by chook55 » Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:15 am
I picked up an RCGF15cc engine around February 2011 from Hobbyking for $185. I also bought a "World Models" Monsun .60 size plane from cyclone hobbies for $135 plus delivery. With a few modifications like moving the firewall back (I added one in behind the original and bored holes through the first for the engine mount). Anyhow, I ran the motor originally on a 13x6 reinforced plastic prop for run in. Although revving to 10,000rpm it was a better motor on a 15x8 wooden prop at 8000rpm. It's not very a powerful for it's weight but will pull a plane less than 3kg around pretty well, but don't be expecting to do 3D. I flew this till around September 2011 when "human error" caused a crash. It wasn't pilot error. When trimming cable ties I appear to have nicked the black wire from the battery. After over a hundred flights this eventually fatigued the last few remaining strands of wire and gave way during a huge loop and did a point landing. I have new glasses now so this is unlikely to happen again. Just one note. To keep the plane as light as possible I decided to use a single 2300mA 6.6V LiFe battery to a Y cable and a then to a 3A 5V regulator through an optoisolator swith to the ignition pack. The other end to the receiver. As I said with over a hundred flights I had no problems. Doing so places little extra drain on your battery. If uncomfortable, count your flights and recharge. I found I was using about 150mA per flight. If you exceed 7 flights per charge, best to recharge as this takes the battery capacity to 50%. I rarely did 6 flight a day. So now I'm looking for a suitable 60 size replacement aircraft to put it in.
chook55