Phoenix 2000

[TigerOC]

Posted by Chuck Plains on 12/10/2014 15:19:08:

Thanx Rob

Maybe we've already met, I live in Exeter BUT would generally fly at Little Haldon, (when I had a car that worked) And I've attended a few of the Devon Glider Days organized by the DSSC of which I'm a member. I can fly out of a field at the back of my workplace in Crediton. Though it's at the bottom of the valley and is only good for NW/N/SE directions if the wind is more than 10mph .

We are the poor cousins on the North Moor. Seen some of their ships when they make incursions into our territory at Chagford. None of us are in that league I am afraid. We have a good mix of rookies and experienced guys and we all get on really well and help each other out. As I said you're welcome to join us any time as we have some experience flying the P2K.

Rob

[Chuck Plains]

It sounds good Rob. Thanx for the offer.

[David Gilder]

Well I cant believe its 27months since I started this thread and it still gets regular hits and helps people out with their P2000's!

It is however that I join you all with some sad news...

After 27 months and an estimated 200+ flights as flat field soarer, slope soarer, camera ship and FPV test platform, my P2000 has finally retired to the airfield in the sky! 😪

On saturday afternoon, on its 6th flight of the day at the Gt Orme by Llandudno, it collided with another model. The canopy was knocked off followed by the vertical fin! The model instigated a spiral dive and landed just beyond the road in a field.

Damage was extensive to the wings and the fin, the nose was split on the top and the battery had been spat out with enough force to dent it badly and cause cell 3 to die !

So, Goodbye to a good model.

Will I replace it? Absolutely.

Maybe not till the New Year but Yes.. And with what? Isn't that obvious?

Another Phoenix 2000 of course!!!

Edited By David Gilder on 12/10/2014 21:27:20

[TigerOC]

Sad news David. Orme is very rocky so landings tend to be hard. One of my club mates lost sight of his against the grey cloud recently at the field and it crashed in a harvested corn field. The lipo was thrown out and burst into flame slightly melting the side of the fuselage. Plane is being repaired. He had a really bad day, putting 3 planes in in a single morning.

Good luck with new one.

Rob

[Cliff Bastow]

Maidened mine yesterday and most impressed. Flew really nicely and great value for money.

I thought the instructions are pretty poor with lots of info missing and the decals are a real pain to apply but thats about my only complaints so far.

[Chuck Plains]

Ouch! Bad luck David, but at £45.58 delivered, it's almost rude not to buy another one. My servos have just arrived, so hopefully I'll maiden mine at the weekend.

I was lucky when I stuffed my Easy Pigeon a while back. It went down in a wheat field and never even touched the ground! I crashed my Bixler into several pieces, in the same field, after the wheat had been harvested. Doh!

[McG 6969]

Hello to all,

First of all, apologies if I'm posting this ‘late’ in this thread, but I just discovered this forum.
I spent some time reading all this, but as a full 'Registered Newbie', this is my first log-in day & post.

I’m not a glider addict (yet), but I’m distributing some FPV gear (FPVRaptor, Raptor V2 & Ranger EX) from Volantex in Belgium and as you very probably know, the Phoenix 2K is manufactured by Volantex (formerly Lanyu Hobby).

Maybe the following info could be of help not only for repairs (would never wish that to anyone) but also to fix whatever to the inside of the fuselage of the Volantex blow molded fuselages.

Concerning the Raptor/Ranger & Phoenix fuselages, they are made of PP (a polypropylene 'mixed' by the boss of Volantex himself) and it seems that the best solution (-imho-) for repairs or gluing 'something' to it, is the use of Loctite® Plastics Bonding System (Henkel Group brand / item #681925).
It's a two-part cyanoacrylate adhesive (primer marker & CA tube, but no mixing required) that sets in some seconds, dries clear and cures without clamping.

