Parkzone Extra 300 chat

[David Ashby - Moderator]

I thought I''d start a little thread about this model. 

 

It''s one I bought for myself a couple of months ago but have also reviewed it for the latest issue of the mag''. 

 

I flew it, adjusted it and it''s a fine little aerobat, fast but forgiving. The adjustment I made was to add much needed downthrust by a few degrees. This negated the model''s desire to climb quite rapidly as power is increased.  

 

Then I noticed the quite veciferous thread on RC Groups. Some are commenting on the fact that the model is unflyable owing to a wing being added upsidedown at the factory. They''ve noticed that the top surface is a little flatter than the underside when viewed from the tip. It may well be the case yet I haven''t found the model unflyable, quite the opposite in fact although my model''s wing also has this trait.

 

Some of the posts I''ve seen are quite veciferous to the point that one feels the poster is on a bit of a mission or flying skills aren''t quite where they should be but....I just wondered whether anyone on this forum has flown or seen one and has any experiences/thoughts to pass on?  

[001]

David, I haven't seen one of these yet so I cannot comment on the material of the model.

I have just looked at some of the other forums and opinion about it seems to be very divided.

 

All the consumer photos that I have found show the tip of the wing and  it indeed looks flatter on the top.

Could it be that washout has been built into the wing making it appear to be inverted at the tip?

 

Does it have the same curvature at the root 

 

 

[David Ashby - Moderator]

A shade flatter at the root Richard but just slightly. 

[boggy]

i have one of these as do 3 others at my local club.

we all have the "strange" profile wings but non of us have found it to be a problem.it flies right and can perform every thing that we try.

yes it climbs like the proverbial bat out of hell if you give it WOT but thats easy to contol and actually helps immensely  with hand launches!  and landings need to be flown in rather than gliding in or you end up with an unexpected"balloon" just before touch down.

all in all a great little model that is easy to set up and very convenient to  fly and will give hours of fun.

 

parkzone you owe me that was a damn good advert!! 

[Trex700e]

The wing is on upside down!! it is definitly flatter on the top. Parkzone say its due to the contracting paint on the top of the wing. Another idea has been that the carbon rod under the wing is too big for the slot meaning it pushes the sides apart and then the LE and TE upwards. also some people think that parkzone just got it wrong. it is definitly climbing in inverted which shows something.

 

however dont let this put anyone off buying one as mine is absolutly fantastic, it flies well and you dont really notice the wing and i spend more time inverted so im ok

[Garry Pollard]

David

Did a short review yesterday. if this is the model you mean

Garry

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Yup saw that Garry, glad you like yours  

 

I was flying and writing about the model last month and saw some really bad things written about the model on another forum (because of the wing) and wondered if the chap was flying something else so it's good to know what others think.

 

 

[Swissflyer]

I recently picked up a German RC flying magazine (FMT I think) and after some very rigorous testing the reviewer proposed to crown the Parkzone Extra 300 as model of the year.

So I guess they have good enough flying skills too

Mark

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Praise indeed.

[Swissflyer]

Yes it was FMT, here is the link.

FMT Parkzone Extra Review 

The online version mentions the wing profile but you have to buy the full magazine to get the rest

Mark

[TonyS]

I got one of these a couple of weeks ago. Flyable virtually straight from the box. Great quality, and, though I'm no 3D expert I think it flies like a dream with the suggested set-up.

No complaints from me   love it. 

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Thanks Mark/Tony - wish I'd been more attentive in German lessons at school.......    

[Swissflyer]

Thanks David, I see you are an energetic moderator and one good language is perfect for that. Thanks for the tightly run ship.

Bye for now

Mark

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I'm thinking of nominating one of these for my Christmas pressie this year - any updated thoughts David? Or indeed anyone else who has tried one in the meantime since this thread was run?

 

BEB

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Well mine is still flying fine BEB. No new comments other than it's better on calm days really. I've noticed a bit of wing flex when you're using throttle on a windy day which in turn doesn't help precision flying but then it is a bit small to take out in a blow.

 

  

[James40]

Have Parkzone actually admitted a design fault in the wing or could it actually be part of the design? As far as I'm aware, a plane designed to fly aeros wouldn't want a high aspect ratio wing, possibly more of a flat wing, especially for inverted flight, etc?

