Thunder Tiger Trainer 60 Electric Conversion - maiden flight

[mitropoulosilias]

i love you my friend!! i have a cessna with os 46la motor and i want to convert it like you did. where did you find the motor base (holder???)???

[fettah68]

@mitropoulosilias Hello friend. Sorry about my delayed response. I ordered the motor mount from Hobby King: an HXT Universal Alloy Firewall Mount (150/110mm). It was a couple years ago. I checked Hobby King website, but could not find the same mount, so it may be discountinued. Best of luck and success with your conversion.

[eastcoast78]

Nice Flight. Seems tail heavy .at beginning Sitting on her tail on the ground.Then in the air. Is there a Cowling for her?

[fettah68]

@eastcoast78 Thanks. The reason it is dragging its tail is the flimsy main landing gear, which is spreading out under the weight of the plane. It serves well though, since the prop I am using is almost touching the ground. I have a cowling for her, but the fit of the motor and the motor mount was going to be tricky, so I did not install it. However, I may do it in the near future to give her a nicer look.

[MrLovertoever]

Nice and you have good job on it

[fettah68]

@MrLovertoever Thank you!

[1Filmproducer]

what motor was is it again sorry? nice flying btw

[fettah68]

@1Filmproducer Sorry, I have not been checking the comments on my older videos. Just in case you still need this info: the motor was a Turnigy Aerodrive SK5065-380Kv brushless motor from Hobby King. However, it has been almost 3 years, so it may very well be discontinued. Thank you!

[Voidchaser]

nerd boys

[RubenCraninx]

At 6:02 is that a real plane in the background???

[fettah68]

@RubenCraninx Yes, it is. The RC field is not too far from the Hanscom Field. That scene looks kind of cool. :)

[RubenCraninx]

@fettah68 It shows how real a RC plane can look when there is no comparison to the ground ;)

[sanctuarysucks]

I am running this motor with a 16x10 on 6s2p (6000mah) to fly a Robinhood 80. over 12 pound airplane. It flies great!

[fettah68]

@sanctuarysucks Cool! Do you have a video?

[TARSOUFPA]

ok valeu!!

[Mtrhd0024]

Nice video! I've just finished building a Tiger Trainer 40 tonight, that I got about 6 years ago! I considered converting it to electric, but for now I'll just leave the original nitro engine installed. I'll at least get the hang of the plane, and then maybe see about converting down the line. I really like the idea of FPV flying, in which case electric would be more suitable (quieter, and everything else is already running off electricity) but I'm not even sure I'd use the tiger for that!

[fettah68]

@Mtrhd0024 Good luck with your maiden flight. Tiger Trainers are great trainer planes.

[silasraraujo]

Friend'm riding a Top Flite Cessna 182 81 inch, I would put this engine with Speed of 80, what do you say, think it had been good. He weighs about 2.0kg

[fettah68]

@silasraraujo

Hello. This Turnigy motor I used on my 72"-wingspan trainer was an overkill and had more than enough power even with the smaller-than -recommended prop. I think you will find it adequate for your Top Flite Cessna 182. However, you may want to look into a 100A ESC just to be safe. If you have a watt meter, you should check how much current and power the motor-prop combo is drawing at full throttle before your first flight. Good luck and post videos!

[silasraraujo]

@fettah68

Thank you for your attention, I'll do the verification and so do I put a video on You Tube!

[fettah68]

@silasraraujo This motor should give your Top Flite Cessna 182 plenty of power. Make sure to select the right prop size to match your ESC and battery power ratings. A 80A or 100A ESC should be good. For the battery I recoomend a 6-cell LiPo (22.2 volts) with at least 4000mAh capacity and 25 or higher C rating. Good luck!

[MARIO01230]

Ok . I am planning to post videos next month. I will let you know.

[MARIO01230]

thanks. nice plane! I have a cessna T-206

with a 1300kw motor

[fettah68]

@MARIO01230

Are you planning to post videos of your Cessna T-206? If so, please let me know. I would love to watch them.

[MARIO01230]

what's that on 6.01?

[fettah68]

What you see at 6:01 is a real jet on a landing approach to Hanscom Air Force Base, which only a couple of miles away.

[mrfourtysevenman]

damn i am staying with nitro.

no battery problems, just engine, fuel tank, and throttle servo.

[fettah68]

I was a nitro guy to start with, but I fly exclusively electric now., sold all my nitro engines. Electric planes don't have fuel tanks and throttle servos. Nitro planes still need receiver battery. Motors are ligher than equivalent engines. Charging batteries is practically free (nitro fuel around $30/gal?). There is no sticky mess to be cleaned after each flying day, hence no bad smells at home. By the time nitro guys prep their planes for their first flight, I have already flown three times.

[mrfourtysevenman]

@fettah68

its more like 19 dollars a gallon. true its sticky and i hate the mess but to tell you the truth, engines are way more fun. i like to just start my engine and run it up and down the street. and i dont want one 15 minute flight on a battery, i want about 5 flights for 3 or more hours!

engines last years (mine is 25 years old) motors last between 1-5 years.

overheating is a problem. the battery could ASPLODE. please share your opinions.

