Thanks Doug, that looks like a fantastic 'private aifield' you have there.
I'm stuck with using a cane to get around, any rough or uneven surface (even grass) can be a challenge at times, but I'm determined to get to out and fly at the local school field or park this weekend, I will also try to get some vids and post them.

Not much happening here. Windy and wet and time to hang out on the net.

I think the Ember could be my favourite plane. It doesn't look particularly special, or scale, or...talented. But interesting and talented and certainly special it is and continues to please me when I fly it. I'm much more brave now and will send it up in a light breeze, thanks to what she's taught me about her behaviour in gusts and such - "don't panic, I'll get home" she says calmly. With the MA190s I've had her up high, cruising for over 30 minutes.
For those times when I have a hankering for something different I take the Champ out and that's about half the time. For me it's a great all-round plane with it's tundra tires and scale-like manners, I fly in wind and fog, water dripping from the big tires and wings as I do a slow pass. These two planes now satisfy most of my flying, having replaced the bigger planes with their fun and convenience.
I did feel a 'need for speed' and bought a T-28 and experienced a UM with ailerons for the first time. I like the scale look and the faster plane but it's lacking somehow and doesn't really grab me. I fly it less than 10% of the time. I've looked at the MiG and couldn't get past the nearly full-sized price. Still, it looks great and speedy. But even though I'd like speed I can't see that being the major attribute. And then I saw this; UMX Sbach 342 3D BNF Basic.
The videos look amazing. Speed and 3D. Harrier-like hovering. UMX. OK modern looks. On order...
I think this is just about the opposite of, and will be a nice balance to the Ember.

Chris

Ok, maybe not 'hovering' but you get what I'm saying.

Knocked off two hour-long flights and one of 3km, thermallng this little toy with a 160mah batt (3.8g vs. 2.2 for the stock 70mah).

What I'd most like to know is if anyone has done any wing mods to give it a bit more penetration?

Perhaps Gull Wing'd on some extra length and scalloped a bit, to get a bit more aspect ratio?

I'd love to be able to fly her a bit more into the day, with the confidence to punch a tiny bit faster into the winds that sometimes swoop in while I have her up a couple hundred feet or more.

Any ideas?

Obviously more weight (like maybe two big batts, harnessed to one connector?) would make it faster, but I'm thinking Iwing shape...get a bit better glide too?

The ask21 still isnt available from HH and I think itll be a lot more work; it's so nice, when you blow a thermal, and find nothing but still air or sink, to just power up to the next one, rather than contemplate a landing relaunch etc.

Oh and is anyone else willing to call/write/pester HH to release the Ember2 again as a BNF? Maybe if 25 of us call and bother them nicely, they'll put it back on the market?

Originally Posted by sbellerby

Oh and is anyone else willing to call/write/pester HH to release the Ember2 again as a BNF? Maybe if 25 of us call and bother them nicely, they'll put it back on the market?

I think that there have been a number of mods but the best I've found is the J-3 UM Cub motor which is a drop-in for about 30% more power on tap and use best battery you can get.

Someone here has said that they had found some BNF Embers for sale somewhere - maybe search this thread?? I asked my LHS what the best they could do if I didn't want the transmitter, charger or any batteries and they came back with Can $69.95! I bought two for spares. It doesn't hurt to ask!

It seems a little quiet these days. Is anybody flying? Indoors? I see the local HS has the Night Vapour on special. Can you really fly them in the house?? Does it get boring or anything? I suppose if it's all you've got! With a forced hot air furnace it could get interesting

Our first indoor event of the season was Nov. 13. I always make sure I have an Ember for these events. 95% of my Ember flying is outdoors, in calm conditions, late afternoon or early evening. The lights really help when flying in dusk to dark conditions. If you really like the Ember, you will probably find the Vapor a tad boring. However, the Night Vapor will certainly provide for some early evening, even night time flying. I personally feel the Ember flys more like a plane. I just can't get into the high Alpha flight configuration that is popular with Vapors when in close quarters. I just picked up a mini Vapor. Haven't flown it indoors yet, just outdoors. Not all that excited with it. For slower (versus REALLY slow) flying and great stability, my three Embers do just fine for me. Now for speed, my UMX Mig 15 really fills the bill!

