Hi guys,

I am about to purchase my first giant scale airplane from a guy which is a Wild Hare RC 100cc Edge. I am getting the airplane ready to fly minus the reciever, and batteries. I am planning on doing 3D with it but I do not know if I need to run a smart fly system or not. I have been told that I need to run a Power Expander but Smartfly offers many different Power Expanders and I don't know which one would be suitable for me. Also, which batteries should I go with? I have been told by some people to stay away from Fromeco's and A123's and use Life batteries. But I have also been told to stay away from Life's. I just want some expert opinions on what and not what to get. Any help will highly appreciated. Thanks!

What radio system are you using?

I am using a JR 9303

You'll get many, many ideas here. There are lots of ways to set up these planes. Personally, I run two, 2S/Wolverine/JR(Spectrum) receiver/1270(HV) servos, and. Tech-Aero IBEC. The Wolverine has a built in batt share, the HV component eliminates the need for regs and the IBEC has an LED, built-in kill and a reg for your ignition, assuming you're using a DA and even need it. Lots of guys are running Powersafes, and reduce components even further, and are having great luck with them. You do not "need" any Smart-Fly type stuff unless you just want it. It's really cool stuff, just not a nessessity on 100cc planes. You'll get lots of information here. Do your research and have fun.

I personally wouldn't run anything other than A123 batteries unless you had high voltage servos, and then I would run Lipos. Using a powersafe receiver with 2 batteries and an IBEC for ignition is popular and lightweight. That's my current setup. Ive also used the power systems from smartfly. The EQ6 is handy for matching servos and not having a bunch of matchboxes or equalizers. It also has a bat-share and regulator. If you don't have a powersafe receiver, this is prolly the route I would take.


As far as batteries go, I had great luck with Fromecos. Im currently using Duralite Sentinal A123s. They are nice, but expensive. If you wanna use Lipos, you almost have unlimited options there. I like the consistency of A123s and the fact that you can safely charge them in the plane. Also you can charge them at 3 or 4C, depending on the battery. That cuts charge time down to nothing.

If you're running a 9303 get a 9 channel power safe receiver and 2 2500 mah A123 batteries and a Tech Aero IBEC

Simple and nearly bullet proof.

Originally Posted by BarracudaHockey

If you're running a 9303 get a 9 channel power safe receiver and 2 2500 mah A123 batteries and a Tech Aero IBEC

Simple and nearly bullet proof.

Agree, RX costs moe but save that back because no fancy switches and no power distribution boards. Even with HV batts and servos, simple easy and effective.

A used JR11x or a spektrum DX9 or DX18 will also allow servo matching in the transmitter and save lots of headaches. I remember spending hours trying to learn how to do simple programming in the 9303 that takes seconds in my 11x and DX18.

I remember not having to turn the 11X off to switch between menus, I'm like FINALLY!

I am thinking about going with a Spektrum AR9110, two lipo's and that IBEC. So if I go with that set up, do I plug everything into separate channels? Just thinking about it, there are not two RX ports for the alierions. So they would have to be either wired together or something. Of course I would have two switches. One for the airplane and one for ignition.

you need a couple of jr matchboxes for the ailerons. you need to be able to adjust the servos independently.


you also need a regulator to reduce voltage to the servos,


with the tech aero ibec you do not need a switch for the ignition.

So two JR Matchbox's. I'm going to get all of this and have someone help me set it up. This is confusing!

Its confusing on paper, but not all that bad once you get everything in front of you. Youll basically plug the IBEC into like your gear channel and put it on your gear switch. It will get its power from your flight batteries and be switched on and off with your gear switch. The powersafe receiver uses a single failsafe switch to power on, so you will have one switch for the entire plane.


Youll use one matchbox for the left aileron servos and one for the right. Then plug the left side into one receiver channel and the right side in another. Then your 2 elevator servos will plug into individual channels and you have to mix them. Same with the rudder servos.


One way around matchboxes is to use Hitec servos and get the programmer to set them up. But even with matchboxes, its all simpler than it seems.

So I just plug one matchbox into the alieron channel and lets say I plug the other into the Aux 1 channel. So then I would have to go in and mix the Aileron channel and the Aux 1 channel together? This airplane has Hitec Servos so I don't know if Matchboxes will work.

Matchboxes dont care what servos you use.

The 9110 comes with a power safe switch, you dont need anything else there.

Aux 1 is made the 2nd aileron channel in the system menu by mating it to the ailerons, you dont want to use Pmixes as you won't get trim to the 2nd surface.

the mb will work with pretty much any servo. use the flaperon setting for your wing type (in the sub menu) and you will use aileron and aux 1. no need for mixing on the ailerons. not sure about the 9303 elevator programming, if it is the same as 9503 you select a mate, which is one of the open channels. Otherwise, use a mix. It's really not as complicated as it sounds.


make sure that the gear switch is activated in the device select menu and any switch you don't want is INH.