Skynetic Bison XT STOL 1750mm (68.8") Wingspan - PNP Model AV8R - Update

[@looneytunes47]

So awesome to get good powerful performance without having to spend the big bucks on 6s and you also get a whole much lighter plane to toss around as well. Great Demo Adam

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks man!

[@depotdan4654]

I have really enjoyed your videos. You hit it out of the park…right out of the gate. No fluff or annoying background music, and length seems spot on. A very technical review utilizing your experience and obvious depth of knowledge. Most reviewers (regardless of subject matter) tend to fall more in the realm of critic. However, I’ve never been someone to stay in the lines/or keep anything box stock. I really appreciate your approach to find the best in the airplane, draw it out, and share. Hope you keep the videos coming for years to come. Thank you!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Wow! You have no idea how much that means. Thank you. My flying buddies that know us and have seen this process develop get it obviously, but when people like you just watch...and get it...that means so much! I'm a glass half full kind of guy and a capable enough modeler that it would take a lot to make me angry at an airplane. Bottom line is if I can use my skill set to get it to fly the way I want...I'm happy. Our idea was to put out footage the way we would like to see it. We used a mixture of ideas we got from full scale channels as well as rc channels we like, and then added our original ideas to make that happen. We like what we are putting out, and its nice to hear others like it too! We have a lot of ideas and will be posting weekly...All kinds of planes, all kinds of episodes. Reviews, scale flights, fun flights, tips/tutorials, interviews, challenges, etc. Some stuff will be technical, some light hearted...hopefully all interesting and entertaining. Thanks for the kind words and we are glad you will be following us on this journey! You'll love whats coming next week!

[@dougmcpheters1546]

Very well said Dan!

[@chpblackcloud786]

Great detailed delivery, easy to follow. Like your use of captions to reinforce your discussion...and a shout out to your camera woman!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Carl! She sure makes a difference! Glad you enjoyed it! You will LOVE next weeks episode...your favorite bird.

[@pilotmiami1]

bravo.thenks

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you!

[@stephensowell9578]

Fantastic illustration. Want you to know I went back to the Bison and tested the windshield. I could be less embraced if I didn't have a Timber and Fun Cub, both with the same type of access. Yeah, I'm that guy.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Lol...don't feel bad Stephen...It confused me for a minute too! The magnets are really strong so the first few times I pulled on it I thought I was doing it wrong. Thanks for watching and the comment...enjoy your Bison!

[@chknlyps2373]

Nice, with all the self proclaimed pro KZbin test pilots you see on here testing all the Horizon products I have yet to see any of them use a watt meter to see if they could better prop a plane. I have an old Astroflight watt meter I got around 2002 when I was scratch building delta wings. I just got back into the hobby late last year and I asked 3 different hobby shops if they had one and they all thought... why would you need that, the manual tells you what prop to use. I went through all my old stuff and found mine, it has Dean's connectors on it so I made some Dean's to EC3 adapters. Nice to see you show people how to actually figure things out. You got a new subscriber!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you for watching and subscribing! Yep...sometimes model aviation requires some modeling. You'll like next weeks video too...we post every Monday night. Thanks again for your support!

[@robertramirez9061]

Love the channel , you're very informative with the flight performance and assembling of different planes to include the difference variance and tactics to use. Keep up the awesome work. Its because your evaluation of the Bison that I decided to buy one. 🛩

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much! Appreciate that and glad we can help.

[@joekrantz9283]

If anyone else is having light controller over-heating issues with a 6S battery like I did, I installed a UBEC between ESC and light controller and all is well now. No heat generated at either UBEC or light controller with lights on. Got several flights in yesterday and very happy with the plane. Hopefully, it will make me a better pilot, but I have a lot of catching up to be as good as you Adam.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching and the kind words Joe. That sounds like a great fix for your light controller issue...not sure why the bec (the esc's ) is sending too much voltage on some of them. Glad you got it sorted and glad the maiden went well! It is definitely different to fly...not a Timber for sure. I think anything that requires a little different skill set makes us all better pilots. Glad you like it.

[@stevenroyer5431]

This video is what I love to see, but is often missing; follow up. What works, what doesn’t, and how to get the most out of a build. Well done Adam.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Steve! We try! The hope is to have enough intel and time on one when we review it to give folks at least an excellent starting point. We cranked the first Bison video out pretty fast to launch the channel with something brand new people would be looking up. Then we got a lot of questions, figured out I don't properly oil stuff (lol), and did this follow up.

