E-flite Turbo Timber Evolution 1.5m BNF Float Review. Best float plane ever?

[@ccarlley]

Great video! Thanks for taking us with you.

[@BRGT350]

Thanks!

[@msher1438]

Getting one tomorrow. It will be my first water plane ever so I am really excited!

[@BRGT350]

Once you start flying from the water, you will be hooked! I love float flying. My UMX Timber and UMX J3 are dedicated float planes that I fly off the lake behind my house. There are too many trees and houses to fly the larger Timber there, so I stick with the UMX planes. When our club floods every spring, a bunch of us bring out the floats and have a lot of fun flying off the water. The Timber makes a great float plane! The Twin Otter is another and I say probably the best float plane I have ever flown. The twin engines make for very easy handling on the water. With a single engine, you need to be ready on the rudder to counter the torque as you increase power to take-off. Much like a warbird in that aspect.

[@msher1438]

@@BRGT350 I live in downtown orlando and since Florida is the fastest growing state, every little field is becoming occupied so it's hard to find places to fly. We do however have a TON of close lakes so float planes I hope will fit the bill moving forward.

[@BRGT350]

Nice, I know that area well. My dad lives just outside Orlando in Clermont area. Yeah, not a lot of open spaces to go fly but a lot of water.

[@ludwigvanzappa9548]

Totally agree with you about planes on floats , I like it more than on land. Skis are pretty fun too.

[@BRGT350]

I haven't tried skis yet, but I sure love floats.

[@reptilewizz]

Just flew the maule m7 on floats and freaking loved it. Can’t wait to try the timber now!!!

[@BRGT350]

Float flying is a blast! Glad you loved it. I find it so much fun.

[@chrisr4274]

Nice flight! Mine is in pre orde. Can't wait. Nice video.

[@BRGT350]

Thank you! I had a lot of fun filming and flying for this video.

[@lukestanier398]

I agree, all the Timbers do look even better on floats.

[@BRGT350]

Both of mine are on floats right now and I don't know if I will ever put the wheels back on. They make very nice looking float planes and are so much fun from the water.

[@berndm9743]

I found that most of my 4 float planes including the Evolution, is that mid flaps (15 degrees) is a big help on takeoff for sure BUT for landing I have found that NO flaps makes it easier to really grease it in without the tendency to flare up or bounce on touchdown. With the flaps at zero, there is less lift and the plane settles much more smoothly. I also agree with you how great the top loading battery is. I also own the non Evolution Turbo Timber as well as an original Timber and they all fly beautifully. Other than the battery loading difference between the older Turbo Timber and the Evolution version, the is basically no flying difference at all. They are the same plane after all.

[@BRGT350]

Yeah, I have been continually playing around with flap settings on a lot of different planes and coming to the conclusion that half flaps that are reduced from what the manual suggests provides the most consistent landings. If there is any wind to contend with, I keep the flaps up on landing. I have been taking the flap settings in the manual and cutting them back quite a bit. My full flaps are closer to what the manual suggests for half. I also changed the deployment time to 4 seconds, which helps to prevent pitch up nose attitude if I deploy the flaps with too much airspeed.

[@frankcaptain4392]

Thanks for the great float vid. Trying it out 2mrw on the water. I Had to extend the fishing line to the rudder but that was my only hiccup when switching from landing gear to floats. Enjoyed this video a lot.

[@BRGT350]

I had plenty of fishing line on the Turbo Timber Evolution, but my original Timber had just enough line to connect. One of the attaching rods is just into the holder for the set screw to clamp it down. Have fun flying off the water! I find it far more enjoyable than flying with the landing gear. Once boating season winds down in Michigan, I plan to find some areas to fly off the water. Too many boaters out in the summer to be safe on the water with an airplane.

[@danbradley9509]

Same here.

