Originally Posted by shung1

Did you notice any weight difference (nose heavy) from installing this landing gear? What paint did you use on the red wheel pants?

Cheers

No real difference front to back, but did lower the CG a bit, takes a bit more up elevator to keep a hover, and just slightly not as stable with inverted harriers. Very minor differences, and stock gear only takes about 10 seconds to swap back on. The paint isn't all that great of a match, just some orange rustoleum I had laying around. I scuffed them with steel wool, cleaned them, primered, and painted them, a bit darker than the fuse, but I'm not that picky, especially with all the touchup from an orange sharpie that doesn't match all that great either.

Originally Posted by alucard0822

No real difference front to back, but did lower the CG a bit, takes a bit more up elevator to keep a hover, and just slightly not as stable with inverted harriers. Very minor differences, and stock gear only takes about 10 seconds to swap back on. The paint isn't all that great of a match, just some orange rustoleum I had laying around. I scuffed them with steel wool, cleaned them, primered, and painted them, a bit darker than the fuse, but I'm not that picky, especially with all the touchup from an orange sharpie that doesn't match all that great either.

ok cool. I'm not all that fussed with doing hovers anyway, i prefer doing inverted flys, knife edge, verticals etc. Will have to invest and try i think? Will keep you updated with how i go. Do you practice on a simulator at all? I use phoenix and am trying to find a model that is similar to the extra 300, any ideas?

cheers

Cheers

Had my first big problem Saturday. On my second flight of the day right after a low level pass I pulled into a full power vertical climb and the motor locked up. Managed to get it down on the ground OK thinking I had overloaded the ESC like I did a time or 3 with my EDF Stryker and its 30 amp ESC. Closer examination reveled the motor was partly separated by almost a half an inch. It could be turned by hand but only with a great amount of force. I had 14 flights on this motor and the previous owner did about 80 flights. It didn't explode or anything interesting and made no funny noises prior to lock up and separation. I was going to get a E-Flite power 15 to replace it but I saw that it had a 5mm shaft instead of the 4mm shaft on the stock motor so I was not sure which prop adapter to use. So I ordered a new stock motor from hopmeup's ebay store a few minutes ago.

Originally Posted by MARCOELDRAGON

Had my first big problem Saturday. On my second flight of the day right after a low level pass I pulled into a full power vertical climb and the motor locked up. Managed to get it down on the ground OK thinking I had overloaded the ESC like I did a time or 3 with my EDF Stryker and its 30 amp ESC. Closer examination reveled the motor was partly separated by almost a half an inch. It could be turned by hand but only with a great amount of force. I had 14 flights on this motor and the previous owner did about 80 flights. It didn't explode or anything interesting and made no funny noises prior to lock up and separation. I was going to get a E-Flite power 15 to replace it but I saw that it had a 5mm shaft instead of the 4mm shaft on the stock motor so I was not sure which prop adapter to use. So I ordered a new stock motor from hopmeup's ebay store a few minutes ago.

Where did it separate? Mine pulled out of the backing plate, and separated in flight. The stock motor shaft is 5mm, same as the power 15. I use the stock prop adapter and spinner with the power 15 in mine, same bolt pattern on the mount, pratically a bolt on replacement, just a hair shorter. You can upgrade to a power 10, it is 1100KV, can swing most any prop the stock motor can, but will pull more amps, and make more power, with a 40A ESC, you get more power and lighter weight than stock. The KV on the power 15 is the same as stock, and pulls about the same amperage, but you can also use a bigger ESC, and a 13X6 or 12X8 prop for a bit more thrust and speed.

I could use some advice for the initial setup of my 300 before I try to fly it. This is my third plane. I started with the Super Cub, and I've been flying my T-28 for six months or so. I have the T-28 pretty much maxed out in terms of aerobatic performance, but I want to take things slow with the Extra and ease into it. So I have a few questions:

1) Where should I set the control horns and servo arms?

2) What about travel, dual rate and expo (I'm using a DX6i)?

3) What is a good starting position for the battery (2200)?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by split_s

I could use some advice for the initial setup of my 300 before I try to fly it. This is my third plane. I started with the Super Cub, and I've been flying my T-28 for six months or so. I have the T-28 pretty much maxed out in terms of aerobatic performance, but I want to take things slow with the Extra and ease into it. So I have a few questions:

1) Where should I set the control horns and servo arms?

2) What about travel, dual rate and expo (I'm using a DX6i)?

