XUAV SkySurfer X8 build
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- čas přidán 15. 10. 2017
- BANGOOD purchase link - bit.ly/2wZEJvv
BANGGOOD website - bit.ly/2rXcheK
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This is a wonderful motor glider kit, in the style of the Bixler 1. 1400mAH wingspan, flying weight with 2200mAH 3s is 710g. I'm using a 2600kV motor with 6x4" prop.
Maiden, FPV and sloping video coming soon.
Website links
Newton Airlines Uncut - / @newtonairlinesuncut
Newton Airlines blog - newtonairlines.blogspot.com.au
Andrew Newton CZcams - / @andrewnewton
My portal - anewton.net
More information
What HD cameras do I use - newtonairlines.blogspot.com.au...
What FPV cameras do I use - newtonairlines.blogspot.com.au...
Building materials and RC gear - newtonairlines.blogspot.com.au... - Jak na to + styl
This is my favorite plane and I been using it for fpv. Can't wait to see all techs of fpv you would use on this.
I am on my third on of these. Nothing wrong with the previous 2 other than the pilot! Things I have done with the latest one is to add a carbon fibre spar down the length of the fuselage where the internal control lines would run (mounting them externally allows this). I have mounted a 2217 2200Kv motor with a 6x6 APC Prop, which get sit moving pretty quickly. Final thing was to use a 40 Amp ESC which is mounted externally above the wing to help with keeping it cool. I learnt to fly on this plane 18 months ago, it will always be a favorite.
Yes you always need a plane like this in your collection
Just as a matter of interest, where did you position the CG for this plane? The manual states 52mm from the leading edge +/- 2mm. To get it to balance on the CG I have to put a 2200mah 3S battery shoved right up the front and still need to add about 50 grams of weight in the nose. When I do this it seems to fly nose heavy, but being rather inexperienced still at this game I am worried of moving the CG back and making it tail heavy. Watching the maiden, yours flew beautifully right out of your hand so it made me wonder where your CG was for that flight and subsequent flights. Thanks.
@@gregbutler8841 yes! I need some body s cg- 52mm doesn't seem at all right
XUAV....They got most of the design right, just missed how the motor should be mounted in case it needs changing, unbelievable really....The laser cut ply is right on the money and how it should be done in key areas. It looks as well engineered as the Mini Talon to me....I can see some Aileron / Rudder mixing on the menu though....Nice job Andrew, I love hot glue too, so much quicker and it sticks!!!
Yes it's a sweet little motor glider
Great video as always.
UHU Por (or Expanded Polystyrene) is a far better glue for EPO than Polyurethane glues. Por is a contact glue but remains flexible - so better in a crash. No waiting for it to dry. Excellent for gluing in velcro to EPO or light ply too. Anyhow love your videos.
Excellent advice. I have 2 tubes in my glue stock
Yes, it is the best choice. But why not wait until it dries? I always wait until it is almost dry and so far it was the best.
Just got one of these, dont really need it but so many people have told me over the years to try a bixler, and this is pretty much a bixler 1, i like your motor mount mod, however my skysurfer has a revised mount (PNP), the X mount just screws into a plastic base, stock motor already out and Sunnysky x2208 2600kv installed, along with 30amp esc and 5x4 prop, i went for this over the Bixler due to the neat wing joiner setup
Yes I like the wing joins too. Great motor glider
Outstanding video my good Sir
Great vid, I 've just bought one of these myself,
my box was completely crushed and one end open and the other end missing all together! I made the posty stand there while I tipped the contents on my floor, (didn't have to open it) luckily, most of the foam survived with bruising and marks/indentations, some of the smaller bits wooden/aileron extensions, which I did not see on your build either? were missing in mine, the canopy was crushed but will bend back to shape, it's the worst condition a plane has ever arrived at my place,
Banggood thankfully did the right thing and gave me a credit of $15 for the missing/damaged bits
I'm a bit worried buying foamy's from Banggood now, only a single box in the packaging and what a beating it took getting here!
The packing varies a lot between models. I didn't know the extension were part of the kit. I can see an add on pack for sale as extras
On the one that I ordered it was on the displayed pics, and definitely not in my crushed box, www.banggood.com/X-UAV-Sky-Surfer-X8-1400mm-Winspan-FPV-Aircraft-Airplane-KIT-p-1064615.html?rmmds=myorder
I haven't assembled mine yet, maybe my next project,
when HK had a special on I bought enough parts to build 3 me/bf-110's for about $60 delivered spars and all! I'm not really a warbird person but the fuses were $2.50 by memory, complete wing sets about $8? , anyway they were cheap! so I have a few choices to my next build
I like your idea of moving the motor out
Yes, it's an improvement
un beau avion
Nice clean build.
