FLEXJET SUPER PNP

[Phantom]

Xviper,

Thanks for the input. I certainly wasn't expecting to hear about this bird being twitchy, atleast not from what I remember reading. :Confused:I thought the Aura 8 was basically not necessary but the aircraft was stable, with adequate power, and a better than average flight time. The price was the only reason I held back, it wasn't a sport jet price in my opinion, it was a scale foamy jet price. I have yet to ever use a gyro, my first flight with a gyro will be with my 90mm F-104. I've always flown "hands on."

[xviper]

Xviper,

Thanks for the input. I certainly wasn't expecting to hear about this bird being twitchy, atleast not from what I remember reading. :Confused:I thought the Aura 8 was basically not necessary but the aircraft was stable, with adequate power, and a better than average flight time. The price was the only reason I held back, it wasn't a sport jet price in my opinion, it was a scale foamy jet price. I have yet to ever use a gyro, my first flight with a gyro will be with my 90mm F-104. I've always flown "hands on."

I haven’t flown mine for a long time but if I remember, there are 3 modes. The first mode has the low rates and gyro compensation. If you are flying and flip to mode 2 and 3, the plane suddenly becomes VERY sensitive and the gyro is pretty much non-invasive. Unless you are an experienced pilot, that translates to extreme maneuverability, which I call “twitchy”. The slightest movement of the stick can result in a roller coaster ride or a quick roll like a drill bit. I dialed down the rates in all 3 modes and put in some gyro gain in mode 2 and 3 and increased the gain in mode 1. It was tamed down then. The landing is HOT. When I yanked out the Aura 8, I programmed flaperons, which slowed down the landing speed significantly. If you have a very long runway, no problem. I flew off of rough grass and the runway was short. The hill at one end saved me several times.
I think somewhere in this thread, I posted a video of my maiden where the Aura 8 was stock programming. The flight was done mostly in mode 1 as flipping to mode 2 and 3 was too tense and I flipped it back immediately. On that flight, I didn’t have the hill at the end I needed and I just barely turned it before hitting the tall grass at the end. After doing flaperons, it was fine. I was planning on cutting out flaps and adding 2 servos over this past winter, but my next field will be very long so I’ll fly it there first before doing the mod.

[Phantom]

There are very few planes I've ever owned that I didn't end up modding with flaps or flaperons, if they were manufactured without flaps. I am a true believer in flaps. With this plane there will be no exception. Thanks again for the intel.

[Robert Belluomini]

Here is a simple way to slow the FlexJet down for landing with a modern tx.
If your tx offers flight conditions with seperate trims for each activate the function. Make your gear switch the flight condition switch. Take off and leave the gear Down. Slow the model to landing speed and retrim the elevator (up trim) and slow the model at pattern altitude to what you find comfortable. Land the model with this new trim value. Now during take off you will find the model rotates quicker too. Now when you raise the gear the elevator will move back to normal value. Ive done this for years with my jets that did not have flaps, it works great!

[Phantom]

Robert, Very insightful, I like that idea. I usually change flight configurations multiple times while performing slow flight and trying to trim out the bird. Its a race to complete the "flight testing" within one battery so that the maiden landing is successful. Your method to me is the K.I.S.S. method. I like it and, believe I will adopt it, thank you.

[Mtnflyby]

The one I see that's $130.00 off is the new TV model. Not the original one this thread is about. Just a heads up.

[Phantom]

The one I see that's $130.00 off is the new TV model. Not the original one this thread is about. Just a heads up.

You are correct sir, I had to go back to find out what the heck you were talking about! I read over the description several times but couldn't find the TV initially. So I checked my order and then compared three product code. I then noticed the sale was for 90 bucks off on the one I purchased. After discovering the other TV version I toyed with the idea of modifying my order and paying the difference as my order hadn't shipped yet. Then I saw the disclaimer lol and thought better of it, please see attached.

[dkalwishky]

I'm going to have to disagree with xviper's assessment of the Aura 8 flight controller.

I have the Flex Cessna 170 and it's by far the best flying plane I've flown. The Aura locks that plane it and allows me to fly it in pretty much any wind condition. I take it out on days where the wind is blowing 25 kts and I have no problems. My skills are no better than most peoples, the Flex Jet might be different but I highly doubt it.