3) What is a good starting position for the battery (2200)?

Thanks!

You're right where I was when I got the Extra, only I went from the Super Cub to the Wildcat to the Extra. Check out my post #869 (page 58) for my first flight impressions and suggestions. The only thing I would add is to follow the suggested battery position shown in the product bulletin on the ParkZone web page (http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Bul...ProdID=PKZ5180) and maybe up the expo a bit on the (very sensitive) elevator.

I'm also using a 1" wide ribbon (like the kind you wrap around a gift box) that I wrap the long way around my lipos to help ease them out of the (tight) battery compartment. Make the ribbon long enough to leave an extra couple of inches on both sides at the wire end of the battery to grab on to pull out the lipo. Works slick.

Given your flight experience, you should "catch up" to the Extra pretty quickly. And once you do, it's reeeeeally fun to fly!

Originally Posted by reflective1

You're right where I was when I got the Extra, only I went from the Super Cub to the Wildcat to the Extra. Check out my post #869 (page 58) for my first flight impressions and suggestions. The only thing I would add is to follow the suggested battery position shown in the product bulletin on the ParkZone web page (http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Bul...ProdID=PKZ5180) and maybe up the expo a bit on the (very sensitive) elevator.

I'm also using a 1" wide ribbon (like the kind you wrap around a gift box) that I wrap the long way around my lipos to help ease them out of the (tight) battery compartment. Make the ribbon long enough to leave an extra couple of inches on both sides at the wire end of the battery to grab on to pull out the lipo. Works slick.

Given your flight experience, you should "catch up" to the Extra pretty quickly. And once you do, it's reeeeeally fun to fly!

Thanks for the comments. I saw the bulletin on the battery. That is one tight space -- especially for a 2200. I love the ribbon idea -- definitely beats tugging on the wires. I will check out your other post.

Another question occurred to me. My plane came with a little note that the ESC had been factory programmed for 3v LVC. That seems too low to me. Would I be better off switching to 74 percent? I never fly my Lipos less than fully charged. What kind of flight times are people getting with a 2200 25C lipo, stock motor, prop, and ESC?

The battery's voltage comes down considerably when flying or rather when there is a real draw or load on it. The better the battery, the better it keeps or maintains it's voltage but all will sag under load. More load, more sag. After a bit of rest, the voltage will rise. If set too high there's a good chance you'll hit the LVC when going wide open near the end of your flight. I hope that makes some sense.

I had a couple of 8 minute flights earlier this week (2200 25C lipo). I used mixed throttle for some relaxed aerobatic practice. WOT only when going vertical for loops and such.
Batteries came down with between 3.80 to 3.83 volts on them. So I could get 10 minutes if I want to. With the speed of this thing you rarely need to go WOT. At least I donīt.

Originally Posted by alucard0822

No real difference front to back, but did lower the CG a bit, takes a bit more up elevator to keep a hover, and just slightly not as stable with inverted harriers. Very minor differences, and stock gear only takes about 10 seconds to swap back on. The paint isn't all that great of a match, just some orange rustoleum I had laying around. I scuffed them with steel wool, cleaned them, primered, and painted them, a bit darker than the fuse, but I'm not that picky, especially with all the touchup from an orange sharpie that doesn't match all that great either.

Hey, went for a flight yesterday tried my luck at hovering this thing, no chance what so ever. Couldn't get it to. Did you change your throws etc?

cheers

Alucard mine too, separated from the backing plate, the whole front section pulled forward enough to see the windings. When yours came apart did it lock up too? Crap I should have read back before ordering.

Originally Posted by shung1

Hey, went for a flight yesterday tried my luck at hovering this thing, no chance what so ever. Couldn't get it to. Did you change your throws etc?

cheers

My throws are above even the "expert rates" listed in the manual, 45 degrees on all surfaces. My wing servos were replaced with HS-65MGs using longer arms, all rods are in the outer servo hole, inner horn hole. I covered hinge slotting, and surface reinforcement, and gluing in the elevator. Without that, there is too much flex in the surfaces to control a hover, or have much control at the throws I have.

