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aircraft - electric - simply the best

aircraft - gliders - simply the best

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aerojet powered glider filip400 simply the best

zagi zagi thl stiletto siesta filip400 simply the best nano floh skorpion

selection

Well, it just is the best.
A bit expensive.
I chose the purple colour scheme and the 5 panel wing as being the prettiest.
Decided to buy the fuselage(s) as well, where some have just gone for the superb wing, and slung something else under it.
Due to the different mass distributions of glider and electric versions, it makes sense to have 2 separate fuselages, including tail surfaces.
I had to wait about 6 months, but eventually got exactly what I requested.
Still waiting when the 2004 competition started, I bought a filip400 to get some points with.

construction

Very little to do. The build quality is faultless.

Wing arrives finished, ready to go.
The tip panels are carbon faced, and slot onto carbon joiners with a satisfying clunk.
Just need a bit of tape on to stop the sections separating.

Fuslage is also complete. Just need to drill out the motor bulkhead.
I also had to file out the space under the wing a little to let the kontronik drive 200 unit enter.
Fitting the servos in the tail meant no other fixings inside.
Everything else is just wedged in wherever it will fit.
I had to extend the power leads on the speed controller (back under the rear of the wing) to allow (dis)connection under the hatch.
The power pack is as far back under the wing as possible.
Still needed to add 10g lead to the tail to get the balance point right.

Tail surfaces (also carbon tipped) come with offset piano wire pins that slot into metal tubes (already) fitted in the tail.
You could glue them in, but I decided to leave them demountable, and made some holes for cable ties.
After a lot of thought, I eventually realised how to fit the saturn electron 4.4g servos without cutting film and recovering - see picture.
I made up servo extension leads to reach the Rx under the front of the wing.
Had to remove the housings to get them past the metal tubes in the tail.
Because the Rx is right next to the 3x motor leads, I wrapped it in aluminium foil (and tape) to minimise interference.
Rx aerial exit at the back of the hatch (very nice clips).

The motor is a kontronik drive 200 set from galaxy. Made up from a fun 400-42 motor with preassembled 4.2:1 gearbox and a smile 40-6-12 speed controller with bec. Also the recommended folding 11x8 prop. However, I found that this pulled far to much current from the 500ar cells, cutting out after about 40secs. Fitted an 8x4 fixed prop (from the bits box), until I could get some more blades. The 5mm shaft on the motor dictates a big (heavy) prop adapter and spinner, which looks a bit wrong on the front of the 30mm diam. fuselage. I'm used to it now though.

I'm still deciding how to do the pure glider version.
Also a bit reluctant to risk damaging the wing on the slope, before the competition season is over.

flight

Bit of a last minute job, it flew for the 1st time at the 3rd 2004 glider competition - June at wolston.

A quick test flight showed everything to be ok.
The climb out is unspectacular with just an 8x4 fixed prop, and requires a bit of down held in to maintain it, but the glide was quite smooth and nicely steerable.
A moderate wind with thermal bubbles and a big black rain cloud meant lots of landing short, including me, although I managed it on my last go.
2nd slot, I seemed to launch straight into a blue sky thermal, but it didn't last long, and I managed my best time so far of 5 mins 32.
Unfortunately, I was against Neil in 2 of the slots, so my times will be scaled down to not so many points.

Upgraded to 7x 1050mAh kan nimh cells and 2mm banana/bullet connectors. Reduced the prop to 9x7.

Now well sorted.
In the 4th competition I managed 9 mins 48 in the 1st slot, and 50 landing bonus, and 1000 points. Best on the day.
Now 3rd overall in the competition. Still not enough down thrust, requiring some down held in during ascent.
The motor is so tight in there, I don't think I can offset it.
Maybe some throttle mixed into the elevator in the computer Tx will make it more manageable.

Finished the season in 2nd place to neil, with a best time of 9 mins 56.