Phoenix 2000

[Chuck Plains]

Well you're right of course BEB. I also like STOL planes, which, although they don't glide so well, they can also stay up in light wind, so that will be my next foray into my pile of foam.

Hmm, perhaps RC aerobats need to develop a dragonfly ornithopter to maximize that aspect of performance.

Now I'm trying to think of an all round good flying bird, but it ain't so easy.

[ron evans]

Although I'm now electrocuted, for many years I flew slope aerobatics, so I find the P2K very much a compromise in gliding terms.

It's neither an all out aerobatic glider, nor a thermal soarer, but none the less enjoyable for that.

In fact I get great pleasure squeezing aerobatics out of it. In gliding terms, an all rounder.

Ron

[Colin Leighfield]

To me it's a powered glider, that's why I bought it. The motor just saves you having to use a bungee or tow-line.it soars reasonably well and it makes a relaxing change to see how long I can keep it up there, if I want to do aerobatics I'll fly my Edge 540. It's amazing value for money and does what I want it to do very well. I don't expect it to have a high roll-rate.

[ron evans]

A clubmate turned up at our patch with his P2K and I had a chance to compare it with mine. Even with with the laminating covering, the wings on mine flexed more when pulling G than his did.

Back on the ground we held both wings up to the sunlight to look at the spars, they seemed the same, but what was obvious was that my wing was almost see through, while his let little light through.

It seems the wing on my P2K is quite a bit less dense than it should be, a manufacturing error, and the reason why the wing distorted at speed causing the uncontrollable rolling tendency.

The laminating film has fixed the problem with the added bonus that the roll rate is also improved. Still a great all rounder.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Mine could do with the motor thrusts tweaking but it's a right pain to do, other than that I reckon it's great for the money.

And mine don't roll slowly, it rolls gracefully bung some rudder in if you want to quicken them up.

Do's nice rolling circles as well

John

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Ah - one man's graceful is another man's "zzzzzzzz"!

Mind you, I've heard that the pace of life is a little slower in Yorkshire,....folks take their time sort of thing,....don't rush into owt,...like a roll for example

BEB

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

It's the tropical climate we have up here BEB

John

[Don Fry]

Can't find information on the thread. I have a stock machine, prop is getting a bit tatty, what is a direct replacement. Prefer HK as supplier as an order is brewing shortly. Sorry if request seems lazy but I am up to my eyeballs, and need some help.

[Pete B]

Replacement prop and spinner N/A at HK but the UK Warehouse has this blade set, which will substitute. You're looking for a 10x6 prop set, with an 8mm root hub and 3mm hole.

Pete

[Don Fry]

Thank you mightily.

[Bruce Austin]

Had a great afternoon with the PK 2000. I had 3 and a half hours cruising the slope on one Zippy 1500 3S and had 22% left.

Hi there Donald, I once bought an HK folding prop 10X6 as a spare for the phoenix, but it was so out of balance that I just shoved in the back drawer, and ordered Aeronauts. these were very close to perfect and just needed a gentle rub to get spot on.

I really enjoy the leisurely flying of the Phoenix. But now that I am enjoying the slope side, I must check out the videos of some of these clever guys with their aerobatics antics.

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Bruce Austin]

Hi again, had yet another great couple of afternoons gliding with the P 2000, and sniffing out thermals over the weekend.

One aspect which I am struggling with, is horizontal turning, (or near horizontal turning) when trying to turn in thermals, or having left them then turning to get back into them.

Is this a common trait with straight through wings with no dihedral???

I try turning with the rudder and varying amounts of up elevator, but the nose tends to eventually dip, and lose some altitude. C of G is well balanced at 80mm (sensitive to any lift,) and elevator decelage is packed 2mm at the front to achieve Zero.

I am just curious if there is some "magic" little technique that has so far escaped me????

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[Chuck Plains]

Posted by Bruce Austin on 01/08/2016 16:06:15:

One aspect which I am struggling with, is horizontal turning, (or near horizontal turning) when trying to turn in thermals, or having left them then turning to get back into them.

Is this a common trait with straight through wings with no dihedral???

I try turning with the rudder and varying amounts of up elevator, but the nose tends to eventually dip, and lose some altitude. C of G is well balanced at 80mm (sensitive to any lift,) and elevator decelage is packed 2mm at the front to achieve Zero.

I am just curious if there is some "magic" little technique that has so far escaped me????

Go With the Flow

Bruce

Yes Bruce, I discovered it with my Bixler. You initiate the turn with the rudder, then cancel out the wing dip with ailerons. Simple as that it seems.

Edited By Chuck Plains on 02/08/2016 18:24:48

[Chuck Plains]

No magic, just serendippity for me.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Bruce Austin on 01/08/2016 16:06:15:

One aspect which I am struggling with, is horizontal turning, (or near horizontal turning) when trying to turn in thermals, or having left them then turning to get back into them.

Bruce

With horizontal turning, you are effectively skidding the model round which increases the drag, what you should be aiming to do is use the ailerons and rudder to keep the slip indicator (on a full size) in the middle, using the rudder to prevent any adverse yaw which can be caused by the down going aileron. The aim is to keep the plane flying efficiently and I must admit with my gliders I aim for a smoothed banked turn in thermals and keep the speed up as flying slowly usually means a higher angle of attack which also increases the drag.

