Hi Luis,
We are backed up on uploading our 2011 releases. You can expect to see the model in the next week, along with many others. We just finished the big AMA show, and are now getting back to business as usual.
For now, you can email me directly if you wish to purchase one of these, they are in stock in a variety of colors.

Bob@SoaringUSA.com

Best,
Bob

Impatience go the better of me and got the Orion maiden flight out of the way.

The conditions at the field were not so good, the forcast said 12mph wind and 25mph gusts. It was very overcast with poor visibility against the grey clouds.
Did a proper power down range check and had full control at well over 40m.
Having checked all the controls for the last time, flicked the motor on and launched, away she went, got to a couple of hundred feet and closed the throttle, just a couple of clicks of down elevator needed. Feels positive in roll response, low rates seemed fine, they were set at 75%. The field offers some slope lift in a northerly wind so mooched about trying the controls, the conditions making it awkward to learn much. Gained some height with motor, needs less elevator compenstion, and tested the crow brakes, needs more down elevator compensation, was just mushing with the crow on. Tried thermal setting and speed setting, ironically gained more height in speed setting, just the conditions at that point I think. Flew for 15 mins or so and felt comfortable with the plane, no stalls, dive test was perfect, just pulled out nicely. Landing was interesting with the wind across the patch and more elevator compensation required. Anyway worked well and all down in one piece. Adjusted the Elevator mix for butterfly but decided to call it a day.
Can't wait for some good conditions now, the Orion handles easily and needs some fine tuning for sure but promises a lot of fun this summer.
I'll post some more thoughts after a little more flying.

Congrats on a successful maiden!

Hi,
I got to maiden my Orion this weekend. We shot a little video of the first flight. This model is a sweetheart, for sure! Thermals exceptionally well, and is a great flying model, that is easy to land.
We used a 1110/1y/6.7 with a PHX 125 and RFM 14.5x10. The lipo was a Thunder Power 2250 4S. CG seemed very good at 100mm from LE.

For the cost, this model is very hard to beat! (or pass up)..

http://www.youtube.com/user/SoaringUSA?feature=mhum

Best,
Bob

Hi Bob,
Ace Model lists the CG at 106-108mm. That's a bit aft of 90mm so just want to make sure that is correct?
Can you post some pics of your plane? Curious to see equipment placement so I can judge where things need to go to balance.

Scot;


My 1110/1y/6.7 is in the nose, the 4S 2250 is right behind it, and I put the 125 under the back of the hatch for more room to get the lipo in and out.

I'll get some pics in the next few days.

Best,
Bob

The c of g for the first flight of the Orion was as close to 106mm back from the leading edge as possible.
There must be a big range available, maybe its not too sensitive to this?

Pull out from dive test was positive but not too sharp, just about right I think.

The figure I could not make sense of on the Acemodel guide was the rear of elevator to bottom of the rudder of 78mm. I flew at around 70mm vertically between the rear of elevator and bottom of rudder.

Graham

Originally Posted by Bro

Hi,
I got to maiden my Orion this weekend. We shot a little video of the first flight. This model is a sweetheart, for sure! Thermals exceptionally well, and is a great flying model, that is easy to land.
We used a 1110/1y/6.7 with a PHX 125 and RFM 14.5x10. The lipo was a Thunder Power 2250 4S. CG seemed very good at 90mm from LE.

For the cost, this model is very hard to beat! (or pass up)..

http://www.youtube.com/user/SoaringUSA?feature=mhum

Best,
Bob

Seems like more of a hotliner than a TD.

Bob wrote

We used a 1110/1y/6.7 with a PHX 125 and RFM 14.5x10. The lipo was a Thunder Power 2250 4S.

sounds like the setup, same Neu motor, RFM prop I have on my 2M Typhoon E carbon. I haven't tried mine on 4S though. Just the TP 3S-2250-45C

How many amps did your setup use on 4S? I have the PHX ICE lite 100 ESC. Max 65 amps, 720 Watts on maiden with 3S LiPo.

pardon me, guys, but let me ask a tenderfoot question:

this kind of plane looks so interesting to me, but i'd have a hard time spending this much on a plane right now. when/if i am able, i am bewildered at how to make a choice given the plethora of model choices. just looking at soaringusa's site i was completely overwhelmed. i have seen other sites/models, too. how, in the name of wise choices, do you guys know which model to buy?!?
.
then, without having multiple hundreds of hours of self education and experience, how would you know what motor, controls/electronics to get?
.
i've watched pilots and had the desire for years. but the low-cost foamies that already had all the internals finally enabled me to step in. choice was easy. but i still have my eye on the high performace ships like this orion appears to be. goodness sakes, trying to decipher all the choices seems like drinking from a fire hose.

Originally Posted by pretendpilot

......
then, without having multiple hundreds of hours of self education and experience, how would you know what motor, controls/electronics to get?

ask Bob

I have an Orion in the next room waiting for a fitout. We have a comp here where the model is pretty much unlimited but the max battery it can use is 2200 3s. (Task time 5mins) Pretty much, he who has the least motor run time wins, and I'm thinking the Orion will be good for the windy days where I'd like to get back from waayyy downwind, without a "rescue" motor run. I have a light Euro see-thru model that works fine in light air. Being an Xplorer owner, I like them, so why not this. What motive device can I put in for max 5 sec runs? The preference being 2/3 sec runs.

I was looking at 1110-1y/6.7, CC Phoenix Ice lt 100 and 17/10, which seems to be at the limit of everything. Or maybe a Hyperion GS3032-04, CC Ph Ice Lt 150 and 14/8. Any other ideas.

Pretty good at flying sailplanes without electro-trickery in the nose, a bit of a novice when it comes to powerplants other than my winches.

Hi Brian (Bananaman),

thought you might show up here . Glad to hear your plane arrived.

How heavy a motor you can use without needing extra balance weight in the tail is always a good question.

You could also look at a 1509/1D/6.7 or similar which, while heavier than the 1110, will probably be lighter than the 3032 and it will give you basically unlimited headroom for the continuing growth in battery performance. There are specials on the Neu site ATM.

Ken.

Hi Ken, I'll have to get some internal measurements, the model is designed for 36mm motors and the Neu 1500s are 39mm. But, the gearbox might step it back and it might fit. I'll see tomorrow. I tried the Castle calculator but the smaller 36mm dia new Neu 1400 series doesn't show yet. One of those might be the go? By the way it is a RED 2.4 meter competition sailplane. Just like the one in Bob's pics above.

The NEU 1500 series motors do fit, but I think a 1509 is waaaaay overkill. Personally, I'd choose a 1506. If you want to max out the battery, you can probably figure around 100A. So, maybe something like a 1506/2D.

Good luck,
Lenny