Phil May Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Hi guys. I carried out the maiden on my Mini Panic today and it did not go to plan. It took off great, but it was' ballooning ' really bad and needed loads of down elevator to keep it level-ish. Something is wrong for sure, it looked tail heavy to me ( c of g is 90 mm from leading edge on the top wing. Any opinions on this guys. Heres a quick video of the flight, not thee best quality I'm afraid.. Edited By David Ashby on 30/05/2012 18:36:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbycat Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Mine was pretty much the same. Flew around like one of those dogs dragging its back end along the ground. I stuck a heavy motor up front and that seemed to tame it a bit. I still needed quite a bit of down to get it level. They can come out quite tail heavy from what I've heard. I have not flown mine for while now. Think I'll get the lipos charged up for the weekend. Even tho mine is tail heavy I still enjoy flying it. It certainly keeps you on your toes and does some really silly manouvers! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 A good landing so a successful flight ,looks very hard to fly ,I enjoyed its twitling at the end ,its a little rascal isnt it. Edited By Stephen Grigg on 30/05/2012 18:55:48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Adams Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Looking at the video, I suspect that the engine has to much up thrust, but its hard to tell without actually flying the model. Reasoning:- When the engine revs are low / off the model appears to glide ok (can not see the transmitter sticks so hard to tell if you are holding down in, but suspect not). then when you power up the nose lifts. If this is the case try adding down thrust (add a couple of washers behind the top engine mounts). What you should be aiming for is a level flight path with engine at low to medium throttle and then when you power up the model it should just increase speed (not nose up). If it was a rear CofG you would have found that when you powered down the engine, and slowed it down it would come very unstable. With the glide you have that does not appear to be the case. Hope this helps. Mine flies brilliantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Did I notice a that the top aileron was drooping during the very last few seconds of the vid? If your ailerons are all slightly lowered they will act as flaps & raise the nose.....they should be in line with a straight line through the centre of the ribs if you get me... Other than that I'd go with Paul Adams & check the thrustline......a touch of down might help here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 yep, Paul has got it nailed, unless you were holding in lots of down on the glide. If you were, you need to check the incidences. edit, Steve's right, are the ailerons drooping? Edited By Bob Cotsford on 31/05/2012 11:38:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Thanks guys. I did think it maybe the ailerons giving lift, so I'll reset as Steve suggested. I was holding in down on the glide. The motor is well under powered, as we discussed before, so I'm looking at a 300 Watt 1400 kv set up ( hope that will do) and BRC do a combo for about £30.00. Thanks again Phil Edited By Big Phil on 31/05/2012 11:51:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 300 watts should put a smile on its face.......I might be tempted to have a little bit more in hand though....just in case.... What did the AUW come out at?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 AUW 880 grammes, including 3 cell 2200mah lipo. Maybe more than 300w is required?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Gardiner Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I am about to start building one of these so shall follow this thread with interest. How did you find the build - it looks quite straight forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Hi Geoff.' I cheated, I bought the air frame 2nd hand........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Phil...thats 188 watts per lb.......might be just enough..... Geoff there are a couple of build blogs for the Mini Panic.....put Mini Panic into the search box & you should find 'em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Do you suggest more Steve? I want good vertical performance and the power to prop hang. Out & out speed is not that important Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 hello BP---your 188 watts per pound will break the sound barrier.......you'll deffo have a good vertical performance and be able to prop hang.............with/without wing's fitted.... ken anderson ne..1 .... wings departed dept... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I think it will be enough Phil....all I was thinking is that if you have a 300watt motor & you decide you really need 350watts you might wish you'd gone for a bigger motor whereas if you have a 350watt motor & you're happy with 300watts then everything is just fine..... I usually like to have a bit of "headroom" in my installations....in case I want more power & also to make sure everything is working well within its limits... What watts/lb do you have at the moment? I know we discussed it but can't remember for the life of me what set up you had.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Sounds just what I'm after, first Panic to the moon............. Thank you Mr. A Big Phil . Ken Anderson ne..1......fan club dept... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Don't think a Panic will ever be "fast"....thick wing section & a draggy airframe will see to that....something like a 9x5 or 10x5 should be good on that motor....keep the diamter up & the pitch down for lots of thrust & a low top speed.... Incidentally was the footage taken with the famous Big Phil Hard Hat Head Cam??? Edited By Steve Hargreaves - Moderator on 31/05/2012 17:12:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 31, 2012 Author Share Posted May 31, 2012 Steve, at the moment a rather punny E Max BL 2215/25 with a 10 x 5 prop. Regarding the 'Hat Cam'.No, it was done with a key fob camera on my cap.. I may be crazy, but there is no way I'm wearing that in a public park, that is for the slopes where few people will see me and defiantly no one who knows me.......... Edited By Big Phil on 31/05/2012 18:00:16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Just ordered the 300 W set up, budget would not stretch to anything higher.......... I will probably regret it but it will be better than what is fitted at the moment. I've reset the ailerons as mentioned above so I will try it again over the weekend to see if i need to build in down thrust when I fit the new motor. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Ailerons adjusted, slight down thrust added..........and..........300Watts........... Now we are talking, unlimited vertical and a fair turn of speed as a bonus. I think there is a slight to much down thrust but nothing I can not sort out with a couple of thinner spacing washers.. I could not give it a proper thrashing because I was flying at a local park and there were a couple of dog walkers about , so that can wait for my visit to the club later in the week. I am in the process of editing a short video, as soon as its done I'll post the link. Phil Edited By Big Phil on 04/06/2012 19:48:17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Here it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbycat Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 That's looking good. Think I'll have a little play with mine when the weather gets better. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 It's entirely Phil's fault. I didn't want to do it, but BP's video forced me. After nicking the electronics out of my MiniPanic last month for the Dogfighter, I've gone and stuffed some MG90's in it. A 4 channel FrSky Rx was lying about doing nothing so it's been reassigned to active duty, and a 40A Mantis esc ordered. Fluoro-Panic will fly again. Edited By Bob Cotsford on 08/06/2012 10:39:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 Well done Bob. After that flight on the video (I know,poor quality vid) the weather has been diabolical and it is still hanging up waiting for the thrashing it deserves.... It will happen though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Mine's getting a bit porky from the various repairs it's had, and I keep losing press-studs off the wing tips, but it's still good for a laugh. I did have to brace the tailpane and fin with carbon rod joining the tips as the balsa for the fin was a bit soft, other than that it bounces quite well when cuban eights round the rogby post cross bar go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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