No plane has ever redefined electric 3D quite like the Extra SHP. Not only have many, many pilots learned the 3D ropes on an SHP, but even the most accomplished 3D pilots always keep one around, just because it is so friendly, and so easy to fly.
The SHP's overwhelming strong suit has always been it's sublime stability. No matter how hard you push the SHP, it never loses it's composure, and never surprises the pilot. It just feels good.
And yet, while being so gentle, predictable and effortless to fly, the SHP is capable of just about every 3D move you can think of, including some pretty violent blenders, tumbles and such. Other planes will snap, tumble and rotate on their pitch axis more violently, or with less effort, but the SHP will still do all of these things, just more gently. With the SHP's built in stability, the pilot has to make a very conscious effort to get the SHP to do something crazy. This trait comes in extremely handy for the new pilot who needs a lot of help from the plane to keep him from getting himself into trouble, but it is also very confidence inspiring, and makes a very relaxing plane for the experienced pilot to unwind with.
An experienced pilot can also push an SHP stupid hard, asking-for-trouble kind of hard, and it will never bite him. It's not going to snap or spin, or freak out and whirl out of control unless that's what you tell it to do. If you wreck an SHP, you did it, no matter how hard you are pushing it.
The SHP might just also be the toughest little bird out there, and capable of absorbing much more abuse than almost any other 3D trainer I can think of. Few people are as hard on their equipment as I am, but I've never been able to kill an SHP, or even hurt one badly. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be done, but so far the SHP has taken everything I have been able to dish out.
Since the SHP's introduction, though, much has been learned in 3D aerodynamics and airframe construction. Much of the new wave 3D thinking was pioneered by Scott Stoops, and the new SHP is the perfect showcase for that knowledge.
3DHS head honcho Ben Fisher told me years ago that his goal was to be the finest airframe manufacturer in the world. Undoubtedly that goal was met some time ago, but it's also very clear he intends to keep it that way for a long time, if not forever, by leaving the others way behind. 3DHS is achieving this by constantly updating and improving their existing airframes, in addition to introducing ground breaking new designs like the Scott Stoops' precision 3D hybrid Vyper and Andrew Jesky's AJ Slick.
The first of the current 3DHS 47" airplanes to be updated was the Velox Revolution, now known as the 48" Velox VR1. This plane is such a substantial improvement that in the air (where it counts), it is hardly recognizable from the original. Next up will be the much improved replacement for my beloved Extra SR, but for now, the new SHP is the latest offering.
Improvements To the SHP Airframe
While the new SHP is very similar to the older version, there are many subtle improvements. The SHP was already so good that it just needed a little freshening up, so there is nothing radical here. No need to screw up something that already works so well.
Composite Landing Gear Block
Most 3D airplanes are a bit weak in the LG area, first in an effort to save weight, and secondly, that's the area that takes the most continued abuse, and even the brunt of most impacts. Lots of 3D planes are unacceptably, if not criminally under built in this area, but 3DHS planes have aways had very robust landing gear assemblies.
But they aren't perfect. That is....not until now.
The most visual improvement in the SHP, and maybe the most helpful for newer pilots, is 3DHS' new bomb proof landing gear block assembly. A carbon fiber plate is bonded to a laminated composite landing gear block, which is then supported by carbon rods running through the assembly and also through plywood formers. It's difficult to get a good picture of it, and you'll have to look under the battery tray to see it, but this new assembly is a very righteous upgrade.
We had first seen this gear assembly on the new Velox VR1, and I went so far as to accidentially torture mine by catching a rip in the runway material with my wheelpant. The plane was yanked to an instant stop, by the landing gear, from about 10 mph, and it didn't even effect the plane enough to wrinkle the covering. I am sure that sudden, vicious yank would have shredded the bottom out of most planes.
Absolutely bomb proof.
Stiffer Carbon Gear Legs
The original SHPs twin gear legs were made a little springy to absord some of the abuse a 3D trainer will inevitably take, but with the bomb proof landing gear assembly, this was no longer necessary. For the new SHP, an upgraded, thicker, single piece carbon leg is pressed into service. Not only is this gear much more durable, but without the springyness it's a lot easier to slick in a nice landing with no bounce.
The carbon work is beautifully done, art almost, and it is a very high quality piece. So, what used to be the weakest link of every 3D airplane on the market is now a thing of the past. I think it's safe to say this will be the standard gear leg for the 47" line up.
Gear Cover
A feature taken from the 3DHS 55" ships is a flush fitting cover for the landing gear. This is a nice touch that makes the gear appear to be a integrated part of the plane rather than just hung off the bottom. The manual calls for it to be glues on, but I just ran a screw through it so I can remove it to check my landing gear bolts periodiacally.
