
*Hover - My Extra 330S can do it but there just isn't lot of power left for pullout. Still very enjoyable done at least a mistake high.
*Blender - At the current CG (6") my Extra 330S does some really nice blenders that transition very nicely into some VERY flat inverted spins.
*Wall - I really enjoy flying these with my Extra 330S. My Extra 330S shows no signs of snapping out with full 3D rate up elevator. ROCK SOLID!!!
*Harrier Flight - My Extra 330S shows only minimal wing rock in upright harrier flight and ZERO rock inverted. Once again, it would be nice to take these down low but power is lacking for any type of emergency.
*Rolling Circles - My Extra 330S is a great roller. With the axial roll rate and large rudder it's very easy to make these look good.
*Knife Edge Spin - My Extra 330S locks into these soooooo nicely. With careful throttle usage these can be very tight.
*Tumbles - I love to push my sticks to the outside corners and just watch as my Extra 330S tumbles across the sky. Recovery is simply a matter of neutralizing the sticks, adding power, and flying away.

!!Is This For a Beginner?

The 27% Extra 330S is definitely not for the novice pilot. The 27% Extra 330S does not posses the self-leveling qualities that many high wing trainers have. However, it would make for a great first gas airplane for anyone that has mastered a low wing aerobatic airplane and is looking to moving up to a great flying giant scale gas airplane.

!!Great Planes 27% Extra 330S Photo Gallery

@2000583: A nice shot showing the contrasting covering scheme on the bottom of the wings.
@2000560: Throttled up and on the takeoff roll!!
@2000561: My Extra 330S taxiing back in from another terrific flight.
@2000562: <big>Let's Roll!!!</big>
@2000563: The author posing with his 27% Extra 330S.

!!Great Planes 27% Extra 330S Flight Video

+330sfinal_0001.wmv:The author out having fun flying many of the above mentioned precision and 3D maneuvers with his 27% Extra 330S.

!Conclusion

My overall impressions of the <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTAW7&P=ML>Great Planes 27% Extra 330S</a> is that this is one well built, great looking, and fantastic flying airplane. I think that Great Planes has done a terrific job of building an aerobatic airplane that meets the needs of both precision and 3D pilots alike who are looking to get into a giant scale airplane at a reasonable price. The Extra 330S is a very straightforward build, and as usual, the manual is of the normal high quality that we have come to expect from Great Planes. The covering scheme presents very well on the ground and most importantly in the air.

With its two piece wing design the Extra 330S is very portable for most people and should be able to find its way to the field just as easily as your favorite .90-1.20 sized airplane. While the Extra 330S could stand to use a little more power for 3D flying, as it stands the Fuji 43 does a nice job of pulling the Extra through most any aerobatic maneuver.

So you think the 27% Extra 330S might be just a little to big of an airplane for you at this time? Need something a little smaller? Great Planes has you covered with their <a href=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=690124&highlight=extra+330s>41" Electrifly Extra 330S</a>.

<big>But wait!!!</big> Are you wishing Great Planes had something a little bigger than the 27% Extra 330S? I think they have you covered as well with their <a href=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXSWA3&P=ML> 38% Extra 330S</a>. I'm sure you'll find that one of these fine Extra's will fit both your flying style and budget!!

Pluses:

*
*Great new lightweight balsa and plywood construction
*Easy to follow and well illustrated instruction manual
*Extensive and very complete hardware package
*AWESOME looking and highly visible covering scheme
*General flight performance and handling
*Affordability factor which makes this a great first gas airplane
*Fuel-proofed motor box
*The ability to convert the Extra 330S to fly on gas, glow, or electric power (all covered in the manual)

Minuses:

*
*A carbon fiber wing tube would have lowered the overall weight of the airplane
*Landing gear is not quite scale looking
*Fuel tank placement
*The lack of power to safely fly low 3D aerobatics when powered by the Fuji 43 engine

CygnusX1

Aug 08, 2008, 07:55 PM

CygnusX1

Aug 08, 2008, 07:57 PM

...

grimgrinnin

Aug 08, 2008, 07:59 PM

What? No Hangar?

