Viper EDF Maiden Flight 8/25/21

 I crashed within a few minutes of taking off! :(

I finally headed out to the field to try and fly my Viper EDF after completing the build in May.  The club finally did some maintenance on the runway and repacked the dirt!  

I was super excited and nervous to fly my new large EDF!  I decided to use half flaps so I could fly slower than normal in SAFE mode.  I plugged in a battery and lowered the landing gear and set the flap to the middle position.  I put the plane on the runway and taxied over to the take off position.  It's so much easier to taxi a plane with a nose wheel!  I slowly powered up and took off!

OMG!  The plane was making a super super wide turn!  Even at full rudder deflection!  I struggled to go slow enough so it wouldn't go too far out, but I think I flew over the water trying to make a 180 turn after takeoff!  I had to get this thing back to the runway immediately!  I flew down wind some and started another 180 turn to line back with the runway, but I overshot the end and flew out over Sea World drive!  Now I had to get up high enough to clear the trees next to the road!  Thankfully I made it over the trees, but I was not lined up with the runway, but at least I was flying towards it.

I flew over the helipad and toward myself.  I lowered the power to idle and flew over the pit area and fencing.  I made it back to the runway!  I had to get this thing on the ground as there was no way I'd be able to go around again!  I was still going too fast and hit the ground and bounced!  I bounce 2 more times then the plane flipped over! :(  At least I was back on the ground!

The top of the rudder was damaged and the root cracked.  The nose wheel strut was bent badly enough to not be able to retract and one of the main landing gear struts was slightly bent.  The nose and canopy hatch was all scratched up also.  Then I noticed that the nose section was also cracked. :(  I guess the damage could've been worse if I crashed in the field vs almost landing on the runway.  If it didn't flip over on the last bounce, I might have gotten away with only some bent landing gear struts.

I need to review the SAFE and flight mode settings to make sure I have enough servo throw to be able to control this thing!  I also need more flaps for the middle position so I can fly at a slower speed.  Later at home while discharging my batteries I realized that I flew with my rates in the LOW setting!  No wonder I had no control authority at slow speed!

I need to remember to check all my switch positions before flying to make sure the flight modes, flaps, and rate are set correctly.  For slow flight in SAFE beginner mode I need mid-flaps and high rates, for intermediate mode, mid-flaps, and mid-rates, for fast flights in expert I would need no flaps and low rates.  For take off, I need beg/inter flight mode, mid-flaps and mid rates.  For landing I need beg/inter mode, full flaps and high rates.

For helis you don't need to set a configuration for take off, flying, and landing.  For this EDF jet I guess you need a configuration (just like a full size plane) to be able to take off and land.  This is something I'm not used to with my helis or other planes.

 Before the maiden flight

After the maiden flight and crash landing.  At least I almost made a cleanish landing!

I also test flew my Logo 200 after crashing it back June after the tail blew out.  It needed a new servo horn on a cyclic servo, a landing gear strut, tail rotor, feathering shaft, and main shaft.  I also found a slightly bent blade grip during the repair.  The main blades and boom survived!  After a quick test hover and flight, I think the swash plate needs to be leveled again, as it wanders around when doing a stationary piro?  Unfortunately my gauge for doing this is about the same size as the heli!  So I'm not sure how to accomplish this?  Oh!  Maybe I can 3D print a leveling tool!  I just need a flat disc with a hole in it!

Viper EDF is ready!

Finally finished setting up the control surfaces and gyro for my Viper EDF!  I went with the PNP version of the plane so I could add a SAFE receiver and add telemetry for the battery capacity.  This cost more money, but I have tons of telemetry data and can fly per the battery capacity remaining vs a timer.

Had to cut a hole in the hatch to fit my 4000mah batteries and leave room for the current sensor.

Added weight to get the CG right since the battery is forward.  I had to add even more weights after this picture!

Messy wires :(  Not much room to fit the current sensor in a spot with the correct CG.  Thus, I had to add weights to the tail.

VIper 70mm EDF Jet Is Here!

My 1st large EDF has arrived!  Just in time also, since I just crashed my P51 :( 

I bought the PNP version and added the new SAFE 6 channel telemetry receiver and added a current sensor!  This way I can land when my battery runs out instead of on a timer.  But, this thing is a rats nest of wires! :(  I'm working out how to mount the current sensor route the battery cables.  Also the battery hits the canopy and needs to be trimmed.  I will also probably need to add weight to the tail to get the CG right.

Mock up assembly completed!

Mid-Air Collision! P-51 Mustang down!

 I had a mid-air collision with my P-51 Mustang after waiting almost 2 hours to fly :(  I just took off and was making a right turn to pass down the runway when my wing clipped a smaller white plane I didn't see against the gray clouds.  The other plane's prop cut a gash in my wing and took out a chunk of foam on the outer leading edge of the wing.  I lost control and was unable to turn and my plane went into the ground, breaking the prop and forward part of the fuselage :(

Damage from the mid-air collision and ground impact.

My friend picked up the F16 70mm EDF!  My P51 being assembled prior to the mid-air collision.

I think I can glue my P51 back together and get it flying again, as the damage is only to the foam.  All the electronics seem ok.  I could also rebuild it with a new fuselage and wing, and add a new telemetry receiver and current sensor.  Or I can just scrap it and pull the electronics for spare parts and get a new war plane capable of flying on 4S batteries.  I'll probably try and repair it and see if it's still flyable at first.

Eflite Viper 70mm EDF Jet On the Way!

 Finally picked up the Eflite Viper 70mm EDF jet I've been looking at since it came out in late 2019.  I bought the PNP version and added the new 6 channel SAFE telemetry receiver which came at the end of 2020.  This way I have SAFE and battery current telemetry and fly based on battery capacity instead of a timer, like I do with my big helicopters.

