3DHS 41" Edge 540__99 Buck Huckin'

The 3DHS 40" Edge 540 totally revolutionized the park flying market. 3DHS quality at a price way below the competition was hard enough on them, but the way that amazing little plane flew had to have been horrifically embarrassing for them. Everything turned to poo overnight because the little Edge 540 completely obsoleted everything on the market... completely. 

The Edge was joined about a year later by the 42" Slick. For me the two are almost interchangeable because, while different, they are still very similar. The Slick is a little better at 3D, and the Edge is a little better at high speed precision. Outside of that, personally I think it's a very close toss up between the two, depending on whether you like 3D or precision.

Lots of newer pilots were looking to make the transition into 3D, and at $120 a lot of the Edges got snapped up fast. Guys were 3D-ing them, guys were sport flying them, and guys were park flying them. The Edge was rapidly becoming as versatile as the Extra SHP.

The universal wide spread embracing of the Edge was startling. It was the right plane that flew the right way, at the right time in a sluggish economy at nearly the right price.

Perfect? Not quite, but 3DHS also wasn't quite done with it.

Now...More Newbie And Budget Friendly
Still, for a lot of folks on a park flier budget, $120 is a lot of money for an ARF. It doesn't scare the guys who plunk down the jack for something like a 70" Slick, but if you've been flying $30 foamines, a buck twenty seems like a lot of money to move into balsa, even if it is the highest quality airframe on the market.

With this in  mind, Ben Fisher and Scott Stoops tweaked the Edge a bit to suit the park and budget flier a little more. First, a target price of under $100 was established. Somehow 3DHS would have to cut $20 out of the plane, but the markup on the smaller planes is marginal anyway.

Secondly, the plane was meant to be more newbie friendly. It had to be floatier and more forgiving, and since new guys tend to boink more landings than the rest of us, the landing gear was going to have to be bombproof.

Bomb Proof Landing Gear
The landing gear on almost any 3D aircraft is it's Achilles' heel, partially because you can only put so much beef there without turning the plane into a pig, but also because it bears the entire weight of the plane. Most of the time the landing gear takes the direct blunt, and worse, torsional force of any mishap.

On the little Edge, sometimes the carbon gear legs would break, which was ok because that would absorb the impact and save the plane. Unfortunately it's about $15 for a set of gear, and if you don't like waiting on your UPS package, you'de better keep some spares around.

 In really severe impacts sometimes the whole landing gear block would pull out. Most times you could put it right back in, but nothing is nastier than repair work. I'de rather build a whole plane.


 For rough grass fields, and also for the new guys who are still working on their landings, the carbon gear legs were replaced with a single wire gear. This gear slots up into the fuselage between two thick formers, and epoxied into place, so it is never going to go anywhere. I think you would have to absolutely destroy the entire airplane and whatever it hits to pull this landing gear out. The genius of the wire gear is that it will bend to absorb the really hard shots, and then you can just bend it back and keep flying. I think if you can pull the gear out or break the wire, you're going to have a hell of a lot bigger problems than just the landing gear.

We haven't destruction tested the gear yet, but I am sure it's coming. Right now we're being careful not to shred a brand new plane, but as much as we plan to torture this nice little
airplane, we are bound to catch it on video when it does happen.

Airframe Improvements

Also part of taming the Edge for the newer pilots, an inch of span has been added. This alone may not seem like much, but the wing root at the tip is wider, adding wing area. This area is where it is needed most (the tip) to stop wing rock and tip stall. The Edge never suffered from any of that to begin with, but now it's even more steady and stable in harrier, hover, and other high pitch rotation maneuvers.

There were also a few modifications made to lighten the Edge up a little, so when you add that to the more generous wing area, the new Edge is also floatier. This gives you more time to do your alpha maneuvers without stalling, and more time to get out of trouble.

Finally, the Edge was given a new color scheme. First is the blue and silver for conservative fliers. Then there is the flaming orange, which is extremely visible. First, I like the bright colors because I can see them, and secondly the bottom is done exactly the same as the yellow SHP I have been flying for three years. There is never any doubt about which way this airplane is heading. I certainly recommend the orange for the new guys, plus, I just love it.

