The FMS Olympus is typical of FMS quality and attention to detail. The model arrives in a colorful box and well packed against transit damage. The various components are held securely in place with extra foam packing.
The model follows the design of a modern F3A aerobatic model, or pattern ship. The model has been well thought out and incorporates several features you would find on competition F3A design. Such as the canalyzer (small wing into of the fuselage) More about this later. The wing also has tip fences, this is to help prevent air spilling off the wing at low speed, which in turn helps to prevent tip stall. Its a colorful model and should show up well in the sky. It has a wingspan of 55" and a fuselage length of 61". The ready to fly weight is quoted at 5.3 lbs.
Its a simple assembly job to complete the model ready for flight. All the servos are installed together with all extension leads. The ailerons are connected by a "Y" lead and plugged into the aileron channel of the RX. However I opted to use 2 separate channels to operate the ailerons. By doing that I can adjust each one independently. The motor is also installed along with the ESC. I changed the battery connector on the ESC to a heavy duty EC5, this will go nicely with the Admiral Pro 6S 4000mah battery. I should point out that the ESC comes fitted with a "T" type or Deans connector.
The model goes together quickly and the parts fit together well, everything lined up as it should. The first thing to fit is the undercarriage, and this simply fits into a slot in the bottom of the fuselage and is retained by 4 screws. The wheels and wheel pants are already fitted to the undercarriage as are the plastic fairings.
The rudder is fitted next. This requires the 3 hinges to be glued in place at the same time fitting the steerable tailwheel to the bottom of the fuselage and connecting the steering arm to the rudder. This is quite fiddly and I made two or three dry attempts before applying glue to the hinges, so I had the right technique for getting everything in place before the glue on the hinges sets.
The tailplane or horizontal stabilizer simply slides onto a carbon fiber tube and is retained by a screw on each side. The vertical stabilizer is moulded into the fuselage and requires no work other than to fit the rudder. The elevator is formed in two pieces and one end slots into the other when they are fitted to the tailplane, to form a one piece elevator unit. The elevator is operated by a single 17g servo fitted into the rear of the fuselage with a short direct push rod joining the servo to the elevator. The rudder is also operated by a single 17g servo mounted on the opposite side of the fuselage.
Next we come to that little short wing on top of the fuselage. Its called a canalyzer, and it was introduced to F3A aerobatic models by Frenchman Christophe Paysant-Le Roux ,he is also 7 times World F3A champion. The idea of the Canalyzer is to clean the turbulent and spiraling air coming from the propellor. As air flows down the fuselage, it is also spiraling due to the effect of the rotation of the prop. The Canalyzer reduces the spiraling effect making the air flow smoother over the vertical stabilizer, and this gives the rudder more authority for less movement, in turn this produce less drag and a smoother flying model.
The Canalyzer is simply bolted in place on top of the fuselage with 2 screws, and it my intention to carry out several flying experiments as to the effects of the Canalyzer. I'm going to fly the model with it and without it and I'll report on my finding here.
The wings are already fitted with the servos, one on each side, and the ailerons are already hinged. The servo leads are long enough to exit inside the fuselage and connect to a "Y"lead. The wings are fitted onto 2 carbon fiber tubes that slide through the fuselage, and the wings are held in place by 2 screws on each side of the fuselage. One at the front and the other at the rear.
Before fitting the wings to the fuselage, I like to connect the aileron servos to the ailerons. Its easier to do with the wing off. The aileron horns have to be attached to the ailerons, and this is a simple job. The locating holes are already in the aileron. With the horns fitted its time to connect the aileron. The elevator and the rudder also require the control horns fitting, but again the locating holes are in the relative surface.
Before connecting the servos to the control surfaces, I cycled them for a few minutes using a servo tester to make sure they all work smoothly and without undue noise. Doing this beds in the gears and the motor. Next I connect the servos to the RX and make sure they are centered correctly and that the TX trims are also in the center. Whenever I set up a control surface, and it doesn't matter which one it is. I always set it up so I have as close to 100% of servo travel. In other words I adjust the control surface movement mechanically ,and NOT by adjusting the end point adjustment on the TX. I use the end point adjustment for making fine adjustments.
With all the flying surfaces set up and everything moving in the correct direction, its time to fit the battery and check the CG position. For the first flight I set the CG slightly forward of the position given in the instructions. This airs on the side of caution should there be an error in the indicated position. I can re-positition the battery to adjust it to suit my style of flying after I have flown the model a few times.
Now you want to know how it flies don't you. Well, it flies very well actually. The motor, ESC and battery combination provide excellent power for vertical flight and the model tracks straight, and being an F3A design it requires the minimum of control correction to hold it on line. I will fly it a few more times and report more at a later date.
