jjmcarlson

Don't change anything on my account..... If that works for you then by all means.

OK so i just went out to the garage and checked my CG again with the batt. all the way forward...... and what do you know..... I'm running a little nose heavy..... Its at 95mm.... I probably set it a little nose heavy for the maiden and just forgot, so my bad. I do apologize.
So i checked it with the batt. just in front of the wing spar thinkin its going to be really tail heavy..... but its not.... CG is right where you said, in between 110mm and 115mm. A little tail heavy for maiden and trimming in my opinion, but not far off the mark.

BTW - I completely agree with you about lovin the plane..... And really i personally wouldn`t be as happy with a cookie cutter plane that flies exactly like everyone Else's.

Today was/is a gooooood day! It was my last day at work, I am now officially a retired FAA air traffic controller. 40+ years of talking to planes AND I'M DONE! The I get home and my new MX2 is here. Looks good, paint and decals seem about what I HOPED they'd be. Not flakey at all and paint stays on when the plane is handled. I have read all posts and have saved the ones I could think of so I'll do most or all before I fly. The rudder area at the bottom will be EASY to install a new hinge, I think I'll keep that simple and just cut a slit on both sides and slip a CA hinge in there. Slit and slide! And CA.

There is one thing that I'm not sure about and I don't like the looks of. The way the canopy bubble sits on the cockpit. It is too big all the way around, but there is not mention, in the manual, of trimming it. Have any of you trimmed it? The sides even overlap the decals. Looks like there is a line on it, all the way around, that might be a natural trim line. Also it doesn't sit flush and to get glue to dry with the bubble tight, I'll need to painter's tape it down. Most tapes lift off the paint, sometimes even painter's tape. What did you folks use? Well, up to the man cave to start checking things out. Dang, one MORE thing. The 2650 battery is nowwhere close to a fit, what is the best way to "HACK" the area open?
Don

Originally Posted by dkrhardy

There is one thing that I'm not sure about and I don't like the looks of. The way the canopy bubble sits on the cockpit. It is too big all the way around, but there is not mention, in the manual, of trimming it. Have any of you trimmed it? The sides even overlap the decals. Looks like there is a line on it, all the way around, that might be a natural trim line. Don

Firstly, congratulations on your retirement, may it be a long and prosperous one!!

Secondly, I trimmed my canopy flush with the foam cockpit base at the sides, and left about 1/8th'' at the front and back. As a result my canopy fits perfectly.

DK congratulations on your retirement.There is no better time to get out of aviation than now lol.I have had some luck with the blue delicate surface tape from 3m,it has an orange roll.I do not recommend heavy masking of any kind use a light touch

Thanks!!

I will trim to my liking and be careful with the tape!

I am enjoying a nice adult beverage before dinner and feeling quite right with myself!

Don

So, you with much knowledge ..... I REALLY don't want to just hack into the fuselage with no good plan in mind .. what have you found to ease a bigger battery into place? I have 4s 2650 amd it is nowhere close to fitting. The manual says that a 3300 battery is to be used on the ver 2 of this plane. How in the world does THAT one fit? Hmmmmm

Hey DK -- Congrats on your retirement, and KUDOS to you for your service in such a vital job for all those years. I envy the excitement and all your aviation world knowledge, but not the "sphincter squishing" pressure you worked under at times!

OK -- about your MX issues:

A) I'm posting a couple pix of the size lipo I am using (I have 3 of these so can get quite a lot of flying in, before changing down to some 4S 2200 units I may try someday). Note that the 2650 battery will slide forward nicely when you turn it up on its side. I had to do two things to make this work: 1-put some chunks of foam (from packing materials laying around) into the slot in front of the battery, to keep it from sliding too far forard., and 2-"relieve" out a bit of foam on the canopy cover -- about under the phony dashboard -- to allow some space for the lipo's wires to stick up into the canopy area.

B) Bout your canopy: yep, we all had to trim the clear part, as other guys explained. In my case, one additional wrinkle: I wanted to be able to open this area up in the future -- to jazz up the panel with some little scale instruments I plan to make, and to add a pilot. So, I epoxied in 4 small pieces of lite plywood -- one at each edge of the foam cockpit area that will hold the clear plastic covering. Then, I put the clear plastic in place, and drilled 4 small holes thru the plastic into those ply inserts -- one at each edge -- so I could hold on the plastic with wood screws into the plywood, allowing me to remove it at any time. This has worked perfectly. Let me know if you'd like me to take pictures of this canopy mounting.

I'm now up to 6 flights on my MX -- including several practice landings to try to work out a really smooth landing routine. Latest thinking: one "click" of down flapperon (about 15 degrees, I think) seems nice -- helps slow down the bird and stabilize it nicely.

I thank you waterbird!

I got it now, the 2650 (same I have) is in SIDEWAYS! And the bits of foam secure it. Any Velcro used?

I will use canopy glue because I have a pilot and have no need to go back in. My dash looks pretty good when viewed through the "glass".

Not gonna use flaperons. Never have .... uhm ....yet.

1st day retired. Played golf with DW (Darling Wife) and friends. Came home, tossed 2 batteries on the charger. Went to a small city flying field and flew my flat wing, aileron-ed, HZ S Cub. What a great day, 70, sunny and a very light breeze. Life is good!