This bright orange gives the Edge one bad ass attitude. This is perfect. 3D airplanes should have attitude.

The new Edge is very racing oriented. The cowling has been altered to resemble the air intakes seen on the Edges currently racing in the Red Bull Air Racing Series. It also seems a bit thinner, and it's certainly lighter. The canopy is also styled after the current Red Bull Edges, so this is one racy little plane. And, like all of the newest 3DHS planes, the canopy is beautifully smoked and looks awesome.

Thanks to Rob of  ADChobbystore for the absolutely siiiiick skull decals in carbon fibre. Like I say, a 3D plane has to have attitude, and this certainly does it.

FLYING

The Edge has always been a little bit of a hot rod. The new 41" Edge is every bit the same kind of hot rod, and who can be surprised with a plane that is so racing oriented. The added wing area may increase drag a little, but the new Edge is also lighter than it's predecessor, so to me one seems about as fast as the other. They are both fast.

The Edge likes high speed, and unlike a lot of 3D planes, it isn't jumpy or twitchy at high speed, even on high rates. It's not like a pattern plane or anything, but it is surprisingly good for a plane that will also harrier and otherwise 3D as well as this one does.

At high speed, point rolls are very crisp and since the Edge is so extremely stable in knife edge flight, you can string out a slow roll for as long as you'de like. The old one was also very good in this respect too.

Down at the other end of the spectrum, the new Edge is floatier at low speed. It is not a day and night thing because it was going to be hard to improve any aspect of the first Edge, but it is floatier. I can fly it a bit slower, and maintain control in slower turns.

This plane definitely harriers much better than the old one. You can putter around all day with the nose pointed almost straight at the sky, and the Edge is completely happy being treated that way. There is absolutely no wing rock of any kind. On the old edge you could induce a little rock with really sloppy form, but the new one just resolutely refuses to rock no matter how badly you fly it. I almost feel guilty because it's too easy.

As far as how the Edge handles high winds, these last two videos were taken in really nasty, gusting 25mph winds. I thought about just deleting the footage, but I think instead, it's a good showcase for how well this lightweight little plane handles really bad conditions. These were absolutely crazy conditions, and yet the little Edge handled them beautifully. The blooper in the first video wasn't the wind getting the plane....it was my thumb slipping off the throttle, and when I got my thumb back on it, I bumped the rudder and that was it.

If you wonder what kind of conditions we were fighting, check out the landing on this one where the wind blows the airplane about 25 feet straight backwards.

Hover is also improved, but I don't know why. All I know is that I can hover this one better. It's actually almost effortless.

The new Edge tumbles a bit differently. I haven't got it quite worked out, but when I do hit it right this plane snaps and tumbles a bit better. It's just different and I need to get the timing more correct.

In elevator maneuvers and parachutes, the wings stay completely level, and you don't have to fight with the rudder to keep it heading straight. Parachutes feature a resounding and satisfying pop. Speed dissipates so quickly that you can leave your parachutes to the absolute last second. I've actually popped them really low and sunk the plane right into a landing this way. Don't try this until you have practiced with a bit of altitude.

To sum it up, it's just better all the way around.

NAIL

In general, the new Edge is both a subtle and substantial improvement over it's predecessor. It is subtle because all the good qualities that made the edge so wild and crazy remain, so it is the same plane I have loved so much and had so much fun with. The improvements are also substantial because of the shocking new look, the new ease and stability with which it flies, and of course, the ridiculously inexpensive price.

SETUP

There's not much to go into here because 3DHS' Ben Fisher has made an untterly outstanding series of build videos for the new Edge. He covers absolutely everything, so it is pointless to try to top that.

You can find those videos at the link below:

3DHS 41" Edge 540 Build Videos

However, since I used Hi tech HS65 metal gear servos instead of the recommended HS45s, my set up might be a little different, so I've included pictures and a bit of commentary.

The HS65MG is a bit of overkill for this plane. You don't really need them, but I had some laying around, and I was also broke, so they were pressed into service.

