CLOUDS FLY (AXN) POWERED GLIDER

[Flash1940]

Hi folks....
I have one of those new AXN EP airplanes that Bruce is flying all over the place on the XJET video channel. I should mention here that it wasn't real cheap getting it shipped to here in the U.S. So if you decide to buy one of these from HK be aware of this.
The flying surfaces are very poorly hinged....so be prepared to cut all of them loose with a hobby knife and use blenderm or the klet (dubro) style hinges. You will be much happier reducing the load off your little HXT-900 servos.
Here's where I need some help.....the wings are reinforced with a CF tube that lays in a trough in the wing. I have chosen to permanently attach the wings....It's a small model.....so taking the wings apart for transport to the flying field isn't necessary. I need to know what kind of glue to use on this new EPO foam. What does the best job??? When the AXN is experiencing positive G's.....the CF tube will be trying to break away from the wing and apply pressure to the trough cover. If it comes loose from the wing....the trough cover is likely to give way resulting in folded wings & disaster !
So if you have experience in this area.....I am open to suggestions....

Flash

[RCModelReviews]

Where did yo buy yours?

My AXNs came with glue in the box and the hinging was fine -- all that was needed was to "exercise" the control surfaces by bending them back and forwards a few times so as to free them up.

I glued my wings in and used glue on the join between the wing-tube and the wing -- although the tapered piece of foam that fits over the tube and into the wing is held on with clear tape.

Seems to have stood up to all the punishment I've metered out to it so far.

[Keith]

The Bixler has a similar setup with the CF tube and servo wires running along the trough... I just laid a wide strip of reinforcing tape over the lenth of it...

[Flash1940]

OK....I got my AXN from HK....and it came with glue.....I'll use that glue. It's in a white tube....no ID as to what it is. Just think....if that model was made in the United States there'd have to be an MSDS sheet on that glue and all sorts of "DON'T DO" crap all over it. Our Country is regulated to death. It's a wonder we don't have an instruction manual for toilet paper ! The FAA has even decided to impose regulation on model aircraft....as if they didn't have more important things to do....like keeping controllers awake....and pilots sober !
Thanks for the advice guys. Check out my latest foamy. It hasn't flown yet and needs a black trim stripe down the sides. 48 inch span..wt = about 21 OZ. Two struts under each wing panel. Material mostly pink 1/4" fan-fold insulation foam. I cut out the lettering from black monocote and stuck on using windex. The letters (My Amateur Radio Call Letters) were generated with my computer (Photoshop Elements).


Flash

CUB_06.jpg (139.49 KiB) Viewed 19463 times

[rogueqd]

I maidened my Clouds Fly II (as in I gave up repairing the nose of the first one) today. I was a bit nervous as the last few flights of the first one weren't so successful.

I'm happy to report that it flew like a dream, only needing one touch of up elevator trim. I used to throw it forwards which sometimes ended up being slightly downwards and not that successful, but I got the idea from the Ringebu guys to really throw it up at the sky to launch, that worked great. I also tried catching it instead of landing, that worked well too, fun fun.

We took it up to the local slope site and it made a better slope glider than I had anticipated, it got much higher than my PC9 ever gets. Even with full spoilerons it was hard to get it back down, lol.

Which brings me to my last point. I had glued a 10cm, 2mm diameter, CF rod in to each side of the nose over that really weak area just in front of the servos. The two landings at the slope were both nose bangers, I had it over the grass launch/landing area but still in the lift of the wind coming over the edge of the slope, when it dropped down to the still air behind the edge it stalled instantly (of course) and nose dived about 2 meters onto the grass (my lovely but nervous wife had turned down my requests for her to try and catch it). The only damage from the nose bangs were a bit of green stain under the tip and some very slight wrinkles on the flat areas on either side of the battery (under the canopy). Good result.

It's nice to come home with a 100% successful day, I even managed my first loop while at the slope.

[Sid Sideslip]

Glad to hear you had a fun and successful time. I hope to maiden mine this week, weather permitting (with video from a keychain camera).

As for the still air aft of the slope edge, often it's not so still up there, rather, the dreaded rotor will pull you down like an elevator (as has happened to me with both r/c and, more painfully, in a hang glider).

Here at Droughty Point, the flying is fantastic, but the damn place is full of rocks. I'm considering tying a pillow in front of my planes when slope soaring there!

[rogueqd]

Satisfaction! After regaining my confidence flying Clouds Fly II, I took the original one flying again today. I had previously cut the nose up and mounted my GoPro about where the canopy used to start. This meant I had to push the battery further back, which meant moving the two servos back inside under the wings. I made servo mounts for them with the spare foam from the nose.

Anyway, it all worked quite well. It was quite windy up at Dobroyd, so I even managed to slope soar it. Does taking a motor with you while you're slope soaring count as cheating?

Here's the result...
GoPro slope soaring at Dobroyd (watch it in 1080p)

[Sid Sideslip]

Does taking a motor with you while you're slope soaring count as cheating?

Nice video!

And slope soaring with a motor isn't cheating by any means, it just takes all the hassles out of it.

[rogueqd]

Well, I haven't had this happen before...

AXN Clouds Fly breaks up in midair

I think the wings popped out, but I never found the spar so I'm not 100% sure. Maybe the motor pod broke off in midair, but from the looks of the foam around the break it was from hitting the ground.

Definitely an endorsement for adding CF rods to the fuselage around the nose and at the start of the tail. Those parts were mostly undamaged after a 20-25 meter fall.

[quarry44]

I see the camera survived!Must be a tough little bugger:)