Official Skynetic Bison XT STOL Discussion Thread

[Capt G]

nice video. you might have mentioned but did you need any down elevator mix with the flaps?

[Starck Mad]

nice video. you might have mentioned but did you need any down elevator mix with the flaps?

Thanks for watching! Yes we did...12% landing flaps and 7% takeoff flaps. That said it will depend on what battery you use and what your cg is. One thing I will say...you HAVE to land this plane with power. With full flaps and power off it falls like a rock so control your rate of decent with power and keep some in during your flare. Don't let the power off nose over with flaps make you think your mix is off...set your elevator compensation at about 30 or 35% power so the plane descends very slightly hands off at that power setting. Flare with both elevator and power...you can drag it in in ground effect and really get the nose up this way and slow it down a lot if you wish.

At first the rapid decent alarmed me, but now that I'm used to it I can use it to my advantage. I flew it today after work at a school yard...real tight. Coming in over an obstacle (trees) I was able to get it in ground effect much sooner than with other planes ( I usually have to slip the crap out of other planes here) and get it slowed down. It flies different, but cool. It has capabilities my other STOL planes can't match.

Edit: The reason for setting the flap mix at 30 to 35% throttle is so I can easily maintain slow flight with full flaps at a slightly higher throttle setting and do scale STOL takeoffs (which doesn't take near full throttle) without the plane ballooning like crazy.

[Atrix]

What's the best to disconnect the slats, not installing the rod to the servo or disconnecting the slats themselves from the mechanism?

[2much2do]

What's the best to disconnect the slats, not installing the rod to the servo or disconnecting the slats themselves from the mechanism?

So you want a nice even gap all the way. It looks to me that not installing the rod, and then using tape or spare foam to fix that end of the ball-crank would give the best results.

[Starck Mad]

What's the best to disconnect the slats, not installing the rod to the servo or disconnecting the slats themselves from the mechanism?

Atrix I connected the slats to the mechanism and just held the mechanism (the quick connect that moves the slats) in place with a piece of foam...I just slipped it in the slot the quick connect moves in and it holds it in place. That way I've done nothing permanent. I have the option to put pieces on either side and make tiny adjustments if i want...but that said all the way closed (close to the wing) works very well. Obviously the quick connect is not hooked up to the servo.

Edit: By the way when you hook the slats to the mechanism/quick connects when you close the quick connects all the way against their stops the gap is perfectly even on both sides. The foam just holds them against the stops.

[Starck Mad]

2much2do I was looking at your profile pic...where are you slope soaring in that pic? Looks beautiful. That is a facet of model aviation I have yet to try...looks fascinating. There are some places here in Georgia in the north Ga mountains that might work...but nothing like that! Do you watch John Woodfield Rc Gliders on Youtube? If not you need to...great builder and slope pilot.

[2much2do]

2much2do I was looking at your profile pic...where are you slope soaring in that pic? Looks beautiful. That is a facet of model aviation I have yet to try...looks fascinating. There are some places here in Georgia in the north Ga mountains that might work...but nothing like that! Do you watch John Woodfield Rc Gliders on Youtube? If not you need to...great builder and slope pilot.

Yes, I'm a beginner at F3F slope racing, but I've been slope flying for a few years. That's my first used older racing plane, and I'm learning a lot with it. We have several OK slopes around socal and a couple really good ones. As with anything weather dependent it can be heard to plan, but there a couple of really dedicated folks that put races together with just a couple of days of notice.

[Starck Mad]

Yes, I'm a beginner at F3F slope racing, but I've been slope flying for a few years. That's my first used older racing plane, and I'm learning a lot with it. We have several OK slopes around socal and a couple really good ones. As with anything weather dependent it can be heard to plan, but there a couple of really dedicated folks that put races together with just a couple of days of notice.

Very cool! Check out that guys channel. He builds some really unique stuff...slopes anything. I'd be curious what you think of his channel as somebody that understands what he's doing. I know the principle of it, but he makes the execution look so easy.

