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Phoenix 2000 V2


EarlyBird
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I recently purchased one from HK and the battery size suggested was 1500-1800 3S. Reading the reviews one person said it flew well on a 2200 3S so having a stock of these I went with that. When I tried with the 2200 as far back as possible it was slightly nose heavy based on the CG marked on the wing. I thought I could live with slightly nose heavy. When I test flew it was obviously way too nose heavy for thermal soaring. I pushed the battery as far back as possible so that it was touching the wheel arch and added 10g of lead on the tail. The CG was some 5 mm further back. The contrast was amazing it will now catch rising air and thermal, all by accident as I am only a novice with gliders. I'm a novice full stop.

I feel I could move the CG further back as the elevator was not over sensitive.

I assume the reviewer with the 2200 3S was either slope soaring or spreading misinformation. I don't believe that the HK reviews are monitored at all and therefore can't be trusted.

I would be interested in anyone else's setup for thermal soaring with this model.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers beer

Steve

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Hi EarlyBird


Interesting results,.


I have a 2000V2 on the bench at the moment, which I intend for thermal soaring, so any extra info you can provide would be helpful.
Did a test balance with mine and found that, with the 2200 3s at the rear of the cockpit, but still able to engage the rear two battery straps, that I needed some 14g in the tail to balance at the marked point, so broadly in line with yours.
From what I read most of the Volantex models use a very conservative c/g position, probably for safety in the hands of a novice.
Some also suggest removing the wheel altogether to get the battery even further back, but I quite like the wheel as is, and would prefer to add tail weight.
So, with yours in thermal set up, where is the c/g in relation to the marked position?
Also do you still have the problem of the model trying to loop at full throttle, as you posted on the Pheonix 200 thread?


Thanks


Jeff

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Hi Jeffrey,

The c/g balance is on the back edge of the c/g circle mark on the wing. I watched Andrew Newton maiden one and he moved the 1300 battery back to move the c/g 5 mm further back which is in line with where my c/g is, roughly.

I have added a throttle/elevator mix of 20% and it climbs away on three quarter throttle with no issues.

Again Andrew Newton did the same but didn't say by what percentage.

Maiden video

His flies the way I like to fly.

I have added camber mix for when in rising air but I am still evaluating this.

Also flaps and crow brakes both of which need down elevator compensation again it works nicely but I have not had enough flying time to perfect the settings.

Last time I flew I did hit rising air and it was obviously gaining height, which surprised and pleased me, so as it is it will thermal. Which makes me think that I can not be far off.

Cheers beer

Steve

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Hi Steve


I notice Andrew uses a 1300 pack on his. I don't have one of those, but I do have an unused 1600 pack.
At 130g as opposed to 183g for the 2200, wonder if this might be a better starting point.
I am using a lighter but more powerful 4-Max motor turning a 12 x 6 prop.
George tells me this will pull about 18a, so well within the safety limit for motor and esc.
Means I will have to drill some new holes in the bulkhead, and these need to be positioned exactly, otherwise the front will look all wrong.
Still working on that.
Meanwhile, crow braking and camber change. Doesn't sound like a 'novice' to me.
Think you may be hiding your light....


Jeff

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With the 2200 I get 6 min power which works out at 30 min flight time and obviously longer with thermals. If I had a 1600 battery I would give it a go. I do think that those that suggest a 2200 is fine are mistaken, Brian Phillips is one see here video this is how mine flew to start with. Terrible! especially on the climb out.

Your 1600 should give say 4 min of power which will give something like four climb outs to a reasonable height to catch thermals.

Nope I am definitely a novice as I have been RC flying for just over two years. I read a lot and if I do not understand I read again. That way I sound plausible smiley

I have made a dolly for the launch as I tried to hand launch myself and broke two servos and ripped out an aileron hinge. So I am no expert.

Cheers beer

Steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Guys

Wind and rain relented enough for me to maiden my 2000 V2, and I'm very impressed. Bigger motor and prop gives me vertical climb with ease, but no sign of it wanting to flip over on its back, as other ones do. Glide performance is pretty good, but may need a little tweaking as I fly it more.

I have flaps in two stages down to about 60 deg. Slowed the model up nicely, but no trim change when deployed.

All in all, no issues. Maiden kind of boring, which is how I like it.

Good news

Jeff

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Definitely good news and well done Jeff.

Mine is also gradually improving with every flight and minor adjustments, as we all know the weather (wind and rain) has not helped recently.

For my first glider it is doing it's job enabling me to learn flat field thermal hunting. More importantly I am enjoying the experience.

Cheers beer

Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

With a few more flights and one setback I am enjoying the Phoenix 2000 V2.

I am using a 2200 3S pushed up against the wheel arch, as far back as it will go. I have 10 grams of lead on the tail to move the c/g back behind the recommended position.

Even with this setup the elevator has obvious up trim.

So still nose heavy.

I have decided to add another 10 grams to the tail and see what happens.

I could buy a smaller battery, say 1600, or buy the 2400 version I suppose.

Cheers beer

Steve

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  • 9 months later...

Recently I have had many flights with this in an attempt to improve my thermalling skills. I bought a Taranis and added a vario which is a great help. Interestingly I had another incident and after repair it flew better then ever easily finding thermals and very steady in flight, but unfortunately only once. The next day it needed a load of up trim very disappointing. 

 

At home I found that the wing joiner was slightly bent, that's it I thought. How the joiner is inserted at the time of assembly will affect the wing incidence. With renewed enthusiasm, for this sometimes frustrating hobby, I marked the joiner at the bend so that when assembling I know it's orientation. I tried with the bend /\ my logic being this will give maximum wing incidence. Subsequently it wanted to climb, it's nice when a plan works out. More experiments to come in order to work out the optimum but a straight joiner could be the optimum I am thinking. 

 

I am amazed by this as inserting the joiner in differing orientations has no visible affect so it can only be very small. ?

 

I am glad that I did not bin it, which was my original thought as I have a MPX Heron anxiously waiting for it's turn. ?

 

Who said flying gliders is easy??

Who said flying gliders is boring???

 

More fun to come.

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