Nice review. How does the IMAC Basic sequence compare to the 87" SHP?

grim

sun.flyer

Aug 08, 2008, 08:00 PM

Very nice. I would make a very thin aluminum plate (washer) that bridged over the six landing gear screws to connect the left and right sides for MUCH greater strength with almost no penalty.

Thanks!!

The landing gear and the landing gear plate is actually very solid. I think you would be suprised how rigid this setup is. :)

Tim

sun.flyer

Aug 08, 2008, 08:04 PM

What? No Hangar?

Nice review. How does the IMAC Basic sequence compare to the 87" SHP?

grim

Thanks Grim!!!

The biggest difference I've seen is that the GP 27% Extra tends to fly the sequence a little faster than my 87" SHP. I'm pretty sure this is due to the turtledeck/canopy area has a much higher profile than does my GP 27% Extra. I'm also turning a 24" prop on my SHP as compared to the 20" prop on my GP Extra which tends to let me fly a little slower through the sequence maneuvers.

They both fly the Basic sequence very well though.

Tim

sun.flyer

Aug 08, 2008, 08:07 PM

What? No Hangar?

Yeah, it's called my garage. :p

Trust me I know what you are talking about.

Tim

Get Real

Aug 09, 2008, 12:16 AM

Very nice. I would make a very thin aluminum or carbon plate (washer) that bridged over the six landing gear screws to connect the left and right sides for MUCH greater strength with almost no penalty.
Hopefully thats been adressed in the 27% extra,my buddy owns the yak that was released prior. We added a thin aluminum plate to tie in both gearlegs and also used some aluminum L channel to reinforce the rest of the gear plate area after some damage during landings. He had similar expierence with the fuji 43.. likes the 20x8,didnt swing the 20x10 well and he had similar expierence with cg and tank placement. The fuji powers the plane reasonably but youll want a bit more motor for 3d. Since i helped and got to see his plane go together and the one thing i really disliked and it also caused him a lot of grief during the build was using solder to connect pushrods and connectors? Thats something boaters may be use to connecting drive couplers to flex cables but on a plane? A propane torch or map gas works well for this but it would be nice if they upgraded this part of there hardware package.. he ended up ditching that stuff for fully threaded pushrods and connectors. He also needed to keep the speed up on landings and has difficulty slowing it down but its a different plane,ive never flown it so im not sure if its the plane or his nerves with the landings.

This one seems more apealing,nice video :D . Does the fuji have enough power to pull out from hover at that weight?,looked really under powered for hovering. Nice looking plane,i think id go with a dl50 though ;) . Would probally be a beast on a 12s electric set up.. hint hint :D .

sun.flyer

Aug 09, 2008, 04:57 AM

This one seems more apealing,nice video :D . Does the fuji have enough power to pull out from hover at that weight?,looked really under powered for hovering. Nice looking plane,i think id go with a dl50 though ;) . Would probally be a beast on a 12s electric set up.. hint hint :D .

Bill,

I'm nearly at full throttle during any type of hovering.

I definately agree that a 10s2p or 12s setup would work great in the Extra.

Tim

M Carr

Aug 09, 2008, 05:51 PM

I have been working on one of these extra's. I am going the electric route though. Power is a Hacker A60-16L on 10s, I may step up to 12s but not sure about that at this point in the build. It does swing an APC 22x12w prop real well on 10s.

I have to agree on the control rods and links, I know they work decent when done correctly but I beleive they are seriously outdated. Ball links at both ends seem to be the norm for todays bigger airplanes.

My e-conversion fully loaded comes in right at 15lbs.

Hope to get it finished up within the next day or two, cant wait to get a chance to fly it.

Nice review btw.

sun.flyer

Aug 09, 2008, 06:47 PM

M Carr

Aug 09, 2008, 07:32 PM

BB,

Let us know how it flies on e-power. What battery packs are you planning on flying in your Extra?

Tim

Right now I have a bunch of 5s Flightpower 3700mah packs I will try with it, They should get me close to 8 minute flights I am guessing . Setup is only showing 52amps with the 22x12w prop. Should be decent for sport flying for now. I'm not much of a 3D'er anyways,lol

I think 12s might be the best setup for this airframe, at least with the motor I will be running. I guess I will have to try what I have and find out.