[@trevor5290]

I found the fishing lines to be too short as well. This is my first Eflight product ever, cause I feel they are overpriced.. But! I thought Hey! they must be perfect for that kind of or money right? so I bought the Turbo Timber, only to find the fishing line is to short and the turbo exhaust in both sides of the cowl is not even glued in. They just flap around. I KNOW.. very small things to complain about.. but again.. huge price tag and not perfect at all. Where is the QC And now they tell you to remove the ESC from it location and move it forward and up into the cooling air because they are overheating! WOW. For an extra $100 more than the competition you get a model that you can fix all the bugs just like the competition. This was my First and Last Eflight.

[@PhilipCockram]

Awesome video and great advice. .Thanks . This plane just looks right with floats . My Timber Evolution shipped out today and should be here next Tuesday . I think it's a great plane for the money and the included floats and slats are a nice bonus .

[@BRGT350]

You will love the new Evolution! Agree that it brings a lot of value with everything that is included. My favorite is the optional floats. The plane looks so good with them.

[@andrewnavales5739]

Definitely agree on float planes being rewarding. Got the Turbo Timber , Twin Otter, UMX Turbo Timber because of tje floats

[@BRGT350]

I really love flying on floats. My UMX J3, UMX Timber, original Timber are all float planes and I alternate on the Twin Otter. I might just leave the floats on the Evolution and work on finding some spots to fly from the water that don't require a flooded airport. I am surrounded by lakes, ponds, and rivers, but few are suitable to fly on. Most are too busy with boats, but I think I can find something that will work. Float flying is just too much fun!

[@andrewnavales5739]

I'm thinking of just keeping the Twin Otter on floats permanently. We have lots of lakes here in Ontario Canada. There are also lots of storm ponds in my town (Brampton) which is perfect for the UMX. Apparently, few guys in our club use the floats in winter in the snow. Maybe you can do a video about that. Keep up the great work. You just got a new subscriber.😄😄😄

[@BRGT350]

Thanks! A few guys in my club fly with floats in the winter as well, but the snow really tears up the foam. It needs some protection, either fiberglass or tape, to protect to foam. I rarely fly in the winter. Usually the winter is when I am busy with a repainting project or something else that keeps me inside. Perhaps this coming winter I will get out and fly. Living along Lake Michigan, there is water everywhere around me. Problem is that when the weather is nice enough to fly, all the boats are out on the water and I am sure some intoxicated boater would love to run over an airplane for fun. I just don't trust them. I am lucky with my UMX float planes as I can fly off the lake behind my house. Too many houses and trees to fly my larger planes, but perfect for the UMX ones.

[@jpeterman57]

Nice to see more float flying with the Evolution. Luckily I have access to two good sized private ponds with kayak or aluminum jon boats for retrieval. Dreaming of the opportunities till mine arrives.

[@BRGT350]

I got lucky with the flooded field at the airport that I could use for filming. This area never floods in the summer, so it was a rare treat. I live on a small lake, but the houses and trees are too close to risk flying something as large as the Timber from the water. I do fly my UMX float planes off of it all the time and the neighbors enjoy watching them. I need to find an area less inhabited to fly the Timbers and Twin Otter on floats. Sounds like you have the perfect spot and retrieval system! I need to work on some alternate options so I can continue to fly the Timbers on floats. They are just too much fun not to!

[@musk-eteer9898]

so lucky

[@minirccreators3516]

i love flying on floats to so amazing

[@BRGT350]

Float flying is so much fun! My original Timber and UMX Timber are both dedicated float planes. I swap between floats and landing gear on my Evolution. The Evolution makes a better float plane thanks to the top loading battery hatch.

[@minirccreators3516]

yeh i have also a trainstar ang i build a floats for it so much fun on water taxi but its also a buttom hatch i gonna convert it on top hatch someday coz its hard to take off the battery

[@billysharp2242]

I just got mine n the mail... I'm new to the sport and super excited.. I have a lake near me that would do well for this... I'm so stoked to learn how to fly

[@BRGT350]

You will love the Timber Evolution on the water! One flight and you won't ever want to put the wheels back on. It is an awesome float plane and flying with floats is a lot of fun.

