Extreme Flight Yak 74" 3500+ watt Monster outrunner killer

[Team Astro]

Hello all,
I've been building the new Extreme Flight Yak 54 74" Arf. I decided to go with an all white version so I can cover it more like the EF Yak55 ep scheme. I like my planes to look unique compaired to others.

The construction is super light and very well designed. I would put this airframe on top with such greats as Stevens Aero, PA, and Fliton as far as electric ARF's or kits go. That is my opinion!

I want to thank our sponsors AstroFlight and Castle Creations for their help in all our projects And especially this one. VampowerPro should be suprising us with some new cells soon for this Yak so keep a look out for them soon.

This is my first build thread so please ask all the questions so I can provide you with any information you feel is extremely helpful.

Ill wont bore you with step by step manual build. You can download the manual on EF web site. Chris has been very helpfull and interested in our e-version. I plan on having the yak flying this week end at The Wings For Kids in Ky. Is an easy ARF to build. A weeks time would be more than enough time to build a rock solid air plane. As detailed as the instructions are Im suprised they included it as easy as it goes together. I felt even with the 3500 watt system we dumping in it, all the included hardware is more than enough.

My choice of equiptment is as follows:
Brushless AstroFlight 8120 motor
Castle Creations HV 110 ESC
Battlepacks 5 cell Sanyo 2700 rx pack
4- Hitec 5985 servos for ailerons ans elevators
Jr matchbox for elevator seros
1 Hitec 5955 for the rudder
Vampower Jones Witch
Tanic 10s 1p 5000 cells

This same power systems been flying faithfully for 2 seasons in our Christian Eagle 2 (19#) the our 160 Ultimate (16 1/2#)
We are using a CF 18x8 prop that turns over 8900 rpm!
Draw 93 amps and 37+ volt under static loads
Over 3500 watts!!!

Our guestimated weight is around 14 lbs but Chris @ EF feels 11.5 to 12 lbs might be more realistic since thats the norm for most e-versions of the 74" Yak. TIME WILL TELL!

Our AstroFlight 8120 is the original prototype and is a 32oz version. AstroBob has since lightened the production run to around 28 oz.

Some features I found of great interest is the thunb screw wing bolts that
tighten by hand with out any tools. Stock Carbon Fiber wing tubes and stab tubes make removing either easy. The stab removes for travel or storage.

I was shocked at how tight the covering was when it arrived to my door. Every item was bagged and tapped in place. There wasnt a single mark on the plane. It was double boxed for shipping!

One new and exciting product I found (even though esprit models and atlanta hobbies carry them is the Cambria Tools SUM- super universal mounting system. I spoke with Chris with Cambria and he was able to get the right mount to me. Ive seen the 8120's mounted by the back plate and would not recommend it. You are asking 4 little screws to hold all the torque and power of the motor when they are designed to hold the back plate on the motor- PLEASE DONT MOUNT THE MOTOR FROM THE REAR PLATE ONLY!

Here are the pics of the motor install and a few shots of the equiptment I installed...

Well, thats all for tonight...
Terry
Team Astro
http://teamastroelectricsite.com
www.astroflight.com
www.castlecreations.com
4.3 KB - Views: 0 My 8120 is the original prototype and a slight sanding of the center hole was need for a perfectly snug fit. I didnt want to force the fit
60.3 KB - Views: 0 The base plate fits perfect to the Yak firewall. The outer mounting holes would interfer with the tri stock support in the motor box. This is alot of motor for such a plane. But Whats too much power??? I marked the center holes for drilling not the outer.
59.2 KB - Views: 0 Heres the front plate mounted to the Astro 8120. The production version now uses a pin goint throught the shaft than the 4 set screws shown here. All screws got blue Locktite. Notice the proper mounting ofthe motor from the front of the can.
61.6 KB - Views: 0 Here are the drilled center holes. It will make sense in a minute.
60.9 KB - Views: 0 If using the spacers and not just the 5" extension rods, longer bolts will be need as you see the mount screws would be too short to mount saftly into the extension rods.
58.4 KB - Views: 0 Here is the drilled fire wall. A 2 1/8" fostner bit cut the center hole.
60.5 KB - Views: 0 Here is the 5" extention rod being blue Locktited in place using the stock bolts.
58.8 KB - Views: 0 Heres the trick... Large washers going through the reverse side of the motor mount and through the back plate. (youll see the washers in amnother pic)
60.3 KB - Views: 0 The motor and extension rods all in place ready to mount. his will make one heck of a heat sink since its all aluminum. Even the Vortec spinner should help with the cooling.
60.4 KB - Views: 0 Here it is. Almost too simple to take me a half hour to think to run the screws through the firewall backwards so no blind nuts were need.
60.4 KB - Views: 0 As you see a little Loctite and large washers and there is still plenty of room to add tristock to all joints of the motor box!
61.8 KB - Views: 0 The finished mount. Without the 1/4 inch spacers we are at 6 1/4 inches from the spinner backplate to the firewall. EF recomends 6 1/2 with the O.S. 1.60. I feel this is more solid with the motor mount back plate against the fire wall.
61.5 KB - Views: 0 Heres a light ply tray I instaled to hold the rx equiptment.
60.5 KB - Views: 0 With the removal of the former as EF recommends it creates a huge area to build a battery tray or drop in a fuel/gas tank.