Ailerons

On all of the servos I used the longest single arm the comes with the servo. On the ailerons, I put the pushrod on the outermost hole, and pegged my endpoints on my radio. It's just right for me.

The best linkage is the simplest one, and it just doesn't get any simpler than a single adjuster and a z bend. A simple system will always be more reliable and work smoother and better than something that is unnecessarily complex. You don't want it to sing and dance. You just want it to work.

Rudder

The same is true with the rudder. Adjuster at one end and z bend at the other. On this servo arm, I used the second hole from the outside and cranked my endpoints. This ended up being just perfect too.

Elevator

Same thing here as the ailerons...outside most hole. You can see I went for a little more hinge gap so the surface would move more freely. Normally a big gap is bad, but I seal all my controls with clear Monokote, so I can get away with this.

I'm getting right at 50 degrees of deflection, which seems to be the optimum on all my other planes. It works well here too.

Radio Gear

I always shoot for the cleanest radio installation I can get and this one came out pretty good. I mounted the receiver on the firmer that supports the rear of the battery tray. This keeps all the wiring and antenna away from the battery compartment and makes changing the battery a snap because there is nothing to get tangled up in.

With thunder Power 2100 15 Pro Lite packs, the Edge balance absolutely dead on. The plane was designed for 1800 packs, so it's not surprising the heavier pack ended up this far back. Still, this cuts the guesswork out....just jam it all the way back. Now, yours may be different, so follow the CG recommendations in the manual.

Power System
With a quality motor like the Torque 2830, it is a little streak. To save weight, I flew my 40" Edges on Thunder Power 15C 2100 packs. Even with lower discharge batteries, it was still one fast little plane.

I also tried the plane the first day with my Thunder Power 2250 30C Pro Power packs. Those packs are a little heavier, so I went back to the 2100 Pro Lites. The Pro Power also give you such a wallop of juice that on this plane it is simply power that you just don't need. I never thought I'de complain that a battery was too good, but there it is.

Choosing this battery was part of tuning the power system to the plane and to my style and preference of flying. I like a moderately powered plane for 3D because too much power and you blast out of 3D when you don't really mean to. With the torque 2830 and the 2100 15C Pro Power pack, I find the Edge to be more floaty and better balanced power to airframe wise.

The Torque makes sense for this plane for a few reasons. Reasons other than it's a Torque, that is, though that's enough in my book. The firewall is pre-drilled and blind nuts pre-installed so the Torque just bolts right up with no modifications. Putting the motor on is a no brainer, which is a lot better than having to drill new holes and plug the old ones.

The Torque is also the perfect amount of power. Certainly you need enough, but you also don't want so much that it is difficult to hover the plane or fly it at slower speed. The Torque 2830 is just right. It blast out of a hover with very respectfully, but power and throttle is smooth, linear, and predictable.  

The Torques are beautiful little gems. The anodized finish is rich and smooth and the hardware had a highly polished look. Check the picture for the shine on the case and how brightly colored the windings are. The thing is just pretty. It's all quality and class.

Sometimes when I am putting the X mount and other hardware on a new Torque, I find myself slowly turning the motor over by hand, enjoying it's smoothness, chuckling to myself, and admiring it.

OK, I'll admit maybe that last part sounds a little strange.

ESC
For lots and lots of reasons an Airboss is all that will do. I had an Airboss 45 on hand, so that's what went in. In fact, I have always used the Airboss 45 in all my 40-42" planes when an Airboss 35 would do. Overkill on the ESC never hurts anything, and I can use the ESC later in a 47" plane.

As you can see, I just strapped the Airboss to the side of the motorbox. This puts it right in the middle of the cooling airflow coming in from the left cheek cowling, and it also keeps all the wiring outside of the battery compartment where you can snag it changing out the pack.

Velox VR1 On Borrowed Time

Of course, when you fly them with total disdain, they don't exactly last forever.

Zen And The 3DHS Vyper

My new 46" Vyper has gotten no love since it's single shakedown systems check a couple of weeks ago. I've been so busy with the new Velox, the big Vyper, and rediscovering my 47" SHP that it simply got shuffled back and I haven't had time for it.


We took care of the yesterday.

