AeroWorks 100cc YAk 54 ArF

AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Review
This parts layout shows off the beautiful graphic scheme
and covering job, plus the quality hardware and helpful
setup tools. Note the one-piece, painted fiberglass cowl,
with integrated dummy radial engine silhouetted in black,
with pre-cut cooling air intake holes.
The AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 QB is very
stable in a hover. It is easy to pop into a
hover, to let the airplane torque roll with
ailerons neutral, or to stop rotation with
heavy use of aileron. It sure makes for a
beautiful sight to see the sun popping off
the red/white/blue trim and graphics!
AeroWorks
100cc Yak 54 ARF
BY: Mike Hoffmeister
A Quick-Build™ 100-cc Class ARF for Aerobatics & 3D
A
eroWorks™
offers
an
extensive
lineup
of
aerobatic/3D, large-scale
remote-controlled (RC) aircraft. A
few things that these aircraft have
in common are the Quick-Build
approach, high quality, and robust
design and construction.
AeroWorks continues to release
new products regularly, and
76 RC SPORT FLYER
occasionally an existing model is
re-released in a new color scheme.
Such is the case with their 100cc
Yak 54 ARF-QB, which has been
around for a few years, but was
just re-released with an all-new,
eye-catching red, white, and blue
color scheme. This version was on
display at the 2009 Toledo Model
Expo, and it was so striking that
it led to discussions between RC
Sport Flyer and AeroWorks owner,
Rocco Mariani, for this review
project.
What You Get
Qualifying as the largest
packages delivered by our UPS
man to date, the boxes containing
the Yak 54 arrived in perfect
condition. Inside the box there is
very robust packaging that uses
laminated wood sheets inside the
outer boxes to protect the inner
boxes and its contents.
Upon opening the boxes,
the first thing that grabbed my
attention was the striking graphics
scheme, quality of the completed
canopy and detail, such as the prepainted landing gear and cowl
with integral dummy radial engine,
and pre-cut air cooling holes. The
The engine mount box is quite robust with well thoughtout laser-cut parts and interlocking design, and the forward
plate is pinned from the factory. The mounting tabs for the
fiberglass cowl are quite beefy as well, with pre-installed
blind nuts, allowing robust mounting.
smaller parts were also organized
and well-packaged.
Components Included in
the Kit
Major airframe parts: wing
panels, fuselage, tail pieces,
cowl, and canopy
Painted aluminum landing
gear with fiberglass wheel
pants, plus tailwheel assembly
AeroWorks Decal sheets
CD with photo-illustrated
instructions and hundreds of
reference photos
Various hardware kits,
including quality fuel tank and
fittings, linkages, ball-links,
and pre-cut carbon tubes to
strengthen the linkages
Radio and ignition system
mounting supplies (foam,
Velcro® straps, cable ties)
Setup tools (control surface
throw gauges)
Covering repair kit with
pieces of each color covering
Needed to Complete
The following is a list of the items
needed to complete the model,
plus the actual parts selected for
the build:
Engine – Desert Aircraft
DA-100L 100cc gas-powered
two-stroke
Mufflers – Desert Aircraft InCowl
Servos – Six Hitec HSHitec’s new 7-series Digital Metal
Gear servos were used, including six
HS-7985’s for aileron and elevator,
two HS-7955’s for rudder, and one
HS-645MG for throttle. A JR R1222
12-channel “Power Safe” receiver, and
a pair of A123 2300-mAh 2-cell packs
from Radical RC are used to control
and power the servos.
RC-SF.COM
77
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Review
The power system consists
of a Desert Aircraft DA-100L
100-cc gasoline-powered
engine, fitted with a pair
of DA in-cowl mufflers. The
engine drives a Mejzlik
28X10 carbon propeller,
fitted with a Dave Brown
Vortech Std 4” spinner with
lightened backplate (not
shown).
The Yak 54 is a
superb knife-edge
performer! It will
do them fast, slow/
high-alpha, circles,
snaps back into
knife-edge — you
name it, the Yak
eats it up and looks
great in the
process!!
The fuel tank hardware requires assembly, but I prefer it this
way as I like to be 100% sure about the insides of a fuel
tank. The hardware is top-notch quality, and the small brass
solder-on ferrules are included, making for very secure and
leak-free hose attachments.
