I'm running 5070's @ 7.4V on all surfaces and they seem really good, 'though I only have about 30 flights. They drop in without mods, and I'm not experiencing any blow-back on elevator or anywhere else.

I have the savox 0255 servos in my extra. I have had good luck with them. However winter is coming in a little while and I found out last year that the small savox servos do not work good when it's below 30 degrees. I don't stop flying until it's below zero. So I need somthing that works good in the cold. I am planinig on trying both the MKS servos and kst servos for this winter.

Originally Posted by Gregertman

I have the savox 0255 servos in my extra. I have had good luck with them. However winter is coming in a little while and I found out last year that the small savox servos do not work good when it's below 30 degrees. I don't stop flying until it's below zero. So I need somthing that works good in the cold. I am planinig on trying both the MKS servos and kst servos for this winter.

Yea that's not an issue in Arizona haha

I've been flying all of my 48 planes with 4S on a Torque motor equivalent from Hacker, the A30-14 L V3 on a 12x6 Xoar now.

I like the speed, but I think it's not perfect for going low and slow.

What props are you using on your planes with 4S?

For 4S on my Torque motor (which I think is close to that Hacker), I ran 12x6 for speed but I wasn't happy with slow 3D either. A 13x5 was slower but seemed more stable for hovering and harriers, and ran the motor a bit hot. A 13x4 was horribly slow. Xoars seem to have a little more thrust and are quieter in torque maneuvers, but mostly I go with APC's as they at easy to find.

On my Motrolfly 2820-685, 4S runs a 14x7. It's great for speed/momentum and also for slow 3D. I've recently gone to an APC 15x5.5 MR on this motor. Less speed but it still pop tops ok, and the hovering and low/slow are more authoritative, almost like I increased tail control throws. Runs same wattage as the 14x7.

Maybe a 13x5 or a 13x4.5MR might do the trick for your motor. Definitely check the amps/watts with whatever prop you might test! And watch the ground clearance!

T.P.

Extra EXP vs Laser EXP

Hey Guys I've been meaning to do this for a while but given that I know own both a 48" Laser and Extra EXP and I'm flying both of them I figured it would be a good opportunity to give a detailed review of both of them. While I certainly don't pretend to be at Doc Austin's experience or competence level I'd like to think this review takes up where his guide to picking the perfect 48" EXP left off. Albeit focused on the Laser and Extra.

For completeness I've also put this on the Extra thread as well.

The reason I'm writing this review is while on paper the Laser and Extra should be a similar there is enough subtle differences that I think warrant this review. I also realise with the 52" exp just around the corner this review will be more historic then anything else.

Also for the record the setup in both my Laser and Extra are identical. 4S with the stock power system, Savox 255mg servos and all control deflections are identical with neutral setups. Ailerons +/- 30 deg, Rudder +/- 45 deg and Elevator +/- 60 deg

So let's get started.

AIRFRAME STRUCTURE - No ifs ands and buts here. The extra is built well. However the Laser is built like an A-10 warthog. The Laser is one puppy you can fly to hell and back and she'll just keep on going. As an example I had some bad servo Karma when I was getting my Extra up to speed and it took some hits. With the Laser you would have been brushing the grass off but the Extra needed 2 hours of work. That being said there are some tricks I have applied to the Extra that has bridged the gap. As an example behind the firewall on the top mount I put in a 3mm thick ply piece. I also applied 3mm plywood pieces on the motorbox carbon fibre pushrods. This really helped bridged the gap.

FLYING

3D/XA - No contest the Laser here is the clear winner. Again it's not the Extra is bad. Quite to the contrary - it's quite good. But the Laser is it another level. In terms of the upright harrier, Hover and Torque roll it is completely locked in. The inverted harrier of the Laser can be quirky but once you learn to correct with the rudder you are laughing. Also in terms of pitch authority the Laser is the clear winner and you can rotate like it is on acid. I'd argue it's almost in the same league as the MXS.

Precision Aerobatics - The Laser is good, however to paraphrase Ozzy Man reviews in his critique of Mexican weather reporter Yanet Garcia, nothing and I mean nothing in the 1.2 - 1.3m class (possibly with the exception of the 52" Extra EXP) does Precision Aerobatics like the Extra. It is the best balanced airframe I have ever flown. Four point hesitation rolls and slow rolls are effortless and the coupling is barely noticeable. Don't get me wrong the Laser does Precision Aerobatics very well. But the Extra is it another level. One thing I'll say about the Laser and Precision that I didn't mention on the extra thread. The real trick for me for getting the Precision dialled in for the Laser was the c.g. I've got my c.g over the wing tab bolts and it transformed the plane. With that I never looked back.

So what is the nail which one do you get?

If you are going for a high power setup (700 W+) and XA is your thing go the laser. It will take the power and deliver what you are looking for.

However if you are going stock it really depends what you are after. If your preference is for 3D/XA you go the laser. If your preference is to Precision Aerobatics or an all rounder go the Extra.

Writing this review has surprised me a bit. On paper you would read this thinking the Laser is the clear winner. On one level given the Laser is a newer airframe you would expect it. What roars the Extra back in to contention is just how well balanced it is and how beautifully it flies. A while back the RC Groups ran a poll about your favourite 3D plane. My vote was the 48" Extra EXP. For a design that is over 7 years old it is timeless.

So which one do I prefer? That's simple - both. There is a place for both of them.

I hope this is of help.

Danny

Very nice write-up.

Originally Posted by Dan the man

Extra EXP vs Laser EXP

Hey Guys I've been meaning to do this for a while but given that I know own both a 48" Laser and Extra EXP and I'm flying both of them I figured it would be a good opportunity to give a detailed review of both of them. While I certainly don't pretend to be at Doc Austin's experience or competence level I'd like to think this review takes up where his guide to picking the perfect 48" EXP left off. Albeit focused on the Laser and Extra.

