The 3DRCForums -Discuss Anything Thread-

[AKfreak]

Got my birthday present, the wifey paid priority shipping from Horizon on the 4th it just came today on the 12th. Well it's here now, and I can start to learn how to set up planes like the pattern fliers do. I want hands off in every attitude, and as I understand the angle of incidence (AOI) is a key factor. It's the relationship between the horizontal stab AOI, and the wing AOI. Many other considerations, but the key is setting the AOI.

 

[Enterprise]

Decalage is the technical term. I use mine mainly to match elevator halves.

 

[3dmike]

As promised the second big annoucement has been made here: http://www.3drcforums.com/showthread.php?3052-3DRCForums-com-RC-Monday-Deal-of-the-Day!

Enjoy!!!

 

[Aeroplayin]

Got my birthday present, the wifey paid priority shipping from Horizon on the 4th it just came today on the 12th. Well it's here now, and I can start to learn how to set up planes like the pattern fliers do. I want hands off in every attitude, and as I understand the angle of incidence (AOI) is a key factor. It's the relationship between the horizontal stab AOI, and the wing AOI. Many other considerations, but the key is setting the AOI.


View attachment 31315

When building IMAC planes, we took the canopy off, place a level on canopy frame platform, lift the tail until the level is, well, level, supported the tail to hold that attitude, then mount the incidence meter on the main wings first to make sure the incidence was correct for both wings. Then moved it to the stabs to do the same thing.

No joke... The first ARF I bought bigger than 70 inches had every wing angle off at least one degree ( won't mention the brand since it was a long time ago and it would not be fair). The main wings were actually off in positive and negative directions, and the stabs were both off in the same direction. By the time I popped the doublers and corrected everything, I was already not expecting a lot. Even my low expectations were not met.

Then the smaller gas engines became another learning cure I was not prepared for. Once I started thinking of them as 2-stroke glow engines, as far as propping and tuning, things got a little better. A little.

It took Extreme Flight and 3DHS to get me on board with ARFs and for that I thank them. It also took electric power to put me in a position where shooting out to the field on an afternoon for a few quick flights became a clean and easy reality. I probably fly this way more now, and I do miss going to the giant events around the state, but not as much as I thought I would. I really like the fact that many brands have jumped on the 24-25 percent scale sizes between 72-78 inch and 10 to 13 pounds. Some really nice planes in this space right now, and at least four more coming by early next year.

 

[AKfreak]

Thanks for that great post. I have been pretty lucky, I entered RC after all of the kinks in ARF's were worked out. It seems whatever I buy flys pretty darn good. I will admit the Extreme Flight planes I have bought have been incredible. They all have the same amount of materials in them, its the design that means everything in this game. There is a fine line between pretty good and fantastic. I am happy to say I have some that are fantastic.

The main reason I bought the Angle Pro is to try to learn how to set up a a plane to be hands off neutral in all attitudes like a pattern plane. I know this will make for a boring 3D plane, but I want to fly some I-Mac stuff with my 35% Extra 260. I plan to buy a set of Dalton wings and make them work on the scratch built plane I have. With that said, I need some tools to know where stuff is at a I build this thing.

I know you have forgotten more than I know, but I will learn as I go, or keep trying until I get it right.

 

[3dNater]

Tom from what I have heard... you will not be able to get a plane modeled after a scale plane to fly nearly as true as an f3a pattern plane. That is one reason for the difference between f3a and imac. Imac has planes that require more correction by the pilot.

Still... you can make them as good as they can be!

 

[AKfreak]

That's the plan, to make it as good as it can possibly be. I saw an Episode at the field the other day, my Jaw dropped. It was over 5K of awesomeness. It was somthing like this.

 

[Aeroplayin]

It's unfortunate that you can't get one of the best IMAC planes anymore. TOC was pretty much monopolized by the 40% Godfrey Extra 300, and Mark Leseberg Jr (pilot) and Tony Russo (builder and caller), along with Andrew Jesky, flew them in IMAC for years. Godfrey never "sponsored" pilots so they had to buy the kits, which says a lot about them. My son flew one in the FL youthmasters to a second place finish four months after he soloed at our club, at 12 years old. Of course Tony went on to run Dalton and ML has the 300ML, so I'll bet it flies as close to the Godfrey 300 Extra as a plane could get. I never flew one, so I don't know.

If you have not flown one of these planes, and have only flown ARFs through the years, you will be nothing short of amazed how tight they fly. IMO, most guys that try to fly IMAC with ARFs lose interest a lot faster than if they flew a well built, well set up, Carden, Dalton, or Godfrey. I've been told that the EF 125 Extra 300 is about as close as you can get with a ARF and the new ones come in the new color scheme too. I'd probably not go bigger than a 104 Extra again, but never say never.

 

[Enterprise]

I just visited DA yesterday while here in Tucson and talked to Tony about getting a Daulton. He offers a ready to cover version that is actually pretty reasonable. Main issue is that he is 9 months back ordered as he does all the work.

 

[Aeroplayin]

That's the way to do it. There are maybe a handful of guys I know that can build these the way they should and if I were going to compete, I would not do it myself. Bob Godfrey coined the phrase "In the Bones" and used to sell them like that too.