It bonds plastics such as Plexiglas®, polycarbonate, polystyrene, PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene and even polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) also known as Teflon®.
It glues those plastics to leather, cork, paper, cardboard, wood, chipboard, fabric, metal, ceramic, rubber, O-rings, ...
It is OK for polystyrene, but I wasn’t sure at all that it was suitable for 'expanded polystyrene' or derivates, as the 'primer' (with Heptane solvent) would probably melt the foam (or EPO).

I've been looking around for an easy way to find the Loctite Plastic Bonding, but it appears that the retail 'blister' packaging is quite hard to find.

So, I contacted Loctite Belgium and did some investigation together with the very helpful local technical service guy: >>> the 'retail packaging' has been discontinued in Europe due to lack of public interest... OMG! ... BUT the products are still around for professionals.

The polyolefin primer is the Loctite SF 770 (better know as the 770) in a 10gr bottle, while the CA is the Loctite 406 in a 20gr plastic bottle. Of course the professional packaging is somewhat bigger, so we can mod/crash a lot more!

The other good news is that the Loctite technician confirmed me that the 406 is foam-safe even on 'very common' Styropor...

So, now everybody can make some PET/EPO/PP 'sandwich structure' protections or repairs to our crashing babies... and no, I'm not affiliated in any way to the Loctite nor Henkel Group...

Hope this helped some of you a little.

Happy glueing

McG
Brussels, Belgium

ps: ... hoping to be able to attach some product pictures here...

[Bruce Austin]

Hi P2k Guys

I've been having lots of fun with my P2k over the past six months. Now I have taken the plunge and am putting together its sister, the 1600 version.

I don't see it mentioned on any of the other forums,so I mention it here as it comes from the same factory source.

It has the identical fuselage but some other aspects are just a little different.

Is anybody else flying the 1600 version? Is this the correct forum for the "airing" of this model, so to speak.

Any comments and observations will be welcome. (e.g. there is a 41gm ballast hidden under the battery tray. This I reckon should come out, and some experimentation with the battery location should optimize the Cof G for gliding purposes)

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Conwy Soarer]

We have a 1600 in our school club (we also have an unbuilt 2000) We built as is with the ballast/nose weight. It flies a treat and is one of the favoured trainers in our fleet. Easyglider has been grounded since getting this, a much better aeroplane. We fly ours as a pure glider from the slope. It is also really popular with the more experienced pilots, they love chucking it around on increased rates.

[Rex Dyer]

Thanks hugely, McG6969. Perfect timing. I crashed my P2K recently, vertically into soft ground. It spat out the lipo causing the lipo to catch fire and burn itself out. Luckily the fuz isn't badly damaged but the canopy got a bit melted. Just got a new canopy from Volantex ( took about a month !) so I sat down to sort out a bit of distortion on the nose. I was pondering the glue issue when I spotted your post during a ponder/coffee break. I shall now check out supply and cost here in Australia.

[Chuck Plains]

Posted by McG 6969 on 04/11/2014 16:22:58:

Hello to all,

The polyolefin primer is the Loctite SF 770 (better know as the 770) in a 10gr bottle, while the CA is the Loctite 406 in a 20gr plastic bottle. Of course the professional packaging is somewhat bigger, so we can mod/crash a lot more!

The other good news is that the Loctite technician confirmed me that the 406 is foam-safe even on 'very common' Styropor...


Hope this helped some of you a little.

Happy glueing

McG
Brussels, Belgium

ps: ... hoping to be able to attach some product pictures here...

Thanx for that info McG!! Very useful that's for sure. I have an old Easy Pigeon with a similar polyethylene (?) type material for the fuselage. But I have found high temp hot glue appears to work on that one. I shall immediately order the CA and activator you mentioned as adding weight to a glider is something we all try to avoid.

[Bruce Austin]

Hi PK2 Guys

Just wondering where in the UK I can get a spare, or replacement prop adapter for the 4mm motor shaft and standard prop size. I can't seem to find it on the HK site

It's the exact same hexagon one that is supplied with, and fits into the back oft he folding prop, that the factory PK2 is supplied with.

