Skywing 48" Extra NG__More Flying

As you may have seen in Skywing 48" Extra NG__Flight Testing, I was pretty pleased with this plane. I knew I was going to like it because it's an Extra, and I knew it would be light and tough because of my experiences with the Skywing Slick. Like the Slick, the NG surpassed my expectations, and I can't wait to see what I can discover about her next.

I've already laid out the plane's basic character in the pervious article, so here I will be going into specifics.

There was so much to go into with this plane the article ended up a little long, so if you're after the video scroll to the bottom.

Stall Turns
Some might wonder why I talk about a basic maneuver that's not spectacular or hard to do, but there's more to it when you try to work them. With this plane you can put an interesting twist into the move that's so much fun you'll start doing lots of them.

 I carried a bit more momentum into it and yawed the plane early, so it was still climbing while rotating on the yaw axis, sort of sliding a little sideways on the way up. The nose comes around and you dive out and fly away. It's kind of hard to describe it, but that's why we have video. Oddly the plane is going one way and pointed another through the turn, but it doesn't look sloppy. It looks controlled, but loose and free. It's actually delightful to fly it through the turn, sliding and all, and reveals the plane's lively but stable nature.

This was just something cool I discovered by accident. I've done it before with the Velox, but on this NG I could repeat the maneuver and hit it every single time, like that's almost how the plane wanted to do it anyway. You're sliding the plane through a stall but it never goes off line or acts weird. I can hit it 10 out of 10 times no sweat just because it does that so easily. It's just a demonstration of how willing the plane is when you chuck it into a maneuver.  

Stall turns teach you how to fly into a stall, maneuver through it and recover, all essential sport skills that translates into post stall, and something a good sport pilot has already mastered. New guys however, would be well advised to embrace this and work it to improve those skills. Having a good stall turn down gives you the skills to start working harrier, and we all know that's the key to this 3D thing.

The NG is also sweet in a conventional stall turn, and this plane is so much fun this way that I'll probably try a few more variations.

Slow Rolls

Now we're in the Extra's back yard. The absolute gold standard for this in 4 footers has always been the Extra EXP, and while I did not expect this, the NG is it's match here. At speed the NG locks in hard and little gusts or turbulence don't seem to bother it because it just plows through. This is a fast plane and remember speed is stability.

You've got three controls all going at once in a slow roll, and if the plane goes a little off line on any of them it throws the whole control sequence off. It's your job to keep the plane straight, but having one that tracks takes so much load off the pilot. Tracking is so important, and even with it's shorter moment the NG slow rolls as perfectly as any of them. It's not fun to fly a plane that doesn't track, but that's no issue with this baby. 

This tracking also comes into play during point rolls, which is why I include them here. The important thing here is tracking, yet again. If the plane doesn't track straight, you'll be fighting it at every point in the roll, so you can see the importance of having a straight flying plane.

Comparing to the Extra EXP, the NG doesn't give up anything here. Certainly the plane is different, but Extras have always been the benchmark for this and the NG is no different. It took a few tries to dial in the range and start hitting it, but it was really pretty effortless. 

Harrier Performance

While I don't have a scale, I'm pretty sure the NG is the lightest plane I own, and this shows up in really nice harrier performance. The little things Skywing has done to cut weight might seem ridiculous, but every little bit adds up. A gram or two is nothing until you shave that off a few times, but if you save that seemingly insignificant amount enough times the scale never lies.

This and the Slick can fly ridiculously slowly, and even if you get it wrong the stall recovery is blindingly fast. Part of this is surely design, aided by light weight, gonzo power and that big 13" prop. You get a huge blast of air over the plane, so whatever lift and control you lost can be regained with the hammer.

There's enough post stall control authority that you can get fearless pretty quickly. That and it's got really great confidence inspiring harrier manners. It's not quite as good here as the Slick, but it's still shockingly good. I still get a little rock when I am pushing hard and maybe getting a little sloppy, but I don't feel anything is lacking. I just think the Slick's harrier is irreproachable.

