JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Ok, its all done, except for balancing, book says 6-7" Im at 8" with an empty uat. Ill have to throw some lead in the nose. Ill try to post up some pics of my layout..

JohnVH

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JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

How do you guys transport this thing in a trailer? Just set it on foam?

KC36330

In my trailer it just sits on foam, for the bed of the truck I have a cradle

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

range tests were good, engine runs great, I could tell driving it down the field that with half flaps itll jump off the ground pretty fast.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

it flies again! Two flights on it yesterday, no problem from the field, took off the paved part and landed on the grass. Pretty easy, pretty fun!

booker-RCU

My Feedback: (43)

Congratulations John !!!! It's been a long time comming. Hope to see you this summer.

Galen

Molar mender

Way to go John, welcome to the R-54 bunch. I sold mine last year to complete another project and like everyone else who has done the same, I could kick myself. It was the sweetest flying bird in my inventory. Hope to see you around the circuit this year.

Roy

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Thanks guys, two more flights today, first one I came in hot, couple good bounces and a go around. Second flight worked on getting it slow, had brakes on before hitting the runway, it stopped in maybe 50'. Ill get the hang of it, just not natural to get stuff that slow!

Molar mender

John

Yes, for a Fury driver, slow will a different mode of flying. But then when you get the R-54 to kite in a slow breeze, there is some satisfaction to slow flying. The only negative I see in the future is when you go back to the Fury and try to land slow. That will bite you. Enjoy the Reaction, it is a great flyer.

Roy

JohnVH

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That's true. But, the fury only flies on big runways, so hopefully won't be an issue.

bob1393

My Feedback: (10)

Hi John - Glad to hear that the first jet I ever built had a chance to live and fly another day. You flew it in Princeton a few years ago and were amazed then on how slow it can fly. Congrats and hope you will be able to post a video soon, or at least some pics.

I still have your Powermax for you. We can meet in Bell. on Wed., May 30th, unless we meet sooner.

Bob

JohnVH

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yeah, tapped my last powermax can today, need to order some more Aeroshell 500 too!

Buddy got a vid of it flying around with his cell phone, nothing too fancy.

bob1393

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John - Carol and I will be coming to Bell. on Mon. , May 7th, so we can meet and you can get your Powermax then. I had forgotten that we are going to our senior retreat in Cedar Springs on May 7 - 9.

Bob

BruceTharpe

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For the record, JohnVH is one of the best jet pilots I've seen, and a whiz with a camera. You know, one of those all-around talented guys. Honored to have him in the R54 family.

Way to go John, congrats!

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Bob, that will probably work fine, just remind me a day or two before, I can usually sneak out of work if I need to!

Shucks Bruce, thanks! Its been a long time coming, excited to get more time on it and master a small field jet like this. Only jet I have EVER seen at this field has been around 10 years ago Ming flew from it one day. So alot of people that wouldnt normally see one can.

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

John,

Congrats you got her together. U fly down at BellAir? Was invited to come down and give it a go so maybe we should line something up.

Gonna head to Princeton for the Spring event?

PaulD

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Yes at bellair. Ill have to check the dates, typically the princeton events are both planned on the same weekends as other events I attend, so it never works out. [&o]

xxq111

Anybody have drawing for the intake?

SeJenssen

bobparks2

My Feedback: (1)

I have CAD drawings for laser cutting the inlet parts I did. There are some photos of the construction in posts 2811 and 2823 on page 113. They are a bit more involved than what most people have done.

Actually, this is a good excuse to post a few "finally done" photos. I need to do a bit of clean up work on all the wiring above the wing, so its easier to get the wing on, add the tip skids and do final CG and its ready to go. (CG looks pretty close without nose weight!). The plan is to fly it this weekend.

Bob

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Spectacular! Good luck this weekend!

BILLYDSRC

Here is a Video I made for some great guys I get to fly with Every Nice Day!!! Thanks Billy D
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n4sDVn3ZmU&list=UUQfNa8lYZlyKZZqgDkHL wsg&index=1&feature=plcp[/youtube]

bobparks2

My Feedback: (1)

Had a great first flight today. No problems at all. The elevator compensation with flaps needed some work (I do a flight mode for each flap setting, with independent trims, so its pretty easy to sort out). But I had too much down for the take off flaps and not enough for landing flaps. There is also a pretty noticeable upset when changing flap settings, so I will slow the servos speed a bit for that.

I used crow with about 75 deg down flap and 20 deg up aileron (eyeball estimates, I need to measure it, but see photos), and it was VERY VERY effective. I had something like 40 to 50% throttle on approach, with a good descent rate. The plane was down and stopped in the first 100 ft of a 550 ft long runway. (This is going to be a great airplane for touch and goes!).

CG was at 6" from the LE (based on comments from Eddie P), and I needed about 4 oz of nose weight to get there. Certainly was nice and solid. I will try moving it back a bit later. I probably want a bit more aileron throw that Bruce suggests.

Before the flight, I wanted a "warm up" airplane. So, the best thing that was flyable seemed to be my son's e-Flite Advance 25, and yes, it flies a lot like the R54.. If anything the R54 was easier to land.

Anyway, a bunch of photos attached. There will be some video on YouTube later.

Bruce, thanks for a really great airplane!

Bob

xxq111

Hello!
Can you send me the cad drawings to e-mail addressee: [email protected]?
Have ordered the R54 today. Will probably have a model at the end of next week. The turbine I have bought is Jetmut Merlin VT80. Do you have experience with electromagnetic brakes?

Regards
Svenn Erik Jenssen
Norway

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Oh man, I am so happy for you Bob!!! The plane looks great, and I can only imagine how it feels for you to see it in the air after all this time. That was one of the first R54 kits shipped from BTE, many years ago. Congrats my friend!!!

I like the look of those 75-degree flaps...