Captain Slow

Been to Wickes's's' and got a tub of the stuff erflog recommends tonight - its very light indeed and goes on a treat. I'm looking forward to some serious sanding action tomorrow.   thanks // CS

Hi All,   It's been a while since i last posted. I'm still working on my first ever build (Tony N Tiff from last year) but its getting closer to resembling a plane   It's been a steep learning curve I'll admit   What sort of filler should i use to fill the gaps between the sheeting etc? Can i use a normal polyfilla wood filler?   Thx // CS

ygm

Many thanks Simon. Maidened today - chuffed as a maggot!!

Peter, If you have not heard back from John I am a member of another local club that is closer to you than the Dover one PM me if interested and I'll send you the appropriate contact details for you to enquire. PS - apologies if this seems cheeky - just trying to be helpful

Hi All, The destructions on the Panic bipe state that CoG is 4" back from the LE of the TOP wing. Is that with the plane sunny sude up or inverted? Which way should the plane be held while checking? It's my first bipe so pls excuse my ignorance Thanks, CS

Hi All,  I have taken the plunge and bought me a Panic. I have a 91 FS to go in it and would like some prop suggestions please. I'd like a wide prop as its to be used for fun Would a 14x4 W be OK? All I have at present is a 15/6 I don't want top end - just fast pickup for fun-fly type messing about. Thanks CS

I have both. The standard prangster is a good plane to learn on, I never had any issues with undercarriage etc - I could touch and go ok with it - just land gently and the engine will stay running I've also put it in the ground from height and all it needed was a prop so I'd say it was ideal for a beginner. They are great for confidence because they are so robust they can be flown with a very "relaxed" attitude. This will in time encourage you to explore your limits, push yourself and learn faster ;) I bought the 3D one hoping that I would be able to learn 3D with confidence and ease. I'll be honest - I was dissapointed. In order to get the most out of the 3D plane you need to get rid of the dihedral. Also, for prop hanging, it isn't the best plane to learn on. It's too heavy - the wing loading and lift is not that good so it takes a lot of sky to recover if you fall out of the prop hang. As a plane for a novice I think it's great - eventually, even with the standard version, you can turn the rates up and work on enough acrobatics to get you confident enough to go for a low winger. A low winger (or wot 4 etc) is where the real acrobatic fun starts For 3D there are much better out there - get a cougar and learn high  If you want one second hand and are prepared to head east of the mudway pm me

I bought a JEN 57. Getting it to run well wasn't easy but it ran well for a bit. I then started having probs and try as i might, couldn't get it to run reliably. There's only ~£10-15 between that and the 55AX. My 55 AX has been a good engine to date. Either that or try one of the alternative 2 strokes they sell I followed the instructions to the letter and got some very good help from the JEN team. Their customer support was very good so I would order from them again, I just wouldn't buy another JEN 57. hth //cs

Excellent - thanks for the info folks

Hi All! I've been mulling getting a pattern ship and have slowly drifted onto a panic bipe - not a pattern ship I know! I want something that will take a 91FS and fly sedately when asked and like a looney when provoked. The reason I considered a pattern ship was because I wanted to work on my knife edging (currently using a travel air and need to rock the wing to maintain high alpha). Question for panic owners - with those spars joining the two wings, i'd imagine they're like SFG's - so does a panic hold a knife edge?? A pattern ship might be tidier in the moves but i'm not really a precision flyer, i fly for fun and while i like to keep it clean, it doesn't have to be spot on The bonus of a panic in my book is that it'll do the 3D stuff as well (currently learning to hang on my cougar). Cheers / CS 

I am leaning in the FF7 direction but didn't want to discount the speky

Hi All, I know this is a "controversial" subject as it is a comparison between two different implementations of the same 2.4 GHz technology but would be interested in views and opinions on each set. I currently fly a FF7 but am also considering the DX7 but would like more info first hand from users before I part with my hard earned. Does one set have an advantage over another in terms of features/missing etc? I've read the excellent posts witten by Timbo on 35MhZ v 2.4GHz,  maybe we could have a post comparing features and technologies between fuby and speky? Thanks / CS

ok, so i read this and think, hmmm... Where does the GUID (unique identifier) fit in all this? If there is a unique id in use then doesn't the tx / rx just ignore every other signal even if on the same freq? I thought being able to send/process more data in a signal was a core benefit of 2.4 over 35MHz I don't think i understand well how the two different systems work, can someone pls explain as I would like to go 2.4 shortly and do not know whether to stick with fuby or try spek

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm ok faffing with 2 strokes but may well ask a clubmate to replace the pushrods and tubes.  They are bending in towards the engine so think its better to replace them than chance it and cause damage further down the line. 