Hard rotations

This plane has superb pitch authority. The importance is in the balance. It's enough to make the plane do anything you ask, but not so much the plane comes close to getting away from you or being jumpy. The pitch authority is very controllable and even in something as violent as a wall or parachute the plane will rotate straight and come out straight. More throw (and there is plenty of room for that if you turn up the end points) might make it pitch harder, but the way it is I'm happy enough.

In something like a parachute you have to be careful not to peg the elevator too long because at full rotation you can stall the plane so completely it might get scary. Best bet is to pop to flat, but lead with a blast of throttle and ease off the stick a little. This is not a scary behavior, but more part of what you have to do to keep air going over the plane and some lift going on.  As I am moving the CG forwards this characteristic is more manageable, so I may have been flying it tail heavy the first few flights.

Having spent the last 15 years flying long, sleek EXPs, things changed when I moved to these short coupled Skywings. Rotation maneuvers are now so hard you have to be more careful how much you demand. This is not a hard thing because the pilot's job is to adapt, and it's not a problem anyway. You just learn the plane's behavior and fly accordingly. What's nice is unless you go  in with the wings not level the plane will pop flat and stay level, while tracking straight ahead.  This takes a lot of the scare factor out of it because you aren't going to lose control or even go off line unless you let it completely stall. This is not a problem at all if you have a little altitude, simply because the plane recovers from the stall so instantly, but if you are on the deck you just have to be careful not to blow all the lift completely off.

Also I did a wall maneuver that pitched so hard the plane fell on it's back  and for an instant it was travelling backward inverted. It was a real Rooster Bradshaw "what the *** was that" moment! I do a lot of high rotation stuff, but that one really surprised me. I've tried to repeat that, but I'm going to have to work it for awhile to get it right, but it certainly showed the plane is a lot more capable than I was expecting.

Stall Recovery

The NG is so comfortable in post stall partially because it's stall recovery is nearly instant. Part of this is the airfoil (which I don't fully understand) and part is certainly that big 13" fan on the nose with all that 6s grunt.

One of the first things I learned about 3D is you have to be lightning fast on the throttle, and sometimes anticipate it. Here the modern power systems not only provide more grunt, but it's instant, and can be more easily modulated than older systems. I can't say enough for how much extra control afforded by that extra inch of prop. 

Knowing you can recover from a stall so quickly allows you to fly deeper into it and get yourself out of it if you got it wrong. It makes the plane more fun to fly knowing you can thrash it like that and it won't bite you.

Snap Manners And Timing

I struggled with the snap timing on my Slick and finally figured it out, but that wasn't necessary with the Extra. Right off the bat I was hitting my snaps the same way I am used to with an EXP, so in this respect snapping and spinning is instinctual.

One area the plane is exceptionally strong is in power spins. You do these with full elevator and rudder, with a little opposite aileron to keep the wings level, and give it a little power. This speeds up the spin and if you hit it right slows the descent. I tried a few throttle settings, including wide open, and she spun around like a big frisbee.

Most 3D planes on high rate don't do a conventional spins (up and full right everything) very well, but I discovered if you go right, right, down the plane does a super tight spin, maybe a little fast, and when you release the controls it stops all on it's own instantly. This is a good one to teach the new guys simply because the plane recovers so fast it's not scary. You can pinpoint your exit with dead on precision, and of course that simply gives you confidence.

 

Skywing 48__Extra NG Sport Hucking 2023 002 from Doc Austin on Vimeo.

Skywing 48__Extra NG Sport Hucking 2023 001 from Doc Austin on Vimeo.

Knife Edge Performance

Here it's very much like the Slick. Again tracking is important, with the benefit of authority. 

Few things are as unsettling than trying to KE a poorly tracking plane, especially down low, but the NG is so locked in I'll really be working on improving my game with this plane.

Additionally, nothing is more horrifying than KEing down low with a mushy rudder response, and that's not a worry with this plane. The fat fuselage sides provide lifting surface as do the nice SFGs and even flying it down in a death slide doesn't require full deflection until you get pretty slow. KE is still a little scary for me, so this solid tracking and control authority is just what I needed.