78 RC SPORT FLYER
7985MG Digital metal-gear
servos (elevators and ailerons),
two Hitec HS-7955TG Digital
titanium-gear servos (rudder)
and one Hitec HS-645MG for
throttle
Radio – JR 12X 2.4-GHz Tx
Receiver – JR R1222 2.4-GHz
Power-Safe Rx
Rx Power – Two A123 2300mAh 2-cell packs from Radical
RC
Ignition Battery – One A123
2300-mAh 2-cell pack from
Radical RC
Propeller – Mejzlik 28x10
Carbon, or Vess 27B Wood
Miscellaneous – Servo
extensions, CA glue and
accelerator, epoxy, threadlocking compound
Fuel Filler Dot – Hangar 9
Pilot Figure – AeroWorks
Graphics – Custom Aero
Graphix Decal Set for this
model
In the Air
Prior to the maiden flight,
I performed the usual radio
range checks (with engine
off, then with engine running)
and final confirmation of control
throws, directions, and rate
settings. The DA-100L engine
The control linkage hardware comes well organized and
neatly packaged. The ball links are heavy-duty and have
a nice fit between ball and rod end, while the adjustable
length rods are reverse threaded on one end, and a small
wrench is included. Note the carbon tubing over the links
for added rigidity.
The Hitec 7-series servos all come with a package of heavyduty, reinforced composite arms. I used the longest doublesided arms, as they were the most beefy, and simply knocked
off one side with a side-cutter, then dressed the jagged end
with a small belt-sander.
This view shows one of the inboard aileron linkages. Once
the length was set, and all radio programming completed,
I applied thin CA to the jam nuts and interfaces with the
carbon tubes, to assure nothing would vibrate loose.
I glued two small pieces of Tygon fuel tubing to a bulkhead inside the wing near the
root. The pieces have slits in them, which allowed me to stow the aileron servo leads.
This kept them out of harm’s way during transport and kept them from hanging
down and getting stuck in the joint between the wing and fuselage during wing
installation.
started easily after flipping a few
times with the choke on, and it ran
perfectly. I had previously done
extensive bench-testing as part of
an RC Sport Flyer engine review
project on this engine, so I already
had very high confidence in the
engine due to this experience.
Then, it was time to taxi theYak out
for the first takeoff, using medium
control rates selected (called
“high” rates in the instructions, but
well-below 3D rates). It was a bit
breezy with a crosswind, but taxiing
was easy thanks to the good ground
handling of the airplane and a bit
of up elevator applied to
keep the tailwheel planted.
After the model was positioned
and lined up, I called for a takeoff
and gradually applied throttle.
The takeoff roll was smooth, with
good rudder authority and ability
to keep the model centered on the
runway, and the Yak was airborne
in just a few seconds. For its first
flight, I had its center of gravity
setting close to the recommended
starting point, which was a bit
nose-heavy, so it needed a very
slight up-trim control adjustment.
Rudder and aileron required no
trimming. There is nothing quite
like the feeling of a large-scale
model, both in terms of visual
impact, and the
ability to track
The Yak tracks nice and straight during the takeoff
roll and climb-out. Note the very slight amount of up-elevator
applied to rotate and climb. The pilot figure, and Aero Graphix decal
set add considerably to the looks of the Yak.
RC-SF.COM
79
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Review
cleanly even with some variable
wind.
Within the first two minutes, I
had forgotten that it was a maiden
flight, and I was flying it through
rolls,
point-rolls,
knife-edge
flight, snaps, etc. I even managed
to squeeze a brief hover into the
first flight, albeit with a fair bit of
altitude.
After about seven minutes, I
made a few landing approach
passes in preparation for the Yak’s
first landing. The model slows
nicely but due to its size, it looks
slower than it really is, so it is best
to make the final turn a bit further
out than normal, and let the model
bleed speed and altitude at a
comfortable rate. After the final
turn, I pulled throttle back to idle
until I could sense the model had
scrubbed enough speed, then I
pushed the throttle just above idle
for the rest of the approach, and
it settled nicely for a decent firstlanding.
