Official Freewing F/A-18C Hornet 90mm EDF Thread

[jetpltrich]

Three flights yesterday. Wind was out the northwest, and I was flying off of runway 23. Wind 310/8 gust 10-12 KNOTS, a slight quartering crosswind. I wanted to see how well the Plus RX would do. You can definitely see it's working hard. Enjoy!!!

[Elbee]

3 point landing, impressive, Sir. Great vid. Best, LB

[jetpltrich]

My friend Zach got some great video flying the F-18. Three flights of video edited down to 2:30. I noticed on landing my flaps did not go to landing flaps, they stopped at takeoff. Need to look at that tomorrow. Please enjoy.

[Elbee]

Great video. Nice piloting. Well done, Sir. Best, LB

[Hugh Wiedman]

My friend Zach got some great video flying the F-18. Three flights of video edited down to 2:30. I noticed on landing my flaps did not go to landing flaps, they stopped at takeoff. Need to look at that tomorrow. Please enjoy.

She sure flies nice with that Plus RX!! Love the dust on the runway, makes it look like the real thing.

On the flaps not working, both of my F18's have had that issue. Definitely doesn't fly well when one flap goes to full flap deployment and another stays flat. On mine, it was never the same flap that didn't deploy. First I wired the flaps directly avoiding the circuit board-still didn't help. Finally replaced the flap servos with Hitec flaps and that solved the issue on both! It seems the stock Freewing flap servos just don't have enough guts when in flight with high aerodynamic forces to work 100% of the time. Hate to say it, but the only way to solve that issue is replacing the flap servos, drop in fit for the hitec HS-5065MG+ Digital Mighty, 11.9g servo (23.68mm X 11.6mm X 24mm), about $38 each. I know, more to make things work properly. I'm sure other similar servos will work as well. Sorry I forgot to warn you about the flap servos earlier, but actually thought it was just an issue for me since we all know I'm SPECIAL!

[jetpltrich]

She sure flies nice with that Plus RX!! Love the dust on the runway, makes it look like the real thing.

On the flaps not working, both of my F18's have had that issue. Definitely doesn't fly well when one flap goes to full flap deployment and another stays flat. On mine, it was never the same flap that didn't deploy. First I wired the flaps directly avoiding the circuit board-still didn't help. Finally replaced the flap servos with Hitec flaps and that solved the issue on both! It seems the stock Freewing flap servos just don't have enough guts when in flight with high aerodynamic forces to work 100% of the time. Hate to say it, but the only way to solve that issue is replacing the flap servos, drop in fit for the hitec HS-5065MG+ Digital Mighty, 11.9g servo (23.68mm X 11.6mm X 24mm), about $38 each. I know, more to make things work properly. I'm sure other similar servos will work as well. Sorry I forgot to warn you about the flap servos earlier, but actually thought it was just an issue for me since we all know I'm SPECIAL!

I’ve had my suspicions on these flap servos and I’m going to purchase the ones you suggest.

My step son, Marine reserve F-18, purchased one and has several flights on it and says it’s flying characteristics mimic the real thing. He called me yesterday and said he went vertical and let it fall out into flat spin, several turns and the recovery was flawless.

Richard

[jetpltrich]

Arctic Splinter!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Fde962RVs/

[Elbee]

jetpltrich

Congrats, Sir. Very nicely done.

Best, LB

[Hugh Wiedman]

Finally decided to upgrade the horizontal stab servo's in both my F-18's, just in case. The stock FW servos would occasionally chatter as it "searched" for neutral, never a good sign. Although I have generally had decent luck with stock FW servos, better safe than sorry. I'd already upgraded the flap servos in both F-18's to hitecs, as I had a hell of a time with one or the other flap not deploying as those tiny 9gr servos just didn't cut it. For the elevators, I wanted to go with ProModeler's which I used in my Mig-29 several years ago and have been very happy with.

ProModeler is made here in Florida, they are competitively priced with hitec and MKS and IMO are much better. They are powerful, quiet, smooth as silk and consistently return to neutral with no searching or chattering. For the 2 F-18's, I used 2 DS1010DLHV's ($45 each) and a ProModeler servo reverser in each and beefed up the servo mounts. The stock 23gr servos have one mounting screw on each side where the ProM have 2 on each side. Also upgraded my F-4's with a single ProModeler DS1660CLHV (cost $95).

If you replace your F-18 servos, a word of advice. The servo wire channels in the F-18 are barely large enough to get the plugs through and even worse snake around at several points. Almost impossible to pull the wire out for the existing, with a cord attached, and then pull new wires back through. So if you decide to replace the entire length, as I did, it's going to be a B....(female dog). I exposed a section in the main wheel well underneath were the rudder and elevator servos snake at an angle and it made it much easier to pull from each side. I then cut a thin piece of .040 white styrene and glued it back shut over the exposed channel (one of the photos below). Sweeeeet Upgrade!!