[David Ashby - Moderator]

....symetrical perhaps? although I'm no authority on the subject. I'm not sure that it's an aspect ratio problem, if indeed a problem there is, some say the wing has been inverted during production and while I can see what they're getting at from the visual perspective I don't share the opinion that the model flies badly in any sense.

Pzone (HH) initially suggested that the wing may have been mis-shapen due to the insertion of the re-inforcement (words to the effect) in production.

[boggy]

and as i found out today they are tough little devils! fresh battery and it was up flying again:

 

 

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 12/12/2010 17:47:21

[C Norton]

I love mine, as an ex full size driver with some aerobatic experience it certainly has a much more realistic feel to it than similar models I have tried. You can't just shove the sticks into the corners and expect it to behave nicely, it has to be flown through maneuvers (including landing) as I would imagine the full size does.

 

A number of complaints on the various forums refer to its poor 3D ability but E-Flite make it very plain that it is not designed to do this, and frankly I think scale models of full size aerobatic aircraft look rather ridiculous hovering etc ...... [ducks down under nearest parapet.....] 

Edited By C Norton on 23/12/2010 23:59:08

[Ian Lunn]

Hi Guys

 

Fiirstly a BIG THANKS to David for pointing me here (I am new to this)

 

I have read LOTS but, Im Stil not sold on the Extra .. But it is STILL high up my list! I THINK its a bit like the Panic years ago ( remember them ??)

 

Ther was an article somewhere about them having NEGATIVE incidence on the top wing! I checked mine and it did too... BUT.. THEN I realised! thats WHY it didnt stall easily! the BOTTOM wing would stall out and the TOP wing STILL had LIFT .. CLEVER! PTW the guys from AVICRAFT wouldnt comment.. they just said.. FLY IT! LOL

 

 

Anyways.. having said the Extra is on my list.. the only OTHER serious contender is the Edge 540 (Peter Besenyei) Red Bull Air Race Championship from Kyosho seen here at SMC>> http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=31729

 

It LOOKS good ( but so does the Extra) but its about £70.00 more!

 

Anyone have any knowledge of this model too??

 

Sorry, maybe I should have posted a different thread, but Im new to this *forum* Stuff, but I will learn!

 

Any info on the above would be VERY welcome!

 

CHEERS!

 

Ian

 

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I've being flying the Parkzone Extra for 4 weeks or so now. I've nothing but praise for it. Very steady and yet agile. Simply goes where you point it. All the standard aeros are easy to fly - in fact it flatters your flying! Very neutral inverted - rolls are very axial. Hesitation rols are a delight. Knife edges easily and very stable in that position. Spins are crisp on entry and exit. Slow speed flight is a delight - with a very slight tendency to drop a wing - but only if really provoked!

 

On top of that, it fits easily in the car no fuss. I can't fault it.

 

BEB

[Ian Lunn]

Hi BEB..

 

Many thanks for your helpful ( and positive ) comments... I guess Its time I stopped looking and got my wallet out Im off to go buy one!

 

Will post when I get it airborne!

 

Cheers again!

 

Ian

[Bob Moore]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but Boggy's post on page one has a photograph, but it won't display for me, either in Mozilla firefox or IE. It wants to go a 'geek albums' link, but nothing happens?

 

Is it just my problem?

 

I've also had problems with the new You Tube embed code. ie It won't show in either browser. Has anyone else had similar probs?

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi Bob,

 

1. Boggy's photo wont work because to can't insert pictures from that source. Boggy would need to copy the picture to his own album then link to it there. So, everyone has that problem.

 

2. On the video, I am using IE and have no problems seeing or posting video from You tube. What are you having problems with, seeing or posting?. If its posting - then read the second post here by me.

 

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 03/02/2011 23:40:42

[Bob Moore]

It was the photo that wouldn't display. I don't have a prob with that myself as I upload to my album if I want to insert. I did wonder if it was one those often Stickied problems.

 

Re the YouTube issue, I have not had a posting problem until recently, ie until YouTube in the last couple of weeks changed the embed code. (I do know the routine for inserting vids. Have inserted loads before. ) YouTube still offer the choice of the 'old' embed code, and that works ok.

 

PS I've noticed a lot of posters posting complete url's as links. As in this thread. I always thought one should not do that!

 

PPS  That Parkzone Extra 300 looks like a great little plane. I fancy one myself!

Edited By Bob Moore on 05/02/2011 16:22:46

Edited By Bob Moore on 05/02/2011 16:23:12

Edited By Bob Moore on 05/02/2011 16:23:29