220mph Proximity

[omegooliebird]

Hey chaps! Quick update.. still waiting on the return of my jet engine. Martin at Lambert turbines told me it would take 1-2 weeks to repair and do the service, and made me pay for the repairs in advance.. that was over 4 months ago. I have called many times, emailed etc.. and been given multiple broken promises. Really, really shocking service with so much money involved. It has totally stalled that project. The latest promise is that it will be shipped tomorrow, so we will see. There are forums and Facebook pages full of other customers with the same hateful customer service. I am regretting choosing that engine now, the total bill so far for just the engine is £3,350, and it only flew once, and I don't even have the engine anymore. Just got to keep my chin up and hope for the best.

Have found another possible site to fly the 14s plane when the weather gets better, it should allow a nice low pass over some timing cameras. I am not going to start any other projects until the jet has either made another run, or been sold without an engine.

Will update if the engine does indeed get shipped tomorrow.

With regards to the front prop, I asked an expert about this, and from wind tunnel testing, a front prop should work better, as the flow speed into the blades is more constant across the span of the blade, so the prop will run more efficiently.

However I believe that there are some other considerations such as the thrust of the prop in a front configuration being forced into the drag across the airframe, causing separation and turbulence, this has to lose a fair chunk of thrust speed.

I also think that whilst the air entering the prop is more turbulent in a pusher, it is eating some of the wake drag caused by the fueslage and giving the prop a narrower column of air that it is outputting (which will be moving faster) rather than it being more dispersed having encountered separation over the airframe.

500kmh has made some people in the speed community pretty upset and has led to me being insulted a few times, as they do not believe it is correct, as their previous testing of delta pushers showed poor results. However they were not 14s and 9kw!

With LOS speed flying it is necessary to make sharp turns, which with a delta will bleed off a LOT of speed, but with FPV, I do not have that problem. But my explanations have fallen on deaf ears, they have their way, I have mine. So I need to verify the results better so I can call them out. I am convinced of my speed as I have got there incrementally and my GPS readings flying in a straight vector like I do, have always been very consistent. The same setup in the same plane will always read within a few KMH every run. It is not possible for me to take my plane to Germany and do a 4km run legally, otherwise I definitely would!!

[FPVSteve]

Bad luck about the engine - I seem to remember you being in this position before?

I wouldn't get too down about the naysayers - you know what they say about Tall Poppy Syndrome ... you stick your head up and everyone tries to drag you back down to their level. As long as you know the truth and can demonstrate it to the best of your abilities with the hardware you have, I would say it's on them to prove you wrong. Simply arguing "that can't be because we can't do it" is nonsense ... if it makes them feel better then I guess there's not a lot you can do. Haters gonna hate!

Keep it up Rupes, a lot of us have followed what you do for years - your integrity isn't in doubt here.

[ched]

Pity about the engine people messing you around especially with so much money involved.
As for people disagreeing - don't let them get to you, they are just jealous that they don't have the skills to get anywhere near that fast!
Well done for all you have achieved and I hope the engine comes back working soon.

[omegooliebird]

So, the engine has been shipped!! Persistence pays off! Lets hope it arrives, works and stays working this time!

The people giving me sh1t are the best in the world, they have far more skills and experience than me, they are the fastest in the world with electric RC planes.. but not with FPV. The fastest pass with an F3S plane so far is 640kmh 1 way.. but that wasn't FPV, which has a different set of challenges. So they do have a position of authority and man don't they like to let me know it lol! They are all German, that is the main place where these guys live and fly. Some incredible machines and skills. But their forums are some of the most hostile I have seen in the RC community, a lot of arrogant personalities. It is very difficult to get help, they seem to like to keep the secrets to themselves. There are the Gods of motor building, whos knowledge can't be questioned, it is their way or a very insulting argument should you put forward your own theories! Even in the politest way possible. I have cherry picked what information I can extract, and will go my own route. I will never gain their respect until I do it their way. It is no bother in reality.