Ailerons are at 100% travel(stock servos and arms can't get this much throw)
45 degrees or 45mm throw, advanced settings in the manual are: low 12mm, high 30mm
Low rate 40%/30expo, med rate 70%/50%expo, high rate 100%/70%expo

elevator travel145%up, 140%down
45 degrees, 50mm throw, advanced settings in the manual are: low 10mm, high 37mm
low rate 35%/40expo, med rate 45%/60%expo, high rate 100%/60%expo

rudder travel150%left, 145% right
45 degrees, 70mm throw, advanced settings in the manual are: low 35mm, high 55mm
low rate 75%/30expo, med 100%/40expo, high rate 100%/40 expo

KE mixing: rud>ele, 12% up with left rudder, 8% up with right rudder,
rud>ail, 5% left ail with right rudder, 8% right ail with left rudder.

With CG about 2 7/8" back, it flies neutral, best for aerobatics, going to 3" or 3 1/2" back can help you "cheat" through rollers as it keeps the nose up, but the plane is tough to fly being tail heavy, not impossible, and can be a bit easier if all you do is post stall 3D, but at higher speeds it is very tough and twitchy. I takeoff, land, and fly most manuvers with the mid rates, fly co-ordinated rolls, rolling circles, and knife edge with low rates, and post stall, hovers, harriers, and 3D with high rates. I also run 12X6APC e-prop.

Hovering is not simply pointing the nose up, and holding throttle, it is kinda like balancing a stick upright in the palm of your hand. You need to make small quick corrections when the plane just starts to tip off of vertical, if you are too slow, you need to make larger corrections, when in doubt add throttle. For harriers, hold about 3/4 elevator, and some right rudder, if the nose starts to lower, bump a bit more throttle, it only takes about 1/3 throttle to hold a harrier, about 2/3 to hover. The Extra is a tough plane to hover, you need to be confident with a profile foamie, and probably a decent 3D ful fused plane first, even then there is some wing rock, and it is twitchy.

Extra300 throws (0 min 46 sec)

Originally Posted by MARCOELDRAGON

Alucard mine too, separated from the backing plate, the whole front section pulled forward enough to see the windings. When yours came apart did it lock up too? Crap I should have read back before ordering.

did a bit more than lock up, came apart during a KE spin(turn up the sound, you can hear it break), had to recover, slow the dive, then try to land without power

motor broke (0 min 54 sec)

Just returned from my maiden outing. I love the way this thing flies! I put all the clevises on the second-outermost holes, left the high-rate travel at 100 percent and dialed in a low rate of 70 percent. I also dialed in 40 percent expo on low rate and 60 percent on high. I had the battery shoved forward until it just cleared the Velcro straps.

I couldn't believe how stable this thing is in the air. Even with my modest high-rate setup, the roll rate was very nice. I didn't try anything too exciting -- just rolls, loops, WOT climbs and a little inverted flight. I figure the harriers, knife edge, etc., can wait until I'm a little more comfortable.

Here's the bad news: I tore the gear off on my first landing attempt. I missed the paved pathway at the park and landed in some rather clumpy grass. I have to say the gear mount is about the chintziest thing I've ever seen. It's worse than the Super Cub -- and that's saying something. What's the best adhesive for reattaching the mount? I have GG and 5-min epoxy handy.

What are some ideas for strengthening the gear mount without major surgery? My local flying field is grass, so I may get some larger wheels or just belly-land her when I'm there.

Originally Posted by split_s

Just returned from my maiden outing. I love the way this thing flies! I put all the clevises on the second-outermost holes, left the high-rate travel at 100 percent and dialed in a low rate of 70 percent. I also dialed in 40 percent expo on low rate and 60 percent on high. I had the battery shoved forward until it just cleared the Velcro straps.

I couldn't believe how stable this thing is in the air. Even with my modest high-rate setup, the roll rate was very nice. I didn't try anything too exciting -- just rolls, loops, WOT climbs and a little inverted flight. I figure the harriers, knife edge, etc., can wait until I'm a little more comfortable.

Here's the bad news: I tore the gear off on my first landing attempt. I missed the paved pathway at the park and landed in some rather clumpy grass. I have to say the gear mount is about the chintziest thing I've ever seen. It's worse than the Super Cub -- and that's saying something. What's the best adhesive for reattaching the mount? I have GG and 5-min epoxy handy.

What are some ideas for strengthening the gear mount without major surgery? My local flying field is grass, so I may get some larger wheels or just belly-land her when I'm there.

I used GG and some b-directional/packing tape and have had good results, even off fairly rough dirt/grass--no further gear "separations" at all. I believe that others have also gone to larger wheels, but so far I've not felt the need to do so . . . I've not tried belly-landing this one, myself, but I think others on here have and may be able to chime in on that.