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Introduction
The Electrifly E-Performance Series airplanes from Great Planes has brought a whole new meaning to great looking and flying parkflyer airplanes since the introduction of the line a couple of years ago. Electrifly's current lineup of fantastic parkflyers includes the Ultimate 3D Bipe ARF, the Yak 54 3D ARF, and the Reactor 3D ARF. Great Planes is pleased to announce their next great addition to the Electrifly E-Performance Series: the all new Extra 330S EP ARF. The Electrifly Extra 330S EP offers big scale performance in a convenient 41" parkflyer airplane that is capable of providing 3D excitement as well as being a great sport flyer.
Kit Contents
My Electrifly Extra 330S arrived in outstanding condition and came in a highly detailed box that had a terrific picture of the airplane on it. The covering was in near perfect condition, and only a few minutes with a covering iron was all that was needed to tighten things up. I was immediately impressed with the quality and completeness of the kit right down to a very nice included spinner. Nice touch!
The complete kit features:
Kit requires:
Items used for the Electrifly Extra 330S review:
Assembly
Great Planes manuals are some of the best laid out and easy to follow manuals that I have ever used, and the Electrifly Extra 330S EP manual is no exception. I found the manual to be very thorough and complete; from getting started with the build, to finding your CG, to getting ready for your first flight, the illustrations captured the text perfectly.
Wings
The Electrifly Extra 330S EP comes with a very unique set of servo mounting hardware that allows for a very quick and easy setup of the ailerons regardless of the brand of servos you decide to use. I had no problems finding a servo arm that fit the Futaba S3114 micro servos perfectly. The included adjustable clevises make installing the pushrods a very quick and easy process. The pushrod is held in the clevises by a small screw that tightens the clevises around the pushrods. Just to be sure these screws wouldn't back out in-flight I added a drop of thin CA to each of the screws. This setup has worked great and provides plenty of control throws on full deflection.
The one thing that you will immediately notice on the Electrifly Extra 330S is that the wings have a very slim profile instead of the more common thicker airfoil. I really like this concept that many manufacturers are going with as it greatly improves the 3D capabilities of the airplane. I would say that if there is anything remotely complicated (read that as a little time consuming) about the build of the Extra 330S it would have to be the wing attachment to the fuselage. The wings of the Extra 330S are attached to the fuselage by sliding the interlocking wing spars through the fuselage wing pockets. You then insert the two plywood doublers over the wing spars and epoxy everything together. I also epoxied the wings’ root ribs before the wing was installed and the wings were held in place using the included wing alignment jigs while the epoxy cured. I also used some additional weights to keep the wings nice and snug up against the fuselage sides while the 30 min. epoxy cured.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT rush through this part of the assembly as setting the wings correctly is a very important part of ensuring that the Extra 330S flies properly. I read through the directions several times first before attempting this step of the build. A little time spent here will ensure you have many enjoyable flights in the future.
Tail
I found that installing the elevator and horizontal stab on the Extra 330S couldn't have been easier. I found no warping of the surfaces and the elevator joiner wire was perfect right out of the box and required no additional bending to make the elevator halves line up.
The rudder assembly was quick and easy and the rudder is just HUGE on the Electrifly Extra 330S. The Extra 330S comes with a plywood tail skid that is epoxied in place on the trailing edge of the fuselage. A small cut is made in the bottom of the skid to accommodate a small washer which I epoxied in place as well. This small washer is used to protect the plywood skid for those planning on flying there Extra off of gravel or paved surfaces.
Fuselage
The Electrifly Extra 330S EP comes with two separate motor boxes that can be used depending on your motor selection. The kit includes a motor box for use with an inrunner motor and a motor box for an outrunner motor. I really like this idea as it allows the builder a greater choice in motor options without having to modify the motor box. The Great Planes Rimfire 35-30-1250 fit perfectly out on the front of the outrunner motor box and the Great Planes Silver Series 35A was attached to the side of the motor box. This made for a very clean and easy setup of the outrunner motor and speed controller on the Extra.
The Extra 330S comes with a very scale looking pair of painted pre-formed aluminum gear and matching plastic wheel pants. The two piece landing gear legs simply slide though two pre-cut slots in the side of the fuselage. The landing gear block is very robust on this model as I have tested this out many times during some not-so-perfect landings. The aluminum landing gear is quite forgiving and does a great job of absorbing most of the landing forces. The battery tray is located on the bottom of the fuselage, and there is a very nice battery hatch that uses magnets and small wooden dowels to keep the battery hatch in place. The magnets are quite strong and I have yet to have the battery hatch depart in-flight. Great Planes has also included a rear battery tray for those looking to fly the Extra 330S with a more aft CG, a great idea for those pilots looking to fly 3D with it.