A few steps are below if you go that route:

[Aros]

Fellas what’s the CG range you guys are finding to be the sweet spot these days? It’s been a minute since I had one of these models.

Also, Hugh Wiedman does the AS3X+ rx need to be perfectly flat/horizontal? I placed it under the battery tray but can’t get it to sit perfectly flat due to all the gaps under the tray. It’s close but not perfect.

[Aros]

Shout out to Hugh Wiedman for taking the time on the phone with me on Memorial Day to walk me through setting up the AS3X+. I tried my best over the weekend but just couldn’t get it to work. It’s definitely not Plug N’ Play but once you see the capabilities it’s really intuitive.

I will get those F Modes set up as well! I can’t wait to maiden her with what should be a boost of confidence. Thanks again buddy!

[f4u ausie]

U see. Guru. Was correct

[Hugh Wiedman]

U see. Guru. Was correct

Wait till after his maiden. Hopefully I won't have to change my name and move to Namibia!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Doing a little preventative maintenance on one of my F-18 Canadian models now that I'm flying them much more after the elevator servo upgrades, the flap servo upgrades and especially the Plus RX upgrade. Still only have about 75 flights on the one, but a few issues came up that maybe you want to keep an eye on with yours. Doubt any of you will experience these issues, as you know I'm quite "special" , so just in case.

The first was the horn on one of the elevator shafts actually broke off, fortunately on the ground and not while flying. Of course, that's one of the items that's "out of stock" at the moment from MRC. Must be yanking and banking too hard! Rather than wait around for it to be available, I decided to try a "Rube Goldberg" (many of you may be too young to know what that refers to) fix of my own. Sandwiched the broken horn between two 0.5mm shaped carbon fiber sheets and epoxied it together, then drilled the ball screw and another screw to help hold it together. Should last until they get them back in stock.

Second item I noticed was that the carbon fiber outside tube for the wings (glued into the fuselage) was starting to crack. There's not much foam surrounding the ends of the tubes where the wings attacked to give it support as there are channels cut about 2" in for the wing harness wires to go, leaving it fairly bare. So again, "Rube Goldberg" to the rescue. I took two 1.5mm sheets of carbon fiber cut, epoxied and inlaid around where the tube ends out of the fuselage on each side. Again, hopefully that will reinforce any torque on the wing tubes and stop any further cracking.

Photos of the operations below:

[Aros]

Well I wish I had better news, Hugh Wiedman. Went to maiden last evening and she took off fine but instantly I could tell something was off. I fought the sticks the entire time and all she wanted to do was flip, roll...Completely uncontrollable. I tried my best to bring her back and land but she wasn't having it. She face planted in the dirt on a hill. I tried locating her to no avail. She's gone in the wind. I can't believe it. Hugh, you did everything to help make her as flight worthy as possible but I am now convinced after 8 or 10 of these models that there is some gremlins in her. Nothing else makes sense. To be that wonky and unflyable after installing the AS3X+?? I won't ever buy this version of this model ever again.

Fare thee well.

[Elbee]

Well I wish I had better news, Hugh Wiedman. Went to maiden last evening and she took off fine but instantly I could tell something was off. I fought the sticks the entire time and all she wanted to do was flip, roll...Completely uncontrollable.

Aros,

Now that just sucks, Pards.

I have no words or do I?

So what do you do when something sucks?

Let me say this, "cold beer, bottle of wine, single malt" not in any particular order; not that I would know anything about this strategy.

I suppose we must 'Accept the Suckiness'.

Your thought to "never ever" brings to mind something I think about from time to time "If it causes a problem it is a problem."

Condolences, my friend.

Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

Oh that's horrible

[Hugh Wiedman]

Well I wish I had better news, Hugh Wiedman. Went to maiden last evening and she took off fine but instantly I could tell something was off. I fought the sticks the entire time and all she wanted to do was flip, roll...Completely uncontrollable. I tried my best to bring her back and land but she wasn't having it. She face planted in the dirt on a hill. I tried locating her to no avail. She's gone in the wind. I can't believe it. Hugh, you did everything to help make her as flight worthy as possible but I am now convinced after 8 or 10 of these models that there is some gremlins in her. Nothing else makes sense. To be that wonky and unflyable after installing the AS3X+?? I won't ever buy this version of this model ever again.

Fare thee well.

Oh 💩, I can't believe it. I would have bet a fortune that you would have had a tremendous success. All I can think is we (I specifically) screwed up with the programming in some way, just can't possibly imagine what it was. I'm sure you didn't have time to dial the gains off as you most likely were too busy on the sticks to turn the knob off. Definitely sounds like a gyro issue, wanting to roll over. Almost like the RX orientation was off. Don't blame the model, I'm sure I must have "screwed the pooch" on programming, so so sorry.