General

Like all Extras, the NG has that overall feel of smoothness, gracefulness and solid locked in control. Where the NG differs from previous Extras is the short coupling makes the plane more lively, all while giving up nothing in smoothness. The EXP still has the edge in being smooth, but with a longer tail you would expect this and it is not a day and night thing.

 As much as I have loved the Extra EXP for the last 15 years, it was a little surprising I compare the two so favorably. Admittedly the two are both similar and different at the same time. It's also really not fair to compare a plane I have thousands of flights on to one with only a handful, but still the NG comes out looking really good.

The plane is solid and reassuring, and there is nothing to be afraid of once you adjust to this new level of agility. Any good intermediate sport pilot can fly this thing around on low rates with more confidence than even something like a T28, which makes the plane absolutely idea for sport flying. No matter what level you are with your aerobatics, you can handle this plane no problem, with room to use it to improve your game.

Past all the specific qualities, the plane is just fun to fly, which is probably it's most endearing quality. I'm betting most of you will know what you have after a lap or two and you'll be pushing the plane in no time.

Overall, an easy project that yielded big results.

Set Up

Well, it was already done when you got it, right? I used the arms the way they came on the elevator and rudder with my end points at 100. Where I deviated was running a little less aileron because that's what I am used to. I used a shorter 7/8" Skywing plastic arm and regained my resolution by cranking the end points. I'm right at 31-32 degrees, which is exactly what I have been using on my other 48s. I did this with my Slick and continued that with the NG, and for me it was a very positive change. The plane gives up nothing other that it won't do blinding rifle rolls that I can't keep up with  anyway. Most people will be happy with the set up the way it comes out of the box. This was a change simply to suit my personal preference.

You can read about this here:  Skywing 48" Extra NG Receiver ready.

And don't forget about that low rate because that makes precision much easier and cleaner.

As far as CG, mine came out on the tube, though I moved the pack forward 1/2 so the nose would hang a little. This is just the way I prefer them because a little ahead of neutral doesn't compromise 3D, but it makes the plane track much better. It's an Extra, so there's the one attribute you need to play to.

Best bet is to set it up the way it comes out of the box and fly it, kind of like we do with all new planes.

Skywing 48" Extra NG__Flight Testing

Day One
All we wanted to do was check the trims and get a good general feel for the plane. That lasted about 30 seconds and I simply forgot the game plan and just started flying it hard. It is so similar to the Slick I knew what I had pretty quickly.

This is a very stable plane, but it's also pretty lively. It snaps and tumbles really well, slows down into a beautiful harrier, and does beautiful slow and point rolls. There's nothing it doesn't do well.

So far, I'm really liking the plane. The plane was dead neutral on the check flight, and I like them a little ahead of that. I moved the pack 1/2" forward and now it's exactly the way I like it. It's kind of amazing the plane comes out of the box nearly tweaked out like that. 30 minutes to assemble, one simple adjustment and it's perfection. Absolutely remarkable.

 I was comfortable with the NG very quickly, and at the end of the second flight I was fearless with it. 

Click to enlarge, then right click and "save as."

Day Two 

After two quick flights on day one I was already comfortable with the plane. I just couldn't lean on it too much until we got some decent weather and video in the can. Once that was accomplished, it was just a matter of flying the plane and testing the limits.

We only had enough time to shoot one video, but hopefully you can see how much potential the plane has. This was only the third flight and I was still tweaking the CG and still not sure how much I could push the plane. Right now my flying is looking a little ragged because I am pushing the plane so hard, and this was also the first time I've flown her in decent conditions. The first day was so rough that this was more like the plane's real maiden, but it is so smooth, stable and confidence inspiring that I just gave it the hammer. 

Right away the plane was so much fun I kind of forgot about video and started to look for the limits. You can see a couple of pretty good saves in the video, but it was more like I bailed before I got in too deep. Here I noted that the plane has so much power and so much control that I wasn't afraid to get into trouble. The plane has the tools you need to fight your way out.

