john stones 1 - Moderator Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 It never occurred to me to put the rudder servo at the back, would have made things simpler for me nice looking Atom Mark John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I will do a short build thread when i get chance to cover the things i did differently ... a great thing with going to the session was that the angle of the dangle was found not to be right so she got a couple of lumps of lead in the nose ..possibly due to the servo at the back ... but she still flew well in strong blustery winds so will just be able to take out a small part of the lead for calm days...thanks to everyone for the lead and also for the missing head nut as well as the canopy from Rich It was a serious rush to get it finished in time .. linkages and pushrods added during the morning along with mounting the motor, receiver was bound at about mid day, blades covered at 2pm and finally fitted .. all in the car by 3pm and first flight just after 4pm ... did i cut it a bit fine ? Now i can take my time to finish her .. some yellow trim was the plan which is why the wheels and u/c are yellow ... as she is a tractor autogyro i was going for John Deere colors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Hi , I took my Atom out today not a perfect day but so wanted to get the maiden done . I had concerns whether the motor would be good enough or my home made blades would do the job . Well i can report that the motor has plenty of power and the blades give plenty of lift . As it leaped up into the air at a rapped pace and was quickly over my head where i was struggling to put enough down in . Yes Auto Gyros can do loops. it did not take long before it hit the ground with a thump . So i guess i had far too much angle on my head . So broken prop and broken pride put a end to my test flights . It will have to wait till next time before i can try again . Steve. Edited By Stephen Jones on 04/05/2015 17:34:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I have done a thread with my build photos if anyone is interested **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have updated my build thread but my Atom is just about finished at last ... has a few stripes, cockpit, cowl and new head plate now .. just the tail wheel to finish (almost done and will update my build thread when it is) .... I just want to fly it now!! Edited By Mark Stringer on 12/05/2015 13:21:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Posted by Stephen Jones on 04/05/2015 17:32:42: Hi , I took my Atom out today not a perfect day but so wanted to get the maiden done . I had concerns whether the motor would be good enough or my home made blades would do the job . Well i can report that the motor has plenty of power and the blades give plenty of lift . As it leaped up into the air at a rapped pace and was quickly over my head where i was struggling to put enough down in . Yes Auto Gyros can do loops. it did not take long before it hit the ground with a thump . So i guess i had far too much angle on my head . So broken prop and broken pride put a end to my test flights . It will have to wait till next time before i can try again . Steve. Edited By Stephen Jones on 04/05/2015 17:34:33 Sounds like an exciting maiden! Mark, don't let a little wind put you off flying it, mine actually handles a strong breeze quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Sounds exactly like the maiden of my HK 109 eh Chris? by the way it files nicely now with a little more forward COG something you might want to consider for your Atom Mark Edited By Phil Winks on 12/05/2015 19:43:47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 The HK 109 had an alternative flight plan and went straight into ground attack mode! My Atom has done so many flights now from grass the u/c has started to work loose! Will have to replace it before Greenacres! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It certainly did that Chris in a very convincing manner, with my atom UC I added an fg plate inside the fuse and greased the UC then part filled the holes with epoxy placed the uc back in and when it set hey presto a perfect fit, the grease did its job and the uc is still removable Edited By Phil Winks on 12/05/2015 20:24:04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 One more mod to the Atom tail feathers at our first show off the season Paul at electriflite showed me some carbon reinforced balsa , it's 2mm balsa with a very thin carbon fibre covering both sides lighter than liteply and stronger too, it looked like the solution to my constant hanger/landing rash the tail feathers suffer, pricey but I thought in long run it could just be worth it so one weekend later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Mark, Looks the business now it has its yellow trimming added great job! Phil, I do like the fins, nice effect. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Rich ... hope OW was good .. a bit blowy up the field today and could really have done with your advice ... Since you flew my atom i have added the trim. . .changed the tail servo, added the cowl and secured the lead in the nose .. so the CofG should still be good. . I also zero'd the trims as you had some trims at their max so i may be a degree out with the head.... also a change of prop which may give a little more poke The only major change is to try my own head plate .. the wider one with curved corners and using a 12mm gap rather than 14mm ... still using 0.8mm shims on the blades ... and today my atom seemed to have unlimited lift ... wanted to take off very early on, didn't need the blades spinning at the start. After a couple of falling over to the left at slow speed take offattempts she took to the air .. straight up .. into a perfect loop at only 10ft off the ground .. recovered nicely out of the loop. ... i cut the motor and she auto-rotated onto the grass ... Only damage was knocking a fin off as she tipped over after this landing .... very impressive but clearly not right Is it just my new plate do you think or have I messed something else up? The amount of lift is amazing if it could be controlled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozgur Sar Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Himy blades were stretching too much and even once i had a blade strike so i cut a second triangle and placed it on top of other like in this picture. Will it cause any problem? Head is pretty rigid now compared to sluggish bendings with one triangle.http://i61.tinypic.com/23kospi.