Note also as thermals rise they expand and tend to get stronger, staying in one at low level can be tricky, getting out of one at height can require the bicycle clips.

Edited By Frank Skilbeck on 02/08/2016 18:42:46

[Barrie Dav 2]

Frank

[Glyn44]

Hi all,

Hoping that someone will help me with the following:

I have a new Phoenix 2000 and a fairly new DX9. I have never had a model with flaps before this one, so am a bit clueless, I'm afraid. I really am not having much success on getting the flaps working. I have installed a 6 channel receiver. I guess this means that either the ailerons or flaps will have to assigned to a single Rx channel via a Y lead. So my question is how do I assign this channel (flaps on a Y lead say) to a 3 position switch, where each position gives me a different percentage of flap. Or would it be better to use a rotary type switch?

I am assuming that this is the way to proceed, but I am more than willing to told otherwise.

Thanks, Glyn.

[bert baker]

I have the motor set up on a slider lever on the side of the transmitter and use the throttle stick to lower flaps and raise both ailerons.

I recon it depends on what you intend to do with it as to how you set it up.

For flat field general mucking about you may wish to set it up as a power plane with flaps.

Going to fly from a slope I would set it up with air brakes on the throttle and motor control on a slider switch.

 

One thing to remember is,,every time you plug the battery in if the motor switch aint in the off position you may well cancle the prop brake.,, to set that  I think you connect the power to the glider with transmitter switched off  with the switch in the run position then switch the tranny on wait for five bleeps then switch motor to off position then dissconect glider battery and switch of tranny,, when you switch all ack on again it should have prop brake working,,

Edited By bert baker on 02/09/2016 17:55:08

Edited By bert baker on 02/09/2016 18:01:38

[bert baker]

Y lead on flaps,, seperate chanells for aeilerons.

I had to use a 7 chanell reciver to get the functions I wanted to use.

Edited By bert baker on 02/09/2016 19:05:40

[noba]

Hi i have just received a Phoenix 1600 kit but cannot find any threads for this model so rather than start a new thread thought i would ask my questions on here.

Has anyone removed the metal box spars from the wing if so any tips for removing them.

Are they glued in or is the wing made with the metal spars in the mould.

Thanks in advance for any help

[Kevin Wilson]

I cannot say definitively for the Phoenix 1600. But my P2k certainly looks like the aluminium box sections are moulded in.

I think they would be very difficult to remove without causing damage.

They are such a structural element I am puzzled why you would want to remove them.

I have pulled some pretty outrageous high G panic manoeuvres and not bent the aluminium boxes despite the wings flexing dramatically. I doubt if it is a damage repair.

[Bruce Austin]

Hi noba and Kevin.

The metal tubes are able to be pulled out and replaced with 10mm Square carbon fibre tube which are just the same weight but much stiffer. You will not be able to use the 9mm round wing joiner as the inside of the carbon tube is 8mm.

The metal tubes are moulded in but not glued. the metal tubes from the factory have kinks to prevent the supplied joiner from sliding too far one side or the other. My own experience with a heavy landing is that the tube bends at the kink (the end of the carbon wing joiner tube}. I therefore purchase the 750mm square carbon tubes at the same time as i purchase the phoenix. unfortunately HK does not yet stock the 8mm rod and you'll have to get that from elsewhere.

You can read more about this and a few other "essential" mods in the RCgroup forum for the Phoenix 2000.

Go With the Flow

Bruce

[noba]

Hi Kevin and Bruce thanks for the replies i have removed the box spars from the wing came out real easy my ones are not alloy more like mild steel and very thin section there is no give in the spars at all they will never bend under stress they will just kink.

My spars will go in the bin they are just junk but if i did put them back in the wing i would give them a thin coat of gorilla poly first so they are connected to the foam or if i did not remove them i would just turn wing upside down and squirt some foam safe CA into the small rectangular slots through which you can see the spar.

After seeing the spars out of the wing i think when the wing flexes the only thing bending is the carbon wing joiner.Even though i think the spars are junk i would still buy this model the spars are easy to replace with something more suitable.The fusealage alone is worth the price i paid for the whole kit.I have compared the fusealage to the one on my Cygnus which is duralene bought from Alan Head in the 80s think the duralene fusealages were made in the states but cannot remember who made them.

The Cygnus is the Flying Wing shown in my avatar.

[Kevin Wilson]

Ah! they look familiar. Mine are the same steel section.

I expect I am seeing the wing tips flexing beyond the spar as well as the joiner flexing. Although I think my joiner is black GRP not carbon fibre. This is usually due to panic recovery from my inept inverted flying practice

I still cannot figure why you are pulling the tubes noba. Are you replacing them with something more exotic?

[Bruce Austin]

Hi noba, you're making me nervous!!!

You are going to fit some kind of spars as replacements???..............Aren't you???

The whole point of me removing the metal spars was to replace them with the Square carbon tubes plus a solid 8mm wing joiner carbon rod to make the wings more stiff. Don't fly without a spar.

I had a good afternoon yesterday with my P 1600, caught a few thermals with the local Red Kites.

Go With the Flow

Bruce