Don

OK, gotta search out the ESC relocation posts. While I'm doing that, I would like to check on what others have done. I'm unclear as to how to do it. The wires are not long enough to move it out of the slot that it sits in. When I pulled it out into the cowl area there was not enough wire to allow the battery to hook up. Also, it seems nearly impossible to keep it clear of the motor, possible rubbing issue noted. I will make holes in the bottom of the fuse, of course, no good reason NOT to. BUT, have any of you cut a hole in the bottom of the cowl? I have done that on other planes to allow airflow around the motor. In this case it would also allow air to flow around the ESC in its stock location. The wire length, being short, is a contributing issue for not relocating the ESC. If it can be moved, that is good because that would also allow air to flow through that, now open, slot and into the battery area. I might add that with my ESC JAMMED into the stock location there is no opening that would pass air into the fuselage. I am at a standstill until I get this issue worked out in my little pea brained head. I don't want to put the plane together and then try to work out a fix. I'd prefer to get it put together in a logical way rather than going back with fixes. OK, smart guys, help out a tech/mech challenged guy!

OK, found the photos and mounting style for the ESC waaaay back at post 452. G glue to stick it on the firewall. OK, but he never mentioned the wire length issue. And he is one of the guys that abandonded the plane, or was it a terminal crash? I'll try a PM to him. I have not seen any posts from that fellow in a long time. I guess today I will do the extra rudder hinge and do some canopy work. Also a good time to bore the holes in the fuselage. I'm home all day, if I want .... NOW THAT I'M RETIRED!!!! Woo Hoo!

Guess I won't do a PM, looks like he does not have that feature activated. Soooo, bigwood ....if you still look at this thread, I am interested in how you did the ESC to the cowl. Specifically the wire length issue. Hope he answers, if not, anyone know how to reach him?

DK -- I guess I missed why you feel you need to relocate the ESC? Mine has not been any problem in the stock location.

In fact, to my amazement, I have not even needed to remove the cowl on this bird -- pretty much a 1st for me; don't remember EVER not having to get into the front of an allegedly ready-to-fly plane, and prob'ly 6 or 7 of the 30+ RC models I've bought have been RTF. Past birds, I've had to change ESCs, tighten motor mounts, etc. etc., but nothing on this one.

Anyway, if you need to, you can solder extensions on the ESC primary wires and use a short "servo extension" to lengthen the skinny control wires. On those three motor wires, use about the same guage wire, of course with shrink wrap at the joins.

About holding the lipo in place: the foam I pushed in front of it keeps it from going forward. I glued (using CA) a small piece of foam next to where the battery lays (up on its side, as you noted). The battery is thus fairly snugly fitted in, and will not move.

The COG balance seems to be perfect with the lipo in this location -- rear of battery protruding about 1.5 " back into the cockpit area. The wires coming out of the battery stick "up in the air" a bit, which is why I "relieved" the foam under the instrument panel a little, to make room.

Naturally, we worry about heat on the ESC and battery -- without cooling provisions. However, I have now 6 flights -- with pretty thorough aerobatic stuff -- and the lipo has come out of the bird barely warm. To be honest, I have not been able to check whether the ESC feels warm, but I seriously doubt it.

Keep us posted on your efforts. Glad you're enjoying life. Hell, you earned it!

Thanks waterbird. It is a heat concern with the ESC. Also a heat concern with the LiPo. This is my 10th plane in the hangar, not even counting the ones that, uhm went away. I've never had, knock on wood, an issue with heat. BUT I have always opened holes to get air moving through the plane. This one worries me because there are large openings in the cowl and no good way for the air to get into/through the fuselage. Of course air is a fluid so it will find a way, but I'd like to make it easier and smooth as I can. I am very happy to hear you have had no issues! That does give me a better feeling. I guess I'm thinking that an ounce of prevention ......
Don

Woo Hoo! Just got a new DX8 at a LHS for 10% off. It programs much different than my DX6i, so I have some reading to do! Anything I need to know about it? He gave me a Cox mini warbird Corsair for free as a bonus. LITTLE belly lander with NiMh battery. But, what the heck, yard flyier?

Congrats on retirement dkrhardy! I'm counting on you to try out all the mods you learn about and improve upon and post to this thread in order to help all of us sorry weekend flyers in business So far I haven't relocated my ESC and I am using 2200 40C batts. So far keeping cool in original location. Haven't even opened the cowl yet and at least 10 flights under my belt. cut about 3 square inches of foam out of the fuse angled down and back toward the tail below the servo tray to increase air movement and reduce air pressure inside the fuse. You're right - quite a bit of intake on the cowl, eh? All that air has to go somewhere. IDK if your stock 70A ESC in located differently from mine, but airflow seems okay over the esc and past the battery. Let me know what you find out. Making good products better

Mr Carlson, thanks!

I will try very hard to "test" things out! My ESC is wedged into a hole the exact size of that 70A ESC ... under the motor. Most (60%) of it is hanging out on the cowl side. Since the hole is the same size as the ESC, I don't see how very much air can travel back into the fuselage area. ?? Maybe a few holes bored through the firewall/bulkhead, under the ESC area to allow air to pass back to the battery? Since I have time to play, I am taking my time to put it all together. Extra hinge in the rudder, etc. More as I get it!