[@Ryan_Elmore]

Very professionally done video and another amazing one. I can't wait to see how far this channel goes. With content like this, you will be at 10,000 subscribers in no time!!!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Wow Ryan...thank you buddy! Miss Heidi is a huge part of it...she's awesome with that camera and great at editing.

[@dougmoulton9666]

Some truly helpful information about props / battery combinations. Keep up the good work.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Doug! We appreciate the support!

[@robertnordeck9547]

The best info that all us Bison flyers needed!! Well thought out & presented!! Thanks so Much :-))

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Robert! Glad it helps!

[@nickhayley]

Hey Adam, Found your channel from a comment you left on Rich's channel. Very professional content! You'll have thousands of subs before you know it. Cheers, Nick

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Nick...checked out your channel and sub'd...great stuff! Thank you for the great compliment! My wife Heidi and I do this together as a team...I get how nice it is to have a passion to share! You two are a great couple. Looking forward to more from you!

[@leemcmichael325]

I’m new to RC and did a lot to gain proficiency with the FS9.5 simulator and an NX8 transmitter. I flew with a club instructor on several different planes. My first aircraft was Turbo Timber Evolution (TTE) and I’m becoming reasonably proficient. I went through several landing gear springs, lots of runway rash and no longer consider myself as a novice, but have bailed myself out with the SAFE feature of the receiver. I fly on a 3S (occasionally 4S) battery with a two bladed 13x6.5E prop. I never installed the TTE slats and am pleased with the slow flight capabilities. I’m following your videos on the Skynetic Bison XT STOL V2 - PNP and like what you suggest and comment on. Your evaluation of the 4S 5000 battery with the 17x10E prop is an easy upgrade and the elimination of the slats is smart. The Bison V2 will probably be my next airplane. Please share your suggestion for a receiver for the Bison XT. My transmitter is a Spektrum NX8. I want to retain SAFE & as3x technology possibly a geofence capability. Thanks for all the videos and keep the Bison XT STOL videos coming. LeeMcM - St Augustine FL

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Lee first off welcome to the hobby! If you are flying a Timber EVO proficiently you can fly any of the planes in that category. One thing to point out is that "proficient" means different things to different people. For me, proficient in a particular plane type would be capable of taking off, flying, and landing repeatedly - smoothly and without damage. A proficient pilot dominates the plane, rather than surviving it. By that I mean everything that happens in the flight is deliberate...exactly what you want it to do and where you want it to go. I like that you are flying without SAFE, the idea would be to not really need it as a really proficient pilot doesn't. A proficient pilot should be able to learn new maneuvers/acro by simply getting high enough to recover if it doesn't go well. And I would never bring a maneuver down lower until I'm certain I have it down pat and can repeat it correctly over and over again. Part of being proficient is being aware of orientation and being able to know how to recover the plane from any position it might get in while you learn new things...just a matter of having enough altitude to do it. If you need SAFE for things like this you are getting there, but not quite there yet in my opinion. Lee please don't take any of that the wrong way, I'm not getting on you or trying to demean you, but it will do you no good if I blow smoke or don't care enough to be honest. For my students that is how I judge proficiency, and it makes them better pilots so far in my experience. Now...on to the planes! I've now got a good bit of time on 5 planes in this category/size range. The Bison, the Carbon Z Cub and 150, the Grand Tundra, and the Arrows Husky Ultimate are all 4s/6s Bush Planes. Honestly, the Bison is the hardest to fly well of all of them...even without the slats. It has the highest wing loading, and the V2 is even heavier with the new metal gear mounts. The Husky is the best bargain price of them all. The best value in my opinion is the Grand Tundra as it comes with props for 4s and 6s, has awesome gear, a FPV hatch and regular hatch, and is the best combo of scale Bush capability and aerobatics/3D if thats what you'd want to do with it. The Carbon Z Cub and 150 are the absolute best flyers of the bunch, but the biggest and most expensive. However they come with a $80 to $100 worth of AS3X/SAFE rx already installed that is compatible with your NX8. I would recommend the Grand Tundra as a plane that is pretty much exactly the same size as the Bison. Easy to fly, rock solid and packed with features. That said if you have the space and can transport it, if I could only have one, I'm a Cub guy at heart, and the CZ Cub is the best flyer of them all. Its not that the Bison is bad, its that all the others are just better. Lighter wing loading's help a lot. Any 6ch Spektrum rx will work with any of them. I use the AR620 sport rx's, but if you want AS3X /SAFE any of those will work as well. Sorry for the long winded response, but providing good Intel is kinda my thing...Lol. Hope this helps Lee...Happy Flying!

