Official Freewing 90mm F-16 Falcon Thread

[Aros]

[Aros]

Well it's been almost 24 hours since I killed the gear and just bought replacement parts. She should be all repaired soon and no worse for the wear. My ego on the other hand...

[Aros]

Received the gear a day early (nice surprise) and was pleasantly surprised how easy the main gear was to install! My biggest fear was trying to fish the servo leads through some impossibly small channel but I happily discovered the servo leads were easily accessible next to the main gear base. So the rest was unscrewing the base, retracts from the base, then installing onto the new unit and screwing back in. The nose gear simply had a bent lower strut so I simply unscrewed it and screwed on the new one. Whole replacement took me under 20 minutes! Well under my lunch hour. So she's all ready for her Flight of the Phoenix tomorrow.

[Aros]

Whoa, that was post 666! Should I be worried??

[Phantom]

Hmmmm, my screen says his post is #663.... this one should be #665.

[Hugh Wiedman]

I got the same post #'s Phantom, Aros must have special access to 2 top secret posts that us peons can't see. So that makes me 666 and not just here, ask my wife and kids.

[Hugh Wiedman]

And 13 is actually my lucky number. My wife and I picked a Friday the 13th for our wedding, which was also my father's birthday, so 13 runs in the family. I use 13 on any number on my planes, including having 13 Nazi/Japanese kill markings or bombs.

Gee, maybe that's why I have so many "mishaps".

[Phantom]

And 13 is actually my lucky number. My wife and I picked a Friday the 13th for our wedding, which was also my father's birthday, so 13 runs in the family. I use 13 on any number on my planes, including having 13 Nazi/Japanese kill markings or bombs.

Gee, maybe that's why I have so many "mishaps".

Haha I've never been afraid of 13 either, my mother was born on Friday the 13th, guess I'm covered!

[Phantom]

It is quite common to see 666 on one of the 4 T5 gauges at work on our PT6 engines while in cruise flight. I always chuckle when my copilot notices it and makes an unnecessary power change to ensure the dreaded triple 6's aren't showing on the gauge

[Aros]

Proof you turkeys!

[Phantom]

Proof you turkeys!

Well I got out the ol magnifying glass, then through it over my shoulder and and grabbed my microscope lol Sure enough, triple 6's lol

[PaulZ]

I love this jet! But after 2 years of flying it is time to make room in the hangar. She is now for sale...

[Aros]

Flight of the Phoenix...There was high winds, nerves and a landing that should have ended in disaster but my Flight Angels saved the day.

[Aros]

Took her out for a dusk sortie tonight after the winds finally died down. It's been really nice weather here in the PNW but windy! It's been eating at me that my last two landings were terrible so I had to get the bad taste out of my mouth. My CG is solid but I am fighting a pitch sensitivity on the approach. One part of it is that I keep forgetting to adjust the elevator trim on full flaperon mode. Wants to pitch down dramatically...Luckily this landing was good but there was a lot of throttle management to coax her into a smooth touchdown. I immediately adjusted my elevator trim so I won't have to worry about fighting the sticks on final. I need to re-examine my expo/rates as well. I should never fight the bird on final...At this point it should be pure muscle memory for smooth landings every time. Well, almost every time, lol.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Took her out for a dusk sortie tonight after the winds finally died down. It's been really nice weather here in the PNW but windy! It's been eating at me that my last two landings were terrible so I had to get the bad taste out of my mouth. My CG is solid but I am fighting a pitch sensitivity on the approach. One part of it is that I keep forgetting to adjust the elevator trim on full flaperon mode. Wants to pitch down dramatically...Luckily this landing was good but there was a lot of throttle management to coax her into a smooth touchdown. I immediately adjusted my elevator trim so I won't have to worry about fighting the sticks on final. I need to re-examine my expo/rates as well. I should never fight the bird on final...At this point it should be pure muscle memory for smooth landings every time. Well, almost every time, lol.