Hi Folks,  What are the two pipes at the front of a 4 stroke going from cylinder head to prop shaft? I have a small dent in each after a tree rescue incident . The engine seems to run fine. Should I replace them? Many Thanks / cS

Hi All, I'd like to start learning some 3D moves. Most folk recommend the cougar but I don't have an engine in that range (well I have an old 46LA but dont think that'll prob be much cop in it). Am thinking of trying the Tango out as I have a 55AX and 90FS that could potentially go in it. Does anyone have a Tango? I've seen vids, will it make a good prop hanging trainer like the cougar? What would be the better engine to use - the 55AX or the 90 Surpass2? Thx and ttfn CS

I've had the superair and the travel air. (super was replaced with travel)  Travel air u/c is easier to repair! I put a bigger tank and wheels in both and ran a 55AX inverted. Great 1st low winger (super air was my first) and very acrobatic when your ready for it. Cheap as chips so  you wont cry too hard if you stack it. Great plane for the cash

Well, the chipmunk maidened today in what is best described as gusty conditions. If I'm honest the conditions were more suited to an old hack as the wind was really quite foul. Lot's of gusts and turbulence. However, with plenty of spare sky beneath I tried the flaps (not the airbrake mix) and found that the plane actually began climbing and pitching up as if it was doing a very lazy loop. There's definately a suck it and see approach here - I hope to get the chippie back out later in the week (when the winds are hopefully going top be a little less gusty).

Panic over. I used the instructions here and have setup something that I (think I...) want. The question I now have is with the flaps/flaperons deployed (down) won't the plane turn on that axix (the flaps) and have a nose nose down? I guues what I'm asking is that if my flaps are going down then don't I want to mix in a little up elevator so that I can maintain a constant attitude while slowing the plane and increasing the lift of the wing? I hope I'm making sense, it's way past my bedtime

Hi All, I have a FF7 and am trying to setup flaps on a new model for the first time (Chipmunk) and have a few questions: If I have dual airleron servos setup on ch1 and ch5 (flaperon ena) Then use a y-lead for the flaps in ch6 Do i need a reversing y-lead becuase my flaps are moving in opposite directions? If so, can I make a reversing y-lead from my straight one? If so how? Are there any other ways/configurations i can try that mean I dont need a reversing y-lead? EG have the airlerons in ch1 with a y lead and maybe have the flaps using 2 channels?? If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it

fiddlesticks lol Still - he should be used to it by now

I had probs running both the 46LA and 55 AX inverted. They jsut took a while to setup and needed an OS #8. Both run sweet as a nut now. Don't be afraid of trying the low end screw as a last resort. Do it a little at a time and be patient.

My wallet seems to be dieting lately lol. Thanks Timbo

I've been flying since the end of last year. Having no experience and listening to the guy in the model shop i initially insisted on going down the self taught route with a leccy high wing with airleron pusher type. An air tech winged dragon i think it was (red). Needless to say that ended in disaster. I decided that this would be an expensive approach and ended up rocking up at a local flying field and getting chatting to a couple of chaps there. One phone call later and I was a member of the club, insured and ready to get tuition. I started off with a tutor 40 with my instructor on the buddy box. I was very nervous and like many newbies landing in one piece and going back to the pits for a cuppa was a great relief. In a sunday mornings flying I'd get 2-3 flights in. It wasn't long before I was taking off and doing low passes getting ready for learning to land. To help combat my nerves (and because the tutor was actually borrowed off the wife), i switched over to a prangster. This improved my flying in leaps and bounds because I wasn't so nervous (imagine the grief I'd get for stacking the wifes plane....). I no longer cared as much if the plane bit the dust. I can't remember when I went solo for the first time but it wasn't too long after getting tuition - maybe a month or two. I then stayed with the prangster for another month or two and bought a cheapie black horse super air. that lasted a couple of months until I wrote it off pushing the boundries. I now have a travel air (which has an easier to repair undercarriage - essential for grass strips!) I still class myself as a noob with a lot to learn and try to learn something new and push my boundries every week. My clubmates are always there supporting, giving guidance, feedback and suggesting the next step or move I should try. Here are my key points: A great instructor in a club is the best way to learn - mine was constantly encouraging me to try something new and fly in various different conditions. I've flown in windy weather (up to 20mph est) in various directions across the strip, rain and snow. There's a hardcore of members at my club that are not easily put off by bad weather. Learning to fly in non-ideal weather conditions is a GOOD thing  Learn to beat the neerves. Relax, accept that at some point you will crash. Don't fly anything too expensive (time or money wise) and you won't cry to hard when it's in a bin bag Practice. Sims are ok but no substitute for the real thing..Get out there and get flying! and finally - ENJOY!! In my hanger at present I have: Prangster 3D and the normal version BH Travel Air  BH Chipmunk Acrowot On the bench I have a half built Tony Nuihus Tiffie hth