LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES - FliteTest Walmart Toy Glider RC Hack Challenge!!

Let's see if I can do like FliteTest did ( • Motorized Walmart Toy ... ) and turn this Sky Rider foam glider into a spicy Radio Controlled aircraft! This will be a fun one!. Stay tuned for the next (improved) version!
COMMENT BELOW:
What are your thoughts on this design?
Any advice for others wanting to try this?
If you've made one, how did you do it?
How many times did I say "thrust angle"??
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About this channel: Adam makes FUN and HELPFUL videos about building and flying Radio Controlled aircraft, tech, and DIY projects!

[@gliderarts3573]

I had a bunch of those it was fun for 2 days went back to pure gliders and never looked back glading is a sport power is a hobby...

[@Mike_Oxlong_]

Excess p-factor would be countered by trimming your rudder in the opposite direction

[@roybrown3018]

Move the motor back to trailing edge put a 18 deg up on motor

[@Stevesbe]

I use build these as a slope flyer 20 years ago with elevators and ailerons .I reinforced the wings with a main spare and packing tape. We had everyone at the hill building them and had some great dogfights

[@keithfreeman5204]

I cut the nose back to the base of the windshield, two dowels and a plywood motor mount for the .049 engine. 5 degrees down thrust. the power on and power off transition smooth.

[@howardmorse1355]

I will do this as a light weight slope soaring glider. Elevons on the tail.

[@glenvoght1400]

I'm in the middle of building my own but with ailerons hope it goes well. Try putting your motor on the nose

[@louisbab6657]

So the problem isn't really torque... it's that the pylon isn't mounted over the wing, so the torque is being distributed to the nose, when it should be distributed to the wings!

[@wattwaster5936]

Actually, the motor idea he has just needs to be moved to the back side of the CG with the propeller angled upward, like you see on many RC store models with the same basic design.

[@65Wildkat]

I was wondering how you were doing with this idea? I work with some kids who do not have resources to buy RTF planes so I have seen these in the stores and I think it would be a great starting point for a few of my kids? I have a few planes that I use that are a better "Starter planes", They are the high wing planes such as then CESSNA and others of that style! I think for some of my older kids who would love the chance to OWN their own plane this could be a good way to keep them out of trouble, have something that is theirs and they made! Small things like this gores a long way with these kids! I am aware of building out of foam board and other materials but this really has gotten them excited......as they told me "IT's a REAL LOOKING PLANE!!" I am doing alot of this out of my own pocket so keeping the costs down would be great for all of us ! ( the Kids and I) Thank you in advance for any help you can render. I have seen the Flite test video also, Thank you for posting this video because I dont see it as a failure but as a learning video that I can show my kids! it also has answered a few questions I had....aka.... thrust angles and such!......To anyone who feels the need to " Flame" my reply please remember that someone may and will read it and it may do way more harm to those young eyes then it will ever do to me........Thanks again!

[@RCwithAdam1]

Hi there! I think it's so awesome that you are investing your time and resources to build kids up and that you're using flight as the tool to do it! Thank you for commenting! I did some tweaking and got it flying in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZbJlp-llLB3epI . Let me know if it helps and if you have any other questions about it. I'm really glad to hear this feedback from you because I am working on some ideas to make rc flight as accessible as possible. Stay tuned!

[@hooptierescue2540]

I think I'd try and make it a pusher at the end of the tail

[@RCwithAdam1]

That would be cool!

[@keithfreeman5204]

Did the same thing a few years back. about 1982 Cox .049, 6x4 Cox prop. 2 channels, Rud on ail channel and elv , normal. 4-6 minute engine run. climb like a home sick angel. Trimmed for fast power, then climb the last minute, glide back. 4 hours of flying , using 4 oz. of fuel. Fuel tank about 1/2 oz. Two flights per oz of fuel. You have to be careful not to sunburn the roof of your mouth.

[@wattwaster5936]

What I am noticing is you are using heavy RC gear and construction methods on a lightweight airframe others have understood needed lightweight, minimal thrust RC gear. The basic idea being a powered glider that has a soft foam issue to deal with. This was an issue with the Air Hogs Titan also, which this is a basic clone of. If you had kept the build lightweight, adding nothing more than necessary, it would fly slow and graceful. That would mean little to no paint and other lightweight options. The Titan was used in many configurations, some of which were major modifications and in each it was recommended to keep the build minimal and lightweight. There are other examples and since this is a 2018 video, I suspect you have had many ideas about what could have been done with this one. I will have to check and see if you have revisited this project since it is a great way to teach newbies to build and fly a cheap foam glider as a trainer in the hobby.

[@wattwaster5936]

As an update, I have started a DIY Trainer video series for those wanting to take a few dollars of Dollar Tree store poster board with the foam core (6mm), a few other one dollar items, glue, and some basic tools to make a foam glider that can be converted to an RC flyer. If you have the glue and basic tools, plus some other items like masking and packing tape, you can make this trainer for around the same cost as the Walmart glider kit in the same size, or smaller. After glide testing and establishing the best place for the CG, the RC gear needs to be for lightweight, smaller RC model planes. If you don't go with the lightweight RC gear, you can expect many of the same problems highlighted in this video. Differential thrust is the way to go since no servos are needed, which helps keep the model lightweight for new pilots. Then it is all about how to fly, or should I say glide around with some thrust to stay up longer and putter about.

[@hellspark]

Man I actually used that exact same prop on my Apex wing and the torque was crazy on that too! Maybe they’re just bad props for planes. I wonder if going to a bi-blade would help yours. I’m flying mine with a 4” prop and there is absolutely zero discernible torque.

[@TBguitar]

where is this field?

