amjflyer

Thats interesting, i noticed my kit has not carbon facing on the formers and tank tray etc provided. I presumed this was an economy/availability issue in manufacturing but maybe this is a design decision due to this interference and all future kits will not have carbon laminated wood stock?

Imac Kiwi

Good to hear from you Tony

I talked to the man who dishes out the leave at work and have a 70/30 chance at the moment. I should know this week.

Hope to catch up in Tucson.

Alan

Dave Wilshere

Guys

I test flew my 260 yesterday with the Greve pipes-no problem on range during three flights.

Regards

Dave Wilshere

amjflyer

Dave did you a) support your pipes up front or not as Manfred suggested in my note with the pipes, b) add extensions to the outlet so that it completely exits the fuz (my pipes are just inside at the moment to make them high enough to clear rudder tray). Manfred also seems to warn against adding extensions.

quist

My Feedback: (198)

What was the reasoning for not using exhaust extensions?

amjflyer

No idea, but the note i got with my pipes has a picture of extensions with a big cross through it. I cant imagine it would alter the tuned length as its beyond the baffles.

shannah

My Feedback: (5)

how are you guys supporting the pipes up front? are you buying a second greve pipe mount set?. I had some squirrely reaction on my test flights of my Dalton. I thought it was my rx so I sent my radio in. Now I am not so sure. I will add a front mount to be safe.

One thing I found was that the pipe mount had vibrated loose and was obviously rattling about. I tightened it and had no other problem but since I was spooked I yanked the radio gear and sent it off for check.

Dave Wilshere

Guys

I did not support the front of the pipes.
I've checked them through the range and they do not appear to resonate too badly.
I have extended the outlet with tubes so they clear the fuselage-as my Pitts.
I didn't get instructions so wouldn't know...but I cannot see a problem as longs as they are a sensible dia.
I used a piece of teflon tube I had which is the same O/d as the outlet tubes.

Frazer was using flexible headers which might account for his in flight issues...but not the engine off lack of range.

Dave Wilshere

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Nice flying Jason!

Dave this plane is awesome!

3DEXTRA

Hello: all
I got my MG pipes from Jason,(hi Jason)
I find the pipes have a little vibration so I decide change the KS flex Headers for custom made
alum headers and put other support ,wood support, I start tunning the pipes at 10.5" after 18
flights (cut the pipes 1/8 at time I finish at 9.5 " now the pipes run great) I fly at 7300 ft,test
some props to, (Mejzlik 30 and 32 Engel Biela etc) the best for my altitude Vess 32 A 5600 rpm ground tac 6900 Air,also notice the teflon couplers and clamps move backwards in each flight so I put 6/32 screws and little red silicon,here some pics ,hope this help.

amjflyer

Out of the box DA150 on AM 32x11 c/f prop, on Greve pipes at supplied length im getting 6100-6200 rpm on the ground, and it howls. By the time its run in it will be over 6500rpm so it wil only get louder. My guess without a db metere is that its already way over the UK db limit restrictions (bmfa), my ears were ringing after setting up so i would guess its quite some way over 100db @ 1m. A Mejzlik with its wide blade and higher loading will probably be quieter. Will probably ultimately change to a three blade to get noise levels down. On the plus side the Greve pipes work extremely well, there isnt a pronounced on the pipe feel to them. Hoping to maiden flight the Extra the next time weather and commitments permit!

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Looks good Jason!

I didnt see this post utill a little while ago...

Darcy

amjflyer

Well my 260 is finally done and ive had my first 3 test flights with it today. Weather less than ideal with wind at 20mph gusting 25mph but actually it handled it very well, didn’t seem to affect manoeuvres much at all. I guessed the cog as I had no helper to hand to pick up the other side of the model. In flight mine came out nose heavy. I had to slide 100g of lead into the stab tube to get it to balance about right (sticky lead strips fit in just nicely!), though it needs a calm day to be sure ive got it right. Thrust lines seem spot on to the book (maybe a shade more right thrust but then the wind again made it difficult to tell), and trim almost correct without any need to changte in flight. Ont he mixes I needed just 2% more for perfect knife edge, but again that may be affected by current cog. Prop hanging is unreal, it kind of hands off prop hangs at quarter throttle!! Secret with this model seems to be get it straight then do nothing with the sticks and it will just hang there…only the breeze was knocking it about a bit. Flicks are super snappy and very square, it comes out of the flick dead on line. Harriers aren’t quite as stable as I expected but I need to work on that on a calm day. It doesn’t land like a trainer though, it lands like a glider! It has far less wing loading than a trainer, and again almost lands hands off.

