Topic: Pilot RC Yak 55SP 111cc - Now maidened with videos

Well, I thought I would start by build thread tonight, even though the plane wont be here till the end of the week.

As ther wasn't a section for an ARF thread, I thought this might be the best place to put this just so people can see the kit and whats going into it, dont know if anyone is interested, but it might give someone a reference point if they want to build one or do something similar.  

Not exactly sure of the setup but will put what I know, and what I am guessing. It will be a slow build for once from me as I want to get it right, if anyone has any useful input the please feel free to comment as this is my first 100cc plane  


Pilot RC Yak 55 SP 106" span
DLE 111
2 x A123 2300Mah batts for RX
1 x 2500 Mah Li-po and reg for ignition
5 x Hitec HS 7955TG's, yes, thats just one per surface to start with and work from there  
1 x standard for throttle
Prop, unknown as yet, but likely to be a Menz as I have bene geeting on very well with them.

I will post some pics up when I get it and as I go through the build process. The funniest pic, may well be at the end of the thread with it poking out the hatch back of my car and me scratching my head wondering how the hell I am going to get it on there

Here is the intended scheme for it

Really like the look of this! Looking forward to the build Steve 

Cheers Toucan As I said, its my first step into the world of 100cc planes, so its a bit leap into the unknown for me, I am hoping that people will halp me along with advise along the way 

Nice looking scheme I thought and at a price of less than a decent 50cc plane, and no it wasnt a special price either , very chuffed

Well the airframe will be here tomorrow all going well, will get some pics up if I am able to

Got the engine on order too, a nice little DLE111 should be here Monday 

Just got to work out the servos and everything else now, lol 

Very nice. Watching with much interest 

Well the airframe will be here tomorrow all going well, will get some pics up if I am able to

Got the engine on order too, a nice little DLE111 should be here Monday 

Just got to work out the servos and everything else now, lol 

Niceone Steve.....should see the first batch of pic's up tomorrow night then!  Either on here or HA, I've not owned a DLE 111 (only a little 55 ) but from reading on many of the forums you cant wrong with one!)

And servo's!? Surprised your asking that one mate! Gotta be Hitec 7955's all round  Or you could go for one of those new Hitec 50kg fellas that have/are coming out for the rudder (or all round! ).

The M7990TH:

Home: show

Touc.

Niceone Steve.....should see the first batch of pic's up tomorrow night then!  Either on here or HA, I've not owned a DLE 111 (only a little 55 ) but from reading on many of the forums you cant wrong with one!)

And servo's!? Surprised your asking that one mate! Gotta be Hitec 7955's all round  Or you could go for one of those new Hitec 50kg fellas that have/are coming out for the rudder (or all round! ).

The M7990TH:

Home: show

Touc.

My problem is, I have never had to "gang" servos before, this can take upto 8 servos and will need two in the rudder.

I could use Hitec HS-7950 TH all round with just one on each surface, through an AR9100, with dual unregulated li-po's, this option will work, I think. The other option was to use something like a cheap Savox servo, but it will need 8 of those, plus 3 matchboxes and a powerbox, and regs or A123's, this initially sounded cheaper, but turned out to be way more than the above. Final option was to go with 7955tg's all round like I do on my 50cc'ers. Downside to that is, I will need dual on the rudder, and most likely dual on the ailerons as well as I would think aileron twist would start coming in with just one servo on such a big aileron, same goes for the 7950's too.

So all in all, left in a bit of a quandry over servos as I dont like the idea of matchboxes (as never used one), dont like the idea of programming a servo (as never had to do it and many of those that have complain about it) and I dont like the idea of twisting an aileron by just using one servo, but dont know if this would be the case anyway.

I hope that explains a little about me servo issue. 

Well it turned up today as promised, its a bit of a beast 

No damage at all, very well put together, the usual standard I have come to expect fro mthe Pilot range with this being my 4th kit from them 

Anyway, here is some pics of it just to see what it was like together, the answer was bigger than expected, lol 

Well I have managed to sort out the servo issue and have gone for the following set up:

1 x Hitec 7950TH on the rudder (35KG)
1 x Hitec 7950TH per aileron (35KG Each)
1 x 7954SH per elevator (29KG Each)
1 standard servo on the throttle
1 x align 5.1v inline reg for throttle servo
1 x AR9100 Powersafe RX
2 x Li-po for RX (unknown size as yet)

You forgot to add a lorry to the list of things needed. To transport it.    Verey nice. 

You forgot to add a lorry to the list of things needed. To transport it.    Verey nice. 