[jetpltrich]

Well I wish I had better news, Hugh Wiedman. Went to maiden last evening and she took off fine but instantly I could tell something was off. I fought the sticks the entire time and all she wanted to do was flip, roll...Completely uncontrollable. I tried my best to bring her back and land but she wasn't having it. She face planted in the dirt on a hill. I tried locating her to no avail. She's gone in the wind. I can't believe it. Hugh, you did everything to help make her as flight worthy as possible but I am now convinced after 8 or 10 of these models that there is some gremlins in her. Nothing else makes sense. To be that wonky and unflyable after installing the AS3X+?? I won't ever buy this version of this model ever again.

Fare thee well.

I have to believe the programing of the RX was flawed. I have done three F-18's now with the Plus RX, two PNP's and one parts airframe. All three have performed flawlessly with the exception of the flap servos which I replaced. My stepson preforms some awesome high alpha flights on par with Airguardian with his F-18 and its pretty cool. He's a Marine reserve flying the real F-18 and he mimics what he does in the real F-18.

One thing to note is updating the RX, even a newly purchased one needs to be updated to the current software. As an example, I just purchased, within a week, a 10 channel Plus RX and it needed to be updated. This is done with the Spektrum Programmer app with the Spektrum Update Cable purchased through Horizon Hobby. It is a must!!!

I wish I was closer to you Aros, I would've got it really dialed in for you.

Rich

[Hugh Wiedman]

I have to believe the programing of the RX was flawed. I have done three F-18's now with the Plus RX, two PNP's and one parts airframe. All three have performed flawlessly with the exception of the flap servos which I replaced. My stepson preforms some awesome high alpha flights on par with Airguardian with his F-18 and its pretty cool. He's a Marine reserve flying the real F-18 and he mimics what he does in the real F-18.

One thing to note is updating the RX, even a newly purchased one needs to be updated to the current software. As an example, I just purchased, within a week, a 10 channel Plus RX and it needed to be updated. This is done with the Spektrum Programmer app with the Spektrum Update Cable purchased through Horizon Hobby. It is a must!!!

I wish I was closer to you Aros, I would've got it really dialed in for you.

Rich

Agree with you completely. Certainly sounds exactly like a gyro issue to me, but can't imagine where it went off. We programmed it over the phone together and set it up, I thought, exactly like both of my F-18's, which have performed flawlessly. My strong suspicion is in the RX orientation, as gains, FM switch and gain adjust where set as mine are. Todd even did the gyro response test, which would show any incorrect surface movement and apparently everything moved in the correct direction. I'm at a loss, programmed 20 of these Plus RX's in the last 6 months, which are fairly straightforward and haven't had anything like this occur. Could Heading Hold have been inadvertently programmed? Hope Todd finds the aircraft and we can see what the issue was.

[Aros]

All good questions. It flew like it was extremely tail heavy but I know you recommended what you have found to be the sweet spot so it shouldn't have been the issue? It's insane how many problems I've had over the years with this model. No other EDF has ever come close to these types of issues. I took my drone out to see if I could find it and no luck. The field it headed towards in the end is surrounded by heavy, dense evergreens so my guess is it crashed in the woods which means bye bye RunCam, Admiral 6S 6000, AS3X+ and electronics. Ugh.

To add insult to injury my replacement H stabs arrived today. I ordered them because one of them was full of pock marks and dents. Not sure how that happened. Well, I'm sure she's much worse off than a little cosmetic issue now! lol...

If anybody would like this brand new set of H stabs let me know.

Hugh Wiedman don't beat yourself up buddy. You did I fine job walking me through the process and I did do the gyro test and all the surfaces moved in the right direction, so it's just a true mystery.

[Fruchtzwerg76]

Those are the settings Hugh is using, and I really like them. Three different gain settings based on flap selection. Basically, cruise not so much, takeoff flaps more, landing flaps more. I've had roll axis wobble during cruise and have had to reduce gain, each plane will be different. That said that is the only change I've made from Hugh's settings. A good start.

If I think of anything else, I definitely post it. Questions welcome.

Richard

Hey,

maybe someone could assist in setting up these flaps based gains. I´m currently struggling.

I´m familiar with having my gains on the rknob which is adjustable in flight.

So I´m having my switch for my three flight modes (AS3X off, AS3X on and Safe) as usual. Then I choose my flap switch as my gains switch. Correct?

How do I now dial my settings in for flight mode 2 (AS3X on) for instance for the different flaps positions (no flaps, takeoff flaps and landing flaps)?

I´m lost at the moment. Any help is really appreciated.

Alex