They are a good all round plane, I still have my original Bixler 1.
I made the following mods to mine.
Flush mounted the esc and fpv Transmitter to the top section where the wings join.
Cut a side hatch door in the fuse under the wings to access that rear fuse area. (Good for a FC)
Chopped the wing tips off for some better aerobatics.
Mounted the Receiver near the tail and ran the wiring inside the boom/fuse.
Can also run 2x 3s 2200s for heaps of flight time.
ryan lemons just buy urself a parallel connector or cable, they are about $5. One end plugs into the esc and the other end has 2 plugs to run 2 batteries at the same time.
For nuts and bolts I use cheap nail varnish to lock up with easy removal if needed. Just stops the bolt starting to undo. My last job on an installation after setting neutrals and throws is to go over all the bolts and screws with nail varnish.
Obvious solution thanks. I must get me some red
Finally started building mine 😊😊
Excellent
Great video. Thanks a lot. I bought this plane and its really good
Great to hear. It is a sweet motor glider
Still love yer vids. I’ve destroyed a bunch of these learning. Where I fly, folks don’t like pushers, they are noisy
They are noisier I guess
Hi Andrew, I know this is an older post but I’ve just picked up a “preloved” Skysurfer X8. Wondering if you’d be able to tell me how to program the ESC to stop the prop from spinning when motor is off. Thanks so much for your helpful reviews. You’ve got me into slope soaring. 😀👍🏻Cheers
Need to find the manual for your ESC. Or search my channel for the ESC Brake video. Keep on soaring!
Hi Andrew, thanks for all your videos they have helped me a lot. I have just bought the sky surfer x8 pnp version and am surprised at the amount of side thrust ( to the starboard side) that it has. Is this correct or have I got a poorly constructed plane?
Thanks Clive. Side thrust is normal. It's designed in to the motor mount.
Hi, thank you for the video. I have a question: did you glue the CF tubes inside the wings ? they are quite loose (this does not look right) in there and on the wings there are some kind of openings 4 of them in each wing. They look like they have something to do with fixing the CF tube into the wing but no clips of any kind were supplied in my package. What have you done and what do you think those openings are for ?
You're right, the spar is shorter than the spar channel and not quite tight enough. My spar is just sitting in place by friction so the wings can be easily removed, maybe use a wrap of tape to make it tighter if it is too loose. The openings are just part of the moulding process.
i used a 1500mah 3s pack an works fine
I have one of these and a Bixler 1.1 and to be honest I think the Bixler is the better of the two models. The control rods are stronger, horns screw in, decals are pre-applied and rudder & elevator servos are in the tail, accessible via a hatch.
That said I like the way the X8's wings are attached, much better than the two long bolts on the Bix', and it is a cheaper model.
Also I like your nyloc nut idea although personally I wouldn't trust them given the way I fly ;-) . My method is to back the nut off slightly so the stopper can move freely and then use a small blob of blue threadlock on the nut.
Also I've made some mods to my Bix'; a HXT900 servo driving the elevator, a carbon fiber rod in the elevator control surface, clear packaging tape on the belly and the same across the leading edges & under the outer 20% of the wings (where they are likely to scrape on long grass).
Yes good mods LoC
What are the name of the glue
Wow seems Awesome! Just too expensive :
Hello. I wonder if you would mind for me to name of the bits like the servo's and other bits you had to purchase to complete the kit, I 'm a drone user at the present and viewed your great video and thought I would try fixed wing with your help which would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help. best regards John
Best to buy PNP version for your first. Gear depends on your budget, where you are buying from and lots of other factors.
Andrew, if looking for a beginner aircraft to start running iNav, is this a good platform or have you reviewed something that would be a better fit?
I'd probably recommend the Range G2 because there is more space inside and easier access. But this and the Bixler do make really nice iNav platforms.
Neat
Thanks for this very informative video. I’m a quad flyer making a move to wings. I just bought the kit version. I’m curious, why did you use Gorilla Glue for fuselage but hot glue everywhere else ? Also, doesn’t the tape over the wires also add weight to be careful of ? Thanks for posting. Love your videos !