Fortunately it comes with a removable rudder, and I am going to make the U/C easy to remove too, checked it in the car and it fits with just one side of the seat dropped and sits nicely on the centre console, so can still carry the plane, and two other people  I have to confess it was quite worrying before I tested it 

Great pics Steve, and i know nothing about 100cc set-ups but the list you gave above sounds really good, am i right in thinking that Hitecs your using for the ail/ele/rud will all run directly off a 7.4V lipo? If so thats got to be a massive bonus.

I was really interested in one of the 50cc versions of this before getting my PilotRC Extra 300 88" in the red scheme as i wasnt to keen on the yellow, but after seeing your pics the yellow looks great! 

Great pics Steve, and i know nothing about 100cc set-ups but the list you gave above sounds really good, am i right in thinking that Hitecs your using for the ail/ele/rud will all run directly off a 7.4V lipo? If so thats got to be a massive bonus.

I was really interested in one of the 50cc versions of this before getting my PilotRC Extra 300 88" in the red scheme as i wasnt to keen on the yellow, but after seeing your pics the yellow looks great! 

Yup, running direct off the li-po's straight through the RX as the AR9100 can take up to 10V and the servos are designed to be run off a li-po, just means using an in line reg for the throttle servo, but these are cheap and easily come by.

Looks nice in the flesh this plane, much better than the Pilot RC web site pics, they dont do it justice, I will add some graphics to the wings though as (pardon the pun) are a bit plain. 

Only thing is I have found myself putting up for sale my Pilot RC Extra as I need the room with 4 x 50cc models and a 100cc model. 

Right, now with the 50cc Extra 300 sold, I can think about getting the cans and headers, batteries and whatever else it needs ordered, lol.

Here is a piccy of one elevator servo in the wing, a bit of a pain to get in as they sit very deep inside the elevator so you need patience and a long screwdriver and a bit of a knack to do the SBW up while its in place due to the double locking system it uses

No piccies yet I am afraid, but I did manage to get the control horns all glued in tonight, and elevator and aileron servos in tonight and the SWB's and linkages on, not bad considering I spent all day down the field freezing my er, erm, fingers off 

a bit of a pain to get in as they sit very deep inside the elevator so you need patience and a long screwdriver and a bit of a knack to do the SBW up while its in place due to the double locking system it uses

Ahhhhhhh, that brings back great memories of fitting my Hitec 5985's with the SWB arms into the stabs on my Extra 300 88", lots of swearing and about 30 mins of twisting, turning....and where possible bending  got the first one in, after this the second one went in, in about 30 secs  I will admit I did somehow manage to get mine in with the arms already on and tightened.......god knows how though

Looking good Steve, keep us updated 

Some pics of the horns and the inside of this plane Not sure you can see from the pic, but these elevator servos are very very deep, I had to find a LONG THIN, small headed screwdriver just to do the screws up,lol 

Right, well the engine has just turned up, so a nice shiny DLE111 is to hand.

Just got the JMB cans, header pipes, very long extention leads, prop, can formers, li-pos, HD switches, and goodness knows what else turning up this week 

Depending what the weather does over the weekend, I might get chance to do something to this, we shall see, would much rather go flying if the weather allows, lol 

Managed to get a couple of pics of the engine, what a piece of enginerring, lovely bit of work, ok, so its out of a chinese factoty, but its still a loving bit of casting, lol 

Looks good Steve, ger her bolted in!   

Looks good Steve, ger her bolted in!   

ha ha, I wish. Hoping to get a chance at the weekend to have a look at getting it bolted in. Unfortunately I only get the weekends to either work on planes or fly, as during the week, neither is possible. Well, see that the weather brings, hopefully the cans should be here on Wednesday, so will get some pics up if they turn up 

Well, got the li-po's turn up this morning. 

I have gone for 2s 3000 MAh li-po's all round, two on the RX and one on the ignition. The RX will be unregulated and direct both to the RX and to the servos, the servos being HV (high voltage) and can handle a 2S pack diectly as can the AR9100 powersafe RX.

For the throttle I am using an Align inline regulator which drops the voltage to 5.1v so I can use a standard servo for the throttle.

For the ignition, I am using a SmartFly regulator designed purely for ignition regulation, I use this on all my 50cc planes and do not feel a need to change it for this.

