Pilot-rc PREDATOR 2.2m Sport jet / full composite
08-28-2018, 01:34 PM
#202
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
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Hi guys, yes I ordered a viper, I mentioned the predator as I imagine they have the same stuff included. I don’t mean the tail pipe. I mean intake ducting - normally made of fibreglass, smooth tubes delivering air from the intakes to the front of the turbine.
08-28-2018, 02:08 PM
#203
My Feedback: (1)
Unboxing
After about 9 weeks my Predator finally arrived. According to Tony this is a new version of the fuselage mold: taller rudder and different (shallower I think) curve behind the canopy, also has two piece fuselage with the vertical stab molded in. Plane was packed very well and no apparent damage to any of the pieces. Here's some pics of the unboxing:
09-11-2018, 03:01 AM
#208
Join Date: Sep 2018
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CG
Hello.
I have Predator 2.2 from beginning of August (installed Jets Munt XBL140). It flies well but I'm still trying to have it better...
On my maiden flight I've settled CG using supplied jig. Flight was good but, as all the other owners, I had to trim up quite a lot (about 3-4mm). To improve that situation I tried to move turbine's battery back (180g), from nose to front of tank: real bad effect!!!!!
With that new CG, around 4-5mm moved back from original position, Predator was flying really "sitting" (tail down attitude) and during landing it was unstable, floating, typical close to stall condition.
So now I'm back to factory CG position with up trim.
Has anyone tried to move back CG from factory position? Has anyone managed to have horizontal trim at 0?
Could be possible that CG position is perfect as for factory and reason for needed trim is due to a slightly wrong horizontal pitch from mould?
Thank you very much in advance for sharing your experience.
Best regards
Paolo
I have Predator 2.2 from beginning of August (installed Jets Munt XBL140). It flies well but I'm still trying to have it better...
On my maiden flight I've settled CG using supplied jig. Flight was good but, as all the other owners, I had to trim up quite a lot (about 3-4mm). To improve that situation I tried to move turbine's battery back (180g), from nose to front of tank: real bad effect!!!!!
With that new CG, around 4-5mm moved back from original position, Predator was flying really "sitting" (tail down attitude) and during landing it was unstable, floating, typical close to stall condition.
So now I'm back to factory CG position with up trim.
Has anyone tried to move back CG from factory position? Has anyone managed to have horizontal trim at 0?
Could be possible that CG position is perfect as for factory and reason for needed trim is due to a slightly wrong horizontal pitch from mould?
Thank you very much in advance for sharing your experience.
Best regards
Paolo
Last edited by raddrilene; 09-11-2018 at 07:41 AM.
09-14-2018, 04:06 PM
#209
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 49
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Interesting Paolo, I will be playing with mine once it arrives.
A lot of people have commented on the cg being forward but I’ve not heard anyone reporting how it flies after they have moved it back.
Hopefully a few more of us will be getting our Predators in the air and then we may get some more feedback.
A lot of people have commented on the cg being forward but I’ve not heard anyone reporting how it flies after they have moved it back.
Hopefully a few more of us will be getting our Predators in the air and then we may get some more feedback.
09-14-2018, 04:24 PM
#210
Interesting Paolo, I will be playing with mine once it arrives.
A lot of people have commented on the cg being forward but I’ve not heard anyone reporting how it flies after they have moved it back.
Hopefully a few more of us will be getting our Predators in the air and then we may get some more feedback.
A lot of people have commented on the cg being forward but I’ve not heard anyone reporting how it flies after they have moved it back.
Hopefully a few more of us will be getting our Predators in the air and then we may get some more feedback.
09-14-2018, 05:40 PM
#211
I have mine set at the recommended CG and love the way it flies. Yes, it’s slightly nose heavy (really ever so slight. I have no problems scraping the tail on landing) and there is a few MM of up elevator at the neutral position, but it flies very well for me at least. So I will probably leave it there for now.
Inverted it needs some down to stay level, but not a huge amount, and on inverted uplines it needs some down as well to keep th nose from dropping. It’s very manageable, and after some flights I am use to it now and it’s not an issue for me. Stall characteristics are very tame, and it will get pretty slow, especially with full flaps. The nose simply drops gently and it has no bad habits. It’s far more intimidating to look at then to fly. It’s very stable and flies like it’s on rails, and goes where it’s pointed. My only complaint (which seems to be addressed with the updated version) is that I find the rudder surface could have been a little larger to make knife edge flight a little easier and slower. As it is now, you need a lot of rudder and speed to get a nice knife edge, but again for me at least that’s minor and really it still knife edges very well with minimal coupling.
Mine is power by a Cheetah 140 and it’s plenty, it will even hover after I have burnt some fuel off. I have the new Cheetah 160 wich I will be putting in over the winter, that should spice things up a little. My season is winding down so I just want to fly it and will do the swap over the winter.
It’s a great plane, I love mine, best plane for the money in my opinion.