[@leemcmichael325]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Adam, Thanks so much for your encouraging comments and suggestions. I asked aircraft specific questions and you gave me so much more on how to become a better pilot. To me flying is #2, landing is #1. At this point in my maturation as an RC pilot I feel I’m proficient at #1 with any aircraft I’ve flown. I’m still a novice with #2 and that’s why I want to have a switch available when I get behind the aircraft or find I’m lower that I should be. It’s like runway behind you and altitude above you in the real world. I’ve gotten into your videos on how to improve. I have a Night Vapor that is a real learning tool. Based on your series I’m looking at a foamy to expand my skills. Thanks again and keep the videos coming. Lee

[@JustwingitRC]

DUDE!!!! DUDE!!! Dude...You and yours absolutely KNOCKED IT OUT of the park!!! Incredible research, and data points....who else??? Seriously...who else, where else, will you find that level of data? Keep it up my brother...VERY good work! Oh, the bent wing bird??? I dunno, a Stinson in Navy garb??? Okay...probably not, but you never said "inverted gull-wing"...HAH! But seriously, I eagerly look forward to your next review!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks John! You know you even write enthusiastic! I can hear you saying that! We Appreciate the kind words! Yeah...so ...bent wing bird...the question you gotta ask is did they start out bent? Or did we bend em' ? Lol.

[@JustwingitRC]

@@ModelAV8RChannel HAH!!! Thanks brother! Yeah, the answer to that last part is always suspect...Blue skies my friend!

[@keithrinehart809]

Great update Adam! Glad you got the tail wheel sorted out. Really enjoyed the flying comparison's too.😎👍

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks man! Fun bird for sure!

[@Shauncat1]

Really enjoy your informative RC videos, especially on the Avanti as well. I'm probably looking at getting this Bison as well and hopefully fly it on 4 S as well with the prop size you recommend too. God bless 🙏

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hello Shaun...and God Bless you my friend! To be really honest I like the Bison, but there are better options in my opinion. We have reviewed two I'd check the videos out on...The Arrows Husky and the Grand Tundra. For pure 4s bigger bush plane the original 4s Husky is the best bang for the buck. For a 6s bird that flies very strong on 4s as well the Grand Tundra is hard to beat. Both fly better...as in easier than the Bison. Both are very capable as far as acro right out of the box on 4s with no need for a after market prop. The GT has insane power on 6s if you want to do that later. Both are good scale bush planes if that is what you want. I would make the changes to the wheels/gear we did on the Husky however. Again the Bison is a good plane, but it requires much more skill and concentration to fly well. Its easier to have a laid back good ol time with the other two. Anyway hope that helps and check the other videos out before you pull the $ trigger. Have a great weekend!

[@dutchloveRC]

great video!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you my friend!

[@capnpete1154]

Thanks so much. I got more/better info from you. Only got conflicting info from Motion RC. Great video.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching Cap'n Pete!

[@IansRCExploits]

Great mod that Adam!! You could really see the difference that bigger prop made to the Bison on 4s!! Some mighty fine flying and filming too!! Well done both 😄👍 looking forward to the next video!! Hope it's a Corsair 😄👍

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you so much Ian! Heidi is such a huge part of this...between her filming and editing she is the real talent here...

[@IansRCExploits]

Well Cheryl films but I edit and trust me it's very difficult, Heidi does a great Job 😄👍

[@Jakefrc]

What a cool test. It would have been interesting to see a measured thrust comparison as well which would give you an idea about efficiency.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Jacob! Actually, you can divide the watts and volts to get how many watts per volt generated, or efficiency. In this case, the 15 x 8 on 6s is the most efficient. Most people only think of this as "blade efficiency", but something this factors in is how much does the motor have to strain to move the weight of the prop. The lightest prop with the most voltage driving it wins in this case, by a good bit actually. That isn't always the case when there are drastic pitch differences from one prop to another.

[@txkflier]

I finally got around to watching this video. It's interesting that the 17x10 at 711 watts had about the same vertical performance as the 15x8 at 1076 watts. The 15x8 was certainly beating the air, but apparently not pushing much of it. At 7.75 pounds, 711 watts is only 92 watts/lb and 1076 watts is 139 watts/lb. Beats me how it did it. I don't know what Skynetic was thinking on their 4S prop. You can't reduce the rpm by 33% and use the same pitch. I'd like to have seen the rpm readings from your tests and a pitch speed comparison. Using my quick-and-dirty formula with the 15x8 on 6S, I get a pitch speed of 60 mph (6 x 3.7 x 85% x 420 x 8 / 1056 = 60). For the 16x8 on 4S, I get a pitch speed of 40 mph (4 x 3.7 x 85% x 420 x 8 / 1056 = 40). For the 17x10 on 4S, I get a pitch speed of 50 mph (4 x 3.7 x 85% x 420 x 10 / 1056 = 50). You might also show the flying weight. Most of the 5055 motors I've looked at can handle 60 amps or more and 1200-1500 watts. Of course, you won't get much flight time pulling 60 amps from a 4000mAh battery. Good flying and editing as usual..

