Comments

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  james sowell August 26, 2012 at 2:50pm

  http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1555543   lot of info here not much to the first 50 pages and i will warn you read every thing first then ask
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  james sowell August 26, 2012 at 1:52pm

  http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/ardupilot-purple-skywalker-x8-f...
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  Delfin Magote III August 25, 2012 at 7:47pm

  By the way, there are already people who have implemented parachute landing with X8. Jim C., the one that implemented the Skywalker parachute landing posted by Mike have also done it with X8, here's the video.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxh2VlFbLgE
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  Geoffrey Preston August 25, 2012 at 2:49pm

  Landing isn't my strongsuit, damn you gravity. I mentioned earlier that live in the desert without lush grassy fields to land on,  so the whole parachute thing seems like the way to go to overcome my poor flight skill's especially a heavy plane like the X-8 that needs to land at higher speed. Thanks for the link.
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  Mike Thorlin August 25, 2012 at 2:24pm

  HI Geoffrey,

  I am going to take the same approach (for the Skywalker) that jim C took:

  http://www.diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/uav-skywalker-parachute

   

  His seems unweildy (strings/shock cord wrapped around the length of the fuse to avoid the prop) but apparently works.

  I have read about rocket deployment and gravity deployment... I think pre-tensioning the shroud lines/bridle unough to just pull the chute into the slipstream for deployment makes sense.  I also agree with what jim C noted, that the means by which the bridal is attached to the fuse needs to be well thought out and strong, it would be very easy to break/bend the fuse in half  or simply rip it from the plane.  Lots to think about.

   

  I think it's worth trying, if a reliable para recovery system is available, it will make the planes last a lot longer and I will be much less stressed out!
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  Geoffrey Preston August 25, 2012 at 2:09pm

  Aerocon has a minimum order. 1- 60 inch chute is under the minimum so I ordered 2 and the total was about $31 with shipping. Hard to tell the quality from the website so when they arrive I'll spill the beans.

    Mike have you figured out the parachute deployment?
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  Mike Thorlin August 25, 2012 at 2:02pm

  I want to do parachute recovery of my Skywalker and X* (when I get one)...  I wish I'd seen the aerocon website sooner, I just bought a 58" parachute for ~$30...  It's a good chute, good construction and material, but apparently pretty expensive...

  http://topflightrecoveryllc.homestead.com/page1.html

  

  Top Flight Recovery - Rocket Parachutes

  Top Flight Recovery - Model rocket parachutes and high power rocket parachutes
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  Geoffrey Preston August 25, 2012 at 1:56pm

  This 60 Inch parachute may be suitable for the X8

  http://aeroconsystems.com/cart/all-parachutes/60-inch-white-parachute/

  Cheap enough anyway.
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  james sowell August 25, 2012 at 1:02pm

  thats where i got my prop stop and from what i know (which is not alot) with the lower kv you whould want to use 4s higher kv 3s with that mtr on 3s you get 62 ounces with 4s you get 100 but no 2 people agree 3s less weight 4s more weight and they go toghter quick
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  Geoffrey Preston August 25, 2012 at 12:19pm

  Yes thats the Scorpion 3026 710 prop-battery-amp-thrust chart. 3s or 4s could be used with a 13/8 prop. Its a starting point to take the leap from.  I figured that this is a pretty heavy plane, once loaded up,  and could use a motor with a lot of thrust especially at launch. Tossing it then ramping it up oppossed to ramping it up then tossing it...

    Just finished ordering the motor, ESC, prop and spinner from Espirit Models.

  www.espritmodel.com  They have a lot of sailplanes that I like to drool over most Saturday mornings.

   With any luck I'll have it all put together in a couple of months

  

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