Inverted it needs some down to stay level, but not a huge amount, and on inverted uplines it needs some down as well to keep th nose from dropping. It’s very manageable, and after some flights I am use to it now and it’s not an issue for me. Stall characteristics are very tame, and it will get pretty slow, especially with full flaps. The nose simply drops gently and it has no bad habits. It’s far more intimidating to look at then to fly. It’s very stable and flies like it’s on rails, and goes where it’s pointed. My only complaint (which seems to be addressed with the updated version) is that I find the rudder surface could have been a little larger to make knife edge flight a little easier and slower. As it is now, you need a lot of rudder and speed to get a nice knife edge, but again for me at least that’s minor and really it still knife edges very well with minimal coupling.
Mine is power by a Cheetah 140 and it’s plenty, it will even hover after I have burnt some fuel off. I have the new Cheetah 160 wich I will be putting in over the winter, that should spice things up a little. My season is winding down so I just want to fly it and will do the swap over the winter.
It’s a great plane, I love mine, best plane for the money in my opinion.
09-14-2018, 08:04 PM
#212
Really good feedback there DHC6. It sounds like you are pretty happy with the aircraft overall.
It seems that Pilot have been quite proactive in fixing some of the known issues such as the undersized rudder. This has to be a good thing.
I think I will order one and see how it goes.
It seems that Pilot have been quite proactive in fixing some of the known issues such as the undersized rudder. This has to be a good thing.
I think I will order one and see how it goes.
09-16-2018, 12:29 AM
#215
My Feedback: (3)
My only complaint (which seems to be addressed with the updated version) is that I find the rudder surface could have been a little larger to make knife edge flight a little easier and slower. As it is now, you need a lot of rudder and speed to get a nice knife edge, but again for me at least that’s minor and really it still knife edges very well with minimal coupling.
Just my 2 cents
09-16-2018, 04:18 AM
#216
My Feedback: (1)
I got my maiden done yesterday plus 2 additional flights. All flights went fine without any issues. I balanced using the factory wire tool with the plane just starting to tip tail heavy on the rig, that is, when I lifted the plane by the wires it would initially hang level and then after a second or so would slowly tip toward the tail. This was done with a full UAT and about 1" of fuel in the main tank, smoke tank and pump installed but not plumbed or connected yet. Engine is a K210. Plane needed minimal up trim probably about 1mm at neutral. Inverted 45 degree up-line required some down as DHC6 reports. Knife edge performance seems perfect with no coupling and moderate speed and rudder. My stall experience was a little more abrupt than DHC6 reports but I also have about 7-8mm of crow with my flaps, this is my first "larger" jet and I was a little apprehensive with my throttle due to the large engine so I didn't recognize exactly when I got too slow, but all testing was done at a sufficient altitude to allow recovery so no problems in the end. Obviously the K210 is plenty of thrust for this plane, but I was conscious of the extra power and never opened it up, max speed for the day was about 160 mph, I'll further explore it's performance in later flights. Landings were fine, residual thrust is not an issue, it is able to slow sufficiently and flare to give nose up "wheelie" touchdowns with a little elevator management. Overall, I'm pleased with the aircraft, I think I'll keep the C/G as is and I look forward to more flights to get used to how it flies.
I'll report back next week after some more flights, hopefully with some photos and videos as well.
I'll report back next week after some more flights, hopefully with some photos and videos as well.
09-21-2018, 04:28 PM
#218
My Feedback: (1)
Last edited by dccatl; 09-21-2018 at 04:32 PM.
10-06-2018, 06:44 PM
#220
I have seen the words vectored thrust mentioned on this forum and on the Pilot website. However i never actually see the pipe nor is it mentioned as an available part. Where are people acquiring the vectored thrust pipes?
Thanks.
Tone
Thanks.
Tone
10-07-2018, 04:12 AM
#221
My Feedback: (1)
You can purchase the vector pipe directly from Pilot, just e-mail Tony from their web-site. I've seen one in person on a Predator and am considering adding one to mine - pretty much just a standard vector pipe, bolts to the last former in the fuselage with servos mounted about half-way down the pipe length in the fuselage.
10-08-2018, 04:36 AM
#222
You can purchase the vector pipe directly from Pilot, just e-mail Tony from their web-site. I've seen one in person on a Predator and am considering adding one to mine - pretty much just a standard vector pipe, bolts to the last former in the fuselage with servos mounted about half-way down the pipe length in the fuselage.
Thanks,
Tone
10-08-2018, 05:10 AM
#223
My Feedback: (1)
Thanks for the input. I am considering getting this jet as my first turbine so I am hunting down all of the specifics. It has alot of good features and the construction seems pretty solid. The wheels look pretty small though. Can someone post the size of the wheels? I am wondering if this jet will work on a grass field.
Thanks,
Tone
Thanks,
Tone
10-08-2018, 05:45 AM
#224
Thanks for the input. I am considering getting this jet as my first turbine so I am hunting down all of the specifics. It has alot of good features and the construction seems pretty solid. The wheels look pretty small though. Can someone post the size of the wheels? I am wondering if this jet will work on a grass field.
Thanks,
Tone
Thanks,
Tone
10-08-2018, 12:04 PM
#225
Wheels are 72 mm I believe, I've never flown mine from grass so I can't speak directly to that. However, I've noticed it is somewhat difficult to push on the grass adjacent to the paved runway I fly from, but I think it might be OK with some up elevator initially to get moving.
Thanks,
Tone