Toward the end it became easier and easier to fly the plane more smoothly, which was due to burning off the excitement as much as anything else. 

Mostly it's just easy to fly and pinpoint precise, which is what you expect and demand from an Extra. Now we see the differences to the Slick a little better. The Slick has slightly better harrier manners, though the Extra is still really strong here. The flip side is the Extra has a more predictable and repeatable snap timing. The Slick scared me a little at first in snap rolls because I had to learn how to make it come out where I wanted it, but with the Extra my snaps were dead on right out of the box. That's really about all the differences I have found so far. They have the same wing and tail, and roughly the same moment, so they were always going to be similar. I think most guys won't care about the differences, or maybe not even notice at all because they are so subtle, and they never come into play unless you are really pushing the plane hard. 

No report on an Extra is complete without talking about the plane's precision manners. Big sky stuff is easy for a few reasons. First this plane really hauls the mail, and speed is stability. For example, my 48" EXP was always superb here, but when I switched to TMotor and about 20mph more top speed, the difference in how the plane locked int was mind-blowing. The NG already has a nuclear reactor in the nose, so it hauls too, and this shows up in the field length slow rolls and huge cuban 8s. The plane simply tracks to the point looking good in precision is simply easy. I said I would not compare this with the 48" EXP, but here I just have to note both of those planes are the benchmarks in precision in this size, with the Slick not far behind.

One thing that caught me by surprise is this plane has insane pitch authority. You can see in a lot of hard pull outs the tail actually drops below the plane. Other planes will sink, but the Extra pops a little past flat and stops losing any altitude because stall recovery is so instant. Maybe this is due to the design, or maybe it's all the grunt behind a 13" propeller blowing air over the plane, but once you get used to it this is a pretty handy tool to have for on-the-deck shenanigans.  I have not figured that out yet because this plane is so much fun that I paid more attention to that than analytics.

A quick word about the power system: it's super bad ass. More power than a reasonable person would need and runs as smooth as a stick of butter. I rate it an equal in every metric with the TMotor. They have the same power, same smoothness and same perfectly linear throttle response. All that's different is the sound.

Overall, and I know I also said this about the Slick, it's hard to be more pleased with a project. The assembly was next to nothing, I only had to make one set up change to suit my preference and she flew of the bench very close to perfectly dialed in. A couple of clicks of up trim and so far that's been all she took.

Before my camera guy got there I did a warm up flight on low rates, which simulates a sport set up, and she's as easy and capable as any sport plane I've ever flown, This makes such a perfect sport plane I think the new guys will eat it up. Perfect size, cheap batteries, tough and docile makes this plane almost mandatory for all of us.

Here's something few consider: The best kept secret in the sport community is that any good 3D plane on low rates makes an excellent sport plane, and any many, many cases it makes a better sport plane than the best sport planes. 

On low rates the Extra is much like the EXP lineup in that it's delightful in conventional aerobatics. I try to bring a lot of guys into 3D, and I usually take them from something like a T28, and put them straight into a 48" 3D plane and make them keep it on low rates. First they tell me it flies better than their T28 because they are not always fighting it, and once I can show them a few tricks they can't believe how easy it is. Generally 3D manufacturers don't cater to the sport crowd and pitch their stuff to us hammerheads, but the best way for a sport pilot to get good enough to transition into 3D, now all it takes is a flip of that rate switch. This Extra is light, straight, tough and super stable, which are all the things you want in a sport plane anyway.

Conclusions, sort  of

Some may notice this report is a little disjointed. I sat down right after I got home and started writing, and the more I wrote and the more I edited the video the more I realize just how much was there and how much I like it. I've had to edit about 10 times because the more I wrote the more I realized just how nice this thing is.

Four flights isn't enough time to hardly know a plane, much less pass judgement on it, but it was enough time to really fall in love with it. It generally takes about 25 flights to really know a plane, but since today was the start of flying season here, that's not going to take long. 

We'll shoot some more this week and tag it onto this article, as well as some more commentary, so stay tuned.

 

Skywing 48 NG__Unspecified Testing from Doc Austin on Vimeo.