[fettah68]

@mrfourtysevenman

I have multiple LiPo batteries for my planes, which I cannot even use up in one day. For this Thunder Tiger 60 trainer I have a 6-cell 5000mAh battery, which gives up to 30 minutes of flight time. With some faster-paced flying it still lasts 20 minutes, which is more than I can handle on one flight anyway. I also have a charger that I can use off my car's battery, so I keep charging and flying.

[fettah68]

The new brushless motors are lightweight, very powerful, and they do not have any wearing parts like the brushes on the old brushed motors, so they last very long. I have not burned a brushless motor yet in the last two years or so. I never had a battery to explode burn, although it is a possibility if mishandled. Similarly, nitro fuel is very flammable and can explode or burn if mishandled as well.

Anyway, nitro vs. electric is a moot discussion, because it is a matter of preference.

[mrfourtysevenman]

@fettah68

ah. both have ups and downs. if you just plain want tou get it up in the air, electric would be good. but if you want authenticity go with nitro.

[cacogi]

Great job friend! I did the same with a calmato sports .60 (same engine).

Good second plane to put that same electric parts !!!!!

Keep posting

Brazil

[fettah68]

Thank you for your kind words. Do you have a video of your Calmato on YouTube? Cheers,

Fettah

[cacogi]

Not yet. But...coming soon.hehe!!!

[hotblume]

how much did that 6s lipo cost lol

[fettah68]

When I ordered it from Hobby King last September, I paid $80 plus shipping and handling. Now it costs less than $60.

[Tohil94]

You're Very Nice, dude! 5/5 Stars

[fettah68]

Thank you buddy!

[JSSV]

I've got the exact same plane but with a 42 engine i think. fully asembled just waiting for a nice day to take her out for her first flight. im really surprised to see how stable and "a good piece of kit" it looks lol i think thats down to the pilot though. anyway good flying!

[fettah68]

Thank you. Yes, it is a really stable flyer, and I should not take credit for it. It is a really nice-fitting ARF. Is yours the 40-size trainer? Please let me know if you end up taping its maiden flight and post it on YouTube. Good luck!

[REVERENDPHAM]

I did a similiar conversion with an old Hangar 9 Value Series Sport Cessna that was originally set up for a 46-51 size motor; the engine hatch is removable, but, with an E-flite Power 46 motor, there's not enough room for a 3200mAh battery pack! I couldn't balance that bird regardless!!!

Nicely done on your electric conversion there, dude!!!

[fettah68]

Thank you!

[REVERENDPHAM]

An electric conversion on a high-wing, regardless of model sizes, does require removing the wing to change the battery; otherwise, it would be difficult to play around with the CG...

Where else would you mount your battery pack, under the fuselage or on top of the wing?

[kcartwright27]

Got a question about your hatch set up.. Do you have to take the wing off to change out the battery? Thinking of doing an electric conversion, but want to possibly cut out a removable  hatch to access the lipo.

I am looking at a 46 size bird...64 inch span.. and i have a few 5s10 3000 batts ready to go.. : -)

[fettah68]

I did not want to compromise the integrity of the fuselage, so I did not cut a battery hatch. My 6S 5000mAh battery is quite large, so cutting a hatch was not really an option, because I would had to cut through some structural elements. Since I transport the plane with the wing off, and I have only one battery for this plane, I install the battery before I put the wing on. Even if I had multiple batteries, this extra step would have taken me only about 2 extra minutes.

[jeffgrave]

How long do items take to get to you? thanks.

[fettah68]

As long the items are in stock they ship relatively quick, within two days. I have received my packages within 7 to 9 calendar days.

[fettah68]

Thanks Jeff. I have ordered from Hobby King three times so far, and each time my experience as a customer has been great. They shipped quickly, and I have received the packages within 7 to 9calendar days. However, you have to make sure that each item is in stock before you place your order. My friend Derek placed an order, and one of the items was out of stock, so he has been waiting for over three weeks to receive his whole order. I have been pleasantly surprised with the quality...

[fettah68]

...of the components for the price I paid. A number of my buddies have ordered from Hobby King as well with similar satisfaction levels. On occasion, there may be a part missing in a box of an airplane, but the customer service was usually responsive, if not every time. In our group, we have ordered or are already flying probably around 6-7 airplanes (some Rx-ready, some balsa ARF) with great satisfaction. They are so inexpensive, yet the quality has been very good to excellent...

[fettah68]

...My friend Scott and I both have the yellow foam Pitts, which we love flying; they are great fun to fly and amazingly good quality. From the instruction manual it is obvious that they were being produced for the German RC company Robbe, a high-reputation company. Anyway, I will be posting a video in the next day or two showing these Pitts planes in action. Best regards.

[jeffgrave]

Nice job! How has your experience been with Hobby King? How long do items take to be mailed and is shipping very costly? thanks!

[fettah68]

By the way, the shipping charges have been reasonable. One time a ordered a samml speed controller for about $8. the shipping was about $3. When I ordered parts for my 60 trainer the weight was close to 2kg (about 4.5lb), and the shipping was $27.