After the first flight, I removed
the propeller, cowl, and canopy
to do a full inspection. I was
pleased that I didn’t find a single
mechanical issue that required
attention, so it was a quick matter
of re-fitting the removed parts,
fueling up, and heading back out
for the second flight. Before fitting
the canopy, I moved one receiver
battery pack from it’s original
position next to the fuel tank, to
a much further aft position, next
to the receiver. I had tried this in
my garage, so I already knew how
far this would shift the CG and
that it would not be an excessive
adjustment.
For the second (and subsequent)
flights, the takeoffs were executed
on regular high rates. After a few
circuits of the airfield during the
second flight, and taking out a
slight amount of up-trim (thanks
to the more rearward CG), I flew
it through a few inverted passes.
It still took some down elevator,
This view up inside of a wing panel shows a number of
things. First, there are vertical support members built into
each rib, forward of the wing tube, to strengthen the wing
and assure accuracy of the wing shape. There is nicely
installed aluminum dowel tube, with a chamfer to ensure
easy installation, and finally, the covering overlap to the
wing root is just perfect.
80 RC SPORT FLYER
but just a very slight amount, and
noticeably less than the first flight.
Then I switched to 3D rates and got
a feel for its responses. I did some
knife-edge passes and learned
there was virtually no pitch or roll
coupling during high speed knifeedge, and that the Yak 54 has very
good rudder authority. After the
higher speed knife-edge passes, it
was time to slow the airplane down
and feed in more rudder. Even
with much higher angle-of-attack
and about 2/3 rudder input, the
couplings (with no mixes applied)
were very minimal, and it was easy
to keep the Yak on track in highalpha knife edge. After some more
experimentation, doing snaps
back into knife-edge, and exiting
a knife-edge pass with a half knifeedge loop were easy and fun.
The aileron control authority
This tandem rudder servo linkage system was assembled
mostly of parts included with the Yak, plus a couple of
spacer tubes that I harvested from a junk box. The servo
arms come with the Hitec servos.
is very good, and the use of
three rates, as suggested in the
instructions,
gives
excellent
options in aerobatic vs 3D
responsiveness. On 3D rates, the
roll rate is quite good, and there
is more than enough authority to
counter engine torque in a hover.
Elevator authority is extremely
good, but not overly sensitive. With
low or high (but not 3D) rates, the
model responds smoothly and has
enough authority for all types of
maneuvers. On 3D rates, the model
props into a hover from low speed
flight very easily. Hovering is easy
with the Yak, with good tail control
authority, and excellent response
of the DA-100L engine. And with
over 1.5:1 thrust-to-weight ratio,
pull out of a hover is very good. It
takes most of the available aileron
input to counter the engine’s
Final Control Throws, Expo and CG
Elevator (deg.):
Rudder (in.): Aileron (deg): Expo: Low
12 U / 14 D
2 in. L/R
18 U/D
15%
High
18 U / 20 D
3 in. L/R
30 U/D
30%
3D
35 U/D
4 in. L/R
35 U/D
60%
Recommended Starting CG: 3.5 in. back from leading edge at wing tips
Final CG for mixed aerobatic/3D: 3.8 in. back from leading edge at wing tips
This low, wide-angle shot shows
off the Yak 54’s color scheme, while
offset against the grass in the GCRCC
field pit area.
I purchased the optional
pilot
figure
from
AeroWorks, and used
some scraps of plywood
from
the
included
engine mount drill-guide
templates to mount the
pilot to the canopy. Epoxy
is used to join the parts to
the canopy frame, making
sure to keep everything
above the bottom surface
of the canopy so it mates
to the fuselage properly.
RC-SF.COM
81
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Review
torque, but I found it much more
fun to just leave the ailerons neutral
and let the model torque-roll.
As the model slows and up
elevator is applied to coax it into
an upright harrier, there is mild
wing rock. By minimizing aileron
use and focusing on rudder and
throttle, it is fairly easy to cruise
around in an upright harrier.
Inverted, there is zero wing rock in
a harrier. Inverted passes are very
smooth and confidence-inspiring,
and it is easy to steer the model
with rudder while inverted. This
also shows off a different part of
the airplane and graphics, for a bit
of variety.
Slow rolls and point rolls are
easily managed. The size and
smooth tracking of the Yak helped
me make some of the prettiest
length-of-the-field slow rolls that I
have ever made. With this airplane,
I can get a good result most of the
time, vs only some of the time
for other, smaller models that I
have flown. At this point, I was
completely sold on the benefits
of flying a larger model. Large
rolling circles were also smooth,
again with the size of the model
helping with orientation and
visual feedback throughout the
maneuver.
