Aerobeez 89" Yak 55 Step by Step Build Guide - Part 1

[Aerobeez]

Hi 3DRCF Pilots and Builders! Welcome to our hands on Step by Step Aerobeez 30% YAK-55 build blog! This is a Pro build by our team pilot Santiago Perez. As always having experience with putting an ARF together is good, but with our guide even an inexperienced builder should be able to put this kit together in about 10-12 hours. Look for "Pro Tip's" that are unique tricks and tips called out by Santiago Perez and our notes that will help walk you through this build like a seasoned pro.

These steps are the personal preference of Santiago Perez. You may choose to build using the same steps however the build order can be organized differently depending on your own preference.

So, without further ado, lets get started building!

Step 1: Have the servos you are using for this aircraft ready and pre-centered prior to installing onto the control surfaces. Keep in mind the servos for the elevators are installed inside the horizontal stabilizers. Once your servos are centered, install the servos into the horizontal stabilizers. You may need to trim the servo arm slot. Note: (depending on your servos of choice and how much elevator authority you would like to achieve, this may vary.)

Step 2: Use a rotary tool or sandpaper to "score" the surface of the fiberglass control surface horns. This will provide the best and strongest adhesion between the fiberglass control surface horn and the control surface. At this time, you can apply this step to all of the control surface horns.

Pro Tip: Use some household rubbing alcohol and clean the fiberglass dust from each horn for best glue results.

Step 3: First locate the control surface horn slots and remove the 2 slot covering. Next insert medium thickness CA into the slots. Note: For this build, Santiago prefers to use medium thickness CA, you may choose otherwise if you have a different personal preference. You do not have to fill the slot with CA. Apply enough CA to coat both of the slots.

Step 4: Apply medium CA to the fiberglass control surface horns. Once the horns are CA coated well, insert the horn into the elevator with a fast pressing motion. If you insert too slow utilizing CA, the horn may adhere at a wrong position. Epoxy is also a glue of choice.

Pro Tip: Always test fit the horns into the control surfaces prior to applying glue. Have the control surface horn ball end tight. This will provide the best glue angle. Note: Do Not Use thin CA! Glue of choice is Epoxy. If you choose to use CA, use Medium or Thick CA ONLY for this step.

Step 5: Now that the control horn is mounted, apply Thin CA to all 4 sides of the surface horn gap. This will spread an even and strong layer of CA into the slot giving the highest strength for the surface to surface horn slot.

Step 6: Install the ball pushrod ends to the elevator pushrods. You can tentatively adjust the length close to a level control surface. Fine adjustments can be made with the pushrod installed.

Step 7: Install the pushrod to the control surface and servo arm. Pro Tip: Although the screw nuts are nylon self locking nuts, Santiago will still use a drop of Blue Thread Lock on the nut. This will insure a solid screw to nut strength.

Step 8: Adjust your pushrod length for a level control surface to arm geometry.

Step 9: Elevators complete with perfect geometry and ready for install later to the fuselage.

Step 10: Using a sharp hobby knife, locate and cut the area for the aileron servos.

Pro Tip: There are different methods for the removing or cutting the aileron slot covering. Santiago uses an "X" slice. With this method, you will not need to remove the covering. When the aileron servo is inserted into the servo bay, the covering will press inside the area. This will prevent the covering from pealing during flight. No covering iron is needed with this method, however it can be used if you wish to press the covering down.

Step 11: Install your aileron servos.

Step 12: Remove the covering from the aileron slots for the control surface horns.

Step 13: Apply Medium CA to the surface horn slots and the fiberglass control surface horns. Once the control surface horn is coated well, press the horn quickly into the aileron.

Step 14: Use Thin CA and fill the area next to the control surface horns. Same steps as the elevator install.

Step 15: Install and adjust the aileron pushrod.

Step 16: Locate the components for the main landing gear. Install the wheel axles to the carbon fiber landing gear.

Pro Tip: Use Blue Thread Lock on the nylon wheel axle nuts for more tightening strength.

 

[Aerobeez]

Aerobeez 89" Yak 55 Step by Step Build Guide - Part 2

Step 17: Lightly press fit the blind nuts into the landing gear fiberglass wheel spats. When you tighten the spats to the landing gear, the blind nuts will self tighten to the wheel spats. Note: Be sure to notice the angle on the carbon fiber landing gear. The forward sweep angle is to be installed towards the nose of the Yak55.

Step 18: Wheel spats installed.

Step 19: Use Blue Thread lock on the set screws for all wheel collars before installing. Using one wheel collar on each side, install the main landing gear wheels.

Step 20: Test fit the landing gear to the fuselage with the 4 hex screws.

Step 21: Install the main landing gear to the fuselage. The inside of the fuselage provides access to the lock nuts to the landing gear for easy installation.

Step 22: Build the tail wheel section and test fit in the area under the tail fuselage.

Step 23: Using the provided "self tapping" screws, mount the tail wheel assembly to the fuselage.