Sorry if this seems kind of dumb, I don't know the exact technical term for it

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Pete B]

Looks to me as if it's probably made for that particular moulding so might be difficult to find. Easier, perhaps, depending what your problem is, to just replace the spinner with one like this? The original is 42mm diameter, so you've the choice of 40 or 45mm...

Pete

[Chuck Plains]

What problem do you have with your original adaptor Bruce?

It's possible that the 4mm shaft adapter is only available as part of the kit pack.

This shop in Germany have a spare prop set but it's only for a 1/8th inch shaft.

This Hobbyking Forum post led me to that one

It's pretty annoying that a model that's been around for 4 years and now is talen up by Hobbyking has almost zero spares available.

The hexagon drive piece is 8.5mm long x 13mm at the flats and I've just done an approximate calculation of the internal taper on my original P2K prop adapter and it seems to be around 13deg (36deg inclusive angle). But... it's most likely a cheap a Chinese part and is unlikely accurate or to match a different brand.

Heh, if we were to make something like this where I work, the cost would be prohibitive as we don't do high volume stuff. But I have just acquired a second hand micro/table top lathe for a bit of DIY malarkey. (no thread cutting drive for it yet.)

[Chuck Plains]

Hobbyking do an alloy 4mm shaft folding prop hub but it's double the weight of the original. Though I'm definitely considering it myself.

[Glasshopper]

Have you tried these? Puffin also have a selection

http://www.gliders.uk.com/Domed-Prop-Adaptors/products/127

[Bruce Austin]

Thank you Pete, Chuck and Glasshopper,for your responses.

I have a recent little HK problem which is well on the way to being resolved. So I won't go into the whys, and where fores right now.

Chuck I totally agree about being irritated at the lack of spare for such an obviously popular model.

The problem right now, with that HK folding prop and hub which does indeed look correct, is that it is not in the UK Warehouse.

My last attempt at purchasing from that route resulted in a UK VAT surcharge of £4.00 plus Post office handling charge of £8.00 to collect the £ 4.00. Note that that package was exempted Import and Excise duty!

So £12.00 was added to the cost of the item! No,I don't think I'll do that again in a hurry.

HOWEVER. I did get a full credit from HK after I explained what was what.

My experience with HK is that they have always treated me fairly when being diplomatic.

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[McG 6969]

Hello to all,

@Bruce > concerning your spinner, you could try to find the prop/spinner from a (Volantex) FPVRaptor V2. (not the older Raptor only the V2 with the ‘inclined’ motor tower). The prop is 10x6 (although the V2 carries a 1000KV motor) and it’s the same spinner. Of course, the V2 being a ‘pusher’, you should reverse the blades.

Some time ago, the ‘older’ Phoenix 2K were carrying a D4023 / 850KV motor. But I don’t know if the more recent ones have been ‘upgraded’ or still carry that motor. Volantex is often making improvements to their products without ‘Worldwide Press Conference’ involved. Maybe the actual ones carry a 1000KV as well? Anyway, the 10x60 works very well with both combinations.

Or you can contact Volantex directly ([email protected]) and ask for the genuine spare parts for the 2K.

Factory Ref. # 742308 for propeller 10x6 full set with spinner.

Factory Ref. # 742309 for 3 & 4mm shaft adapter.

As I wrote, I’m concentrating on FPV-stuff and as such do not stock other Volantex’ products parts. Maybe I should to help European people out of problems…

@ Rex & Chuck > glad to be of help with the glue info.

McG

Brussels, Belgium

[Bruce Austin]

OK Guys spinner issue is sorted.out by HK.

Thank you all for all the helpful info and sources.

Pete, I want to use some of the HK decals on my Phoenix but have absolutely no idea how to work with the provided Decal sheet.

Can you please point me at the correct forum topic or video, as I am sure it must have been asked many times before.

