Building the BEE. A beginners build blog.

[mtmellum]

Hi all

as promised, time to start the build log.

But of course being a beginner build blog, it is going to be full of questions and hopefully answers from the pros.

Buy the box and get it home. (it's a beginners blog remember). (this step took me four weeks by the time I decided.)

Get the instructions out and start reading and re-reading. It makes a lot more sense second/third and fourth time around.

The first thing I've noticed is the simpleness of the BEE kit. Lay it all out on a table so you can see the individual parts. Now go re-read the instructions with the mental picture in your head of the parts

Q1. How do I post pictures in the forum?

More blog once I work out how to post the pics.

dave

[jase]

easiest way is to upload them to a free web server....... type in imageshack.us in your web browser and you can upload them there, from there it gives u options to view the pages. ie. direct web link. or images on the board

[atmosteve]

Hi Dave, being new to this type of soaring, and all set to get a bee, I am keen to see your build blog too.
I also use imageshack for sharing my astrophotography, it works well enough and gives you plenty of link type options.
looking forward to pics.
Steve

[mtmellum]

Hi all,

after starting the Bee build, I couldn't believe how simple it really was. It went together very easily, my only complaint being the build instructions with the kit. It's not a plane that provides a lot of scope for stuffing up in a build, hence the lack of my doing a comprehensive log. that and the christmas madness.

From a beginners perspective, the instructions need more work around the mounting position of the control horns, the use of lead to improve the CG, remove the different photos in the instructions and be consistent with them, and finally the tip to sand the moulding pimples from the wings.

Additionally I added a GWS Lost model alarm. A tip here is to route the LMA to the top of the model to ensure maximum sound when it was in the rough.

Today was her maiden flight at Bald Knob under the expert tutelage of Pete (WoWings), Simon, Charles and Greg. Thanks to them.

Whilst my flying skills consisted of, at best, one figure of 8 before dropping in, under the guys control she went around well enough in light varibable conditions (NE/NW @ about 5-10 knots). Used a CG of 8 1/4 " as compared to 7 1/4" in the build instructions with about 2 oz lead to achieve balance.

Dialled 10% expotential rate on the Hitec Optic 6 to help with my beginner thumbs and away it went, flew straight out need 5% + trim on right side to prevent a gradual right turn. Wind was light so I couldn't seem to hold and needed to keep moving. The plane was twitchy at first but this is more related to the big thumbs movements by me, hence a move to 50% expo rate up from 10% start point.

Overall rating to this point? A nice number to build, forgiving in flight, capable of surprises and cheap & forgiving enough to smack down in a beginners panic.

Thanks to all who pointed me in the direction of the Bee, the tips and help and the patience with another where do I start q.

A special mention must go to Peter from WoWings. He was extremely helpful given I all I brought from him was a GWS lost model alarm.

So, two final (for this thread) questions.

1. What's everybody's pick for a super light wind slopey?

2. What should be my next rig? I want "ultra extreme light, wet my pants, this is out of control, I'm behind this thing by a week" fast aerobatics at some stage.

Thanks again
Dave

[jase]

Go the Ozprey. if you want a giant leap. can be bought from Gerard off this web site. There is a huge writeup on the plane which should get your apatite started.

[st]

You were flying at bald knob yesterday? Or bradenburg rd?
I would have thought keeping it up would have been extremely difficult at bald knob. Yes, the regular fliers in the club are very helpful to newbies.

I don't know that ultra light on one hand, and extreme acrobatic etc on the other go togethor in one plane......

[thevon]

Sounds just like a Weasel! For super aerobatic, able to fly in very light air. Incredible little plane - it's a bit of a legend.

Hey Dave, if you needed to crank up the expo all that much, I'd recommend cutting the actual throw rates back, and reducing the expo. Too-big throw rates just slow the plane down when you're over-reacting. It's better to get the throw rates back to "just enough to do the job" and only about 25% expo at most. Using the EPA's on your Optic 6, aim for about 11mm up and 10mm down for aileron (channel 1), and 6up/ 5 down for elevator (channel 2). I have the same radio. Note you have to push the stick up/down or left/right to show the 2 sides of the EPA adjustment. Clear as mud??

[mtmellum]

st said:

You were flying at bald knob yesterday? Or bradenburg rd?
I would have thought keeping it up would have been extremely difficult at bald knob. Yes, the regular fliers in the club are very helpful to newbies.

I don't know that ultra light on one hand, and extreme acrobatic etc on the other go togethor in one plane......

definently at Bald Knob around 3.30p. and yes the wind was variable light between showers, started to come around but mainly blew NE/N. the others had been at Bradenburg earlier. and keeping it up was the challenge.

[mtmellum]

thevon said:

Sounds just like a Weasel! For super aerobatic, able to fly in very light air. Incredible little plane - it's a bit of a legend.

Hey Dave, if you needed to crank up the expo all that much, I'd recommend cutting the actual throw rates back, and reducing the expo. Too-big throw rates just slow the plane down when you're over-reacting. It's better to get the throw rates back to "just enough to do the job" and only about 25% expo at most. Using the EPA's on your Optic 6, aim for about 11mm up and 10mm down for aileron (channel 1), and 6up/ 5 down for elevator (channel 2). I have the same radio. Note you have to push the stick up/down or left/right to show the 2 sides of the EPA adjustment. Clear as mud??

sort of clear, thanks for the tip, the throw is massive so I'll dial in some reduction and reduce the expo to max 25%.

The optic 6 is a great radio for the ease of programming so I'll get your tip and read the book at the same time and go from there. Basically the message is reduce expo and reduce aileron and elevator movement ?

cheers
Dave

[mtmellum]

Have just put the BEE across the kitchen scales. 600g without lead. 55 g lead on the nose from yesterdays light conditions.

[thevon]

Yep Dave I think 14mm throw is a max for the Bee, but if you can get it trimmed well it will be responsive enough with less throw than that. Get a clear ruler and sit the Bee on the table, put a book on one wing and have the elevon overhanging, and measure how many mm it goes up and down for aileron ... then do the other wing. Keep reducing the EPA till it's around 12mm each way for both wings. Note that the setting has to be altered for the up direction, and the down direction, independently, by pushing the aileron one way then the other (you'll see the % change).

Then go to the elevon program. Leave channel 1 as is at 100%, then go to channel 2, and reduce it till the elevator throw is 6 or 7mm up and down. No need to push the stick both ways for this one ... it reduces up and down together.

[mtmellum]

Hi Andrew

thanks for the help. flew yesterday on these adjustments and had a much better time. Still had a few beginner walks thou', but not as much as first flight. biggest drama seemed to be getting into the wrong wind at BK and then being out of the window. other drama was nerves as to flying out too far and then loosing it and creaming the road, such is the beginners life!

[thevon]

Saw Felix's Bee at the night flying session last night. He's cut out some big neat holes in the rear of each wing to save weight, and no spars at all - very bendy, like Ding has been suggesting. Very light build, kooks like a great job, seemed to fly well (tho I couldn't see much, it was dark!). Well done Felix.

Alan's Bee is totally covered in signwriting vinyl, looks great! Very good to see the creativity going into these builds! That's one aspect that defines sloping as a real creative and technical hobby! Onlookers keep asking "where can you buy one off the shelf" but you can't, you have to give it a lot of your own hard work, brainpower and creativity. Then you have to set it up to fly well.

[felix]

thanks thevon glad you liked it.gotta get some more experience before i can fully judge if its worth it but so far it seems to fly great ;D.....time will tell if durabilty is an issue but seems to be holding up really good.