Side Force Generators
I've been flying Side Force Generators (SFG) on the SHPs almost from the beginning. These give you additional lift and stability in KE (knife edge) flight, and help reduce unwanted wing rocking in harrier flight. Another benifit is it channels the air over the tail better for increased yaw authority, most noticably in hovering.
These SFGs actually have a horizontal spar notched into them. These stiffen the SFG so they flex less and do their job better, and makes them stronger so they don't fold up in the occasional ground strike. This is just another example of 3DHS attention to detail that many people don't normally see, but makes a superior flying product that holds up better to hard usage.
I like SFGs anyway. I've gotten so used to seeing them that a plane looks naked without them. The SHP's new SFGs are the same ones as used on the Velox VR1 and these mwheel pantodels are more elegant looking than the ones used on the older Extra SR and Velox Revolution. Their corners are more rounded and the whole plane appears softer and less pointy around the edges. Visually it is a nice improvement. They have more area than the previous versions without being gawdy, cartoon-looking devices. They also don't hang down any further where they would be more venerable to ground strikes.
The new SFGs appear to have a bit more area than before. Larger SFGs will give more lift and stability in knife edge flight, and also help more in eliminating harrier wing rock. Not being an engineer, I can't swear they will be an aerodynamic improvement over the old ones, but with more area it makes sense they would do their job better.
One undesirable side effect of taller SFGs is they tend to make the plane weather vane and try to turn itself into a crosswind. These new SFGs are not any more tall. They just have more area, so they work better without cross winds negatively effecting the airplane nearly as much as a tall SFG does.
One of the things I have noticed with SFGs is that they make the plane more stable all the way around without impairing the plane's rolling, snapping, tumbling, turning ability. There doesn't seem to be a down side to a well designed set, so it's another winning improvement for the SHP.
More Wing Area, Lighter Weight
The 47" Extra SHP has become the 48" SHP. An inch of span doesn't sound like a lot, but when you add that to the weight savings, it does add up.
There have also been some structural improvements which has resulted in a stiffer airframe with less wight. This was done with extensive Cad Cam analysis, coupled with Stoops' and Fisher's real world experience and years of tweaking every little thing possible on the then-current SHP.
With the slight increase in wing area, this weight reduction makes the SHP even lighter and floatier to fly. A little more wing and a little less weight makes for a big increase in performance.
Hardware
Since 3D hobby Shop's hardware packages are already the industry standard, there was no need to improve on any of that. If you have built a 3DHS plane, you know exactly what I mean, and it is always nice to work with hardware that you are familiar with, not to mention have spares of. You never have to second guess any of this stuff. Just put it on the way the instructions call for and it works every time.
This hardware pack is so completely, there is nothing else to buy except glue, and maybe a wire tie or two if you want to tidy up your servo wires. Not seen in the picture is the strip of Velcro that comes with the pack. It appears to be the Velcro brand type of Velcro, which is what I prefer. Just another example of the no compromised quality in all 3DHS planes.
Color Scheme
For the improved SHP, 3DHS has a brand new color scheme, one red, the other blue. They are certainly flashy enough, though I am really going to miss the yellow stinger scheme. Like all 3DHS schemes, these are extremely visible. Top, bottom, and direction of travel are all visually very distinct, so there's very little chance you'll get disoriented. As is becoming 3DHS tradition, the wheel pants are tricolor and match the plane beautifully.
FLYING
In preparation for this report, I wanted to put some more time on my faithful yellow SHP. That way, it's characteristics would be fresh in my mind when I compared the two. The surprise was that, having learned more about 3D since last flying my SHP, I was able to get so much more out of it, and learn so much more from it. Several times I have thought I was past the SHP, but when have gone back to her, she still shows me the way. I don't think you ever really outgrow an SHP. 
The new SHP? Well, it's definitely an SHP. The same easy going character of the early SHPs is still there, though harrier performance is very much improved because of the SFGs. It's lighter, floatier, and a little more solid all the way around.
More has stayed the same instead of changed, but since the SHP was so good before, I think that's a good thing. Mostly the SHP has kept her smooth flying, gentle nature, but it's just better. With the lighter wing loading, the SHP is even floatier than before, so you can fly it slower and with more control. You simply have a little more time to make things happen, or recover from things you didn't mean to happen. You never feel rushed when you are doing a maneuver with the SHP.
It is almost like the SHP either slows time down, or speeds my reflexes up. Of course, it doesn't really, but it sure seems like it.
