What connectors do you have between the battery and the esc?

I ditched the 5mm plugs for Deans, figured it would ok with the low draw I am gettin anyways. Im heading to the field now.

Thanks Skyhawk for coming out and looking it over with me. It is very reassuring to have veteran jet jockey like yourself to provide a little expertise! Thanks kindly.
I will apply those tips you provided and hopefully she will be airborne soon.

Please video the the maiden?

Originally Posted by capt soap

Please video the the maiden?

Oh of course! Im not sure when the maiden will be as I still have a few bugs to work out.
My steering is not operating correctly. Right now it is using a head locking gyro to keep it steady but is anything but. I will remove it and have another look.
I also need to fab a battery tray or some kind of way of locking in the packs. They currently sit between the intakes and are actually quite snug but they might slip in flight and this needs to be addressed.
I also need to remove a little slop in the ailerons but that is minor. And one of the retracts was getting hung up.
On the plus side the fans are running well and we feel that there is enough thrust generated even from a 4s setup to fly well. The 5s packs were generating a steady 1000w per side on some low end packs.
A little more tweaking and it will be ready.

I had been doing some tweaking on the Raptor last night. I felt the forward rake of the nose strut was causing tremendous instability in the steering. With forward rake I could retract the nose wheel up deep into the gear bay but on the ground it would constantly oversteer and would be impossible to taxi at any speed. I removed the forward rake of the strut so it does not tuck completely into the nose anymore but hopefully create a more stabile taxi experience.
I had installed the aileron servos way back in June 2012 so it would be good idea to pop their covers and inspect them. Skyhawk had noticed they had a little slop in the play and this was largely due to the servos being able to wiggle in their mounting sockets. Now I wrapped them in tape and siliconed them securely into place.
We also noticed that the main gear struts were rubbing on the joiners and would occasionally bind. This would prove detrimental on a landing approach. I popped their covers again and sanding away some of the fg and the joiners so there would be ample room even if the struts were to bend a little.

I have to begin fab'n a battery tray or something similar. Currently two 5s pack squeeze into the space behind the nose gear between the intakes. They fit tight and snug and cannot slide forward but I suspect with enough G force in flight they can slip backwards inside. To address this issue I have an idea of using a "battery sack" that would have a draw string that can wrap the packs tight together and prevent slipping backwards. This sack can accommodate use of many different size packs, allow easy removal and still be effective. Much like the purple bag on a bottle of Crown Royal in appearance but perhaps something lighter. I could also create a wooden tray with a backstop and perhaps velcro and epoxy that in between the ducts. The latter idea would heavier and cumbersome to swap packs in and out. I may explore the sack idea some more.

I had started thinking about what the effects of flaperons would be on an airframe like the raptor. Would it pitch the nose up or down when deployed? This airframe is similar to a delta wing in some respect and I am concerned the flaperons may work like elevons. And how should the elevator be mixed to compensate for the pitch? I came across this discussion in an old thread:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7051419

I wish to use flaperons to help create lift during grass takeoffs and then deploy them on landing approach to slow the plane while creating and stabilize it for landing. I wonder if I should have spoilerons on a switch?

Currently I have this exact mix

Sapac F22 Elevator Aileron Flap mixing (1 min 18 sec)

in a switchable flight mode. I can go back and forth between this mixed control mode and regular conventional control.

I had it out on some pavement again today to have another look at the steering issues.
With the rake removed in the strut it had improved some. Then with the head lockin gyro removed it had improved a little more. Not quite perfect yet, I would not want to power up on take off with it as unstable as it is.
The trim holds it straight but then I would get going a bit anf it starts veering off course. It's as if when you give it slight rudder input to correct its direction it would become exagerated and threaten to tip over.
Hmmmm?

toe in the mains around 2degs and give it a try

Originally Posted by jcdfrd

toe in the mains around 2degs and give it a try

Ok, will try. Ty

All the little tweaking is finished and the Raptor is finally ready for ROG! Next bit of decent weather I will go out again and try some more taxi exercises. But for now she sits on display in my man cave.



I have cleared the bench and already begun my next project.

Cool - did you get the taxi thing worked out?

Put some shinny yellow stickers on the bottom of the wing just for your maiden, I think this color scheme is too stealth to see once in the air.

Originally Posted by skyhawk

Cool - did you get the taxi thing worked out?

I have made the adjustments to the mains as suggested. Next dry day I will get it out and see!