Phoenix 2000 motorized glider

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Phoenix 2000 motorized glider

Postby Oops » Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:53 am

Just as the header says, all you like to share about this great aircraft. I spotted snippets spread around this great forum regarding the Phoenix 2000 but let see if we can put them all in here and learn from each other.

My first Phoenix disappeared into the sunlight and even my wife could see I was in deep distress. She told me to get another one and I gave her no time to change her mind. Wouldn't have taken me five minutes to order number two (this includes starting up the computer).

The basic setup is a good platform to build on and improve. All sorts of mod are possible and she can carry a significant amount of weight (use those flaps) and behaves beautifully. I will make some photos which show my modifications creating a lot more space for all FPV gear plus a large battery.

I enjoy the film footage I have recorded with all its blunders and joys. Just need to sit down and spend an evening editing the material into a short YouTube.

So far I cooked one motor and one ESC, broke a motor shaft, made some real hard landings, forgot to tighten both flap push rods (luckily the ailerons are large enough ;-) , had it in a 30 meter tree and re-learned tree climbing, nearly did a water landing, battery problems, and a few things I will recall as soon as I press the "Submit" button.

But then again I have had the most exciding experienced I have ever had flying rc. Including the last flight whereby I pointed the FPV camera down and got a spell of vertigo and a near 3-D feeling while zooming over the trees.

And then to know that only a few months ago I had no idea what FPV was!
Oops
 
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Re: Phoenix 2000 motorized glider

Postby Sid Sideslip » Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:14 pm

Nice one Oops. I'll post up some photos of mine and the mods I've made soon. For the money and especially as an introduction into electric assist gliders, they are a fun plane and are often the favourite plane of their owners.

However I think it's possible to move on from them pretty quickly, especially fuselage wise, as scratch building sailplane fuses in the age of readily available alloy tubing, glass fibre and especially carbon fibre, is a pretty easy step.

For instance, check out this link that shows lost foam fuselages made from carbon fibre. Easy peasy, and a load of fun for a weekend project.

http://www.favonius.com/soaring/lost_foam/lost_foam.htm

Image

Also, apart from getting into foam cutting wings, I have been seriously considering just ordering a few sets of foam wing replacements from HobbyKing (available for a number of their gliders for bugger all) and then knocking up custom electric assist fuselages to go with them myself.
What goes up...better bloody stay up (until I say otherwise).
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Sid Sideslip
 
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Re: Phoenix 2000 motorized glider

Postby kaptain_zero » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:00 pm

All I am going to say is that I've found more than one way to lose foam.... and it usually doesn't involve a process of manufacturing!

You guys carry on.....

Regards

Kaptain "Where the h*ll did that foam model go now?!?!?" Zero
"I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money."
-- Pablo Picasso
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