I've just finished putting my FMS ASK23 together and I'm eager to get it flying. I'm scared to just check the CG and go straight to take off (if CG is good) and it roll to one side. Since it has that long wingspan, there isn't very much time (if it does roll) to correct it. So I was thinking about holding it horazontaly infront of a good size industrial fan from my work to check the balance of the wings.... Has anyone else tried or thought of this?

Large fans will have a vortex that will effect your plane.
The best way is to just jog slowly with the plane in your hand until you feel the effects of the plane taking flight. If there are no bad tendencies then you can go to a level hand launch.
I've test flighted several large sailplanes in this manner and it works well.

OHHH so glade I asked lol. Thanks a lot Gary for the advice. Much appreciated. I have one more for you and who ever else wants to help out. This plane will be my first plane I use with a programmable Tx (DX6i), so I have no idea what the settings do to a fixed wing aircraft. I'm OK with heli setting such as travel adjustment, pitch and throttle curves, swash mix, and swash type. I'm still trying to understand expo but I can't find any explanations in laymans terms lol . What I'm asking for is a basic starting point and what setting I should pay more attention to and tweak in order to get the best flight.

The dihedral in your wings is a self-correcting design that will keep the sailplane flying level. If you want to check the balance then put the tail end on a chair or table and hold it by the nose cone and see if one wing drops. If it does then add weight to the opposite side. If your CG is good then you should be ok

I did not check mine and it flys nice and level. Just make sure your ailerons are true and one is not higher or lower than the wing in the neutral position. I do suggest seperating the aileron servo leads so you can make small adjustments and perhaps add differential and spoilerons. Otherwise, just keep air moving pass the wings (don't try to float it or it will stall) and you should like it.

Good luck and keep us posted

Originally Posted by Crazykirby1225

OHHH so glade I asked lol. Thanks a lot Gary for the advice. Much appreciated. I have one more for you and who ever else wants to help out. This plane will be my first plane I use with a programmable Tx (DX6i), so I have no idea what the settings do to a fixed wing aircraft. I'm OK with heli setting such as travel adjustment, pitch and throttle curves, swash mix, and swash type. I'm still trying to understand expo but I can't find any explanations in laymans terms lol . What I'm asking for is a basic starting point and what setting I should pay more attention to and tweak in order to get the best flight.

Expo - positive expo makes the sticks less sensitive in the middle. negative does opposite. I use expo on planes and helis. It makes things a lot smoother

Originally Posted by Low Hover

The dihedral in your wings is a self-correcting design that will keep the sailplane flying level. If you want to check the balance then put the tail end on a chair or table and hold it by the nose cone and see if one wing drops. If it does then add weight to the opposite side. If your CG is good then you should be ok

I did not check mine and it flys nice and level. Just make sure your ailerons are true and one is not higher or lower than the wing in the neutral position. I do suggest seperating the aileron servo leads so you can make small adjustments and perhaps add differential and spoilerons. Otherwise, just keep air moving pass the wings (don't try to float it or it will stall) and you should like it.

Good luck and keep us posted

I'm glad I checked this thread! I bought an FMS ASK23 and have been looking for someone to offer advice how to fly it. In fact, I posted a RCG thread, but didn't get many posts. I flew it once, stalled it...minor damage, but I realized this is no Radian! LOL. I need to know its quirks and am open for suggestions. I fly a lot of power planes, but this is my first glider, albeit powered.

[QUOTE=Low Hover;24268255]Otherwise, just keep air moving pass the wings (don't try to float it or it will stall) [\QUOTE]
It doesn't glide?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yes, it glides. I actually think it glides very nicely. Let me explain what I was trying to say...

What I mean by 'float it' is to keep slowly pulling back on the elevator trying to maintain altitude until it is flying so slow that it stalls and falls.

I suggest taking it up and turn off the power, once you get your neutral position set let it glide. Try to only use your elevator when you are turning. If you need to get higher turn back on the power and take it up. If you use your elevator trying to maintain altitude it's going to stall.

Hope I did better this time...

I concur with Low Hover. I don't have the ASK23 but I've flown many scale sailplanes and they all have some of the same quirks. Because of the high aspect ratio and generally higher wing loading they need to fly a bit faster than a purpose designed model like a Gentle Lady. With a scale glider I try to think more in terms of distance traveled than endurance time. You can slow it down while in lift after you have found it's natural glide angle but that can wait until you feel it out.

If you fly power planes then you will be just fine. Just remember try all new maneuvers at least three crashes high. Including finding out the stall speed.

OHHH hoo hooooo ok OK!!! Lol. Did you guys have the same elevator problem I'm reading about in the reviews??? Everyone says that the elevator is not 90degrees to the stab and that they had to shim it :0

Originally Posted by Crazykirby1225

OHHH hoo hooooo ok OK!!! Lol. Did you guys have the same elevator problem I'm reading about in the reviews??? Everyone says that the elevator is not 90degrees to the stab and that they had to shim it :0

Don't worry about it.
Check out the "Decalage" post from Dr. Mark Drela here: http://www.tailwindgliders.com/Tips.html

Curtis

:/ that didn't help at all :0 lol the only word I saw and knew was airfoil lol !!!!

Do you mean the horizontal stab/elevator is a bit off from the vertical/rudder, Kirby? Frankly, It's mostly just a cosmetic issue as long as the horizontal stab/elevator is aligned properly fore and aft (i.e. incidence). It's kind of the nature of the beast with foam and unless it's really awful one can just leave it. If you do decide to shim it then just about anything will work. Aluminum foil, folded over to the proper thickness, is usually a good temporary fix but I can't be certain since I haven't seen the ASK up close.

Originally Posted by Low Hover

Expo - positive expo makes the sticks less sensitive in the middle. negative does opposite. I use expo on planes and helis. It makes things a lot smoother

Be ware that this is 100% wrong for Hitec radios, and maybe other brands as well. Hitec radios use Negative differential to reduce sensitivity near neutral stick. Getting that setting wrong can make your plane unflyable.