Awesome, the included hardware for servo linkages and horns is more than enough for even our set-up! The stock CF tail wheel assembly is a noce touch too.

[Bandit]

Pretty white boxes with red Xs

[mavacpjm71]

im seeing the same, please fix the attachments so we can view!!!

[1bwana1]

Team Astro,
I have been flying an electric version of this plane for about 6 months now. There are at least 5 of these in various forms that compete in the SoCal EMAC series. Mine comes in at the 11.5 lb weight like Chris says, the heaviest one I have flown is a little over 13 lbs. I strongly suggest you make an analysis of your equipment choices to try and achieve the lower weight range. This plane flies best when it is lighter.

I fly mine with a NEU 1515 3D motor on 10S 4350 Batteries. I have a 20 X 11 Menz Carbon Prop and produce about 2600 Watts. This power is more than 225 WATTS per pound, more than enough for anything you want to do. I know the temptation is to over power things but in the case of this airframe it is better to keep it lighter. In the 11 to 12 pound range it is awesome. Heavier than that and you will lose a lot in performance.

Just my experience with this plane.

-STEVE-

[Dsp Dave]

I agree with Steve the lighter the better if yours comes out at 14lbs like you said you will not be happy. I noticed you built a box out light ply to hold a 2700 battery, that is somewhere you can save weight. I run a 800mah lipo to power the tx on electrics this size and it's just mounted with velcro and I put it somewhere I can get to it easy so I can change it about every 5-6 flights. I have built 2 of these airplanes in the last couple months one with a Hacker and one with a rimfire and both are running two 5s 5000mah Flightpower batteries and both airplanes came out at 12lbs 4oz. I think if I dropped down to the Flightpower F3A packs I can get it down around 11.5 lbs and also gain runtime because those packs are 5350mah. Just try to keep it light and don't add anything extra and you should be around 12.5 lbs.

[Team Astro]

