Bee Happy

[mikey100]

Just wondering with all the Bees flying, some better than others, where are the experts putting the CofG?
Also, are you using expo on your controls....one site said NONE to keep it sharp, while others say 20-40% to smooth things out. What are your suggestions? Am a newbe and need all the help I can get ;D

[ding]

I would suggest start with their recommendation. It's a safe start. Then move backwards according to taste

[felix]

I think 8inch is a good starting point. Most tend to end up at around 8.5 (I used to like 9 – 9.5 for silly aero’s although it ends up next to unflyable until you get used to it ;D). In the end though every wings dynamics are different and how the pilot likes to fly plays an even bigger part.
a good trick I picked up is to set it at 8inch and test fly ,concentrate on the control throw,rates,etc.
then tape 15grams of lead slightly behind the CG and keep test flying gradually moving the weight rearward 10mm each time. keep moving it back until the wing seems to become unstable then move the weight forward a step. you should notice very little if no reflex,faster level flight,better control and it will seem to “pop” in the turns (that term will make sense when you first experience it i promise ). Even better and easier is a hill with BIG lift and dive test it.

Expo I can’t comment on, my idea of expo is using the closest hole to the centre of the servo horn

one last thing don't forget to add a little wieght ahead of the CG when the winds are strong to avoid those fast trips downwind!

hope that helps a bit.

[Pij]

I'd just expand on Felix's last point. I fly often in too little vertical, too much horizontal wind. So My Duck is usually trimmed ahead of the recommended CG, as that's the only way to keep it over the slope - it otherwise goes for long unstable trips backside, and I don't like long walks. With this CG location, my reflex is very noticeable - there's lots.

BUT, when I get the chance to fly in better lift, without the strong horizontal wind (ie at a higher slope, when the weather permits), that trim setup sucks. I then have to move the CG back and remove some reflex. Probably right on the recommended settings, but I do it by "feel", not measurements.

This is for the Duck, but I suppose the same applies to the Bee.

[mikey100]

Mine is at 81/2" so I will experiment. Any thoughts on expo?

[Pij]

I'd try 30% exponential on both channels. But I remember somebody saying they don't use expo on the aileron channel, as they like to GET the roll when they ask for it. Makes sense, too. But really, you can get used to flying with zero expo, or 50%, or anything. Just a matter of what you feel best with.

[chamm37]

i have my expo at 75% only because i am used to it when i am doing my arobatics so yer pij is right ae....its all up to, and experiment with it and see wat is better 4 u ;D

[ding]

Don't forget chaps that some radios express exponential differently. JR start at linear, and do 30% exp is 30% towards an exponential curve. I think futaba used to express it exactly opposite? That was my understanding anyway.

My very first radio had a 100% exp function with no adjustment, and it was for all intensive purposes, useless. Full exponential feels like nothing nothing ... everything. Unflyable.

[thevon]

I think it's good to get your rates down to a level where you can use full stick without causing problems - then put some expo in for feel. I used to put rather wild huge throws in, and make it less sensitive with expo, but the problem is that when you overreact you push the stick hard, pushing the wild throws which cause drag etc so you don't fly smoothly.

I've stopped using expo on elevator entirely - I learnt from Sean that too much elevator can lead to problems. If you can't use all the elevator throw, you should reduce it. So I tend to cut the elevator throws back to a useable degree but no expo.

I had a fly of Jirvin's wing at SC last weekend and it felt really doughy to maneuvre close to the cliff, but Jeff had a look and it had 50% expo on elevator and aileron, so he cut that back to 20%. I left then - was it better Jeff?

[ding]

That's right Andrew, you should not have more throws than you can use. Interestingly in Aerobatics condition switches were becoming the norm a couple of years ago. The aeroplane you wanted for most of the schedule flew smoothly, but for snaps the aeroplanes often needed more throw. So, before your snapping manoeuvre you would flick a condition switch.

They had snap buttons for a while too. My big radio has one of these. However, there were some issues with these. Primarily as the patterns became too complex and there were different combinations switching the direction of the snap switch became very cumbersome. Also, and this was a beauty to watch... after you'd been pressing it all flight a number of high profile pilots accidentally pressed the snap switches instead of the gear switch on landing. Instant irreversible disassembly quickly ensued I nearly did it once