[@tughillrc6327]

Nice Flying. Mine is on Pre Order and I also own the original Turbo Timber 1500 and it does fine on water. 😎👍🗽✨✨✨✨✨🎥🎬✔

[@BRGT350]

My original Timber is a dedicated float plane now. I just didn't care for how it looked on the tires, so I just leave the floats on. Wondering about doing the same with the Turbo Timber Evolution. It too looks so awesome on floats. Yesterday I was busy on Google Maps looking for possible spots to fly my planes from the water now that our club field is mostly dried up, or at least dry enough that we can't fly planes off the water anymore. Still a bit muddy, but the standing water over the runway is gone.

[@payitfwdrcl6171]

Tugg. How you doing man? Hope all is well buddy. Hope to meet up with you again someday. 👊👊😎

[@payitfwdrcl6171]

Always been a Timber fan. I currently have the UMX Turbo Timber as well as the 1.5m TT. Love them both. Had to pre-order the Evolution. I was considering flying it on floats. After seeing your video, got to do it. Thanks for sharing. Subbed your channel. 👍👍

[@BRGT350]

Floats is the best! I will probably keep the floats on and fiberglass the bottoms so I can fly off of snow and grass with them. I love how the plane looks and flies with the floats. Thanks for subscribing!!

[@DaninVA]

Great video and I can not agree with you more about the joys of float flying!

[@BRGT350]

Float flying is so much fun! Sadly, I didn't get a chance to fly my 1.5m Timbers off the water this year, but sure logged a lot of flights on my UMX Timbers from the water.

[@spikekavalench]

Nice flying, great review!

[@BRGT350]

Thanks!

[@scottduckworth3299]

I agree that float flying is somehow more relaxing than flying from the ground. I'm usually too lazy to load up my kayak on the car, so I rarely go float flying unless I already plan on kayaking. I've not considered using a RC boat as a RC plane recovery vehicle. I may have to get a RC boat now. I'll be sure to tell my wife it was your suggestion. :-)

[@BRGT350]

The RC boat works pretty good and is a good excuse to get one. The coat hanger worked well too as the hook part could snag the supports for the floats and drag the plane back. I tested it out as an experiment, but never had to use it when flying. I can't explain why float flying is so much more relaxing, but it is. It is more challenging, yet never seems to feel as challenging as it should. I just love flying off the water.

[@musk-eteer9898]

i use my drone with a grabbling hook made from a coat hanger and paracord

[@scotboy1297]

Best float review, especially with drone footage. Does new Timber have reversing ESC, very important to have on a floater?

[@BRGT350]

Thanks! This was my first attempt using drone footage and I love how it came out.

[@BRGT350]

Yes, the Evolution has the ability for reverse thrust. You need at least a 7-channel transmitter to get it to work. I only had a 6-channel when I did the filming, so I couldn't try out the reverse.

[@TrailcamsRCPhotoFlying2000]

Nice review and great looking plane. It doesn't appear to me that you are having to use up-elevator input while taxiing on water. Is this true ? Also, when you take off are you giving up elevator or just full throttle ?

[@BRGT350]

While it has been awhile since I last flew the Timber on floats, there is a good chance I am dialing in a bit of up elevator when I am taxiing in the water. It helps to get the rudder further in the water and also probably a bit of habit of always using up elevator when taxiing my taildraggers, even though the wheels aren't on it. For take off, it is a mix of both throttle and elevator input. On 4S, it takes off about 50% throttle, less if using flaps and slats. With 3S, flaps up and no slats, it is closer to 75%. I build airspeed on the ground and then give slight up elevator pressure to take off. It will lift off with just mashing the throttle, but that is poor technique. It doesn't need much up elevator at take off, just a little and the plane is in the air. I continue adding power during climb out and then reduce to cruising speed when I am at the altitude I want to fly at.

[@spikelanch]

Nice video! Hey I’m getting enough water in my floats that it sloshes around. I see you covered this in your video, thanks for that, but I wonder if there is a spot that one could install a drain hatch somewhere..