Completion
The Extra 330S has a very unique cowl mounting process that is different than most any other kit I have built. The cowl uses a set of 4 magnets that are inset in the front of the firewall and also inside a plywood cowl ring. The manual states to attach the cowl ring to the firewall and then place the cowl on and adjust for spacing with the spinner backplate. To keep the cowl ring attached to the cowl the manual says to place 3 to 4 drops of epoxy through the inside of the cowl cheeks. I found this step very hard to accomplish as described in the manual, but I found a much easier way of applying the cowl ring to the fiberglass cowl. The technique I used to attach the cowl ring to the inside of the cowl was to first drape a plastic bag over the front of the firewall only cutting a big enough opening to allow the plastic bag to go over the motor box area. I then attached the cowl ring onto the front of the firewall with the magnets holding the two together. I then applied a few drops of epoxy to each of the inside corners of the cowl and then slide the cowl in place using the spinner backplate to set the correct cowl placement. I let the cowl set until the epoxy had dried and then simply removed the cowl (and cowl ring) away from the firewall. The plastic keeps the cowl ring from sticking to the firewall while the epoxy cures. When finished, the cowl simply SNAPS in place with no visible screws holding the cowl in place.
Posing Time
My finished Electrifly Extra 330S came in at 27.5 oz. RTF. This is actually on the lower end of the weight spectrum that Great Planes has posted on there website. At this weight the Extra flies very light on the wing as the wing loading comes in at 11.7 oz./sq. ft. I am extremely pleased with the great looks the little Extra 330S has, and I couldn't wait to see how it performed in the air.
Control throw setup
These settings have been working out great for me and I have not made any changes. The 3D rates that Great Planes has in the manual provide more than enough surface deflection to perform most any 3D aerobatic maneuver you can think of with the Extra 330S. My starting cg came in at 3" with my battery pack placed all the way to the back of the rear battery tray. I have found that this is a great cg for 3D flying as the Extra does not mind the slightly tail heavy setting at all.
Flying
The Basics Including Takeoffs and Landings
After flying the Extra 330S several times off of concrete the little washer that I had put in the bottom of the tail skid had all but disappeared as did the bottom portion of the plywood tail skid. I replaced the small washer with a slightly larger one but the end results were the same in both cases: the washer worn down to nothing. For those looking to fly off of such unforgiving surfaces on a tailskid type airplane like the Extra 330S I would look at using something like the Dubro Micro tail wheel. The Dubro micro tail wheel is very light weight and extremely easy to install. Don't let the 41" wingspan on the Electrifly Extra 330S fool you, as this plane flies much more like a 40 sized plane than a little parkflyer. I found that on low rates the Extra has a much bigger presence and feel than most parkflyers I have flown. The Extra 330S ground handles fairly well for a plane that only uses a tail skid. I found that with short bursts of throttle the airplane could make pretty sharp turns with the rudder dual rates turned on high. Takeoffs with the Extra 330S are very easy as the airplane will break ground after only a very short takeoff run. I found that the Extra would liftoff using only half throttle and very little rudder is needed to maintain a straight track. On low rates the Extra 330S is very stable and the control throws are perfect for anyone just looking to fly the Extra in a sports plane pattern style manner. Rolls are very axial and the elevator has plenty of authority for nice big loops and rolling circles. With the starting cg placed at 3" inverted flight requires just a small amount of down elevator to mantain level flight. The Extra 330S has a very gentle stall, and the only indication is a slight drop of the nose. Recovery is simply a matter of applying throttle and relaxing elevator pressure. I found the Extra 330S had no bad characteristics on low rates, and the terrific color scheme makes tracking the Extra in the air a snap. Landing the Extra 330S is very easy and is a simple matter of keeping two or three clicks of throttle in until you are ready to flare and the Extra 330S will settle in for a very nice 3-point landing. I have flown the Extra 330S on several different types of terrain including concrete, gravel, dirt, and grass and find that it lands best on first three terrains. The Extra 330S with its small wheels and scale landing gear has a tendency to tip over on its nose during even the best landings on short grass fields. If you are going to be flying the Extra off of concrete however you may want to invest in an after market tailwheel such as the Dubro Micro tail wheel (See Sidebar).
Aerobatics/Special Flight Performance
I really have fun with the Electrifly Extra 330S when the rates are turned up!! The Extra 330s has a blistering fast roll rate on high rates, and the elevator and rudder are extremely responsive without being overly sensitive. The Extra 330S does retain its excellent stall characteristics on high rates, and I found that the airplane will not snap out during even the most aggressive elevator deflections. Below I have included a 3D report card that includes some of the many maneuvers I have flown with the Electrifly Extra 330S.
Is This For a Beginner?
The Electrifly Extra 330S is NOT for the beginner. The Extra 330S is very responsive and lacks the self-leveling qualities that basic trainers posses. The Extra 330S would make for a terrific intermediate airplane with the rates set up on low for someone who has already mastered the basic trainer airplane.