Probably wouldn't use Gorilla Glue now. Hot glue for quick setting time (servos, control horns and motor mounts) and UHU Por or E6000 or Quick Grip for large areas and more longer setting time to allow positioning. Everything adds weight but tape over the wires is insignificant
@@AndrewNewton thanks for the reply and info !
Andrew, building this exact kit version Sky Surfer now. Where did you put the ESC? I see the motor wires running right below your engine mount, did you poke a hole on the starboard side of the fuselage to run the wires inside ? I am concerned about the cooling of the ESC, apparently you did mount the ESC internally. Thank you and you are the best. Brooks.
Yes ESC inside, it doesn't get too hot at all if you're cruising around. If you're going to thrash it you could mount the ESC externally on the side of the fuselage and just have a hole for the battery connection to pass back inside
OK, I will just mount on the outside. Not a thrasher here, but I did have to move the Dynam Hawksky ESC to another locale in the fuselage as it would get hot in our 100 degree Houston weather as of late. That solved the problem. Question: Do I have to worry about the ESC being outside the fuselage in regards to the Flysky receiver antennae ? In this application the ESC could potentially be interfering with one of the receiver antennae. Overactive imagination here ? Thanks as always.
Oh yes, might need the cooling in that climate. Valid concerns, but you only need a few inches of separation between ESC and Rx to be safe.
As usual, you are the best.....My Sky Surfer box looked just liked yours.....pre-crashed plane in the box. Banggood needs to put the plane box in another box. I will be happy to pay the extra few $ for another box and a little piece of mind. Thanks again, Andrew !
was going to pickup a bixler2 kit which has same s 1400 mm span... do you think airframes are pretty much the same.??.. i used to have an axn floater jet which is similar to these... thanks
Bix 2 is a bit bigger and stronger maybe
Thank you about your tutorial. I am going to start the building of SFx.
Brilliant, just not sure how much CA is enough for my fingers. I get good results with about a teaspoon. :) Fingers are shot after a build!
Haha, hands stuck to the table!
Hello. I’ve watched this video more than once because I’m new to RC planes and foam kits. I bought one of these planes in kit form and am in the process of buying the rest of the parts. I have a few questions. What size motor is that and what size servos did you use ? Are the servos the same for all the controls of the plane, or do you use different ones ? Your videos are very informative. Thanks for all you do.
Where will you buy from? All the gear is listed on the product page but you can use cheaper servos like Racerstar MG90. They will be slightly bigger so you may need to cut out some foam or plywood to fit.
@@AndrewNewton Thanks for the reply. My bad for not scrolling down farther and checking out that list !
nice video ,, just wanna make sure about the CG please
Cant recall measurement, but 2200 3s right forward was good. 30% would be OK
Looks like the prop is not a pusher one, if so, how do you keep it from unscrewing?
Tighten the nut
Hi! 5x5x3 props (5x4.3x3 or 5x5.1x3) not good for this motors/glider?
OK if they are equivalent to a 6 x 4 prop
Could I ask what millimetre size the nylex lock nuts are? 2mm? Cheers👍
Yes M2, need to buy more
Thanks Andrew, I'm going to get some now👍
Hi I bought that sky surfer x8 and what Size that nylock but need to be???
M2 nuts. You can just CA glue the provided nuts
Do you think a 2826 2200kv motor will work or be beneficial to a 2212 2200kv?
Both motors will work, probably the same output
hello can someone please tell me the size of lock nut on the push rod .thanks
M2 (2mm)
did I miss the part where you need motor extension wires?
Good point, all wires need to be long enough to make the connection.
Here's what I've gathered from online, as I cannot find anything official from XUAV:
3S 11.1V 2200mAH battery
xxd 2212 2450kV motor
30A ESC
JX ps1109hb 9g servos (all are the same)
CCW prop
Obviously can change the motor, ESC, etc. around
That would be fine. I think you mean 3S 2200mAH battery
@@AndrewNewton Yes, I saw online a 5x5" prop is supposedly what's recommended so I got one of those.
Just finishing up here but the 52mm cg seems to far fwd- what's your cg?
Cant recall but it would be 55 to 60 at a guess
Im flying at 60mm but the instructions say 52 +2mm.