 

    

Skywing 48" Extra NG Receiver ready

 

As much as I love Extras, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new Skywing 48" NG. I was so pleased with my Skywing 48" Slick PNP that I've really been looking forward to this plane. Extras suit my style (or lack thereof) really well. I've never had an Extra that I didn't like. Extras have always been my go-to plane, the one I use to open up with when I go to events, the ones I use to test new equipment, or use to experiment with set ups. They are what I fly when I can't afford to for anything to go wrong. I've always said that whatever an Extra does, that's how a plane is supposed to do it.

What I am not going to do here is compare this plane to the Extreme Flight Extra EXP. I've been flying the EXP for 12 years, so that really wouldn't be fair to either plane. What I am going to do is fly the crap out of this one it and tell you what I like about it, which is considerable.

Having looked the photos and the kit over carefully, there's much different in assembly from the 48" Slick PNP. You can read about that here:  Skywing 48" Slick Receiver Ready

Right click to enlarge any photo:

The Kit

This was already going to be a no-brainer project, but making it even easier is our friend Skywing Jinwei has photographed every detail of the plane and published it on the Skywing website. His photos are really good, so I suggest you give it a look: PNP-48"Extra NG 1.2M - RC SKYWING MODEL (skywing-rc.com) Specs are on this page also, including the power system and servos.

Starting at the front, the power system is installed, ESC, cowling, spinner and prop are already mounted. The spinner gap is nice and tight. I usually take pride in getting a perfect spinner gap, but this is as perfect as I could have done it anyway, so was pleased enough to just fly it. A really nice surprise is the prop (13/6.5) came out balanced even better than I could do it. I hate balancing props, so this was a really nice feature.

One thing I really appreciate about the power system is that all the wires are the perfect length. You don't have to zip tie the wires to keep them from rubbing the cowling, or worse, getting rubbed by the motor. You can see what a ridiculously clean installation this is, and you know how I like clean installations. The ESC (listed as a Skywing/52A/7.4V/5A) is roughly the size of your pinkie finger, or about 1/3 the size and weight of what we were using before. I was skeptical when I saw how small it was, but it does the job perfectly.

The motor is the Skywing/Dualsky 3548-KV535, which is a really nice little piece. It runs cool and smooth, and the ESC assures a nice, progressive power delivery. I've been flying TMotors in my Extreme Flight planes, but this Skywing system, as far as I can see, is the equal by any metric. The only way I can tell them apart is the Skywing seems to sound a little angrier when you punch out of a harrier of hover and the TMotor runs like a stick of butter, with a beautiful turbine like whine to it. The TMotor is now my new standard, but the Skywing system is right there in performance. A little early to comment on reliability and durability, but beautifully made things are usually stone cold reliable.

The ESC comes preprogrammed, so all you do is set your throttle range and fly it. It's already set up to deliver 7.4 volts to the servos. I like how tidy the installation is.

Generally, I would recommend the TMotor, partially because most 48" pilots already have 4s packs, but batteries are cheap right now and these small packs charge so fast you only need a couple. At the time, the 6s was the only one available in the PNP, and I wanted the plane so bad the price of the batteries didn't dissuade me. Neither power system seems to have an advantage over the other except they sound different.

Airframe

Moving on to the airframe, one really nice feature is the male connector from the ESC is mounted inside the fuselage on the battery tray (see Jinwei 's photos). There's no more fishing around for the ESC plug. This is an extremely nice feature, though I still use deans and have to do it the old-fashioned way. Actually, changing out the deans' plug was the hardest part of the whole build, but most of you won't have to do that.

Moving back into the radio compartment, Skywing's exclusive hands free aileron lead connectors are pre-mounted in both the wings and the fuselage. You just slide the wing on, flip the retention latch and forget about it. On my 48" Slick I was a bit skeptical they could have such a tight tolerance that it might take a little fiddling, but the wing slipped on first time with no hassle and works beautifully. Since I generally leave the wings on my 48s, I was not expecting to really appreciate this feature until I had to used it a few times, and then I found it very useful and convenient. My arthritis also appreciates that I won't have to twist wing bolts anymore.

