Originally Posted by Lance Nordby

I was wondering why I became so aroused when I watched your videos.

Guys, please don't ask him about any other details. It will just give him more reasons to put off the maiden. I want to see this thing fly before I die.

Yesterday we contemplated wrapping him up with that tape, propping him up in a chair and making him watch one of us fly it. But his wife was there so we didn't.

Hey, who was that dork flying and walking in the background?

I read this to my wife and she said "It was a good thing I was there to protect you!"
I said "There's two schools of thought…"

Ok, I've decided to gut my TREX-600 and steal the digital servos to put on the ailerons. I have 100% eliminated slop on the torque rod, it is all now in the servo/control rod. They are Futaba S9452's. I spent a decent amount on these servos so I might as well use them.

I also plan to use better connectors to the control arm. I don't want any flutter causing an incident. Anybody have any suggestions what they feel is the "best" connection to the servo arm? I'll sit on it for a day while I gather suggestions...

I like to use just a good old sullivan gold clevis
Use the lowest hole on the servo side and one down from the top on the surface horn.... this is the best mechanical advantage


as for the maiden.....I wait until I feel ready, I like as few people at the field as there can be. Good weather and wind..... I don't like a camera on most of the time for a maiden. If I hace a nice plane to maiden I hide it in the car and fly something else until everyone leaves then bust it out

With my GS P-51 I made the mistake of setting it up when I got there,,,,, well no one would leave because they wanted to see it fly I flew it but felt a little uncomfortable ( with 6 or 7 guys sitting behind me in chairs)..... I do my best flying alone and I'm fine with that. After I have stick time on a plane I chill out and feel fine with a full field

Take your time and wait until you feel ready. I don't know your flying back ground.... but I would think you have many flights on a larger EDF before you try and fly this plane. Maybe something like a habu 32 for 40 or 50 flights.

don't rush it

Originally Posted by Ron101

I like to use just a good old sullivan gold clevis
Use the lowest hole on the servo side and one down from the top on the surface horn.... this is the best mechanical advantage


as for the maiden.....I wait until I feel ready, I like as few people at the field as there can be. Good weather and wind..... I don't like a camera on most of the time for a maiden. If I hace a nice plane to maiden I hide it in the car and fly something else until everyone leaves then bust it out

With my GS P-51 I made the mistake of setting it up when I got there,,,,, well no one would leave because they wanted to see it fly I flew it but felt a little uncomfortable ( with 6 or 7 guys sitting behind me in chairs)..... I do my best flying alone and I'm fine with that. After I have stick time on a plane I chill out and feel fine with a full field

Take your time and wait until you feel ready. I don't know your flying back ground.... but I would think you have many flights on a larger EDF before you try and fly this plane. Maybe something like a habu 32 for 40 or 50 flights.

don't rush it

I can confidently say I haven't rushed anything on this build and I'll make sure I'm ready before I take it up.

Thanks for the advice on the clevis, too!

As much as I tease my man I would never pressure him into flying this beauty until he has a bunch of flight time on a foamie jet with a brick in it.

Nice job Wis.
I too have been following for awhile. really like the way you have took your time and did things correctly. Keep up the great work! We'll all be supporting you.

Danny

Thanks for all the support guys! Go "Team Wis!"

Ok, I woke up and needed to do "something" more to my plane before I can go back to sleep. I decided to permanently glue the rear canopy "glass" on. I had to prop up the "glass with sticks and a washcloth, but all the surfaces are touching the fuselage and I had a good glue ooze (remember, think caulking). I think it will work out well. About a half hour of wiping with damp cloth and babysitting. I'm going back to sleep now!

Here's a little surprise!

Episode #86 (11 min 15 sec)

Do you know how you can hover over the video timeline in the bottom to see thumbnails of the rest of the video? So I saw the beginning (your "real" plane) and then hovered to all of a sudden seeing thumbnails of the plane in the air!!! I got really excited and jumped there, but something about this plane didn't sound right... The fan made absolutely no noise, and it appeared as if a fuel-based prop plane was following you. Until I realized what was going on there... Man, you had me going for a while. I thought you were maidening it!!! Well, you brought the plane back to the ground enough to fly another day... I think of the wingtip missiles as "wing protectors" anyway... Can't wait for the "real" maiden. I am nowhere near ready "emotionally" to fly my YA F/A-18. I just bought an Exceed foam 90mm F-18E. After I fly this well, I will build the ProJet Fiberglass 90mm F-18E. Only when I feel comfortable with both of those--will I ever attempt to fly my YA F-18...

Yoram, just take two shots of JW blue label and go fly that Hornet, that should help with the emotions.

You know what? It's not the $3,000 in this plane, as it is the 500 hours of building that I don't want to crash... And two shots of JW will only mitigate the devastation for a couple of hours, and then the plane is still crashed... I got a bit "gun shy" after I crashed both my FlyFly F100 and CMP T45 within two weeks of one another...

Originally Posted by ysolomon

You know what? It's not the $3,000 in this plane, as it is the 500 hours of building that I don't want to crash... And two shots of JW will only mitigate the devastation for a couple of hours, and then the plane is still crashed... I got a bit "gun shy" after I crashed both my FlyFly F100 and CMP T45 within two weeks of one another...

, maybe you should wait

I am about to maiden an Exceed foam 90mm F-18, then build and fly a ProDesign fiberglass 90mm F-18, and then the big F-18. But we digress--

Wisdumb--when is the maiden of the one with the "encapsulated/internal prop"??? You know, the one that looks real good?

He doesn't want to waste his 500 hours either

(I don't blame him)

BTW I have 499 more hours to go on my YA F18