PCM Erwin XL User manual

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
Wing span [mm]: 3000
Aspect ratio: 14,67
Wing area [dm2]: 61,33
Wing loading: 42,4-66,8
Weight [g]: 2600-4100
Airfoil: VS1
BUILDING INSTRUCTION
ERWIN XL
www.pcm.at 1

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
CONTENTS
DATA
1. Kit – Contents
2. What else do you need?
3. Electronical equipment
4. Settings for the first flight
ASSEMBLING THE MODEL
5. V-Tail
6. Fuselage
7. Installation of electronical components
8. Wing
9. Installation of antenna
BEFORE THE FIRST FLIGHT
10. Ballast system
11. Fixing of the wing
12. Check list before starting
3
3
3
5
6
7
8
10
12
13
14
14
www.pcm.at 2

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
DATA
1. Kit – Contents
Fuselage, in two parts
Wing, in two parts
V-Tail
Steel-connector, 2 pieces
Carbon-connector, 2 pieces
Covers for servos on wing, 4 pieces
Covers for servos on v-tail, 2 pieces
Radio board (for receiver, accumulators and ballast)
Installation frame for Hitec HS-125 und HS-5125, 4 pieces
Assembly board
Levers for rudders, 6 pieces
Screws, 4 pieces, for fixing the wing
Screws, 2 pieces, for fixing the v-tail
Screw and nut for fixing the radio board
Building instruction
2. What else do you need:
Controls of the wing:
Connectors for push rods, M2,5mm, 8 pieces
Welding rod, d=2mm
Controls of v-tail:
Steel wire, d=1,5mm
Hook for winch start
On-off switch / socket for loading
Cables
Cable for antenna, possibly steel wire for extension of
antenna
Plugs
Epoxy-glue (for example UHU 300 endfest or Stabilit, no
fast hardening epoxy resin)
Cotton flocks to thicken glue
Tape
Hook for winch start
Connector for push rods, M2,5mm
3. Electronical equipment
Servos for the wing
Hitec
HS125
HS5125
Volz
Wing Maxx
Wing Star
www.pcm.at 3

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
Servos for the v-tail
Hitec
HS55
HS56HB
HS65HB
Robbe
S3108
Graupner
C2081
C261
Receiver: Graupner DS19
Simprop Scan 7
Schulze 835
Accumulators: 2500 mA/h NiMh
3700 mA/h NiMh
www.pcm.at 4

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
4. Settings for the first flight
Centre of gravity: 100mm
Centre of gravity, calculated: 94-111mm
Difference in angle of attack: +1°
Hook for winch start: 100mm
(measure from the leading edge of the wing to the back)
Ailerons und flaps (soft)
(measure between aileron and flap and on deepest point of the elevator)
Ailerons und flaps (strong / dual rate)
(measure between aileron and flap and on deepest point of the elevator)
Butterfly (landing position)
(measure between aileron and flap and on deepest point of the elevator)
Flaps positive
(measure between aileron and flap and on deepest point of the elevator)
Flaps negative
(measure between aileron and flap and on deepest point of the elevator)
www.pcm.at 5

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
ASSEMBLING THE MODEL
5. V-tail
The v-tail is ready prepared with holes for screws to be
fixed on the fuselage.
Install the servos for the elevator in the v-tail.
You still have to make a hole for the cable in the v-tail and
in the fuselage.
For the connection to the control surfaces use the levers
enclosed and a steel wire. (Gluing of levers see page 10)
Fix the covers of the servos with a double-sided adhesive.
You still have to cut the cover where the lever of the servo
pushes through.
www.pcm.at 6

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
6. Fuselage
Check the alignment of the V-tail regarding the axis of the
fuselage, so that it is fixed symmetrically.
To do this, mount v-tail and wing on the fuselage. Look at
Erwin XL from the front and slowly lower the tail, until the
ends of the elevator disappear behind the wing.
If both ends of the elevator disappear at the same time, the
v-tail is aligned correctly.
If the v-tail isn’t aligned correctly, chamfer the edges of the
fitting. Put the two parts of the fuselage together again and
turn one part until the v-tail is mounted symmetrically.
Then glue the parts together. Use epoxy-glue and some
cotton flocks to thicken the glue.
www.pcm.at 7

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
7. Installation of electronical components
First you have to glue the assembly board inside the
fuselage, as the radio board is fixed to the assembly board.
The assembly board also serves to fix the hook for the
winch start.
Knock the nut enclosed into the hole of the assembly board.
Mount the radio board to the assembly board with the short
screw enclosed.
Grind the joins and put epoxy-glue on them. Then push
both boards into the fuselage (radio board in front) as far as
they will go.
Suggestion for the installation on the radio board:
Mount everything on the board and then thread it inside the
fuselage.
www.pcm.at 8

