My Bixler is mostly assembled, but there are some odds and ends. I need to secure the ESC inside and figure out a good way to secure the wings. Mike Pursifull suggested using Command hooks and a rubber band. Any other ideas for that?
I've heard complaints complain about inadequate rudder area so I may try to add some with some index cards or something similar (also Mike's idea). I'd be interested in feedback on what people have used to accomplish this also.
I did lots of ground testing adjusting servos and verifying the correct control orientation. I think it's all set.
As suggested by a couple folks I removed the nose weights and the control horns with hot water and reglued them with 5 minute epoxy. I've read some people don't like epoxy on EPO, but my new joints seem pretty solid.
I got failsafe working by holding down throttle cut while binding and verified that it went into Circle immediately and RTL after 20 seconds,
Here's a closeup of the cockpit. You can see the packing tape I put on the bottom and the chinstrap velcro for the electronics chassis, which is an idea I borrowed from Eagle.
Let me know if you have any feedback.
Comments
I don't have any crash test data to work from with the APM2 mounted on top, but I'd be concerned that an upside down crash may damage the APM2 with the way the cables from your RX stick up right now....worth thinking about.
Gak. Fixed the attribution. Sorry Mike.
Double check your CG before each flight. I like to mark the underside of each wing with a round dot at around 65mm from the leading edge.
For the control horns, regardless of what glue you have used, I recommend you tape over them. Get a good bit of tape, a few inches or more, and cut a slot in it. Slip this over the control horn, then reattach the linkage. This single step could easily save your plane. They are unlikely to come loose during the first or second flight, but if you rely on glue alone, they are likely to come loose.
These are the 3M hooks I use. I've tried them above and below the wing; below seems to work best, above is easiest to attach. Just make sure that where the rubber band crosses under the wing, if you go that way, that you make a channel for the rubber band, and tape it off so the rubber band does not cut into the foam, and that it does not block the servo hole.
Just call me Robert *wink*
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