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Mark, From what you have explained this would point at the head plate being more rigid than the original, with this it will need different trim settings. Its like swapping a wing on a fixed wing with a wing that has a different area and profile and expecting to match the original. It may not seem much of an alteration but believe me it is and one of the components that is most likely to cause issues as it can alter 90 degree prosession and cone angles which effect trim significantly. Ozgur, Though I have never tried doubling up head plates like you have I am almost certain it will create issues, very much the same (probably more exaggerated) as Mark has described above. If blade strikes are the sole reason for your alteration why not add an anti strike plate? a FG circle that sandwhiches underneath the standard triangular plate. Clearance holes are added to clear the blade mounting bolts so that triangular plate is free to flap up with its normal deflection. I have a drawing for this somewhere on the web, if I can find it I will link it here. Here it is attached to post 21 ANTI STRIKE PLATE AND HEAD Hope this helps gents? Rich Edited By Richard Harris on 20/05/2015 00:28:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozgur Sar Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Rich, Thanks for your comments. I just want to give it a try this way and see what happens. I had a couple of minor crashes that forced me to strengthen the body and this caused weight increase overall so blades flap up much more than normal in my last test (which also caused a strike as well) Original plan rudders were not enough as well (one was broken half) so I increased the rudder lengths this time. Hopefully I will make a new test flight this saturday and will share the results here. I hope it won't create unlimited lift as Mark's head plate modification. So, why do we need the natural blade "flap up" actually? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Thanks Rich ..makes sense.I may keep the head design but move back to 14mm and try againSee you soon Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Richard, are you thinking of going to Greenacres this weekend? If so I shall bring my Atoms for your advice. Martin Mc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Another trimming session! I will be taking my Atom this weekend. Any others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 Yes, I am hoping to go to Greenacres and will most certainly bring along my Atom! No worries on giving yours the once over Martin Just grab me if you see me! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Thanks, I`ll bump into you no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Last Monday I decided that, as the weather was reasonable, it was time I maidened my Atom Special. The grass and dandelions at our field were a bit on the long side, but there was a good breeze to spin up the rotor. My first problem was keeping the take off run straight. Then, when I did achieve lift, it simply veered to the left and tipped over. Eventually I managed a straight(ish) run and she lifted off gracefully, and vertically! First time I've ever prop-hung anything!! Thinking the angle of attack of the rotors was too great, I reduced it and tried again. Off she went, airborne but almost uncontrollable. The flight ended as she nose dived into the potato field next to our strip. No damage except a broken prop. Over the next half hour took off another half-a-dozen times, ending with the same number of crashes heavy landings! This culminated in a broken mast, but no other damage. Back at base, out with old mast and a new one made. I also installed the ESC under the body to allow more room in the battery bay. Took her to the field yesterday, with much reduced angle of attack on the rotor, and, despite an audience, she took off beautifully. I flew a couple or three circuits and attempted to land. I expected this to be a real handfull, but she simply descended steadily and, with a touch of flare, landed light as a feather. One more equally sucessful flight ensued, and I put her away while I was on top! All in all really pleased with it, just need some more practise and adjustment to the servo throws. Thanks to Richard for a great design...... GDB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Well done Caveman, glad you got there in the end. I have almost finished the rebuild of mine although it probably wont look as pretty. Hopefully it will be third time lucky! Cheers Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Success! Repaired No.2, the blue one, after Greenacres and increased the shims to 1.2mm on both. Tried No.1, the red one, first. The wind was at 45 deg. to the patch so could not get a long run and it tipped left damaging a servo. No.2 next and it took off no problem. It was trying to go left all the time so I put in a lot of right trim. I had a long flight but stuck to right hand circuits. Landing was a doddle. It would seem to me that the small amount of left thrust was causing the problem so will look into this. 2/3rd size Muon next but although it ran the length of the strip with the rotors spinning like mad it did not lift. Larger prop., slightly less shim or 3s needed I think. (the grass is in need of a cut which would help). Many thanks to Richard for his invaluable help and advice at the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 GDB, Glad to hear you have got your Atom into the air despite a few minor scratches along the way Martin, Nice to meet you last weekend, your blades lack of wanting to spin up was something I hadn't seen before with such a well made set of blades. After pondering over it for a few days I think that maybe the trailing edge could be a little on the thin side. But, it looks like that extra shim has worked, a job well done! Your smaller Atom is cute and I look forward to hearing how it all works out? Must start my larger version after I have repaired my Panther Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Jones 2 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Hi Rich Interesting comment on potential for the blades trailing edge being 'Too thin'... couldyo expand please.? When I make my blades and I shape with the razor plane I aim for approx 1/16". This gives a little for sanding although I have to be careful. Some of the blades end up almost sharp ... I take it this is not good ?? If so what thickess shoul be targeted for a 'finished blade' ?? Steve PS: what happend to the Panther ? Edited By Steve Jones 2 on 28/05/2015 12:46:18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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