RD

Hi Doug, thanks for the reply. I suspected the Vapor might not do it for me and I do love the Ember. Maybe a layoff for the winter will increase the enjoyment in the spring. Now that we can get raspberries year 'round they seem less special than when you waited for the berry season to come around. I've been toying with bringing it into work and flying in the auditorium or drawing studios. I mentioned earlier that I had ordered a UMX Sbach 342 3D BNF Basic in a quest for speed and aerobatic skills. Well I looked at it and discovered the batteries couldn't be charged with either the multi 1S chargers I have or the larger multi-cell balancing charger I have. Frustrated with no adapters in the store I let it be for a while. If I can find an adapter or solution over the winter I'll re-visit in the spring.
CN

Airhead: The 2S Lipo packs used for several of the Micro's (UMX MiG, UMX Carbon Cub, UMX Beast 3d, and other's) make use of a larger connector, different than that of a typical 1S Lipo. This is to be expected as there is a 2nd cell involved, and the third wire of the connector also serves as part of the balancer connection, for up-to-date chargers that accommodate this. I purchased a Gens Ace charger specifically for the 2S batteries. The charger will handle 3, 4, & 5S packs, but I wanted portability and program flexibility for the 2S powered micros in my micro fleet. System works fine. I bought an adapter connector, with banana plugs, from the LHS. Please note: this system is NOT for the Embers or other 1S powered micro flyers. My EFT Four Play chargers work great for the Embers and other 1S powered micro's.

RD

Thanks for the info Doug. I had hoped that I might get by with an adapter cable for my Passport charger. I'll look at those chargers you've pictured and work on this through the white season.
Thanks,
Chris

Originally Posted by electricrc68

So i remaidened my "new" ember. I put three batteries through it, and it went awesome! That j-3 motor really gives it the extra power it needs.

I've just converted to the J-3 motor, and, subjectively, feel very little difference. Do you, or anyone else on the thread, have any hard numbers, either specs or tests? I am aware that several of the motors are identical except for lead length.

Thanks, John

Originally Posted by jhark37

I've just converted to the J-3 motor, and, subjectively, feel very little difference. Do you, or anyone else on the thread, have any hard numbers, either specs or tests? I am aware that several of the motors are identical except for lead length.

Thanks, John

Swap props with the J-3 prop and use good batteries for the full effect.

No other HH 6mm motor is as good as the J-3 motor. In the Vapor with a 6" prop, the difference is much more dramatic than on the Ember.

Hi Guys! RC newb here, and just ordered an Ember2. My first plane! My only flying experience thus far is with a Syma S107 heli.
I will be placing an order with Hobby King and would like some advice on which props and prop-shafts would work as direct replacements for Ember2.
Also, anything else from HK I should be considering for my new plane?

Originally Posted by guitarded

Hi Guys! RC newb here, and just ordered an Ember2. My first plane! My only flying experience thus far is with a Syma S107 heli.
I will be placing an order with Hobby King and would like some advice on which props and prop-shafts would work as direct replacements for Ember2.
Also, anything else from HK I should be considering for my new plane?

Welcome!

I also consider the Ember 2 the plane I learned how to fly RC on! I am unaware of any direct replacement parts for the Ember from HK; and I have ordered quite a bit the last four years from HK

That being said the Ember 2 is a great little test bed to explore aviation principles and to try things. Once I was completely comfortable flying the stock Ember, I began changing it. That evolved into the three planes pictured here for your amusement. More detail is on my blog with RCGroups.com.

I had an Ember (first version) for some years and was very pleased with it. I eventually gave it to my nephew as an introduction to RC. The Ember is, I believe , the ideal model for beginners as long as they either fly indoors or can be persuaded to wait for near still conditions outside. But recently I bought a somewhat similar model, the Mini Indoor Plane, from Hobby King:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=28760

At $37au despite another $24 shipping, this model is remarkably inexpensive, especially when compared to the local Australian price of an Ember - $130, without a transmitter! When they are available.

Several other of our indoor members have also bought this model and their conclusions, and mine, are very positive. It is heavier at 30 grams but has a more powerful 8mm geared motor to compensate. Many will recognise the similarity in airframe to the Microstik, but the wing is made from thinner, more flexible Depron and is braced with carbon fibre rods. The brick is also very different from the Microstik's with two conventional servos (similar to the ultra-reliable HK-5320 Ultra-Micro Digital Servo 1.7g) and with additional open channel sockets - perhaps ailerons could be added?

We have found that the model is quite well built and flies very well. Worth checking out for beginners,