Hello Guys

I'm new to RC flying and have been wanting to get to this hobby for a very long time. After researching a little bit, I settled for buying the easy trainer 1280mm version from Banana Hobby along with Genesis Power 7.4V 2500mAh 25C. The package arrived within a week and I was able to build it within a hour ( the manual provided dint help much ) . I flew it couple of times in a park nearby. I was able to get it up and flying but I don't know whether it was the wind(15mph with 10mph gust) or my lack of experience that it went out of control and floated away without responding to my input and fell on a tree outside the park. I couldn't find it after that . Lost the plane with less than 5 times flying it.

Now all I have is the transmitter and the stock battery with balance charger. I don't know whether I should order the same one or something else. I do have phoenix simulator which I use with ps3 controller and have had 10-20hrs on it.

Originally Posted by rk256

Hello Guys

I'm new to RC flying and have been wanting to get to this hobby for a very long time. After researching a little bit, I settled for buying the easy trainer 1280mm version from Banana Hobby along with Genesis Power 7.4V 2500mAh 25C. The package arrived within a week and I was able to build it within a hour ( the manual provided dint help much ) . I flew it couple of times in a park nearby. I was able to get it up and flying but I don't know whether it was the wind(15mph with 10mph gust) or my lack of experience that it went out of control and floated away without responding to my input and fell on a tree outside the park. I couldn't find it after that . Lost the plane with less than 5 times flying it.

Now all I have is the transmitter and the stock battery with balance charger. I don't know whether I should order the same one or something else. I do have phoenix simulator which I use with ps3 controller and have had 10-20hrs on it.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your plane, but quite frankly, vid games and simulators really don't get one adequately prepared for doing the real thing, I always recommend that maiden flights for rank newbs should be done by an accomplished RC modeler or at least the pre-flight setup and check out should be done by an experienced pilot first, because there is just too much about RC aircraft modeling that is required for successful maiden flights and newbs just don't have the knowledge and skills, such the ground check, control throws setup, CG verification, etc. I would suggest that you locate your nearest RC club and go there with your next plane and make friends and ask for help. As far as the FMS Easy Trainer 1280, IMO there isn't a better EZ style trainer available for any amount of money, but just like any other RC model aircraft, it must be set up properly and thoroughly checked out before the maiden flight. Here is the FMS Easy Trainer 1280 thread:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1607270

Also strongly recommend you spend lots of time in this forum and ask lots of questions before your next attempt:

http://www.rcgroups.com/beginner-tra...ft-electric-8/

Thanks for the reply...I guess i dint do most of things required during flight setup and pre flight inspection. I never knew what was trimming before going through the beginner forums today. Planning to buy the same plane again and spend a lot of time in beginner forum before my next attempt

Well... shoot.

During my last few flights, my Easy Trainer 800 experienced some mysterious power drops. Short lived... less than one second each... but wildly noticeable because the throttle was generally at 2/3 to full power when it happened. Right after a dropout, it would be back to normal and flying well. Next flight up, it would do the same thing a couple or three times. No loss of servo - I still had full control - just a brief loss of motor. (Fresh batteries, btw.)

This intermittent dropout blossomed into full power failure this last weekend. Went out to fly, and the motor was clicking back and forth between full power and zero... about 50/50... every other second. In a few minutes that degenerated into no motor at all. Now it just barely jiggles the prop.

I tried resetting the ESC... experimentally changed a few of its settings... no joy. I still have full control of servos, so I'm guessing a dead ESC (FMS 6A). It could also be a dead motor, I suppose, but I that seems far less likely.

Poop. Less than a month old?

Fortunately, a week ago, I had already decided to order a beefier ESC (Turnigy 10A) so I could put on a prop with more pitch. It's on its way. (I also ordered a new DSM2 compatible RX + sattelite... to work with a DX4e my son sent me.) So I'll soon have it packed with new electronics. If the motor is OK, I'll be back in the air soon... with a little extra oomph.

Doubletap, Have you flown your plane yet?

Oldeman, I am envious of your success and hope to get there soon.

By the way, I bought the PZ UM T-28 and flew it for the first time yesterday. It flies very nice and only had three minor crashes. It is a total blast and hopefully will inspire me to get the FMS Easy Trainer 800 into the air.

Originally Posted by ad skyraider

Doubletap, Have you flown your plane yet?

Oldeman, I am envious of your success and hope to get there soon.

By the way, I bought the PZ UM T-28 and flew it for the first time yesterday. It flies very nice and only had three minor crashes. It is a total blast and hopefully will inspire me to get the FMS Easy Trainer 800 into the air.

If you can fly the PZ UM T-28, you can easily fly the FMS ET800! I mentioned earlier that I am new to RC... but I glossed over my first plane: A PZ UM F4U Corsair... which is now more "glue" than "plane". Believe me, the ET800 is much easier to handle.

You said you were having trouble with the balance? I agree with Doubletap -- 52mm back from leading edge.

Give it full throttle... and a firm throw at about 30 degrees up... it should take off easily. To maintain level flight, mine requires a fair amount of up-trim -- it kept wanting to nose-down. That might mean it could benefit from a CG adjustment, surely, but I am really happy with the way it flies, as-is.

