basimpsn

My Feedback: (5)

Ok cool

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

See my post above yours. Only real quality issue I had. I would land and the wings would be slightly separated from the fuse. It's like you can't get the clamps tight enough. I did that mod to aid the original design, not replace it, It works.
For the price, the Predator 2.2 is hard to beat. I have a 170 in mine and power is just about perfect. I wouldn't go less. But I like speed and pretty much 1:1 thrust at take off.
If you put crow in the ailerons tip stalling becomes very hard. As was said, though, any jet can tip stall. IMO, the predator is a non-issue in this regard. I love mine.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I know it was just the maiden, but that looked like you landed with take-off flaps. More flaps will help. I'm around 50-55 degrees I think. Also, 5mm-1/4" of crow in the ailerons works wonders at preventing tip stalling.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

Newer jets come with a thicker wing tube. Have you seen Martin Pickering's video? Flew it harder than most ever will and it is 100% stock, even stock servos.
I ended up installing a carbon fiber inner tube in mine. No issues. No issues with the gear either.

basimpsn

My Feedback: (5)

You're right..I did land with takeoff flaps only because of the maiden flight and high trees close to the runway..but now using full flaps on landing. I will try using more flaps to see how much I can slow this jet down😇

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

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As my first turbine powered jet I can’t complain. The Jet is like a big trainer. It’s very stable in the air and very forgiving specially at slow speed with full flaps and a little bit of crow the airplane seems to lock in. For the price you can’t beat it. I have the 2.2 with a P200 jetcat.

a25afm

Anyone else having issues with the Pilot RC gear controller? It seems to work fine with the transmitter but when I try the test button it works intermittently. I read the manual. I know it only works when the receiver is turned off.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

No real problem with mine. there is a different press you have to do to retract vs extend, I know that. I just hold down the button until i hear it beep, and if the gear doesn't do what I expected, I push it again. One way or another, it ends up doing what I want it to. It's really a nice controller for being included(beats JP controllers by a mile!

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

My friends at Flightreviewz caught video of me screwing around with my SW170b-powered Predator. This is only flights 8-9. Still getting used to it, but i LOVE this jet!

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

I tried a little reflex on my ailerons with full flaps this weekend seemed to help (I have a 210in my mine and it doesn’t like to slow down). How much are you guys using, I am at about 15 degrees.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

Not sure about degrees, but it's about 5/16" of up aileron as measured at the outboard edge of the aileron. You can see how well it works in the landing at the end of the video above. it basically requires you to maintain a positive AOA on short final, and descent rate, even final flare, is a function of throttle instead of elevator.

a25afm

I plan on reflex also. Mine is just about ready to fly. It has a Kingtech 210. Do you carry power all the way to touchdown?

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

currently I do not. Maybe with more reflex I’ll have to.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I carry some power to the runway. I am constantly modulating it, basically using it as my elevator to control rate of descent. Last foot of altitude is usually a function of elevator for me(the flare).

a25afm

How did you set your CG? How much up elevator trim for level flight? Any elevator trim needed for flap deployment?

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

My CG is a little forward, even though it's at the back of the recommended range. Completely dry, it will barely stay in a wheelie on it's own. I estimate CG to be about 280mm back at the wing root. Every Predator I have seen carries a bit of up trim for level flight, like 3/32" at the inbd trailing edge of the elevator. However, it does not feel very noseheavy in flight, in that inverted only requires slight forward pressure, and KE requires very little down elevator mix.
Flap trim is minimal. I have my flaps on my flight mode switch, and my trims to follow flight modes. It does not require much down elevator at all. I think, off memory, maybe 1/8" down ele from the 3/32" up trim it has in flight, for both take-off and landing flaps(my crow is only for landing flaps and negates some of the typical tendency to climb, which is probably why there is little trim change).

mikedenilin

My Feedback: (67)

Hi Guys, Are anyone of you going to Coachella Jet Jam this weekend? Looking forward to see you all flying the Predator 2.2. I just play some catch up in this forum. This plane would land much better with crow setup on ailerons, especially for guys who stick big engine into it. The residual thrust at idle coupled with big flaps and crow at high angle would let you do a nice two wheelie landing all day long. Really nice flyer. I am going to try the 1.8 later this month. Mike

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I'll be there with the predator you sold me! Did you catch my video of it a few posts up?

mikedenilin

My Feedback: (67)

Nice video and flight. I want to see that at Coachella. I am flying a Sparrow with Jetcat 180Rxi now. Look forward to see you there. Mike

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

Got 8 more flights on the predator at Coachella jets. I added a 10% reverse differential mix to get the rolls more on axis and it worked perfectly. Hopefully one of the two videography companies caught some of the flights!
It's time to do some maintenance. The left brake is locking up, and I think the fuel system needs gone through, as the uat comes down with more air in it than I'd like.

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

very nice. Reverse differential means more throw on the aileron that is down? I have been wanting to play with that.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

Yes. Being a top-hinged aileron, the control surface area of the aileron diminishes as it travels down, so you need more travel to have the same affect.

dccatl

My Feedback: (1)

Nevermind, I remember no you already had this issue, sorry for spam.

FWIW, mine did this after about 100 flights eventually causing a flameout. Found a very small pin-hole leak between the tank and the UAT, running on the ground at high throttle settings I could see a small stream of bubbles coming up from the floor of the UAT. I ended up installing a BVM HF UAT and drilling a hole in the floor of the integrated UAT to connect its volume with the rest of the tank. The floor of the UAT is glued in and the glue seems to break down - this may or may not be an issue with yours.

bodywerks

My Feedback: (4)

I bypassed the uat and installed an intairco. There is either a restriction in the pick up line or it's not moving around in the tank properly, or if there's a piece of metal tubing between the clunk and the stopper, it might have a micro crack.
Thanks to Mike Lin, pilot sent me a new tank with new plumbing due to a faulty uat, so I'll start there.