PT-17 from eFlite

[BluesDragon]

I have the Safe mode on my 'gear' switch. I typically fly with it off and only flip it on when in need of saving and then flip it back off. I do my t/o and land in low rates (with Safe), but do my best to keep in high rate (Safe off) when flying. I have my l/r set at 70% with the h/r at full 100%.

I did set the throws with SAFE off and in high rate...

[rifleman_btx]

That'll work, to me the best way to use those flight modes

[bob_stan]

Recently started flying my PT-17, which is a BNF model. I do have SAFE enabled, but I fly in Experienced mode, with midrates set to 70% and 30% expo. When there is some wind, say 5 mph +, the plane seems "twitchy." That it is it will suddenly dip the wing left or right, or drop a few feet in altitude. Could this be due to the default gain settings of ASX3 in the receiver?

[rifleman_btx]

Possible, could be just alittle over sensitive in the gain.

[Hardway]

Well I gave in and bought the PT-17. It is on sale at 25.00 off and comes with the receiver too! Good looking bird! Hope everyone has a great day, and many blessings! ;)

[F22trainer]

Well I gave in and bought the PT-17. It is on sale at 25.00 off and comes with the receiver too! Good looking bird! Hope everyone has a great day, and many blessings! ;)

It is a smooth and gentle flyer. You’ll enjoy it. I know one of our club members has one he flies so much it is just going to disintegrate one of these days.

[Saltydawg]

What a nostalgic plane. I mean there can't be too many people who havent heard that radical engine and prop sound, and not say, "Crop Duster" or "Biplane". Or, "Oh look that's that old biplane from the movie Pearl Harbor.

Eflite said a dang good job with this one. All the pieces fit right and snug. I can understand some had issues with some installation, but "some assembly is required." I build aircraft for living and believe-you-me not everything fits ie; direct bolt-on.

I'm surprised more people don't have this plane. Sure some people are more like, go big or go home; however, the 1100mm planes are mid size plus you can damn near pack you vehicle with like 4-5 of them versus one or two big ones.

The build was pretty much like all other 1100mm planes. One piece wing(s), two stabs, and fixed gear....(most retracts are already installed) and then set up your radio equipment.

I'm not new to using gyros as I've used A3-Ls and Gavin 6c with SR868 rx/gyro. Now I have a DX8 and trying to learn all the settings, lights, bells, and whistles. Anyway, once you get the "GYRO" dialed in to what performance you like it's a great aid. I'm new to AS3X and SAFE, but the principle is the same. Its NOT AN AUTOPILOT but will help you when flying in crosswinds or those breezy days when out of nowhere you get a gust.

So here are some tips from my build.
1. Light squeeze the wheels together to them around the fuse mounts. Use an extra finger to keep pressure in the cover where the screws go or the spring will pop out the clip.

2. The stabs are a good snug fit. To prevent damaging the edge of the stabs or cutting material just use your finger and gently bevel/chamfer/taper the edge. They are still snug but they fit good and tight.

3. Outer wing struts. Yes this is out of order as to the instructions. Mine were a PITA so put your lower wing on a flat surface and work them into place. Doing so distributed the force of you pressing down on the wing. ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN.....

4. The lower wing is a snug fit too. Since the pins are adjustable I extended them out a bit and put on the wing watching to not get the wires or connections pinched. Just tape then into the recess. Anyway. While supporting the fuse and with my other hand I pressed on the wing. I then used the pins/clips to tighten down the post and secured it with the screws.

5. Put on the top wing and massaged the pins in and done. I actually inverted my plane putting the top wing on the counter so I could use a pressure to get them in but it worked.

[F22trainer]

Good write up - all true and helpful, and made several of those improvisation when I assembled (and disassembled).
Mine did crap a servo (aileron) last weekend, but I got the new one yesterday

[Hardway]

Salty, all the same with my build here. Had to add 2.5 oz to the dummy radial to get the correct CG with an Admiral 2600 3s pack. Flies great. Doesn't want to land. Usually the drag of a bipe with no power brings it down fast. No so much with this one... That is OK, just had to adjust the pattern for landing....:Cool:

[rifleman_btx]

I've been eyeballing this plane for a while :)

[Saltydawg]

I actually have no issue with adding weight to get the CG right. The only planes I have that don't have some kind of CG weights is my Dynam Hawk Sky, Dynam B26 and Dynam A10 which is crazy nose heavy. Just gor stuff the battery way back. I'm gonna put the weight in the cylinder heads like most of y'all. Thinking about using the bullet shaped artificial fishing worm weight. WOW WHAT A MOUTH FULL.... Read that again....lol

But yeah with that lead weight I can work it into the cylinders and just secure it with some CA.

[bob_stan]

It is just soooo much fun flying this thing in slow rolls and big wide loops!!! Still working on my grass field landings to get the tail down immediately after touch down so it doesn't flip/

[F22trainer]

I actually have no issue with adding weight to get the CG right. The only planes I have that don't have some kind of CG weights is my Dynam Hawk Sky, Dynam B26 and Dynam A10 which is crazy nose heavy. Just gor stuff the battery way back. I'm gonna put the weight in the cylinder heads like most of y'all. Thinking about using the bullet shaped artificial fishing worm weight. WOW WHAT A MOUTH FULL.... Read that again....lol

But yeah with that lead weight I can work it into the cylinders and just secure it with some CA.