60 seams a little nose heavy but flys fine. One article i read says 1 third wich is 67mm. I dont want to try that.
what you never showed is where you entered fuse with motor wires... did you drill a hole? i want to be able to change motor if needed without hacking air frame to plug motor into esc... thanks
okay i see you made a hole at base of motor mount pod...i did the same thing with my axn floster jet years ago...i think i burned out 3 motors...lol...thax
Yes I probably melted a hole for the wires
@@roadstar499 man, how do you burn a motor on the old axn, i've been flying the floater jet for like probably literally 8+ years and never anything failed on me untill the horizontal stab became unglued in flight... Ouch, that was a rough crash. Didnt bother with regluing cause too much destruction, just salvaged the electronics and the original motor and ESC are still in perfect working order. Provided i always flew on 3s, no more
@@georgewashington1621that was a plane that i flew a lot..maybe i proped it up to much...i was a complete beginner...so i am sure i did a lot of things wrong ..even crashed it in water...must have crashed and fixed it 20 times..was a great plane😊
How long does your hot glue last? Normally it soon comes apart for me
Mine lasts for years
A motor modification would make the Sky Surfer perfect I think. Has anyone tried using a better motor? Mine is always overheating... What would be the best option?
I changed to an externally mounted motor
Hello
Is it possible to Build this Wing clamps on a Bixler
1?
Yes, if you can find some clamps to fit it would be easy
@@AndrewNewton how would you do it?
Then I order the plane did I get the controller too?
Not included. You need to look for RTF planes (Ready to fly). If it says PNP (Plug and play) then you need your own transmitter, or ARF or KIT means you need to do some building as well.
What are the name of the glued
I used hot glue and Gorilla Glue
Is a 2S 1300mah battery good for the Sky Surfer?
Too light probably, but add some weight in the nose and it will go well
@@AndrewNewton Ok, thanks
Can you use korean glue???
What is that?
Thanks for the video! Mine arrived sans instructions
Glad I could help!
How do you know?
Know what?
How you know glue in the pushrod casings will glue the pushrod into the casing ;)
Bixler or skysurfer?which one is best?
The X8 is closest to a Bixler 1. Both good, hard to pick between them
Is there a wing that is similar in size that has a plastic fuselage..like a 1200mm wing..looking for a very durable wing
Is this an EPO plane?
Yes
Hi Andrew, This is quite a good design configuration, and probably fly's well. I'm old school Andrew. Fyi a REAL glider is NOT Powered by any type of motor. This is a docile forgiving powered Airplane but it is NOT a glider.
This is a motor glider
old and grouchy... 😉😂 just kidding sort of
Yea Ok Andrew I didn't mean to sound offence, But I see aircraft all the time being flown like high speed missiles / fighter jets and they have the nerve to call them gliders.
How does your tail not get pushed around by the elevator servo? I've mounted the elevator rocker thingy as close to the center of the elevator as i could, might be a bit closer than in your video, made sure the pushrod goes as straight as possible, for which i carved out a bit of the tail boom and still when i move the elevator servo my whole tail bends either to the left or to the right depending on if the pushrod is pushing or pulling the tail. Now my kit is a bit different its from this link www.banggood.com/Sky-Surfer-X8-1480mm-Wingspan-EPO-FPV-Aircraft-RC-Airplane-PNP-p-1246031.html and i also didnt glue in the tail instead i made it to bolt on, but it sits tight as its not the tail that is bending but the whole rear part of the tail boom in front of the tail.
Also i've had a vertical nose down crash in the first 10 seconds of the first flight because i lost orientation (no worries, i'm an experience flyer with 10+ years of flying r/c, stuff like that just happens sometimes) and my tail snapped off at the tail boom about 4-5cm in front of the tail. I've glued everything back since and preparign for second flight but the tail wiggling by the elevator servo is still there.
From memory it did move, but not a problem
Wow.. is this the very original Skysurfer?
Back then before they became known as Bixlers the Skysurfer, CloudsFly, HawkSky, WildHawk , Elektro Rookie and clones were all considered EasyStar clones family.. of them i renember the Skysurfer from Banana hobby was usually regarded as the best of the EasyStar "family" ..then it was sold rebranded as Bixler by HK and it boomed
There's a whole clan of these planes, love them
Dear Andrew,
Hi my name is Zac and I am from Los Angeles California. I am 15 and an avid flyer and would love to talk to you more. Do you have an email I could find so we could talk more?
Thank you
Zac
Hello Zac. Email apnewton@gmail.com
Like the plane but no room for FC
I put one in mine.