There are three modes to the Aura. Gyro off, Gyro on with low rates and Gyro on with high rates. Most of my flying is Gyro on with low rates and it flies beautifully. No twitchiness or strange behavior. When I first saw the control throws I was concerned that it would be a handful, I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't.

[xviper]

The Aura 8 was and may still be a terrific piece of tech when it's configured to suit the plane it goes into. However, the stock configuration of the Aura 8 as it comes in the original FlexJet was inappropriate for use by the average end user (well, at least me anyway) and was more applicable to expert flyers. Once it was re-configured, the plane was fine. Since Phantom got the new TV model, he may never know what I'm taking about. I also could have configured flaperons in the Aura 8 but not without purchasing a very pricey serial receiver (or two if memory serves). Using a standard RX, servos had to be "Y'd". For me, the FlexJet never lived up to all the hype and excitement that Flex Innovations was loading onto the product. This may ring true for others as well since this thread started in early 2018 and posting was off and on till mid-Oct of 2018, then nothing till Phantom saw it lately. By comparison, we typically see the threads about planes that leave lasting impressions go on continuously for hundreds and hundreds of pages. They certainly don't die out or slow down in less than 9 months.
A friend of mine also bought a FlexJet at the same time I did. After seeing mine fly a couple times, he lost interest and to this day, he has not taken it out of the box and he has 2 of those serial RXs sitting there with nothing to do.

[xviper]

PS, I knew someone at my old field who has the Flex Cessna 170 with the stock Aura 8 and it's a wonderful plane. He loves it and is as Dave described.

[Phantom]

Xviper, I got the original one, without the TV, see post #147, Mtnflyby brought it to my attention.

[xviper]

Xviper, I got the original one, without the TV, see post #147, Mtnflyby brought it to my attention.

I see it now. I got distracted by their disclaimer. I wonder why they needed to warn people of all that. I'll look forward to your impressions when you fly it. Just be ready when you flip the switch to mode 2 and 3. It may not phase you but then, it could catch you off guard - do it up high and not going too fast when you switch. The plane was marketed as a "3D" jet, so I guess it needs the high throws and instant response. On the other hand, if you ever flew it fast and then suddenly cranked on it, I fear it would tear itself apart (like in the warnings for the new TV version). I never flew it as a "3D" plane since it doesn't have enough power to hover. I have my Mig 29 with TV to do that.

[Phantom]

Xviper,
It's a little concerning regarding the disclaimer, an EDF jet in my opinion should be a high performance, yank and bank, high G capable aircraft. I do feel a little bit better, that I have yet to run across a thread or video about structural failure :Cool:

[xviper]

Xviper,
It's a little concerning regarding the disclaimer, an EDF jet in my opinion should be a high performance, yank and bank, high G capable aircraft. I do feel a little bit better, that I have yet to run across a thread or video about structural failure :Cool:

I don't recall such disclaimers in the original jet. I just checked the manual and it says nothing like that. That makes me wonder why they felt the need to add it to the new version. Did reports come back to Flex about structural failures? When you get the plane, you will see just how much movement there is in all directions and all surfaces. To me, it was downright scary.
Looking at the manual now, I must correct one of my previous statements. In mode 2 and 3, gyro gain is actually increased but that makes for more stability in wind and when doing 3D maneuvers. The manual did confirm, however, that rates get higher in mode 2 and very high in mode 3. Although expo is also increased, it is still easy to over control the plane, especially at high speeds. I reduced the throws in all modes for my comfort and increased gains for the same reason.

[Phantom]

Xviper, they are claiming a 90% increase in power with the TV version verses the orginal. That is the only reason I can think of for the disclaimer on the TV version. That's an incredible claim in my mind for a power increase. It's in the first paragraph of the disclaimer.

[Phantom]

Just priced the TV upgraded power system, comes in north of 300 bucks before shipping.

[xviper]

That's almost double the power. I find that hard to fathom. I must compare the specs to see what they did. With double the power, it might just be able to hover.

[Phantom]

The motors are within 50kv of each other, they increased the esc by 40 amps, and went from a 6s to an 8s battery, appears to be the exact fan for both setups though...

[xviper]

Ahhh, 8s is likely the reason. This should make it do high alpha and possibly hover, but it will also likely make it fly very fast, thus the warnings. (Not that the original 6s version is a slouch.)

[Phantom]

I've got a 90mm F-100 kit that I'd love to use this power system with if it is indeed as powerful as they advertise, but there is really no factual data like, thrust or watt numbers that they provide.