As expected, it’s a well-mannered animal in the air
Text, photos and video by Tom Hintz
I used my Valley View RC twin 40cc engine for the power and ease of
operation.
Flight video by Dennis Shaver
Posted – 2-17-2020
After the longest stretch of lousy North Carolina winter flying weather in recent memory, I was finally able to get the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 to the field and into the air. The Edge 540 airframe design has long been a favorite of mine for a highly aerobatic, everyday plane for the masses. This maiden flight was the best excuse I have had in a long time to drop everything else and get out to the flying field.
Sane Setup
Respecting the aerobatic potential of the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 I set up my usual 100%, 70% and 50% dual rates, all with 40% expo. I have found these settings to be good for me with a new plane, particularly one with this level of potential control sensitivity. I put all three rate states on one switch so I can quickly calm the plane down if need be. Later I may tweak some or all these settings depending on how the plane flies after being trimmed out.
CG
I always set my planes up for the maiden flight with the CG in the middle of the manufacturer’s specifications. Once I get the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 trimmed to fly straight and level, I will start doing 45-degree up lines, inverted, and hands-off to see if the nose pulls towards the ground or upwards. The ideal line for me is the nose slowly arcing towards the ground. This has been the most reliable way to fine-tune the CG location for me and usually produces a great-handling plane.
The Maiden Flight
This is the first take off and very little trim was needed.
The first time the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 left the ground I could tell it was very close to flying straight and level. I had to add a few clicks of aileron trim at speed and just a bit of down elevator. There isn’t a lot of change in handling from full throttle to idle, but I will use my normal F-modes, one for normal flight, the other for landing. The only real difference is a little lower idle speed and a couple clicks of down elevator trim to make me hold just a touch of up elevator as it sinks to the runway.
During the maiden flight I did a couple of the inverted, 45-degree up lines and the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 showed a nearly imperceptible arc towards the canopy. Unless something changes as I fine-tune the control set up, the CG will remain where it is. Throughout the maiden flights I could find no bad habits in how the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 flies, fast or slow, so the CG will remain in the middle of the suggested range.
Oddly Sensitive Rudder
As usual, I did a bunch of touch-and-goes with the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 on the “all I can get” throws and quickly discovered that the rudder is hyper-sensitive during full power take offs, including when the tail wheel is off the ground. Even with 40% expo I had the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 sharply veering left and right as made rudder corrections even though I was trying to be light and smooth on the stick. Reducing the throws to 70% (my mid-range dual rate) calmed the Edge rudder down a bunch during take offs. I would find that my lowest rates, 50%, made the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 a puppy on approach and landing. That said, it still has plenty of control authority if I needed to start hammering sticks if caught by a gust of wind as often happens at our field.
What is odd about the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 rudder very effective yet less violent in its responses in flight. I always try pushing in increasing amounts of rudder with the plane at a safe altitude to see if it wants to snap or stall a wing. I was able to “slide” the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 around the turn to align with the runway with a little cross aileron added but saw no tendencies to get out of control.
I didn’t put the wing tip plates on the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 for the maiden flights because I like to see how differently the plane flies with and without them. Without the tip plates the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 flies knife edge easily with very little elevator correction needed. During elevators I had trouble getting the wing-rock to go away but suspect that is largely me and will go away as I get used to flying the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540.
Conclusions
Part of my enthusiasm for how this plane flies very well may come from my confidence in the Edge 540 airframe design. The 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 version takes aerobatic capabilities to a new level yet, let go of the sticks and it is instantly stable.
The Valley View RC 40-twin engine has plenty of power to jerk the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 through the sky however you want. In the world of 40-twin engines the Valley View version seems to be at the top of the horsepower output. ON a plane as light as the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540, that makes for impressive vertical capabilities, including powering out of hovers with ease.
The 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 may not be a good beginner plane but for anyone who loves thrashing a plane around the sky will love it. The 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 goes from rock-steady flight to violent aerobatics and back to steady flight again as quickly as you can move the sticks.
The 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 is my first 3D Hobby Shop plane, but it will not be my last. This is a great kit, a great flier and as pilot friendly as such an aerobatic animal can be. If you are looking for a new, active every-day-flier, the 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 deserves a hard look. There is lots of fun built into this plane and it is easy to get all that pleasure out of it.
The 3D Hobby Shop 75" Edge 540 gets a big thumbs up from FlyingRC.net.
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