Patrik Gertsson Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Search on this site and youtube didn´t give any results. Is there anyone out there with some experience? /patrik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Hi Patrik Piwakawaka. Easy build.Flys great apart from will noy bunt! On my second due to loss of control and lost model over moorland! 2 others in our club (calderdale W Yorks) Power by BRC 2409-12/ESC combo (aprox £30) 3s 2200 lipo from Ebay Servos 4x 9g. Futaba 2.4ghz Rx. Initialy 35mhz but suffered glitching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Tnx for info. We have 2 juniors ( i think more will join the train) in the club who wants to build something "fast". I have come to the same conclusion as you regarding the motor but will go for a smaller battery to save some weight. The wing is to hard for the juniors to build so i have tried to vrap something from 3 mm foam "depron". Estimated weight for wing with ail approx 100 gms. I cant see any reason why it wont bunt...... The club tread /Patrik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Hi Patrik With the 3s 2200 lipo both mine ballanced as plan wiyh no ballast. A smaller pack would probably need ballast and give shorter duration. Your wing looks good. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 You are probably right - the nose is a little short. We have to build the tail light I have another idea i have tried om a Kyosho Ferias. I mount the motor on a light 2 mm aluminium U-profile. This will take a lot of abuse - it is that kind of plane or The mount will also make it easy to move the motor 25 mm forward to adjust the cog. /Patrik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 A picture from the Pi project at http://www.mfksnobben.se/images/galleri/pi/piwakawaka.htm A few weeks - and we will be airborn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I am sorry to contradict other posters but the Pi does indeed bunt and she does so very well. This plane is highly aerobatic and very adaptable. I built mine with a 2 piece wing so it will store in a nice small box for holidays. Not only that, I also have a additional centre section which increases the wingspan and lowers the wing loading which is great for soaring although the rudder is a little marginal with the extra span. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 The first Pi is flown and it is a funfly who will loop and bunt just as easily. The second Pi is almost ready. The third Pi is on its way built in 6mm depron and with a "trainer wing" with V-form and no ailerons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Well done Patrik. Trying harder with mine I find bunts are possible but not as tight as loops. Any sugestions anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Where is the CoG on your machine Mowerman, and do you have to add any down to your plane while inverted? If you add lots of down, then it would suggest the ailerons are deflected downwards or the CoG is too far forwards. I set my ailerons as flaperons so I can adjust them to neutral while in flight, that way inverted needs no down and the response to loops and bunts are the same. I have my controls rated, normal throws which are great for pattern type aeros and gneral flight, high rates for square loops and wacky rolling verticals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Is the elevator travel same up and down? Do you need some down elevator when you are flying upside down? Thrust line? Angle of incidence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Sorry - all was said i few minutes before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Broke it today - wrong model memory Will try again when fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 ...and another lesson hopefully learnt... Sorry that happened, go steady on the repair to try not to add too much weight or reinforcement. There is an addage in electric plane building, build in lightness and build to fly not to crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 Wrong model memory - happens to the best - but not to Spektrum Lightness is not only for electric - it is for all type of flying - or not ? The Piwaka seems to be a strong model with a sturdy box fuselage. I have made some ply reinforcements for the gear and firewall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Build to fly and not to crash. I must try to remember that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Patrik You are right to a point, build for lightness is really for electric. With IC, lightness comes secondary to strength to hold that vibrating lump on the front. So normally substantially larger wood sections are used. The Pi is an incredibly strong airframe. It needs little if any reinforcement. I made a few changes so it would pack away easier and yet be stronger than elastic banding. My wings are bolt on at the back and clip under the front upper cover. The tailplane is located on 2 carbon fibre studs and retained with a single nylon screw. The undercarriage wires sit in a balsa ply sandwich which itself sits in a balsa box in the lower fuselage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 23, 2009 Author Share Posted April 23, 2009 Andy I realize that it is "extremely hard" to get planes as Amber fitted with IC I think that the Piwaka would fly just as well with an IC engine without any more reinforcements. I have flewn bigger and lighter planes with cox engines. The Pee Wee was a really cute engine - but i like the silence of the finer electric setups. There was certainly no larger wood sections in the plans i have in memory and also can be seen at my club. We are currently converting a CL-plane to electric (400W). I dont think we could have used much lighter design if we had built the plane for electric from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted April 25, 2009 Author Share Posted April 25, 2009 My first video of the "erratic flying bird". The viddler link is http://www.viddler.com/explore/pgerts/videos/32/ Skip direct to the Piwaka tag if you dont like Control line flying and RTF Wingdragon - Turn down the sound if you dont like the Schrek movie . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Gertsson Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Another Trainer-Pi. This is built as a first plane without ailerons. All built with "depron" foam. And another one in the air : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cole Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Ray Huntley said he didn't want the plane going in the "unpressurised baggage compartment" . I thought they were pressurised (to the same pressure as the cabin)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I built a Pi, made the back end very light but left the nose 25mm longer than plan so that I could chop it back after doing a preliminary CoG check. In the end I left the nose 25mm longer and still had to have the 1300 Lipo pushed up to the 'firewall'. Perhaps it was because I didn't fit any undercarriage to keep it light. Flies really well, tight or loose loops/bunts, no down when inverted -lots of fun. Can get 10-12 min flights easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Southerton 1 Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Hi, i'm building a pi, and just finishing off the wings.. Could somebody help with the aileron servo mounting? I don't understand how the servo is mounted on the detachable 1/32" lite ply! Thanks, Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Ian I wrap my servos in masking tape ( some prefer shrink wrap but I am too tight fisted) then stick to ply with epoxy,remembering to sand the ply first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Southerton 1 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Ahhhh! That makes sense! Thanks for the fast reply! Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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