Flight characteristics aside,
the Yak 54 100cc ARF-QB always
presented itself extremely well in
the air. It is a truly beautiful model
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Distributor
AeroWorks
4903 Nome Street
Denver, CO 80239
Phone: 303-371-4222
Web Site: aero-works.net
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Specifications
This fisheye shot gives the Yak 54 a
new dimension of coolness, showing
off its features in a unique way.
The hardware that retains the wings and canopy is all topnotch! The clips and bolts on the left provide redundant
retention of each wing panel, while the stainless steel
button head bolts, complete with lock washers and bonded
washers, retain the canopy.
you can see the engine mounted to the firewall, using a
stack of 7 spacers under each corner of the engine mount
plate. I spaced the engine forward about a half-inch more
than specified in the instructions, as this was an AeroWorks
team tip to help get proper CG and to unload the propeller
a bit by getting it further away from the front of the cowl.
with a color/trim scheme and
custom set of Aero Graphix decals
that just knocks your socks off. Also,
the DA-100L engine performed
flawlessly during all flights, and
delivered easy starting, reliable
idle, and outstanding power. At
the time of this writing, I have had
the Yak to the field 5 times, and
completed a total of 16, 10-minute
flights. I have made zero carburetor
adjustments to the engine, and no
repairs to the airplane of any kind,
thus far.
In Conclusion
The fuel tank is tied down to a foam pad, to help with
vibration isolation to prevent fuel foaming. Also, all fuel
lines use plastic ties at each joint. The last thing you want on
a plane like this is a fuel delivery issue causing a flameout!
Also, note the micro Deans connectors to the forward right
of the fuel tank. I flush-mounted a Deans micro connector
to the fuselage, so I can turn on the ignition by plugging in
a mini shunt made from a mating Deans micro connector.
82 RC SPORT FLYER
I used the Aileron Balance feature of my JR 12X 2.4 radio
to make sure the two aileron servos (in each wing) track
together with zero binding throughout their stroke.
The
AeroWorks
Yak
54
100cc ARF-QB went together
quickly, living up to the QuickBuild™ approach developed by
AeroWorks. Its striking good looks
draw attention just sitting in the
pit area, and more so when doing
aerobatics or 3D. The model is
solidly built, and the covering
Aircraft Type
Aerobatic/3D, large-scale,
gas-powered, mid-wing
monoplane
Pilot Skill
Intermediate to advanced
Wingspan
104 in.
Length
90 in. (rudder to front of
cowling)
Wing Area
1960 sq in.
Airfoils
Symmetric
Weight
29.5 lb (ready-to-fly, no fuel)
Wing Loading
34.7 oz / sq ft
Controls
Aileron, elevator, rudder, and
throttle
Construction
Built-up balsa and plywood
structure, aluminum landing
gear, fiberglass cowl, wheel
pants
Radio Channels
5 required / 9 used
Engine
Desert Aircraft DA-100L 100cc gas-powered two-stroke
Muffler
Desert Aircraft in-cowl
mufflers
Propeller
Mejzlik 28x10 Carbon or
Vess 27B
RPM
6,325 (Mejzlik 28x10) / 6,400
(Vess 27B)
Static Thrust
45 lb. (Mejzlik 28x10) / 49 lb.
(Vess 27B)
Thrust / Weight
1.53:1 (Mejzlik 28x10) /
1.66:1 (Vess 27B)
Flight Times
10 minutes
Transmitter
JR 12X 2.4-GHz
Receiver
JR R1222 “Power Safe” Rx
with dual A123 2300-mAh
receiver packs by Radical RC
Servos
Six Hitec HS-7985MG Digital
metal-gear servos (elevators
and ailerons), two Hitec
HS-7955TG Digital titaniumgear servos (rudder) and
one Hitec HS-645MG for
throttle
Instruction
Manual
Photo illustrated
instructions plus highresolution build photos
on CD
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Vendors
Aero Graphix LLC
11820 CR 3080
Rolla, MO 65401
Phone: 573-368-3600
Web Site: aerographix.biz
Dave Brown Products Inc.
