2.6m Edge 540T

[CSpaced]

After a lot of going back and forth I finally decided on a 100cc airplane. I chose the X-treme Composite Edge 540T which is being distributed by BVMprops. I literally bombarded Dave Shulman with questions about this airplane and he was very gracious about it, answering all my email questions the same day. He actually flies the Edge so it was nice getting input from the pilot of one of these airplanes.

I plan on running a DA-100 on it with cans (not sure which ones yet), two 8611a's on the rudder, and hitec 5955's everywhere else (two per aileron). I want to put a removeable smoke system in there too, I've yet to decide which one though.

I am going to take my time with putting it together, partially because I still have to get all of the other components in and partially because I want to do it right. This is my first composite airplane and first airplane of this size, so I want to get it right. I will post updates and pics as I progress.

The box arrived a couple of days after it was shipped, and everything was undamaged and in pristine condition. I was very impressed with the airplane, I was grinning from ear to ear as I was checking out the quality of it. My friend has a Comp-Arf 2.6m Extra and the quality was indistinguishable between the two airplanes. I'm looking forward to getting it together!

[peterschmidt]

Hi CSpaced,

I got mine end of May this year. Had to wait several weeks for my engine to come back from repair so maiden flight was not until beginning of August. Absolutely no fuss, one or to clicks on the ailerons and the same for elevator, then it was flying hands off.
I had to mix in some opposite aileron for straight flight in KE and now it flies just great.

Here is my build thread on the swedish IMAC-site: text in swedish of course but the pictures are universal
http://www.mini-iac.se/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14

Good luck with yours,

// Peter

[Owen]

Hey CSpaced, i'm Owen i must say i love your plane i'm saving to get one of these AWSUME planes. But i want to get the fanstacy scheme. How was the aileron servo installation was it difficult because it didn't have any servo hatch, i was reading a forum about it that you will need to make a 30" screw driver [bummer]. And how would you compare it with Compsite ARF ?

[CSpaced]

Owen, I haven't gotten to anything on this yet - I just got it. However, talking with David over at BVM, he said that it took him about an hour or so for each of the outboard aileron servos and he had to fabricate a long screw driver in order to do it. He also said they were going to try to make some sort of tool available in the future for that task.

I'm contemplating my options on this, I will try to install them with a long driver at first, and then as a last resort I will cut some hatches.

As I said in my first post, my friend has a 2.6m comp-arf Extra and the Edge's quality is identical to it.

peterschmidt, it looks like you installed cans, did you build some sort of tunnel for them? If not, how hot does the inside of the fuse get? Are those slots enough to keep inside the fuse cool?

[SleepyC]

CSpaced...

Nice choice with the scheme...
The yellow graffitt looking one is PLAYED to DEATH...( it looked nice on the first 5000 planes I saw it on.. but MAN...) the scheme you chose really looks nice.. I didn't know they came in anything but that other scheme.
I will have to give this plane another eyeball for next year.

Good luck!

[CSpaced]

Yeah I figured the fantasy scheme would be all over the place! This scheme looks even better in person

[japan3d]

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/rbombash/edge540.html

Here's the build I did on my first extreme composite edge.

[CSpaced]

I've seen your site - lots of useful info there!

Although as an FYI to other builders, the firewall has been moved back since then..you need to use 1.25" stand- off's for the DA-100.

[Owen]

Thanks man, everything i've read about this plane is all good i love that, what do you fly?

[Bunky F. Knuckle]

Kitman has one of those as well. Flies AWESOME on a 3W 100, with stock mufflers!!! Weight is 25 1/2# +/- a little. He will have exact weight. I've flown it, and it does fly great!!

Are you in a noise consciencious place?? If not, I would run regular mufflers. My opinion! Lighter flies better, but too light is TOO LIGHT!!! Save some $$$ that way, but completely your choice. The smoke system??? Canisters don't smoke all that well, I feel. Some will agree and some will disagree. Depends on who you ask. I used to fly with smoke. I hate it!!! It makes a complete MESS of the airplane. On my 32% 3W, the smoke oil started to seep into the hingeline a bit. So had to get rid of it. Cleaned everything up, and good to go again! Then I put smoke in a 33% 540T with a 3W 100 on cans. Smoke SUCKED!!!! Reason is that I think that the smoke has to actually travel from the inlet of the pipe down to the end of the canister, and back to the exhaust outlet??? My 32% with stock mufflers smoked HEAVILY!!!!

If you were to go with cans, look into tuned pipes!!! KS 1060's, BMB pipes from Germany, I think, or Manfred Greves pipes???? You get an EASY 500 RPM increase over regular mufflers.

Good Luck!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!

Chris~

[Owen]

CSpaced, can't wait to get mine, so far its all thumbs up for this plane. What type of electronics are you planning to use, i'm thinkng about using fromeco lithium ion [relion] 2400mah and regulator for ignition and [2] 2400mah [peerless] for servos, smart-fly expander, turbo reg., super switches, [3] equalizer II and ignition cut off. As for servos i don't know what i' goin to use yet but i know it will be Hitec's. Anyone knows whats the highest capacity fuel tank can be used wihthout any change in flight characteristics? The recomended is 32 once. Also i have a AeroFly sim that i'm having some problems with the controller, it won't stop twitch. I have a JR 9303 that i want to use but i don't know the name of the data link cable that works with the sim. Thanks.

[Owen]

Has anyone changed their landing gears to carbon fibre especially the tail wheel?

[peterschmidt]

CSpaced...

Yes, I have KS cannisters. No tunnel at all, it works well anyway. The inside of the fuse get a little warm, but not hot, so I think the holes I've made is enough for cooling.

The cannisters themselves gets very hot of course but just 1cm or so around them the temp. is OK, and i have had no problem so far...

About the outer aileron servo, it's a bit tricky to get it in place and you have to make a tool for it, but when it's finnaly there it's rock solid and you will save weight if not opening up for a hatch.

// Peter

[CSpaced]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Bunky F. Knuckle
	Are you in a noise consciencious place?? If not, I would run regular mufflers.......................................... ................................... Then I put smoke in a 33% 540T with a 3W 100 on cans. Smoke SUCKED!!!! Chris~

Yeah I have to watch the noise or I would go with regular mufflers. It's kind of dissappointing to hear about the smoke sucking on cans though?

Owen, sounds like a good setup. I think I am going to pick up one of the power expander setups from airwild with dual fromeco li-ions, failsafe switch etc. I'm also going to run the fiber optic ignition kill. Before this airplane I was flying around a H9 Extra 260 with a DA-50, but I wanted to be more competitive in IMAC and that airplane wasn't going to work.

peterschmidt that's interesting about the cans and not having to build a tunnel, how many flights do you think you've had on the airplane so far?

[Biff]

CSpaced,, good call on the cans dude! "Mufflers" suck!!