Originally Posted by theothercliff

Most people would need to know what your priorities are:
- slow or fast
- tight turning (for back yard)
- stable trainer or highly maneuverable
- able to carry extra weight (FPV?)
- pusher is more important for FPV later
- landing gear or hand launch
- rtf, arf, kit, with motor, with electronics, etc
- nitro or electric
- quiet to the point of unhearable with other planes flying or not
- big or small (and exactly what size wing)
- capable of long glides requires bigger wings
- locally sold or overseas
- cheap

I agree with all this, but it's way off topic for this thread. I suggest the question be reposted by itself as a new thread rather than start seeing everyone's favorites diverting this thread. More people will see it there as well, and maybe get even better suggestions.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

I agree with all this, but it's way off topic for this thread. I suggest the question be reposted by itself as a new thread rather than start seeing everyone's favorites diverting this thread. More people will see it there as well, and maybe get even better suggestions.

+1 - The AXN is still my all time favourite (Only have 15 planes though )

On Ailerons .... what throws are people using happily on the AXN /CF ??

The earlier post(s) talking about Aile hinges got me thinking about the axial roll I get on the AXN. I need rudder to make it somewhat straight but it is as described earlier very 'untidy'. I will measure my throws tonight and post as a starting point.

Originally Posted by mutha

+1 - The AXN is still my all time favourite (Only have 15 planes though )

On Ailerons .... what throws are people using happily on the AXN /CF ??

The earlier post(s) talking about Aile hinges got me thinking about the axial roll I get on the AXN. I need rudder to make it somewhat straight but it is as described earlier very 'untidy'. I will measure my throws tonight and post as a starting point.

I have the dual rate set as far over 100 percent as it will go to get more servo travel. I also mix a little rudder into the ailerons.

I have both ailerons up maybe 1/8 inch to give more throw before binding as they bind downward first. My control throw on the horn is such that it does start to bind on the downward side a little at full throw.

The result is only adequate. I am not a "sensitive sticks" flyer, but if control was any less, I would be building some aileron extensions to make them poke out past the trailing edge.

Cliff

Originally Posted by theothercliff

and it didn't require this trim before rehinging?

When level, are both ailerons at the same elevation or is one level but higher?

My opinion of rehinging with tape is that it must be done differently than most say... else the stickum can unstick a little allowing the aileron to move forward and backward a little. This effectively allows play in the linkage and gets worse with age and heat.

I have found that I need a little left rudder trim to make my slow loops straight.

Cliff

No it didtn require the excessive trimming before. How do you tape your flaps differantly?

Well the airframe has to have a bend or warp somewhere to cause that. I'd look for slight wing twist first, then maybe a vertical stab or rudder offset (could be a fuselage warp or twist causing this as well).

After a visual imspection the airframe looks straight, however i do notice that VERY SLIGHTY the motor is pointed jsut a bit to the right (looking at nose). Seems there is a small glob of glue on the one side of the motor mount causing it to be pushed slightly off center.

If a warp did develope in the foam, what is the best way to straighten it out? Heat gun/blow dryer?

Originally Posted by mutha

...
On Ailerons .... what throws are people using happily on the AXN /CF ??

I maxed EVERYTHING. 140% EPA on the stock aileron servos, with the wing foam bumps in front of the servo horns notched so the horns don't bump into them at full travel. Pushrods on outer servo horn hole and inner aileron horn hole. Hinge foam highly exercised from the beginning to get as little resistance as possible.

My hinges have not yet fatigued to the point of cracking loose (knock on foam...).

Originally Posted by kashalp

No it didtn require the excessive trimming before. ...
After a visual imspection the airframe looks straight, however i do notice that VERY SLIGHTY the motor is pointed jsut a bit to the right (looking at nose). Seems there is a small glob of glue on the one side of the motor mount causing it to be pushed slightly off center.

If a warp did develope in the foam, what is the best way to straighten it out? Heat gun/blow dryer?

Hmmm... if you didn't have to trim before, a warped airframe probably isn't the issue, nor the motor thrust. If the motor was aimed slightly to the right (looking from the back towards the nose), this would cuase a slight left hand turn with the motor in a pusher configuration aft of the CG. So the plane would bank and roll left. But you said you needed left aileron trim, so if that means you had to make the plane bank left to fly level, that would be the opposite of what the motor would cause. Strange...

Very hot water has been used to restore compressed EPO foam like the CF has, so that (or other controlled heat) might help straighten any warps.

Originally Posted by Tom Frank

Hmmm... if you didn't have to trim before, a warped airframe probably isn't the issue, nor the motor thrust. If the motor was aimed slightly to the right (looking from the back towards the nose), this would cuase a slight left hand turn with the motor in a pusher configuration aft of the CG. So the plane would bank and roll left. But you said you needed left aileron trim, so if that means you had to make the plane bank left to fly level, that would be the opposite of what the motor would cause. Strange...

Very hot water has been used to restore compressed EPO foam like the CF has, so that (or other controlled heat) might help straighten any warps.

It is strange. Only theory i can come up with myself is that during flight the wind is pushing up on one aileron more then the other causing unlevel flight and nessecary trimming. I only taped the top of the wing when re-attaching the ailerons so it is a bit looser then stock foam hinges.

Do you guys tape both top and bottom when re-hinging your ailerons? I was going to do the bottom but the awkward indent at the joint make taping a bit of a pain. Top only tape is holding well and getting full range of motion but perhaps thats were my problem lies..

