FMS 80MM Dassault Rafale

[RudyD54]

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure the full size Rafale and Gripen only use the canards in pitch and not roll so I imagine on the Rafale it wasn’t so much simplicity but more of keeping in line with how the real one works. I run them pitch only on the Gripen and if I had to take a guess, they went dual servos because it was simpler than making a linkage considering where the canards are located.

The Rafale has plenty of authority in the roll axis as is and rolls like a drill at full rates. I’m not sure that the trouble to separate the canards would add anything in this regard due to their small size.

[Evan D]

It looks like it would take some interesting engineering to do it and I would be interested to see what you come up with.


Considering all the recommendations to only use the Gripens' in pitch I can't think many would jump in on urging you to do it... I could be wrong though.

[chuckywhiskers]

I really want to know if anyone has set up independent canards on this yet. If so, can you please let me know how you converted it? I'm thinking of 3d printing some individual arms similar to the "U" shaped bar that is used stock. It really irritates me that FMS would go this far with the model and flake out on function for the sake of simplicity...

[kallend]

Hi all! How much flight time are you guys getting on average on this plane? I have researched the internet but I get a lot of different responses unlike other models which the consensus leans into the 3 to 3.5 minutes average (depending on fan size and throttle management). I have been told that this plane eats up batteries, is that true? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Sorry for the late response - I was in Antarctica!

If you stay with the stock nozzles, which are way oversize (at 58mm diameter each, which turns out to be 130% FSA), you will need to fly at high throttle to get decent performance and that WILL eat up the battery.

Replace with a properly sized nozzle and everything is improved. There are several sources for nozzles - mine (100% FSA) are at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4827133

[Cobbster]

I got a couple of flights on the Rafe today,Its gotten to be my favorite jet from a pretty great stable!Eflite'sf4 phantom.70mm f16 and A 10,Arrows Mig 29. Excellent jets one and all.The Rafes just so cool in the air

[Dwalkerp47]

Hi all! How much flight time are you guys getting on average on this plane? I have researched the internet but I get a lot of different responses unlike other models which the consensus leans into the 3 to 3.5 minutes average (depending on fan size and throttle management). I have been told that this plane eats up batteries, is that true? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

My timer is set at 3 minutes, but with taxi time, I usually end up with about 3:45 seconds with a battery voltage of around 3.7 to 3.75 per cell. I'm using 4400 6S Roaring Top batteries with a 70C rating in the Rafale. That battery is perfect for that Jet.

[Madness]

Hi all! How much flight time are you guys getting on average on this plane? I have researched the internet but I get a lot of different responses unlike other models which the consensus leans into the 3 to 3.5 minutes average (depending on fan size and throttle management). I have been told that this plane eats up batteries, is that true? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[Icarus the 2nd]

I'm at 90 flights so far with my FMS Rafale, this is my favorite EDF jet since I upgraded to a 8S Wemotec unit.

Here's a compilation vid showing some parts of my recordings, including some footage that I didn't post before.

Enjoy!

[xviper]

BTW: Does "fanbois" mean in French: "Fans made of wood?"

I've never heard of that definition. I first heard of this term when I was in the sporty import car scene back around the turn of the century. We used to refer to guys who "riced up" their little imports with fart can exhausts and lowered so close to the ground, they made sparks wherever they went. They wore their pants down 1/2 way past their underwear waste band and their baseball caps backwards. Their kinds of cars were THE only cars that mattered. It was an off-shoot of "groupies". For some reason, it was spelled "fanbois" instead of "fanboys". I think it started out predominantly targeting the young Vietnamese car crowd. (The other language of Viet Nam was/is French.) The only thing that was apparent was that the term was somewhat derogatory because they followed a certain "thing" or "state of being" without reason or logic - like lemmings over a cliff.

[AirHead]

Me neither. I really don't care about HH at all and I doubt there are that many HH fanbois here anyway. Now, on the "other" forum, that's a whole different story. Fanbois over there walk all over each other's faces just to raise the HH flag.

Hey dude! I'm not a big fan of Helly Hansen either. I didn't know they make RC planes! I thought they only made helicopters and clothing. BTW: Does "fanbois" mean in French: "Fans made of wood?"...Only the RC Sages would know .....

[jetdoc]

Obviously the word sarcasm means little in this polarized world of ours. I guess I should have said IMHO before speaking out. Once again I digress. I'm only speaking from personal experience. Yours may be different. My original statement simply stated a question of why a model was so obviously brand-equipped in favor of HH products and extended an "atta-boy" to another company who came through to make what I actually received match the advertised model on Amazon. Did we miss that? I intended a positive message but it was immediately twisted into something else. Yes, I hold HH to task for quality and value when I spend $500 for a model (Su-30) that is clearly inferior to its manufacturer's equal (FMS Su-27) and its poor performance and lack of availability due to HH marketing forces me to spend another $150 to $200 to turn it into an equal performer. But alas, this is an FMS Rafale thread. I'll hold my opinion on the Rafale until I've seen how it performs for me, at which time it will be just that, my opinion. My expectations are much better now however since it will have the correct FMS motor and Reflex V2 that I paid for in the first place. BTW, Fair RC told me to keep the Eflite 3270-2000kV it came with. Seems they have no use for it either......... Y'all have a nice evening!