The small prop (3x2) is a little weak... yes... but comfortably flyable and strong enough to fight a reasonable headwind. This seems completely reasonable for a plane called "Easy Trainer". Because of this, perhaps, it needs a strong throw to hit flight speed. Don't be shy with that first toss.

I love the plane: Even at its 800mm size, it is easy to handle. My only disappointment is that the ESC burned out at "weeks old".

Originally Posted by OldeMan

My only disappointment (with my ET800)is that the ESC burned out at "weeks old".

OK... I need to correct this: A couple of times, now, I've made reference to the FMS 6A ESC that (I was convinced) had died on my Easy Trainer 800 after only a few weeks of use. That was wrong -- it was the motor that died.

Bought a new Hacker A10-15S, and it's going in today. Already verified that it's working fine with the stock ESC.

Originally Posted by OldeMan

Bought a new Hacker A10-15S, and it's going in today.

*sigh* Actually, I bought an A10-12S.

This turned out to be a nicely sized replacement for the ET800's stock motor. I had to modify the motor mount area to fit it in, but it seems sturdy enough to me. (I'll try to add a pic, here, in a sec.)



As (I hope) you can see, I also added a GWS 5043 prop, trimmed down to fit.

Oldeman
Thanks for your vote of confidence.

The flight information you provided also will help. I know I posted in an earlier message that the plane was tail heavy I meant that it was nose heavy which is why I was concerned about the CG location.

I'll try flying again after I get a little more success with the UM T-28 and do some necessary repairs on the ET 800 (bashed up nose).

After my motor burned out, and I had already bought and installed a new (slightly bigger) one, I got curious about other options I should have explored first -- other motor/prop/ESC combinations. So I pulled up a motor/prop calculator and spent hours experimenting.

Here is what I found out: The Turnigy 1811-3800 (memory?) motor that came with the plane, and the 6A FMS ESC that came with it, are nearly perfect for that installation (Easy Trainer 800). Because the prop is physically constrained to a max 3" diameter... there is really no viable prop you can put on that plane that would draw more power than the motor and ESC already provide. (* See disclaimer below, eh?)

The best thing you can do.. and the simplest... is to remove the stock prop, and add a GWS 5043 that is trimmed down to the 3" diameter (making it, effectively, a 3x4.3). You'll get quite a bit of extra "push" for very little work and money. [You might need a prop adapter, too, I forget?]

The only way to get even more thrust on this plane would be to mount the motor on a raised pylon (or something), so you can put on a prop with more diameter. Then, a bigger motor/ESC/(battery?) would be required.

--
* Disclaimer: No promises. I feel comfortable with the calculations I performed, but you make changes to your stock configuration at your own risk. Test, whatever you do, for overheating!

Originally Posted by OldeMan

After my motor burned out, and I had already bought and installed a new (slightly bigger) one, I got curious about other options I should have explored first -- other motor/prop/ESC combinations. So I pulled up a motor/prop calculator and spent hours experimenting.

Here is what I found out: The Turnigy 1811-3800 (memory?) motor that came with the plane, and the 6A FMS ESC that came with it, are nearly perfect for that installation (Easy Trainer 800). Because the prop is physically constrained to a max 3" diameter... there is really no viable prop you can put on that plane that would draw more power than the motor and ESC already provide. (* See disclaimer below, eh?)

The best thing you can do.. and the simplest... is to remove the stock prop, and add a GWS 5043 that is trimmed down to the 3" diameter (making it, effectively, a 3x4.3). You'll get quite a bit of extra "push" for very little work and money. [You might need a prop adapter, too, I forget?]

The only way to get even more thrust on this plane would be to mount the motor on a raised pylon (or something), so you can put on a prop with more diameter. Then, a bigger motor/ESC/(battery?) would be required.

--
* Disclaimer: No promises. I feel comfortable with the calculations I performed, but you make changes to your stock configuration at your own risk. Test, whatever you do, for overheating!

I'm using a cut down and carefully balanced GWS 504x3 on my EZT800 and it draws just over the 6A rating of the stock ESC at WOT on a freshly charged pack, my EZT800 with this prop provides sparkling performance and little chance to burn out the motor/esc if used with restraint, I rarely fly this model at prolonged full throttle because it is so quick and will get out of sight in a blink of the eye if not careful,.

Well... I tried the new Orange 3-axis stabilizer this past weekend... in my ET800. Not because it felt unstable -- it flies fine. I just thought it would be a lot of fun to try. (My field is pretty gusty sometimes. Why not?)

I started by moving the plane's Rx toward the back, in the fuselage, so the stabilizer unit could be right behind the servos where the body is widest. The unit is too fat to fit anywhere else inside. I tried snugging it in with Velcro to minimize any possible shifting while in-flight. The "fit" was *really* tight... especially so because the servo leads point "up" on this unit, and the servo push-rods pass over the top right where the servo leads are standing. I ended up leaving off the rudder stabilizer so the pushrods had room to move. In the end -- it all worked as expected at my kitchen table. Shake, rattle, and roll... and the ailerons and elevator would instantly counter whatever movement I threw at it. Nice.

