Skylark S Reviews?

[NewBuilderFlyer]

I like the idea of F3A but not the rather expensive 2m planes and yet Bondaero has a smaller EPP 1m trainer called the 'Skylark S'. I think I've found the manufacturer (ALONG-RC) who also make the Clouds Fly which is pretty good. Other than that there's nothing on YouTube and no one else seems to stock it. I have sent an email to Bondaero asking for more details so we'll see what happens - unless you have one?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Not seen that model, but a clubmate has this model and it flys well Splendor

John

[chris Bond - Bondaero]

more on the way soon

[NewBuilderFlyer]

I did send an email to Chris and when a slightly damaged Skylark was advertised on the Bondaero site (just some decal issues) I bought one.

I was particularly impressed with the build quality and wonder why it's not more widely stocked.

Sadly I haven't flown it yet but am looking forward to giving it a go.

[Shaun Walsh]

I realise this is an old thread but I just bought one of these from Banggood's UK warehouse.

Arrived within 4 days and I am pleased with the quality. Cost £45 for the kit, foam is rigid and well moulded, it has a metal motor mount and ply battery support with velcro strap. Just need 4 servos, esc, motor/prop/spinner and receiver.

[Shaun Walsh]

Update:

Put the motor in and it has considerable right thrust and, apparently, some up thrust ?.

Motor removed and washers added between the motor and the mount in appropriate places which was really fiddly, had to tack glue the washers in place on the motor then screw it in. First try looks better but I think it still needs more down thrust so it will have to come out again ?.

The servo cutouts are an exact fit for Emax ES08MDII servos, nice and snug. The control horns are cheap brittle plastic so these were replaced with small SLEC ones, similarly the clevises. Still waiting for some odds and ends so it will be a few days before it is complete.

The instructions I have found online make no mention of control throws so it will be a case of dialling in plenty of expo just in case.

[Stuphedd]

On mine which I got from Bondareo complete 2nd hand . the control throws are minmalistic !!  She is very sensitive on the elevator +-10mm max and that will produce a 20ft loop , its quick smooth and snaps too fast to see I love it and she came out flying with me  today .

 

enjoy it  I do 

 

cheers

[Shaun Walsh]

10 minutes ago, Stuphedd said:

On mine which I got from Bondareo complete 2nd hand . the control throws are minmalistic !!  She is very sensitive on the elevator +-10mm max and that will produce a 20ft loop , its quick smooth and snaps too fast to see I love it and she came out flying with me  today .

 

enjoy it  I do 

 

cheers

Thanks for the info, any recommendations for aileron throw and CoG position?

[Stuphedd]

Hi Shaun

I will measure it all up for you , as soon as I wake up , and post the spec I use !

 

cheers 

[Stuphedd]

auw is as photo  prop 12x5

 

elev displace    low      med     high

                         30%      40       50

                           6mm    9         12mm

 

Ail dis                35%       45       55

                            7mm    10m     18mm

 

cg 83mm from le 140mm from TE 

 

I fly mostly on the medium rate   tried to show down thrust and side thrust in the photos

 

[Shaun Walsh]

That's great, thanks for the info, what motor have you used?

[Stuphedd]

missed off the expo

 

elev     25%      40        40

 

ail         25%      30         40  

same for up and down , 

 

will try to see the motor but it came already built  so tiny mirrors needed , but I think it was with the original  kit !!

 

cheers

[Stuphedd]

The motor  is Grand Turbo    GT2215/09   KV 1180  by Emax   a perfect match !!

 

 

[Shaun Walsh]

17 hours ago, Stuphedd said:

The motor  is Grand Turbo    GT2215/09   KV 1180  by Emax   a perfect match !!

 

I have put the motor/prop details into eCalc and it gives a thrust/weight ratio of 2 which presumably gives pretty good vertical performance! Although it does indicate that at full throttle the motor is operating beyond its rated current capacity. 

The motor I have fitted is a Turnigy 2217-1050KV which eCalc says should give a max Thrust/Weight ratio of around 1.7 which should be enough for me.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Shaun Walsh

[Stuphedd]

Hi Shaun

 

I did not choose the motor , it all came from Bandaero fully built ! not new but pretty good . 

The motor is pretty good with as you say vertical performance is out of sight and rolling ! you dont need full power unless showing off and we all do that occasionally ! yours will be super!!aint bent it yet !!  UC is a tad fragile 

 

keep in touch 

 

cheers 

[Shaun Walsh]

On 28/07/2021 at 17:44, Stuphedd said:

Hi Shaun

 

I did not choose the motor , it all came from Bandaero fully built ! not new but pretty good . 

The motor is pretty good with as you say vertical performance is out of sight and rolling ! you dont need full power unless showing off and we all do that occasionally ! yours will be super!!aint bent it yet !!  UC is a tad fragile 

 

keep in touch 

 

cheers 

Had the first flights this morning. Low rates were a bit sedate, I kept thinking"turn, turn!" mid rates seem to work fine, flies nicely on half throttle which means I can get about 6 minutes out of a 1400 mAH 3s battery, might try a larger battery later but wanted to keep the weight low for first flights. Your recommendations regarding COG were spot on. Just one thing to sort out, I think it needs more downthrust, it just wants to climb when you open the throttle, will put a couple more washers on the bottom of the motor.

