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Electric Stunt => Gettin all AMP'ed up! => Topic started by: John Rist on December 02, 2017, 11:54:20 PM
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Well I picked up my E-Cavalier from Tom Morris the other day. I had ordered a kit with the wing built. What I wound up with was an almost ready to paint model. It is straight and light. All that was needed is to mount the wheel pans. I aligned the E-Cavalier on a board that had parallel lines drawn on it. Doesn't show in the picture but the fuselage has been set with center line level and square with the center line on the board. I spot glued a level to the center line of the wheel pants. I then aliened the wheel pants with one of the lines on the board and set the wheel pan center line level. Last picture is plane mounted on the paint stick ready to paint. I clamp the stick in a shop mate. Works great as a paint stand.
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I await flight reports. D>K
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I await flight reports. D>K
Will do. However if it is unfavorable it will be obviously be pilot error. LL~ After all, this plane was built by Tom's building service! #^
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Just got a preliminary weight Looks like ready to fly weight will be around 45 oz with a 2800 4 cell Thunder Power battery. y1
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Well the bird is ready to fly! Not sure when I will get to put in the first flight. The specks as she sits now are:
Weight ready to fly 45 oz
KR timer set to 9K rpm
Speed Controller Turnigy Plush 40A
Battery TP 4S 2800 ProLiteX
Motor Cobra 2820-12
Prop APC 12 x 6 EP with 1/8" removed from each tip.
3/4 oz tip weight.
When flown I will report. #^
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Had a break in the weather today and got to go flying. So, first flight on my e-Cavalier is all did and done! All indications is this is going to be a great airplane. I only put in one flight. I used a set of 60' lines. Lap time seemed a little fast. I was flying by myself so I did not get a stopwatch reading on the lap times. I will drop the RPM down a little for the next flight. Line pull was really strong, however it was lighter at 45 deg high than at level flight. I will adjust the line slider some before the next flight. 3/4 oz tip weight seem to be about right. She flies level upright and inverted. Pretty much went where I pointed her. Haven't tried any sharp corners yet. My flying is so rusty it will take several flights to get back to working on the beginners pattern. I don't have a feel for the CG yet. Battery is all the way back in the battery box and is seem it may still be a bit noise heavy. When the dust settles I will starting adding tail weight. For now it's good - landing was silky smooth. The really good news is that all of the electronics worked great! Timer was set to 4 minutes (plenty for beginners pattern), and the charge put back was 1634 mah. The TP 2900 mah battery had lots of charge left. When I need a 5 minute flights I will still be good. It was about a 60 deg F day. I made a bee line to the airplane when it landed and checked the temperature of everything. Motor was warm to the touch, defiantly not hot. Battery was the same. This airplane is every thing I wanted and then some. Now I just have to get off of my lazy rear end and FLY, FLY, and FLY some more! #^ #^ #^
PS Thanks to Tom Morris for a great ship and tips on setup.
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John, what did you use for covering and what paint for the airplane. You did a nice job finishing this airplane.
I like the color scheme, looks very nice. Love the lines of the Cavalier. I have owned both a full body Cavalier as well as a profile. Both flew Very well. The full bodied ship ended up being electric and competed with it for several years up in New England.
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John, what did you use for covering and what paint for the airplane. You did a nice job finishing this airplane.
I like the color scheme, looks very nice. Love the lines of the Cavalier. I have owned both a full body Cavalier as well as a profile. Both flew Very well. The full bodied ship ended up being electric and competed with it for several years up in New England.
Not sure of the covering. When I picked up the airplane from Tom it was covered and sprayed in gray primer. So it is either silk span or poly span and automotive rattle can gray primer. I painted it with rattle can Rust-Oleum gloss enamel. Decals are by Do It Yourself Vinyl Lettering: https://doityourselflettering.com/create/ By the way, bottom is ugly. Light on paint to save weight. LL~
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Well, it looks good. Enjoy!
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Hi John,
Where is the battery, timer and ESC placed on the plane.
Peter Mick
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Hi John,
Where is the battery, timer and ESC placed on the plane.
Peter Mick
Tom has designed a compartment into the noise that has a pocket for each of the components. Earlier in this post is a list of components that were an exact fit. The hatch is held on with magnets. It is all neat and tidy. No ugly stuff hanging out. Also Tom has kept it strong and light. y1
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Put in flight #2 today. Plane flew great. Goes where I point it. Very tight lines in the overhead part of a wing over. I just now need to start flying a lot. Right now I have been flying so little each flight is a heart stopper. The plan is still to learn the beginners pattern and go to at least one contest this summer. #^
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Seems like a pretty big prop. How many squares is that wing?
650 sq in. I am using the same prop that Tom Morris recommend and sold with the airplane. Also the motor came from Tom and the motor and spinner was installed on the aircraft when I picked it up.. Current recharge on a 4 minute flight was 1438 mah. RPM is set at 8500 rpm. Every thing is just warm to the touch after a flight. Like I say it is Tom's recommended setup and seems to be very comfortable. PS I may have to drop the RPMs a little. Ship pulls like crazy and seems a little fast. y1
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650? Are you sure?