Just about ready to maiden the 1600, weather permitting!

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Pete B]

Hi Bruce,

I've just had a look at mine and as far as I can see, they would have been self-adhesive vinyl on a backing paper. Applying them directly will almost certainly end in tears, so I use a spray window cleaner such as this, give the surface of the model a liberal spraying, then apply the decal.

You can slide the decal around on the surface and it won't adhere until you squeegee out the underlying liquid with a soft cloth, kitchen roll or whatever. I've been doing that very job today, applying some vinyl registration letters. Make sure you don't leave any air bubbles under the vinyl as they can look unsightly.

Others may have different methods but mine works for me....

A site search on 'decal' will turn up several pages of thread headers - it's all in there somewhere!

Pete

[McG 6969]

@ Bruce,

If you have to deal with vinyl stickers on foam, please don't forget that expanded polystyrene (EPO and others) has been previously molded and therefore at time of fabrication, the molds were covered with a 'demoulding agent' which is still present on the surface of the foam. And precisely that takes care of all the troubles we have with either painting or sticking to it.

As Pete stated, the window cleaner is an ideal solution to be able to position precisely and get all the bubbles out of underneath the sticker but will be no guarantee for a durable fixation.

There is an additional trick though. Damp a piece of cotton fabris with 'rubbing alcohol' and clean off the involved surface first. Then let evaporate and you created a sticker-receptive surface.

A second, even 'better', solution is to treat the local sticker surface with a (very) thin layer of UHU Por glue (after the rubbing alcohol treatment), waiting for some minutes to start curing and then applying the vinyl sticker when still a bit wet (without the window spray technique). This closes all the pores of the foam giving you a perfect surface for reliable gluing. In fact, it's also the best method to use when improving the standard factory foam surfaces (especially elevators) hinges by the 3M Blenderm method.

For FPV use - a lot 'heavier' and 'demanding' than gliders - we always cut out the standard factory 'foam' hinges and replace them with Blenderm tape (or even CA hinges).

Happy stickering

McG

[Kevin Wilson]

I used to race RC cars and the soapy spray method sugested by Pete is definitely the way to put down self adhesive vinyl or stickers.

You can get away a bit on planes as there are plenty of straight surfaces, But if you are after easy & precise, any translucent window cleaner in a spray bottle is hard to beat.

I never had any adhesion problems from the window cleaner, although I did also follow McG suggestion of a good clean down first.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Finally got around to doing mine, I couldn't get an rx in and the pushrods where rubbing against the side and top of fuzz so I cut the plate and mounted them lower and central...jobs a good un

John

[Bruce Austin]

Hi there Pete and all others on this forum who are supplying such great info.

My query.

I have just fitted a 2836 1000kv "Propdrive" coupled to a 35A esc to my Phoenix 1600. I have set the brake to "on". I am running an 1800 3S lipo I have a lipo checker at the field and always check the state of the charge before I connect any battery..

When I open the throttle a small amount there is a high pitched chatter and the prop shudders continuously until I open the throttle further, then the prop runs as normal with no chatter.

The other day i ran a few maiden flight circuits and landings without any drama and all was good.

But...... On one flight when I opened the throttle, the chatter recurred and the prop just shuddered without actually picking up speed. I returned to the pits to investigate. No burning smell or anything else out of the ordinary. The prop is free to turn without hooking on anything.

When the problem occurred there was still a 40% charge remaining

I had the canopy open, and the nose pointing down while checking, and then tried the throttle again and all was back to normal and I had another three or four flights without any further problem.

Sun was setting and so time to go home.

I have bench checked again, and at very low throttle the chattering is there but as soon as I open the throttle all is normal.

What's going on???

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Mart49]

Bruce, I'd have a go at calibrating the esc initially. Unplug the battery, set throttle to full, plug battery in to esc, wait for the bleep and close throttle. Unplug battery and plug back in and give it a go.

Mart