Project Bipe-X

[EDFrules]

Someone talked me into doing a bipe project. (And you know who you are ) Not that I don't like bipes, but they can be an engineering headache if not done properly. Don't relish making umpteen prototypes. So I'll try and extrapolate from other planes I've done and see what happens. The idea is to make a 3D/precision foamie bipe for the MicroDan 2510-3D motor and TP 1320 packs. You can put a monoplane and a bipe next to each other and even though the mono might fly better-people will still pick the bipe I'll try and make it neutral handling with little coupling as possible. Please-no more scale(semi) AEROBATIC planes that are made to fly 3D. Let's depart from the norm-yay! No need to revisit Ultimates or Pitts. If you happened upon my blogs or threads you might notice I prefer the Clik style foamies so you can see the influence on the design. Hey what can I say, it flies extremely well so why fix it if it isn't broken? Here's some rough cut depron taped together to check out the general layout and integral cabanes/SFG's. By the way-whoever designed the Amethyst pattern bipe, my hat is off to you sir! I love it. Really has started quite the controversy on the pattern forums. OMG-no cockpit, who's going to fly the plane?! Really, who needs it unless you've got a little leprechaun of a pilot that's going to climb in and smooth out your stick inputs. Probably by making the fuse more symmetrical it keeps the cockpit hump from creating coupling on that side of the fuse. You go boyyyy! This planes a tribute to all those who start out with a blank sheet of paper and try to make the best flying plane possible...
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[EDFrules]

Here's some shots of the areas I'll mill out to save some grams. Elevator has some balsa triangle stock CA'd on. Will also add some carbon flat stock to elevator for some added strength

[EDFrules]

Got around to milling the tailfeathers out tonight. Inserted carbon flat stock and CA'd. Unmilled elevator came in @ 13grams w/balsa corner stock glued on. Milling shaved off about 4grams. Added 2 grams with carbon/CA so only saved 2 grams total but came out stiffer than unreinforced. Sorta happy with that. Rudder milling shaved off 3grams, so total of 5grams was taken off. Every little bit counts I quess, plus it's off the farthest part of the plane so lenght X weight helps out too. Seems like a lot of work to save a few grams but the end result(scale time!) and flight testing will tell the tale. May be worth it to just live with the weight and go for simplicity...nah! All the weight is being taken off the aft part of plane behind CG so that will help balance out with the short nose moment. Later...

[EDFrules]

My oldest daughter brought home an art project named Clearance(for real). What a great name for a mascot. He's going to be helping me out with milling a channel in the wings for the carbon tubes. Still leaves some foam on one side and I'll use some Sumo glue to fill in the top. Almost blends in perfectly with the depron which should hide my mistakes. Here's some shots of the ailerons milled out. Saved 2.5grams per aileron. So looks like a little over 1/2oz. saved by milling. That's more than likely going to be used up by repairs later!

[bhatch21]

The Bipe-X and Amethyst remind me of a Fliton Rogue. Some people love them, others hate em. The double wing struts on your Bipe-X are a great looking addition. Good luck finishing the build and let us know how it flies.

[EDFrules]

Thanks for the kind words! Yes, the Amethyst is Rogueish. The Bipe X is actually more Clikish than anything. I just glued some micro Robarts in this morning. They look like they'll work great. Very little resistance compared to CA hinges or tape. Going for precise, smooth action with Futaba S3154 digital servos. Elevator seems nice and stiff and moves freely with a drop of oil on the hinges. Should be just what the doctor ordered... of course there will be some video.

[EDFrules]

Got the bottom checker scheme done. Working on fuse scheme now. Just going for a basic paint job for side recognition in flight. Nothing fancy(can't really do one anyway!). Robarts were Sumo'd in and have very little resistance. Surfaces will flop around-nice. 3154's should have a field day slapping the surfaces around. One tip: You should clean up the excess glue off the hinges while it's expanding several times and flex surfaces to make sure there's no glue getting in hinges. Use a Q-tip and alcohol. Use some flat aluminum stock or something flat and weight the parts down while glue is setting. If you need to put some pressure on the parts to keep the hinge line tight do so with some extra weights, or whatever you have on hand. My 2 cents

[EDFrules]

Got some paint on the rest of the fuse. Kind of trying colors and shapes for the next one. Not quite sure what shows up best in flight on a mostly symmetrical bipe. Will try and get the fuse glued together tonight.

[EDFrules]

Got the fuse together between all the holiday festivities. Made a carbon plate mount for the MicroDan 2510-3D. It's got bling now

[EDFrules]

Got the Bipe-X up in the air for a few minutes between squalls. This weather lately has sucked big time. Brief impressions-a little too heavy for motor. Still flies well, probably needs a few more watts to get ballistic vertical. Probably will upgrade to Scorpion. Good 3D performance but pack is all the way forward. If pattern is desired a little heavier motor should cure that. Did a 7' donut. KE was with no rudder input. Hovers excellent. Need to make the next version a little smaller and lighter for the MicroDan. Always try and push the size limit for a motor and pushed too far this time. Nothing a Scorpion won't cure. Paint scheme was very visible even with todays crappy skies. Seems to be very stable and manueverable, more flight testing should reveal what it's capable of. With a few changes(as expected for prototype) I'll get the next one going for SEFF.

[pburt1975]

EDFrules, great job on that bipe bud. Looks almost like the infineon bipe too. The CLIK influence comes through nicely too.

