Flite Test - Balancing Your Plane - FLITE TIP

Flite Test - FLITE TIP
Balancing Your Plane
A Hobby King sponsored segment.
Do you ever feel like your trim is always off? Or do you have to constantly re-adjust your control surfaces? Well in this episode Josh and Josh show you how to balance your plane, so that you can have the best flying experience! Watch this episode to learn how!

[@SuperWildman69]

Another good, informative video guys! I bought a brand name CG balancer, to get my T-28 Trojan balanced. I had an instructor from our club maiden, and trim the T-28 for me. He commented that the CG was good during this flight test. I used the recommended CG from the T-28's instruction manual. He also recommended that I add spacers or small washers behind the engine mount to give more down and right force. The T-28 had a tendancy to climb to the left when throttle was increased.

[@albertgerrebos1658]

Great video, but the background music is way too loud and very distracting !!!!

[@6teeth318]

And on top they are talking like crazy . But hey it is 2011. :)

[@RCSurf]

Thank you so much , been rc airplane ing for 2 months , my champ and carbon cub ss became unflyable , knew it was cg but this video helped me balance both which were tail heavy, Joshua you nailed it with the flight characteristics and then seing you fly the t-28 was so impressive and it flew like my two , which now are out of the hanger and flying again , had to put a quarter and penny taped to top of the champs nose ,but it then flew like a champ. Keep going with the vids , btw my son name is Joshua and his 14th birthday was this year 1 - 4 -14 he turned 14

[@RC-Flight]

Man I miss seeing the other josh in the newer videos!!

[@exoditegrayc]

Very, very nice instructional segment. Great looking planes, too! This is what we like to see from you, fellas! Thanks!

[@olitography]

Whats the difference between a nose heavy and a tail heavy aircraft? "A nose heavy aircraft flies badly, a tail heavy aircraft files ONCE!!"

[@stevenpersanojr4679]

the background beat is cool but should not be louder than your voices

[@justinx1480]

Can confirm sadly

[@louiecolton621]

i realize I'm kind of randomly asking but do anybody know a good website to watch newly released movies online?

[@dctisthebest]

Thank you sooo much. I was watching this video one night and i was trying to figure out how to stop making my plane tip stall. And it turned out is was super tail heavy. So i made myself a balancer thigy, and my plane flys again. Flite Test ROCKS!!!!!!

[@shnlj5910]

Thank you Flite Test for this video. I've hardly seen the subject of balance covered at all and those that did not nearly as well or as thorough.

[@tydb1]

Thanks this expaination has given me an idea of what i need to do to fly one of my planes. It is tail heavy and showed all the characteristics you said. I was always blaming it on it being the wings on the bottom but now i know! I will be trying to put weights in this plane. I also love your balancing rig, it will be my weekend project now.

[@flyboy-01420]

Great video, very important points to set your aircraft up, but as incognito53 says, the background music is way too loud!. Could you repost this video without the music please?

[@E744763Productions]

Great video guys! I just finished electricfying my Hanger 9 Corsair .60 and it was tail heavy of cours so ....I had to add over a pound of lead to the cowling! Keep these tips coming :)

[@FliteTest]

@iflybythebook2 You can use any pencils with an eraser. Just make sure they're the same length.

[@furbyguy]

Thanks, this video helped me out a lot.

[@Acula33RC]

I have 5 maiden flights waiting for a good day and this video has helped me be fully prepared for it! Thanks fellas

[@Ultrarc]

Most of my maidens fail

[@lewy950]

I forgot you did this video. I just bought the Mustang so this video has come in really handy. Thanks guys

[@MrRenoman2011]

Once again awesome video boys

[@edge13429]

That answered so many questions I had! Thanks

[@jorgenelsonfelix52]

Excelente la explicación . Les mando un saludo muy grande para los dos y sigan siempre igual .

[@Rickazine]

I thought the music was GREAT and the extra commentary is awesome! Keep up the good videos. Now I need to go adjust my CoG.

[@yamaha4759]

wow this simple flying tips really make a big difference...thank you so much..

[@badgolf1]

great job guys..this helps alot!!

[@jirihamersky6152]

Very useful, thanks.

[@robertbrunston5406]

Very good video Guys! Thanks.

[@limascheng-tei4861]

Hi guys, I love the show is very helpful finding new innovations hobby aviators.