I'll keep you posted as things progress.

carguy1994ca

Aug 14, 2008, 05:51 PM

Nice review ! Looks like it flies like the electric 41", although it weights more. Really like my electric one. I wonder if apart the weight (more stable in the wind) there is a lot of difference in the flying ? Is it tougher to fly since the power to weight ratio is smaller ?

Carguy

sun.flyer

Aug 14, 2008, 06:20 PM

Is it tougher to fly since the power to weight ratio is smaller ?

Carguy

CG,

No not really. Under normal IMAC/sport flying there is PLENTY of power from the Fuji 43 to pull it through most any maneuver. However it's in the 3D flight realm that you really are wanting more power.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with the flight characteristics of my Extra, no bad tendacies, tracks fairly well, and looks great in the air. :)

Tim

M Carr

Aug 15, 2008, 11:01 AM

well I finally got a chance to fly the extra on e-power today. Judging from the videos posted of this plane with the fuji43 I would say its very comparable in power maybe slightly more. Its definatly not overpowered though.. :(

My setup:

Hacker A60-16L
Castle HV110
Flightpower EVO25 3700's (2 5s packs in series for 10s)
APC 22x12w e-prop

It will hover at about 3/4 throttle but doesnt have much pullout power. Its plenty of power for my flying style but I think it would be lacking for all out 3D stuff. Ready to fly weight comes in at 15lbs even with batteries installed.

I put two 6-minute flights on it just to see where I am at, and I think 8-10 minute flights would be easy to do. I'm charging now so I will know more shortly.

all around its a Great flying aircraft and I'm looking foward to getting in some more flights later this weekend.

carguy1994ca

Aug 15, 2008, 04:46 PM

Sunflyer

Thanks for yur comments. This is exactly what I think of my smaller one. Must look at this 27% closer !

Carguy

propnut07

Aug 16, 2008, 09:09 AM

thanks tim good flight.I was a bit fearful as the 3D small reactor became the recrapture due to a very weak spar system.but the extra looks awesome and I am going after it only I plan to use it with a new DL50 which should be a perfect match and in both cases the prices are hard to beat .. seeing is believeing!

Scotte

Sep 15, 2008, 06:40 PM

I have installed the Brillelli 46 GT cc.It should have plenty of power.I am wondering if anyone else has used this motor on the Extra?I had to mount the motor on 2 inch blocks.This plane has a long nose.I plan to maiden on 9-20-08.Very pleased with this Arf.Very well built.5 stars :D

Scott

pootman

Oct 02, 2008, 04:40 PM

M Carr

Oct 02, 2008, 06:47 PM

Hello All,
I'm putting one of these plnes together for a buddy of mine and I have a couple of questions. It's been about 18 years since I built a larger plane (last one was a bud nosen citabrea). So here goes:

1. Why is the fuel line looped over the top of the tank

2. My buddy wants to run two lipos for the rx. I know I can just use two switches with one plugged into the batt and the other into a spare channel. But what do I use to maintain a 6v supply to the rx and servos?

Thanks for the help and I'm sure I'll have many more questions as we get this build started

pootman

Hello pootman,

here are a few answers to your questions. the second answer is in my opinion only and others may not agree with it but here goes.

1. the fuel line is looped over the tank to keep fuel from siphening out on vertical downlines. glow setups dont need it because muffler pressure keeps it from coming out. on gas there is no pressure(its a vent line)so the fuel would be free to exit without the loop. be sure to loop it slightly past the tank so its always above fuel level.

2. Although I'm not comfortable with using lipo's for reciever power for a few reasons. one its a bad idea to charge in the plane plus a hassle to remove them all the time and second I am not comfortable leaving them in the plane while it sits there and bakes in the sun. To use lipo's you would need some type of voltage regulator to reduce the output going to the servos. I know lipo's are lighter but I think A123's or Nimh batteries are a better choice and you wont need a voltage reg. in the mix. I fly my mine on 1 JR 2700mah Nimh pack. two is sort of overkill for this size airframe. There is a very small weight penalty for the added safety over lipos for receiver power. Plus you can use the extra weight to help get the cg just right. Again this is only my personal opinion.

p.s.- your friend will like this airplane its a very nice flying aircraft and feels extremely light on the wings.

pootman

Oct 02, 2008, 06:57 PM

Hello pootman,

here are a few answers to your questions. the second answer is in my opinion only and others may not agree with it but here goes.

