mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Thanks great information. Any thing eles?

The spar ye. I thought that sucker was stout.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Well if you want to fly very fast you have to be careful, there is a big difference between 200 and 250 mph. The Hotspot had foam core wings. The Rookies were composite. The issue with composite is the leading edge. If the seam (right at the front of the leading edge) opens up, you get maybe 1.2 PSI into the structure and it pops it open. The air can also get into the wheel wells into a constricted area and pop the fuse apart.

If you want to fly fast get a Flash or a BobCat or Bandit. If you want to fly_really_fast......well that is another discussion. If you stay within AMA rules (200 mph) you should be OK with pretty much anything, IF you don't pull too hard or hit a wind gust.

johnra1

Hello,
I do not fly a rookie 3d , get a Eurosport if you want that,
a rookie spins well and I have seen a few lost that way.
buy a flash if you want speed with a 140
i would put a 100 if I was building a new rookie , they do not fly as well with a big heavy engine
Just my 2 cents worth and 25 years of jet flying experience
carf make great planes , just pick your style
regards

john

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Thanks. I got a standard carf eurosport with king tec 140 while I love it I feel like I would have way to much $$ to 3d but that's me. Lol

Ya I should of got a flash. But ill try the rookie for a year or two then sell it

johnra1

Hello Mike,
The Rookie is great and i am sure you will be happy,
Just remember to not overstress the airframe as a Rookie was originally designed for a P80.
Tape the leading edge of the wings with clear film if you are worried but a CARF jet will only break if it is miss treated.
Regards
John

pippip

My Feedback: (10)

Thanks for all of the input. Like Mike I also already have the airframe but I bought it because I wanted something to beat on that would not break the bank when (not if) I fly beyond my abilities.

Do you think it would hover with a 100?

johnra1

Hello Pip,

Not sure about hovering with a 100, you will need better than 1 to 1 power. To hover, you will need a minimum of a 140 probably ?
I like to jets as they should. Fast and Smooth.

Best of Luck

John

Thud_Driver

My Feedback: (1)

Unless they've changed it, the spar is 16mm aluminum. Most everybody I know put a hardwood dowel in it but it will still bend. Heavy wall carbon fiber tube would probably be better if you can find one.

If you really want to hover, you're probably going to want to put a bunch of gyros in it. Otherwise. the airplane likes an inverted nose up position around 80-85 degrees nose high that you enter from a low speed inverted push up at max power. Once established, hold full down elevator and it will usually hang there in a slow descent, even with a 120 or Titan. You need the descent anyway to have control to hold the attitude. Start high enough and you can stay there for up to a minute. Chop power and pull down to recover. It doesn't like to do it upright.

Oh, and don't use thrust vectoring to land.

4ptroll

My Feedback: (35)

Gentlemen.....thank you to all who have given input here. I also have a rookie that I'm looking forward to doing a maiden on soon. I've got P120 in mine.

Your information is very helpful.

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Im glad that im not the only one thing these things

I was just talking to my boy about adding a gyro on the thrust vector and would it also control the elevons?

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

I think you could hook up some sort of "control box" (they are beyond simple rate gyros now) in a number of ways.

If you want it just for hovering, then I would assume you want some sort of mode switch to set the mode and the gains specifically for hovering, at that point it would not matter if the elevons were hooked up or not. Keep in mind that the nozzle has a classic pitch and yaw control scheme (I have not seen yaw control attempted other than EDF with 2 motors) so I am not sure if you can hook up elevons as well even if you wanted to.

It looks like some of the newer units have multiple outputs so they could handle that connection from a hardware perspective at least.


Rookies used to be everywhere, much like hotspots. Hotspots have a lot going for them, for one they stand on the gear with the wings off, I can't tell you how nice that is for an everyday plane. They were very fast and held plenty of fuel so they were a good jet rally plane as well. Not so good as knife edge and that sort of thing. Not sure why no one is making/distributing them now. I think they could have a nice resurgence.

hotspot 01

Got a 140 in mine taped leading edges standard fit out approaching 300 flights no issues.

pippip

My Feedback: (10)

The only dumb question is the one that is not asked...... So here we go. By taped you mean clear packaging tape on the leading edges of the outer wing section? I guess this is still needed on the "last edition" version?

Thanks,
Pip

Thud_Driver

My Feedback: (1)

Scotch tape, clear tape, packing tape, colored vinyl tape, masking tape, strapping tape, duct tape, Monokote, Ultracote, stickers, etc., from boom to wing tip. Anything that will block air from getting inside the wing.

The problem is there is only a bead of glue on the inside where the top and bottom skins meet. Sometimes there are gaps in that bead which we normally can't see until the wing explodes.

Thud_Driver

My Feedback: (1)

Another random thought. I think, somewhere in the instructions, it says the rudders aren't very effective. Not true at all.

hotspot 01

I knife edge mine with average throws also I taped every leading edge on the fuselage wings fins. The tape I use is one inch wide hindge tape it's also UV resistant so won't discolour.

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Ok guys thanks so much for the info, I got 3 flights on the Rookie 2 with the P120 and all I can say is WOW, I see why they call it a trainner, I really think it flys better than my Falcon 120.

I can say I was worried about the landings but they were the easyest landings I have done to date. I put the Carndards around 85 deg, fly slow enogh in the air so the carnards cause no issues around 1/4 stick.

I around 3/4 of the way complet with my base leg turn I just killed the power, I swear I did not tuch the remote untill it was about 1 foot of the run way, added a tad of elevator, and all 3 were the smothest landings I have had, way better than my Turbine F16.

I did try to keep it light dureing the build, currently she is at 20.4 pounds empty with UAT full, I have some new lighter reciver batterys comeing in the mail that should drop at least .2 of pound, but with the gallon fuel cell even 1/2 full (kero weights 6.6 pounds a gallon) im looking at 23-24 pound flight with a 26 pound motor, I don't think this will be enogh to hover.

I think once the snow comes back I will send it in for the SE upgreat, I think the few exstra pounds of thrust will help.

But she is fast, I love it, and I cant belive how stable and slow it flys with the canards as air brakes!

And the best is it has no wobble like my Carf Eurosport dose....

Im not sure if mine turned out light, I was also thinking of changeing a few servos with some that are a little lighter, what weight are you guys at?

Thanks Mike

DrScoles

My Feedback: (18)

For those who are using the canard as a speed brake. 85 degrees up? Any elevator trim needed? I bought another one here on RCU and have a p180rx without a home, I'll detune it to 140 thrust range.

hotspot 01

No trim required just be below 50% throttle to reduce the pitch up.