PT-17 from eFlite

[F22trainer]

The videos on UToob made set up and first flight near perfect. I had to add 5 turns of the clevis to give me down elevator. I figured out 2.3 oz in the dummy cylinders to balance and checked it inverted and right side up. CG checked at the forward limit and as far as the battery - I just tied it down with an inch hanging over the front of the sled and it touched the firewall. Still doing the same.
Since new, I have easily over a hundred flights. Replaced one wing servo and the rudder hinge got a new upgraded variety.I’ve worn out one set of tires all around and the cabanas needed a little Gorilla Glue at the fuselage as they got somewhat loose and sloppy.

https://youtu.be/1cwMOndmNvk

the 2 coats of Polycryllic have also helped her maintain her charming girlish figure.;)

[mr.frankenjet]

got this one to use as a trainer, the cg issue is clear, you have to add weight up front and mod the battery tray (I made a foam wedge to raise up the batt) so it sits as far forward as possible. The plane is an ez flyer but a but feels a bit heavy on approach, you have to let her bleed the momentum off, gear a bit short for training. Cool plane to mess with and does well in the wind with the as3x, looks really sweet on low and slow flybys Not the best choice to train folks with, likely would have been better with a valiant.

[F22trainer]

Finally bit the bullet and bought my PT-17 about a month ago. Had a relatively easy time assembling it with the exception one of the cabanas in the upper wing would not seat enough to push the wire through. Finally resorted to slight sanding rounding the end after carefully measuring and finding the wing divot was not deep enough. Once assembled, waited for someone more knowledgeable than I to assist in setting it up and that happened today. It was maidened without added weight and proved to be very tail heavy. Added some weight available at the airfield but only as a temporary measure to try to determine how much might be needed. Using an 3000 amp hour battery on a platform on the sled to set battery as far forward as possible and it is still tail heavy.
No harm no foul as plane came back in one piece and now has 2 ops. of weight added to the dummy cylinders but it doesn't balance out inverted and is still tail heavy. I'll check out some birdshot weight in latex gloves to try to get around 2 1/2 ozs. of forward weight in the dummy cylinders and see how that shakes out. Meantime, the chap who assisted with the setup was quite impressed with the plane and said he felt once it is properly trimmed it will be a absolute fun flyer. His words, not mine. I'm stoked and can't wait to get it balanced and begin flying it myself. Since I am new at this - got my solo certificate in late September - I'll let guys with more experience do the setup and initial flights before taking the controls myself.

Congrats there, Whizzer! You will enjoy this airplane. I added a wood prop - 11 x 8 and get a real nice prop noise to go with it.:Cool:

[Whizzer]

Finally bit the bullet and bought my PT-17 about a month ago. Had a relatively easy time assembling it with the exception one of the cabanas in the upper wing would not seat enough to push the wire through. Finally resorted to slight sanding rounding the end after carefully measuring and finding the wing divot was not deep enough. Once assembled, waited for someone more knowledgeable than I to assist in setting it up and that happened today. It was maidened without added weight and proved to be very tail heavy. Added some weight available at the airfield but only as a temporary measure to try to determine how much might be needed. Using an 3000 amp hour battery on a platform on the sled to set battery as far forward as possible and it is still tail heavy.
No harm no foul as plane came back in one piece and now has 2 ops. of weight added to the dummy cylinders but it doesn't balance out inverted and is still tail heavy. I'll check out some birdshot weight in latex gloves to try to get around 2 1/2 ozs. of forward weight in the dummy cylinders and see how that shakes out. Meantime, the chap who assisted with the setup was quite impressed with the plane and said he felt once it is properly trimmed it will be a absolute fun flyer. His words, not mine. I'm stoked and can't wait to get it balanced and begin flying it myself. Since I am new at this - got my solo certificate in late September - I'll let guys with more experience do the setup and initial flights before taking the controls myself.

[F22trainer]

Pilot guy
congratulations on your successful maiden flight. I noticed on one of your earlier posts how you were having erratic results during your balance attempts. That was because you were balancing with the airplane upside down. That is the way for low wing airplanes, but not for high wings or biplanes. The cg of the airplane has to be below the pivot point of the balencer, like a pendulum, or it is unstable as you discovered. You got the correct stable configuration with the hobby king balancer, when the cg was below the pivot. I am glad you liked the airplane, I have yet to maiden mine

The instructions recommend balancing inverted. I checked it both ways and using the forward most limit of the specified range and it took 2.5 oz in the cylinders, but I am using a 2200 battery.