Well today definitily was not my day...

was at work looking at the weather and then the magic number in the field area shined: 1.6km/h.. at last no wind to have a nice flying afternoon.

So went to the field and my intention with the CF was to change the 6X4 for the 5X5 and see how fast the new engine was..

Did it and ... it was dissapointed and not notched much speed increase.. actually it seemed slower tought its still climbed nice...

No wonder.. after the flights were over i checked and i had by mistake fitted a 6X3 instead a 5X5.. had my props mixed when was searching for it..

But that was not the problem.. while doing some acrobatics.. something (i or the plane) messed up while doing a spiraling down and hitted the ground while doing some speed..

Not much damage but the nose is even more battered now.. its not totalled but will requiere gluing and straighting again.. probably elapor soup.. also ripped from the hinge half right aileron ..i will just tape it as i did before with the other

And .. on the impact the ESC ,a turnigy 30A plush wich i had cutted a window in the plastic to expose the heatsink to the air and added a couple of alluminium finned heatsinks.. "dismounted" and the heatsink separated from the ESC itself.. and i can say like the stock AOXAN ESC , the heasink is also hold in place by the heatshrink only.. so be carefull if you do the mod

The ironic is that i still dont know how fast goes the new setup.. a 6X3 for a 5X5.. what a big screw up

Originally Posted by kashalp

No it didtn require the excessive trimming before. How do you tape your flaps differantly?

If it didn't require the trim before, then one of three things happened:
- damage occurred at the time you finally decided to hinge it (one last crash? )
- your hinge is off center, perhaps elevating the front of the hinged surface and thus requiring the back of the surface to be lower than center
- something else warped something (wing, fuse, tail, motor pod), like leaving it propped up and in a bind in a hot (temperature) car.

These could be seen with careful examination. My motor pod looks straight. I think it is designed to be straight.

My experience with "simple" tape hinges is that you can push and pull the control surface forward and backward while the stickum sticks and unsticks a little. This gets worse with years and summers. That pushing and pulling is what the servo does when it tries to move the surface with a flight load resisting it.

With a completely detached control surface I either use a standard "cut a slot and glue a hinge in it" hinge or I do an X hinge with tape for a field repair (sometimes left that way permanently).

X-Tape hinge how to

But if you are not using an X hinge, you at least should tape both top and bottom.

Cliff

I just finished my build and ready for my maiden but had a few questions.

I set the COG at the center of the inserts on the wings, is this okay? I couldn't find an actual measurement from the LE.

I fly at a sod farm (all grass) but was wondering if the belly of the CF needs any protection?...If so would re-enforced tape be okay?

Thanks for your input!

Originally Posted by theothercliff

If it didn't require the trim before, then one of three things happened:
- damage occurred at the time you finally decided to hinge it (one last crash? )
- your hinge is off center, perhaps elevating the front of the hinged surface and thus requiring the back of the surface to be lower than center
- something else warped something (wing, fuse, tail, motor pod), like leaving it propped up and in a bind in a hot (temperature) car.

These could be seen with careful examination. My motor pod looks straight. I think it is designed to be straight.

My experience with "simple" tape hinges is that you can push and pull the control surface forward and backward while the stickum sticks and unsticks a little. This gets worse with years and summers. That pushing and pulling is what the servo does when it tries to move the surface with a flight load resisting it.

With a completely detached control surface I either use a standard "cut a slot and glue a hinge in it" hinge or I do an X hinge with tape for a field repair (sometimes left that way permanently).

X-Tape hinge how to

But if you are not using an X hinge, you at least should tape both top and bottom.

Cliff

thanks Cliff. I think it is the 2nd suggestion that is causing the effect seeing as i only taped 1 side and i can totally see the wind while flying causing some slop. ill attampt a 2nd rehinge and see if that helps.

Thanks

Originally Posted by jer291113

I just finished my build and ready for my maiden but had a few questions.

I set the COG at the center of the inserts on the wings, is this okay? I couldn't find an actual measurement from the LE.

I fly at a sod farm (all grass) but was wondering if the belly of the CF needs any protection?...If so would re-enforced tape be okay?

Thanks for your input!

That CG is fine. It may fly a little more easily for a beginner (pitch stability and harder to stall) with it closer to the front of those spar covers and a tiny bit of up trim, but it isn't a lot of difference.

I think most folks are like me in that they put a layer of clear packing tape on the bottom, you don't really even need that for grass other than for some very minor grass stains.

Cliff

Originally Posted by theothercliff

That CG is fine. It may fly a little more easily for a beginner (pitch stability and harder to stall) with it closer to the front of those spar covers and a tiny bit of up trim.

I think most folks are like me in that they put a layer of clear packing tape on the bottom, you don't really even need that for grass other than for some very minor grass stains.

Cliff

Thanks Cliff appreciate your reply.

I'm using a 2200 3S and with it pushed all the way forward that's where the COG ended up. I had placed my 30A ESC towards the rear behind the two servos, I had seen a photo here of someone suggesting that don't recall who though.

OK I'll just use some packing tape to protect the bottom - thanks again!

This is what my ESC set up looks like

Just a warning about the 3M Extreme Tape. It degrades with exposure to light, or so it seems. I have it on the foam wings of a glider to reduce flex. It is starting to de-laminate between the top film and the fiberglass layer beneath. It has yellowed a bit - that's a sign. The fibre layer is still stuck but I'm sure strength has decreased. The tape gets a lot of UV at altitude, has been on the wing for 2 years more or less. YMMV