Pro Tip: You can mark the area where the tail wheel assembly is to be mounted with a fine tip pen or marker. Use a 1/16 drill bit and drill a pilot hole. This may keep the wood from pressure and provide a better screw to wood strength.

Step 24: Tail wheel assembly installed. Install the tail wheel with the provided wheel and wheel collar.

Step 25: Locate and remove the covering from the 2 surface slots per side for the rudder pull/pull surface horns.

Step 26: The rudder control surface arms will need to be cut shorter to fit the rudder. Roughly cut the surface arms and test fit. You can use a rotary tool, hand saw or just use a pair of sharp cutters as seen here.

Step 27: Test fit both sides of the rudder pull/pull control surface arms. If the surface arms on both sides are inserted and both flush to the rudder, you are ready to glue the arms.

Step 28: Glue the control surface arms to the rudder using Medium CA. Follow with thin CA along the horns.

Step 29: Rudder control surface horns installed.

Step 30: Using Epoxy, apply to the 3 rudder hinges. Once coated well, insert the pivot hinges to the rudder.

Pro Tip: Use a drop of house hold oil on the pivoting area of each hinge. This will prevent the hinge from being glued stuck in one position. Before you set the hinges to dry, make sure you check the pivoting direction is correct. The hinges are to move left and right. Not up and down. Do not attempt to glue the hinges to the rudder and the vertical stabilizer at the same time. Please glue one side at a time. When the Epoxy has cured on the rudder, proceed to glue the hinges to the vertical stabilizer. Note: Do not use CA for the hinges. Epoxy is best.

Step 31: - Apply epoxy to the now cured rudder hinges and insert to the vertical stabilizer. Pro Tip: Have some denatured alcohol or acetone ready to remove any residual epoxy from the area or your hands.

Step 32: The engine wall/firewall has been marked with mounting areas for a DLE-55. Note: The provided template is not for use with a DLE-55 RA. If you are using a DLE55RA, two of the mounting positions are correct. You will need to make your own mark for the other two engine stand offs. Drill the firewall to mount the engine of your choice. Mark the area for your throttle push rod and drill for the push rod.

Pro Tip: The holes for the engine stand offs can be drilled a bit larger in diameter. Use washers when mounting the engine. The slightly larger holes for the engine stand offs will give you the ability to move the engine slightly for better centering to the cowling.

Step 33: Using thin CA, apply the CA to the interior of the motor box. Allow the CA to "wick" into the triangular wood stock and firewall for better strength.

Step 34: Engine mounted and ready for cowling. Note: Test fit the cowling for the engine of your choice. Your exhaust area on the cowling will need to be cut and removed. This step is not shown as different engines have different exhaust placement.

Step 35: Install the Rudder Servo and pull/pull cables.

Step 36: Install the fuel tank. In this build Santiago chose to use the 16 oz Fortitude Fuel Tank.

Note: Use Diagram below as a reference for manual calculation.

Finish: YAK-55 Built and ready for flight!

Note: Always perform a pre-flight check. Range test your aircraft and make sure ALL the control surfaces are moving in the correct direction!

Thank you for reading our Aerobeez Step-by-Step Build Guide and for your purchase! Control surface deflections are a personal preference in your flying style. For unlimited 3D, please use the surface throw in MAXIMUM deflection before surface bind. Your Aerobeez team is available for any technical questions. Please feel free to email us at any time. Aerobeez appreciates your patronage! Now go fly, enjoy your air time with your new 89" Yak 55M!

If you would like to see the original blog post go here.

Your Hobby, Our Passion!

Aerobeez

 

[3dmike]

Wow it sure is nice to see a vendor putting together a great build thread! Sure beats the manual!!! Nice job guys. I know a lot of guys like to epoxy the motor box to strengthen it, what do you guys think about that?

 

[3dmike]

By the way the yak looks great! Like I said recently the 55 is starting to grow on me!

 

[Aerobeez]

Wow it sure is nice to see a vendor putting together a great build thread! Sure beats the manual!!! Nice job guys. I know a lot of guys like to epoxy the motor box to strengthen it, what do you guys think about that?

Hey Mike,

Thank you for the feedback on our build guides. As for using Epoxy, we do not recommend this, as it does not have the same effect as "whicking" with thin CA. Thin CA will absorb into the wood making it stronger and also seal the small cracks between wood joints to some degree. Epoxy is a thicker glue that will coat the wood and not be absorbed. This does not accomplish the same goal.

Everyone has their own preferences though.

Thanks for the question!

Team Aerobeez

 

[3dmike]

Hey thanks for the response! Happy Halloween everyone!

 

[johnpaul]

could you guys post some pics of your set up Of the interior.

 

[Aerobeez]

Hi John,

Pete and Santiago will get some pics of the inside of this plane to show what you are looking for. We will also add those to the build guide in an update to the blog and here for others that might be curious.

Until then have a Merry Christmas and happy Holiday,

Team Aerobeez