FT Tiny Trainer Bixler style modification

by gabriel robson | March 22, 2015 | (22) Posted in Projects



My FT Tiny Trainer Build


I have been wanting to build a bixler style plane for a while for the use of teaching others and having a bit of fpv fun myself. After looking around on rc groups I couldn't find anything. So I looked on flight test and found that Stone blue airlines had created someting similar to what I had in mind. Here is a link http://www.stoneblueairlines.com/hangar/airplanes/vas-aircraft/vas-spark-2-0-36-wing/vas-spark-airplane.html

After the FT Tiny Trainer was released it seemed like a good base frame to develop. The size was also favourable as it allowed it to have good glider characteris but the abbility that when crahed it is cheap and esys to repair.

Here is what I did.

 

 

 

 Building The Fuselage

 This covers the steps how to create the fuselage:

 

I started off by making the body and tail using the plans from the FT tiny trainer. Once glued together I created the nose. The nose is the glider nose from the trainer and it fitted well allowing me to put the battery right at the front. As the nose is detachable it also allows it to be replaced in the evnt of a crash.

 

To evelvate the motor I created a cockpit like on the bixler. It is the same hight and width as the glider nose so I could just glue the two together.

 

 

 

I then made ther power pod. It fitted sungly inside the new cockpit. Like the bixler I decided to add some angle on the motor to give it similar flight characteriscs. I used to bbq sqers at an angle to hold the power pod. The motor in using is a 250 size quadcopter motor that I had spare. A larger motor could be used but isn't nessaceray as this provided plenty of power and the ability to have a vaired flight envolope.

 

 

 

 

 

The Wing

 

Next I made the wing. I decide to go with the speed wing as it had good size ailerons and I have been flying for a while and so the poly dihedral was not needed but if you are just starting out the poly diherdal wing will work just as well. The speed wing also had good characteristic when performing so basic manouvers like rolls, loops and inverted flight.

 

 

 

Components

 I then fitted all the electronics. I'm using a 

2200kv mini quad motor with a 5 inch propeller

18a esc 

3 hexatronic 9 gram servos

1000mah 2cell and a 1000mah 3 cell

1 1/2 sheets of foamboard

Hot glue 

1mm piano wire

linkage stoppers.

Control horns

Here is the Finished ProductHere is the finished product. I added a lick off paint to give it a bit of character and then maidened it the evening I built it. It has an all up weight of 457g. It has the ability to carry fpv gear as the motor provides plenty of thrust and i will attemp to fit  gopro and will update you as I fly, crash and have fun.

 

 

Gopro Onboard

I decided to go the next step by adding a camera. After acidentally destroying my gopro i used my sj4000

 I headed out to a field that I usually fly at and gave it a test. I crashed into a tree after the linkage stopper poped out.

Conclucion

I was a bit sceptical as I wasn't sure how well it would work but I was completely wrong. It handled like a dream. The high wing gives it a floaty feel and can easily be flown at half throttle. I was getting flight times of about 9-10 minutes on the 1000mah 3cell. I will also do a test with a camera mounted to see what the onboard footage is like. Currently it only has ailerons and elevator but rudder and flaps could also be added. Hope you attemps this build yourself. Like and subscribe to my youtube channel, would also love 5 star rating on this arcticle.

Thanks

 

COMMENTS

pkertt on March 25, 2015
Looks like a great little project...a good offshoot of the Tiny Trainer. I might juat have to try this one...plans??

Log In to reply
gabriel robson on March 25, 2015
Sorry i have not made any plans but I will update the article with some measurements.
Log In to reply
mad_milchmann on March 25, 2015
thanks, man. measurements should be sufficient to rebuild it.
btw. what is the max propsize you can put in without chopping the fuselage would be another information which would be quite useful :)
Log In to reply
gabriel robson on March 25, 2015
At the moment it can only take a 5 inch prop
Log In to reply
mad_milchmann on March 25, 2015
Great work!
It would be nice if you could upload some plans, that would make the TT even more versatile (and an nice mini-FPV plattform :) ).
If you don't have any plans could you give us some measures?
Angle of the motor mount and the hight of the motor mount above the fusealge would be espescially interesting.
Log In to reply
jrvalentin62 on March 25, 2015
I did something like that with the simple sparer. Great fun! Great job.
Log In to reply
Bellows on March 25, 2015
Very nice build. It flies great. I especially like your video. It is SO nice to see a video where you can see the plane flying low and hear the motor. It is much better than the spec up in the sky videos we see so often. Kudos to you,
LooseBruce
Log In to reply
jamboree1 on March 25, 2015
This is a neat idea, i was surprised how smooth it flew and how flat it turned with just ailerons. It would be interesting to know how much more weight it can handle. Overall nice job.
Log In to reply
gabriel robson on March 25, 2015
Thanks, I will test it with a gopro and see how it handles that. I will update the article soon
Log In to reply
jamboree1 on March 25, 2015
Oh yes, kudos to your camera operator, we can actually see the plane
Log In to reply
gabriel robson on March 25, 2015
Thanks
Log In to reply
kb0bnz on March 26, 2015
nice build love it please post dimensions Thanks for the great idea.
Log In to reply
Paulshort on March 26, 2015
How did you accidentally destroy your gopro?
Log In to reply
gabriel robson on March 27, 2015
mini quad racing in trees!!!! Clipped a branch and hit a tree trunk gopro first. I had a smashed lense and it wouldn't even turn on. I need to be more careful but it was a lot of fun.
Log In to reply
sean-a-e on April 7, 2015
Great build! Looks like it flies really well! Are you flying near a racetrack? Or is that the plane ;)
Log In to reply
gabriel robson on April 15, 2015
Yeah this was filmed near Goodwood when it had its 73rd members meeting.
Log In to reply
kobuki01 on June 18, 2015
Nice build! I'm wondering where the CG is on this modification? Since you placed the motor at the back, the CG would move back too. Right? And also how to get the thrust angle for this one? Many thanks!
Log In to reply
Gryf on June 25, 2015
>>> Yeah this was filmed near Goodwood when it had its 73rd members meeting. <<<

Envious here... I was about to ask the same question, as I'm a British car buff and an MG owner. I salivate at sounds like that. ;-)
Log In to reply
newbiehobbyguy on February 15, 2016
Wow looks like the FT explorer may have come from this beautiful modification!
Log In to reply

You need to log-in to comment on articles.


FT Tiny Trainer Bixler style modification