Originally Posted by mgroves

I have my ar7200 receiver velcroed to the bottom side of the canopy, the satellite receiver is velcroed to the side wall in the cockpit. Servo extensions are used to hook up the leads from the wing roots to the receiver up front. The battery rests in its little niche. ESC is factory placement. Using a short 1300 mah 3s battery. My CAM resides loosely above the esc and pushed back towards the battery. With C/G per manual at 70mm I have attached approx .5 to 1 oz of lead to the tail underside to get wings level on the C/G stand. Motor is the stock one with metal bellhousing. I am using a graupner folding prop that is probably heavier than the stock one.

Regards,

Mark

Ah, I bet the receiver up front makes a difference. I have my AR8000 in the back so I don't have to use extensions. I have the remote in the back of the cockpit, attached just above tunnel, and the telemetry unit on the side.

Originally Posted by Adrian A

Do you know where your CG is with the battery pushed all the way into the hole?

It is 82mm. I use a Great Planes CG Machine to find CG.

Rick

Originally Posted by Adrian A

Ah, I bet the receiver up front makes a difference. I have my AR8000 in the back so I don't have to use extensions. I have the remote in the back of the cockpit, attached just above tunnel, and the telemetry unit on the side.

I have the same set up as you, AR8000 in radio bay, remote in cockpit attached above tunnel, telemetry unit on side cockpit. With battery pushed back in tunnel 3/4 of the way, CG 77mm.

Rick

Did you guys get an email from horizon about pending Federal regulations?
http://www.modelaircraft.org/aboutam...ign=AMA1100301
It could have an effect on thermal fliers, rc jet enthusiasts and will probably really hit the fpv fliers. Lots of discussion about maintaining visual contact with the model.

I kinda figured this might be coming. The newer radios give us more freedom to move away from club flying and have also increased the popularity of the sport. The growing popularity of fpv gadgetry is a serious concern (remember the guy who video'ed the flight around New York City? Others flying into clouds?) The risk of encounters with real aircraft has increased with the spread away from club fields. The AMA will be lobbying hard to get people to join and be bound by it's rules.

Transponders would be a simple solution if it gets too serious.

Originally Posted by JumpySticks

Did you guys get an email from horizon about pending Federal regulations?
http://www.modelaircraft.org/aboutam...ign=AMA1100301
It could have an effect on thermal fliers, rc jet enthusiasts and will probably really hit the fpv fliers. Lots of discussion about maintaining visual contact with the model.

I kinda figured this might be coming. The newer radios give us more freedom to move away from club flying and have also increased the popularity of the sport. The growing popularity of fpv gadgetry is a serious concern (remember the guy who video'ed the flight around New York City? Others flying into clouds?) The risk of encounters with real aircraft has increased with the spread away from club fields. The AMA will be lobbying hard to get people to join and be bound by it's rules.

I have been watching FPV videos for a while now and when I first saw them, I presumed it was illegal (most of them were in eastern Europe where high tech laws tend to be almost non-existent) but I soon realised that it was not.
I am staggered that it has not been outlawed already.
Having flown light aircraft for years I think it is massively dangerous and irresponsible to pilot such craft with rudimentary equipment and no regulation in the same airpace as tubes full of people.
Without visual contact, you have no idea if a light aircraft is approaching you from any angle but the front 90 or so (I know that they can pan cameras but there is no such concept as periferal vision in the FPV world)

I am 100% for innovation and it looks like the most amazing sensation but a little regulation on this one seems like the logical, and essential, next step.

If you want to see top quality FPV videos and understand why I am a big fan, go see www.rcexplorer.se
That young lad is very talented indeed! Just take a look at the video of the huge Extra prop hanging over the pond. I must have watched that a dozen times!

i was watching one the other night. and a Scale Bell Hili few about 300ft in front of them form right too left... they thought it was cool...

NastyCop420 has from what he says, the World record!! of 43km/h.. and hes the New York FPV Pilot. Yes its sweet to watch his vids in the mountains and down a steep dives down along side the Matterhorn in the Alps.. etc, but over busy Streets/ Bridges i do not agree with...
He is actually Selling Kits now with the Plane set and ready to go..For around 3Grand i do believe.

I was watching some gliding videos...noticed the unpowered guys grab the wing tip and spin and launch it up...I feel that would stress the wings too much for our heavy planes...anyone launch like this? hehe looks neat and gets it higher than a hand toss ala football

Originally Posted by Sproket13

I was watching some gliding videos...noticed the unpowered guys grab the wing tip and spin and launch it up...I feel that would stress the wings too much for our heavy planes...anyone launch like this? hehe looks neat and gets it higher than a hand toss ala football

Go and google "discus launch glider" or better still go visit the same thing in the hand launch section on here.
Be warned though, once you see it and understand what's going on out there, you are going to want one.... Badly!
I just ordered my first and am busting at the seams while it is being manufactured.

Go to the light!

But don't talk about it on here. I got told off already

Originally Posted by Sproket13

I was watching some gliding videos...noticed the unpowered guys grab the wing tip and spin and launch it up...I feel that would stress the wings too much for our heavy planes...anyone launch like this? hehe looks neat and gets it higher than a hand toss ala football

You are right. If you tried that with your Radian the results could be ... poor. Those are discus launched gliders, DLG. They are specially made to be launched like that. I fly those too.

They must need some strong reinforcement in the wing.
Are both wings reinforced or just one?

ah ok..well, then lets not get off topic..this is certainly not made to be launched like that!! TOday has a nice turn of events..winds went from 20 mph. to rain. now it will be calm for the remained of the day i'm sure...gotta love Florida weather.

Originally Posted by JumpySticks

They must need some strong reinforcement in the wing.
Are both wings reinforced or just one?

DLGs?

Reinforcement is something I think of as an add-on, like adding carbon to a Radian fuselage.

DLGs are designed for this kind of launch. Typically they have foam core wings with glass, kevlar and/or carbon skins that are applied with epoxy then the whole thing is put into a vacuum bag so that the cloth/epoxy forms a perfect skin to the foam. See the amber and black plane below. There may or may not be a spar of some kind. Normally the skin/foam forms the strength with a carbon forward area or carbon ribbons. Likely there will be some carbon running from wing tip to root somewhere if this is a competition class plane.

The black and amber below is carbon/Kevlar over a foam core.


Some are hollow molded wings. The green one below is hollow molded. Note on the wing you see some dark strips. Those are carbon that is embedded in teh molded fiberglass wing.

The peg is in one wing. That area will get extra glass/kevlar or carbon to spred the point stress.

I posted a launch sequence. I am only an average launcher. But you get the idea.

Originally Posted by Sproket13

I think you misunderstood me. I replaced the white outer sheathing with the hollow carbon rod. the carbon rod is the same size if not smaller than the white stock one. Slid right in, definitely was a big more rigid and did not want to stay bent in place. Nothin a lil glue can't cure...Now its super smooth, no problems. Eventually I'll do the rudder as well

Sorry to rain on your parade, but a metal pushrod inside a carbon tube can cause radio interference. It's generally not a good idea to have two conductive materials in contact with each other if they are not permanently attached to one another (glued, soldered, bolted together tightly, etc.).

Usually there is only a problem when those materials are vibrating against each other, so it may only affect you (if at all) under power, but it can also pick up static electricity from the atmosphere and produce an RF signal. It would be a good idea to do a range check (with a partner securely holding the RP, of course) with power applied to be sure you aren't going to to lose control. Or, you could swap one of the materials out for a non-conductive material.