Official Skynetic Bison XT STOL Discussion Thread

[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]

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.

[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.

[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]

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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[Atrix]

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

[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.

[Capt G]

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

[Starck Mad]

Man guys I hate to hear some of you having these issues. Seems like some of you got a Friday plane that was packed by a guy at the factory that was more ready for the weekend than doing it right. That happens with every company, but that doesn't make it easier for the fellas that get one of those.

My experience was better with the one I got. All the parts were there, and my light controller doesn't get hot. My struts are basically identical from the wing mounting points to where the connector for the fuse is...that connector is different on each one...obviously one is a right and one a left...so I too have one mounted strut with the screws facing down and one with them facing up. As someone suggested probably a cost savings measure...doesn't bother me personally. There were two instances in the manual (at the time...I understand its been updated) that didn't tell me what screw/bolt to use, but they were there and it was easy to figure out. My frustration was mainly with the tires because I was unsure the best way to do it, but now that I've done it once I could do it again much easier. Basically...a little modeling did the job for me personally. I was also in a really big hurry trying to get the plane done so we could shoot some footage on the one day we had to do it, and then be ready to edit on the one day we had to do that. I think without being in such a rush there would have been way less frustration for me. Its very hard to get a video done to the level we want ours to be in two days. I was under fire to get the plane done so that could happen in the first place.

Keep in mind I'm coming from the perspective of a guy that has flown it...and that really helps how I feel about it. In only 6 flights that one day I got really comfortable with it and was able to do what I wanted with it. With more time to really focus and get the finite adjustments to our set up done it will be even better. MRC has always done me right and my hope for you guys is they will do the same for you...I'm sure they will. Also I hope after you all get to fly it you enjoy it as much as we do.

Also - the question about the slats...Planes with slats require much more rudder...more of a coordinated turn initiated by rudder rather than aileron. I start my turns with rudder and control the bank angle with opposite aileron. And yes...the slats can very much affect the yaw axis and rudder trim. If both slats are not in exactly the same position...in other words at the same angle..think of the opening at the trailing edge of the slats...if that opening is slightly bigger on one side than the other that will affect yaw/rudder trim. Hope that helps.

[2much2do]

Haven't looked at wiring yet. What exactly was crimped?

To make Y-harnesses for the Ailerons and Flaps, they actually crimped two wires into each of the single crimps (sockets) of the connector. In general, this is not a good practice.

[Gilatrout]

Motion's response was to ask me to open a trouble ticket....so I'm waiting. I submitted a 9-item long nit-list with the kit, and I haven't even powered on the servos yet. I fully expect to have to re-wire the y-harnesses so that I can get all the surfaces to move the way I want, I don't understand why they would crimp two wires together like that, we build hundreds of wire harnesses a month at work, and the techs will NEVER do this because its so unreliable.

Haven't looked at wiring yet. What exactly was crimped?

[2much2do]

Motion's response was to ask me to open a trouble ticket....so I'm waiting. I submitted a 9-item long nit-list with the kit, and I haven't even powered on the servos yet. I fully expect to have to re-wire the y-harnesses so that I can get all the surfaces to move the way I want, I don't understand why they would crimp two wires together like that, we build hundreds of wire harnesses a month at work, and the techs will NEVER do this because its so unreliable.

[2much2do]

Thats a solid 1/2" of twist in one wing, not good.

[Atrix]

My kit had two right hand struts, not mirrored, but i got it to work by having the screws on top for the left hand side. I chalked it up to a cost savings measure, but maybe it's a mispack?

I normally would not care too much, but I am still looking for the source of why I need a lot of rudder trim, maybe there is a weird torque on the wings because of mismatched struts?

[Randy H]

Please keep us up to date 2much2do. I wonder if they will address on the Friday morning UTube or just try to ignore these problems.

[2much2do]

Well, I dont think this is flyable like this, the spar isnt long enough to just not have the struts, so we will see what they say when I call them in the morning.

[Gilatrout]

My kit came with 2 left wing struts.....they can't be built upside down...wtf

I even tried to flip one by re-tapping the plastic parts, the angles on the plastic do not fit with the bottom of the fuselage.

I see this kind of thing and my experiences with the plane really reminds me of dynam, but without the discounted price tag.


This isn't about modeling and making modifications to suit a particular retract or motor selection. The manual reviewers failed at their job. Missing parts, parts improperly connected over heating controllers have all been reported and not as one off issues. These are not something fixed merely by modeling skills. This is poor quality control.


I love motionRc. I've had a blast with their planes and when I look back, every single favorite plane I have is a motion plane. In every single case it has been apparent that quality was first. As a customer I didn't have to demand quality from Motion, because they demanded it of themselves. I'm not seeing that same level in this plane, and that is one reason for my disappointment with this plane. A plane from MotionRC should be excellent, because excellence defines Motion.