Feedback on review of YT Mach racer

[winchweight]

Hi. I recently read the review of the YT Mach Racer. And whilst it seemed that it was well received by experienced fliers, I felt that as someone looking to buy their first delta it missed the point. I would have liked to see the kit reviewed out of the box. That is; built as the maker intended, then flown as such. Any problems encountered in the build and when flown, e.g. flutter etc and what you did about it.

After this, modify and change the model for more fun and give advice accordingly by all means.

Otherwise great mag, but remember we aren't all absolute novices or experts. Some are in betweens. Cheers, Shaun

[nasa_steve]

hi
i thought it was quite an honest and frank review infact the same way i'd have written he did after all do all the mods most buyers would do anyway. although i agree andy could have told us how he supressed the flutter.

[RCM&E]

Hi Shaun, thanks for the comments - you make a fair point. I'll pass your thoughts onto Graham (RCM&E's editor). Would you prefer to maybe see a two-part review spread across a couple of issure, or are you looking for both angles to be covered in the same piece? I guess that could be a bit of a squeeze.

Do any other members have any thoughts on this subject?

[winchweight]

Either really. I'm not sure there's enough to make a 2 parter, I just wonder how it would have flown OOB as that's certainly how I would try it first being new to deltas.

[Alan Cantwell]

We have no problem with the leaving out of the undercart, we do the same, although i use a stub to land on, we have sold lots of these cute little deltas,and generally, they have been well recieved, YT staff have several flying, one with a mega electric set-up, and so many lipos, we had to take the bulkheads out, this one was clocked at near( i am told) 200mph, with not a flutter in site, i would be VERY interested to know the set up in the model, is there any slop? hinge gap? if we need to make an amendment to the manual, we are not afraid to do so, as for the colour, well, i see it ok, but i would welcome views off guys who have flown it, and know if a little bit of brighter colour could be added, and were, we are ALWAYS open minded about our products, and ALWAYS seek ways of improvement
only by talking to the customer, have we become so highly thought of, i know andy, he is a pal of mine, i will phone him, and have a chat
ALAN, for YT INTERNATIONAL

[RCM&E]

Hi Alan, thanks for posting. It's great to know that you listen to customers in such a way.

[Slopetrashuk]

Mmm? Where to start....
I suppose the kit was built to the instructions sans the canopy which does look like a turd on a diamond. Sorry but it just does. It also serves to drag up the airframe considerably which defeats the whole idea of buying a delta in the first place. Fitting of the undercarriage is an option in the instructions and the kit is either built with it on or with it off and the skid inplace. Modification between the two is not practical.

The model fluttered at a shade under 150mph (measured by radar). Flutter suppression was achieved by flying slower!
:-)

All surfaces were sealed with optimal mechanical advantage from the linkages and no slop present. It's just not that fast a delta. Open frame structure, large control surfaces with squared off edges and an untrue wing section with everything hanging out in the breeze has that effect. I was pushing it to make it flutter even with the 8x9 prop. Fit a pokier motor though and that failure point may come around sooner rather than later. If you want to go 200mph out of the box with no mods then look somewhere else. If you want an excellent sport delta to debunk the 'in' crowd with their 3D more 3D and yet more 3D then the Mach Racer is about the best (only?) one on the market. IMO.
My credentials are here: http://www.justengines.unseen.org/gbrec.htm


Andy Ellison.

[winchweight]

Hi Andy, please don't get me wrong, I am not doubting your credentials. I am looking at this from my perspective of someone looking to buy their first delta. I doubt I am ready for 150 - 200mph yet! But that said I want to try the fly one first, then perhaps once I've got the hang of it maybe..... :)

[Slopetrashuk]

Then I don't really get where you're coming from Shaun. The kit was built as the makers intended except for fitting the ugly canopy. The only difference this would have made to the flying characteristics would have been at the top of the speed range?
I do try and do this across all my reviews even to the point of using linkages that you know are crap or constructing something in accordance with the design when you know there is a much better way. Have you thought about how you might have written it?


Andy

[Linda Hewitt]

It's a built up soft covered (ie open structure) machine - 200 MPH...........I should coco - if you took the wings off and bunged it off beachy head it still wouldn't do 200!

[Allan Ballard]

Having flown a number of deltas I would like to write in defence of the Mach Racer.
For about £60 it is elegantly simple, can be built in a couple of hours, and regardles of what is up front it will probably be faster than anything most club flyers will have flown. A great formula for some fun.

However, this is only half the story. Deltas with proper wing sections like this one have a massive speed range. They can be flown in high alpha mode at walking speed and they are almost impossible to stall. Flying a delta slowly can be very interesting and challenging in a 3D sort of way. This is why the model has large elevons to maintain control at silly slow speeds.

Don't confuse the Mach Racer with a Magnum which is no more than a flying plank that doesn't do slow.

The double triangular section of the Mach reacer wing is actually quite efficient at high speed. Adding the canopy can smooth out the air flow behind the motor so does not add any drag that you would notice, and it makes it easier to see in profile.

The Mach Racer is an excellent all rounder and a great first delta. Nice one YT.

You should try their big one if you want to see a delta fly really slowly. it has less wing loading than many gliders.

Cheers all.