Freewing Pandora Help

[farrider]

Purchased a Freewing Pandora to use as a trainer at the club. Seems like a great plane, but has terrible instructions in one respect. There is no indication of what fasteners (screws) to use where.

I used the long ones on the tail assembly. What do I use for the wings. I would really appreciate any information on what to use where. There is absolutely no reference to this in the instructions.

I have built many planes. This one is simple except for guess on the screws. Doing the high wing first.

Thanks

[Eric Miller]

Re: Freewing Pandora Help

i do not have this model, but i did look up the manual. i can see that it doesnt show what screws go where. the best i can say is to try the different screws out in different areas. if they seem to fit correctly, they should work. they should have Freewing should have labeled them or at least said what screw goes where in the manual. try them all out in different holes. the ones that fit the best in specific hole are probably the correct ones. i am probably wrong, but maybe someone else can give you some input who actually has this model

[A6A Hokie]

Re: Freewing Pandora Help

I purchased a Pandora last year. If you look on page 18 of the instructions, you should be able to figure out which screws go where. Hope you have a ruler that measures in MM - you'll probably need it to measure the screws. Hope this helps. I really like my Pandora!!!!!! Get extra propellers!!!!!!!

[farrider]

Re: Thanks Hokie

I must be sicker than I thought. Caught something from my two year old Grandson. Still have a fever. Never looked at the last page. This solves the problem. I have a micrometer and a fastener gauge so I can sort these out.

The young beginning flyers like these big planes. Gets them hooked on the hobby.

Thanks for your help and rapid response.

Motion is a great outfit.

[Sosee]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Yup Same thing with my situation. I am a beginner in every sense of the word, ordered this and paced back and forth til it arrived.
I opened the box and double checked everything matched the packing slip and that all parts were present.

Then I discovered that nothing was labelled in the screws arena.

Page 18 of the manual is helpful, but not as helpful as the Micrometer I promptly ordered for same day delivery off Amazon. :)

Now the plane is together minus the flaps. I got the gyro I ordered installed and configured and everything appears to be be ready for it to go up on its maiden today.
Going to have a very experienced guy at the local airfield do the maiden.

I have learned that it doesn't matter what vendor one orders from....if you order a plane from a Chinese manufacturer, it will arrive without labels on screws, servo control arms etc etc. Having a Micrometer is mandatory imo and makes figuring that stuff out easy.

I am using low wing taildragger configuration because basically, I just don't want to have to take apart the nose to install the nose wheel. lol ....and I have the Sportsman S+ tricycle anyway.
Honestly I think I will enjoy the Pandora far more than the Sportsman. It certainly is a LOT easier to setup for flights than the compass dancing, align it this way, stand on one foot, then stand on the other foot and hop around in a circle Sportsman configuration ritual. lol

[Flygirl]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Yup  Same thing with my situation.  I am a beginner in every sense of the word, ordered this and paced back and forth til it arrived.
I opened the box and double checked everything matched the packing slip and that all parts were present.

Then I discovered that nothing was labelled in the screws arena.

Page 18 of the manual is helpful, but not as helpful as the Micrometer I promptly ordered for same day delivery off Amazon. :)

Now the plane is together minus the flaps. I got the gyro I ordered installed and configured and everything appears to be be ready for it to go up on its maiden today.
Going to have a very experienced guy at the local airfield do the maiden.

I have learned that it doesn't matter what vendor one orders from....if you order a plane from a Chinese manufacturer, it will arrive without labels on screws, servo control arms etc etc.  Having a Micrometer is mandatory imo and makes figuring that stuff out easy.

I am using low wing taildragger configuration because basically, I just don't want to have to take apart the nose to install the nose wheel.  lol  ....and I have the Sportsman S+ tricycle anyway.  
Honestly I think I will enjoy the Pandora far more than the Sportsman.  It certainly is a LOT easier to setup for flights than the compass dancing, align it this way, stand on one foot, then stand on the other foot and hop around in a circle Sportsman configuration ritual.  lol

It's a great plane.... You will love it! Mine is now two years old and has a few dents and dings but it is still my favorite airplane and the low wing tail dragger is the way I have it configured too. It takes off in 5 feet and with flaps lands in 5 feet. I've even flown it FPV. Hope everything went well on the maiden flight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITp6RnOpcNM

[Bellke]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Agree with everything you said, I love the airplane but as a beginner I was frustrated with trying to figure out what screw went where.  Even after I thought I had it, I was lucky to have a couple of people look it over at my club prior to my first flight and found a couple in the wrong places.  The Pandora is a great trainer, it will take a beating.  Like someone else mentioned, get extra props... and landing gear. 