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching and the kind words! The aircraft weight was in the first video (the actual review)...this was just a follow up to find the prop that maximized the power for 4s as we had a few viewers ask about that. Not sure what part you are seeing, but your number crunching isn't wrong. It has a lot more punch...and vertical on 6s with the 15x8 than it does on 4s with the 17x10. I'm pretty sure I point that out at some point in the flight narration...that the most power and performance that can be had is on 6s with the 15x8 prop. And yeah...not sure why they went to the trouble to include two props...and included such a bad choice for 4s...

[@txkflier]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Yep, more voltage almost always beats more current. I'm not a fan of the 4S/6S in the same plane idea. I know the vendors are trying to accommodate those who have one battery type or the other, but neither setup is optimum. A plane that size needs 6 cells and a motor with a little lower Kv so that it can turn a larger prop. Another example is the new Hangar 9 P-47. A 3S/4S option isn't too bad, but the 33% difference of the 4S/6S option is just too much.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Usually with the BNF/PNP foam stuff (Horizon specifically) you get one prop, they rate it for two batteries and they actually do optimize it for the higher voltage (as much as they can considering different performing batteries, flying styles, and climates these planes will be flown with/in), but then you have a dog on lower voltage. Good use for a watt meter making them perform better on lower voltage with a re-prop with your batteries in your climate with your flying style. Its all about marketing...a plane that can fly on two different packs will appeal to a wider audience and sell better. Key on sell better...lol.

[@RCPlaneAddict]

Sweet review. Now to take that ugly apc prop off and slap on a sweet master Airscrew! Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks so much for watching and the comment! I get ya...the Master Airscrew props do look way better...that was all I could get in the time frame I had...lol. What I'd really like on there is a Xoar painted black...could happen.

[@jacksonrcaviation]

Real nice😎

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Team Jackson!

[@jesseandfriends1]

Question do you think it would be possible to retrofit the receiver to be as3x and SAFE I am a somewhat new flier but love the look of this plane also how many channels is it for the transmitter. Thanks in advance Jesse

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching Jesse! You need at least a 6 ch rx. You could use a gyro/AS3X rx if you wanted. I will say this is an advanced plane to assemble, set up, and fly well. A lot of folks are having trouble flying it, but from what I read its mostly because there is a lot of confusion about the slats and how set it up and fly it properly. In their defense It requires a very different set up and skill set than a normal high wing aircraft. I'm used to stuff like this so I didn't realize how difficult it would be for some. I would not recommend it for a new pilot at this point. I just wrote two lengthy posts in the hobby squawk forum on this plane to try and help with the confusion on the slats, set up, and flying technique required. I would go over there and read those posts. It is a fine STOL plane if its set up and flown right.

[@davidbohner692]

Any info about 3 bladed props for the Bison?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching David! No I haven't tried any three blades on the Bison. I will say in the past that my watt meter testing has shown that three blade props are usually less efficient...as in to get the same watts as the best two blade the three blade will pull more amps, and at the same amps the three blade will make less watts. Sometimes this is measurable but negligible...sometimes there is a more noticeable difference. If you want to try a three blade I have found that Master Airscrew's formula for converting a two blade to three blade works well. For props under 14"...down 1 inch in diameter, up 1 inch in pitch. For props over 14" down 1 inch in diameter, up 2 inches in pitch. I would use a watt meter to make sure whatever you choose is running within the amp range for your motor/esc. Hope this helps!

[@tughillrc6327]

This is a very decent review Still I have not seen the Take Off and Landing Of true STOL Hopfully its in the other video.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Tughill! It is in the other one...