The one thing that the SHP has had from the beginning was sublime stability. The SHP is so incredibly stable, and as a result easy to fly, that an experienced pilot almost has to do something stupid on purpose to get into trouble with this plane. This is good for the experienced pilot because it allows him to push extremely hard with complete confidence the plane isn't going to bite or otherwise surprise him. It is even better for the newer pilot who needs a little help from the plane when it comes to staying out of trouble.
You have to work a little harder with the SHP to make it do something violent, but that is something experienced pilots adapt to pretty quickly. This also keeps the new pilot from getting into something he didn't bargain for. Newbie or experienced, the SHP has a place with these pilots and everyone in between.
As noted before, the SFGs improve performance in harrier flight. This was the one area where the SHP has recently needed a bit of help, but it was never really bad. In fact, for the longest time the SHP was the gold standard, but again, time moves fast in airframe development. Newer designs like the Edge 540 and Slick have absolutely no wing rock in harrier at all, and the SFGs help the SHP keep up with those planes. The new SHP is an update, not a radical redesign, so the SFGs were just a little tweak. While the SFGs don't solve everything, they bring the SHP's harrier performance much closer to these newer designs.
The SFGs also give you more lift in Knife Edge (KE) flight and I also think they add some stability here too. As you could see in the video, I have more confidence in KE with this SHP than any of my others, so I think the new SFGs are probbly an improvement over the Extra SR SFGs that I've been using on my older SHPs. Either way, totally rock solid KE performance from this plane. This might be my new KE practise plane.
The SHP does it all. Rolls, loops, spins, harrier, hover, elevators, waterfalls, blenders, KE spins, tumbles, and even parachutes. It does all the 3D maneuvers gracefully and smoothly. The trade off is that to get the sublime stability, the plane gives up a little agility. It is surprising, however, that a plane as sublimely stable as the SHP gives up as little agility as it does.
Worth noting is this is my third consecutive SHP that took absolutely no trim at all. In the old days, you'de be a really awesome builder if you vould get maybe two or three like this in a lifetime, but nowdays 3DHS planes almost come out of the box this way.
NAIL
I've written quite a few SHP articles, but it is always difficult to come up with the final nail on this plane. There is simply too much to say about a plane that covers such a huge spectrum of desirable performance characteristics. The SHP has always been an utterly remarkable airplane....and now it's even better.
The SHP is now lighter, smoother and more solid. It is, unbelievably, the improvement of an already perfect airplane.
Obviously, the SHP is perfect for the 3D newbie because he needs a plane that will help him out with sublime stability and otherwise good manners. While almost any plane can be made stable if you give up enough performance, the big surprise of the gentle mannered SHP has always been how well it responds to an experienced pilot hammering the hell out of. Or maybe it's how good it makes a new pilot look, and how comfortable it makes him feel.
I guess if there is one bottom line for the SHP, it is that there was no way to improve the perfect airplane.............Until now.
Set Up
Set Up is everything. You can take the best flying planet and turn it into a pig, simply by screwing up the set up. Set up work isn't that hard, but for some reason we all tend to get lazy here and fly around any short comings. Of course, that's most often we we get a pig. I've learned the resist the temptation to just fly a next plane, and instead, spend the first day getting all my trims, mixes and CG dialed in. You're a lot less likely to wreck a brand new plane if it's set up right.
The most obvious answer here is to follow the instructions to the absolute letter, including CG and expo settings. When you order your SHP, it's an excellent idea to also order the AJ throw gauge. It's only like $5, and you need it, so save on the shipping costs now and have Ben or Tyler throw one in the box for you.
And, while we are saving on shipping costs, the most valuable flying tool a new guy or even experienced pilot can have is Scott Stoop's book, Mastering Radio Controlled Flight. I learned almost everything I know about 3D flying from this book, and I still flip through it every day. Always looking to improve my game, when I want to improve a particular maneuver, I always consult the book so I know everything I need to know about how to get it right.
Elevator
Nothing new here, but there was nothing that needed changing anyway. A very simple wire push rod keeps things simple, and easy to set up and maintain. The push rod has a Z bend on the aft end, which goes into the control horn, with the other secured at the servo by 3DHS's exclusive push rod adjuster. There is nothing to go wrong here as long as you check the tightness of the grub nut on the adjuster every so often. Also unchanged are 3DHS optional phenolic servo arm extensions. These give you more control movement than the standard arms that come with the servos. These are optional items, but the increase in performance is well worth it.
Again, the simplicity and durability of the 3DHS phenolic control arms (on the control surfaces) comes into play. You simply stick the z bend into the control horn and forget about it. My last SHP had about 500 flights on it, and this system showed no signs of wear or sloppiness.This set up is so rugged and simple that there is nothing to go wrong. It is hard to imagine a set up this reliable that is easier to set up and maintain.
