RC Model Reviews

hi there
I just got a hobbyking Bixler for my first plane. when i took it out for its first proper flight i noticed that the alierons did not correct themsleves when i returned the stick to the centre. I then launched it again and it would not bank right but the alierons seem to work fine on both sides. I thought that it might be the wing tips are not even

It's very hard to tell from those pictures but certainly the wingtips should be equal and even in angle.

If they're bent, you can often straighten them by using some steam from a steam iron to slightly soften the foam and then hold it in the position you want while it cools down. Don't melt the foam though

If the ailerons don't move properly (ie: if the tip parts of the ailerons barely move then disconnect the pushrods and "exercise" the ailerons by bending them back and forth several times so as to free up the hinges. Straight out of the box, the hing portion of the foam is often very stiff so instead of the whole aileron moving up and down, the tip piece hardly moves at all while the bit where the horn is moves a lot.

Let us know how you get on.

i will give that a go tomorrow. I think that the rudder may have come loose because the whole think can off when it crashed and that may have caused it

I replaced my rudder and elevator with balsa, Also changed rudder to pull/pull set up... Works much better....

fixed it with an iron and is pretty much the same shape but it sort of began to bubble but i guess that is normal. I will take it out when the winds die down a bit

dannyzz wrote:fixed it with an iron and is pretty much the same shape but it sort of began to bubble but i guess that is normal. I will take it out when the winds die down a bit

With such a light model you could try a glide test down a gentle grassy slope into a breeze without hitting the throttle. See how it flies. If it veers to one side or other and dips a wing, trim it and try again. Better than trying to wrestle with it once it's got some speed on and gaining altitude. From up high, any crash is likely to be a lot worse than a gentle bump into grass from four or five feet.

Edit: and always take a lot of time checking your control surface response to the stick inputs. Don't just wiggle the sticks to see if stuff moves. Make really sure things are moving in the right direction and proportionally to how much stick movement you use. I know that sounds obvious, but even old hands make silly mistakes sometimes and fly off with their rudder control reversed or something (no names and er,..... OK it was me ).

I took off with my elevator reversed once. The shortest flight of my life.

Yeah, I did that too Rogueqd

Guilty...only ever did it once though....

defiantly should not have creases in the wings, they should be even and untwisted

as for photos, take them in bright sunlight for best results