E-flite PT-17 balance

[Steelon Steel]

I have been flipping over on landing quite often. My last time out I was flying with the battery hanging off the tray rearward quite a bit. Definitely better. Mine is the v2 with the cylinders factory filled with weights.

[bob_stan]

Just built a replacement Eflite PT-17 that I got late last year and left in the box. It definitely does not have any weighted cylinders. I have to add 6 oz of weight on the engine bulkhead to get the cg right! Seems lot more tail heavy than the one I bought from Motion about two years ago. Still looking for a way to get the weight more forward. Does the cowl come off?

[mr.frankenjet]

I was able to make a foam block to raise the battery up in the front, strapped it to the battery "sled" and that helped to get the weight forward, 1-2oz needed up front to get the balance close. The plane feels heavy to me so really don't want to add any more weight, in addition with the short gear it is ez to flip on grass landings. Shes a tame flyer with adequate power, if I where to for anything I'd go with the 4 cell setup but not sure I really want to invest additional funds into it at this point so likely just leave her be. Don't take her to the field that often but she does look cool in the air.

[bob_stan]

Instead of using the tray, I added a small platform on the interior just in front of the cockpit. Velcro on that holds the battery and I can slide my Admiral 3S 2400 all the way to the engine now. That and 3 ounces of weight on the forward bulkhead seems to balance it. I will see what happens when the weather improves enough to fly.

[bob_stan]

Got in a couple of quick flights and with the Admiral 3S 2400 all the way forward into the motor well and 3 ounces of added weight, the CG is correct and the plane flies well.

[mr.frankenjet]

sweet

[F22trainer]

6 ounces! Jeez oh Pete! I have the first version and it only took 2 ounces to balance slightly nose down. Is this the BNF or PNP version. That is a lot of weight for a model that only weighs about 50 oz. total.

[bob_stan]

I was wrong when I said 6 oz. I got it to balance with 3. It is a PNP version (apparently an older version without the heavier dummy engine). But it still needs down trim.

[F22trainer]

I was wrong when I said 6 oz. I got it to balance with 3. It is a PNP version (apparently an older version without the heavier dummy engine). But it still needs down trim.

Whew! That sounds about right. I think I had dialed it in at 2.5 oz. and balanced it both inverted and upright at the forward limit. I did also have to add about 5 turns of down elevator adjustment after the first flight. I think it also needed a couple turns of right rudder so level flight was straightened. I just recently found some 3000 mAh batteries which are the same size as the 2200 I was using, which demonstrated a real punch in the power department. Must be nearly 1000 flights on this favorite.

[Cchrissyv1]

I know I am late to the party with this thread. I researched the heck out of balancing this airplane correctly. I shoved a 2200 3S battery all the way forward and added about 2 ounces of weight. I feel if anymore than 3, maybe 4 ounces of weight is ever added I am doing something wrong. Anyways, I could never get it to balance, it would either appear tail heavy or at times even nose heavy. I added some down elevator trim before I ever maidened because a lot of people said it was tail heavy and uncontrollable once in the air. When it came to taking her up for the first time, it was actually nose heavy. I ended up adding up elevator trim.

I never take a plane up for a maiden unless I get the CG close to perfect. With this one I decided to bypass getting it balanced since everyone I heard from had a different experience. Luckily she flew pretty good. Reading through this thread, it seems everyone is in the same boat because getting this plane to balance was making me second guess if I ever was balancing my other planes correctly.