Our 8pm test flight tonight went awesome. I will be moving the rx pack under the lipo tray. We are right at the reccommended cg and the elevator wants to be more tail heavy. It did hold a hover and has good pull out. Ill post more through the weekend as we will be flying it at a show this weekend. Wings For Kids in KY. Its a charity event for WHAS 11 Crusade for Children. If you think light is the only way, weight is the only issue. 15 lbs with this set up. We will be able to move to a 19x10 CF prop. The motor, pack and esc were all around 110 degrees after 10 minutes of hard flying aerobatics. 230+ watts per pound, its not lacking power or vertical! Id say we should be at 109 ampscompared to the 93 it is now amps with the 18 x 8. I must get busy doing a little trim tonight as its not easy flying an all white plane! Im sure lighter would be better. This is not a foamy its a serious DEMO plane. To me there is not an issue with our chioce of equiptment. Alot of the hobby is preference. That light ply box is all balsa sides any way. I prefer this to a lipoly and regulator, seen them burn out and watched thousands in $ go down, I wont do that to sponsors. Heck we 3-d 15 oz build ups on 10 x3.8's. We dont expo or mix in our radios. This set up has been flying for almost 3 years and this is its 3rd plane And the lightest yet. Im sure you seen our Christian Eagle in many of the magizines. Im very pleased with the results so far. A little tweeking and she will be one heck of a DEMO Plane for us.
Now I am unsure why everyone else sees little x's and boxes, as the pics show up on mine. Im happy to hear unbias opinions of what might fix the pic problem.
Again I fly for Astro Flight and Castle Creations and prefer their equiptment over all others. Nue makes good motors as does Hacker, I wont knock a good product when I see it, un like some others. Remeber Steve alot of people dont want geared motors any more. Heck I could put a gear box on it and fly the 35% yak I have in the garage. This is a direct drive inrunner. I like the sealed case design, I have small kids who like sticking screwdrivers and screws in stuff. That Nue motor wont last long after a bolt falls through a hole. Dust and dirt slowly hurt motors too. I have no doubt this set up will still be flying long after others de-mag or get some shavings in some other motors. Colbolt magnets can take alot more abuse. Its sad to see youd rather try to tell me what you think I should do than take the information for what it is- MY PREFERENCE!
Maybe some people on here are not all they are cracked up to be. Like your choice of equiptment, you also have your opinion. I guess some of us are just more EXTREME THAN OTHERS! We like aerobatics, light planes may hover better but dont tumble as well as heavy ones. I can still hover and 3-d a heavy plane. I can fly this set up wide open the whole flight and not hurt a thing. Our 19lb Christian eagle was clocked at over 90 mph with this set up. You forget that not everyones a hover nut, some like speed, some like aerobatics, some gliders and some just like to fly. Ive shown this set-up can do all 3, which makes it more suited for more uses. Again Dave, tell me why Im not going to be happy? Or tell AstroBob, whos forgotten more about electric flight than youll ever know, why this is a bad set up for this plane, or is that just your opinion. Im happy to see others post there set ups, but if you want to tell someone sponsored what they are doing wrong go tell Frank Knoll, maybe then you wont get attitude! This should be a post to share info and help people not try to say your not doing it right cause its not what i choose. What do they say "opinions are like A-holes, we all got them and some just stink!"
I appoligise if this offends some people. Not all of us want the same out of our planes, just like life, we are unique in what we do. I posted this to help others who may want to see what the set up can fly. I dont fly for Extreme Flight, but do I like their planes. I could use this set up in plenty of different planes. I sorry some people just think they know it all. I hope others could be more aware of everyones freedom of chioce in this country. I never said your set up need to be rethought, Steve. Ill bet my can handle wind and do alot of mauvers better at it weight- its all in what you want, so please build and fly what you like, cause not all Steves in life know you as well as you do yourself.
Terry

[1bwana1]

Terry,
I didn't intend to critisize any product. Nor did I say that NEU motors were better than any other motor. I just told you what I was using in a similar airframe because I thought you and others might find it interesting and or helpful. I was not trying to compare the quality of different motor manufacturers, or recomend that you use a NEU motor over and Astro Motor. Personaly, I have flown this model heavier, and lighter, and I perfered lighter. If you like your setup great, I'm glad, and I support you in your choices. We are all just trying to share information among friends. Chris Hinson designed this plane to be flown at a weight similar to my setup and I agree with him on this. That's all.

I didn't imply that I was "cracked up" to be anything. I would suggest that as a "Sponsored" pilot you would better represent your sponsor by not personaly attacking those you converse with on these boards. I am not the poster who said you would not be happy. But I think Dave was also just trying to be helpful, not critical. You have said this is your first build thread, so I understand. Just try and remember, a friendly attitude works better fo you, your sponsors, and your on-line friends.

At the risk of offending you, I think I may have an idea why the pictures show up on your screen and not the rest of ours. When you linked them from your computer they still recognize the path from your computer. In order for the rest of us to see them embedded in your post, you need to "upload" them to the FG server. I'm sure many would like to see the pictures. I know I would.

Again, I really enjoy my version of this plane, and would love to see and share your experience with yours. I look forward to meeting you at an event sometime, I'll buy you a beer. Sorry if I upset you.....

-STEVE-

[Team Astro]

I dont drink Steve but appreciate the offer. To quote you, "I strongly suggest you make an analysis of your equipment choices to try and achieve the lower weight range. This plane flies best when it is lighter."
Thats your opinion and stating I made bad equiptment chioces as far as you concerned. Read between the lines, thats how it sounds to people. A friend even e-mailed to tell me that.
Ive flown the plane tonight and theres not a thing wrong with my set up. I sorry to be snappy but if I said that to you, Im sure youd take it the same way. But my piont was, its your opinion and you would be better stating that. Sure Dave agreed he likes light but Ive also seen him post in other threads something about you have to bump the throtle to land electrics and people forget that. Its not true for all planes or all people, again, opinion based his set up. Heck this yak can make 1/2 lap and land with the throtle off pefect (3 times tonight). Better energy retension with weight too. The prop free wheels so well thanks to the bearings youd think your still in the throtle as it comes in. You started posting an and attacked my chioce of set up and I am offended by that, its like saying I dont know what Im doing using this stuff. Im sponsored by the manufactures of the power systems and is what I am showing people. Your right, Dave said I wouldnt be happy, which isnt true. My mistake as I am upset by both your statements. You guys should look at how it sounds to others making such statements in someone else thread and that was my piont. Im sure my sponsors would back me on that! I hope you rethink how you state your opinions in the future.