Well, I managed to get the headers and pipes on today, thanks to a man known to some as Phil (Walter_Mitty) and known by lots of other names to many other people   

All air tight and sealed, just got to glue the can former in place now and have something that will stop the cans sliding off the back   

Hoping to get the prop drilled later, and hoping to the rudder servo and closed loop system installed, not sure it will be tonight or not as I am in a very lazy mood and might just veg out and watch tv as today has been hectic to say the least 

Looking really good Steve, keep those updates coming. 

I dunno ,
Always give myself Friday afternoons off    ,
Then this blagger , rings to tell me , he needs my Brazing services AGAIN  ,oh , and they're 5 mins away , oh , and i've "Fudged up" , cutting ,one of pipes , can you help me ,Pleeeeaaaasssseeee Phil 
Needless to say ,after much metal bashing , and pilfering , of my Krumsheid stocks ,they're happy bunnies!!
Glad it's to you're liking , matey !
Cheers
Phil
P.S You know , it's ganna cost ya
 

I dunno ,
Always give myself Friday afternoons off    ,
Then this blagger , rings to tell me , he needs my Brazing services AGAIN  ,oh , and they're 5 mins away , oh , and i've "Fudged up" , cutting ,one of pipes , can you help me ,Pleeeeaaaasssseeee Phil 
Needless to say ,after much metal bashing , and pilfering , of my Krumsheid stocks ,they're happy bunnies!!
Glad it's to you're liking , matey !
Cheers
Phil
P.S You know , it's ganna cost ya
 

Thanks, Phil, you saved my bacon yet again, a fine job you having spares to hand, your new ones are on order

I am sure its gunna cost me, besides you know how it is, you do me a favour, I do you a favour, most likely beer related, lol  

Well I think all the wiring is done now other that finding out where the batts need to go and then work out a way of strapping them in securely  :shock:

Still got the choke left to do, and of course all three batts as mentioned, but other than that, and putting the cowl on, canopy on etc, then I think its not too far away from being ready. Will hope to get some pics up later of it all together. Oh, and I have the tail wheel assembly to do as well, lol  :lol:

For now this is the story so far....

Woss dat written on the Header Pipes Mista ??

Actually Phil I cant rightly remember what you put on there, would you care to remind me   

It only went and started didn't it!

Will do the c of g next weekend as I have had enough for today. Once I know where the batts need to go I will get them fixed in. After that, just cut the choke rod to length. Then fit the cowl etc etc etc, will get some pics of it down the field prior to maiden, which if I get the batts done next friday evening, I might get it maidened next weekend .

I have 4 short vids of the engine firing up.

Maybe you can help with the diagnosis?

It started on one clyinder, and wouldn't go to the 2nd one. Took the plug out and it was dry. Changed the plug, it then ran on 2 cylinders, at that point it was obvious it was lean, so richened it up and it seems to run ok. Why did it only start on one, was it down to plug or fuel (brand new NGK's), why when it was dry did it then run on 2???  :shock:

One clyinder fire up and no throttle responce and wont tick over as below.....more vids to follow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epT5amlJ1LI

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epT5amlJ1LI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epT5amlJ1LI</a>

Hang on hang on hang on! I could of swore i read somewhere this was going to be a slow build........Something about the end of April for a test flight! Looks like that date is going to come forward a bit! Probably be best asking the lads on HA about the engine Steve as they have had much more experience with larger aircraft.

2nd and third run up  :shock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4igDixeDuSk

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4igDixeDuSk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4igDixeDuSk</a>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KE49C5e5Fo

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KE49C5e5Fo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KE49C5e5Fo</a>

and the`last one 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b78Q92p0flA

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b78Q92p0flA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b78Q92p0flA</a>

Hang on hang on hang on! I could of swore i read somewhere this was going to be a slow build........Something about the end of April for a test flight! Looks like that date is going to come a bit forward! Probably be best asking the lads on HA about the engine Steve as they have had much more experience with larger aircraft.

Yeah, I kinda had to change the title as it went quicker than expected.

I have posted the engine issure on HA too, the more help the better  Just had a call from someone who is a member of both forums and is very good with engines, he is going to give it a tune up for me when I next see him, but I dont think its too far off the mark now, we shall see once i get it down the filed 

All going well, hoping to get this maidened next weekend 

Only just sorted the pics out, but I did get some ground shots at the weekend with it all in one piece. It doesn't look all that much bigger than the 55cc EF Edge 540T in the pics, but in real life it is a fair bit bigger, thats pictures for you 

Some pics of the final install 

Hey speedy - well done 

Hey speedy - well done 

Cheers Dazde  Cant wait to get this thing test flown and have some fun with it 

Top work that Steve, looks great, saw the pic's on HA and I'm confused by your avatar on there? lol