As seen in the past with my 47" SHP and 48" MXS EXP, I like to take familiar old planes I know like the back of my hand and throw everything new I know at them, along with all the latest and greatest equipment I can get my hands on. In short, I try to radicalize the place, and make the ultimate version of it. Technology moves on, but it also takes the older planes right along with it and makes them even better.
While the newer 52" EXPs are a big step forward, the 48" EXPs are still very potent machines. They were pretty close to perfect to begin with, but by using the newest equipment we can take them to another level of performance. Equipment, however, is another story, and equipment like servos and batteries have ben improved massively. Add to that how good Electronic Stability Systems have become, and we can make the entire package better than ever.
So, we're set. The new plane will have every trick I have learned in 10 years of flying this airframe extensively, all the best equipment I can find, and of course, a good ESS.
Also, if this is your first EXP build, I suggest you check out my article on Miscellaneous Build And Set Up Tricks.
While we are upgrading the servos, my linkages and set up have been the same since I started flying these planes in 2010. The only change at all has been the elevator servo arm because what I was originally flying was prone to becoming sloppy and wiggling around on the servo output shaft. Here you can see the Hitec PN55709 arm. These have been terrific, though I have also used the Xessories 1.5" arm which I like much better. I ran out of those, but I can always change it out later.
FLYING
Astute readers will remember that I have already written a considerable amount about this plane. You can either use the search feature at the top of the page or scan the chronological archive on the right of this page to find these articles.
The Extra should have been my first EXP, but at the time they were out of stock and I ended up getting one after first, the Edge EXP, and then the MXS EXP. I had already gotten used to the EXP lineup's additional stability and using bigger control surfaces and increased throw to get the agility back, so moving into the Extra was more of a sideways move than a radical one. Right away I loved the long, pattern plane-like moments of the Extra, and in precision really appreciated the improved tracking.
As I trusted the plane more and more in 3D, and pushed it harder and harder, it just became better and better. This trust increased over the last 10 years until the plane became like an old pair of slippers, and there was no circumstance where I did not know exactly what to expect from the plane. I also knew exactly what to expect any time I tried a set up change, though this settled in pretty quickly and I am running essentially the same CG and throws I was 10 years ago.
While the Extra is very much renowned for it's precision attributes, it's always been very much underrated for it's 3D chops. In high rotation maneuvers like walls and parachutes the Extra will actually slide. For example, if you do a high speed parachute and hold the elevator in, the Extra will pop to level, and then drop into a High speed sinking elevator maneuver. This can be a little unsettling the first few times you try it, but the plane stays stable the entire time. The unsettling part is watching the plane go in a direction different from which it is pointed, but it's so amusing you get used to that pretty quickly, and it becomes a remarkable tool. I learned 3D on Extras, so to me this is how a plane is supposed to fly. It was when I got into planes that don't slide so much I realized not all planes do this as well and it's a useful flying characteristic.
Once you know what to expect and it's fun to fly the plane in one direction while it's pointed another. It's almost like sliding a car on purpose on a wet road, or sliding a sprint car on dirt. You can slide the plane into harrier turns like this too, but I suggest you work a lot of parachutes and walls to get the feel for it before you try anything like that down low. This is what separates the Extra for the other 48" EXPs that share the same wing.
The 52s are still a quantum leap forward, but the 48s are still so good they can't be overlooked. They are still jolly good fun to fly. Most of us have a handful of HS65MGs, a power system, and maybe even some 4s 2250-2700 battery packs laying around. It makes sense to keep using it until you get your money out of it, and an Extra EXP is the best way I can think of to do that.
These planes have always flown close to perfect right out of the box. There is a certain intangible with this plane and that's the confidence it inspires. Maiden flights became a simple matter of checking the trim and then flying it like it was a plane I had been flying for years.
The 48" Extra EXP was my go-to airplane right up until the 52" Extra and Slick came out, and then I sort of lost interest in the 48". This turned out to be a bit of a mistake because I still had all the equipment, most of it serviced, cleaned up and ready to go. Essentially, that was money just sitting there. Having a small amount of Scottish blood in my lineage, I found this to be unacceptable.
While the Extra is very much renowned for it's precision attributes, it's always been very much underrated for it's 3D chops. In high rotation maneuvers like walls and parachutes the Extra will actually slide. For example, if you do a high speed parachute and hold the elevator in, the Extra will pop to level, and then drop into a High speed sinking elevator maneuver. This can be a little unsettling the first few times you try it, but the plane stays stable the entire time. The unsettling part is watching the plane go in a direction different from which it is pointed, but it's so amusing you get used to that pretty quickly, and it becomes a remarkable tool. I learned 3D on Extras, so to me this is how a plane is supposed to fly. It was when I got into planes that don't slide so much I realized not all planes do this as well and it's a useful flying characteristic.