[@wattwaster5936]

Interesting build, but ... you didn't go with lightweight RC gear. Maybe you didn't have a small quadcopter to recycle, or some sort of airplane model near the same size and weight? Using heavy RC gear designed for much larger, heavier model aircraft seems to be a common mistake. I need to watch more of the video before saying more. Covering the soft foam with packing tape was a good idea, and there are other good options also that don't add so much weight. I like to glue on up-cycled foam drinking cups as a damage resistant skin on soft foam glider toys like this. If you had kept in mind it is a lightweight glider and you only need enough thrust to keep it gliding, I am sure using the same CG it had as a toy foam glider would work. Wish I was much younger and could make a Flight Test event. I like projects like this. Subbed.

[@roybrown3018]

That plane is EPP foam

[@deegeetee]

Think it's actually Styrofoam, not EPP.

[@roybrown3018]

move the motor behind wings facing rear ward

[@quadflopper1012]

yeah the flight test guys got me too, i have 2 of the same gliders still new in packages and trying to figure out a successful build without using one of their $70 power packs, so in that since you have been a big help by showing me what not to do. in contrast to what you used for power though how do you think one would fly with an 30mm EDF mounted in a pod in about the same place you mounted your motor, that should greatly reduce any torque roll while giving it some decent kick but do you think it wild work? Ive seen some LIdl glider conversions using that system and they flew awesome but they are smaller gliders....

[@wattwaster5936]

You should visit RC groups and find the thread dedicated to the Titan toy foam glider by Air Hogs. This has a thread also, but the Titan will keep you busy longer since it is an older thead.

[@quadflopper1012]

i'm building one also, been working on it for a week, inlaid carbon fiber rods in the wings and a 1/4" dowel in the fuselage for strength. i'm using twin 2204/2300kv motors installed on pods under the wings with 6x4.5 props, fiber board elevator, ruder and ailerons. i bought a 10 pak of 9G servos, all 10 of them are bad if you can believe that, i was going to sink servos in the wings for the ailerons but now i'm thinking about going to plan B and using 1 of my rc car servos mounted rocker style on top of the fuselage for the ailerons, there's no hobby store within 200 miles of me so have to order 2 more micro servers for the elevator and ruder, this time i'll order name brand metal gear servos. not going to paint it, coated it with Mod Podge hardener instead. i hope i have better luck then you did although it ought to be interesting anyway because this is actually my first plane and with this power setup if it fly's it's going to be fast and heavy and probably end in a spectacular crash.....

[@quadflopper1012]

it turned out the problem with the servos was the traxxas receiver i was using to test them, i retested them with a flysky radio and receiver and all but 3 worked correctly. it was really weird, never seen anything like that in the 40 years i've been doing rc's i've way over done it on this thing, instead of being a quick cheap glider conversion it's turning out more like ready made kit, i've run all the wires through the wings and fuselage, embedded all the servos so they are flush, custom made all the control hinges, i should have just bought a damn kit but i bet it's going to hall ass, that is if it fly's at all....lol

[@quadflopper1012]

i was having too much trouble getting the dual motor thing working so I changed it to a single motor pusher, 2212 980kv with a cut down 8x4 prop but i mounted the motor pod back further above the front of the wing with about a 10-15% up tilt, i kinda imitated the Bixler's motor position. luckily i bought 2 of these gliders because that gave me something for a CG reference and i'm doing all the modifications so the plane will have the same CG as originally designed. haven't flown it yet been to windy and the only battery have small enough is a 2s but it should be enough to get it airborne, let you know how it fly's

[@sudhirmangla8830]

Hey Adam what r the measurements like the distance from the nose till the motor mount and all ? Did you program the servos?

[@thephilbertandgilbertshow]

Loved this video. Where is that field? I live in the area and would love to have a field like that to fly. Thanks!

[@thephilbertandgilbertshow]

Yes I am, thank you!

[@booger37391]

definitely the prop wash cause a vortex to 1-side.. making it go left and making it hard to fly when making more wash! ccw motor made a left spinning air- /when it hit the battery/ the spin allowed it easier to go around the ccw /left side!

[@BensMiniToons]

thrust angle is wrong. the prop wash is making it turn left.

[@hearsejr]

One thought...Torque....

[@alexyt4434]

Better do what Alex did lol

[@jayeshvaishnav3086]

Where to buy this glider

[@RCwithAdam1]

Walmart. Usually with the seasonal outdoor and water toys.

[@jayeshvaishnav3086]

Name of website

[@RCwithAdam1]

@@jayeshvaishnav3086 I haven't found a good online resource for this one.

[@wattwaster5936]

Walmart carries them during the late spring and summer. Towards the end of summer, when the kids are about to return to school, they often go on sale for less than $10. You can get them online also from Ebay, Amazon, and others if you can name them properly, or accept a substitute, and there are a few. I have found them in Hobby Lobby locally, but a bit more pricey like Ebay. Recently they have become harder to find.

[@cooperthompson4850]

I did this today. Hah

[@RCwithAdam1]

How'd it go?

[@cooperthompson4850]

@@RCwithAdam1 motor way too weak lol

[@booger37391]

You went wrong by creating a wash over the battery! bury that battery' :>)

[@randalhodson3877]

your fired

[@stefedwards2934]

Mmmmm...That is one ugly looking plane Adam...keep it up..

[@deronbullock4034]

Copy cat

[@wattwaster5936]

I didn't mention RC Groups has a few threads dedicated to this and the Titan glider that was popular as an RC conversion project more than a few years ago. Since then the smaller, cheaper foam toy gliders sold by the Dollar Tree store have also been a popular project for minor and major conversion to an RC model. In each case it was normally best to use minimal, lightweight RC gear.