Zlin Z-526

[Graeme Poke]

Has anyone had any experience of the Great Planes Zlin please? Wingspan 1475mm (58" . If so, how does it fly, what size motor was installed? It's quite colourful with attractive lines.

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

Graeme

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Hello Graeme , here's some information for you...I.C. and leccy....

**LINK**

Edited By Josip Vrandecic -Mes on 28/04/2014 09:05:24

[Graeme Poke]

Thanks Josip, Good video. I have been given this model so I hope it is as good as that appears to be.

Cheers Graeme

[Redex]

Hi Graeme, would you keep us advised of your progress - especially if you go down the electric route as I am interested in that too.

[Graeme Poke]

Hello Redex, I have opened the box for a peek. Looks good. I won't be making a start on it for a couple of weeks or so. I'll let you know how I get on. I will be using a Saito 80 4 stroke. Graeme

[Graeme Poke]

Hi Redex, You got me thinking about electrics, so i have installed an OS OMA-5020-490 electric motor in the Zlin. I have not quite finished the model, me being slack mainly, but it should be good to go in about a month. It's winter here and I am not keen on the cold.

[Redex]

Hi Graeme - thanks for the update, have you decided on the LiPo voltage yet, also any motor/LiPo mounting pictures or further power train/prop info would be useful too. For my part I am just finishing an electric SLEC FunFly which should be ready in a couple of weeks, I'm a bit slow on the building though.

[Graeme Poke]

Hi Redex, This is my first electric so I am following advice from a mate. I will keep you updated when all the electric stuff

gets sorted. Will be a few weeks I reckon. Good luck with the FunFly. Slow building, you and me both! Cheers Graeme

[Graeme Poke]

Hello Redex, a bit of an update for you. The Zlin is finished, finally. We have had some family hassles that delayed things considerably.

Now my electric mate Peter, who is guiding me on this project, has had an operation and will not be able to help me for a few weeks. So more delay. Anyway he advises that the initial setup is as follows,

Motor: OS OMA-5020-490 ESC: HK Plush-80A First battery HK 5S 5000 Propeller 14*7

We will try this battery & propeller as a starting point and see how it goes. Peter says it will be pretty powerful so we may have to modify as we go. Hope this helps. I will keep you posted. Go well Graeme

[Redex]

Hi Graeme - great update thanks, I guess too that you are going to check out the power train with a Wattmeter for Amps/Power-in, so that would be interesting to know too at some point. Any Idea of what the total weight and appx flight time you are aiming for.

[Graeme Poke]

Hi Redex, Too many technical questions for an old bloke, however I'll do my best.

But first, Redex we flew the model 3 times yesterday. It flys beautifully.

The first flight was with a 5s 5000 Turnigy Nano-tech pack. It flew well but for my kind of flying it ran out of steam on the verticals and big loops lacked authority, in my opinion. Others reckon it was fine!! I do,like the option of some action.

The last two flights were with a 6s 5000 Turnigy Nano-tech 25-50c discharge pack and this set up was excellent. Plenty of power and I was as happy as Larry (whoever he is!). Now to your questions.

With the 6s setup 45amps, 14*7 prop, weight with battery 3.4kg and it did a 7minute flight with 2800ma left.in the battery. So I'm aiming for 10 minute flights which shouldn't be a problem. This motor, esc, battery, propeller combination was figured out by my mate Peter who is experienced with electrics and has used the same arrangement on a Meridian a bigger model but he reckoned I would enjoy the extra power in the smaller model.

At this early stage, very successful and a lot of fun. I still have a bit of fine tuning with the trims and organising batteries/chargers etc but I have enjoyed the experience of my first electric very much. At the end of the flights I was lost because I had so little to do. No cleaning!! Just didn't seem right after 35 years of glow power. Ha ha . But yes, I can highly recommend this model and I am very happy with the electric setup. Good luck with your endeavors.

Go well, Graeme

[Redex]

Hi Graeme - Wow thats a fantastic amount of information and many thanks, just what us leccy fans thrive on, well done, and I hope it will now mean even bigger models !!

After your last post I half thought that a 6S would give a better performance, given its not a milion miles from an electric Acrowot conversion that is in this forum somewhere. 45a I think seems is just about right to keep things not to hot, while the OS is indeed a very nice bit of kit too. And so at the end of a flight, forget that glow power restarting/stalling engines on the flight line, tweaking needle jets, fuel in/out and messy cleaning - just plug in a charged battery and have another flight simple!

Thanks again for the info.

[Graeme Poke]

Hello Redex, Another couple of flights with the 6s batteries. The second a little over 10 minutes, 3053ma to recharge out of 5000ma which is (I think, not good at sums) 61% usage. Thats 1947ma (38.9%) left.

So I would be happy with 1500ma left (30%). So I believe I have a pretty good safe set up which gives me plenty of flying. My flights are generally around the 10 minute mark. So very happy. And as you point out no mucking about with messy motors.

However, I will still fly my glow fleet. I'm just installing a brand new Laser 155 in my YT Spitfire, my favourite aeroplane. But it's good to have options. Horses for courses and all that.

All the best Graeme