[Coyote]

Jesus that s a whole lot of money dropped on that engine, and piss poor service too. You are doing a great job so far mate, ignore the prats in the forums, we all get them :)

[Lola]

Insane speed  :o ;D

[omegooliebird]

Jet engine back in the workshop with me!!!!!!! Yessss!!! Lets hope it works this time.

Got a nice extra gift of a £105 fee for 'government charges' from UPS.. Despite the VAT already being paid.

A quick google of the subject shows that it is a scam. UPS make up charges under the heading of 'government charges', and are a brick wall when questioned. They won't answer emails, so I didn't bother. I phoned 3 times, and each time I asked what 'Government fees were due as the VAT had already been paid, they immediately put the phone down! Insane! Apparently the solution is to apply to the small claims court, and UPS will not respond, because they cant defend it, so you win by default.. but Blimey, what a hassle! I am sure many people just suck it up and hence the scam makes them a tidy wedge. What a world it is turning into :-(

[Coyote]

DHL do that trick too so I stopped using them.

[FPVSteve]

Yea I bought something from Aerosoft GMBH in Germany and it turned from £140 to £195 after charges. Yay, Brexit.

[omegooliebird]

DHL do that trick too so I stopped using them.

Sadly, sometimes there is no choice as it is what the vendor chooses to use. However, like a bunch of bellends, UPS let you pay charges through Paypal, so I did obviously! I have started a claim with them first.. and if UPS don't respond there I will win by default anyway. They haven't responded so far..So it is a cheap place to start rather than the small claims court. So folks, if you get hit with charges, try to pay through Paypal, and if the charges are scam, then the courier will not be able to give an explanation and you will get them back (hopefully)! Don't pay on the doorstep, like they sometimes ask you to, say you have no cash and need to pay online and get a re-delivery at a later date, then pay the scam via Paypal.

[ched]

Sadly, sometimes there is no choice as it is what the vendor chooses to use. However, like a bunch of bellends, UPS let you pay charges through Paypal, so I did obviously! I have started a claim with them first.. and if UPS don't respond there I will win by default anyway. They haven't responded so far..So it is a cheap place to start rather than the small claims court. So folks, if you get hit with charges, try to pay through Paypal, and if the charges are scam, then the courier will not be able to give an explanation and you will get them back (hopefully)! Don't pay on the doorstep, like they sometimes ask you to, say you have no cash and need to pay online and get a re-delivery at a later date, then pay the scam via Paypal.

Nice one, fingers crossed you receive a refund.

[Coyote]

Nice one, fingers crossed you receive a refund.

Ditto, I hope you get it all back, then I'll be doing the same, I never thought to do it that way ( when delivery is preset to that courier. )

[omegooliebird]

It worked!! UPS didn't respond to the Paypal claim, because they couldn't as it is fraud.. So I won and got a refund. So if you get an import charge, then pay it via Paypal!! Their protection works against scummy fraudsters like UPS trying to ransom you. How sad is this world now.

However, the Jet is back together after a full rewire! Pain in the ass!! Just need to find some clean fuel and set up a filtration system to clean it some more, then I can start doing some tests.

In the mean time, I built a TJIRC Mini-Q and put DJI HD on it. It has a 4s1p 18650 pack, and only pulls 20a. Looks like around 100mph, but have no OSD, so can't be sure. Amazing fun to fly. It was VERY gusty, 10mph-30mph wind, and it still flew nice.

[omegooliebird]

Hey Guys! Still waiting on the right weather for the speed planes, it has been either too windy EVERY day, or too hot. We have not had a stable weather pattern suitable for these speeders for months and months.. well since last year! I have charged and discharged the packs so many times in prep, they are probably knackered now! Hopefully soon.

[omegooliebird]

Did rip the Mini-q some more though... it is a BEAST!! It is like flying a simulator haha!