SNip the fingers off a latex glove, fill with bird shot - probably 2.5 oz. and 2 fingers - wrap with tape or tie off. They stuff nicely into the cylinders. No messy glue.

[Saltydawg]

Well the deed is done. I pulled out my sausage/boudin making scales and weighed out 3.5 ounces. Wish I would have thought bout the bird shot first, but i havent any here and really didn't feel like going to Wally mart.

Anyway, I get her in my CG contraption measured put at 86mm. At first i just laid the weight on the cylinders to see how the tail would do. With 3.5 it was pretty level but the tail was still lower than I liked. So I added a tad more and the tail perked pretty level at 86mm. At just 2 more mm 89 it was spot on level and at 90 the nose slightly dropped....

I'm done with CG until I maiden her which will be this weekend winds permitting.

[Saltydawg]

Well I got her maidened today and what a blast it was to fly. The first flight was really nothing more than trimming it out with an Admiral 3000mAh battery. It still needed quite a bit of down elevator, so I may do the bird shot trick to even things out. Overall it's a blast to fly. I flew most of the time with about 45% throttle just chugging along and making nice somewhat flat turns using the rudder.

Y'all were right about the nice wide loops, lazy rolls and sweet barrel rolls. I was even able to do a vertical prop stall. You could hear the prop chopping go grab more are. She does float when landing. During one cycle/event of flying all I did was touch and goes figuring out the best approach to landing. I will say that when landing with a crossing it will test your ability to use your rudder. I'm not gonna like as I did scrap the wing tip once with fighting the crossword. I may add some yellow tape or bush on some lacquer on the tip to protect it.

So I'm new to AS3X, it works, but with my other gyros (Detrum and A3-L) I can have the elevator and rudder with more gain/movement. Of course, I have only had my DX-8 for about two weeks now and still learning the ropes so to speak.

Lastly, I was getting like 6-7minutes on 3000mAh. I again was using mixed throttle with just a lot of good lazy flying. I practised some dead stick too. As long as you have about 10-20' altitude you can more her over and gain some speed warlord her right in for a good landing. I ACTUALLY SUGGEST TO EVERYONE TO PRACTISE "DEAD STICK LANDINGS WITH ALL YOUR PLANES. After all poop does happen, props break and get spun off, or your battery decides to poop the bed.

Great plane, I may even get another down the road or find one scratch and went for sale. The second will become Boudreaux's Crop Duster service....lol

Happy flying y'all and have a great week

[F22trainer]

Get ya some glider wing tip skids for LHS.

congrats on finding the bird so much fun. I had to add some down elevator adjustment after maiden. I have the AS3X on switch A. Not good for takeoff but helps an landings, Andy yes the winds are fun.
Get some touch paint made up at Home Depot or such, then once you master the Xwind landings you can touch up those scrapes.
Have Fun!

[BILLY BOY]

Back in the 80's I had a job arranging fly in appearances by the Red Baron Squadron. We would assign either 2 or 4 airplanes for the appearance, depending on the population of the town or city. It was a great advertising promotion as it almost always gave us front page newspaper exposure where ever we went. I flew one of the airplanes briefly on my one and only flight. I had more opportunities but I would always give my ride to someone who had never experienced it before. One day I hope to modify one with the Red Baron paint scheme. I did make a few changes to mine. The leather trim around the cockpit, I painted brown. I added the rigging and made a few small paint additions. Those pilots were a special breed of cat (one rolled his own smokes). We went out for dinner and drinks one night and it turned out to be a pretty wild night. Once one of the aircraft experienced a small oil leak and we had to follow the squadron around with a 5 gal. can of oil to finish the weeks schedule. Thanks for letting me reminisce.

[Whizzer]

I am about one heartbeat away from buying the e-Flite PT-17 and really like the idea of attaching rigging wires. I viewed the photos but do not see how they attach to the plane and am curious what type of wire was used. Really enjoying this thread and will be back to see if any now posts are added. I'm of the age where I remember the PT 17 from our local, rural, airport and have a love of the bi-plane. Have done much checking as I want one but do not want to get one that is so "twitchy" it is difficult to fly thus the PT 17.

[Pilotguy]

To get the recommended throws dont overlook the part in the manual about Control Horn and Servo Arm Settings. This pic is from the eflite Pitts. You might have to move the servo arm control rods to a different hole.

[Hoomi]

I am about one heartbeat away from buying the e-Flite PT-17 and really like the idea of attaching rigging wires. I viewed the photos but do not see how they attach to the plane and am curious what type of wire was used. Really enjoying this thread and will be back to see if any now posts are added. I'm of the age where I remember the PT 17 from our local, rural, airport and have a love of the bi-plane. Have done much checking as I want one but do not want to get one that is so "twitchy" it is difficult to fly thus the PT 17.

When I installed the rigging on my Dynam Waco, I used fine actuator wires that I found at a surplus. I used small springs from Ace Hardware at one end of each one, and cut staples down, bent them into a 'U' shape, and glued them into the foam to attach the lines. Worked pretty well. There are photos in both the Dynam Waco topic, and the Callies Custom Graphics topic.