FT SIMPLE SCOUT BUILD

by FliteTest | October 29, 2017 | (15) Posted in How To

FTScratchBuild

The awesome new FT Simple Scout is here! This video and article will tell you how to build your own.



 We suggest that you follow the build video above when assembling your FT Simple Scout, but here is a condensed step-by-step guide for reference and your benefit.



Servo Preparation



Power Pod

 

 

  • Unpack your motor and speed controller. We recommend a similar setup to our Power Pack B (fixed wing small) available on the FT Store
  • Assemble power pod. Cut holes to help route ESC. Clear out cavities
  • Make A-folds and reinforce with hot glue. Make sure both sides are nice and square (90-degree angles)
  • Install firewall with hot glue (hold 30 seconds). Reinforce with tape
  • Put tape on tabs. Open holes with barbecue skewers.
  • Assemble motor. (Watch video for details.) Do not put on the propeller just yet as we want to be safe
  • Mount motor onto Power-Pod on firewall. Make sure to keep a gap between the screw and the motor wire coils as you don't want to damage your motor!



  • Mount ESC on bottom.
  • Make sure motor spins counter-clockwise (or your plane won't fly very well!)

 

Wing

 

 

  • Open up cavities and remove. Be sure to remove aileron cavities too. 
  • Center spar: do a practice fold first to make sure everything looks good. Then make an A fold with hot glue. Glue foam to foam, not paper. Repeat on other side of spar.
  • Line up both wing sides and secure with tape. Make sure you press the wings closely together
  • Fold open and lay bead of glue within the gap.
  • Cut 45-degree bevel on first wing. Repeat on second wing. See video for best practices for angles of the blade.
  • Attach spar with hot glue. Make sure you align holes. 
  • Contour wings and begin to fold over. Reinforce with hot glue on spar and trailing edge of wing. Watch video for details.
  • Create dihedral for wing. Use dihedral gages. Reinforce with hot glue and tape. Again, you can watch the video for details.

 

Fuselage

 

 

  • Clear out cavities for folds. This is on your turtle deck formers, fuselage piece, pushrod guides, and triangle. Knock out holes in fuselage main piece
  • Glue doublers
  • Glue pushrod guides with straws and attach to fuselage
  • Glue triangle
  • Establish crease line on back edge.
  • Make B fold on fuselage with hot glue. Watch video for details on where to put hot glue. Repeat on other side. Make sure you keep everything nice and square by using triangle and by pushing against the build table. 
  • Remove wing cutouts

 

Tail

 

 

  • Bevel elevator and rudder. 
  • Reinforce joins with hot glue to ensure that it lasts a long time. Watch video for details.
  • Install tail on to airplane and secure with hot glue. Use table as your friend (as Josh says).
  • Reinforce with hot glue. Wipe off excess glue with scrap foam pieces.  

 

Push rods and Control Horns

 

 

  • Pass pushrod through pushrod guides in fuselage
  • Install control horns on tail surfaces
  • Make a 'Z' bend in wire ends
  • Glue servos in place (see video for details)
  • Install bottom plate of fuselage with hot glue. See video for details of where to put glue and how to fold. Wipe off excess glue. 

 

Finishing Fuselage and Installing Wings


  • Glue front former to top front of fuselage
  • Fold and glue both other formers
  • Test fit and then glue formers around cockpit
  • Glue turtle-deck to formers and roll around fuselage. See video for order of folds and glue
  • Trim off excess of turtle-deck card
  • Install tail skid
  • Install wings
  • Cut ailerons (if you want a 4 channel setup)
  • Glue in servo
  • Cut slot for control horn and glue in place. Use modified 'Z' bend or linkage stopper to attach wire to control horn. 
  • Bevel edge of aileron to 45-degrees. 12-degree deflection in both directions is preferable


Landing Gear

 

  • Pop out foam piece
  • Bend wire (in accordance to the video guidance and measurements)
  • Glue wire into foam piece and fold over 
  • Reinforce with tape
  • Slide on wheels and secure with hot glue 
  • Slide gear into fuselage
  • Glue BBQ stick onto tail skid


Electronics


  • Find all wires and pop out of the bottom panel of fueslage
  • Hook up all wires to receiver ports. Be sure to use a Y harness for both ailerons to fit into the aileron port
  • Power on and check controls (make sure you do not have a prop on at this stage). Make adjustments on your radio if needed
  • Use throw gauges to find proper travel of control surfaces
  • Feed loose wires above wing inside the fuselage
  • Take BBQ sticks to secure Power-Pod in place.