I wrecked my green Vyper getting a knife edge loop all wrong, so I needed a new one quick. I didn't have another one ready to go except my night Vypers, so it was a good thing I had a yellow spare that was nearly finished. On this new Vyper, I did all the work before hand, except putting the tail on. Then I put it back in the box for when I needed it. This worked out well because I had it ready in a couple of hours when a whole project takes me about two days.

I'm not that great of a builder. I can only do good work if I am very careful and deliberate, but that takes time, and it is worth it. I've built four Vypers and they all fly absolutely perfectly. From the way they fly, you really can't tell one from the other.

FLYING

I've gotten a lot of time on my Vypers this year. For a couple of months that was all I wanted to fly. The Vyper is very different from any other plane I have ever flown, and it requires you change your flying style to get the most out of it. You have to fly it smoother, because that's what it likes, but also, it doesn't just mindlessly float forever and refuse to fall out of the sky no matter how slowly you drag it around. You have to fly the Vyper. The Vyper is not a beginner's plane, but it's not evil or difficult either. It's just different.


Every time I fly a Vyper I come away scratching my head because it is a never ending, multi layered, cerebral puzzle. Now, this is not a bad thing, in fact, quite the opposite. To get the most out of a Vyper, you have to think about what the plane is doing, and why. Video is critical because it allows you to watch and analyze what you are doing wrong, and what you're doing right.


Maybe this seems like a lot of work, but if you want to get better, it takes effort. Of course, you can just fly the Vyper around and it's a great airplane, wonderful, actually, but to fully appreciate it, you have to explore it's limits, and go past what you thought they were last time you flew it. I get more and more out of the Vyper every day, simply because it teaches me how.


The benefit in the end is that because the Vyper has made me examine every aspect of it's performance, and every aspect of my flying game, I think I am now flying my other planes much better. For instance, I almost never knife edged my SHP much because I wasn't so good at it. Conversely, the Vyper is so good at KE that it taught me, and now I knife edge the SHP pretty decently. To harrier the Vyper well, you need nearly perfect form, and once you develop that, the Extra and other planes are so easy that it is ridiculous.


Bottom line on the Vyper is that is is an extremely precise airplane that looks best when you fly it as precisely as you can. Once you strive for, and achieve a higher level of precision with the Vyper , it all sort of falls into place with the other planes.

NAIL

The Vyper is an excellent airplane on all levels. With a gentle sport set up, not only is is a fantastic precision specific airframe, but it is also so sweet and easy to fly that it makes a remarkable basic aerobatic trainer. You don't even need to push the Vyper to enjoy it. She is so smooth, and tracks so well that even very low time pilots will find her very inviting.

It is when you put the 3D set up on her and start hammering on the limit that you truely begin to appreciate what she has to offer. Bad form doesn't look good on this plane, so she teaches you instead to take a deliberate approach and understand what makes her tick....and makes all airplanes tick. I suppose you could think this makes her more difficult, but the truth is that she is simply more rewarding

Extra Cooling

Most of you don't fly in the brutally oppressive Florida summer heat, so you have no worries about heat. This hasn't been a real problem with the Vyper yet, but the motors have been running a little hotter than in the rest of my planes. Part of this is because I tend to fly the Vyper faster for precision maneuvers and that's a lot of time on the throttle.

As a precaution, I opened up the nostril scoops that are just in front of the shark's eye, and I extended the top of the chin scoop upward to just before the spinner. This will pack more air into where the Torque 2818 motor sits, and also more to the ESC.

With the Airboss ESC on the bottom of the motorbox it sits right in the middle of the colossal chin scoop. The only way to get more air in would be to mount it on the outside of the plane.

More intake requires more exit to get the airflow working properly, so I cut the bottom of the cowling out on the paint line where the white used to meet the yellow.

Again, most of you don't have the kind of conditions we are forced to fly in every day, and the Vyper wasn't running that hot anyway. This was just for a little peace of mind so I can fly the crap out of the plane and not have to worry if it is too much for the cooling airflow available.

