Glad they look good. I'm going to order some as well. If you don't mind I'd like to build a similar pod and end up with a very close looking setup to your plane. How much battery are you chucking up?
Just checked out the upstart and those wings look perfect. Affordable, larger Chord then some I've tried, the plane was already built to fly at over 13oz/sq in. I will weight out a few pods and batterise and see what I think they can handle, I'm not an expert by any means and they may need to be re-enforced but I think I'd like to try this one also. Smaller size and would force me to start thinking about weight. To be honest 100+" wingspans are not out of love for unlimited class gliders it was done to minimize the effects of using cheaper heavier materials to build. CF Square tube is hard to find and expensive as hell but the same Square tube in Alum is dirt cheap and strong as hell. Weight is always a trade off I got around by simply adding more wing area. Lazy? Yep but tired of worrying about how many grams I was adding with this ferrite ring. At 7+ sq/ft of wing area I could put a puppy in to pod to pilot it (never would, I love animals) and not have to worry about the added weight. It was liberating at first but now its time to take on the challenge of smaller lighter versions.
I get home tomorrow Brian and will send you some photo's of the pods and shopping list at home depot. I've been working on getting the weight down and the pan/tilt behind a clear dome. I'll take some photo's so you can see what I did and hopefully give me some tips on improving it when you build yours. I haven't spent a whole lot of time messing with the pod other then making sure it was strong and mounts were solid.
JamesT - I'm very much drawn to your setup. I've been working on one very similar just recently moved away from the stick (but want to go back). Orig. mine was based off an Areobird Xtreme wing w/ailerons added. I'd like to go back to that but ended up changing to another design because I couldn't get the pod right. I'm a fan of the Skylark II and I really think you've done it well. I was thinking of using the Hobbico Upstart because the wings and tail kits are affordable. Eventually something around 80"-100" is what I'd like. I'm interested in more details around the 'pod'. Thanks - Bcd
Gary the BOT Fuselage is Fiberglass and with the way I fly I would have sent the pod right through the belly on my first flop. These baby's are Ugly, Heavy but they take a serious beating. I Mean Serious! I also need the whole thing to break down for travel and the Stock Fuselage didn't allow. If The pods were a lighter composite, fiberglass,or even lets say abs plastic, (they'd cost a fortune and be a pain to build) It may have worked fine but my goal is cheap, easy, durable, components that can handle the abuse I seem to have mastered dishing out.
Maybe if I spent more time flying and less time messing around in the garage I'd be able to pull it off but
Bryan guessed right, BOT ARF wingset. Not sure how this turned out as I sold it unfinished to a guy on RCG who thought he could improve on my design. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Thanks Jean-Claude I've been having fun with the design and to answer your questions
Chris didn't take me up on the offer which is fine, I sold this plane and its given me time to make a lot of changes and refine some rough points.
This model was sold to Nelson C from RCG. I sold it with two pods the first shown in the photo which will hold approx 2 dozen eggs, a half gallon of whole milk and a small child in a saftey seat. Just kidding (about the kid that is) I think if you weren't worried about wing loading this would hold 2 5000 Mah 3s and all electronics you can find. Its a 3" dia by 28". The camera is mounted in the dome which doesn't count against the payload.
I never got the chance to maiden it. The pics are of the evolution but aside from the gray version I haven't even maidened one. The gray with the drop pod has been flown by myself and a small group of older cuban men who seem to have found the construction site I fly from. They are great and not shy about piling in my truck to watch or fly from the back seat. Its been a blast. They set up tents, BBQ, Drink, Make Cafe Con Leche, and while I don't understand a word they say the are really friendly and almost everyone has had a chance to fly it. We get 25 Minutes on a single 3s 3700 TP Lite with over 100 Cycles on it. And just over 35 Mins on a 4s 4500 (these old guys don't know the meaning of the words throttle management).
