RCM&E Dec 2018 - Ruckus Review Update

[GrumpyGnome]

33 minutes ago, Peter Jenkins said:

  I took over from the owner of a small aerobatic model who was having problems flying it - wow!  Did I have problems flying it!  Got it down unscathed and turned down his control throws and it looked like he was flying on rails on his next flight.  I'm told he's been told this at his club and they turned down his control throws but...he turned them back up again and had difficulty in flying it.  There's a lesson there somewhere!

 

There's at least one in every club - we have a relatively new flier who refuses to reduce throws and tries to compensate with bucket loads of expo......

[Nigel Heather]

Des anyone know when the V2 was released and what improvements did it introduce.

 

The reason I ask is that I have just bought a V2, well it was advertised and sold to me as a V2, and I’m sure it is a V2 - but there is nothing at all on the box or manual that identifies it as a V2.

 

So is there anyway to tell that I have a V2 and not a V1?

[Stuart Z]

Sorry can’t remember but do remember there was a change to the vents under the fuz.  I think the 2 hole version is V2, but what else I’m not sure, possibly the 4 S capability, but might be rambling.

[Nigel Heather]

Well I bought this back in February and I still haven't managed to assemble it - by comparison the Acrowot Foam-E can be assembled in under an hour and that includes having to cut out and apply all the decals.

 

Okay, I haven't been trying very hard - the reason is whenever I try to figure out how to fit the battery, the receiver and ESC I get stumped and give up with a rethink.

 

Overall the plane looks great, impressed with the quality of the build until it comes to the electronics compartment - the design of that is god-damned awful - I say design but I doubt any thought thought or design went into that aspect at all - it truly is awful.  I think they just finished and said "god knows how everything is going to fit in there - let's leave it to the customer to work out".

 

My issues with it

• There is no separation between the ESC the battery and the receiver - they all have to contend for the same space.  Sure you can squeeze them all in but the result would be a rat's nest of wiring and changing the battery for each flight would be awkward.
• Where they expect the delicate LiPo to sit is littered with screw heads and ends - this is asking for a battery puncture and fire.
• There is no air flow over the ESC - it sits entombed in the fuselage - there are no air intakes in the cowling that flow into this area - all you have is a tunnel behind the motor - okay that is at least something but not great especially given it will be obscured by motor wiring.
• The servo wiring also has to contend for the same space adding to the rat's nest.
• The instructions say "we recommend putting some velcro down - presumably to provide some protection from puncturing and to secure the battery because the straps they provide and two short and useless

I think the OP has addressed these best - means carving out an area in the wing for the servo cables and building a battery plate solution to keep the battery and the ESC apart and to ease battery replacement.  These are excellent solutions and I believe they are the best solution but you should have to build stuff like this.  Unfortunately, because I am using 4S, my batteries are just a tad too tall to use this.

 

Out of the box the electronics arrangement just hasn't be thought out, which is a shame because the rest of the plane looks great, but because of this I really could not recommend the Ruckus.

 

 

[Cuban8]

On 28/01/2023 at 18:56, GrumpyGnome said:

 

There's at least one in every club - we have a relatively new flier who refuses to reduce throws and tries to compensate with bucket loads of expo......

Ah, you can't beat loads of throw in case you need it in an emergency! Er, No.