So this baby is your design? How'd you cut the parts out? the milling looks way to good to have been done with a razor knife.

Hows your paint scheme show up in the sky?

[EDFrules]

Thanks for the kind comments. I can rightly claim it's my design although borrowed heavily from the Clik, that's why I showed them together for reference sake. Cut it with razor and ruler. Milled with Dremel. Paint scheme was very visible on grey overcast, rainy day. More testing and some vid for sure...

[EDFrules]

Here's Blake putting Bipe-X thru the paces, enjoy!

Bipe-X Test Flights

Bipe-X Last Flight of the Day

Bipe-X Threading the needle!

[EDFrules]

Here's some shots of V2.0 parts. Fuse is EPS foam core, milled and holed with carbon criss cross stiffeners CA'd into EPS foam, 2mm depron outer sheeting. Still about same weight as usual 6mm depron cross fuse setup. A lot stiffer than usual foamie build. Just what we like for precision. No slop in linkages,digital servos and carbon rods for wing spars-it's a good thing. Start painting today, should have some more pics by the weekend. Here's another vid I forgot to post:

Bipe-X Maiden Test Flights

[pstrdenver]

EDF, great build. I love the looks and the capability of this Bipe. Any build plans available for us droolers?

[ravenharris]

Hey thats pretty cool....

[SkunkyMagoo]

Great piloting!

[EDFrules]

Haven't really finalized plans yet, still don't know how V2.0 flies. After some more testing we'll see the direction we need to go with the design. Hopefully the 34-37" size will be commercially available as a kit soon. V2.0 is a testbed for a larger 60" sized bipe. Just trying out some new fuse construction technique's before going ahead with the big one. It will have full EPS foam core wings/fuse/stab. Stay tuned for more developments.

Originally Posted by pstrdenver

EDF, great build. I love the looks and the capability of this Bipe. Any build plans available for us droolers?

[EDFrules]

Here's the hopefully highly visible in flight paint job for the Bipe-X V2.0. Still trying to come up with that crisp easily discernible while flying scheme. :o Have to hit the edges with a Sharpie to finish it off. I know the bottom big checker scheme is very visible, a lot of planes use this scheme on the bottom 'cuz it works. Should have it all together by next weekend, now for the fun stuff....

[EDFrules]

My oldest daughter wanted to practice her photography skills on my plane. She actually said she likes the paint scheme. That's a first! Thanks for the pics girl. Just getting the cabanes/SFG's cut into the wings. Will have it glued later tonight. Coming in about 1.4oz lighter so far and much stiffer with a better wing saddle area. More later...

[pstrdenver]

that is really sharp looking. What medium did you use to lay that color? Acrylic?

She's gonna look good against a baby blue sky.

[EDFrules]

Thanks, exactly what we're looking for. Even shows well against a gray overcast sky too-or come to think of it about 1" off the grass! I used FasKolor paints that are water based. So I quess they are acrylic even though it doesn't say on the bottles. Dries pretty lite too. I like their pearlescent colors too. Really shows in the sunlight.

[EDFrules]

Finally got the time to finish her off, now if the weather will co-operate. Don't feel like doing the Ben Franklin thing with a new plane! Here in Central Florida(lightning capitol of the world) I can see and hear some thunder bumpers kicking up now so have to wait till tommorrow for the maiden. AR6000 is recessed into the fuse as well as most of the servo leads. Kind of cleans it up a little. ESC is hidden too, but still has plenty of ventilation. AUW with 1320 comes in @ 18.5oz. Still better than V1.0. Vids soon...

[Alpea42]

Very nice EDF I recently dusted off a year and a half old Byp Yak and got the right power combo in it.And it wants to fly 3D with out me. LOL Actually it does better with out me. I wonder why there aren't more bipe 3Ders.Everyone of the sport flyers at my field that I've let fly it think it's an awesome flying machine.I wish there was a "Blake" there so we could see how it does in his hands.

[EDFrules]

Blake has had a few Bype Yaks too. He liked his but wanted me to come with something more outdoor(wind) capable. Just didn't see any out there that fly worth a darn so Bipe-X here we come. It's basically a small version of what we really want to come up with-a 60" version with full fuse/wings/stab. Just trying to get the general planform down before moving to the big one. And even if you saw his thumbs moving(believe me I try and look all the time!) you still won't be able to duplicate it. It just takes practice and lots of it for me. But it's good to be able to have someone as talented as he is to be able to learn from. I've added a few tricks to my bag but I think the thing most people fail to realize is that 3D is an offshoot of pattern flying. I have people ask me all the time how what the secret is to 3D flying(like Blake) and it's 2 words-slow roll! If you can master a smooth slow roll from one end of the field to the other(1 roll only) you've got the basis for a lot of 3D manuevers. I'm still trying to master that one but it's helped me a lot. That and just tons of practice. I'll never be able to fly as well as he does but that doesn't stop me from trying. BTW-look for Blake to compete in Intermediate Pattern @ the NATS this year. I'm sure he'll do well. Hopefully soon you'll be seeing a kitted version of Bipe-X and then you can try one out for yourself. Too bad none of the sport flyers want to better their skills by trying 3D out. Kind of sad actually-have seen guys that have flown for 40 years and still do the same stuff over and over. You'd think they would want to use the other 75% of the flight envelope!