Photo Gallery
Flight Video
Conclusion
The Electrifly Extra 330S EP ARF is an awesome value for under $100. The Extra 330S looks just as great as it flies and the recommended power setup pulls the Extra 330S around with power to spare. The lightweight construction, quality hardware, and outstanding manual make it very ease to get the Extra 330S from box to flight ready in no time. The Extra 330S is very easy to fly, and yet at the throw of a switch it can be down hucking 3D with the best of them. With the included rear battery try the cg can be altered to really allow for some nice 3D flying with the Extra 330S. I think Great Planes did a wonderful job of designing a very scale looking airplane that can be flown in any small park area with ease and comfort. But you say you might want something a little bit bigger? I have a feeling that Great Planes is already working on plans for a little larger version of this great little flyer.
Pluses:
Minuses:
Last edited by Angela H; Oct 19, 2007 at 07:33 AM.. |
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Oct 18, 2007, 10:15 PM
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#2 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Waco, TX
Posts: 3,882
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Looks like the landing gear may be on backwards? I would figure it would sweep forward...I don't have the plane so I could be wrong though.
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Oct 19, 2007, 07:02 AM
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#3 | |
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God is my co-pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Swanton, Ohio
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
 Tim |
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Oct 19, 2007, 08:30 AM
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#4 |
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Stone Mountain RC Flyers
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Stone Mountain, GA
Posts: 1,901
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Sun Flyer likes to put stuff on backwards because he is from Ohio!!!
Go Dawgs!!!!! 
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Oct 19, 2007, 08:34 AM
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#5 | |
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God is my co-pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Swanton, Ohio
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
Milandrah, No need to be jealous because the Buckeyes are #1. Georgia will be a dominent team again someday.  Tim |
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Oct 19, 2007, 08:49 AM
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#6 | |
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Stone Mountain RC Flyers
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Stone Mountain, GA
Posts: 1,901
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Quote:
 On a serious note, I like GP's ARF's but I hated the color scheme on this one. I just got their Spitfire and the thing is tuff as nails and a rocket. |
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Oct 19, 2007, 09:39 AM
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#7 |
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3DHS Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 5,053
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great review tim!!!!
oh and Go Sox
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Oct 19, 2007, 10:05 AM
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#8 | |
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God is my co-pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Swanton, Ohio
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
Tim |
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Oct 19, 2007, 03:18 PM
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#9 |
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"Have Glue - Will Travel"
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Ft. Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,407
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Great review and nice flying, Tim!
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Oct 24, 2007, 03:58 PM
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#10 |
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I tell her RC is cheap !
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 726
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HI !
Great review but I would have liked that you show how the plane flies big aerobatic manoeuvers. I bought one and found it is fantastic flying precision aerobatics. It is also a very good performer in the wind. I had great succes with the recommended gear. Thanks |
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Oct 24, 2007, 04:04 PM
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#11 | |
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God is my co-pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Swanton, Ohio
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
What maneuvers would you like to see me fly with the GP Extra 330? It is a very good aerobatic airplane. I am using the recommended gear as well and find it quite acceptable in this airplane. Do you have any video of you flying the airplane? Tim |
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Oct 24, 2007, 04:27 PM
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#12 |
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What makes the monkey dance?
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Delaware, 19809
Posts: 2,382
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Nice review. I had the Yak from this series briefly. I really enjoyed it, nice flier. I lost it to elevator flutter in a dive. Does the Extra need any re-enforcement on the tail?
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Oct 24, 2007, 04:41 PM
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#13 | |
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God is my co-pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Swanton, Ohio
Posts: 7,287
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Quote:
I do not see the need for any additional support in this area. I have done blenders, vertical decents to parachutes/elevators with no problems. I also made sure the hinge line was sealed with blenderm. Tim |
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Oct 24, 2007, 05:21 PM
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#14 |
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What makes the monkey dance?
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Delaware, 19809
Posts: 2,382
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Thanks Tim.
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Oct 25, 2007, 06:13 PM
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#15 |
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I tell her RC is cheap !
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 726
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Hi again,
Sorry I do not have any video of me flying the plane. Unfortunately, I lost my Extra in a knife edge circle that was to close to the ground. I lost orientation and when I yanked the elevator, it was upside down. But, you can be sure I'll re-order the same model. Like it too much. I was one of the first to post on the plane when it took the street (other forums). I liked big loops with lots of vertical power, split s's, cuban 8, avalanches and it is really nice to fly knife edge with. I too did not see any problem with the tail. it is very strong. The only problem i got was with the landing gear when hard landing due to no more juice in the battery. The landing gear wood beam took the shock and it was transmited longitudinally on the frame and broke 3 formers. It needed surgery but was repaired and flew as good as original after that. not the plane fault. |
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