[@BRGT350]

From what I have seen others do is to prop the float up vertically with the rudders pointed down and let the floats drain that way instead of trying to add a hole to drain the water out. I don't fly mine enough from water to have the issue, but I know it has been reported on the Timber and Twin Otter. I have thought about putting the floats in a plastic bag with a thing of Damp-Rid to help draw out the moisture that way, but since I don't use my floats very often, I haven't looked into that option any further than just thinking about it.

[@insurancemann1]

Great review, subscribed. I fly the turbo timber and the timber X on floats. Prefer the turbo timber and looking forward to this upgraded top hatch model

[@BRGT350]

Thank you! The top mounted hatch is awesome for float flying. I always hated water dripping into the battery hatch on my original when I would tip it over to swap batteries.

[@carlosancinez9116]

Awesome video, what battery do you recommend? Thanks

[@BRGT350]

Thanks, I found the 2200-2700 3S to be an ideal battery. The 4S battery makes it a very powerful and quick plane, which is probably more like a real turboprop. I ended up using my 2200 3S more than anything else. Espicially on water where it was easier to take off with 3S power as you have less torque to deal with. It pulled strong to the left with the 4S in the water. I didn't notice that much with the wheels. It just goes from dead stop to in the air with 4S. I have another video in which I compare different batteries and how they perform.

[@johnmueller3573]

Flys great enjoy

[@johnmueller3573]

Nice plane

[@BRGT350]

indeed it is! One of my favorites.

[@RARenfield]

Nice field. I see what you mean about the occasional flooding.

[@BRGT350]

yeah, when it floods, it is an awesome for float planes. Last year it flooded after some highly unusual heavy rain and stayed that way for about 2 weeks and then another week or so of muddy/wet grass that was too wet for landing gear and not wet enough for floats. It can be hit or miss if we get the flooding over the runway. This year it has been dry as the snow melts since we didn't get nearly as much snow over the winter. Spring is when it usually floods, but not this year. It sucks to be living around so much water, yet no great place to fly from it. A few guys have tried Lake Michigan, but that is a bit scary in case something goes wrong and it is typically always windy at the lake.

[@RARenfield]

@@BRGT350 Wind definitely can ruin the experience. Your timing was good here overall. Fun flight! I wait for my set, in terms of wind at the dock. Meaning, dead calm. But from the boat it's a whole different story. Whether parked on open water or flying alongside, wind seems less of an issue. Plus, I'm already on a rescue boat! All the best!

[@trainroomgary]

Hi from Michigan: Cool demo - Do the floats have a servo for the float rudder? ✈

[@BRGT350]

No servo on the float rudders. Instead they use fishing line attached to the tail wheel so when the plane's rudder moves, the tail wheel and float rudders move. It works really well and avoids having to worry about a servo or wiring getting wet.

[@trainroomgary]

@@BRGT350 Thanks for the information on the fishing line. Cool - Grand Haven Michigan - You are close to my club. Flying Pilgrims RC Club . ✈

[@BRGT350]

Where is that located? I haven't heard of that one before.

[@trainroomgary]

​@@BRGT350 We are about 5 miles east of AnnArbor. ✈

[@BRGT350]

Oh ok, so the other side of the state. I used to get out there every summer for Thunder over Michigan airshow.

[@CJB-z3q]

Awesome plane!! Have you had any overheating issues? I see a few people complaining about the motor and ESC getting extremely hot on 4s and short flite time.

[@BRGT350]

No issues at all and I flew on 3S/4S, and on a few occasions had zero downtime between flights as I was trying to get as much filmed as possible. I would land, swap batteries, and go back up again. Zero issues with heat. The batteries weren't even warm when I took them out. I think there are a few isolated cases and I sure the majority of those are guys running large 4S batteries, running full power the entire flight, and flying in hot ambient temps. I think only one case did I hear of somebody melting a motor mount and Horizon replaced his fuselage for him. That one was most likely an actual ESC or motor issue. The other guys reporting issues tend to report that they are flying aggressive, so I fully expect near full throttle the entire time. Using the throttle like an on/off switch is never a good idea. On some of my warbirds, if I do a high speed full throttle pass, I do a few passes at cruising throttle before going hot on the power again. Good to give the electronics a break and cool down.