I also did an extensive range check today. I put it at the back of the garden engine running (quarter throttle, tethered!), went the other side of the house, sat in the car with the window open, aerial on tx down, still perfect radio response (model some 100yds away with a house and metal car in the way!), so no worries there. Dave, You are right about it being a 72mhz only problem I think.

But wow, the AM 32x11 on Greve pipes is noisy, the village was echoing to the sound of many tiny sonic boom booms! ..and at the flying field it was echoing of the surrounding hills, I got a few looks from the golfers nearby. I think a will try a Mejzlik 28.5x12 three blader to get the noise down or I expect an angry phone call from my club chairman.

Now I need to get the smoke system sorted…

hmm, how much were those Super Xtras again?...

quist

My Feedback: (198)

You had to add tail wieght???????????

amjflyer

i did! Expecting it to come out tail heavy with the pipes i installed everything as far forward as possible (rx LiPo's, ignition 3300mah pack, smoke system+battery, etc) i also moved the rudder servo tray forward up to the u/c formers as recommended in the manual with the full pipe setup. Im also using the titanium tail wheel (which i believe is lighter than the c/f one). So ive ended up with a nose heavy 260. When I add a 3-blade its going to be even heavier on the nose. So ill probably move that heavy ignition pack back into the tail somewhere, change the Tru-turn spinner for a c/f one and hopefully get the lead out of the stab tube. Either way id rather have a nose heavy model as its far easier to remedy than a tail heavy one.

amjflyer

Ahhahh! Elevator on high rate is about 10mm out when pulling up (strangley not when pushing down) which explains rocky upright harriers. I setup low rates to be equal travel and didnt check high rates, was next on the list to do. Now I have the joy of that endless chasing game of matching linkage, radio travels and two more matchboxes to buy and endpoints to set...one day someone will invent a better system to match up 4 servos on two elevator halves!!

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

I used 13x 8611A's and didnt use a Single Matching device...its all in the way you build it...oh yeah and I have SWB arms on everything...

The trick is when building a plane like this is to have 20 servos at your disposal, then just pair them up, once you get 4 pairs, grab a SWB self adjusting tray and you are set.

every servo has its own power lead direct from the Power Expander...

quist

My Feedback: (198)

Darcy,

It wont be long before smart-fly releases the new power expnader eq10. This one has a equalizer for all 10 channels built in. I have been hounding him for this item for 2 years. For anyone that is not flying a 14MZ or 12Z this is a must have item on big planes.

TQ

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Tony I have had one for now 1 week, its one of the Proto Types and I must say its totaly cool!

All chanels are Matches Boxes so even if you use Futaba or JR it will work out!

quist

My Feedback: (198)

Then you know first hand how cool it is.

I haven't put any flights on the latest version yet. I have 6 flights on the previous version, it works perfect.

amjflyer

Smart idea, im using the Powerbox Champion which has 3 channels on a matchbox as you know, though 5 would seem a useful minimum. The ailerons on my 260 are only very slightly out at full deflections so i will probably run those without a matchbox and use the two free'd up matching channels for the elevator halves saving me the expensive and hastle of another 2 matchboxes.

Dave Wilshere

Alan

The way I did it with the Champion was to use all seven channels

Centre matched set for Rudders (4)
Outer pairs for each elevator half (2) each
Then use the two outer non matched channels for each aileron servo/wing with a mix and you can set travel for each servo.

Dave

amjflyer

thats an idea, thanks dave.