[@Revorob]

Great vid - very informative. I got a lot out of this. I have a Minimoa glider coming and I will use your advice to set up the CG.

[@gonadus]

Love everything about these vids. Especially the HD cameras used to make them. Please, what are they???

[@conradtaggart9959]

Great video - written summary of tail and nose heavy traits would have been superb in the intro / description

[@ThomasMTube]

great vid as always guys

[@danielharrington5118]

Why do you think a loud drumbeat adds to the learning experience?

[@RCSurf]

lol , was referring to bixler . . sarcastic josh is great too , just not as informative and passionate , but a great rc sidekick for sure , yall have the best rc vids on the planet. helped me stay stoked on rc

[@haxto1]

"Sarcastic Josh" (not Bix) I find not even mildly amusing. I hate to sound mean but honestly, he adds nothing to the learning, his comments are lame and dumb, it's a tad cute at first but after a while all he's doing is taking me longer to get the info that I'm seeking by listening to his corny jokes and dumb guesses. Maybe you could find another task for him that doesn't force the watchers to endure his non-helpful inputs? Again, I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm just being mean, I'm not. Just consider if what I am saying is true, does he contribute worthwhile knowledge and input? If not then why include it? Just think what could be said that is helpful in place of it! We could be getting twice the valuable input of Bixler in the same time. I'll seek comedy vids if I'm looking for that. Thanx

[@kwaaaa]

@@haxto1 Lol, rewatching this video years later, I'm so glad he's not still in their videos, it's so difficult to watch.

[@Chio_OB]

I erm overlooked checking the cg on my jetiger, 1 min flight ended in a 70 mph nose in, doh, it was WAY nose heavy the elevator barely worked. Check your CG! good video guys, great infact!

[@RCcunuk]

good tips guys

[@vinicius14]

Very good video tks

[@jimburkhart58]

great tips great clip....maybe lose the stupid music...just want to hear YOU! ..(have a good radio at home already)

[@nathank5794]

figure 9 i love it

[@austra2005]

Does every typè of plane balance at the same spot (1/3 of the leading edge)? thanks great videos

[@JigsawCrisis]

Great Vid! But how would you go about balancing a swept wing design? like the Hobby king "Target Drone v1.5 Fiberglass FPV Airplane"

[@rfqdo7604]

How about a plane with a centered wing, like Extra 300 for instance? Do we balance it upsidedown too? Thanks!

[@AnEngineersPOV]

When you are putting the plane in the two pencils are there anything except the motor inside(like ESC,Receiver)?

[@sawyermartini7986]

Hey, any chance this video could be added to your first playlist as the second video? I feel like this this inforation is overlooked a little too often. This is my go-to source for Miami University Aeronautics!

[@jakecrist6389]

ok so on a high wing do you include allrons when going 33% back from leading edge

[@mohr41]

Sorry I didn’t have time to read through all the comments but related to airplanes with retractable landing gear you guys did it right by balancing it with the gear out but didn’t reference that so always balance your retractable gear airplanes with the gear out

[@MaxxEastick]

Lost my first plane due to heavy tail. When it crashed, found most of the fuel had leaked out and settled into the tail causing the tip stall and plane, a trainer, spiral into a tree. Thanks for the video.

[@MrROTD]

1/3 from the leading edge is usually about right for a straight winged plane

[@epicspacetroll1399]

Does this trick work just as well for canard aircraft? I imagine it would have to be at the least modified a bit because the canards pull the center of lift forward instead of backward. Do you guys have any particular rule of thumb? By the way I

[@mark71delaney32]

How do you recommend finding c.g. on a swept wing?

[@BadIdeas101]

how do you find the balance point of a homebuilt planes with the wings in odd places like a long EZ shaped plane?

[@Shemafied]

On my x uav talon the propeller is on the rear. Does that make a difference to what is being said in the video?

[@skrutinizr9372]

When you make your balancing rig- drill the holes in the base at an angle so when balancing a multi-wing plane, the vertical posts can reach between the wings easily. The music needs to be dialed back and maybe dial back the "dopey commenter" and just have ONE person do the explanation.

[@gsulliv1]

how would you measure the 25% to 33% point on a swept wing? Is it the same? Is it measured at the point where the wing meets the fuselage? or ....?