[@tughillrc6327]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Your other one Made my all time favorites LIST Awesome Job

[@bigeclipse718]

Was any of this flying done with slats deployed? If not, do you have any videos of that type flying?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Brett...thanks for watching! This will be a long response...sorry...I can't answer and explain this in a few sentences, but I want to properly answer you...so bare with me. I don't have any footage flying it that way. When the slats are hooked up to the flaps the "deployed" position rotates the trailing edge of the slats forward away from the wing. At that point they are not slats - they are functioning as a spoiler...in that position they will kill the airfoil in much the same way the spoilers on a glider do. This is why folks from MRC remind us that when they are deployed you have to add a bunch of power to keep it flying. I did not hook mine up. I wanted to have them in the position that they function as slats all the time and be able to take advantage of the slats with full flaps. That gives me the ability to slow the plane down at a higher angle of attack and get it to the slowest possible forward speed for landing. The best position for them is not deployed...or close to the wing. (since they are fixed slats they are never fully closed) The leading edge of the slats grabs airflow as the plane begins to slow down and the angle of attack increases. The airflow is accelerated through the small channel of the slat and is directed over the wing keeping the boundary layer of laminar flow attached. When this boundary layer detaches at critical angle of attack...that is what we know as a stall. The sole purpose of slats is to keep the boundary layer of laminar flow attached at higher angles of attack...in a nut shell they give you a slower stall speed. As far as my footage is concerned...all the in control slow turns with the nose up and the landings with the nose so far up I land tailwheel first...none of that would be possible without the slats in the correct position. Hope that explains it bud.

[@bigeclipse718]

@@ModelAV8RChannel thanks so much for the explanation. I've been eyeballing this and the eflite carbon z cub. I understand they are slightly different planes but they also share many similarities. If you could only purchase one (bison or carbon z cub) which would you pick and why? Thanks!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Brett you come up with some good questions. Though one. I have flown several CZ Cubs...they are easier to fly, a bit more aerobatic, better in wind...basically the saying we've all heard in this hobby "bigger flies better" applies here. The Bison is less expensive, easier to store and transport, has better gear/tires (for STOL/bush flying...not pavement), and can do things because of the slats the CZ Cub cannot. It really depends on your mission for the plane. If STOL is your main objective the Bison is a unique, capable plane for that. If you want to mainly sport/aerobatic fly...the CZ Cub is the way to go. Basically...the Bison is a great STOL plane that can do some sport flying, and the Cub is a great sport flyer that can do some STOL stuff.

[@jvalentin62]

I may have missed it but has anyone compared this to the Arrows Husky? Which do you prefer?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I owned both. I still own the Husky. It's not that the Bison is bad, but the Husky slows down better and with much less effort. I prefer the Husky by a bunch. That said, my favorite foam Bush plane is the newer Caron Z Cub. Check out our video on that one...it's the best plane in the genre I've ever flown.

[@jvalentin62]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Thank you for your honesty! Refreshing

[@stefanluedorf3813]

Hi Adam, do you think it would make a good gliders tug with your mods for 2- 2.5m gliders?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Stefan...thanks for watching! I have towed gliders up some, but very little. The only real experience I have is towing up a 2m Gentle Lady with a overpowered Fun Cub. It was barely enough...worked, but sketchy. The Bison on 6s would have no trouble at all I think. On 4s with the bigger 17 x 10E prop it probably would, but there would be way less power to spare if any. You could try it on 4s, but I would brief both pilots and make sure the climb out was shallow...and be ready to release to save both planes if it doesn't look good. If it were me...I'd just do it on 6s. Hope this helps!

[@mikeonb4c]

