Before we get into today's flight testing, I'de like to make a few observations from the first two days. You can read about it and see the video here: Skywing 48" Slick__Flight Test I wanted to get more video, but the weather went bad, and a few other things went out of control, and this is why we're doing a follow up with this flight review.
My initial impressions of the Skywing Slick were extremely positive. The whole presentation from packaging to finished product is simply superb. The plane is extremely well turned out.
Flying was much of the same. I liked the plane right away and was confident very quickly. It didn't take long for the plane to earn my trust. With each flight the plane just got better and better. I really like it.
After two days of flying, I had not been able to get out again until now. I used that time to go over my setup and programming, make an adjustment or two, and generally check the whole plane over. This was such a clean build I didn't even wipe it off until today!
I was expecting to have to make an adjustment or two. This is a new brand of plane and power system for me. The servos are different, the hardware is different. Without a manual to work from, I was starting at ground zero. If nothing else, I was going to want to tailor the set up to my liking, but the way it came out of the box was pretty close to what I would have done anyway. I dialed the ailerons back 10% because the roll rate was so fast it was hard to be smooth, but that made a big difference for me.
You might think you can't get a good read on a plane flying it in a lot of wind, but those were the cards we were dealt. I did come away from the first two days impressed with how well the plane handled those winds. The plane has really sweet harrier manners and is exceptionally light on it's wings. It tracks very solidly as well.
Overall, it's not that much different from an Extreme Flight plane in that it is solid, reassuring and has no bad tendencies. This is an extremely nice little piece of work, and I hope Skywing brings us a few more.
Batteries For this plane I needed some new batteries. I went with Thunder Power 6s 1800 70C Rampage packs. You can see where the pack ended up, and I've got plenty of room to move it either way. I didn't know where the CG was so I balanced it on the tube, and she's nice and neutral like that.
Please excuse the mess. I still have to tidy up the wiring.
More Testing, Day Three
Now that I have checked everything for two weeks and the weather is decent, I was out of excuses. We had a relatively nice day, and I was anxious to try the plane with my revised aileron throw. I did a short test hop while I was waiting on my camera guy, and I could feel the improvement right away. She was much more settled on the roll axis and much easier to fly more smoothly.
This improvement was the magic trick for precision, point and slow rolls. Basically, the plane was much better all-around and now I can fly it with the same confidence I have in my other planes.
Now I had something I could work with better, so it's a matter of learning the plane and it's characteristics and start creeping up on the limit. For the most part it's very much like an Extreme Flight plane except for two small exceptions. First the plane flies a little lighter than what I am used to, and that is certainly not a complaint. I can get away with more when I'm flying slowly.
The other exception is this is such a lively plane that the snap timing is different. This is not a complaint either, because it's the pilot's job to adapt, and I'm getting closer. Sometimes I'll hit it perfect and the thing will wind itself up. Other times, when I apparently hit it wrong, the plane will sort of wallow and never really snap. This is not really a concern because I'll get it. I just need a little more time with the plane, and maybe some calmer weather.
For everything else, I just throw caution to the wind and hammer it. Initially I was worried it would not be as easy to set up and extract performance as what I am used to, but outside of running 10% less aileron (it still rolls like a drill bit) the entire set up is the way it came out of the box. Just screw the plane together and fly it.
It's also important to point out a few things about how the power system flies. First, I like to run an idle, and you can't believe how slowly this thing will run. It doesn't spit or sputter or hesitate from start up. It just goes. You may have noticed my improved hover, and this comes from having a much smoother power delivery. Previously our beloved Torque/Airboss combo was unsurpassed for this, but with all the drone power system technology creeping into our fixed wing power systems, the improvement is a bit shocking.
Most people are going to be more concerned with how much brute horsepower this system has and the simple answer (because we forgot to measure it) is it's enough, and then some. Previously I liked a little less power to make it easier to handle, but the smooth delivery has no spike in it at all. It gives you exactly what you ask for.
I also can't say enough how pleased I am to get away from separate BECs and their complexity. The Castle units are bulletproof, but you have to solder them up and mount them and do a clean job. Running this unit with it's own built in BEC is much less complicated, a cleaner installation and a lot less work.
Just guessing because we haven't measured, but I'de say the power system in this plane it right about as powerful and nearly as smooth and linear as a TMotor. Then again, that's a guess, but I'm about as equally pleased with one as much as the other.
Final Thoughts, for now
Where do you start with a project that was so, so very easy yet exceeds performance expectations? It took longer to unpack it than it did to build it, and the set up, right out of the box is stellar. The servos were mostly invisible because I never thought about them, and the power system is about as smooth as a TMotor.
I've never owned a Skywing plane before, so initially I was a little skeptical. This went away as soon as I started dry fitting things together and admiring the plane. There was nothing on this plane that gave me any sort of trouble, and I didn't have to fiddle with a single thing. The quick latch wing and SFG mounts are extremely nice features, as is the wing bag, and extra prop. I think if you add up what it costs to build a 48 with good equipment, it's probably pretty close to what it costs to build one of these, and the difference is you can have a Skywing receiver-ready Slick ready to fly in about a half hour.
Where is this plane going to fit in the market? The first batch was gone in a day and a half, so that's a good start. This is the perfect plane for just about everyone because it's so easy and effortless to put together. Experienced big plane pilots will want one for a beater, and smaller plane enthusiasts will find it fits the budget. New guys are going to eat this thing up, just because they don't have to do trick stuff like hinging, cowl mounting and getting the stab straight. Most of us couldn't glue two pieces of wood together when we started, so this plane will be monumental for them.
