Originally Posted by crhammond

I flew my Spark for the first time today. Easy to takeoff and land and flies like a pattern plane - very nice.

Mine is way slow on the TP Prolite V2 10s 20c/40c packs. Also my gear needed convincing to go up and down (inverted and push helped them.)

Minor mishap on landing - I should have had some more grease on my brakes cause when I applied them they locked up and the 5/32 wire holding my struts on sheared off on the next crack in the runway. My fault for making the flat spots too big. Luckily I had tip protectors on and the damage was fairly minor (the wheel punched a small hole in the belly and I one stab got the 6-grit treatment.)

It's all fixed up for a Jet rally this weekend. I shimmed and lubed the retracts and they are working a lot better now. I hope to get a bunch of flights on Sunday. I have some XPS 5s 5000 30c/50c packs that I hope will give me a big boost over the prolite V2's but they are 3oz heavier. I probably need to push the plane a lot harder too as I only used 3000 mah in 5 mins. Full throttle it was maybe doing 100... maybe. Certainly not a rocket but it flies like a dream. Didn't need a click of anything.

This makes a great trainer jet - really nice ground handling for takeoff and super easy to land (at speed) - about the same as my 2M pattern plane. This is my first jet and I am hooked!

Good job. Spark is a fun plane to fly and landing is easy.
Wait next week get the trailing strut and going to 2.5" on the main. That is even more solid on the ground handling.

You TL struts look awesome Tam. I am using Robart 650's right now with Robart brakes. They look awesome but it is a heavy setup and the wheels protrude from the bottom of the wing by 1/4" which I know is not helping my speed at all.

I will get a set of yours when they are ready... I'll call you Monday and make sure you still have my CC# and address so I can get some of the first ones

2.5" mains will probably work off grass. This runway I used is an old cold-roll surface with some fair size cracks... I was sceptical how the Spark would track but with the TL nose gear and 650 struts it just cruised right over them.

Your setup will probably save me 3 or 4 oz. I am around 10.5lbs right now with very light 10s batteries. I'm amazed how well this wing floats on landing.

Maybe an F:16 next year

Steveaire:
HACKER spin 99 and a JETI spin 99 are they the same?

I have both models of this controller and I believe they are the same. I think Hacker and Jedi have hooked up together on the controller. I am using the Hacker Spin 99 with my Neu powered TJ-100.....works well.

Thanks Madmax
I saw a Hacker for sale on the BMFA site for £180 unused.I was tempted but you could get a new Jeti for £169.Thats why I wanted to know were they the same.
I bought a new Castle Creations 110hv for £100 second hand but new.
Should do the job.
Thanks again
Cheers
Steve

Tam, how much for the struts? Also, what do you have for steering without the wire pull, that will work for the L-39 Savex?

Originally Posted by demetrius

Tam, how much for the struts? Also, what do you have for steering without the wire pull, that will work for the L-39 Savex?

I had local customer had same kit. I'll borrow his kit to made the complete set up for it.

If finish in time. I'll to LA Jets.

Spark landing

Spark landing with trailing struts (0 min 42 sec)

Sweet Tam
you can see the nice little bounce the gear sucked up

I want to get a set once I get back from my trip this week...

how much is a set with brakes?

My livermore club is rough and kind of hard on the plane

later
Ron

What's the weight on those struts Tam? They worked flawlessly the other day, and they looked great too. Just the looks alone are great, but they really let the landings and braking look more like a turbine operation. Ron, do you guys have a Petromat surface at Livermore?

Originally Posted by Eddie P

What's the weight on those struts Tam? They worked flawlessly the other day, and they looked great too. Just the looks alone are great, but they really let the landings and braking look more like a turbine operation. Ron, do you guys have a Petromat surface at Livermore?

Eddie,
It weight 1.1oz each in full lenght.

Ron,
Once I got it all add up for the cost to made them. Then I'll post the price.
My estimate is around $40 to $45 each strut.

Ron, do you guys have a Petromat surface at Livermore?

We do Eddie.... and it's pretty rough... my A-4 is not bothered by it at all.. the bigger wheels and struts suck it up. But the small wheels and wire gear bounce the spark around pretty good on taxi.. so it would be nice to smooth it out

Tam .. that's a great price and you will sell a ton of them at that price...
put me down for a set.. just mains and brakes...
I can sell my wire struts and brakes...

did you have to open the cut outs a lot to get them to fit the old wire gear cut outs? from the pics it doesn't look like you had to trim it all that much?

will the retracts I have work..or is the wire thicker? if I have to replace the retracts I'll just keep what I have.. but if I just have to cutoff the wire and slip those over it that would be easy

later
Ron

Yeah, petromat is waaaay better than dirt as far as cleanliness, drainage, maintenance and consistency. But it sure does have it's limitations on little wheels and wire struts unless it's rolled every week like a golf green, and 99 percent of petromat runways aren't. I think you are gonna like those struts, I was pretty impressed by them and they make the airplane look like a mean machine. Hey, now that I think about it, your NACA ducts will look great with those struts!

Hey...are you giving me a hard time on my $20 Naca ducts again...lol

you guys don't like me 60/90 rule either...lol.. if it's under 60 or over 90 stay home... ... I'm kidding on that one..but as you can tell I'm a bit of a fair weather kind of guy

are poor runway hasn't been rolled since the day it was laid...like 4 years ago.. I have a club just up the street from the EBRC the flying electrons.. real nice runway but it's only 450 ft... so far I don't have the balls to try it...
but I hope to soon.. that field has power also.. I rotate which field I fly at..lol

can't wait to try the struts out... that will be cool

Ron

Hi,

Today was my second flight, the first flight on a short cut gras runway. the spark was airborn after 80-100m / 240-300ft.
Lowering the Ailerons for Take-off and Landing works fine but still workingfor on well balanced mix for the elevator while lowering the Ailerons (the spark goes on the nose)

BTW: does your elevator for normal flight is also a littel deflected up? ...or shall I move my CG (150mm) futher back?

Hope see you Guys on Sunday while visiting LA Jets - a long 6000mi way....

cheers from Switzerland
eJets

Originally Posted by eJets

Hi,

Today was my second flight, the first flight on a short cut gras runway. the spark was airborn after 80-100m / 240-300ft.
Lowering the Aierons for Take-off and Landing works fine but still searching for a well balanced mix for the elevator.

BTW: does your elevator for normal flight is also a littel deflected up? ...or shall I move my CG (150mm) futher back?

Hope see you Guys on Sunday while visiting LA Jets - a long 6000mi way....

cheers from Switzerland
eJets

I having my new Spark building right now. Hope can finish by tomorrow for maiden. Friday noon head to LA.
What time you coming on sunday from LAX?
BTW,
My Spark elevator and aileron had zero trim. I move the C.G further back. I don't have exactly number. But we can check it out on sunday.