The 52s are still a quantum leap forward, but the 48s are still so good they can't be overlooked. They are still jolly good fun to fly. Most of us have a handful of HS65MGs, a power system, and maybe even some 4s 2250-2700 battery packs laying around. It makes sense to keep using it until you get your money out of it, and an Extra EXP is the best way I can think of to do that.
Extra Stabilized
Thankfully the resistance to electronic stability is subsiding. It took some of the accomplished pilots embracing this concept to change the minds of others, much like it was when computer radios were introduced. Now though, enough people are having so much remarkable success that even the naysayers are reconsidering. I figure in five years you won't be able to buy a radio that does not have it built in. I'm certainly ok with anything that makes the plane fly better or allows the pilot to enjoy it more.
To bridge the gap to the new 52s, I first tried an ESS in my 48" MXS. That was such a mind blowing difference that I knew it was only a matter of time before I wanted a new Extra and install one in that. While a good ESS is superb in a 52", it's simply black magic in a 48" MXS, so I was expecting, and got, the same kind of improvement in a 48" Extra.
The Extra's basic character does not change much with an ESS. It's still an Extra. It just gets better. Like with the MXS, you keep the small plane agility, but get big plane stability, so that's the best of everything. The ESS unit I am using gives you more stability. but gets out of the way when to are trying to do something violent. The Extra is not a violent kind of plane anyway, though it's certainly capable enough at this. The Extra rewards smooth, precise flying more than anything, and flying it so much has been instrumental in improving my game here.
The way I set my ESS up, you hardly know it's there. The plane just flies better, so this Extra is just more of what I have always loved about these planes. Precision manners are improved simply because any bad air you fly through is neutralized by the ESS. In even slightly bumpy air it can be difficult to set up something like a slow roll because a gust can pitch the nose up or down which is not a good way to start a precision move. When you fly in close, this looks even worse, so having the plane track better is a useful improvement.
The way I set my ESS up, you hardly know it's there. The plane just flies better, so this Extra is just more of what I have always loved about these planes. Precision manners are improved simply because any bad air you fly through is neutralized by the ESS. In even slightly bumpy air it can be difficult to set up something like a slow roll because a gust can pitch the nose up or down which is not a good way to start a precision move. When you fly in close, this looks even worse, so having the plane track better is a useful improvement.
Extras 3D really well, but if you are sloppy you can get some wing rock. As odd as this may sound, if you try to fly too smoothly transitioning from full flight into post stall 3D, you can stall one wing before the other and drop that wing a bit. It's not going to spin into the ground or anything, but it does look sloppy. This is just how a triple taper wing flies, and you are better off yanking it into 3D and stalling both wings at once. However, with the ESS, all of this goes away and now the Extra is every bit as good in 3D as an Edge. You can walk it up and down the runway with the nose way up in the air and the wings don't wiggle even a little bit.
In the end, this is the same Extra we have all loved for over a decade. The newer high voltage servos make the plane livelier, and with better, more precise centering. Essentially, this alone makes the plane better than ever, but the addition of a good ESS simply catapults it to yet another level.
EQUIPMENT
Airframe
This is still the Extra EXP we have always had a love affair with, and the factory has been building them for so long they have it really locked down. Fit an finish is even more flawless than ever before.
So, not much is very different, except quality is better, but it doesn't need to be either. This plane was pretty much perfect by the time I got my first one ten yeas ago. After all the new planes that have come out you might think I am getting tired of the old girl, but timeless and classic are the two best terms I can find to describe her.
For an in depth look at the Extra EXP's features and construction please check out Extreme Flight Extra 300 EXP__Clean Sheet
I was scraping nickels together to make this plane happen, so I wasn't going to be able to buy a set of custom decals for it. Fortunately I had a few left over other projects and all I needed to buy were the Extreme Flight deals for the elevator. With the Big X and white SFG decals it's got a few different look, which is a good thing after all the years I've been looking at this plane. While I will probably never get tired of looking at this plane, the fresh appearance is very welcome.
Hardware
The hardware that comes with the kits is top notch, but with the new lineup of Xcessories hardware we will be doing some minor upgrades. I really like the Xcessories cowl and servo screws, and the twisted servo extension wires. Outside of that, everything else comes out of the box.
The rest of the standard hardware pack has performed so well and been so durable there is no reason on earth to try anything else. One small change, though, is the new tail wheel assemblies now feature a one piece machined aluminum tiller arm. This piece is so durable I have ripped the entire assembly off the plane in a crash, and all I had to do was beat it back into shape, and it was ready to keep using. It's still on one of my planes, but I can't tell you which one because it still works so well I forgot about it.