Ailerons
Same set up as the elevator. In fact, I use the same holes in the arm to hook the push rod to.
Recently I started running each aileron off a different channel and mixing them together with the radio instead of using a Y-harness to run the servos off strictly the aileron channel. Like this, you can use the radio's sub-trim feature to perfectly center the servo arm on each servo, assuring equal throw on both servos. Using this arrangement you can also program in flaperons and spolierons, but I haven't played with those much. I haven't found the need to complicate my set up any because even the old SHP flew so well that it didn't need any of these things. We'll tinker with those as we get some more time on the plane.
Rudder
Same old same old because nothing needed changing. The SHP has always used a push rod system, primarily because it is easier, and more simple for the newer pilots.
There is no provision for using a pull-pull cable system on the new SHP. With any of the recommended motors, the SHP balances perfectly. Once you learn a few tricks, a pull-pull system is easy to set up, but the newer pilot is better off with a simple push rod that just bolts on.
A push rod is easier to set up and maintain than cables, and this just makes things easier for the newer pilot. The servo mounts in the tail, on the exact opposite side from the elevator push rod, and this appeals to my sense of symmetry.
Again, the 3DHS phenolic control arms makes it very hard to get it wrong. They only go in one way, and that's the right way.
Equipment
Extreme Flight Torque 2818 Motor
The original SHP was designed around the Extreme Flight Torque 2818 motor, and it is the perfect power plant for the new SHP too. The firewall is set up with the holes drilled and blind nuts installed so the 2818 bolts straight to the firewall with no modifications at all. While many motors are suitable for the SHP, it's nice to use something that fits perfectly the first time with no tinkering. Tighten four bolts and it's done.
The 2818 motor is just the right amount of power on 3s batteries and an APC 13/6.5E prop. Some guys like to run a 14/7E, but in the Florida heat we play it a little safer with the 13/6.5. The 13 gives you a little less amp draw and it is still plenty of power for speed and punch out. Personally I also prefer the 13 because it seems to give a little quicker throttle response whereas the 14 has a very short delay. If you want to experiment you can optimize prop choice, just make sure you check your amp draw and keep it below 45 amps, or your ESC rated amperage if less.
So far we haven't found anything that runs as smoothly, reliably and sounds as sweet as a Torque motor. They run so beautifully and reliably that I don't want anything else. They are also backed by Extreme Flight, a solid company with a well earned reputation for outstanding customer service.
Airboss 45 ESC
Again, like all our other projects, nothing but the Airboss ESC is good enough. We have tinkered with other units here and there, but nothing gives me as much confidence as knowing I have an Airboss under the cowling. If the ESC dies, it's a good bet the radio is going to go out with it, so I just can't afford to chance anything less. The Airboss is so trouble free that I generally plug one in and never see it again until I have worn out the airplane. Every so often I will visually check them if I happen to have the cowling off for something else, but there isn't much more to it than that.
Plug it in, forget about it and fly. Why do I need something more complicated than that?
One of the Airboss' essential features is that it was developed for 3D specific flying. For this, a nice, flat, linear throttle curve is required, and the Airboss has that. In simple terms, when you add a notch of power, you get a notch, add two notches, you get two.....and so on. Some ESCs won't even fire up the motor until you get to 1/3 throttle or so, and that is utterly useless for 3D flying. You need an ESC that gives you exactly the power that you demand, when you demand it.
The throttle mapping on the Airboss is superb. Not only that, but it is exactly the same from one Airboss to another. This way I can switch airplanes and not have to relearn the motor's response. When you fly right on the edge, you have to have this kind of progressive and reliable control. That's why we fly Airboss and nothing else.
While you won't be flying the SHP on anything but a 3 cell battery, when you're are ready to move on to a more powerful ship, so is the Airboss. Unlike most other ESCs, the Airboss Elite can handle up to five cells without the need for a separate BEC and all the associated rat's nest of extra wiring. This keeps things extremely simple. Plug it in and it works. If you want to run three cells, four cells or even five cells, just drop them in and change your prop to keep the amp draw below 45, or less if you motor isn't rated that high.
It is also worth noting that the Airboss Elite ESC just works. A nice surprise on the Airboss I revieved for this project is that the deans connector is already soldered on.
Just plug it in.