4560 Layhigh Road
Hamilton, OH 45013
Phone: 513-738-1576
Web Site: dbproducts.com
Desert Aircraft
1815 South Research Loop
Tucson, Arizona 85710
Phone: 520-722-0607
Web Site: desertaircraft.com
Hitec RCD
12115 Paine St.
Poway, CA 92064
Phone: 858-748-6948
Web Site: hitecrcd.com
Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Road
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: (217) 352-1913
Web Site: horizonhobby.com
Radical RC
5339 Huberville Ave.
Dayton, OH 45431
Phone: 937-256-7727
Web Site: radicalrc.com
RC-SF.COM
83
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
Review
The Build
This was my third AeroWorks ARF-QB
airplane, so I already had the experience
of the prior two, and keenly recalled just
how similar those first two were, in terms
of the layout of the instructions, degree of
pre-assembly, etc. The Yak 54 ARF-QB proved
to follow right in the footsteps of the prior
two QB’s, with the flow and philosophy of the
manual and build steps just as well laid-out
and logical as for the first two. This left me
with a deep appreciation of the engineering
and hard work that AeroWorks puts into their
kits — I just appreciate it a bit differently
than the first time I assembled one!
Upon unpacking the parts, you immediately
see and feel the quality of the design and
construction. Also, the covering job and trim
/ color scheme are superb. The instructions
are thorough and clearly written, and are
supplemented by a CD that has folders
corresponding to each major section of the
build, with a large number of high resolution
photos from various angles to give the
modeler plenty of reference material to clarify
any of the build steps.
To assure that your new beauty stays
looking good and tight for years to come,
two full pages in the manual are dedicated to
proper maintenance of the airplane’s covering
— tips that are applicable to any aircraft
with film-type covering. A package inside
the kit also includes rolls of extra covering
scheme with the custom Aero
Graphix decal set applied, is my new
favorite. The included hardware, as
well as the instructions, are equally
as impressive as the model itself,
and you can expect a no-surprises
experience getting the model
assembled and in the air in just a
weekend. Plus, the removable wing
panels and elevator halves allow
for easy transport to the airfield.
For maximum fun, reliability and
flight performance, this model
gets a well-deserved “highlyrecommended” rating!
of each color, so if you do need to make
any minor repairs, you have what you need
without being delayed to purchase full rolls
of covering.
The first step is wing assembly. This goes
smoothly and quickly builds confidence as
the servos fit perfectly, the control horns
are very robust, and the linkage hardware
is quite good. The ailerons are pre-hinged
(with hinges already glued), the holes for
the control horns are pre-drilled, and string
is in place to help you fish the servo wires/
extensions through the wings. As there are
two servos for each aileron, it is important
to pay close attention to which linkage holes
in the control horns to use, to match the
kinematics of the inboard and outboard servos
as closely as possible. I glued a couple small
pieces of Tygon tubing to the bulkhead in
front of the spar tube, just inside the wing
root, which I cut slits in to allow insertion
of the aileron servo leads. This allowed me
to tuck the leads up inside the wing root for
transport and wing installation, without
pinching the wires, or losing them up inside
the wings. Before I proceeded to the next step,
I spent some time learning my JR 12X radio
function to program the two servos using the
“Balance” function, which allows one servo
to track the other, via a 7-point mix curve.
Using this function, it is possible to assure
that both servos are perfectly in synch and
never fight each other, anywhere throughout
the range of motion of the aileron! This took
about half an hour (due to being on the
steep part of the learning curve with the 12X
programming features) for the first wing, and
about 10 minutes for the second wing. Since
I used this feature of the radio, I did not use
a Y-harness on the two aileron servos, but
instead plugged them into separate ports on
the receiver. The instructions call for cutting
pieces of carbon tubing to slip over the
control rods, to beef them up. I was pleased
to see that the pieces in my kit were pre-cut,
saving time! After final adjustment, I applied
some thin CA to the jam nuts and carbon tube
ends to prevent them from vibrating loose.
Next is the horizontal stabilizer and
elevator assembly. This went smoothly,
and I found all parts to fit well. Again, the
QB approach saves time, as the covering
is already trimmed away from the areas
requiring glue, and all mounting holes for
control horns are pre drilled. Also, the hinges
were all glued in place. The elevator servos
install to the fixed stabilizer halves, so once
you have them installed and rigged, you
never disturb the linkages again. Rigging
the servos and linkage rods (for the elevator)
went smoothly, and again I have to credit
the quality of the airplane, the hardware,
and the instructions for making this stress
free. The two stabilizer tubes fit perfectly,
and alignment of the tail pieces and attaching
bolts was flawless. The pushrods are reverse
threaded on one end, and a small wrench
is included to allow for easy linkage length
adjustment.