I left the gains at factory settings, because I didn't know what else to do with them.

So I went to the park to try it out. Not so nice. It felt like I'd given my airplane a Valium. Super sluggish feeling... basically hugging the ground because it was so reluctant to climb. Managed wide circles... and that's about it.

Unfortunately, with the unit sandwiched in so tightly, field adjustments were really difficult. I tried dialing back a bit, and got a little more control, but gave up when I noticed an odd coupling effect that I couldn't decipher: Sharp elevator movements we're resulting in occasional wild aileron snaps (momentary/recoverable).

I went home mystified and disappointed... and took it all out. I need to rethink my approach.

A) I think, for fun, I'll try the i86AP... which is only a few bucks more expensive... but has the advantage of servo leads that stick out "lengthwise" instead of "up"... so it should lay under the pushrods without interference.

B) I'm going to look for more advice on fine-tuning the gains on the bench. The only advice I've seen so far is to turn up all gains until chattering starts, and then back off just enough for it to quiet down. Sounds like a "maximal" approach to me... not sure that's what I want. (My servos were not chattering, btw.)

C) Need to find a layout that allows easy field adjustments.

D) The unit also needs, I think, a rock solid attachment to the body. Maybe Velcro was too susceptible to vibrations (confusing to gyros?).

Has anyone else tried a stabilizer with this a/c?

Any advice on what else to do/investigate?

I have had two successful flights with this plane (finally!). I find the plane very slow to respond to inputs and a tendancy to tip stall. The motor is also very loud at half throttle and sounds way worse as you increase power. I would bet that if I ran at full throttle for any length of time the motor would fail quickly because it sounds rough.

I admit the only reason I am flying this is because my UM T-28 is under repair after a significant meeting with the ground.

I do like learning more on a larger plane which should help me get up to purchasing the Art-Tech (of HK) Pitts byplane. That looks like a blast to fly.

Originally Posted by ad skyraider

I have had two successful flights with this plane (finally!). I find the plane very slow to respond to inputs and a tendancy to tip stall. The motor is also very loud at half throttle and sounds way worse as you increase power. I would bet that if I ran at full throttle for any length of time the motor would fail quickly because it sounds rough.

Perhaps your prop needs balancing? Prop shaft is bent? That shouldn't happen.

I've had very good luck with a GWS 5043, cut down to 3" to clear the tail boom. This simple prop change dramatically improves the feel of the plane. (You'll need a prop adapter to get it to fit.)

You know... I really like this little plane.

I've tinkered with a variety of non-stock items: Different receivers, different speed controls, different motor and prop. I even tried the ORx 3-axis stabilizer. And I've altered the servo pushrod arrangements with the rudder and elevator. I've learned the following...

The stock motor and ESC are very nicely sized for this airplane. After a number of experiments... I've actually restored the original ESC and bought/reinstalled a new motor of the same make/model as the original (because my original motor crapped out).

However, the original prop is really wimpy. I replaced that with a GWS 5043 that is cut down to 3" (to just clear the tail boom)... and made sure it was well balanced so it wouldn't vibrate anything to death. The resulting prop, motor, and ESC make a very zippy combo for this plane. This *one* dirt-cheap mod, more than anything else, did wonders to the way this airplane flys. (Noobie tip: Make sure the prop is facing the right direction when you put it on... it makes a big difference. Sometimes I am an idiot.)

I had a bunch of Rx problems early on... I *believe* aggravated by intense humidity (based on my experiences so far) but I don't know how to prove that. I swapped out the stock Rx for an OrangeRx 6ch + satellite... very disappointing. I swapped that out for an OrangeRx 4ch... (hey, it was available)... blah. I finally bought an honest-to-goodness Spektrum AR400 for US$30... pure happiness... worth every penny. If you aren't having range problems... great... you won't need to worry about this issue. I did, and a genuine Spektrum solved my problem. Lesson learned.

The ORx stabilizer was a fun disappointment. It was a tough fit, it was hard to adjust it to a point were it felt fun to fly and, in the end, I took it out. I must say, though, the process of experimenting with it was really fun. I'm about to borrow a Guardian... (hey, it's available)... but, to be honest, I love the free-wheeling feel of my plane without one. While it's fun to tinker, I'm not expecting to adopt the Guardian permanently.

Last... I took out the pushrods going back to the rudder and elevator. Early on, when I was crashing a bunch (inexperience made worse by radio problems)... the pushrod's inertia was being jammed forward, during nose-in impact, resulting in the gears on both servos getting stripped... repeatedly. I replaced both rods with... I don't know the proper name... tube-guided push-wires? This change also made it easier to put more stuff in the fuse cavity... no pushrods taking up space straight down the center.

As I say... I really like this little plane. I think it says something about the overall package that, after all of my experimenting, the best upgrade I've put into it was a new prop. And, man, is it fun to fly.

So... I'm about "tinkered out" on this one... it's dialed in and flying beautifully. Now I'm starting to wonder, what should I buy next?