AeroTech Pitts Python 50cc

Update: As there will be some clevises left over (I am using my Miracle rudder horn) I decided to drill out a clevis at 2.5 mm to take a 3mm rod. Winds in nice and tight so will go down that route. There were no control rods in the box so I will cut down some Miracle 3mm rods and thread as necessary for correct length. Can now move on to fitting the servos.

One other thought, is it worth using carbon rods fitted with 3mm ends instead of metal or is the weight saving negligible?

Wind and rain means indoor jobs. Today I checked all the servos in their boxes with my servo tester. Installed the two elevator servos. Made a star ton installing the aileron servos and then it dawned on me that I only three and I need four! Checking my original invoice, yes my error. The afternoon rummaging through the components on the bench with regard to flying wires. It appears that I had most of the bits required. Then I remembered that some time ago I bought a Hangar 9 Beast 100 flying wire kit. Now I have all I need to set them up. Maybe tomorrow I will cut down the 3mm control rods to 130mm and thread the cut off end with 3mm die. That will enable me to connect the elevator surfaces.

Progress may be stalled till Monday or Tuesday as waiting on the missing servo, a handful of 500mm HD servo leads and a 100mm rudder horn.

Could've got some fly time this morning apparently. With the intermittent rain causing me to stay indoors. I thought I would get on doing more jobs on the Python as far as I can get till bits come next week. Cut down two 3 mm control rods and threaded them. These were for the elevators. Created a new model on the DSX9, and inhibited all the switches for Aux 1 to 3. Then created some mixes, ELV and Aux1. AIL and AUX2. Temporarily connected up a RD 921 RX to centre elevator servos and adjusted rods to suit neutral surfaces. Aux 4 is ignition off.

Fitted the wing servos with their ball links and aligned the horns to suit. I now need to make up 4 off, 3mm control rods at 65mm to connect the ailerons up. The horns are temporarily lightly screwed down till the ZAP Med arrives next week. The area under the horns also needs the covering lifting away so the Med Zap can work.

What else can I do in the meantime? Dry fit the cowl to see what i am up against if anything.

Question for those in the know. The firewall is blank, ie; no centre hole and the carb mouth is about 20 mm from the wall. Is that enough gap for the carb to breathe or should I cut a hole?

re Carb intake - I think 20mm is marginal so why not cut the hole now because if it turns out the engine might benefit from a velocity stack in the future you already have room.

The firewall now has a 35mm hole. Did some temporary set-ups using a RD921 so I could set up the TX and see things working. Discovered a BNIB JR Powersafe RD922 online and it came on Tuesday. Wednesday I bound it to the TX. Plugged in my servos and verified direction of throws. Looking good. I am not sure where the Powersafe will be located although I have located the three satellite receivers. Positioning of the Powersafe, tank, dual batteries, etc can only be accomplished when all the bits are here. Temporarily fit the wings, prop, spinner and move the components around until the plane balances at CG. There is not much guidance on the "net" where stuff goes and the stories are largely back in the "old days" where they were using sub C cells and heavy stuff. The "manual" is quite lean and sparse of any really useful pictures.

As it was raining today I have glued and screwed the control horns as per the instructions. Adjusted the tail flying wires and locked them up. I will leave the rats nest of cabling until I know where things are going to be placed then tidy up. Just had an email from Ripmax regarding the elusive exhaust muffler. I was going to use the GT60 as I did with the CAP232. No stock anywhere in the UK until November. Then I got a tip from a model shop that Ripmax had a GT55 muffler in stock. Identical flange dimensions. After a short phone call to RipMax aka Slough RC it will be delivered tomorrow. Ruddy expensive exhaust but copies are made of too thin material) so had to go genuine. That's my budget for this month and next blown.:whistle: :whistle:

Diverting my attention for a while I took a look over my flying wings and checked all is well. There is every chance of some slope soaring in the very near future.

Looking good Phil, must be nice to have lots of room inside the fuselage. When it comes to silencing loud petrol two strokes, I read an article by Brian Winch in RCM+E some years ago, I don't remember exactly how it was done, but one of the things was to bond aluminium mesh on the inside of the silencer, opposite the exhaust, and binding the outside of the silencer with a heatproof rubbery sort of tape. I've emailed Brian on a couple of occasions, he's always most helpful and I think he'd probably be able to find the article for you.