Originally Posted by mahd

That said, I'm pretty nervous as well. I imagine my first few flights being very boring and safe.

If all you've flown is a giant Bixler, your first flights won't be boring or safe. Read the stuff buried in this thread about launching, throttle and elevator trim before throwing it for the first time.

My skysurfer is identical to the v1 bixler except my pushrods are inside the fuse and the canopy is clear.

I must thank you for your reply stating that my flight won't be safe or boring as it encouraged me to read (so far) the first 40 pages of this thread with everyone learning to fly and I have picked up a lot.

I am using a 270 gram nanotech 3300 3s battery which I just measured my CG to be over 90mm which is sad. I have the 20g slug from the front of my skysurfer which I'm hoping will be perfect.

I have solved my servo plug issue too without soldering or shaving plastic. For the test I was using my old Airtronics tx and rx as I have sent my new Aurora 9 back to have the gimbal centering corrected. I still have the Optima 9 and so I tested the plugs in there and sure enough it will accept both the servo plugs without issue! I just have to be careful of polarity which I'm glad to learn now as I was used to them only plugging in one way previously.

I have a good 3 weeks to get the plan setup before I can maiden which will allow me to finish reading the remaining 60 pages of Zephyr experiences, mods and mistakes

Thanks again

Mahd, I also have the Bixler 2. Launching it, flying it and landing it have very little resemblance to what the V70 does. By comparison, the Bixlers on mid-throttle and a light toss will take to the sky like it was born there. The V70 needs full throttle, a firm throw at a slight up angle, with 6 to 10 clicks of UP trim for the launch and even then, get on the sticks as quickly as you can because it wants to head for dirt. Once it's flying and at a reasonable recovery altitude, trim it for level flight at just above 1/2 throttle. Remember to put that UP trim back in for each launch. It's not a very good glider. It moves quite fast and has a significant sink rate, unlike a "proper" glider like the Bix. It lands fast so you need a good glide path to plan the touch down. Because the wings sit right at the bottom of the plane, it needs to be landed fairly level or it'll catch a wing edge and cart wheel.
Your Bixler is mild by comparison and you'll have a high sphincter pucker factor with the V70. But what a RUSH!

Thanks for your advice. I have been reading through this and picking up a lot of tips. I have just found the one about ensuring you have pulled the servo wire all the way through on page 43!

I have no misconceptions about what the Zephyr is and the differences to what I've flown so far. I have enjoyed my lazy pushes with half throttle and watching the SkySurfer glide away basically on it's own This is why I have gone for the Zephyr as my next plane. Uniquely different.

3 weeks til maiden.

Originally Posted by xviper

Mahd, I also have the Bixler 2. Launching it, flying it and landing it have very little resemblance to what the V70 does. By comparison, the Bixlers on mid-throttle and a light toss will take to the sky like it was born there. The V70 needs full throttle, a firm throw at a slight up angle, with 6 to 10 clicks of UP trim for the launch and even then, get on the sticks as quickly as you can because it wants to head for dirt. Once it's flying and at a reasonable recovery altitude, trim it for level flight at just above 1/2 throttle. Remember to put that UP trim back in for each launch. It's not a very good glider. It moves quite fast and has a significant sink rate, unlike a "proper" glider like the Bix. It lands fast so you need a good glide path to plan the touch down. Because the wings sit right at the bottom of the plane, it needs to be landed fairly level or it'll catch a wing edge and cart wheel.
Your Bixler is mild by comparison and you'll have a high sphincter pucker factor with the V70. But what a RUSH!

One suggestion -- (assuming mode 2) put a switch on the left hand that will trim up the elevator for launch, then once your right hand has control, flick off the switch.

Originally Posted by scott page

One suggestion -- (assuming mode 2) put a switch on the left hand that will trim up the elevator for launch, then once your right hand has control, flick off the switch.

That's a heck of an idea. I gotta do that to all my fast hand launched planes.