1. the fuel line is looped over the tank to keep fuel from siphening out on vertical downlines. glow setups dont need it because muffler pressure keeps it from coming out. on gas there is no pressure(its a vent line)so the fuel would be free to exit without the loop. be sure to loop it slightly past the tank so its always above fuel level.

2. Although I'm not comfortable with using lipo's for reciever power for a few reasons. one its a bad idea to charge in the plane plus a hassle to remove them all the time and second I am not comfortable leaving them in the plane while it sits there and bakes in the sun. To use lipo's you would need some type of voltage regulator to reduce the output going to the servos. I know lipo's are lighter but I think A123's or Nimh batteries are a better choice and you wont need a voltage reg. in the mix. There is a very small weight penalty for the added safety of lipos for receiver power. Plus you can use the extra weight to help get the cg just right. Again this is only my personal opinion.

p.s.- your friend will like this airplane its a very nice flying aircraft and feels extremely light on the wings.

Thanks for the response. I suggested the lipo setup since he wanted a backup batt and I thought two NiMh or A123 batts would add too much weight. He know that he would have to remove them to charge and I'll try my best to set it up so this can be done easily. With the lipo's, who makes voltage regulators for this type of setup? The fuel line makes sense. Thanks.

pootman

M Carr

Oct 02, 2008, 07:07 PM

not too sure on the regulators. I personally have only used regs on smaller airplanes and have no experience with them on the bigger stuff.

I have heard some stuff about Duralite:

http://www.duralitebatteries.com/flight/accessories4.php

I use castle Creations voltage regs on my smaller airplanes without any issues:

http://www.castlecreations.com/products/cc_bec.html

I would definatly do some more investigating into it before you purchase any of the above. I dont want to steer you in the wrong direction.

Hopefully someone else will give better info on the regulator setups, I have been curious too about what people are using on bigger airframes.

pootman

Oct 02, 2008, 07:10 PM

Thanks for pointing to a good starting point. Looks like I have to make sure the regulators can handle the loads. Now I have to figure out what the loads are from 6 JR8411s. Thanks again.

pootman

M Carr

Oct 02, 2008, 07:20 PM

I have all Hitec 5955's in mine and only average about 120-150mah use per flight. Much lower than I expected. Thats why I suggested maybe using just 1 2700mah battery and not dealing with the lipo/reg setups. more stuff used means an extra potential for failure...

I'm not sure about average current draw, never really sat down to figure it out. I think having a servo that is way overkill actually reduces your current draw from not having to work so hard for the full flight.

pootman

Oct 02, 2008, 07:54 PM

that's funny, those were the hitecs I suggested. But this is his first large plane and I think he's on overkill mode. This plane and the engine showed up at my door while I was at work (I had no idea he ordered it!). My wife opened the front door to a huge box from tower hobbies and about blew her lid (I just got the 57" 3DHS Sukhoi). I had to reassure her that I didn't go out and buy a large gas plane. Ha

Rishelman

Oct 02, 2008, 10:55 PM

Hey pootman, not sure what radio system you (or your buddy) are into, but the JR/Spektrum stuff is really popular right now. Not a total authority on it myself, but I do know the Spektrum V.R.s are very user friendly, plug and go. Check out their website Spektrumrc.com or check out some of the posts in the receiver/batt areas of these forums. People are always sharing their setups, from simple to overly complicated.

pootman

Oct 02, 2008, 10:59 PM

Cool, I didn't even know they had voltage regulators. Thanks! BTW, he is using an x9303 for this plane.