Another convenient feature is the wing quick latches. Slide the wing on, push the latch down and forget about it. There are little blocks of wood on the bottom of the canopy that will not allow the latch to open, or to even put the canopy on if the latches are not engaged. It's a very, very simple and elegant solution.

Moving to the wings, they are totally finished, except maybe some decals if you like. They are pre-hinged, glued and sealed, and as crazy as this sounds, adjusted.  I've been sealing my control surfaces all along and it's kind of a pain, so I was glad to be relieved of that job and their work is better than I could do anyway.  The servos are in, the pushrods are already bolted to the control horns on one end and the arm on the other. All you have to do is center the control surface with a little sub trim, and the same on the tail. 

The hardest and most terrifying job we used to have was getting the tail on straight. Now you simply slide the stab as far forward as it can go, and the whole thing self aligns. I measured mine anyway, just to satisfy my OCD. From there you hinge the rudder, and with the hinges already glued into the rudder, half that job is done. The tailwheel bracket is already mounted, and right about now I am feeling guilty that it was too easy. 

Finally, the plane comes with quick install SFGs that take about 30 seconds to slide on and a really nice wing bag with SFG pockets. Skywing really went all out on these 48s.

There's a hell of a lot to this plane, but as far as assembly, there ain't much. Part of me is going to miss building arfs, while the rest me appreciates how easy it will be to replace one of these when it hits it's expiration date.

 There's a ton of extra value in these SW 48s. We're dealing with an extremely serious company here. I've watched the Skywing planes improve and improve, and these receiver ready models compare quite nicely with the Extreme Flights planes. As each company improves their planes, the other usually follows suit, so we're seeing the benefits of competition.

A few other thoughts here. Everything on the plane that was unnecessary weight got the axe. The ESC weighs next to nothing, the servo screws are no longer than they have to be and are about half the length of what we have been using. The servo arm bolts are about half the size of what we were using before. It gets even crazier when you get to the spinner and see how tiny the cone retention bolts are. The entire plane is built so lightly that Skywing is looking to trim grams because there are no more ounce savings to be had. A gram here or there is nothing, but if you have enough small weight savings it adds up and this package is pretty light.

A lot of this report could have just as easily been copy/paste from my Slick article because they go together virtually identically.  I have not flown the NG yet (flight report next clear day), but I would say it's going to make a great 3D and precision plane, but also a killer sport plane for new guys stepping up from a T28 or any other small, dedicated sport plane.

Set Up

There's really not much to it. The pushrods are already preadjusted. Just slap the servo arms onto the servos and center with sub trim. Here's what the elevator linkage looks like.

It was the same sort of thing with the rudder. Slap the arm on, sub trim and you're done. One thing worth noting is after a few flights you may want to check the cinch bolt on the arm. My Slick got a little sloppy after a few flights, and I fixed that by cranking the cinch bolt down until the arm was locked on solid.

We did something a little different on the ailerons. On my 48" Slick PNP, the ailerons were a little faster than I liked. I'm trying to get smoother and can deal better with a little less. 

Here I used the plastic arms that come with the power system/servo package. Instead of 1", they are 7/8", which just so happens to be what I use on my 48" EXPs. With this arm I can crank my end points and get 31 degrees, which is exactly what I like. Since the Slick and NG use the same wings, I expect the same result.

Flying

Stay tuned. We'll get to that in a few days.

Update:  The weather has resolutely not cooperated, but I was so anxious to fly it we went anyway. The wind was ripping so hard I didn't figure it would make interesting video, and then when it died down for the second flight we just forgot. 

First impression is it's not as violent as the 48" Slick, but it grooves better. I was cranking off nice slow and point rolls on my first wide open passes. Nothing out of the ordinary except it shares the great harrier behavior of the Slick and it's easy to fly and confidence inspiring. We called it quits after two packs so I can go back over the plane, tighten things up and come back in better conditions.