[@zoomie9134]

i didnt notice it till you brought it up...

[@thenerfergeek325]

i idol these guys 1.josh is funny(da one dat doesnt do anything) 2.josh is an amzing tip giver( no homo....nd hes a good modder n such)

[@acamvarnum]

1:33..."See, that's why I'm here"- superbe!

[@WingnutDumbace]

I agree, shipping costs from HobbyKing are a BIATCH, I think this is due to the fact that unless your pick your country you will get your items shipped via international shipping. My problem was that the USA warehouse is never stocked with what you want... In fact, its so bad, I've considered talking to Hobbyking about becoming a distributor/warehouse as they do have very good prices for the most part.

[@TheShiphoo]

Lol... Just flew my FMS P51D 1400mm, and it was tail heavy.. Even with 4 cell 3300 mAh battery. (Recommended size is 4 cell 2600 mAh) it's still tail heavy.. I did have to relocate a rudder servo, because the rod was bending horribly. Also, I didn't put my gun ports and exhaust pipes on.

[@kz4506]

So where did you position the pencils , if you moved the plane forward it would had moved the c,of e further forward and not needing weights

[@Skatesfy]

Question. If you have a flying wing, do you just find the middle and balance it there?

[@fourjayshutalla]

Do you do a cg with fuel or with out?

[@j5hernand]

I want to build that balancer . can I get the dimension or distance between each hold ?

[@Landotter1]

Your Fokker DR1 has a plastic engine. The real DR1's had a cast iron engine and heavy propeller, which helped in balancing them. If your engine was cast from lead or aluminum, it wouldn't be so tail heavy. Just saying... Firewall weights were a good idea. Weight would be less if put on the forward inner side of the cowling. You forgot to mention, that on the P51, if you were to move the weight to the fuselage, the weight would have to be increased to have the same effect. It's a rather simple formula and wouldn't be a bad idea to show people in a video so they could see the relationship between weight and position from the fulcrum/CG point. Great educational vid, though.

[@dallas69]

Wing Lift That is where the CG or the pencle reasersor should be @ the highest camber or highest lift. Then If you can move the ESC and LiPo fwd or aft to get the plane level. Note Where the ESC is and LiPo is and velcro the ESC and LiPo at that spot. Now If you change to a bigger LiPo do a CG check. again Aircraft CG is the highest lift point of the wing or the thickest point on the wing or the largest camber

[@MasterMayhem78]

Always try to adjust battery, Rx, ESC before adding weight.

[@prapanchulapinyo757]

Good material, nice people. It more good for - talk slowly but clearly - lower background music thing will more super clear.

[@jkrc7684]

My airplane balances correctly on the cg the manufacturer recommends but it stalls like crazy and is very unstable. Any thoughts?

[@jagdishram6268]

Nice

[@WingnutDumbace]

I bought a "NEW" plane which had epoxy'ed washers placed in the nose on the Left side of the center line of the plane. My question is why? The plane leans hard to the left when put togather, I can only assume that its to adjust for the torque of the motor. Should i place the battery to the right of the center line or center the battery on the center line?

[@ntexas100]

Thanks for the info. I bought the P51D (my fire rc plane) and no where in the owner's manual does it say how to balance the plane other than to move the battery and/or the receiver. What a stupid suggestion. So much easier to put some counter weight on the tail section....especially for someone like me....a first timer. Thanks again.

[@MasterMayhem78]

You should always try to correct balance issues by moving components first before adding weight. Small changes make big differences. Added weight only after all other options are exhausted. Less weight is always better with RC aircraft.

[@incognito53]

Am I the only one that couldn't concentrate on what he was saying for the drums?

[@mrsillywalk]

Bad! Really bad. The speed talking as well!

[@simon3824]

Me too!!

[@donengebretson4716]

Talks too fast - music too loud

[@MrShreddd]

have you guys reviewed the hk p51 yet?

[@OhCrapItsJimmy]

How do you tell where the cog is on the plane? (e.g. you said 25% back on the wing - how did you know that?)

[@wise20uk]

@iflybythebook2 to make it work you realy have to use #2 pencils :-)

[@phenom608255]

From the front of the wing?, like leading edge?

[@phenom608255]

@flitetest Sorry, but what does "%33" back mean? Does it mean 3.3 cm away from the front of the plane? Sorry if this sounds noobish, Im new to rc, and I really want to get my plane balanced, because I crashed it last time, because it was too nose heavy.

