FMS 1100mm PC-21 Pilatus: Best Bang for Your Buck RC Warbird?

[@PRT1396]

we fly the same PC-21 (me and a friend) but with 6s (only ESC upgraded) from almost 2 years and it still fly like the first day. it does knife edge really well.

[@Thercgeek]

That sounds like a blast!

[@PRT1396]

@@Thercgeek here is a little video we made on the first flight kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJvSp3mvm7yNpJY

[@haraldrieger4706]

Whow. It sounds like the original aerobatic jetprop legend PC21 with the loudly whistling electic motor. Great ! This model is on my list to buy.

[@lw216316]

thumb up from me.....smooth landings...good job by camera crew may your sky be blue and your wind calm

[@Thercgeek]

Thanks my friend!

[@M4rkmcc21]

I love this and the Nanchang. Reasons i love the Pilatus is the canopy has a latch so stays put. Landing gear is short and never bent on me. Battery bay is huge with easy access. I fly on 5 and 6s 4000. I did upgrade to the Maule 1050kv motor on 4s but the better combo is the 3948 kv900 from the FMS P51 Voodoo and a 100A esc. The motor just fits in on stock mounts. Add an APC 10x8 and this thing is a beast. All my 1.2m warbirds have this upgrade. Bearcat, corsair etc.

[@sotm6078]

But you lose the 5 blade scale feature!!

[@lancegrey1225]

Very nice model. The total design of the plane is right on aerodynamic and balance spec's. Great job on your informative presentation and flying. Thank you.

[@Thercgeek]

Thanks!

[@johnw5734]

The slow pass was nice, very scale like.

[@Thercgeek]

Thanks!

[@jimr3633]

Love your videos. Great content and production values. Can't imagine how much editing work is required to get this out to us. Keep it up. You've inspired me with your foamie kit bash videos to repaint my Vampire post crash and try my hand at panel lines and weathering. And yes, the PC-7 and all variants are still warbirds to me. :)

[@Thercgeek]

Cool, I’m sure it’ll come out great! 😊

[@Hughejazshole]

Awesome and nicely done! I think I might have to grab it!

[@Thercgeek]

Thanks!

[@winstonsmith7801]

Nice. I painted mine in the Livery of the RAAF Roulettes :)

[@Thercgeek]

Nice!

[@noelteelow3237]

I fly this bird on the dago red motor and prop, it is a very very capable bird even on 4s with that combo.

[@jcb6713]

nice flight ! good video...have a good one...

[@airhammer6203]

Pilot looks like, "wait a minute, where's my arms?? You mean I'm not in control??" Great video Chris, it's a cool plane, maybe one of these days. AirHammer out!!

[@indianapolisrcmodelersclub9430]

Are you flying this on 4S with the stock 40amp ESC? My watt meter checks shows it pulls 70 amps with full battery and full throttle.

[@RubyS.1]

Great shot of the pilot. He looks terrified from that angle.

[@Thercgeek]

Haha!

[@lancegrey1225]

If I were going to do a re-designed version of this fine model, I would like to do a decreased size of the canopy, and a little slimming of the rear height of the fuselage. But, that would be my only change's. Nothing else.

[@notoo7]

Nice flying. Just picked up one last week. I'm hoping to maiden it tomorrow morning. Any suggestions for gains?

[@Thercgeek]

Awesome! I’m not certain regarding the gains, I just kept what they have in the packaged gyro in the airplane. Generally when I’m programming the AS3X gyro, I just start with their defaults and go from there.

[@notoo7]

@@Thercgeek after crashing on my maiden, I set the sensitivity to 2x and the gains to 40 50 45

[@Thercgeek]

Oh know, what happened?

[@notoo7]

@Thercgeek increasing the sensitivity to x2, in the manual, improved stability, and help avoid stalling it again on landing. Two years into this hobby I am still stabilization dependent 🤣

[@IceMan2035]

Looks like something fun just for light flying and there's enough room for a sound system. I have a question do you use flaps on windy days? I get mixed reviews at the club. Great video Chris

[@Thercgeek]

Thanks! If it’s pretty windy, probably best to reduce to partial flap deflection or no flap. This helps the airplane cut through the wind a little better.

[@hubschenk1652]

I also have this plane (almost mandatory as a Swiss). But only in MS Flight Simulator.😋

[@DRara-v8r]

Mantap om

[@Hughejazshole]

I love the onboard cameras, what are they?

[@Thercgeek]

The onboard cameras are runcam2’s: amzn.to/3MfaJDM (Amazon)

[@Lithonion1]

I have this plane. It's a great size to throw in the car and take out flying. I have the version without the gyro. If I ever have to replace it I will buy another and toss the included gyro.

[@Thercgeek]

It really is and it feels bigger than it is in flight.

[@sotm6078]

When I got mine they were only $209, now they are $289!!

