Projects E-Flite Ultimate 20-300 BIPE Build

[bvarney]

Okay, I just finished building a 450 TREX and because of the weather here, have not gotten beyond hover mode. Now what to do? The local hobby store was a good place to spend last Saturday afternoon, so I leave with a new Biplane kit to keep me busy. This is an E-Flite ARF kit that has a fair amounbt of building to it.
Sorry, had to get off the newbie forum and spread my wings in the website a little. Need to meet more of the great people on this site.
I'll post some pics as I work through the build.

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[Tony]

You should have posted some pics of all of the parts scattered everywhere lmao. Can't wait to see this thing in the air. Maybe it will get me to put my bipe together, adn we will have a little flying competition hehe.

 

[bvarney]

She is still in pieces, I have only installed servos, hinges etc.
I'll post a couple pics tonight.
As far as competition, I have to find a battery that will make it from Il.
to OK LOL

 

[Tony]

Eh, just sick a couple 5000mah 2s batteries in there and you will be golden hehe.

 

[bvarney]

I'm sure everyone has a couple of those laying around!
lol

 

[Tony]

What am I thinking. Use a couple 5000mah 6s batteries. More voltage equals less amperage. lmao. I have a bakers dozen just laying here. Doesn't everyone?

 

[bvarney]

Here is a pic of the Ultimate BIPE right oiut of the box, with exception to the servos and real hinges that I have already installed.

Bruce

 

[Morelight]

yes Bruce it does seem to take a while for stuff to go from Il to Ok. that there is a nice looking bit of kit. what is the wingspan and hours to finish her? considering the spring winds around here and crash repair lost time for heli, would you guys recommend maybe I get a fixed wing to get some time and fun with??

I was looking at this : http://crashtesthobby.com/products/grim-reaper. if nothing else people seem to love their durability, as many use them for sky fighting apparently.

 

[bvarney]

The wings span is 38", the book say 10 hours to finish, but I never count on that. I'm just probably too fussy with all the extra things I do. The TREX I built says 10 hours to build, it took me 35 hours to get it to hover stage. Still have not flown it yet due to weather. The call on a fixed wing I guess is yours, but I think we all agree, the more toys you have, the more likely you are to play! lol
This plane build will keep me busy hopefully until the weather gets a little better, then the crows around my farm better take cover lol.

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[Tony]

Vince, that flying wing is a hand full to fly. If you have never flown before, get a high wing plane, learn all of the sticks in the air, then get that one. Not only are they a hand full, they are friggin fast lmao.

And the more toys, the more likely to play is not really true. I have a bunch hanging from walls and my ceiling and never play with them lmao. But, that is because of lack of a runway. My drive is too rocky with too many trees to use the street to take off. Sadly.

 

[bvarney]

Ultimate Build Update:
Servos are in, mounted the receiver and remote under the cowling. This should give better weght distribution. ESC is in. Bought a different tail gear config, the supplied tail gear is glue in into the rudder, seems kinda cheesy. Went with a feuselage mounted gear, with the springs off the rudder for turning. Got rid of the foam wheels and put hanger 9 2 1/4" rubber wheels in place of the 1 3/4 foamies. I got both asphalt and grass to land on, but the foamies ain't gonna like the grass. Ailerons are done for the wings, replaced all the CA hinges with metal pin hinges. Same for the rudder and elevator but not mounted yet. Here's a tip.... DU-BRO sells a set of hinge slot cutters that makes installing nylon pinned hinges a snap.

More later,
Bruce

 

[Tony]

I have thought about the nylon hinges, but the CA's have worked well for me so far. Can't wait to see thing thing in the air. I really need to get mine in the air again and get some video of them.

 

[bvarney]

I can't wait to see it fly either lol! I guess it's a matter of preference, but the CA hinges look a litle small and weak for what they are doing. With the hinge slot cutters I bought, the nylon hinges are a snap to install (use wood glue, not CA!). The nylon hinges have a steel pin you can cut the end off of and remove the flap if you ever had to replace it. 6 hinges are $2.50. The Pheonix simulator has this plane in the library, I have been spending a fair amount of time on the sim. Tony, can you suggest the settings for the DX6I that will give me a "soft" start up for this plane when she's ready for her maiden?
This plane on the sim, at 100% controls is one twitchy mother! I softened the flight level to about 30% and the plane is much easier to control until I get used to it.
Thanks!
Bruce

 

[Tony]

when you say soft startup, do you mean throttle, or controls?

And yes, that is a 3d plane so at full throws, it's meant to fly very slow, and you need those controls to flex like that. When you take off and land (with teh real plane, not the sim), you always want to be in low rates. I program my Tx to be on one switch for all 3 control surfaces. It's just much easier than having to flip 3 switches to get into and out of 3D rates. Hurry up and get that thing built, I want to see the maiden hehe.