As far as CG, mine came out smack dead neutral, but I like them a little ahead of that. I moved the battery 1/2' forward and for the second flight she was much better, more stable and more precise, while not giving up anything in 3D or XA. Just a small adjustment and the only one I made all day.

Two flights in bad conditions is not a fair test, though admittedly even at that the plane was still really, really solid. We'll know more when we get video this week, followed by a full report.

Skywing 48 Slick__Dialed In

I've been flying the 48" Slick for about 2 weeks, though weather and other delays have worked against us. Today we had a decent day and I wanted to try out a set up change. Initially the ailerons came with a 1' arm, and it was a little too fast for me. It was not crazy or anything, but I've recently been setting my planes up to be a little less violent and more precise, so I turned my end points back to 90% and it was perfect. However, when you cut your end point, you lose resolution, so I had to find another way.

Now remember, this is a personal preference, and most people will be fine with it the way it comes out of the box. I'm just striving to get smoother. I usually use a 7/8' arm on my ailerons and crank my end points to 125%, so clearly I needed a 7/8' arm. I picked up one of the Skywing power system and servo kits to get some spares and was delighted that it not only came with the 1' metal arm, but a 7/8' plastic arm as well. Just what I needed!

The plastic arm cut my throw to where I could turn my end points up to 125% and hit the same deflection. It's still 31 degrees, but now I have my resolution back.

Now, remember, this was not a big change. I only knocked off 10% of what the plane came with, but that's what I needed to suit my style. Maybe it was a placebo kind of thing, or maybe I've just become more sensitive to small set up changes, but I could feel the difference right away. The roll axis control became much smoother and more precise, which is exactly what I was after. We had a great day with zero issues, outside, that is, of a few close calls.

You can see one or two of my close moments in the video. I was pushing the plane extremely hard, which shows you how quickly I got comfortable with her. I've only got about 15 flights on her, so there's plenty of performance yet to find.

Right now, my set up is pretty close to identical to what I use on my 48" EXPs, so if you're an EXP pilot, nothing on this plane, set up wise, is going to cause you any issues. It also kind of flies like an EXP, so you'll be right at home. 

More Flying

The big surprise was the harrier performance. She goes into post stall effortlessly just by picking the nose up, either smoothly or with a more violent pull, but the result is sort of the same. With a smooth pull she just mushes in and you've got full control. If you snatch it into a wall or parachute, the plane just acts like it hit something and completely stops. There's so much pitch authority you need to creep up on the violent stuff at altitude until you get used to it, but in this respect, it acts a lot like a 48" MXS. If you are going to rotate it super hard at low altitude, you'de better lead with a little throttle because a hard rotation spills all the lift right now. It's not scary once you have done it a few times, just leave yourself a little margin until you know what to expect. 

So, the ease at which the plane flies into a controllable drop or harrier is probably as strong as anything I've flown. Once I find a plane can rotate hard and act benignly, I know I can trust it, and that was one of the first things I tried on the maiden. 

With the new set up the plane does cracking precision. Point and slow rolls are much better, and big Cuban 8s are nice and round. It does help that the 6s power system gives you so much utter speed, because speed is stability. The plane simply tracks and the speed pushes it through rough air or wind gusts. So, it's stable at speed and it's stable in post stall, and those are the two things we have to demand from out planes. 

I do keep getting tripped up on my snaps though. Outside is fine and I have that part figured out. On inside snaps I am getting better, but my timing isn't perfect just yet. We're only two flights in on the new set up, so it's going to get better as the pilot learns how the plane likes to be flown.

In general, it's a little killer. She has got badass power and runs about as smoothly as a TMotor (which is my new standard). The assembly and set up is so easy you won't believe it until you have built your own. I build with a healthy degree of OCD and it still only took me 30 minutes.

All that is left now is to fly the snot out of it and wait for the new Skywing receiver ready 48" NG, which should not be too much longer.

Skywing 48" Slick__More Testing

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.

 

Skywing 48 Slick__More Testing II from Doc Austin on Vimeo.

Skywing 48" Slick__Flight Test

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.

Wallpapers