For completeness I've also put this on the Extra thread as well.

The reason I'm writing this review is while on paper the Laser and Extra should be a similar there is enough subtle differences that I think warrant this review. I also realise with the 52" exp just around the corner this review will be more historic then anything else.

Also for the record the setup in both my Laser and Extra are identical. 4S with the stock power system, Savox 255mg servos and all control deflections are identical with neutral setups. Ailerons +/- 30 deg, Rudder +/- 45 deg and Elevator +/- 60 deg

So let's get started.

AIRFRAME STRUCTURE - No ifs ands and buts here. The extra is built well. However the Laser is built like an A-10 warthog. The Laser is one puppy you can fly to hell and back and she'll just keep on going. As an example I had some bad servo Karma when I was getting my Extra up to speed and it took some hits. With the Laser you would have been brushing the grass off but the Extra needed 2 hours of work. That being said there are some tricks I have applied to the Extra that has bridged the gap. As an example behind the firewall on the top mount I put in a 3mm thick ply piece. I also applied 3mm plywood pieces on the motorbox carbon fibre pushrods. This really helped bridged the gap.

FLYING

3D/XA - No contest the Laser here is the clear winner. Again it's not the Extra is bad. Quite to the contrary - it's quite good. But the Laser is it another level. In terms of the upright harrier, Hover and Torque roll it is completely locked in. The inverted harrier of the Laser can be quirky but once you learn to correct with the rudder you are laughing. Also in terms of pitch authority the Laser is the clear winner and you can rotate like it is on acid. I'd argue it's almost in the same league as the MXS.

Precision Aerobatics - The Laser is good, however to paraphrase Ozzy Man reviews in his critique of Mexican weather reporter Yanet Garcia, nothing and I mean nothing in the 1.2 - 1.3m class (possibly with the exception of the 52" Extra EXP) does Precision Aerobatics like the Extra. It is the best balanced airframe I have ever flown. Four point hesitation rolls and slow rolls are effortless and the coupling is barely noticeable. Don't get me wrong the Laser does Precision Aerobatics very well. But the Extra is it another level. One thing I'll say about the Laser and Precision that I didn't mention on the extra thread. The real trick for me for getting the Precision dialled in for the Laser was the c.g. I've got my c.g over the wing tab bolts and it transformed the plane. With that I never looked back.

So what is the nail which one do you get?

If you are going for a high power setup (700 W+) and XA is your thing go the laser. It will take the power and deliver what you are looking for.

However if you are going stock it really depends what you are after. If your preference is for 3D/XA you go the laser. If your preference is to Precision Aerobatics or an all rounder go the Extra.

Writing this review has surprised me a bit. On paper you would read this thinking the Laser is the clear winner. On one level given the Laser is a newer airframe you would expect it. What roars the Extra back in to contention is just how well balanced it is and how beautifully it flies. A while back the RC Groups ran a poll about your favourite 3D plane. My vote was the 48" Extra EXP. For a design that is over 7 years old it is timeless.

So which one do I prefer? That's simple - both. There is a place for both of them.

I hope this is of help.

Danny

That is a very nice write up. Funny thing is Daniel Holman would still say the Extra is better and I would give the Extra the nod also, but only by a whisker the Laser is definitely awesome.
Jeff

Thanks guys,

The thing I would add as well is en engine cooling particularly with the baffles the extra has the edge. In battery cooling the Laser has the edge. However one mod you can do with the laser is run a a pipe from the lower hole in the cowl. I have found that has bridged the gap.

Albeit with the 52" series on the horizon part of me wonders whether this review is academic.

All the Best

Danny

Wake up, thread!

I picked up one from a local here at a nicely reduce price.
I miss my old one so much that I had to have another.

Setup:
Sunny Sky 2820 800kv motor
KST 215's in the tail and Daviga 313's in the wing.
Gecko 65amp esc with servos running at 7.4- 8v
TP 2700 Lightning 55c bats.
I'm hoping for a long and beautiful friendship

Good find. Love to see a photo!

My precious yellow Laser has become the beater backup to my 60" Edge EXP. Which means I'm supposed to be braver with it. We'll see about that. So far... it's still precious, and I'm still hovering pretty high.

Most recently, another Hitec 5070 fried on it (rudder). Between this plane and a 3DHS 48" EPP Extra, that's 3 5070's in about 250 flights. They warranty them when they fry, but geez I'm lucky to not have lost airframes.

T.P.

Hitec has great service.
The servos, they leave me anxious as I worry that they'll fry at the least opportune time (4 out of 12)
KST's..... I have about a dozen and I've never had a problem with them.
The Daviga's, available from Aloft hobbies, are crazy strong. I have them in my 52" Extra which is a favorite right now.... infact, every EF plane I've ever had is/was a favorite

Maiden of my 48" Laser was the like the return of an old friend.
This plane performed exactly as expected but with longer throws for better KE spins, crankshafts.
Still superb in precision and harriers.

btw... the KST's are definitely superior to the Hitec 5085's I have in the tail of my MXS.
Faster and Higher torque, you can really feel the difference in the air.

Originally Posted by ChinoDiablo

The Daviga's, available from Aloft hobbies, are crazy strong. I have them in my 52" Extra which is a favorite right now.... infact, every EF plane I've ever had is/was a favorite

I have been looking at them after Gregertman introduced them to me. Is the DS313 what you used? They are small size wise for the 52. Did you shim on all sides of the servo well to keep it symmetrical or just enough for the mounting tabs?

The Daviga and KST's are the same size and they are little small for the 52" Extra.
I added a mounting tab to get them to fit in the wing.
For the 48"s I had to widen and lengthen the slots for them to drop in.
You won't be disappointed.