[@davidbootwala5682]

I have a aiyrhog hawk eye and I messed up the tail how do i fix it

[@markdaniel8740]

cg does not affect stall. a wing will always stall at the same angle of attack, regardless of speed or weight. an elevator may not have enough power to raise the nose at landing speed if the cg is too far forward.

[@mountainmeister7996]

Here to learn not really to dance...DJrc

[@Allboutnothing]

I have been looking for ages now on how to ballance a 33 inch wing span cessna 182?

[@parkerwier7567]

Is it ok if I balance my plane on the bottom instead of the top

[@carmatic]

on the Fokker, what if instead of putting 90g of weight at the nose, you use a motor that is 90g heavier than the Turnigy 2410 thats already in there

[@falconeaterf15]

Do I need to worry about the CG on my three chamber Mexican imported bong? Will it tip over if it's not set? Bummer.

[@pivotalaxe2698]

always balance planes with everything on it it will have when flying (including cams)

[@MaxxEastick]

@danny9599 works well with symmetrical wings and on Raf aerofoils and NACA 1, but asymmetrical, like on the P51 or Spitties and the high speed aerofoils like on jets (max chord at about 40% to 50%) and delta's need a tad more science or info from experienced flyers.

[@franzlundh1038]

How do you find the cg in a bi plane? Don’t havet any instruktions

[@arsitama]

I have a foamy, I balance, and it looks level, but the nose tend to go down. I have to give an up elevator to keep it level. I use trim. So that make my tail and elevator is not straight. Is that a sign of nose heavy? But on other instance, when it fly straight, the tail is not level with the nose. The nose is higher than the tail, why is that?

[@rlb96]

The music is to distracting. I couldn't follow the directions you were giving because of it. If you're going to talk you need to leave off the music.

[@jakecrist6389]

and how meny deg from nutral down do you nead to go

[@Toma_Stoichkov]

hahaha guys you're nutz :D Thumbs Up for FliteTest Crew ! Don't forget to check your cog :D hahah

[@KaizenInventor]

hi I am new in rc plane hobby and want to make my first airplane, I downloaded your free templates but the thing is we do not have foam available in our country is their a alternative for it? if yes pls reply soon as possible because I am eager to get in this hobby thanks

[@mazpr2025]

fail

[@RoboTekno]

(1/4 Mac to 1/3 Mac) = maidens and adjust from there :P "Nose heavy planes fly poorly, tail heavy planes fly once."

[@OmerWinrauke]

u guyz r back from LA ??

[@_UAV_PILOT]

When you measuring the correct point of the CoG, how far from fuselage is correct ? One inch, two inches... ?

[@rameelkhan3966]

its 25% to 33% of the length of the chord of the wing (starting from the leading edge of the wing fuselage has nothing to do in measuring cg)

[@_UAV_PILOT]

Yes I knew that, but the CoG of each wing has two dimensional. One distance is 75mm from LE. Where is the second distance along the entire of each wing ?

[@PadrinoLuca]

This distance is irrelevant.

[@seanbailey1895]

What if one side of the wing is heavy?

[@cod4madass]

i have built several Triplanes Over The Years And You ALWAYS Balance Them On The Middle Wing.

[@larsfroelich]

KZbin Gold.

[@CheddarBayBaby]

I kind of like the music

[@AnEngineersPOV]

i didn't understand how can i balance my plane:( I have a hobbyking epo parkjet and it still falls

[@chadkapper492]

@shebotnov We created and own all the rights to the music in this video. It's a problem between GEMA and KZbin. Sorry.

[@TheScarletTomato1]

I think so.

[@osanshouo1684]

Just remember, like in glow, find CG with a empty tank, so the same thing, must be with a discharged battery, jk Ja ja, got to add the jk jic

[@bottling.hobo.]

instructions are unclear. when do I drink windex again?

[@DashzRight]

How do I balance my glow airplane? Full tank or empty tank?

[@pivotalaxe2698]

full.

[@Ultrarc]

Actually it doesn't matter because your tank SHOULD be right on the cg if it is not then the cg will change through out the flight as the tank becomes empty

[@JJ-jt4ji]

Bug eyes, rapid speech. But great info~