Hardly anything is straight on mine by now but it's still fun.  I'm thinking of getting a new one just to have around for days I want a quick fix.

[Flygirl]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Ha! "Hardly anything is straight"!! My Radian glider is like that. It's a beater but it still flies well. :)

[Sosee]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Well, it took several days longer than expected to happen but I finally got the maiden done as well as my first trip to the airfield without someone to save my noob behind.

Went through four batteries this afternoon in my Pandora in taildragger configuration. Had a total blast!

I did install a Hobbyeagle A3 Gyro before the maiden and I am so glad I did. It made getting started so much easier. I was able to maintain control of the plane the entire time and never really had even one "Close call". Did a couple low passes which for many here are probably no big deal, but for me pulling it off was like climbing a mountain.

I averaged 6-7 minute flights on 3S 2600 40c batteries and probably could have gone longer except I was playing it safe.

My question now is; Is there a preferred propeller to use to get just a tiny bit better performance out of this plane? I am not complaining about its performance but rather just wondering if changing the propeller from Stock to something else would be a good boost in performance? I would like to see it have a touch more power in the climb. I don't want it going straight vertical but a slightly heartier climb rate would be good I think.

When i came back from the airfield tonight my wife took one look at me and says "How many planes are coming in the next week now?"

hehe

[WintrSol]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Well, it took several days longer than expected to happen but I finally got the maiden done as well as my first trip to the airfield without someone to save my noob behind.

Went through four batteries this afternoon in my Pandora in taildragger configuration.  Had a total blast!

I did install a Hobbyeagle A3 Gyro before the maiden and I am so glad I did.  It made getting started so much easier.  I was able to maintain control of the plane the entire time and never really had even one "Close call".  Did a couple low passes which for many here are probably no big deal, but for me pulling it off was like climbing a mountain.

I averaged 6-7 minute flights on 3S 2600 40c batteries and probably could have gone longer except I was playing it safe.

My question now is; Is there a preferred propeller to use to get just a tiny bit better performance out of this plane?  I am not complaining about its performance but rather just wondering if changing the propeller from Stock to something else would be a good boost in performance?  I would like to see it have a touch more power in the climb.  I don't want it going straight vertical but a slightly heartier climb rate would be good I think.

When i came back from the airfield tonight my wife took one look at me and says "How many planes are coming in the next week now?"  

hehe

Sounds like a good day.
I use a 11x8.5x3 EMP prop on mine, not so much for improved performance, but because I think a 3-blade props looks good. It is more rigid than the stock prop, so the performance is more consistent when changing throttle position. If you plan on testing different props, get a Watt meter; even props with the same size numbers can have significantly different power requirements, and you don't want the smoke coming out in the air.

[Flygirl]

RE: Freewing Pandora Help

Well, it took several days longer than expected to happen but I finally got the maiden done as well as my first trip to the airfield without someone to save my noob behind.

Went through four batteries this afternoon in my Pandora in taildragger configuration.  Had a total blast!

I did install a Hobbyeagle A3 Gyro before the maiden and I am so glad I did.  It made getting started so much easier.  I was able to maintain control of the plane the entire time and never really had even one "Close call".  Did a couple low passes which for many here are probably no big deal, but for me pulling it off was like climbing a mountain.

I averaged 6-7 minute flights on 3S 2600 40c batteries and probably could have gone longer except I was playing it safe.

My question now is; Is there a preferred propeller to use to get just a tiny bit better performance out of this plane?  I am not complaining about its performance but rather just wondering if changing the propeller from Stock to something else would be a good boost in performance?  I would like to see it have a touch more power in the climb.  I don't want it going straight vertical but a slightly heartier climb rate would be good I think.

When i came back from the airfield tonight my wife took one look at me and says "How many planes are coming in the next week now?"  

hehe

Glad it went well! It's really a terrific plane because of it's wide speed envelope and stability. I fly with a 3 blade Master Airscrew 11 x 6 glass filled nylon prop. I had to remove the stock spinner and use a Dubro 3 blade 2 inch spinner but the new prop didn't change the flying characteristics of the plane if at all. Honestly, once you get more advanced as a flyer you'll be doing yank and banks by diving and pulling up and power won't be so much of an issue because as you're diving you'll be increasing the energy for your climb out. As it is, mine takes off in about 5 feet so I'm happy with the power as is. I'm really happy you got a clean maiden flight in. Feels good eh?? Nothing like coming home with a smile! 

So how many planes are coming next week? LOL!