SET UP

Ailerons
I've found the large servo arm that comes with the Hi Tech HS65 servo is just right if you crank the endpoints up to 150%.. It is a pretty incedible roll rate, but I don't have the problem of running out of aileron authority to control torque roll in hovers. This is part of why my hover is coming along so well. After flying the Vyper like this, I knew why I was having trouble with my other planes. I set them up accordingly and now they all hover much better. Gotta work on the piloting thing a bit though.


As you can see, the best route is to shoot for clean and simple. I need to trim the end off the pushrod, but I usually do that after I have a few flights and know I am not going to make any changes. Not much to worry about on that because every Vyper I have ever built has flown perfectly right off the bench. I have still not changed my set up since the very first trim flight of my first Vyper.

Elevator
Something a bit odd on my last Vyper is that I accidentally got too much hinge gap, and seemingly as a result, I need less servo arm to get the same amount of throw. I suppose with a tight gap the servo doesn't have the torque to push the control past the point when the movement starts to tighten up. This elevator can travel a full 90 degrees each way (though you sure don't need that much) and is very free and smooth. Like this I need one less hole of throw at the servo arm. As a result, I don't need the extended arms, and I am saving the weight of four of them plus the mounting hardware. Maybe it's not that much, but everything you save adds up, and it makes a really clean layout.

One thing to remember, though, is that a big gap is aerodynamically not so good. To get around that, I seal the gap with clear Monokote. If you are going to do this, make sure it is a clean job, and it doesn't interfere with smoothness or the range of motion of the control surface.

Oh, and yes, that's a carbon fiber tube over the pushrod wire. It is not at all necessary, but it looks cool, so that's enough reason to put it on.

Rudder
This plane was coming out so nice that I went back to my thread and solder method of attaching the cable ends instead of messy crimp pieces. It's a lot of work, but if you appreciate a clean look, it pays off.

Battery Tray
The ESC is under the motorbox on my Vypers. All the wires run under the battery tray and this keeps them out of the way when you change out the pack. It also just looks clean, which is something I really obsess about.


If you look at the tray itself, you can see a little mark from a sharpie pen, though you can use pencil or pen.  Once I know exactly where I like the CG on the plane, I mark it where the trailing edge of the battery sits. That way, I know exactly where to put it new time.

SUPERSTITIONS

Coming from a racing background, there was no way to avoid taking a superstitious nature into flying. Women have always been very lucky for me, especially.....uhhhh, healthy ones. For this plane, Jana Defi rides with me. Both of her, that is.

Special Thanks

Goodbye Yellow Sick Toad

With the improved version of the SHP only a few weeks away, I wanted to get some more time in on my beloved yellow SHP. It's just over a year old, but everything we had learned about the SHP and 3D flying in general went into that plane. I took a lot of time getting my 3D and mixes right, and as a result, it has always flown absolutely superbly.

The SHP was always my go-to plane....the one I could always count on. I would fly the SHP anywhere, any time, any place in any conditions and never sweat it, simply because I have always had so much confidence in her. I am generally pretty nervous the first flight in front of a big crowd at a fly in. First, you don't want to embarrass yourself, but mostly, you sure don't want to hurt anyone. With this in mind, you need the sweetest and most gentle plane you can get your hands on. At a big event, I always lead off with the SHP, simply because it gives me so much security and confidence.

I know I am almost making it sound like the SHP is as tame as a basic trainer, and in a lot of ways, it really is. For a halfway competent sport pilot, the SHP is probably even easier to fly than a trainer simply because it does exactly what you tell it to do and nothing more.

And, the SHP is truly the premier 3D balsa trainer.

You can search the blog for SHP articles, because I've sure done enough of them. The plane is so superb that you almost can't say enough good things about it, but you can read those things in the other articles.

I just wanted to celebrate my 3 years with the current model of SHP. This plane will be retired when the new generation SHP is ready to fly. You can't get the yellow SHP scheme anymore because the new SHPs are completely different this way. I'm just going to hang this one up and maybe save it for special occasions, like maybe when I need a go-to plane of the first calibre.

We are anxiously awaiting delivery of our two new SHPs. Of course, we'll report on the build and the fly, with video and maybe a surprise or two. It is hard to imagine how the perfect plane could be improved, but it appears that is what has happened.