Wild Hare 88" Edge 540 Build

[pipercub123]

Thanks everyone for the information! I'm staying up all night to get this bird done! I'm sick of not being able to fly after this gorgeous day so not sleeiping is no big deal. Some weren't so luck today as in some areas it was 5 degrees this morning!

[rager24]

I got mine out of the box last night and hope to get it started today

[rager24]

well I got the sevo's in today and the graphics on at least

[rager24]

Today I got the engine and can mounted

[cmircman]

Piper did you get this plane in the air yet? I just found this thread and I am shocked that you have had so many problems. My dealings with Tom and his wife have been nothing but the best and I am sure after you get this plane flying you will say the same about the plane. Over the winter i helped a friend build his SD models Yak and after that build you would apreciate how easy this thing goes together and flies just as good. I have 10 flights on mine now and I love it as I am sure you will yours.



Rich

[toad]

Well...I officially "dropped the hammer" today on one of these guys. Speaking with Tom I am going to try, for the first time, Greyhound shipping. Hopefully, I will see the plane Saturday and can start tearing into it straight away.

I have a BME 50 classic sitting on the bench. I also have a slew of Hitec 5985's that will be on all surfaces. Optical kill, Batshare, Fromeco Li-Ions on Fromeco regs...all sitting on the bench raring to go.

I am looking forward to a smaller airplane that isn't such a pain to load up in my truck for those couple hours of daylight after work.

If there is interest, and its OK with Piper...I will toss up some build pics and info as I go along.

[smokedat]

Toad im watching, keep the pics coming

[pipercub123]

	Quote: Originally Posted by cmircman
	Piper did you get this plane in the air yet? I just found this thread and I am shocked that you have had so many problems. My dealings with Tom and his wife have been nothing but the best and I am sure after you get this plane flying you will say the same about the plane. Over the winter i helped a friend build his SD models Yak and after that build you would apreciate how easy this thing goes together and flies just as good. I have 10 flights on mine now and I love it as I am sure you will yours. No, plane isn't in the air. It was so hot last weekend here in the northeast at 90, that I spent my time putting in an a/c and than just was too lazy to do anything. Rich

	Quote: Originally Posted by toad
	Well...I officially "dropped the hammer" today on one of these guys. Speaking with Tom I am going to try, for the first time, Greyhound shipping. Hopefully, I will see the plane Saturday and can start tearing into it straight away. I have a BME 50 classic sitting on the bench. I also have a slew of Hitec 5985's that will be on all surfaces. Optical kill, Batshare, Fromeco Li-Ions on Fromeco regs...all sitting on the bench raring to go. I am looking forward to a smaller airplane that isn't such a pain to load up in my truck for those couple hours of daylight after work. If there is interest, and its OK with Piper...I will toss up some build pics and info as I go along.

It's cool, we can have one big Edge 540 thread. I need to get my butt in gear and get this thing in the air! I'll likely be working on it tomorrow.

[66stang]

	Quote: Originally Posted by toad
	Well...I officially "dropped the hammer" today on one of these guys. Speaking with Tom I am going to try, for the first time, Greyhound shipping. Hopefully, I will see the plane Saturday and can start tearing into it straight away. I have a BME 50 classic sitting on the bench. I also have a slew of Hitec 5985's that will be on all surfaces. Optical kill, Batshare, Fromeco Li-Ions on Fromeco regs...all sitting on the bench raring to go. I am looking forward to a smaller airplane that isn't such a pain to load up in my truck for those couple hours of daylight after work. If there is interest, and its OK with Piper...I will toss up some build pics and info as I go along.

Tom sent my 35% by Grayhound and they did an outstanding job! Good luck with the build!

[toad]

I guess in hindsight...a saturday delivery was hopeful. No call from Greyhound...

I am looking forward to this assembly.

Thanks Piper...I will be providing lots of build pics (photography is my 'other' hobby).

[wildhare]

	Quote: Originally Posted by toad
	I guess in hindsight...a saturday delivery was hopeful. No call from Greyhound....

You should try calling the bus station, they are there 24 hours in Tulsa.

Greyhound Package Express: 918-584-3713

As I tell everyone, the bus station workers are not always prompt about making calls on incoming freight. Tulsa is only a 5 hour drive from here so unless something went wrong the plane is almost certainly at the station.

TF

[toad]

Thanks for the info Tom. I do recall you saying this...

So far I can't get anyone to pickup down there. No biggie

[toad]

Well...she is here!

I actually got a call from Greyhound this morning telling me the package was there. It DID arrive on Saturday...just as Tom thought it would. Also, like Tom said, and it still holds true...the edge was in great condition...no shipping damage at all. I gather that Tom has seen near 100% positive shipping experience when shipping with Greyhound. In my personal situation, I work downtown about a block from Greyhound so picking it up was a non-event.

The plane:

As I said...the plane arrived in fantastic shape. No shipping damage, everything made it in one piece all parts are accounted for. The plane itself looks very good. Overall the covering is pretty good and what I would consider very good for an ARF. I have a slight nick in the covering on the bottom of one elevator about 1/4"...looks like some epoxy from hinging bled over and the factory was a bit over zealous removing it and took a lil spot of covering. The front deck covering is a little rough...the guy/gal covering it was a little heavy handed with the iron...to me a minor cosmetic thing you cant see unless you are on top of the plane looking for something wrong.

My only 'complaint' is the red paint match on the cowl to the covering. I know from years of experience building/covering and painting these things that red is the most difficult color to match to covering. The cowl paint is noticeably brighter red than the covering. For some this would be a bigger deal than it is to me. I expect to push this plane and fly it hard...a slight mismatch of paint to covering is not gonna get my panties in a wad.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised about was the glass in this kit. The cowling aside from not quite matching color wise is some of the better glass I have seen. No pinholes and its substantial without being heavy. I am almost a little ashamed I am going to have to cut on it. Wheel pants are the same...GREAT glass work here.

The gear in the kit is aluminum and springy. I am a little concerned with how its going to hold up over time. I feels like gear that will need an adjustment from time to time...least the way I land on occasion. That said...its not enough of a concern to make me want to swap the gear out. Having some flex and shock absorption in the gear is generally a good thing in my experience. We will see how she pans out.

All in all...$609 (plane + Hardware kit+shipping) is money well spent in my book. If she flies as good as she looks out of the box...we have a winner here.

More to follow with photos etc...is a little late for me to start tearing into her tonight. Think I will just sip a few buds and ponder the build I have in front of me. =)

[Tired Old Man]

I have flown my 35% Edge from both asphalt runways and crudely mowed cow pastures. The gear is more than up to the task. I did bend one set on the prototype plane in the avitar but that was after a stalled, drop in style landing after a dead stick while hitting and suddenly coming to a stop in a gopher hole "in the bush".

The plane lands extremely slow.

[wildhare]

rcsupergear.com has a really nice CF gear for this plane. When I look at gear design I have to choose between the half of the people who will complaint that it's too light and the other half who will complain that it's too heavy.

The Edge is a light weight plane so I chose the lighter gear. There is no perfect answer. I always say "light, strong, cheap, you can have any two".

TF