Franken-IFO

[nolasco]

Meet my Franken-IFO, a mini-IFO/mouse hybrid:

http://www.rcmicroflight.com/upload/frankenifo04.jpg

I have used several motor, gear ratio, and prop combos and so far have liked best a dual B2 motor setup with an 8:1 gear ratio driving an ARC-6 prop. With this setup, the Franken-IFO needs only 2 feet of runway before leaping into the air. Unfortunately, I have broken the ARC-6 prop and am now using either a GWS 7x6 or 8x4.3 prop. They don't perform anywhere near the ARC-6.

AUW is around 3.5oz using the following:

Ripstop nylon covering
GWS R4P receiver
2 GWS BP101 servos
Pixie-7 ESC
Dual B2 motor gear drive with 8:1 ratio
7-cell 120mah NiMh pack
GWS 7x6 prop

I will try next an Astroflight Firefly 4:1 drive and a WES Technik DC5-2.4 5:1 drive to shoot for longer flight duration on the 7-cell 120mah NiMh packs I have.

It does have one nasty habit though that has so far bugged me. It has a tendency to go into an unrecoverable "power dive" without any apparent reason. Does anyone have any ideas why?

Also, just how good/bad should the glide of an IFO-type flyer be? I noticed that this thing just drops from the sky nose down when I cut off power.

Finally, does the covering for an IFO-type flyer really have to be tight?

Jun Nolasco

[ 09-05-2001: Message edited by: nolasco ]

[Kingjamez]

I really like it! In responce to your power dive, check out the brace that the newer IFO's have from the bottom edge of the wing to the middle brace and then back to the bottom edge. This forms a bow shape. IFO's to had unrecoverable power dives but this bow has fixed that problem, give it a try. On the other note my IFO has lost batteries, connectors, servos, esc's, motors.... just about everything mid flight. Every time the IFO will gracefully glide down to a near perfect landing.


-Jim

[nolasco]

What exactly does this brace do? What does it mean when the IFO "tucks in", as mentioned in the IFO site?

As for my Franken-IFO dropping like a rock on power off, does that mean it is front heavy?


Jun Nolasco

Originally posted by Kingjamez:
<STRONG>I really like it! In responce to your power dive, check out the brace that the newer IFO's have from the bottom edge of the wing to the middle brace and then back to the bottom edge. This forms a bow shape. IFO's to had unrecoverable power dives but this bow has fixed that problem, give it a try. On the other note my IFO has lost batteries, connectors, servos, esc's, motors.... just about everything mid flight. Every time the IFO will gracefully glide down to a near perfect landing.


-Jim</STRONG>

[frankenfoamy]

I some similar cases, flexing upthrust was the culprit.