Servos
In the past, when radicalizing these 48" planes, I have used Hitec HS5070MH (and HS5087MH on the elevator) 7.2 volt servos. These have served me so well that I don't have a reason to change. They are smooth, quick, have tremendous torque and good centering, and are trouble free, which is all you can really ask from a servo. That's actually quite a lot to ask from servos this size in such a powerful plane that puts so much stress on them.
I also have a set of these 7.4 volt servos sitting on the shelf, courtesy of a fresh service from Hitec's excellent service department. These servos had been wrung out for two years my SHP, but I have enough confidence in Hitec service to put them in a brand new plane.
Battery Eliminator Circuit
Since these are 7.4 - 8.0 servos I am going with the always reliable Castle 10 amp BEC set to 8.0 volts. It's small. light and reliable enough that the only time I ever smoked one was when I soldered it up backwards, but they are not warrantied for idiots. Stunk like hell though!
Once you have the BEC's leads properly soldered, the only concern is making sure you mount it in the airflow. These planes have so much air moving through them that it almost doesn't matter, so I picked a spot down low that would keep the BEC and wiring out of the way. I used Velcro to facilitate easy installation and removal.
Power System
I had considered using the insanely powerful Xpwr 3910 motors on this plane, just to really radicalize it. I tried one briefly in my last 48 Extra and MXS, but it was so much motor that I was hanging on it the whole time I was flying. It was certainly fun, but I don't think I flew it real well. That or it was just so much power it made the plane too hard to fly. It was certainly crazy fun, but in the end I am going with what we already know is the perfect power system for this plane.
When I first started electrics I didn't have a clue how they worked, and not surprisingly had some reliability issued. These completely disappeared when I flew my first Extreme Flight Torque 2814 and Airboss 45 Elite Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). It was so smooth and powerful with such a beautiful sound I have never wanted to stray from Torque/Airboss (and Xpwr) brands. In fact, this motor is the reason I wanted to fly for them, but that was still a few years off.
There are a lot of good ways to mount the electronic speed controller, but the method in the manual is the cleanest and easiest. Mounting it on the bottom of the motor box puts the ESC square in to cooling air coming in from the Extra's chin scoop and also puts the plug for the batter right where it's easy to get to.
Here you can see I made a block out of balsa to lift the ESC up a little and over the first former. This way I can slide it back a little and get the deans plug closer to the battery and make hooking it all up a little easier.
In the end, like a lot of you, I was scratching and clawing at every nickel I could find to make the plane happen, so having a brand new set up made the choice easier. I may try a 3910 later when I have some more jack, but I have always been so happy with this power system I may not. Worst case scenario is that it will still be pretty fantastic.
When you order your plane, opt for the power system combo. This gets you the airframe, Torque 2814 motor and Airboss 45 Elite power system at a cool $70 savings.
Mounting The ESS
While I currently have experience setting up only one brand of ESS they all share the requirement of having a solid mounting. If the ESS is not mounted solidly, it can move around, which the ESS interprets as the plane moving around. This can make for a wonky flying plane, which defeats not only the purpose of the ESS, but that of having a good airframe to start with.
When I installed my first ESS, it mounted it on the receiver tray so I would not have to rearrange my servo leads, and maybe need to change the lengths. The receiver tray on these planes is not super stiff, but then again it does not need to be for just a receiver. The receiver does not care, but the ESS certainly does. With the ESS there, the plane didn't really lock in that well, but moving it to a solid shelf made an incredible difference.
Here you can see I have the receiver mounted like always, and now I have he ESS mounted on a solid, rigid balsa shelf. This was not a big job, because the carbon rods in the fuselage makes a nice mounting point. The only hard part was sizing it and getting the angles on the sides match those on the fuse.
My previous planes were excellent, though since I started mounting the ESS more solidly, they are much sore stable and locked in. This us a crucial point. If you are running something like a Spectrun with AX3X, you just need to stiffen the receiver tray.
Also make sure you keep all the wires nice and tidy because there have been several reports of the plugs working their way out with catastrophic results. Keep it clean, keep it tidy and you reduce the changes of that happening. Some guy have even used hot glue to secure their leads, which is not a bad idea, but a clean installation can solve that issue too.
Set Up Photos
We're going to depart from out usual format here because I've already written so much about the set up there isn't much to add. Therefore, I am sticking this part on the end.
While we are upgrading the servos, my linkages and set up have been the same since I started flying these planes in 2010. The only change at all has been the elevator servo arm because what I was originally flying was prone to becoming sloppy and wiggling around on the servo output shaft. Here you can see the Hitec PN55709 arm. These have been terrific, though I have also used the Xessories 1.5" arm which I like much better. I ran out of those, but I can always change it out later.
For the other servos, I still use the set up that comes right in the manual. You may notice the back area around the rudder servo. That's a wood piece I used to shim the servo out and away from the inside of the opposite fuselage side. The 5070s are a bit tall will bottom out unless you space the servo out.
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