[kallend]

Me neither. I really don't care about HH at all and I doubt there are that many HH fanbois here anyway. Now, on the "other" forum, that's a whole different story. Fanbois over there walk all over each other's faces just to raise the HH flag.

Every brand has its fanbois. Read some of the initial "reviews" of the FW MiG29.

[kallend]

Sorry I brought it up! At no time did I directly blame HH for this issue. Go back and read it again. I simply expressed concern based not only on this but previous issues as well. My sincere apologies to all you HH acolytes out there. Feel free to proceed into the realm of Smart, Safe, AS3X and all their other proprietary systems with all speed! Of course I'm being sarcastic, but I had no idea I'd upset do many people by simply questioning the great and powerful OZ (HH)! Pay no attention to this man behind the curtain. Drink your KoolAid and spend your money. Just don't question anything. It's been fun but I have a Rafale calling me from the shop. Lighten up people!🤣 It's a hobby.

Even now you can't refrain from taking a swipe at HH even after admitting that your problems were not, in fact, caused by them.

I guess you just can't help yourself.

[xviper]

Me neither. I really don't care about HH at all and I doubt there are that many HH fanbois here anyway. Now, on the "other" forum, that's a whole different story. Fanbois over there walk all over each other's faces just to raise the HH flag.

[Evan D]

Not sure if anyone is upset… I’m not…

[jetdoc]

Sorry I brought it up! At no time did I directly blame HH for this issue. Go back and read it again. I simply expressed concern based not only on this but previous issues as well. My sincere apologies to all you HH acolytes out there. Feel free to proceed into the realm of Smart, Safe, AS3X and all their other proprietary systems with all speed! Of course I'm being sarcastic, but I had no idea I'd upset do many people by simply questioning the great and powerful OZ (HH)! Pay no attention to this man behind the curtain. Drink your KoolAid and spend your money. Just don't question anything. It's been fun but I have a Rafale calling me from the shop. Lighten up people!🤣 It's a hobby.

[Evan D]

You are not telling me anything I don't know. And to be clear I am anything but a HH fan boy.

You bought a plane that, as you say, is sold in the US through a single distributor but you bought it gray market and you didn't get what you expected. I assume the reason you didn't get it from HH was to get a "better deal". You learned a lesson I hope. That's not to say getting a plane off shore isn't always an issue, but you have to be a little more diligent when you go that way.

I'm not blaming HH but don't fool yourself. FMS makes almost all of HH's new releases these days and they make the ones HH sells in the US to HH specs. HH also controls, through marketing agreements what FMS is allowed to sell in the US. If that weren't so we would have had a choice between the sky pig Eflite Su-30 or the higher-performing FMS Su-27. Same plane, different paint and motors. Not that I blame them but because of sales volume HH can pretty much dictate specs and terms a la Walmart. Ever purchased a small kitchen appliance or DVD player from Walmart? Same thing. Less competition in the market has always resulted in inferior quality and fewer choices. BTW, Amazon was never involved in the negotiations. By and large FMS makes two different types of kits, those intended for sale through HH and those intended for other sellers and the rest of the world.
On a lighter note, I'm really looking forward to flying my new correctly powered FMS 80mm Rafale! Hopefully I can get started on it tonight. No harm, no foul.

[xviper]

I don't think FairRC has anything to do with Horizon. They sell either directly or through Amazon.com and that in itself tells me that Horizon is not involved. It's no different than some of the smaller sellers in China selling stuff through AliExpress or Banggood or like many small vendors peddling their wares under the Amazon umbrella. FairRC doesn't reveal where they are based but I'll bet they get their FMS stuff directly from China, bypassing Horizon altogether. So putting any blame on Horizon for this is unjustified. I'm not a Horizon fanboi, far from it. Lately, the attitude and conduct of a Horizon rep on the other forum has cast a very negative light upon Horizon in general, but I still think it's unfair to link Horizon with this latest transaction. We're likely dealing with a bootleg copy of the Rafale.

[kallend]

I'm not blaming HH but don't fool yourself. . . . ..

So why did you write:

"What concerns me in all of this is that it appears as if Horizon is selling an inferior product at premium prices.
. . .

These instances have further distanced me from any further business with Horizon in the future. "Caveat Emptor"! Buyer beware!"

It sure seems like you're blaming Horizon when your problems have come from a 3rd party supplier.

[jetdoc]

Yeah, I think he is unfairly targeting HH for issues they are not responsible for. He bought a plane from a gray market vendor and got burned. No surprise. Lucky he got it through Amazon though.

I'm not blaming HH but don't fool yourself. FMS makes almost all of HH's new releases these days and they make the ones HH sells in the US to HH specs. HH also controls, through marketing agreements what FMS is allowed to sell in the US. If that weren't so we would have had a choice between the sky pig Eflite Su-30 or the higher-performing FMS Su-27. Same plane, different paint and motors. Not that I blame them but because of sales volume HH can pretty much dictate specs and terms a la Walmart. Ever purchased a small kitchen appliance or DVD player from Walmart? Same thing. Less competition in the market has always resulted in inferior quality and fewer choices. BTW, Amazon was never involved in the negotiations. By and large FMS makes two different types of kits, those intended for sale through HH and those intended for other sellers and the rest of the world.
On a lighter note, I'm really looking forward to flying my new correctly powered FMS 80mm Rafale! Hopefully I can get started on it tonight. No harm, no foul.