Originally Posted by scott page

One suggestion -- (assuming mode 2) put a switch on the left hand that will trim up the elevator for launch, then once your right hand has control, flick off the switch.

Darn right......one heck of a great idea! Gonna do that, also!

The Aurora 9 has the launch mode or something. I think it is just a flight mode which I assume you flick a switch and you would have preset values such as throttle 100% and some up ele. I had envisioned using that.

Originally Posted by bamaguy

Darn right......one heck of a great idea! Gonna do that, also!

I learned that from the school of hard knocks. I have a PhD from that school.

You can vary that a little if you want using the 3 position flight mode switch without too much drama.

Pos 0 - Launch mode- ELEV up trim
Pos 1 - flight mode
Pos 2 - Landing- spoilerons deployed

If its windy though, you dont really need the launch mode. Mine is setup that way but if if somebody is handy I usually just play it safe and get one of the guys to throw it.

Mick

Can I just ask - as I have tried to read 111 pages .....
Is the launch throw almost flat with the nose up only slightly and a good hard one?
Am I right that you have a launch mode set up of about +15% ele?
I am going to set up 2 AIL channels - therefore I can do both FLAPERON and SPOILERONS correct? I am a bit new to planks. This basically means that when they are down with trim they act as flaps and when they are up they act as spoilers?

Anyone flying in Adelaide that I can compare some notes with?

Cheers

Ben

Originally Posted by BennyT

Can I just ask - as I have tried to read 111 pages .....
Is the launch throw almost flat with the nose up only slightly and a good hard one?
Am I right that you have a launch mode set up of about +15% ele?
I am going to set up 2 AIL channels - therefore I can do both FLAPERON and SPOILERONS correct? I am a bit new to planks. This basically means that when they are down with trim they act as flaps and when they are up they act as spoilers?

Anyone flying in Adelaide that I can compare some notes with?

Cheers

Ben

Sounds like you are all over it bud. Takes a pretty hefty loft into the wind and NOT up. Fly it low until it comes up to speed, then you're all good. First 5 seconds are hairy, avoid much use of control surfaces as the drag needs to be avoided.

One suggestion -- whoever launches it -- should wear hearing protection. It's really too loud to have that close to your ears, and you need to spool all the way to full throttle before starting the launch.

Originally Posted by BennyT

Can I just ask - as I have tried to read 111 pages .....
Is the launch throw almost flat with the nose up only slightly and a good hard one?
Am I right that you have a launch mode set up of about +15% ele?
I am going to set up 2 AIL channels - therefore I can do both FLAPERON and SPOILERONS correct? I am a bit new to planks. This basically means that when they are down with trim they act as flaps and when they are up they act as spoilers?

Anyone flying in Adelaide that I can compare some notes with?

Cheers

Ben

Hi Ben

I'm in Adelaide.

Can't advise on the flaperon / spoileron settings as i haven't tried them yet.

On my DX8 i have the following set for Low Rates.

Aileron D/R 50% expo 30%
Elevator D/R 100% expo 30%
Rudder D/R 60% expo 30%

P.S. get someone else to launch for you the first time until you have the plane trimmed.
Elevator is really touchy so best to be on the sticks ready to react for the first launch.

Thanks Jim and Scott,

I will have a friend who is an instructor fly it the first time and I will launch. I know how loud this is as I fired it up in my garage on the floor just to have a listen and see how the fan ran - OMG!!

I normally run a new plan at about 25% expo on most controls, you reckon aileron should be down to about 50% travel is that?

Which side of town are you on Jim as I am in NE near Modbury?

thanks for the feedback guys - travelling out into the sticks saturday hopefully to get some good room to fly this.

PS - i noticed a few pages back the guys are using bungee launchers for these - any of you guys started to adopt that sort of launch?

Ben

Western suburbs. Mostly fly at Area51.

Once you have it trimmed hand launches are not a problem.