Finally, the appeal is strong for everyday sport 3Ders. It's reasonably priced, uses reasonably priced batteries and fits in my car assembled, though with the quick latches you can assemble or break one down in 30 seconds.
Of course, the plane is available as an ARF as well, so if you biff it or wear it out, you can reuse the equipment in a new one.
Finally, some of us were worried about the future of the 48" class, but with planes like these, and hopefully a few more, 48s look set to be as relevant as ever.
Note: This report is in progress. I will be adding text, photos and video as we go.
This plane represents a bit of a departure from what I am used to flying. New airframe manufacturer, new power system, new servos, and a new assembly procedure were all things I had to adapt to, but once she broke ground, I knew there was nothing to worry about.
My only concern was that the whole project was a little too easy, creating an anxiety that I may have missed something. The truth is it was too easy. I took it out of the box and it was ready to go in 30 minutes or so. There was nothing to think out because it was all but done.
OK, it was so easy I had this haunting too-good-to-be-true feeling right up until it broke ground and then forgot about it and just enjoyed flying the plane.
This plane is as nice as any 48" I've seen, and as we'll get into, it flies as well as any of them.
The Shakedown I got two shakedown flights in a lot of wind, but the promise is certainly there. I need to dial back my aileron throw for tomorrow because it rolls like a drill bit, and I am comfortable with a little less......just a personal preference. The way the thing came out of the box was close to perfect, so I may decompress a little and look at it tonight. I may just leave it alone and adapt to it.
As far as CG, the with the back edge of my Thunder Power 6s 1800 70C Rampage pack sitting flush with the rear landing gear former she balanced dead center on the wing tube, so we started there and she is just a touch ahead of neutral, which is where I like them, so I've going to leave that alone.
This Slick is nothing at all like previous Slicks. I was much more comfortable right away as compared to the original 51, and this plane is more like the 52" Slick EXP with great tumbling and smooth precision. My point and slow rolls are a little sloppy, but two flights are not enough time to dial the plane in and adapt to it. So far, my only complaint is that the plane likes to flatten out of a KE spin, but I hit my last one just right. It was simply a matter of different timing. Otherwise, she snaps and spins just fine.
Mostly I just flew it around carefully because we had no video guy on hand. As such, I was really careful with my landings, but I am sure we will bounce test it once we have some video in the can. The plane lands exceptionally smoothly and it really likes to settle into a nice harrier and sink in on all three wheels at once. I was really impressed with how gently I could set it down. Certainly, the wind helps, but she was smooth and locked in on every landing.
So, after day one, I'm really pleased with the plane. The only scare I had was got an extra half rotation on a snap but caught it and flew it out with no drama except maybe my heart rate went up a bit. It's all a timing thing, but I may either adapt or try a little less aileron throw. I went through this on the Velox, but I tailored the set up to be less aggressive, which makes the plane smoother, but doesn't kneecap performance. The way she comes out of the box is going to be right for most people, but I'm going to tweak this plane to get everything I can out of it.
One really nice surprise is my pitiful hovering actually looked pretty good. I tried two or three times suspecting I just got lucky, but she hovers really stable and locked in. This will be an excellent tool for getting my hover better.
Most people are going to wonder about how light the plane flies, or how "floaty" it is. Here the Slick is as floaty as my other 48s, and maybe a little more. Harrier manners are really solid and reassuring. She does beautiful elevator drops.
Pitch authority at 45 degrees is very impressive and the Slick does a righteous wall maneuver and pops flat in a parachute.
I was comfortable so quickly I just flew it and didn't really dig to discover the differences. It's so similar to what I am used to that adapting was almost automatic.
Right now it's just day one, but I'm already flipping through the pages on the Skywing page looking for my next project.
Power System Performance
Since I have never flown a 48" on 6s, I went from the supplied wood 13/7 prop to an APC 13/6.5 to be sure I did not hit the batteries too hard. This turned out to be a good call because I came down with just the right voltage. I'll probably keep this prop on it as I will fly it using less power and do more 3D as the winds calm and I learn the plane better.
There was no spitting or shuddering on start up and power delivery was explosive, but easy to modulate. It ran smooth all day and didn't give me any worries. After a punch out or two I simply forgot about it until whenever I would hammer it and the thing would simply blast off. I run an idle mix and one thing I noticed is when you cut the power there was no winding down. It simply went to idle instantly. Power systems have come a long way since the original Torques, and this kind of instant response is probably a result of all the drone technology that's creeping into our systems. The response is smooth and predictably and very easy to control and get exactly what you want from it.
Today was about survival, and we accomplished that, got the CG dead on, and had a nice smooth day, which is what you want first time out. Power was about level with the TMotor, so this prop sacrifices nothing while cutting my amp draw and increasing run time. In short, it's a beast, and while most people will be happy with that, I may experiment with a Zoar 13/6 and drop a little more power in exchange for hitting the batteries a little less hard.
That's it for today, but we'll add video and some more commentary hopefully tomorrow.
Day Two
The weather forecast was marginal, but it's even worse for the next 10 days, so we had to go now. I dialed my ailerons back about 10% and now she's about perfect. The plane not only remains stable, but got even better with throw I was more comfortable with. Now the timing on snaps and spins are much more like what I am used to, so I adapted the plane to me.
Here's what we have so far, and since we want to get the info out as fast as possible, we'll settle for this and shoot some better video and more detailed flight report when the weather is less wicked.