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
If you want to fix the wing to the fuselage by tape (see point
11), there will be tension on the cable when the wing
loosens in case of a crash. To avoid this, we recommend to
clamp the cables to the radio board with a block of wood. In
this way the plug can be loosened without putting tension
and possibly causing damage to the electronic parts.
The receiver should be situated close to the opening in the
fuselage. In this way, you can change the frequency easily.
For changing the quartz loosen the screw and pull the radio
board about 5cm to the back.
If you want an easy handling of the ready arranged glider,
we recommend to mount the switch and the sockets for
loading and scanning on a small board as shown.
Ready installed switch and socket on the outside of the
fuselage.
www.pcm.at 9

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
8. Wing
Use the wooden frames enclosed for the installation of the
servos Hitec HS-125 und HS-5125.
Lead the cable through the wing as shown below.
The connection to the levers on the rudder goes crosswise
through the wing.
Before you glue the lever to the rudder, mill a slit of about
10mm in the rudder as shown on the picture to the right.
Flap Aileron
For gluing the lever use epoxy-glue with cotton flocks.
When fitting the lever in the correct position, notice that the
hole in the lever should be situated vertically above the
hinge line.
www.pcm.at 10

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
To connect the servos to the levers use two connectors
M2,5mm. In between, use a slightly bended welding rod
(diameter 2mm), which you solder to the both connectors.
To find the right length of the welding rod put all servos in 0-
position. If the length isn’t exact after soldering, you can
heat the soldered point with the soldering iron until the the
wire can be moved to the correct position.
There are two possibilities to connect the cables between
fuselage and wing:
-Either you lead one cable out of each part of the wing,
length about 20mm, and connect them with two plugs to
the fuselage.
If the wing loosens in case of a crash, there might be
tension on the cable. To avoid this, we recommend to
connect wing and plug with a string, that is a little shorter
than the cable.
- Or you put a plug between the halves of the wing and
connect the wing to the fuselage with one plug.
(The picture shows this solution on the wing of Erwin-2m))
Notice that gluing the plug as shown is not recommendable,
if you want to mount the wing by tape. In case of a crash
the wing may swing out to the side and the plug as well as
the fuselage could be damaged.
Fix the covers of the servos with a double-sided adhesive.
In order to move the triangular ends of the ailerons, you can
bend a piece of steel wire (1mm) and glue it into the end of
the aileron as shown. Let the wire jut out about 6mm.
www.pcm.at 11

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
9. Installation of antenna
As ErwinXL is completely made of carbon, a part of the
antenna must be situated outside the model.
One possiblity is to „extend“ the fuselage at the rear end
with a steel wire of about 450mm. Fix the end of the
antenna to this steel wire.
Another solution is to fix the antenna to the end of the
elevator. Lead the antenna inside the fuse behind the
wing and then leave the fuselage. You should add the
length between receiver and the breakthrough of the
fuselage to the end of the antenna, so that the original
length of the antenna is completely outside the fuselage.
Always test the reception on ground before you fly!
www.pcm.at 12

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
BEFORE THE FIRST FLIGHT
10. Ballast system
You can easily change the weight by varying between the different connectors.
You should always use two connectors when flying Erwin XL.
If the glider accelerates too slowly, don’t hesitate to add further weight. Erwin XL can do well with
more weight, in the air as well as when landing.
2x carbon short, 150g
1x carbon short, 1x steel short, 450g
1x steel short, 1x steel long, 1125g
2x steel long, 1500g
(Order an additional steel bar if you need it)
www.pcm.at 13

Erwin XL building Instruction September 2008
www.pcm.at 14
11. Fixing of the wing
For flights on the slope we recommend fixing the wing by
tape.
In case of a crash, the tape will break, the connecting plug
between fuse and wing will loosen, and further damage will
be avoided. Normally, you can continue flying without
problems.
Use 6 layers of tape to fix the wing to the fuselage. Don’t
use low price products. (The tape should not rustle.) We
take tapes made by “Tesa”.
Note the correct installation of the plug between fuselage
and wing. (see point 8.)
If you fly in the plain and want to make winch starts, fix the
wing to the fuselage with the screws enclosed.
12. Check list before starting:
1. Check centre of gravity (the angle of attack is pre-set)
2. Check rudders:
Do rudders move in the correct direction?
Check the greatest swings of the rudders
3. Check reception:
Leave the antenna inside the radio control and go
away from the glider up to a distance of about 60m.
The rudders should not tremble.