After the horizontal stabilizer and elevator,
the next step was to install the rudder and
rig the pull-pull system. The only hinges
that require gluing are the rudder hinges.
The instructions are quite clear, and this step
moves smoothly. I did notice the hinge holes
were slightly off-center, so I used a round
file to slightly ovalize the holes side-to-side,
allowing me to better center the hinges. This
added about 10 minutes to the process, but
proved an easy step and the amount of extra
gap was easily taken up by the epoxy used to
glue the hinges. I de-burred the cables’ crimp
ferrules with a hobby knife, to make it easier
to pass the pull-pull cables through prior to
crimping. As I used two rudder servos, I had
to fashion a tandem linkage/arm system. The
instructions give details on how to proceed,
and extra hardware is included to support this
step. I found some aluminum sleeves in a junk
box that helped me further beef up the system
by sleeving the linkage rods that joined the two
servo arms. I also used the mixing functions in
my JR 12X to perfectly match the movement
of the two rudder servos, so they did not
fight each other anywhere in their stroke. A
Y-harness could have been used, but I figured I
may as well use the radio features and available
ports on the 12-channel receiver.
Next it was time to move on to the landing
gear, starting first with the tailwheel assembly.
The components are very high quality and fit
the model perfectly with all of the mounting
holes being pre drilled. Rigging the springs also
went smoothly — the key is having a good
pair of pliers and to pay close attention to the
process, and to make sure not to pre-stretch
the springs too much before bending the loops
on the ends. The main gear installation is quite
straightforward, and I have to point out that
the quality of the finish is superb. The main
gear is made of high strength 7075 aluminum,
and it is pre painted in a high-quality white
powder coat finish. The wheel pants have blind
nuts pre-installed and holes pre-drilled in the
gear, as well, so you won’t end up with the
wheel pants pointing in odd directions. There
is a very subtle forward tilt to the main gear,
so be sure to take a close look and get the gear
tilting in the forward direction.
Now for my personal favorite step, installing
the engine. By using the recommended
DA-100L engine and compact DA in-cowl
mufflers, I was sure to get the desired flight
performance, plus it also made the instructions
easy to follow and kept weight to a minimum.
Also, I had just finished doing an Engine Review
on the DA-100L, so it was broken-in and I felt
quite familiar with it, further heightening
the excitement of this step. The kit includes a
firewall mount template that made installing
the DA-100L in the correct position a snap. The
instructions for mounting the cowl and cutting
out cooling air exit slots/hole and muffler exit
holes are outstanding and make the task quite
manageable. The paper template approach
allows for time to make sure the cutout in the
paper provides the shape and clearance that
you want before cutting up the pretty fiberglass
cowling. I would recommend making the
exhaust cutout in the fiberglass cowl slightly
undersize at first, so you can leave some room
to clean up, straighten its edges, and round
corners nicely. I did have to slightly enlarge the
exhaust cutouts in the cowl to be able to install
and remove it. Rigging the throttle servo and
linkages, plus the choke linkages, all proved
to be simple, particularly with the DA-100L
carburetor being case-mounted, so nothing
protruded through the firewall. The only
deviation from the instructions made, which
was at the advice of AeroWorks team pilots,
was to use a couple of extra spacers between
the firewall and engine mount plate, to move
the engine forward about half an inch more
than specified in the instructions. This was
said to help unload the propeller a bit, due to
having a bigger gap between the prop and the
front plane of the cowl, and it also proved to be
helpful with getting desired CG.
Final assembly steps included: installing
The bottom of the Yak is well decorated and attractive as
well! Note the cooling air exit holes around and aft of the
exhaust stacks, and the size of the aileron and elevator
control surfaces.
With the CG set halfway between the recommended
starting point and the rear-most setting, the Yak requires
just a tiny amount of down-pressure for inverted flight. It
is super-stable inverted, making low part-speed passes a
piece of cake.