Finishing

 


  • Take engine stacks and slide over BBQ sticks. Glue in place
  • Attach propeller to your motor and tighten prop nut with pliers
  • Stick velcro for battery on bottom of fuselage
  • Find the center of gravity with CG marks. If this is your first RC airplane, make it a touch nose heavy as this will ensure you have a good experience


We very much hope you enjoy your own FT Simple Scout!

Before you go, check out our painting guide to create your own awesome distressed weathering effects like this on your new scout.  


Buy your own FT Simple Scout speed build kit here!

Check out the FT Simple Scout plans here:

All-In-One:  https://www.flitetest.com/ScoutAllInOne

Full-Size:  https://www.flitetest.com/ScoutFullSize

Tiled A-Size (7-1/2 x 10):  https://www.flitetest.com/ScoutASize

Tiled B-Size (15 x 20):  https://www.flitetest.com/ScoutBSize

Thank you to Dan Sponholz for making these plans available to everyone!

 

How will you have fun with your Simple Scout? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

COMMENTS

Jib on July 5, 2018

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uniondelta on January 14, 2019

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pablo-vlc on November 23, 2017
Hi!
I'm thinking about to build this plane, I already build the tiny trainer, Having a look to to the plans I see that in this case the power pod is 90 degrees angle, Is it ok? Tiny trainer has angle.

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards from Spain.

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Jaybird731 on April 2, 2018
pablo-vlc , I have built both of these planes. The tiny trainer has thrust angle , simple scout is 90 degrees. I hope that this helps.
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Mo on November 29, 2017
The swappables pods do not have any angle
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WcW on May 16, 2018
Build my pod with 3° down & 3° right thrust... Flies like a charm.
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Eeck62 on December 4, 2017
I built the Tiny trainer and now I am stating this build. I know on the smaller planes they say angle is needed on the power pod. This plane is probably big enough it doesn’t need the angle.
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MynyddGlas on November 10, 2017
OK, I have to go direct to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4ZkLnqGeAk
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hdkeney on December 5, 2017
Josh, you are an excellent and very thorough instructor. I am a 77 year old retired teacher and frequently help newbies get into the hobby, both building and flying. I definitely will recommend this video to all of the new guys as well as to many of the established guys who have finally decided to try building a plane. I enjoyed the entire build video. My building experience is the old balsa/plywood type planes, but I think I am going to try one of your planes, hot-glue kit, and get a new foamie experience.
Thanks for an excellent video.
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Maxbraimo1001 on February 14, 2018
i've noticed on my computer that the sizes for the tiles on the tiled plans aren't exactly A4 size and are a little bit skinnier. Does this impact the printing of the tiled plans at all?
Thanks
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MynyddGlas on November 10, 2017
There is an error on the link from the picture of Josh at the top of the page - click it and it takes you to https://store.flitetest.com/ft-simple-cub/

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MynyddGlas on November 11, 2017
Surprised that mine is the only comment here?
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Beavis on December 4, 2017
Love this build so far - perfect sizing, durability, ease of construction, etc.

Only problem is that there is a need to servo reverse on the ailerons, which makes it a PITA to keep the same tx setup for multiple planes (using a DXe). I solved this by moving the wing aileron servo holes 0.9" outboard on the wings. The servo arms now face inboard instead of outboard, and servo direction is standard (non-reversed).

You might want to update your kit with this mod to enhance compatibility.
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K4HSD on March 7, 2018
Trying to download "http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?21518-DTFB-FLOATS!!!-V1" will not work
Thanks
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Flying squirrle on March 24, 2020
Hi, I was thinking about building this model but was wondering if i could put a 1400kv motor in this thing and it still be a beginner plane?
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Snewow on September 4, 2021
I am wanting to build some planes again! What are the differences between the plans full size A, B tiled?
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robert1701a on March 18, 2023
I have a question, I am trying to print the plans for Tiled A-Size (7-1/2 x 10): but when I try to print them out either Windows 10 or Adobe adds margins to every page I can cut them out when I cut out the temple's . I just wanna know if that will mess up the plane and if so how bad?
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FT SIMPLE SCOUT BUILD