[Farmerric]

Pilot guy
congratulations on your successful maiden flight. I noticed on one of your earlier posts how you were having erratic results during your balance attempts. That was because you were balancing with the airplane upside down. That is the way for low wing airplanes, but not for high wings or biplanes. The cg of the airplane has to be below the pivot point of the balencer, like a pendulum, or it is unstable as you discovered. You got the correct stable configuration with the hobby king balancer, when the cg was below the pivot. I am glad you liked the airplane, I have yet to maiden mine

[Pilotguy]

Yahoo!! I maidened my pT-17 today too. Zero wind here in las Vegas. Thank you to all the great advice! With no weight added but battery as far forward after pushing the ESC wires down and out of the way.
Balanced level on my CG machine. Easy flier. Once again, for me its the landings and figuring out how to stop ground looping. Another flyer commented that my landing was "hot". I suspect that I flew the approach like I fly my Pitts approaches, a bit too fast for the Stearman I guess. Love this PT-17!

[rifleman_btx]

Thanks fellas! It was fun flying them, once in the air all anxiety was gone and it was relaxing. Really like this idea of 3d printing planes now

[F22trainer]

Both flew like a champ maidens are successful. I need 4s in the biplane though it will dang near fly backwards in this wind out here.

:Win::Win::Win:

[Woodcock]

Both flew like a champ maidens are successful. I need 4s in the biplane though it will dang near fly backwards in this wind out here.

Congratulations Rman, ya did it. ; )

Woody

[rifleman_btx]

Both flew like a champ maidens are successful. I need 4s in the biplane though it will dang near fly backwards in this wind out here.

[Woodcock]

Break a leg man!

Woody

[farmflyer]

Tomorrow morning i fly my PT17 :Smug:

Good luck Rifleman interested to see what you think about it. I may have one printed if it seems to be a good plane.

[F22trainer]

Tomorrow morning i fly my PT17 :Smug:

Should be fun, like it! You gotta try a wood prop on it too, it’s a cool different sound totally!

[rifleman_btx]

Tomorrow morning i fly my PT17 :Smug:

[F22trainer]

Got my new Hobbyking CG balancer. The PT-17 balances about level at the manuals recommended 86mm CG location and with battery as forward as possible. I did push the ESC wires down as flat as possible and that did allow the battery to go more forward but did not raise the battery on a foam block nor add weight. Perhaps the CG balancer is more accurate than the fingertip or other creative methods of balancing CG. However, the jury is not out yet because I havent flown it yet.

You want it to be slightly nose heavy at the forward limit, it should tip nose down but not fall. You do not want this airplane to have an aft CG. CG is not an exact point - it is a range.Yes a balancer is more precise than your fingers.
i did not need the foam either, once I got the battery to touch the firewall and the wires stay out of the way.
Happy Flying.

[Pilotguy]

Got my new Hobbyking CG balancer. The PT-17 balances about level at the manuals recommended 86mm CG location and with battery as forward as possible. I did push the ESC wires down as flat as possible and that did allow the battery to go more forward but did not raise the battery on a foam block nor add weight. Perhaps the CG balancer is more accurate than the fingertip or other creative methods of balancing CG. However, the jury is not out yet because I havent flown it yet.

[Pilotguy]

Nice Youtube clip overview. Will have to try a foam block.

[mr.frankenjet]

I raised my battery up by making a foam block that goes under the battery , that it allows it to go all the way forward. Even with this I still needed to add 1-2oz of lead in the motor pockets upfront to get her to balance. The end result is that the plane is a bit heaver than it should be (used a 3000 graghine to help with the balance as well) I feel the plane still a little tail heavy. While she's a docile flyer it would be way better if the cg could be achieved using less weight. I got it to be a trainer for our club after my first impression of a club members plane but after flying mine for a while I think there are better choices out there (vallient etc) . my2c

[F22trainer]

https://youtu.be/3Lyb8fMHxU4