The happy author posing with the
ready-to-maiden AeroWorks 100cc
Yak, at the GCRCC field north of
Cincinnati, OH. The Yak is big and
beautiful, with the Aero Graphix decal
set and the optional pilot figure really
adding to the visual appeal.
84 RC SPORT FLYER
RC-SF.COM
85
Review
the fuel tank, receiver, batteries, ignition
battery and ignition module. It was nice to
have such a complete package of mounting
goodies included with the kit, such as Velcro®
mounting straps, soft foam, hard foam, and
various cable ties (including some monstersize ties to mount the fuel tank).
Final setup of the airframe included
programming the servo’s control throws in
the transmitter. I used separate channels from
my JR 12X 2.4-GHz radio and the JR R1222
Power Safe receiver to drive each servo; and I
used programming functions to synchronize
the elevator halves. Flight modes were used
to set up three sets of rates, just as prescribed
in the instructions — one for low rates,
one for high rates and one for 3D rates. I
also used the manufacturer’s recommended
exponential values, which were close enough
to my typical personal preferences that I did
not deviate from them. The included setup
tools were helpful, and another nice touch of
completeness in the AeroWorks kit.
Prior to finalizing the location of the
receiver battery packs and ignition battery
AeroWorks 100cc Yak 54 ARF
pack, a CG (center of gravity) check was
performed. I ended up mounting the two
A123 2300-mAh packs on either side of the
fuel tank, and the balance was 1/10 in. behind
the recommended initial setting of 3.5 in.
back from the leading edges of the wing tips.
Later I would move one of the Rx packs back
considerably, to a position next to the Rx, to
get a final desired CG point for mixed aerobatic
and 3D flying of 3.8 in.
At this point, the model was ready to fly
and looked absolutely beautiful — but a few
more steps were needed in order to take the
appearance to the next level. I purchased the
optional pilot figure from AeroWorks, which
added some further realism and color to the
model. I cut some scraps of plywood from a
leftover engine mount drill guide template,
to create mounting tabs on the bottom of the
pilot figure. I tack-glued them with CA, until I
had the position just right, then marked them
lightly with a pencil. Then I epoxied them to
the pilot figure, and to the tops of the canopy
frame, so that nothing hung below that could
interfere with proper seating of the canopy.
The final step was to apply the custom decal
set, made by Aero Graphix. The colors and
layout of the decal set are quite stunning! The
sheer size of the decals for a model this big
are a bit intimidating at first, but I followed
the instructions and took my time, and they
turned out well. The new red/white/blue color
scheme with Aero Graphix decals resulted in a
finish that is my new personal favorite.
The wing and stabilizer tubes fit perfectly
— snug but not overly tight, and the
attaching clips and bolts that hold the wing
panels on lined up perfectly. AeroWorks takes
wing retention seriously and include two
bolts plus two clips, for each wing panel.
Consequently, it would take a major mental
lapse to have a wing depart this aircraft.
A final CG check was performed with the
model completely ready-to-fly. The all-up
weight of the model came in at 29.5 lb, readyto-fly with no fuel. This was slightly heavier
than I expected, but soon I would learn that
the airplane flew superbly and felt “light” in
the air, so this was no concern at all.
.60NX
Bore: 0.94 in (24mm)
Stroke: 0.85 in (21.5mm)
Displacement: .594 cu in (9.73cc)
Engine Weight: 13.9 oz (395 g)
Muffler Weight: 3.25 oz (92 g)
$149.99
Glow POW!er
Introducing the .60NX—.60-size Power in a .46-size Case
Funtana 50 ARF
Sundowner 50 ARF
The incredible new Evolution® .60NX will completely transform your .40- to .50-size
sport plane’s performance. Engineered to achieve maximum power-to-weight, the
.60NX is 7 ounces lighter than the nearest competitor. It has also been designed
to readily accept a variety of tuned exhausts for modelers who really want to push
the performance envelope.
Visit evolutionengines.com now for complete details on the phenomenal new
.60NX, or to find an Evolution retailer near you.
DeNight Special 50 ARF
For more information on Evolution Engines, go to
P-51 Mustang Sport 40 ARF
Expect spine-tingling speed and climb
performance when you match the .60NX
with any of these popular Hangar 9 planes.
www.evolutionengines.com
©2009 Horizon Hobby, Inc. Evolution Engines is an exclusive brand of Horizon Hobby, Inc.
16763