[Stuphedd]

Hi Shaun 

pleased it worked out for you ! My lipo is 2200 so I gues my AUW is a bit higherthan yous 

 

cheers

[Shaun Walsh]

A quick update. Have been flying this for a couple of weeks now with higher throws and it's great fun. Very forgiving in a stall, easy to land and flies like it's on rails.  Seriously considering an FMS Explorer or Olympus as a next step, something bigger would be easier on the old eyes. Currently getting 5 minutes with 50% battery reserve on a 1400 3S.

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Shaun

I have one of these as well. Great fun.

Couple of things to watch out for.

First of all, check your aileron hinges regularly. Haven't flown mine for a while, but when I took it out for a play I found one of the hinges has split over half its length. It hasn't been crashed. Might have snagged something getting it out of the car last time, but I can't recall.

Either way, play stopped for the day. Eventually cut both hinges away and replaced with mylar ones.

Second, the wheel pants are a bit of a handicap if you fly off less than perfect grass, but they look so good I left them on. Also the fitting is less than secure. On the maiden flight, vibration caused one of them to work loose and ended up with the long end hanging down. Managed to land ok, but if it had snagged on the grass, could have ended in tears.

Modified mine so they are much more secure.

I really like the sprung tailwheel, but imho it's a little too long so the aoa of the wing at rest is not great. With the drag from the wheel pants, sometimes it lifts off ok, others it runs around the field like a demented jack rabbit.

Considering taking it off and just using a short skid instead. Don't really need steerable tail on grass anyway.

Work in progress.

The model is very light so gets knocked about a bit in the wind.

I have fitted mine with a stand-alone stabiliser. One of those cheapie ones Bangood was selling off a few months ago. Makes it much more stable in the gusts.

Finally, Stuphedd, if you're about. In your post you mentioned a 12 x 5 prop. Could you confirm. Can't see using that size without running into prop clearance issues.

I started with a 9 x 6 but didn't give me enough thrust for take off. Now fitted a 10 x 7 cut down to 9 1/2 x 7. Static current test says 22a or so, so just within the limits of the 2217 motor I have fitted. Yet to see if it helps.

If it doesn't, stabiliser should make hand launching a non-event.

We'll see.

Jeff

 

[Shaun Walsh]

Hi Jeff

Thanks for the heads-up regarding the hinges, had the same issue on a Slow Poke.

Wheel spats aren't an issue, secured them by gluing the spats to the plastic shrouds that go on the undercarriage wires, seems to work ok. Grass length isn't an issue either as I fly at a cricket club which has a model flying section, only restrictions are silent flight only and don't land in the wicket area!

The tail wheel is a bit too long and yes the result is a longer than expected take off run but it does mean it unsticks smoothly so you look like you know what you are doing ?

At the moment it has a standard receiver and I have only flown it in low winds, I have a couple of spare Lemon stabilised receivers so may try one of those in windier weather.

Prop is an APC-E 10x6 drawing 23 amps static WOT which is rated maximum for the motor.

Very surprised to get 6-7 minutes on a 3s 1400 battery, I use the same battery in a Hummer and 5 minutes is the absolute max even though it weighs less, although it does have the aerodynamics of brick, its probably the drag that suck the amps.

Shaun

[Stuphedd]

Hi Jeff

 

yes I am still about , but still suffering from dislexia !!   I did read my contribution to this thread with amazement !! a 12x5 prop ?? I dont remember mixing in some torque compensation !!

Anyway its a 10x5e and static amps 25 ( just retested/confirmed)  timer set for 6 mins to give at least 20% left in the lipo, Because its a Aerobatic Practice aircraft , (That why Bondaero sold them ) you never use full power for very long so you can get longer flights .

It just goes where you will it to go ?

 

cheers

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Stuphedd

Thanks for that. Did think 12 x 5 would be handy for mowing the strip, but not much else.

Anyway, if I recall, you have the oem motor in yours. Mine has the HK2217 1050Kv, same as Shaun.

I started off with a 9 x 6 HK bone prop, which took some 17a on a static test. That was fine in the air, but lack of thrust plus the tall tailwheel made lift off a hit and miss affair. I now have a 10 x 7 APC cut down to 9 1/2". That pulls 22a static, so still well within the comfort zone of the motor.

Yet to find out if that helps, but if not, probably pull the tailwheel off and replace it with a lower skid. thinking the wing at a more positive angle to the ground might be better.

Work in progress

Jeff

[Stuphedd]

Hi there 

Mine just leaps into the air !! within 10 ft and climbs vertically, Our patch is rough  , a patch a farmer has "given" us cos it wont grow anything apart from clay cracks !

Thats why I have removed the spats , the tail wheel is still in position , and no cracks yet in the hinges , but always a concern on foamy things !!

For smoothness I recon the Skylark is one of the best but the old small GWS Formosa is also very smooth and predictable , why did they stop making it ?? The bigger version was not so good !

enjoy the Skylark     

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Stuphedd

I think it might be the drag from the spats that might be causing my issue. However they're so much a part of the model I want to keep them.

Next time out I'll try with the higher pitch prop, see if that helps. If not, next step will be to modify the tail wheel.

Mind you, logic says that with the stabiliser enabled hand launching should be a non-event.

Maybe last resort, we'll see.

Jeff

[PDB]

Anyone else flying one of these?

 

I've assembled the version sold by 4 Max (https://www.4-max.co.uk/aircraft-F3A-950-SkyLark-S.htm) and the manual states a COG range from 55-70mm from the LE. Mine with a 3s 2200 lipo installed as far forward as possible is tail heavy and I see @Stuphedd has said 83mm.

 

I've emailed George but not heard back yet so thought I'd check here too before adding weight in the nose.👍