Hello,
I´ve now flewn a few times with the graupner 300z 7,4 motor. I think i´ll stay with this configuration. The Xeno does not go vertical, but climbing speed with this motor and the 8x5 prop delivered with the Uni kit is enough to gain hight quickly. The motor is small, so I can use the 3s 2200 lipos for long flighttimes (my rx is big, because I use still 35 mhz).
Regards
Bodo

Love your paint job RJJ. I picked up my Xeno about a year ago. Actually I bought the tuning set and the shop owner threw the plane in for free. not much interest in these planes around here.

I really enjoy this plane. The fact that it folds in half makes it perfect for hiking to the many ridges and mountains we have here. Here is a video I put together from a trip me made to Cape Blanco last year.

Multiplex Xeno Soaring @ Cape Blanco (5 min 54 sec)

I agree, the Xeno's folding design makes it great for the holidays, especially when using bicycles to get around, like I did again this year on the island of Gran Canaria.

Like killercando (see his video) I also bent the Xeno's ears down, surprisingly easy to do, just massaging it away, it makes the plane a bit more stable in the air, but in light winds and turbulent air it still wobbles

Xeno soaring Gran Canaria 2012 (7 min 48 sec)

Are you aware that the new XENO Uni kits feature bigger fins? In the German thread there's some discussion, the new fins have the same part number as the old ones, so if you order them you don't know if you will get new or old ones.

The new ones are substantially larger: They measure 13,5 cm in height (old ones 9,5cm) and will make the flight more stable the first reports say.

Someone (user Porkus) mounted a cam and recorded several flights:

First flight with the new 13.5 cm fins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqxx7PmepI

Second flight, no fins at all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ_erEgKpTo

Older vid with the 9.5 cm fins:

Xeno Elektro-Tuning-Antrieb Flugerprobung (8 min 0 sec)

in all 2200 mAh lipo and MPX Tuning drive set used

He says that the new fins make the Xeno more stable but also a bit slower. Without fins you have to be VERY careful with the elevons, it's rapidly getting into a slide... here you can go to his post in the German forum:
http://www.rc-network.de/forum/showt...=1#post2653635

cheers
Clemens

Wow Mopetista nice flying site. Hard to believe that is on an island. Nice place for a vacation! How long did you get to stay? Are they camper friendly there?

For the retired people of Europe, the Canary islands are a bit like Florida in the US. Superb climate year-round, and not so far (4 hrs flight) from the old homes.
In addition, there are lots of package tourists: cheap flights bundled with a one or two week hotel stay, meals included. There are some campsites, but mostly for those staying really long.
I am going the package deal route, but apart from sleeping and the meals, I don't spend time in the hotel. For some 50$ I rent a mountainbike for a week so I can get where I want. The canyons start very close to the beaches in the South, my favourite flying location (see videos) is only around 10 miles from the main tourist center in Maspalomas. With the right plane, however, the dunes of Maspalomas are also great for flying :-)

Weasel Gran Canaria Maspalomas (4 min 23 sec)

For more camping info you should use the web, I did not find an awful lot though.

EDIT: Forgot to say - it is NOT a slope soarer's paradise! I did have some decent lift, but never really strong lift, so it cannot be compared to a good cliff etc. or other typical slope sites! I go there more for the sun (which we lack in winter) and the scenery.

Cheers
Clemens

I have a Xeno purchased right after release with the Turning power package. Yaw stability was very marginal, so I added a Coroplast fin to the top of the power pod. This greatly improved the yaw issue.

The original CF extension rod has essentially disentegrated after a dozen flights, and broke at the spinner last weekend...so I am trying to get Multiplex USA to send me a replacement free of charge (the current one is apparently 4mm aluminium). Also, I would like to try the new, larger fins. Perhaps with these I could remove my ugly Coroplast modification.

Other than these problems, the plane is excellent with good performance. I use it as a backu when slope winds don't cooperate.

Does anyone know of a source for 4mm diameter Al rod? Tx,

ALTOSOARUS.

