Eflite Ultra Micro Mini 4Site

[19000rpm]

This plane has been around for over a year now and I've had my eye on it for a while.




Now that the indoor season is rolling around up here in the frozen north I decided to take the plunge and pick one up. This isn't a strictly indoor plane though. Another good reason to buy it.

[McKrackin]

That's awesome.I'd like one myself.
How are you liking it?

[19000rpm]

Hey Ern, I haven't had a chance to fly it outside because it's been so windy. I want to fly it outside to get a feeling for 3D envelope requirements before I attempt to fly it in an enclosed area. Maybe tomorrow will offer some low winds for a maiden.

I have been flying it on the sim though. It requires very small inputs since all the throws are very large. Very typical with this type of plane. Once you get it out of shape the best thing is to let the sticks go momentarily, lower the throttle a bit and get orientaion back, because over correcting is so easy to do.

The manual has some good info for setting up expo which should help alot. Low rates and the airbrakes are also recommended for the first few flights.

I do't think it's going to crash very well. All Depron and CF. But, I expected that.

Anyway, I think it's going to be a blast to fly. I'll post the outcome; good, bad or ugly.

[19000rpm]

The wind finally died down so I got a chance to do a maiden.

I had installed the airbrakes and the second it went in the air it went nose up. I thought I had the CG and trim right, but I guess not. Anyway, I fiddled around with it and finally got it to fly straight and then the motor started going out on me. Not sure whether it was the battery, although I don't think so because I hadn't used it much, so that leaves the motor, or the ESC. I'm hoping it's just the battery...Wind picked up too much for a trimming flight so we'll have to wait on that for a second try.

[akent]

Sounds like a 3d machine, 19k, when it likes nose up! It wants to hover!! You should have done high alpha and then some rolling harriers and the like! I am rethinking that thing. I hate depron, though.
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I bought one of those $50 EPP Pitts biplanes from HC and once I figured it out and changed the upper wing incidence, it actually flies nicely! I put the CG also far back and it likes to hang on the rudder, too! The difference is, this thing is made from EPP, so it's basically indestructible. You need a hot glue gun or a tube of Welder glue and you will be flying forever! I haven't crashed this one yet. The motor, prop, and prop adapter it comes with works well.

If that is like any other bipe, just move the CG forward. It will then behave better, if you like 'normal' flight!

Kent

[19000rpm]

The battery wire is stretched to the limit so there's not much I can do except add weight to the nose. Ugh. Once I get it neutral, or just a little tail heavy, I think it's going to be fun.

It's not the CG that's the real problem. I need to sort the motor issue out. It's making a little squealing noise so it could be bad or there's something in the gearbox binding.

I think the plane is very well constructed and that the mass of the plane is small enough that the depron and CG construction is going to be OK. The first crash will be the test of that theory.

[19000rpm]

I got a little flight time with it today. The winds were about 7mph and the plane handled that pretty well for about 30 seconds and then the motor quit again. Then, it was start and repeat a couple of more times.

I range tested it and used different batteries and have come to the conclusion it is probably the ESC that's intergated in the AR6400L board. Well, back to Horizon for a replacement plane.

BTW, every time the motor quit the wind blew it into the ground fairly hard and there was no damage. That's good news.