[2much2do]

Very cool! Check out that guys channel. He builds some really unique stuff...slopes anything. I'd be curious what you think of his channel as somebody that understands what he's doing. I know the principle of it, but he makes the execution look so easy.

He has some really great built-up gliders! Slope is great because if the slope is working you can fly for literally hours effortlessly without stopping or switching through other gliders if you want. Slope combat is one of the most fun things I've ever done with an RC airplane.

[2much2do]

Back to the Bison.

So I have heard back from Motion, I'll keep it short until they actually drop something in the mail, its taking them quite the large number of responses and 2 days now. They say they will send me a strut, but no tracking number yet.

I understand that this is a "new model" but they really don't exude the appearance of great service on this one.

[skiervh]

Very weak tailwheel springs. I can hardly turn one way or the other. Tried shortening the springs to apply more tension, I may have attached them wrong or cut them too short...really not sure because I still can't get the tail wheel to turn much at all. Any suggestions or alternatives?

[2much2do]

Very weak tailwheel springs. I can hardly turn one way or the other. Tried shortening the springs to apply more tension, I may have attached them wrong or cut them too short...really not sure because I still can't get the tail wheel to turn much at all. Any suggestions or alternatives?

Im fairly certain looking closely at it with smaller springs, that that answer will be to drill new holes for the srpings closer to the center of the wheel pivot.

[Starck Mad]

Very weak tailwheel springs. I can hardly turn one way or the other. Tried shortening the springs to apply more tension, I may have attached them wrong or cut them too short...really not sure because I still can't get the tail wheel to turn much at all. Any suggestions or alternatives?

2much2do's suggestion may work...I'm going to use stronger springs, but to be honest for my last several flights this week I've been just lifting the tail with down elevator and some power and getting the tail around tightly that way. It's pretty easy to do with this plane because of the high angle of attack with the tall main gear. The tail doesn't have to come up much and with full rudder she comes on around...looks like a real bush pilots plane when you do it too! I realize thats a technique fix not a mechanical fix, but it's fun...

[2much2do]

You know the best answer is probably actually to make a longer tailwheel stinger. That would give the springs from the rudder a better pull angle. I might make a carbon one since I can't finish the plane.

[Starck Mad]

You know the best answer is probably actually to make a longer tailwheel stinger. That would give the springs from the rudder a better pull angle. I might make a carbon one since I can't finish the plane.

Now that idea I like a lot. Easy to do too.

[Denc23@comcast.net]

Now where does the black and white lead connect from the light controller? I hocked it to the gear channel, thinking it may turn lights on or off, since the is no wire in th center power plug. ?? It didn’t do anything that I noticed. Will mess with it later. Still fixing flat tires, got one ok still a leak in the other.

[Starck Mad]

Now where does the black and white lead connect from the light controller? I hocked it to the gear channel, thinking it may turn lights on or off, since the is no wire in th center power plug. ?? It didn’t do anything that I noticed. Will mess with it later. Still fixing flat tires, got one ok still a leak in the other.

Mine is in the gear channel

[Starck Mad]

2much2do I'm going with your idea and making the stinger longer. We will post an update vid first of the week and I'll show how that works among other things.

[2much2do]

2much2do I'm going with your idea and making the stinger longer. We will post an update vid first of the week and I'll show how that works among other things.

Rapid-fire proof of concept, I just moved the tail wheel pass-through back s bit with a small bit of carbon plate, and attached that through the original hole with a 10/32 machine screw.

I should note that I had tighter springs on it already, and that didn't change much as far as wheel travel. This actually seems to make it much more consistent at least.

https://youtu.be/aLG2F7jVb9Q

[Capt G]

Maiden today + 3. Getting used to how it flies. Great for doing touch and gos. As previously been reported you have to keep power on it but i like the way it flies. Got the tailwheel to mostly turn left using tighter springs and 125% rudder but i think i will try a closer hole for more travel. Has anyone come up with any ideas for the red hot light controller? I originally had it switching on and off on the gear channel but that stopped working (fried?) Now they're on all the time. Using 6s 5000 at 70 mm seems like a sweet cg. Landing with about 45-50% after 8 mins.