I will try to figue out how to upload the pics. Id even appreciate you telling me how to do it on this site as it easier to do on rc groups. They were cut and pasted to the thread and I clicked on the white box with the x and they came up on another page.
This might be first build thread, not my first build!!! I wouldnt be sponsors if I didnt have a clue of what Im doing. This gone way off track of what it was a MY build thread of My yak, using the equiptment I want.

Ive spoke with Chris Henson and he too thought it would be lighter, 12.5 lbs but I told him 14lbs before I even statrted. I am 6 oz different than the production run of the 8120. Mines the production prototype you see in the advetisements. 6 oz nimh rx pack is preference too. My opinion more reliable than lipoly and regulator. I do use UBEC's in some planes but not of this size for safty reasons. If the power system failed we still have control of the radio. There 3000+ people on the flight line at SEFF and NEAT. I try to think safety with crowds like that.

In fact most planes Ive converted are always heavier than the manufacture claims, but it seems most fuel planes are weighed before the tanks are full. So they are only flying at that weight when the tanks getting empty. Thats just marketing. I just hope you think a little more before just blurting out some statements. No hard feelings, Id just like to get back to posting about MY YAK.
Thanks

[Dsp Dave]

First off you need to settle down a little bit both Steve and I were both just trying to tell you are setups and also our experiance with flying the airplane both light and heavy. And it might be my opinion but it is also a fact that planes of this size do fly better when you keep them lighter. I am not talking hovering like you said I am talking high alpha manuvers and slow speed characteristics and all around basic flying. If you don't believe me then fly one at 12lbs and you will see what I am talking about. I am sure it flys at 15lbs but it would fly at 20lbs but I see no reason to make it that heavy. I am not knocking your equipment choice or brand choice like you might think, I really don't care what brand you run I was just trying to figure out why yours came out so heavy, I can't imagine that motor is 2.5lbs heavier than mine. If your happy with it then thats great go fly and enjoy it. As far as you saying I posted about bumping up the throttle to land and then saying how you landed 3 times with no throttle, let me clarify something for you. What I meant was it helps with the small electrics(like the 47"we were talking about) when landing it helps pull them in especially in any kind of wind. The other reason you should do this (and I would figure you knew this being you are sponsered by Astro and Castle like you have said) is that the reason for bumping up the throttle is it is easier on the speed control especially the bigger ones to come off of idle rather than advancing the throttle from the off position.Also I wasn't saying you wouldn't be happy with the power at that weight I am sure it has a ton of power, I was saying you wouldn't be happy with the overall flight envelope of the airplane in 3d and precision at that weight and until you fly one at 12lbs you won't know exactly what I am talking about. I understand overpowering these electric airplanes to show off the power for your sponsers at events but I am sure Astro has a smaller and lighter motor that still produces plenty of power for this airframe and can still show off the power and simplicity of electric flight and also keep the plane lighter which will give you a better flight envelope and also longer run times out of your batteries. When you post a build thread on a forum you have to accept that some people might not agree with exactly what you are doing and learn to handle yourself in a more relaxed and educational manner so you can better represent your sponsers.

[1bwana1]

Terry,
No problem, let's all just try and enjoy our planes the way we like to fly them. Hey, thats why Baskin and Robbins makes 31 flavors of ice cream .

I would like to point out that these are called "Discussion Forums" for a reason. These forums are designed to encourage the sharing of ideas and opinions. One of the strengths of the Flying Giants Forums is Mad Max's attitude on proper behaviour on forums. He strongly encourages discussions on issues, but will quickly step in and moderate if people get too personal about things. I like that, it keeps a positive "vibe" going in the community. If what you wanted was a one sided presentation of your YAK maybe an "Article" on the site or in a magazine would have been a better venue for that. Articles are by design a one way communication. Just a thought....

I do understand Dave's advise on setting a high idle on the motor. Although I don't do it, I know a lot of people who do this, and it seem to help them. Personaly I turn the brake off on my speed controlers on aerobatic planes like you do. I do this in order to have the prop free wheel. The reason for doing this may not be obvious to some. A free wheeling prop slows the plane down a lot and I find it helps slow my down lines which is important when flying precision. Most glider pilots put the brake on to stop the prop from spinning; reducing drag.

Let's see if I can help you get the pictures up. First you cannot copy and paste to do it. You must go to the "Advanced" edit page.