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650? Are you sure?
mw~
Actually I may be wrong on this. I got the number from the list your setup section. This listing also listed the weight as 60 oz. Mine weighs 45 oz. I do not have a set of plans for this airplane because I didn't build it. However I believe their is a 650 sq in Cavalier available. I did measure the wing of my airplane. The average cord is 11". The span less wing tips is 48" This yields 528 sq in. Add tips and I am guessing around 550 sq in. Just looking at it this sounds about right. y1
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A prop you might try that won't break the bank is the 12-6 Top Flight Power Point wood prop. They are a little less pitch and would help your nose weight too.
MM
The APC thin electric weighs .95 oz. I couldn't find a weight on the Top Flight prop. Dose it really weigh less? Also I prefer the pusher (EP) style prop on an electric powered ship. Add to this the fact that my spinner is for a pusher prop.
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John I've been fooling around with some electric stuff in the last few weeks as well. Why a clockwise prop? Many of the local Philly guys run normal tractor style props. Thanks,Skip
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John I've been fooling around with some electric stuff in the last few weeks as well. Why a clockwise prop? Many of the local Philly guys run normal tractor style props. Thanks,Skip
Their has been many threads posted on Getting all AMP'ed up about the advantage/disadvantage of pusher vs tractor props. It seems that most arguments center around how it effects trim. Seasoned stunt competitors from the wet engine world don't like the feel of an aircraft with a pusher prop. A search on the subject will yield lots of information on how pusher props effect trim. At my skill level I probably couldn't tell the difference in trim. For me the big advantage is increased line tension. Also a pusher prop insures that the aircraft tends to head in a good direction on take off, (away from me LL~). I have actually had a pusher prop setup save an aircraft when I experienced slack lines during windy conditions. So to each his own. Both work well on an electric setup. And it is a fact that both tractor and pusher electric setups are not slimey! LL~
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If your area is around 550-575 you could use the APC 11x5.5 EP.
As I said the cut down 12 x 6 EP is the prop Tom Morris flies on his E-Cavalier and the prop I chose on his recommendation. So far it works. Line tension is great, speed is about right, and motor is barley warm at the end of a flight, (acceptable amp draw). This probably may be true because a Tom Morris built ship is light.
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Not sure of the covering. When I picked up the airplane from Tom it was covered and sprayed in gray primer. So it is either silk span or poly span and automotive rattle can gray primer. I painted it with rattle can Rust-Oleum gloss enamel. Decals are by Do It Yourself Vinyl Lettering: https://doityourselflettering.com/create/ By the way, bottom is ugly. Light on paint to save weight. LL~
John.
Tom uses Polyspan to cover with. I dont think he has changed that.
Mike
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John.
Tom uses Polyspan to cover with. I dont think he has changed that.
Mike
It looks and feels like Polyspan --- so I am sure that is what it is. y1
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Adjusted line lead-out and got in two flights Monday. Line pull is now excellent in both level flight and overhead. Only problem left she seems a little fast. I will try 62' instead of 60' lines. This is going to be a great airplane. Now all I need to do fly, fly, and fly some more. I am close to being able to do the beginners pattern. #^
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Progress! I actually flew the whole Beginners pattern today. It was ugly but I would have gotten pattern points. The worst was the Square Loops and Overhead Eights. The best was Takeoff and Landing. It was my first 40 point landing ever. #^
Anyway my E-Cavalier is dialed in and flies great. Now it practice, practice, and more practice. y1
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Hi John,
I appreciated the picture of the electric components setup. This is a nice way to hide all of the "junk". One question, how do you secure the battery?
Thanks
Peter Mick
AMA 9581
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Hi John,
That sure is nice and tidy ...
How does cooling air get to the ESC?
Thanks,
Dean P.
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Hi John,
I appreciated the picture of the electric components setup. This is a nice way to hide all of the "junk". One question, how do you secure the battery?
Thanks
Peter Mick
AMA 9581
Hi Peter, I'm sure the battery is velcroed on the back side plus good old centrifical force really not going anywhere once flying. Walter
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Hi John,
That sure is nice and tidy ...
How does cooling air get to the ESC?
Thanks,
Dean P.
Hey Dean, How's it going you might remember me I flew pattern with Mark Oconnell and Rob Larson back in the day hung out with you at Lake Hurst and other contest haunts. Looks kike the cover is a little wider and open in the front plus about a half inch or so above and below the airfoil in the rear is open for exit. We're still flying up here in CT at Salem CT Propbusters field flying a little bit of everything these days. Take Care Walter Johnson
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Hi John,
That sure is nice and tidy ...
How does cooling air get to the ESC?
Thanks,
Dean P.
Let me start by saying I stuffed her in noise first. (first picture) But Tom Morris built me a new fount end that is almost installed. (second picture). So to answer your question. Their is an air inlet at the front that gets forced air from the prop. The back has an air exit hole top and bottom. Battery box also has vent holes front and back. Every thing seems to run cool.