Great video and flying. Was concerned about build quality on another video I watched. Any thoughts on that. Also, those leading edge slats seem hinged to open up more at their airflow exit / trailing edge and to open little at the leading edge. This seems less than optimal for good slat functioning but I guess it is what it is. As they stand, might they probably act more as a braking device and to move the centre of pressure forward at high delta than to improve airflow attachment over the wing at high delta (though they will do that to some extent). I used to design model aircraft (gliders mainly) back in the 1980s and was always very interested in STOL. I had a design on the boards but never built. It feature slotted (Fowler) flaps, linked leading edge slats, and a leading edge inboard section that also retracted when flaps were operated. This would allow propwash to push into an intake which moved the air along a hollow tubular spar (I'd have used fishing rod material or similar) to a point where it could blow out over the ailerons. This would have helped maintain good roll authority when configured for a flaps down and power on STOL approach. I'd love to see something like this implemented in a modern foamie as it should be easy enough to do. Any manufacturer / experimenter up for the challenge?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Mike thank you for watching and the kind words! The fit and finish are pretty good although the wing struts didn't fit as well as they should have. I think the tire/wheel assemblies bothered some - they make it sound impossible. It isn't it is just different and takes patience to get right. The windows are a low point for some as well. They are part of the reinforcement/stress bearing structure of the plane and as a result they are thick and not very clear. Doesn't bother me, but annoys the crap out of the FPV folks. You hit the nail on the head with the slats. Most modelers don't have the aerodynamic knowledge to recognize what the instructions say to do won't work (I cover this in our 1st Bison video...the review). So they hook the flaps to the slats, and when they deploy the flaps the slats rotate forward and become spoilers - kill the airfoil, and the plane flies like a brick. I didn't hook mine to the flaps and fixed my slats in the slat position right off the bat. The Bison has fixed articulating slats. They are slats attached at the leading edge that rotate upwards into spoilers...or air brakes if you prefer. Also the leading edge opening is permanent and doesn't change distance regardless of the slat/spoiler position. They have a purpose, but in a full scale STOL planes the pilot has independent control of the slats and flaps. Aerodynamic slats...which are slats that are flush to the leading edge that move forward evenly (and sometimes down) to the slat position. In a STOL plane usually they are either hooked to the flaps or gravity operated. One reason a full scale STOL pilot might use the spoiler position of fixed articulating slats would be to kill the airfoil and drop the plane down on the line at a STOL contest...although you can just bring the flaps up and do the same thing. If I'm understanding what you wrote...your design is brilliant. What you designed is essentially aerodynamic slats, although there is not a need for the hollow tubular spar. The function of a slat is to redirect and accelerate airflow over the wing and keep the boundary layer of laminar flow attached in higher alpha positions...this slows the stall speed and gives you more aileron authority in the slow high alpha position as well. So the slats alone would accomplish your intended mission regardless of the hollow tube. Impressive design my friend. The bison really just needs the slats to be fixed, although if the slats were aerodynamic slats that would work well too. I'm with you...that could be done...it would take a bit more r&d to get it on a foamie, but it could be done. The Bison isn't easy to fly slow (even with the slats in the right position). It takes a lot of control input...lots of rudder correction and throttle modulation with some cross controlling. Similar...actually very similar to what a 3D pilot is doing in a harrier. A lot of rc pilots seem to have trouble with this. I'm a 3D pilot as well, and I think that is why it seems intuitive for me and I like it. I can see how it would be very different than anything some sport/scale pilots are used to. Removing the slats (which we tested in another Bison video) solves most of that and makes the Bison easier to fly slow. Hope I didn't over do the answers! Hope it helps. Happy flying!

[@mikeonb4c]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Not at all (overdone) and I'm honored to get such a substantial reply given you must have a rapidly growing audience. I agree with the other comments on here: your videos are excellent in every respect. I also really enjoyed the one dealing with painting and (more importantly) flying a model bush plane to recreate as far as possible the characteristics and flying techniques of the fullsize original. Turning to the hollow spar thing, its about more than just slats. With power on, the idea is that air will be blown at a velocity down the spar and then out over the ailerons (which would be hinged so as to allow the ducted air to exit from an opening in front of them, so they acted a bit like the vane in a fan). They would thus have the ability to roll the aircraft much better than if relying on ambient airflow when flying very slow (even with leading edge slats to help the boundary layer). That is the theory anyway, but I was an experimenter with my designs and this was just a planned experiment. I think it could be interesting though. I think, in buying a STOL model I'm overall coming round to the Arrows Husky as a simple, sturdy and commonly found plane. I would love the E-Flite Carbon Z Cub, but its too pricey for an occasional flyer like me. I'm thinking to buy a 6S Ultimate Husky but fly it on 4S and try out your large prop idea. The 6S ESC though should give me a better safety margin if I end up drawing higher amps. Waddya think - will it fly? 🤔🙏 Good luck with your channel and hope it goes from strength to strength 👍 P.S. apologies for saying 'delta' when I meant 'alpha' I was in my music studio when I typed that note and busy doing 'delta' tests on my EQ mixing. Got my Greek words crossed there 😆and if you're bored here's what comes out of my music model shop soundcloud.com/clana_boys and soundcloud.com/mobbing_it_up ...and no modelling glue to clean off my fingers ha ha

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

The music is great! I love the pic on My old age...you guys look thrilled...LOL. I can relate... Your idea would be something to test for sure. The Husky is an awesome plane...so capable yet easy to fly. You can prop it up on 4s and get the amps close to or at what they are on 6s with the stock prop...it will definitely wake it up on 4s. Personally I like the power on my V1 on 4s...plenty for me. Bang for the buck it would be my top recommendation for a scaleish STOL/bush plane. Thanks so much for the kind words and support of the channel...we really appreciate it! We are growing fast, but I hope to always be able to interact with our subscribers and help whenever I can. Don't know what to expect when we are bigger, but I'm going to try to always be there for the community.