On the newer Airboss Elite 45s, no reprogramming necessary because the ESC self-detects how many cells you are running and adjusts the low voltage cutoff (LVC) accordingly. The LVC is a power-down type of cutoff, meaning that when you run your lipos down to their minimum rated voltage, power will drop off enough for you to notice and land. You've still got enough time to set up a landing approach, and you've got enough power too. The thing isn't going to just shut down and wreck your plane, so this is a nice feature.
Most important is to get a power system that runs cool and reliably. The Extreme Flight Torque Motors and Airboss Elite ESCs are recommended for the Extra SHP for precisely those reasons. Check your amp draw, and keep it below 45.......and your Extreme Flight power system should give you outstanding performance and run almost forever.
We placed our Airboss 45 outside of the motor box. This keeps all the wires out of the battery compartment and makes changing the battery out much easier. It also puts the ESC right in the middle of the cooling airflow coming inside the left cheek cowling.
Batteries
We long ago gave up trying to find a battery Li Po battery than Thunder Power. They give us lots of gut wrenching power, great longevity, and they are backed by one of the best companies in the industry. Unique to Thunder Power is their half price crash damage replacement policy. It might only be half price, but that's a full half more than any other company will give you.
Battery technology has come a long way in a very short time. It wasn't that long ago that I refused to run 3s (3 cell) batteries because they didn't have enough grunt. With Thunder Power's newer 30C Pro Power series, power output has risen to the point that it is not only enough power, but it is close to bordering on too much! I have switched over all my 47" planes to 3s Pro Power batteries because they give me exactly the amount of power I am most comfortable with. Too much, as with 4s power (4 cell), is more difficult to control, but 3s used to not be enough. With 3s Pro Power 30C I've got exactly the right balance of power to weight.
You can get Pro Power batteries in up to a 45C discharge rate, but for what we re doing, you simply don't need it. The 30C batteries have been out for a little while now, and they are very well developed, refined, and extremely reliable. Less expensive is also a nice benefit too.
Another plus for the 30 Pro Power packs is the ability to charge them at up to a 5C charge rate. I'm using an older Thunder Power 610 charger, but it will charge up the 2250 Pro power packs at 8 amps (as compared to older batteries of the same capacity charging at 2 amp). This means my charge times have gone from about an hour down to about 18 minutes!
Charging at this rate means that I can put the battery on the charger, get something to drink, socialize with the guys, check the plane over, and by the time I have waited for my turn to fly, the battery is ready to go again! Like this I can get away with taking just a single battery to the field and still fly almost any time and every time I want!
When you add up the power, reliability, Thunder Power's excellent warranty and customer service, along with the need to buy less packs to begin with, I don't really see the need to buy cheapo knock off batteries that don't give me any of those things. You'll spend a little more money on a Thunder Power, but a Cadillac also costs more than a Yugo.
For the SHP, we have always used a 2100-2250 mah capacity battery. This gives us a run time of around 5 to 6 minutes, while still using a relatively light weight pack. The Pro powers are 2250 mah capacity, and while this is about right, I don't like to run my batteries down below their 11.1 rated voltage.
Running a battery low is a good way to damage it, so I like to leave myself a good voltage margin. For this reason we are also trying Thunder Power Pro Power 2700 mah packs. They don't weigh that much more and I figure the extra capacity will come in handy if I fly really hard and use up more current than expected. KE spins, for example, draw about as much current as a dead short, and you can drain a battery really quickly if you do more than a few. While running a Li Po battery low is bad enough, running it really hard at the same time is the best way I know to damage one, so the extra capacity is just a safeguard.
We don't have any plans to try other brand batteries, but then again, we don't need to. These Thunder Power and the 30c Pro Power packs are exactly the right battery for us.
Servos
We've tried all kinds of servos but we keep coming back to Hi tech. For the 47" class planes, the HS65 is king, though I like the metal gear versions. They are stronger for sure, and this comes in handy when you bang the rudder on the ground, or maybe hit the tail on the door loading the plane in the car. I have, in fact, stripped metal gear servos in rudder bangs, but it was only in really hard hits that wrenched the rudder sideways.
And this is before Hi Tech's outstanding customer service. I've stripped servos, and I've actually worn a few out from years of hard abuse, but Hi tech always tightens me up. It's a little slow with a week's shipping both ways (Fla to Ca), but it's always worth it. Half the time they just replace the servos with news ones, which is hard to argue with. The ones they fix work like new, so either way they take care of me.
As a die hard Futaba guy of 35 years, I am loathe to change radios, but Hi tech servos and Hi tech service has me giving their new Aurora 9 a hard look. It looks like an awesome setup, and lots of guys are just giddy happy with it. I am probably going to have to try one, simply because they have earned my brand loyality.
A little reward for those of you who made it this far.......