Beautiful sunset and outstanding flight, "Back in the Groove Again". FYI, I have my D/R on aileron between 60-75% with 45% expo (wow, that much) and for elevator at 90-110% with 45% expo, but that's just me. I like for the F-16 a lot of elevator travel to get it into position at landing, but dial up the expo so it isn't too sensitive, but there when I pull for it.

This may help if you're not already doing it. I set my Flight Mode up in the transmitter under "Flight Mode" and assign it to switch D, which is my flap, or in this case flaperon 3 position switch. Then also in the 2nd menu of the transmitter I go to "Trim Setup" and set the aileron and elevator to F Mode, instead of the the default position of Common. I leave Throttle at Common Digital and Rudder to Common. This allows you to have seperate trims at each position of the flap switch for aileron and elevator. The rudder stays trimmed in all three positions at the same point (you could change that too but the rudder trim shouldn't change when deploying flaps). I you want, you could leave aileron trim at common, so at all positions it has the same trim, but I like to use that "trimmable" for each position as well in the event that each flap/flaperon extends at a minutely different deflection (which it seems with all my planes it may be 1-2 clicks different in each position). The big bonus is on the elevator trim, which now allows different trim settings for each position of the flaps without having to remember to change it in flight or hope you guessed right in the Flap system settings. Granted, on the maiden you need to trim aileron & elevator (so 6 individual trims) at each flap position, but you only have to do it once, no guessing of how much to put in on the Flap System adjustments. This has made flying any plane with flaps, for me anyway, sooooo much easier. No landing and guessing how much to put in, then take it up and see if it's correct. Now, there should be absolutely no change in attitude or roll when you deploy flaps. It also allows you to trim for say flaps up at a higher speed/throttle, take-off trim at say a 50-70% throttle and landing at say 35% throttle (or whatever speeds "blow your skirt up") without having to worry about attitude trims. This setting was shown to me early on by an incredibly experienced and award winning turbine jet pilot, so who am I to argue. You do get a little busy on the maiden (and actually I have all 3 control surfaces set that way, so 9 individual trims), but it's well worth it later on.

Just a thought.

[Aros]

Just a thought? Just a THOUGHT? I think about 90% of that just blew over my head!

In all my years of flying I have never used F Mode. My entire repertoire consists of dual rates, expo, servo adjustments (speed, travel, etc) and the usuals. Even generic mixing takes me a half hour where it may take someone 10 seconds, lol! Just never have gotten mixing and F Modes. I really need to study and master F Modes though, for the reasons you mention...I want to be able to flick a switch and it's not just the flaps or rates but a fine tune mix for every major flight mode, especially landing. Some models don't need flight modes because they are just so easy to fly in all flight envelopes but scale jets like this model I can absolutely see the need.

So once this evil virus is over and we can all get back to our normal lives, I will fly you out so you can program the Flight Modes for me!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Just a thought? Just a THOUGHT? I think about 90% of that just blew over my head!

In all my years of flying I have never used F Mode. My entire repertoire consists of dual rates, expo, servo adjustments (speed, travel, etc) and the usuals. Even generic mixing takes me a half hour where it may take someone 10 seconds, lol! Just never have gotten mixing and F Modes. I really need to study and master F Modes though, for the reasons you mention...I want to be able to flick a switch and it's not just the flaps or rates but a fine tune mix for every major flight mode, especially landing. Some models don't need flight modes because they are just so easy to fly in all flight envelopes but scale jets like this model I can absolutely see the need.

So once this evil virus is over and we can all get back to our normal lives, I will fly you out so you can program the Flight Modes for me!