[@mikeonb4c]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Excellent and glad you like the music - making it kept me sane through Covid. Your advice on the V1 noted - no decision made yet. Will subscribe to your channel and look forward to watching more great reports 👍

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Mike we appreciate the sub! We also have a review of the Husky V1...check it out.

[@sacrificialrubber779]

You play with 3-blade at all? I just got a test stand(meter and load cell), I plan on collecting a Lot of data and see the difference between 2+3 blades

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching and subscribing! I'm excited for you to play with your new meter and get in to testing...you learn so much and your capabilities as a modeler increase. I didn't test any 3 blades for the Bison. I have tested 3 blades vs 2 blades before though. What I found was that the 3 blades are less efficient than the 2 blades...sometimes by so little that it really makes no difference, and sometimes by a more significant amount. Essentially...to make the same watts (hp) the optimum 3 blade will pull more amps (load) by some measurable amount than the optimum 2 blade. If the amps are the same, the watts are less by some measurable amount. Again, depending on the prop manufacturer, style, and size range..."some measurable amount" may be very little or a good bit. Have fun with your testing! You may get different results than I did with different props...I tested that years ago and some of the props are different now.

[@davidbohner692]

Very informative. Great camera work. Anything on upgrading the motor to an E Flite Power 60?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Not sure the x mount would line up or that the can/prop shaft length would be correct. That would be...could be a big power increase. I'm happy with the power so not really planning on trying a motor swap.

[@jcpoolshark]

Adam, another great video! Would you say this is the best bang for buck when it comes to remote STOL aircraft?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Joey thanks man! There are so many out now at difference price points...that is a hard question. I have flown many of them, but not all to be fair. I will say the Bison is a blast, and of everything STOL I have flown it has the most capability to utilize the slats and fly high alpha. It is different than others from a piloting standpoint in some very good ways, but it is not a beginners plane for sure.

[@claygrigsby1280]

Where did you get your watt meter? Another great video. I was having the same trouble with the tail wheel on my bison, I did not try the oil. Great tip. Thanks for another great video!!!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Clay! We really appreciate the support! I bought mine years ago and that particular model isn't available anymore, however there a several on Amazon. When I bought mine they were $60...now they are about $20. I have 2. You can buy one and solder yourself some adapters to cover the different connectors you use or at the price today...I'd just buy one for each connector type.

[@robertboeker6731]

Still learning this, why are bigger props on less voltage? And smaller props on higher voltage

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

The bigger the prop the bigger the bite it takes out of the air. So voltage for voltage a bigger prop will pull more amps, so when the voltage increases, the prop size has to decrease to keep the amps in the safe range for the ESC and motor.

[@robertboeker6731]

@@ModelAV8RChannel thank you.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@robertboeker6731 you are very welcome

[@robertboeker6731]

@@ModelAV8RChannel i just ordered this plane, i have the maule m7 and its landing gear is nothing more than a bent coat hanger that cant handle anything more than a perfect landing, so its on floats now, i saw this metal, real suspension gear and my finger started twitching getting to the checkout button! Great videos

[@sacrificialrubber779]

I put a DuBro tail wheel on it and Still have not made its 1st flight…over a year now 🤦‍♂️ What’s it like to fly??

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

It ain't a Timber. It flies well, but it takes some skill to get it slow. Watch our main review on it...I strongly suggest you take our advice on the slats or as in this video take them off.

[@robertgillespie4282]

Can you please watt meter the plane on 6s with the 16x8 prop and maybe demo some hovering for us with that set up? Only 44amps with 15x8, should be able to handle the 16x8 no problem with 80amp esc get a little more power out of it? I’m Thinking of switching up my carbon Z cub for this plane. I like to hover on floats low to water. Want to see if this plane is capable without power upgrades. I fly 100% of the time at the lake so either landing on floats or on the beach. So I won’t be getting a real 3d plane just like over powered stol planes haha. Thanks in advance 👍🏻

