By the way my A-10 comes in at 14lbs with all the extras. 
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On another note, yesterday I got the control surfaces as close to even and neutral as possible with control arm adjustments...they look good to me. I've been reading about the throws and where people are putting them, most going with the recommended throws in the manual? I know it says to give the elevator a little up trim instead of neutral in the book too, people doing that?
Two other thoughts, one on expo...seems like there is a lot of play in the stock aileron setup, huge throws, that give it that "oh ****" wing waggle on take off that I've seen in some videos. I'm thinking of 30 to 40% expo on all control surfaces? I mean I don't want it to be too docile. I'll also add in some aileron/rudder mix and elevator/flap mix for nose up on flap deployment...thinking 3% for half flaps, 5% for full?
Last thought...I set up the control rods to servo horn holes per the manual except at full flaps both the inboards hit the wheel well fairings. Is this also normal?Comment
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I use the rates indicated in the manual. On the elevators, the manual also tells you to put about 5mm of up in for neutral. This is a MUST based on the thrust line of the EDFs.
On the flaps, dial down the full setting until they are just off the wheel well fairings.PatComment
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I'm having a brain fart on the full flaps...how do I actually dial that back? lol I've never "trimmed" flaps before.Originally posted by crxmanpat View PostComment
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25% expo on mine, full throws and as much elevator I can get for flair. The back battery as far as I can put it with the forward one against the rear one. Changed to oleo structs and work well on grass and pavement. Rudder and nose wheel on triple rates. Lowest rate for take of so no zig zagging down the runway. X-wind will tend to make it waggle a bit. No gyro used. 6s 5000 to RT 6250 with minor trim changes. My favorite jet 4 years running. Had a couple scrapes nothing serious. Gear getting loose, time to tighten up.Comment
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Should be instructions in the radio manual. That's where you program you flap settings. I've never used Futaba, so not sure how it's done.Originally posted by Splat View PostPatComment
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Flap settings in endpoints. I use Spectrum that's where I do the flaps in endpoints for the position of the 3 position switch..Originally posted by crxmanpat View PostComment
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Yup found it in the manual, endpoints. Thanks guys!Originally posted by ColtPilot View Post
But I just found another option that might work...called Camber? But it says its for a gilder.Comment
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Hey gang, so yesterday was spent getting all the controls set up. I dialed in 30% expo on all control surfaces and got the throws in per the manual, just need to throw a little mixing in on the elevator when flaps are deployed and I think I'm good there. I also tried to organize the rats nest of wires in the electronics bay and mounted the Rx on the right side of the fuse just fwd of the control board. Just cut a little foam outta the side and it fits in this little groove on the side where I think some reinforcements were meant to go? I'm actually thinking of gluing in a couple of carbon fiber rods in these channels to stiffen the nose a little bit. Anyway I think from an electronics stand point I'm ready to go and think the only thing left is getting the CG / balancing thing right.
So about that, how the hell do guys balance such a big bird? I know it needs to be, or should be, inverted but gear up or gear down? I've read a few posts where the bird is being balanced right side up. Ordnance installed or slick? I don't know how much of a difference the ordnance will make to balancing but I'm thinking gear should be up? I mean its how it flies so...
But yeah, how are you guys balancing it? Can't exactly put it on your finger tips lol.Comment
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I did that. as a precaution. I just balanced mine with the help of another modeler. It's pretty forgiving as far as CG.Originally posted by Splat View Post
Mike\"When Inverted Down Is Up And Up Is Expensive\"Comment
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Splat 5mm square CF rod fits the channels perfectly. Two pieces about 17" long, glued in with Foam-Tac, really stiffens the nose are up.Comment
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Balance inverted with gear down. Ordnance is pretty much on the CG, so do it without. Although you could attach the armament rails as they should stay on regardless if you have ordnance installed or not.PatComment
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Okay inverted, gear down...with my finger tips lol.
Using the Admiral 6000's, anyone else using these have battery placement suggestions for the right CG? I see its pretty forgiving as well, looking at 78 to 85mm from LE?Comment
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Maybe you already saw this, but note that the manual indicates you should have a little up elevator at neutral stick. I took off without this and it took a lot of clicks to keep the thing from diving into the ground.Originally posted by Splat View Post
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I did see that and Pat also mentioned it yesterday so I gave sub-trim of about 5mm up deflection on the elevator. Good looking out G.Originally posted by Gringotuerto View PostComment
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As with mine I like a little aft CG to make for better landings. Lots of up elevator or you will run out of elevator when needed. I have two speakers in the back bay, a 2 AA battery holder for the formation lights, 2 3 cells, one for wing tip strobes, the other for the sound card. Lots of spaghetti wire in the fuselage. 14lbs of A-10. Works for me and 25% expo on all flight controls.Originally posted by Splat View PostComment
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Agreed, you want the CG closer to 85mm (I use 86mm). Landings will be much better with this CG, even as first flights. I only did the first 3 flights at 78mm. After that I moved it to 86 and it's much better.PatComment
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Yes, you can. I find out where the "desired" CG is at the wing root, then use a right angle triangle to move the CG out onto the wing where it's easier to place your finger (hands). I put a small piece of auto-trim pinstriping about the same color as the plane (black is fairly easy to blend in), so that I can feel where it is. Put the plane upside down onto a plane stand either on the table or on the ground, whichever works best for you. Find the pinstriping tape by feel and just lift the plane up. You don't have to lift it very far to see if it's gong to fall one way or the other. Really, it's not hard and it's not rocket science.Originally posted by Splat View Post
As for wheels up or down, that depends on you. Do you want the plane to be balanced for take off and landing or do you want the plane to be balanced for the bulk of the flight? I prefer wheels up as that's how the plane operates for the most minutes of a flight. When landing or taking off, my fingers are on the sticks anyway to control the plane (more likely to be "working" the sticks so it's easy to counter any "off balance" feel during those times). When flying, I tend to relax a lot more and allow for more "hands off" time, so having a perfectly balanced plane during those times is more important to me. Also ask yourself this ..................... At what point do you do your final trim? Do you trim your plane when it's flying normally or do you trim it as it's taking off or while it's landing (ie, with the gear down or up)? If you balance it with gear down, then take off, suck up the gear, then do the trim for "hands off" flight, you've just uncompensated for the balance that you did when you had the gear down. If you balance gear up, it's not going to be balanced the same during take off and landing unless you do the trim with the gear down in flight. Then, when you suck up the gear, it won't be trimmed right anymore. I don't know about you, but most people I know, do the trimming for the bulk of the flight and that's with gear up (for those planes that have retracts).
Whatever is important to you, you do what that will accomplish.
PS, this is a fairly heavy plane, so balancing gear up or down, it doesn't really make that big of a difference as it would on a much lighter plane where the weight of the gear struts up or down might affect balance. Nevertheless, I don't consider this factor to be all that critical on this plane.Comment
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Excellent post and points Viper.Comment
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