Originally Posted by altosoarus

I have a Xeno purchased right after release with the Turning power package. Yaw stability was very marginal, so I added a Coroplast fin to the top of the power pod. This greatly improved the yaw issue.

The original CF extension rod has essentially disentegrated after a dozen flights, and broke at the spinner last weekend...so I am trying to get Multiplex USA to send me a replacement free of charge (the current one is apparently 4mm aluminium). Also, I would like to try the new, larger fins. Perhaps with these I could remove my ugly Coroplast modification.

Other than these problems, the plane is excellent with good performance. I use it as a backu when slope winds don't cooperate.

Does anyone know of a source for 4mm diameter Al rod? Tx,

ALTOSOARUS.

My CF shaft failed early on and after much effort and time I managed to get a free of charge replacement from MPX (via the good efforts of my LHS) ...... the new shaft was a steel tube and it has performed well since .......

I have a spare 400 size 1.8oz 2200kv motor, and I was thinking about getting this kit. Does anyone run a motor like this with a smaller prop, like a 6x4? I was also planning on running 2200mah 3S batteries which I already have several of.

Also, is it possible to mount this on the rear of the fuse with the included plastic, or does a custom piece need to be made?

With the included mount it is not possible to place the motor at the rear of the plane. Therefore you need a modified motormount e.g. like this:
http://www.kd-modelltechnik.de/shop/...eno::1628.html

Whoooaaaa €50 for it....
Steeeeep isn't it...

Looks like a great idea for my Xeno but not at that price...

Sounds like you guys had more luck then I did even getting to fly it with that carbon shaft, as I couldn't even fit mine at all, but the shop I bought it from we're great and had an aluminium shaft in my letterbox a few days later :-)

I did a YouTube video of my entire Xeno build as I spray painted it and embedded LED's into the wings if anybody wants to see it?

Originally Posted by Rad Rich

Whoooaaaa €50 for it....
I did a YouTube video of my entire Xeno build as I spray painted it and embedded LED's into the wings if anybody wants to see it?

yes, please post link

thanks in advance, js

Originally Posted by jswain

yes, please post link

thanks in advance, js

Heres the vid of testing the lights in the garden at night....

Multiplex Xeno 05 - LED Lighting test (4 min 30 sec)

Heres the vid showing where the lights are in the wing....

Multiplex Xeno 02 - Build advice during paint job (6 min 44 sec)

I hope you wont dislike the vid, I'm no FliteTest producer, so have to do all my own camera work and production, and presenting

Nice light mod. Did you test it in real flights?
As for the motormount: € 50 is indeed not cheap. But there is another possibility which is 60 € with mount, motor, esc and prop:
http://www.natterer-modellbau.de/pro...no-Tuning.html
Regards
Bodo

Originally Posted by Rad Rich

Heres the vid of testing the lights in the garden at night....
I hope you wont dislike the vid, I'm no FliteTest producer, so have to do all my own camera work and production, and presenting

Not much action the first 2 mins :-)

I assume the light can be seen from behind ?

There are two possible problems if you fly by night:
- all light on RC-switch - hope you don't switch off by chance or by technical problem
- same light on upper and lower side. If you are farther away and doing maneuvers it might by difficult to tell the orientation

RK

Originally Posted by rkopka

Not much action the first 2 mins :-)

I assume the light can be seen from behind ?

There are two possible problems if you fly by night:
- all light on RC-switch - hope you don't switch off by chance or by technical problem
- same light on upper and lower side. If you are farther away and doing maneuvers it might by difficult to tell the orientation

RK

I did say I'm not flight test, I don't have any crew, or editing experts, and didn't sell out to a sponsor in 5 minutes... Lol

Ref, lights....
Funny you should say that, because this was one of the first models I lit up, so no, cant see it very well from behind...
The shape of it is fine, and it's only 2 sides, so working out which way up it is, is easy, just know which light is left/right sides and which way it's moving...

The switch is really not a problem, I have never accidentally flicked switches during flights, have you?