March Session, 3/21/2021

I headed out to the field to finally fly some planes!  I wanted to get some flights in on my tiny Habu EDF, the UMX Timber I picked up for Black Friday, and my 1.2m P51 Mustang.

The Habu was a handful to fly!  With a cross wind blowing from my behind and across the runway, this little plane was bouncing all over the place! LOL!  I also ended up cracking the rear elevator which is glued into the fuselage.  I have some spares I think, but not sure if its worth it to fly at the field due to the wind.

Next up was my UMX Timber.  I picked this up to fly at the empty lot close to home, but construction started on that lot in January :(.  Only got to fly it there once right after Christmas.  Again this little plane was a handful to fly in the wind.  Flying into the wind I could hover it practically stationary in the air, turn downwind, then back into the wind and hover it again.  Using the flight battery voltage telemetry, I was able to fly 2-3 minutes past the end of my flight timer.  I can turn off the timer for future flights and just use the voltage telemetry to determine when to land.

Last plane to fly was my 1.2m P51 Mustang.  I only flew it 3 times though, as I was getting tired and hungry.  I knew I should have brought a sandwich!  I was able to land it without incident, although my approaches were all over the place and I had to go around and abort landing 4-5 times.  I need more practice!  I was able to do a few barrel rolls, but I didn't try any loops.  Feels like I don't have enough power?  I think I'd need to dive into the loop entry to have enough speed to go all the way around.  I'm also afraid I'd roll or yaw in the loop and come out in the wrong direction.  I seem to do loops fine in the sim though.

Next time out I'm packing some lunch and taking the P51 and 1 heli.  This time I charged way too many batteries and didn't fly half of them!  LOL!  Maybe I'll have a new plane to fly also?  Not sure what I want just yet though.  Big EDF?  4S warplane?  6S P51 with telemetry? 

Hanging Planes!

 Finally figured out an easy and simple way to hang my planes on a wall for storage.  This is what has kept my from getting more large plane, an efficient way to store them which doesn't take up a bunch of room.  Using picture hanger hooks (rated for 10 bs) on the wall and a string wrapped around the plane, I can hang the plane on the wall from 1 hook!  Now that I can store more planes, I plan to get more large planes!

I want to get the Eflite P-39 and Viper EDF.  I want to get the PNP version of the planes so I can add my own Spektrum telemetry receiver with SAFE.  Then I'll have the beginner mode, rescue, and I can add an energy (current) sensor, so I can fly via battery capacity usage vs a timer, like I do with my big helicopters :)

SEFSD Session #3 for February!

 I planned to fly at SEFSD at least once a month to make the membership fee I paid for AMA, FAA, and SEFSD worthwhile for the year and I'm already 2 session ahead!

I brought out the Goblin 650 and 380, and the Convergenge to fly for the day.  I was able to fly both Goblins well!  I practiced stall turns, loop, and nose-in inverted hovering!  I also tried a tail slide with the 380, but when I came out going backwards pretty fast, the tail started wagging hard!  I spun around and did a turn to slow down and let the tail settle down.  I turned down the gain 5 points in all flight banks, with the highest gain in the bank with the slowest head-speed.

The 650 felt great flying!  So well that I hovered nose-in inverted a lot!  I even executed some rescues from inverted to practice hitting the switch and recovering.  I enjoyed flying it so much I picked up another set of batteries for it!

I then fly the Convergence in the early afternoon.  It was ok to fly.  I need to try flying with SAFE mode off! LOL!  It took me awhile to figure out the best time to transition to heli mode for landing.  The first few times I did it too far away and I struggled getting back to the runway to land!  I figured out I need to transition almost right in front of myself while flying into the wind.  Then I would be able to land smoothly.

Flying session #2 at SEFSD for February!

For this 2nd February session at SEFSD I took out my Trex 550!  Last time I flew my Goblin 380 and tested my Trex 450.  But it wasn't much fun as it was cold and windy out there!  This time the wind was blowing in my face, due to the Santa Ana conditions.  Normally its at my back while flying from the helipad.

My 550 flew twitchy in the wind, so I turned down the agility 10 steps in all flight banks.  After that it felt good enough to do some high stall turns and a big loop!  Fun!

Next time I plan to bring out my Goblin 650!

Trex 550 ready to fly!

San Diego blue sky weather!

Logo 200 Maiden!

I was finally able to maiden my Logo 200 the other weekend.  I had to fly at SEFSD as the open field close to home was getting fenced off! :(  It flew really smooth and was easy to fly, despite the wind.  It was also really quiet, as there were no gears in it, as both the main and tail rotors are direct drive.  I can't wait to add Rescue to the firmware so I can try more risky maneuvers with it!

My friend flying is Logo 480

Logo 200 is here!

My Logo 200 has been delivered!  Per the blade length its size is between that of my Blade 130x and Align 250 DFC.  But, this heli will have Rescue! (Once I can upgrade the firmware that is.)

Hoyt Park is no more :(

Well construction has picked up at my closest spot to fly from home :(  The south field has a fence all the way around it now with heavy duty construction equipment on it.  The north field has a fence starting to be put up around it also.  There's still a small spot to fly, but I bet this side too will be fenced in :(

So until I can find a new spot close to home to fly, I'll be flying at the AMA field next to Sea World.  Which is not the nicest field, but at least the membership is cheap.  If I start flying more, I should join the Palomar club, as they have separate fields for planes and helicopters!  But, the membership is expensive! 

Logo 200 on it's way!

 I was finally able to order a Logo 200 from Mikado USA when it was finally back in stock!  I also ordered 4 extra battery trays and 4 extra batteries from Mikado's new battery line on sale! :)