[@CJB-z3q]

@@BRGT350 thanks so much for the reply!

[@CJB-z3q]

@@BRGT350 I was planning on getting an evolution so that's good to know

[@BRGT350]

It is really a wonderful aircraft.

[@trevor5290]

I read that others running 4s have switched to a 2 blade 13x4 e prop and the performance increased and the amps dropped.

[@dutchloveRC]

TCAF just built a new runway to keep it dry, but right now I'm a little jealous

[@BRGT350]

I was at our field last night for a bit and the water is almost gone. The runway is still a bit squishy on the far end, but not bad. There is no longer enough water for float operations. Only a few ducks over the corner. We talked with Bob Kovacks from TCAF on their runway before putting in ours. He is a member at our club as well. We put in a 15' x 300' runway and I wish it was 300' x 600'! Trying to land on a 15 foot wide runway is a challenge and the EDF's sure do take up all of that 300 foot length.

[@bradfordtownsend9698]

What rates and expo do you recommend? Cheers

[@BRGT350]

30% expo on ailerons and elevator, 10% on the rudder, 65% aileron throw, 80% elevator, and 90% rudder. I don't fly at ultra low speed to where I need maximum deflection of the surfaces, but if you are going to fly at low speed, you will want more throw. I tame down the ailerons so it flies more sedate at cruise speed, yet still has plenty of authority on landing and take-off. I also cut down on the amount of flap deflection, use a 4 second deployment speed, and less elevator mixing than the factory suggests. For the Timber, I usually take the full flap deflection and reduce it by less than half and halve that for take-off flaps. I use more flaps if I am flying off of water and less for land. Mostly because the water landing area is so much shorter if I am using the flooded section of our field. I want to get the plane nice and slow to avoid going long, which I did a few times in the video.

[@bradfordtownsend9698]

@@BRGT350 Thank you, for the detailed answer. I will program these rates and expo, and steel my nerves for a flight. Cheers

[@BRGT350]

sounds good. Don't be afraid to adjust to your liking. I did a lot of playing around with my original Timber to get the plane to fly like I wanted it to. Everyone likes a little different flying plane. Some like sport, some like slow handling, others want fast and crisp response. I tend to like mine more towards the slow and sedate.

[@europenshi540]

Mine doesn’t like to turn very good in the water any suggestions ?

[@BRGT350]

check to make sure your water rudders are straight and the pins that attach to the aircraft rudder aren't loose. Either of those things could cause it not to turn well in the water. Also, if you are going too slow in the water, there isn't enough pressure on the rudder from either the water or air to make either rudder effective.

[@europenshi540]

@@BRGT350 thanks will check it

[@danbradley9509]

How’s the CG for you with floats and a 4s 2200 smart pack? I moved my ESC forward per the manual and also pushed the battery all the way forward but it seems to balance level at about 70mm instead of 60mm. Wanted to check with somebody else before I maiden it off a lake.

[@BRGT350]

I had my 2200 4S moved forward, but not into the cutout that extends towards the prop. I put my 2200 3S all the way forward into that cutout. The 2200 4S is flush with the bulkhead without going into the cutout. I don't recall the CG number with that configuration, but it flew just fine. Same with the 2200 3S all the way forward into the cutout. The battery location is pretty forgiving on the Timber. I wouldn't worry.

[@danbradley9509]

Thanks! I won’t worry then.

[@francisdonachie4286]

Can you use a 3s 5000 35to 40c battery to fly the turbo timba evolution plane safely for extra flying time. I'd love to know if its OK to do so. Thanks Frank.

[@BRGT350]

yes, you can use that battery in the Turbo Timber Evolution

[@francisdonachie4286]

Thanks for your help. Safe flying.