From the first impressions of this model, it would make an ideal model for an introduction the pattern flying and F3A aerobatics.
The model follows the design of a modern F3A aerobatic model, or pattern ship. The model has been well thought out and incorporates several features you would find on competition F3A design. Such as the canalyzer (small wing into of the fuselage) More about this later. The wing also has tip fences, this is to help prevent air spilling off the wing at low speed, which in turn helps to prevent tip stall. Its a colorful model and should show up well in the sky. It has a wingspan of 55" and a fuselage length of 61". The ready to fly weight is quoted at 5.3 lbs.
Its a simple assembly job to complete the model ready for flight. All the servos are installed together with all extension leads. The ailerons are connected by a "Y" lead and plugged into the aileron channel of the RX. However I opted to use 2 separate channels to operate the ailerons. By doing that I can adjust each one independently. The motor is also installed along with the ESC. I changed the battery connector on the ESC to a heavy duty EC5, this will go nicely with the Admiral Pro 6S 4000mah battery. I should point out that the ESC comes fitted with a "T" type or Deans connector.
The model goes together quickly and the parts fit together well, everything lined up as it should. The first thing to fit is the undercarriage, and this simply fits into a slot in the bottom of the fuselage and is retained by 4 screws. The wheels and wheel pants are already fitted to the undercarriage as are the plastic fairings.
The rudder is fitted next. This requires the 3 hinges to be glued in place at the same time fitting the steerable tailwheel to the bottom of the fuselage and connecting the steering arm to the rudder. This is quite fiddly and I made two or three dry attempts before applying glue to the hinges, so I had the right technique for getting everything in place before the glue on the hinges sets.
The tailplane or horizontal stabilizer simply slides onto a carbon fiber tube and is retained by a screw on each side. The vertical stabilizer is moulded into the fuselage and requires no work other than to fit the rudder. The elevator is formed in two pieces and one end slots into the other when they are fitted to the tailplane, to form a one piece elevator unit. The elevator is operated by a single 17g servo fitted into the rear of the fuselage with a short direct push rod joining the servo to the elevator. The rudder is also operated by a single 17g servo mounted on the opposite side of the fuselage.
Next we come to that little short wing on top of the fuselage. Its called a canalyzer, and it was introduced to F3A aerobatic models by Frenchman Christophe Paysant-Le Roux ,he is also 7 times World F3A champion. The idea of the Canalyzer is to clean the turbulent and spiraling air coming from the propellor. As air flows down the fuselage, it is also spiraling due to the effect of the rotation of the prop. The Canalyzer reduces the spiraling effect making the air flow smoother over the vertical stabilizer, and this gives the rudder more authority for less movement, in turn this produce less drag and a smoother flying model.
The Canalyzer is simply bolted in place on top of the fuselage with 2 screws, and it my intention to carry out several flying experiments as to the effects of the Canalyzer. I'm going to fly the model with it and without it and I'll report on my finding here.
The wings are already fitted with the servos, one on each side, and the ailerons are already hinged. The servo leads are long enough to exit inside the fuselage and connect to a "Y"lead. The wings are fitted onto 2 carbon fiber tubes that slide through the fuselage, and the wings are held in place by 2 screws on each side of the fuselage. One at the front and the other at the rear.
Before fitting the wings to the fuselage, I like to connect the aileron servos to the ailerons. Its easier to do with the wing off. The aileron horns have to be attached to the ailerons, and this is a simple job. The locating holes are already in the aileron. With the horns fitted its time to connect the aileron. The elevator and the rudder also require the control horns fitting, but again the locating holes are in the relative surface.
Before connecting the servos to the control surfaces, I cycled them for a few minutes using a servo tester to make sure they all work smoothly and without undue noise. Doing this beds in the gears and the motor. Next I connect the servos to the RX and make sure they are centered correctly and that the TX trims are also in the center. Whenever I set up a control surface, and it doesn't matter which one it is. I always set it up so I have as close to 100% of servo travel. In other words I adjust the control surface movement mechanically ,and NOT by adjusting the end point adjustment on the TX. I use the end point adjustment for making fine adjustments.
With all the flying surfaces set up and everything moving in the correct direction, its time to fit the battery and check the CG position. For the first flight I set the CG slightly forward of the position given in the instructions. This airs on the side of caution should there be an error in the indicated position. I can re-positition the battery to adjust it to suit my style of flying after I have flown the model a few times.
Now you want to know how it flies don't you. Well, it flies very well actually. The motor, ESC and battery combination provide excellent power for vertical flight and the model tracks straight, and being an F3A design it requires the minimum of control correction to hold it on line. I will fly it a few more times and report more at a later date.
From the first impressions of this model, it would make an ideal model for an introduction the pattern flying and F3A aerobatics.
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