1.) At the bottom of the normal edit box you will see a button labeled "go advanced". Click on this button.
2.) You should now be on the advanced edit page. At the top of the edit box you will see a "Tool Bar" click on the "Paper Clip".
3.) A window will apear that allows you to browser your local computer to select the pictures.
4.) After you have selected all of your pictures you must click the "Upload" button to move a copy of your pictures up to the server. After doing this you may close this window.
5.) You will now be back on the "Advanced Edit Page". Still, no pictures will be visible. You must click the "Down Arrow" next to the "Paper Clip" icon. A small dorp down will appear listing the files that have been uploaded. You may choose to insert them one at a time by clicking on their names, or upload them all by clicking on that choice. You will not see the pictures yet, but will see and HTML attach structure embedded in you message. You can now caption these pictures by typing above or below the text that represents them. You will be able to see them by clicking the "preview" button, or once you save your message.

Remember that there is a size limit based on the file type. There is a list of those at the bottom "Upload" window. I will upload a couple now to makes sure my directions are correct.


Here we are presenting an Extreme Flight YAK 54 on behalf of Extreme Flight to a lucky winner at an EMAC event. Chris is a great guy and really he goes out of his way to support the hobby.
flightline20013.JPG

Here is a picture of some of the guys at an EMAC event
flightline20011.JPG

Looks like it works! I hope it helps you get your pictures up.

-STEVE-

[aerofundan]

hey guys, i had the chance at SEFF to fly a PA Edge 540T 84" with the same motor / esc Terry is running, plane weighted 14-15 lbs, man that astro flight motor has crazy power, you need to prop up! Terry you need to get rid of that heavy 2700 6v nicad that thing alone weights like one pound more LOL!

[Team Astro]

Thanks Dan,
I all ready got a 19 x 10 CF coming. So you do know, right now Astro doesnt have a lighter geared, or ungeared set up for 160 size planes. Bobs busy with military work and we wanted a 100cc motor like this for a bigger yak, and a 60 and 90 he was working on arent done either. The 90 geared would rock and be lighter, but you cant get one yet. If we had more support and e-mail sent to AstroFlight about wanting to see these new mototr produced, we could get Bob to finish some of the new r/c motors. The powers AWESOME. Steve Demoed it The Wings For Kids and Greg Popel, even gave us a custom paint job till I got the trim done. It was awesome and noone there said 15# was too heavy for that thing, it was under powered. They were all impressed by the set-up. I agree, Chris Henson is an Awesome guy, and like Steve pionts out "31 flavors". I love baskin robins as much as this hobby.
Dave, I appoligise for my return attutiude, its wrong to knock any set up till you try it. SO AGAIN> LETS DROP THE ATTITUDES OF WHOS SET UPS ARE RIGHT OR WRONG OR BETTER AND REMEBER DIVERSITY IS WHATS SO GREAT ABOUT THE HOBBY.
I sure we all could have found a friendlier way of making some comments too. Why were heavier is simple the adding up of a ounce here and there. Most people dont have time to get as picky or buy the lightest stuff for their planes. It should be enough that it flys great at all these weights. I have a 2 3/4 lbs battery we use, I know 6 oz on an rx pack, 4oz+ on our motor compaired to production run. This is a awesome huge aluminum mount we used? I used alot of over kill equiptment like the seros too. Im sure thats a big weight difference, but thats my preference. Im not looking for one sided post, but attitudes were a little too bias at first and I dont bash on others set-ups on ANYWHERE, justs try to share mine. Just remeber, I built this in one week.
Freewheeling props on planes are our chioce of set up too. Big or small we still dont need to bump throtle on alot of stuff to land freewheel slows it down but if the prop still spinning it has to be helping. Tom Hunt would be the man for that question. I said in other posts you refered to this Dave, its preference, not the only way..
I will try to repost with the pics in advanced page you said Steve and just repost the whole thread. Maybe this time we can all keep our opinions about this in a friendly mannor, cause this is a waste of words time and space trying to explain why I feel attacked by some of your guys statements. All I want to do is share our set-ups, not tell anyone why theirs is wrong or could be better. Hopefully we all can keep that in mind as we post on any site, no matter who you are. Ill try to fifsh the post and suff ASAP, I have to be ready for another demo next weekend with our new bird. Both AstroFlight and Castle go out of there way to support our efforts, set-ups and the hobby, too. They always send doantionds to prise resffles ,even at the little shows we do! Take it all with a grain of salt, but I do appreciate the other opinions on the post. Im sure if I could have built it lighter using our sponsors equiptment I would have! It is what it is and Ill keep sharing the info for those who want to see it.
Thanks
Terry