I sold the First BOT un finished the second as a kit without the motor mount and a smaller 1.5 meter version using a cut down World Models Thermal Glider (horrible build on my part ) Worst wings by far. Almost impossible to build up these cheap balsa wings. I haven't heard anything back on any of them. I guess no news is good news but hopefully I'll get some feedback soon. The electro stick is all mine. At least until I maiden it. If it flys well I'll sell it, so I can buy a set of 60 size ultra stick wings and tail. I think the added size and flaps along with some taller gear will make a perfect longer range platform.
I'm really bad at build logs and will definitly post video of the electro stick maiden.
Stay tuned, I'm not working much due too a serious slow down so plenty of time to mess around in the garage.
Prices should be going down as I'm getting better at building the fuselage. The only thing that really effects cost is the wings and how much work it takes to build them up enough to handle the additional weight and strengthen the mounting points. If anyone has a set lying around I'd design a pod and fuse with their help for next to nothing as long as they promise to post and help with revisions. I just need bunch of measurments and any changes along with a target weight and equipment to be used.
Very nice work !
Are these evolutions of your airplane design you presented earlier ?
Can you please give some updates on this model : weight , payload capability, motor/prop , Li Po / flights duration? (mainly if they changed of course ;-) )
Also did the cost remain about the same ?
Can you describe your test flights ?
Did Chris (or some other pilots ) test your prototype after your proposition on the earlier discussion
Comments
Maybe if I spent more time flying and less time messing around in the garage I'd be able to pull it off but
Chris didn't take me up on the offer which is fine, I sold this plane and its given me time to make a lot of changes and refine some rough points.
This model was sold to Nelson C from RCG. I sold it with two pods the first shown in the photo which will hold approx 2 dozen eggs, a half gallon of whole milk and a small child in a saftey seat. Just kidding (about the kid that is) I think if you weren't worried about wing loading this would hold 2 5000 Mah 3s and all electronics you can find. Its a 3" dia by 28". The camera is mounted in the dome which doesn't count against the payload.
I never got the chance to maiden it. The pics are of the evolution but aside from the gray version I haven't even maidened one. The gray with the drop pod has been flown by myself and a small group of older cuban men who seem to have found the construction site I fly from. They are great and not shy about piling in my truck to watch or fly from the back seat. Its been a blast. They set up tents, BBQ, Drink, Make Cafe Con Leche, and while I don't understand a word they say the are really friendly and almost everyone has had a chance to fly it. We get 25 Minutes on a single 3s 3700 TP Lite with over 100 Cycles on it. And just over 35 Mins on a 4s 4500 (these old guys don't know the meaning of the words throttle management).
I sold the First BOT un finished the second as a kit without the motor mount and a smaller 1.5 meter version using a cut down World Models Thermal Glider (horrible build on my part ) Worst wings by far. Almost impossible to build up these cheap balsa wings. I haven't heard anything back on any of them. I guess no news is good news but hopefully I'll get some feedback soon. The electro stick is all mine. At least until I maiden it. If it flys well I'll sell it, so I can buy a set of 60 size ultra stick wings and tail. I think the added size and flaps along with some taller gear will make a perfect longer range platform.
I'm really bad at build logs and will definitly post video of the electro stick maiden.
Stay tuned, I'm not working much due too a serious slow down so plenty of time to mess around in the garage.
Prices should be going down as I'm getting better at building the fuselage. The only thing that really effects cost is the wings and how much work it takes to build them up enough to handle the additional weight and strengthen the mounting points. If anyone has a set lying around I'd design a pod and fuse with their help for next to nothing as long as they promise to post and help with revisions. I just need bunch of measurments and any changes along with a target weight and equipment to be used.
Very nice work !
Are these evolutions of your airplane design you presented earlier ?
Can you please give some updates on this model : weight , payload capability, motor/prop , Li Po / flights duration? (mainly if they changed of course ;-) )
Also did the cost remain about the same ?
Can you describe your test flights ?
Did Chris (or some other pilots ) test your prototype after your proposition on the earlier discussion
Thanks a lot , Jean-Claude
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