steve 1 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Hi, i have managed to get some video of the piggy back/Carry and departure from the tug. We could of done with more wind really (don't say that very often) we did try some more towing using Velcro and it did work but we found it more fun and less hassle with the carry method. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 Nice Video steve 1, Well presented , filmed and flown well done to all concerned. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robertson 3 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 26/7/17 post by Stephen Jones: "Hi, John Robertson 3, I take it you have both the Playtive XL Glider from Lidl and the Fleix IQ XL from Robotbirds, It would be nice if you could do a comparison for us all, while you do a conversion of the Fleix IQ XL glider. I read the stats of the Fleix glider is a little smaller than the Lidl one which should not be a problem but how is it in regards to strength and width in order the take radio gear. Any observations or thoughts would be much appreciated . Cheers Steve" And my reply: "I only have the Robotbirds' Felix IQ XL - the Lidl glider does not appear to have been sold in my neck of the woods, so no direct comparison is possible, I'm afraid. The Felix fuselage is 52.7mm wide at the wing's leading edge, depth is 93.1mm. The canopy is a mere tight push-fit. No glue is involved other than a dab on the (socket-headed) bolt-noseweight. Wing thickness is about 21.4mm at the root, 14mm at the tip. The trailing edge is about 8mm thick, tapering to about 4mm at the polyhedral break. The flat-bottom of wing section is about 153mm. Judging from the videos I've been watching today (rainy and windy) the wing looks to deflect about the same as the Lidl one when testing the possibility of flattening at the tips." Well . . . I have to report that I have at last sorted out my Felix IQ XL and it's flying surprisingly well. I determined that I would attempt initially to have it as a 3 channel set-up using Rudder, Elevator & Throttle, mainly to see if it was feasible in such a small but hefty machine. Initial flights showed that it was indeed possible, although with a fixed prop the initial flights were exciting - on throttle-off it glided like a brick with an un-braked fixed prop. Throttle-on and it reared up and sideways. "Fun" indeed to land in small area! I reckoned that the motor was too powerful and needed side- and down-thrust and also that the rudder and elevator weren't powerful enough. A smaller and folding prop was next and so it went on - motor braking, soft-start, some side thrust, some down-thrust, increased throws, no side-thrust, more, more and more down-thrust. Finally, last week I had it almost spot-on and to my delight there was a gentle Westerly straight on to my slope. Felix drifted nicely back-and-forth for a while, still exhibiting a need for more down-thrust, but making the flight quite relaxing for part of the time. Landings were much less problematic. The following day there was a strong, blustery wind from the same direction. I cracked towards evening and had a go, back a bit from the slope. Manageable for a few seconds, but then I lost it and had a few uncontrolled landings as the tail couldn't overcome the wind. I decided that larger tail moving surfaces were DEFINITELY needed and resolved to do that before another flight. But, of course, I didn't. I added a little more down-thrust and this morning popped down to the slope (half-a-mile from home). Bingo - perfect power-on/off behaviour and, with an almost calm, dry day I could land it power on or power off on the way in. Ya Beauty! I could bring it down in a shallow dive, then power-off and the little fat wings would give a little whistle as it went by. Power on, kiss the rushes with the tail and smoothly on up into an almost-prop-hang session (possible with a fully-charged 2S 1000maH battery). Great fun, and well worth the experimenting. Why Rudder/Elevator? Because I can pull the wing out of the fuselage quickly and simply and replace it just as easily. The wing doesn't seem to move at all in flight, no matter how violent I've been and, in bad landings, moves in and out without damage. I've had a couple of cartwheels through the rushes and been back in the air within seconds. It's easily packed away and the material seems REALLY resilient. I have this evening removed the elevator and cut a double-sized version out of a part-sheet of 30-year old soft balsa from my stock. With cross-grained tips I'm not going to spend too much time getting this super-light as I have some tail-weight I can remove. I will remove the rudder in the morning also, as I could see that even at full deflection, really, really far over, it struggled to impose itself on the flight path. That one will be built-up, as I intend to give it plenty of area. At first I was somewhat intimidated by the speed of the plane - I'm a returnee after 3 decades - but now I enjoy the way it rips through the sky, the way it can climb almost vertically for most of the charge state, the way it will glide around quietly with just a whisper of throttle on and how, even with a short, fat, bent-up-at-the-tips-only wing it behaves rather nicely around the stall. I think I'll just stick with it the way it is and explore how it handles in much stronger winds than I've been up in hitherto. I may even try drifting around on the sea-wall, something I've been doing with my little UMX Radian (which has attracted favourable attention from other beach users, who seem intrigued by this little 50 gram "bird" that I hover in front of them and sometimes show off by landing in my hand). Then again . . . maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I still have an unopened Lidl kit if anyone wants it. Cost price plus postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 Well as has already been posted, The Playtive XL Glider will be on sale again on the 24 May at Lidl. So there is no excuse for those that missed it last time around . So why not grab one when you can, They are a real Catch !!!!!. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedster Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Or the Lidl website now : **LINK** Soren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robertson 3 Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 Unfortunately, no on-line trading in the UK. Roll on next Thursday, when I will bag 2. I want to compare it with my Robotbirds-sourced Felix IQ XL model (see post of 20/11/2018), which is still going strong, and maybe make a really high-powered version as a "just-to-see-if-I-can-make-it/control-it" exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted May 24, 2018 Share Posted May 24, 2018 Got 2 today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted May 24, 2018 Share Posted May 24, 2018 Got 2 today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Robertson 3 Posted May 24, 2018 Share Posted May 24, 2018 Got 4 today! At last! 2 for me, 2 for a pal. We intend to set them up for slope-soaring In the windier conditions in the next Autumn/Winter. 2 we intend to have wingerons, as per SpeedsterDEN's set-up, the others as conventional Aileron/Rudder/Elevator machines, all as part of our 60's-heading-for-70-years-of-age fun package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 Hi Guys, Just an observation by me, The Black body and wings are heavier and stronger / less flexible than the others. So in my opinion make up a Black Glider. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedster Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 More Lidl Cheers Soren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ovenden Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 Now here's a thing. Got two of these, intending to convert to rc. However, the grandchildren have had such fun using them as intended (chuck gliders) that I have given them both gliders to keep. Bought a HK Super Kinetic for myself instead! Edited By David Ovenden on 31/05/2018 19:42:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 The flitetest guys are doing the same thing with a Wal-Mart glider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 You could try Laser Engines. I use an M10 sleeve nut from them, but APC `E` are a far better bet than using i/c props. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Nielsen Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 For some reason I grabbed a handfull for my kids and then I see this. So are these a beginner friendly option? Or should I get a starter kit with an engine? Of the shown conversions which are the easier to fly?Best regardsSoeren NYeah but from Sealand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedster Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Lidl XL gliderplane, Summer.dk Cheers Soren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedster Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Lidl XL gliderplane, Summer.dk Cheers Soren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Cracknell Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Lidl kit is a bit like the Mayfly - as any trout stream fly fisherman will tell you it appears for a fortnight and is then gone - never to be seen again.. I have often told friends about Lidl bargains, they go and find no stock and if you ask the staff if any more are coming in you get a shrug of the shoulders. Lidl must spend a fortune getting heavy items like compressors, bandsaws, generators, pillar drills etc branded so why only have them on offer for a month maximum? Why don't they have a back order system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Posted by Robert Cracknell on 19/08/2018 21:30:51: Lidl must spend a fortune getting heavy items like compressors, bandsaws, generators, pillar drills etc branded so why only have them on offer for a month maximum? Why don't they have a back order system? By limiting the supply it achieves two things for Lidl. Firstly, you will buy when you see them, so you don't miss out; secondly, you will keep going in to see the latest offers and probably buy some of their standard stuff whilst you are there, and before you know it you are a regular customer. This approach also means they can have a much smaller shop than if they had all the items all the time. There are only so many gliders or compressors that they will sell in a year, so if Lidl can shift them all in a fortnight, they can then use the space for something else. Maybe we would still have plenty of model shops if they did aircraft one week, trains the next and cars after that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Hi, Guess what is coming to a lidl store near you soon. Playtive Glider Plane. And it looks like new colors and a thinner wing. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tayler Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Steve, How soon is soon? Last time when there were gliders Lidl had sold out by the time I got there.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Posted by David Tayler on 16/05/2019 22:16:56: Steve, How soon is soon? Last time when there were gliders Lidl had sold out by the time I got there.Thanks Well for me 23/5/19 as i live near Oldham lancashire OL9 9xx. You will have to check your store finder for near you. Check the coming up tab . Store finder Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tayler Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thank you Steve, My store will be the 23rd too.I will be there! David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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