I keep meaning to ask this

There's some play or flex in my motor mount i.e. I can wiggle the motor slightly both horizontally and vertically relative to the cowl. It's not 'loose' as such, it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, and the model flies fine.

I quite like the cowl and would be reluctant to hack it off (it's very securely glued on) unless really necessary. I can't see a lot through the intakes but the motor screws don't look loose - wondering if the plywood firewall maybe isn't very well glued, or is there some other common issue?

some had reported the motor coming loose, might be worth a look. Usually the plastics are put on with contact type cement and with persistent twisting and a little poking it should come off. I like the foam tac glue on epo to reattach, really good glue

Hi Bill .... mine is same and when I removed cowl ... I found its actually the foam itself compressing / flexing as I moved the motor.

Originally Posted by solentlife

Hi Bill .... mine is same and when I removed cowl ... I found its actually the foam itself compressing / flexing as I moved the motor.

Thanks for that ... yes that's what it feels like. The cowl is really securely glued on mine so I will probably leave it for now. It's a fairly small/light motor & prop, after all.

Originally Posted by Bill Glover

Are you using the stock elevator pushrod?

With such a light wing loaded model as Skipper, the stock push rod is more than good enough. I have found only one flex weakness in each 3 of my Skippers, being the whole Elevator plane and the tips of the main wings.
The main reason I have improved it by adding CF stiffeners, making a huge difference in controls.
The result of my experimental Elevon/Elevator Plus assist mix Skipper flying trials is very positive, after my maiden flight today using the same control set up, with the latest creation of "EDFHydroPropJet".

Originally Posted by jofro

With such a light wing loaded model as Skipper, the stock push rod is more than good enough. I have found only one flex weakness in each 3 of my Skippers, being the whole Elevator plane and the tips of the main wings.
The main reason I have improved it by adding CF stiffeners, making a huge difference in controls.

I disagree ... the model flies quite fast and has a large elevator directly in the propwash, so there will be enough load to flex that thin & unsupported rod in compression when 'up' is applied. Of course it will still fly 'ok', but control response will be reduced.

I've posted a video showing how tightly my stock airframe pitches with a stiffened elevator pushrod. Perhaps you could do the same - it would be really useful to see the huge difference that a braced airframe makes with the stock pushrod.

I noticed at my last session that even the 60A ESC I've fitted is getting pretty hot after an 8 minute flight, so I have given in and added an air intake on top of the canopy and an exit on the rear hatch (as others had suggested here). I used sharpened metal tube to cut angled holes through the foam (larger diameter for the exit one, of course), cut a diagonal 'slice' from some hard plastic tube for the intake scoop, and made a wider/flatter water deflector for the exit from a plastic spoon.

Looks professional Bill

Adding air scoop intakes is my regular practice to keep air flow over the ESC and batteries in hot scenarios, tho, I find none of my Skipper needs it, also minimizing possibility of water access, but obviously there is no problem if you flying water plane off the grass strips.

Plastic bottles are a good idea ... there are quite a few household items that come in handy for r/c flying (the radial cowls on my ancient Twin Star were plastic pots that held face wipes). On the Skipper there's already a small outlet under the centre of the elevator ... I suspect there would be a bit of airflow through that (up through the fin, where the motor wires run). Better to have an exit on the fus. of course.

Originally Posted by vettster

Looks professional Bill

Thanks. Wanted to try and make it look 'factory' if possible

Another Skipper flight today with new trees to fly around. Stock 3S setup

Skipper trees north paddock (5 min 23 sec)

Nice! I saw water in the background - can you fly off that??

Originally Posted by ChrisJ800

Another Skipper flight today with new trees to fly around. Stock 3S setup.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1vkxfJGpdU

Skipper trees north paddock (5 min 23 sec)

Just posting it again as all I got was a url ... lets get it up and seen !!

Originally Posted by Bill Glover

Nice! I saw water in the background - can you fly off that??

I fly off the small dams but not the blue salty water as stuffs the fpv electronics based on trying one day.