[@I_am_archie]

Whoa, I swear your pilots eyes looked to the right 🤓

[@looneytunes47]

FMS must have added more weight to the nose of that model cause on mine i had to stick a 3300 4s battery all the way up to the front of Hatch Opening to get it to CG right

[@Thercgeek]

Very interesting!

[@voivode2591]

I agree I extended the battery tray forward. I was having to add a lot of weight. I fly it on a 4S 3300. I have had this one for 3 years. It is one of my favorites. Currently rebuilding it after an incident. I fly off grass so I also clipped off the bottom of the main landing gear doors. They would break off occasionally.

[@AerialRCFun]

Wish it had LG like the FMS YAK-130 instead of the white plastic looking ones.

[@Thercgeek]

I hear you

[@voivode2591]

I added the Yak130 retracts to mine. It was a pain getting the parts. You will still break the nose retract if your not gentle off grass.

[@eaglekeeper7737]

Is it me or is the prop pretty noisy? Nice looking plane .

[@Thercgeek]

The motor makes that whine/growl noise at partial throttle. It’s interesting, but doesn’t sound like prop vibration to me

[@johnfoster5955]

Can anyone build a US Army aircraft called you all OV-1 mohawk

[@Thercgeek]

There used to be an arf available from black horse models many years ago. That said, there are a number of plans out there including this one that includes a vac formed plastic set: parkflyerplastics.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=151

[@gibbs677bg]

Warbird?

[@Thercgeek]

Sure! It’s a military aircraft in military service. 😉

[@LeoH3L1]

How is this a "Warbird"?

[@Thercgeek]

Haha, I am using the term loosely given it’s an aircraft in military service. What would you prefer instead? I’m happy to change it.

[@jimr3633]

See wikipedia. If this isn't a warbird neither is any other trainer. What do you consider the AT-6 Texan or Yak 130? Lighten up ppl.

[@Truthstillmatters2]

Grass ?

[@derjoh1986]

This thing is back?!?!?! Now I'm convinced the geek is getting paid advertising this plane. Sales plummeted with this thing because people were having a hard time flying it with CG issues a few years ago. Not a warbird, by the way.

[@Thercgeek]

Honestly, I’m not aware of any of that. I haven’t had any issues with cg at all and I truly love how this thing flies. I was very surprised by how well it flew in fact. Oh, and I am using the term warbird loosely given it’s an aircraft in military service. 😆 What would you prefer instead? I’m happy to change it.

[@PoochAndBoo]

It's funny how everyone is getting their panties in a knot because he's referring to it as a "Warbird!" Yet I've heard no one complain about the T-28 being called one. Or the T-6. Has anyone operated this model off of grass?

[@Thercgeek]

Haha, apparently a military airplane operated by a military Air Force designed for war fighting isn’t a warbird. 😆 I haven’t flown it from grass, but someone commented that they did and it worked well enough.

[@voivode2591]

Yes, I have flown mine off grass most of the time. Keep the nose up when landing or you will be buying a lot of nose gear retracts. I buy the replacement retract for the mains and swap out the trunnion. They are built with a bushing. The nose retract is all plastic. The case breaks if you bounce the nose on grass.

[@avipatable]

I can imagine it being a total swine trying to balance a 5 blade prop - and these foamies quite often need a bit of that with the cheap plastic props.

[@Thercgeek]

Balance of the prop was decent actually. The motor is what makes that high pitch whine/growl at partial throttle. It’s definitely not prop vibration though, it doesn’t sound like it.

[@avipatable]

@@Thercgeek Ah no I didn't mean your model specifically, it's just on some foamies I have had props that were pretty out of whack but when it's only 3 blades it's not too tricky to fix.

[@M4rkmcc21]

U get cheap plastic props on any plane. Composite foam balsa etc. Upgrading to a better brand makes no difference in the planes material

[@jmustarde]

A PC-21 is not a warbird. Just saying.

[@Thercgeek]

Haha, I am using the term loosely given it’s an aircraft in military service. What would you prefer instead? I’m happy to change it.

[@jimr3633]

Wow, pedantic much? Versions of this plane used for many different military roles. Original design goal was to give future jet pilots high perf stick time at turboprop prices. Lighten up bro.

[@memcrew1]

It is a warbird.

[@JustwingitRC]

Actually, it IS a warbird. Just saying...

[@sotm2]

The only bad thing about this plane is that it has really shitty retracts! I know Ihave one. FMScould have used better landing gear.

[@Thercgeek]

Well, so far so good here so far. I’ll keep an eye on it.

[@M4rkmcc21]

Odd cos this and the Nanchang are the 2 tricycle geared planes iv never had bend on me. The P39 and T28 always used to bend at the nose as the gear is long compared to these short legs

[@voivode2591]

Buy the retract for the main landing gear and switch out the trunnion for the old one out of the broken nose gear retract. They are stronger and it’s cheaper to buy the one for the mains. I also reinforce the case on the outside where it splits. 1 layer of glass cloth and some epoxy for plastic. I haven’t broken one since I did that.