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Robert, so a couple of things... While the ESC is clearly rated for 80 amps, there is no info or specs I can find on the motor that tell me how many amps it is rated for. The amp rating often times does not match between the two, and many times I have seen a motors rating be far less than the ESC's rating on a airplane. Another thing to consider...why wouldn't they include a prop for 6s that made more power anyway? Rather than be pulling only half of the ESC's rated amps? The motor may be the weak part of that equation, and they may know it. The other thing is I don't own the Bison anymore, my buddy Dustin does. I do, however, own the CZ Cub V2. That right there should tell you a lot. I just flew Dustin's Bison and my CZ Cub on the same day doing some bush flying, and there is no comparison. The CZ Cub flies way better than the Bison. It is easier to fly (and easier to fly slow), is more stable, has more power, and is more aerobatic. Simply put, it is better than the Bison in every way flight performance wise...and that is stock. If you put the Power 60 motor in the CZ Cub it is even more powerful. Worth noting, I currently own the following foam bush planes- CZ Cub, Arrows Husky, FMS 1.5 Super Cub. I have owned or flown the Grand Tundra, Tundra, all models of the Timber, the Flite Test Freedom Fox, Multiplex Fun Cub, Flex 170, some I probably have forgotten, and the Bison. The worst flyer by far was the Freedom Fox, everything else flew at least pretty well to great. However, of the pretty well to great...the Bison requires the most skill to fly well. We did 3 videos on it basically to explain how to get more out of it, make it easier to fly, and to explain to less skilled pilots how to fly it. We've never seen more rc pilots have that much trouble figuring out any other bush plane we have reviewed. So basically Robert, you already own one of if not the best large epo bush plane money can buy in my opinion. Hope this helps!

[@robertgillespie4282]

@@ModelAV8RChannel thanks for the detailed answer! I have watched all of your videos on the bison and all bush planes actually. I do realize it’s a bit harder plane to fly slow, more wing loading I assume? Honestly I just thought the landing gear suspension and tires are so cool I wanted to give it a try. Plus clear windows and LED lights (more scale than CZC) was swaying me too. Plus the little bit shorter wingspan would fit in my truck without removing wings easier than CZC does. But I have been considering a power 60 in CZC maybe Dubro tires and led kit. Instead of switching. Would you 100% say keep the cub and try add the things I feel it’s missing? Would you say bison is actually poor flying plane? Can’t do aerobatics the CZC can? Or just not fun to fly in general? Or is it just because it’s not so easy to go slow? I Was not going to hook up slats just leave them like regular non moving slats. And was going to try get the hang of power on slow Flite. ( High alpha style)

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Dang you ask good questions Robert! Lol. Yeah...you're on to something here. The Bison flies well, but yes...it is much harder to slow down and "hang on the slats" so to speak. You're on the throttle and rudder much more than normal. Like 3D pilot harrier on it. You'll learn a lot if this is what you want to do with it...you'll have to. In normal flight aerobatic wise they are very close, but I'd give the CZC the slight edge, and its easier to do several things they are both capable of with the CZC. Another option...and I'm considering this. Get the slats for the FLEX 170 and fit them to the CZC. I saw a guy do this with a CZ 150...it was a high alpha monster. You'd be learning a new skill still, but I imagine it would get the nose up further, and still be easier to do. If it were me I'd stick to the CZC, but it isn't me, and you make a good point. The Bison has a few things you want the CZC doesn't. Flying the Bison in high alpha is doable as you saw in our video and fun for me, but it requires some very advanced skills to slow down well, and for anybody with less skill it could prove to be frustrating to learn with. However, with some patience and practice you can get there with it. Oh, and if you stay with the CZC, the stock gear is fine, I wouldn't add the weight of the Du Bro Big Wheels considering what you want to do.

[@michaelvidal9234]

Adam, great video just to bad it’s on the Bison, I had the V2 and nothing but problems…Construction as bad as it gets, quality wasn’t there and flys like a styrofoam cooler with wings. I returned mine to MRC because I felt it would be criminal to sell it to an RC guy.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Yep, the V1 had some issues, and from what I've heard the V2 is much worse. Shame, could have been a great plane.

[@joekrantz9283]

What have you experienced with the light controller in regards to it getting extremely hot with 6S? Great channel - glad I found it.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Quite the complement Joe...Heidi and I appreciate that very much! The controller should run the same with either battery (if I'm correct on this...not 100%...might need to ask MRC) as it should be running off of the ESC's BEC...which should be regulated to the same voltage either way. (5 or 5.5 volts) I have not experienced any issues with mine overheating...my nav lights still blink like they should and my landing lights never did as I plugged them in a different way.

[@joekrantz9283]

@@ModelAV8RChannel , Thanks for the follow-up. My controller gets untouchably hot in only 30-45 seconds on a 6S. Some other reviewers have said the same. I'm going to place a warranty claim on mine and experiment with some different scenarios. Very happy with the plane so far and hope to finish it up and maiden it soon. Keep up the good work!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@joekrantz9283 Thanks Joe! Good luck on your maiden!

[@xskiervh]

@@joekrantz9283 same thing for mine. Tried different setups. I think I figured out one combination by reversing the black/white wire....but then it just blinks instead of staying solid.