No problem, would love to visit the Great NW. BTW, I have yet to use or figure out how to use any mixing, but it is EXTREMELY easy to use flight modes (if I can do it, absolutely anyone can). In my opinion, it is the single most beneficial transmitter adjustment you can make and I believe everyone should use it for "stress free" flying. Wouldn't you love to change the flaps and have the plane REMAIN rock solid with attitude, allowing you to concentrate on actually flying? Just 2 easy settings in the transmitter: 1) Set Flight Modes in menu to the switch you want to have it on, like your flap switch. 2) Go to Trim Settings and select the surfaces you wish to be able to be individually set when changing that switch. Now you can trim those surfaces with each flap setting. Done, takes 30 seconds to set up. It's just like doing it in the Flap Settings menu (and those trims still remain as a "first ballpark guess"), except now you can refine it with your trim switches WHILE IN THE AIR and get it exact, first flight.

I also like using some high expo, and am probably in a crowd of one on that (hey social distancing). I initially started flying with the typical expo's in 5-15% max range and changed rates between low/medium/high. But when I started flying the Extreme Flight 3D planes, they recommended some wild high rates like 50-70 degree deflections with expo in the 70-80% or MORE range, allowing some radical moves but not so sensitive with minimal stick movement that the plane acts like a schizophrenic. The net result is that even in mid to high rates, minimal stick movement is essentially in low rates, but as you get more stick movement, you transition into high rates without having to flip a switch while flying. Great for landing (especially great for wild 3D maneuvers though), especially landing jittery jets, where with minimal stick movement it is rather stable with minor altitude/attitude changes. Once you get slow enough at the proper height over the runway, more exaggerated stick movements gets you into high alpha. I also use it cause for some reason, I still have bouts of anxiety and my hands tend to shake. Well, expo reduces those shaky hands effects on the stick.

[Aros]

Now being able to adjust trim with Flight Modes in the various flap stages in flight gets my attention! I will take a stab at it and hopefully not stab my plane in the process!

[gooniac33]

Unfortunately, the 5500 is out of stock with Jetwerx and with Roaring Top themselves. Got the last 8. 3 arrived earlier this week (which I got to use in the F-16 and SU-30) and hopefully another 5 are coming tomorrow. Also tried to get some of the 6250's that Chris (RC GEEK) uses exclusively in all his FW jets, but snagged the last 1 only. I'll test the output tomorrow (assuming it arrives with the others). With potential shipments from China being stopped, I wonder if we'll see any more for a while, assuming that goes through.

The 6250s worked really well in my planes! Just be sure to break them in or they may now be all that impressive at first. My Faves were the 6s 35c 5800 packs which made all of my EDFs jump to life! I was lucky enough to get them on sale for $69 a piece and am glad I did! I used them for almost 2 years in my jets! They are still in use today with a big carbon Z t-28 and they work amazing on the low draw. No puffing at all either! Best bang for the buck out there right now with really good performance is still gonna be HRB 6s 50c 6000mah packs. I have 4 and they are working really well! Super cheap in price too!


I am really tempted to get a thunderbird PNP.... I have been really impressed with the new 1650kv outrunner and may have to try it out for myself. I have flown the original older 1450kv equipped F-16 and really liked how it flew! I know that the newer set ups will be even better! I am working on some set ups of my own so could just remove the PNP set up and install my own afterwards..... HMMMMMMMMMM

[Hugh Wiedman]

Now being able to adjust trim with Flight Modes in the various flap stages in flight gets my attention! I will take a stab at it and hopefully not stab my plane in the process!

First set it up in the transmitter as I described. Then go back to the main screen. Look at the trim settings with flaps up for aileron and elevator (write them down). Now change the flap switch to Take Off flaps. If you have voice alerts, when you move the flap switch it should announce Flight Mode 2 (voice command can be enabled in the Spoken Flight Mode menu just after F-Mode Setup, if you want). Now check the trims (can't remember if they go back to 0, if they do, put the trim you had in the up position as a starting point). When you adjust the trim now, it will only adjust it on that flap position, all other flap positions remain as before. Check Landing flaps, should say flight mode 3 and check those trims as with FM2. I set voice commands for the flap switch to say first the Flight Mode, then Flaps Up or Take-off flaps or Landing flaps. Easy Peazy.