Originally Posted by uavrat

That is the conclusion I am coming to as well. I wanted to run a slow motor/big prop, long flight and a few others are doing that. But it might be that this plane is not the one to go that route.

I should just install the original motor at the original height. Get a baseline function test, then decide. Back to the man cave to reconfigure.....

This motor mount has several positions (3 probably).
Try to make one flight on each position without changing of other components.You will see the big difference. On top position you should add washers under down screws to pitch it down at front and up at back. Virtual line of motor shaft should cross the wing at the same point on each motor position on motor mount. You can mix elevator on throttle but it wouldn't help for long duration flights.

As for camera mount, sorry it's ugly IMHO and make big turbulence behind. Plus opened canopy makes it even worse. Try to redesign this part of aircraft.
Otherwise it's like a brick with a motor.

Originally Posted by BrianL

It's getting a bit confusing now with three different sizes of Sky Surfers, more than one version of the original mid sized SkyS, the 800mm/31.5 inch and 1280mm/50.5 inch FMS Easy Trainers (oddly also sold at BH), and the Bixler 2 that's larger than the original Bixler. Plus more places to buy the SkyS now, with Nitroplanes selling the AeroSky Skysurfer, yet (also oddly) also sells an AirWing Wingsurfer (in red, blue or green decals), which is only 1372mm/54" wingspan.
And Hobby Lobby just announced their Sky Surfer to go on sale soon.

Who makes the FMS Easy Trainers and AirWing Wingsurfer and how do they compare to the SykS and Bixler?

Maybe the main details of all these planes can be added to the first post.

Also, BH's page for the SkyS says new version 5 coming soon.

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

Yesterdays test:

I made three flights yesterday, about 10 minutes each. Moving the battery to slightly different positions to adjust the CG. Overall it still wants to fly best somewhere between 85 and 90mm back from leading edge. I made hand glide tests before powered flights each time, and having it a little nose heavy was the best overall handling. Nothing surprising there.

I changed the angle of the motor to be less pronounced and it did make a difference. It still wants to nose down when I reach 60+% throttle but not nearly as radically as before.

Also, during the flights I was able to trim it out so that it flew straight and narrow, and my trim adjusts were not far off center at all. With not much power at all it will stay at altitude and fly pretty nice. It wants to float, and that is just a difference I need to get used to from my prior planes.

I am going to adjust the motor downward a bit more and see if I can smooth out the nose-dive-upon-throttle-increase.

Tanks again.

Originally Posted by ajbaker

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

Sorry to hear you were under the weather AJ. Hope it clears up soon!

Gord

Originally Posted by ajbaker

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

Bad year for the flu they say.... get well soon!

UAVRAT,

There is a nice explanation about motor angles for pusher-prop airplanes on the Flitetest web site. http://flitetest.com/articles/Motor_..._pusher_planes

Basically, if you are above the CG, there is a rotational force around the CG making it nose down.

Originally Posted by Shimmy

UAVRAT,

There is a nice explanation about motor angles for pusher-prop airplanes on the Flitetest web site. http://flitetest.com/articles/Motor_..._pusher_planes

Basically, if you are above the CG, there is a rotational force around the CG making it nose down.

I use a throttle/elevator mix. When over half throttle it gives a touch of up elevator to compensate.

Originally Posted by ajbaker

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

Rest up and feel better. We need a healthy Fearless Leader.

Originally Posted by Shimmy

Basically, if you are above the CG, there is a rotational force around the CG making it nose down.

Which is why you need the thrust line through the horizontal and vertical CoG.

Originally Posted by Shimmy

UAVRAT,

There is a nice explanation about motor angles for pusher-prop airplanes on the Flitetest web site. http://flitetest.com/articles/Motor_..._pusher_planes

Basically, if you are above the CG, there is a rotational force around the CG making it nose down.

Shimmy, thank you for that information. I like it that the man demonstrated the whole program with his videos.

DJ

Originally Posted by ajbaker

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

AJ,

Get well soon.

Bill

Originally Posted by ajbaker

I hve just gotten out of the hospita after a long flu problem. I will try to answer your questions in detail at some later date. Right now, I am just focused on getting better.
AJ

Ya gotta take better care of yourself my friend. Don't worry about the thread. More important is for you to get your health back so you can get out and enjoy flying again.

Here are some photos of my motor

Suppo 2810/9 1350kv Brushless Motor with 8x6 Eprop

mounted on the Aluminum mount. I used the screws, washers and locktite to achieve a 'flatter' mounting configuration. When I flew on Saturday it did still nose down when throttle was above 60%, but only slightly. Overall handling was much better.

Somewhere else it was suggested to simply add washers behind the 4 point mount attachment but that did not work very well with the angles involved. I may try that again, but for now it is very configurable.

I received my Bixler 1.1 kit today. Well packed and no damage. All in all I like most of the changes.

The two halves fit together very nicely. They have a few small pieces of double sided tape holding it together which works OK. A couple of magnets and/or a little glue and some tape on the seam should be enough.

The short spar with an bigger tube embedded in each wing is nice. They left a long slot in each wing, which I gather is to jam a servo wire into.

The rear servos with a hatch will be a little hard to get at, however if I can split the whole fuse, I have a option for "open fuse surgery".

I want to mount the wings so that there is some give for my "hard landings". I don't like the screws. Perhaps I will use magnets and a toothpick to act as a sheer pin in the screw holes.

There are notches for hinges on all the control surfaces. I wonder if they will sell hinges that will fit in exactly.

So far the only funky thing that I have seen is the mounting spot for the sevos on the wing. They are not shaped for the HXT-900 nor for the servos that came in my old SS-V1. I will have to cut away around it to get the servo mounted in line with the control horn, and also create some space for the folded up wire from the servo itself.

Am I missing something obvious here ?

What is the best and cheapest metal gear servo for the bixler?