BFlyer

Oct 25, 2008, 07:31 PM

I'm considering this airplane and have some questions for anyone interested in answering:

Do you have an opinion on whether a Moki 1.8 2-stroke glow would provide sufficient power for this airplane? I have a spare Moki 1.8 following a crash and destruction of a DPM Edge 540NT. Great Planes recommends a 1.6 2-stroke glow engine, so my guess is that the 1.8 turning an 18-10 prop should be OK.

How does the airplane balance after a normal build? Did you have to do some out-of-the-ordinary receiver battery placement to get a proper CG?

Why did Great Planes opt for the split landing gear configuration? It seems to me that a single piece would have been stronger. My guess is that the engine box mounted landing gear was too far forward, hence the gear needed to be swept back to place the wheels at a normal location just in front of the leading edge. A single piece landing gear with this sweep is difficult and expensive to manufacture in any material, hence the two-piece configuration. This may sound cynical, and I would love to be proven wrong by a good explanation that has technical merit. This configuration is nothing like the landing gear on the full-scale Extra 300-series aircraft.

The GP 330 design places the wing and tailplane well below the thrustline. The full-size Extra 300 series aircraft have this low-wing configuration. How does this impact performance? In particular, how strong is yaw-pitch coupling during knife-edge flight? This is different from most other IMAC-legal airplane I've seen. Almost all Aeroworks and Carden aircraft place their wings and tailplanes close to the thrustline at the expense of deviation from scale in order to minimize cross-axis coupling.

My thanks for any advice you care to offer.

Buzzed

Nov 22, 2008, 10:53 AM

Hello from Phoenix,

Well, Pootman did a fine job putting my Extra together, and it flies really nice and is easy to land. That Fuji 43 motor is giving us some problems though. It seems that it quickly goes to full power at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle movement and does not accelerate above 3/4 throttle. It's not the radio throttle programming, it's the carb and the butterfly. In other words, the motor achieves full throttle too fast.

Has anyone had any issues with their Fuji 43's???

Thank you and fly safe,

-Buzzed

P.S. That GP Extra landing gear is not scale, but it is strong, flexible, and makes for great landings. The pitch coupling is minor and knife edges are really nice. This is not a high-end bird. But it looks great and flies fast. Basic IMAC was really fun to fly with my new Extra!

Bass1

Nov 28, 2008, 01:39 PM

The landing gear is a slight turnoff to me. I wonder if a more "scale like" landing gear can be found somewhere?

Twisted Realm

Oct 13, 2009, 11:19 AM

Almost finished with mine guys. I got the ftl52cc from Hobbycity in her, JR 125mg servos (one reversed for the elevator, servo reversed y wire thing sucked!). 2500mah nimh 6v/4v reciever/igintion on Spektrum 6200 reciever. I needed 1.7" stand offs compaired to nothing if I used the fuji 43cc which was weird. I couldn't find the weight of the fuji 43cc motor? Anyway, I need to blance her now, she is very nose heavy. I think I need something like 3 oz for the tail! Where did you guys add the weight, inside or outside of the plane. Sorry for the stupid question just can't get into the inside rear of the fuse anymore with the servo mount tray now in the way.

Twisted Realm

Oct 17, 2009, 07:53 PM

Boy this thread is dead. I might finialy get to madien her tommorrow.

stanordave

Jan 20, 2010, 12:54 PM

I got one for Christmas! A quick 2 minute maiden to check it out then put in fresh batteries (running it as a 10s electric) an started what was a great flight. After a couple of beautiful knife edges and a huge loop, the right wing blew up! Literally. It didn't fold, it exploded. I thought "maybe bird strike" but nothing else was around. Afterwards, saw no damage to the LE of the right wing. Needless to say, the plan is scrap now.

Sent the right wing back to GP for their verdict but in the meantime saw one for $240 at Tower in the scratch/dent section. The rudder on mine survived so I got it but am a bit nervous as to spending so much on a plane that may "explode". As I've not heard of it happening to anyone else - let's hope it was a one off!

But the few minutes I flew it were enough to convince me - I like it!

(Used Tgy SK 63-74, 10s Tgy 5000ma, 19x12 Tgy prop, pulled 65A and 2600W, will probably up the prop size to increase A's and W's)

-Mike