I did this mod before even flying my ultimate for the first time. It can also be done without cutting any foam. Just remove the cowl and with a long screwdriver dislodge the weights from the fuse, then pull them out of the slots next to the battery tray, they fit through mine perfectly.
I have the 1st original Ultimate Biplane from E-Flite when it was an ARF only years ago before BNF or PNP was a thing. It has almost the same color scheme. The ARF is much lighter than the BNF and a way better flyer IMO. It is also tough as nails. The ARF was 89 dollars at the time. The electronics were 250 dollars. Lol. Make Tail Heavy Great Again!
@@TwoBrosRC V2. Only had 10 flights on it. RX voltage dropped to 2.5v just before the crash. Telemetry kept logging. 5+ G’s impact straight in. Zero holds and battery was still 24v post crash. First Avian I’ve had fail.
Great video Jon. Have you tried programing in the Spoilerons on this thing yet. They really do work very well on the EXTRA 300 as you've demonstrated in the past.
I agree with you on the EXTRA 300. I took your advice and installed em on mine. I enjoy the benefits from them mostly on my landings. Comes in very nice, slow and controlled now. THANKS. @@TwoBrosRC
Really appreciate the video and does make the plane fly 10 times better! Question though, what rates and expo are you running when hovering and stick smashing? I thought I heard you switch into 3d rates at one point so figured I’d pick your brain.
You mentioned about unlocking rates to get 150% throw? How do you do that? I’ve just bought one and noticed that going above 100% throw on the elevator makes no difference and could definitely use the extra throw, please help aha so I need to change servos or Rx?
ruclips.net/video/F3isbv1U8eM/видео.html is how it's done to get -150 to 150 travel. Hop on Discord with us via bit.ly/TBRCDiscord if you have additional questions so they don't get lost here on YT!
John i love this plane. When you fly it just make me want to buy. Just a thought, instead of cutting out the front weights, could you put weights on a slider to move the cg around as one progresses?
Mine didn’t seem to fly as well as this. Did you just use the stock motor and prop? I think I threw like a power 15 and 13x4 on it. Maybe it would fly better with the stock setup.
This was flown on a 12x6 prop, so slightly bigger - another thing we forgot to mention :/ Sorry about that! It is using the stock motor. A 13x4 performs well too.
Just bought this ultimate yesterday and flew 1 4S pack. It feels ok out of the box but also feels like it has weird stall characteristics(?). If I remove the weight do I need to consider disabling AS3X or does that behave ok?
Taking the weight out will dramatically improve stall resistance and overall flyability, no AS3X changes required. Just be sure to move the battery further forward than you might be used to.
Great video! Thanks to you, I did this mod a while back and I think it's a huge improvement, even for a less aggressive flyer like myself. Before the plane would sink when not under power and now it feels a lot "floatier". Any idea why HH felt they needed to add so much "permanent" nose weight instead of giving the user the option?
We don't speak for HH, but one would reasonably conclude that the nose weight was added to ensure that newer pilots wouldn't accidentally fly a tail heavy airplane. Seems like a solid business decision, but we don't have any info aside from speculation. Either way, it's fortunate that you can easily mod the model to remove the weights.
@@TwoBrosRC good to know. About how long would be normal? I've melted my fair share of motors, so I'm now always cautious of overheating when I get a new plane I plan to fly aggressively
Im planing on buying my first 3d plane, Im deciding between the ultimate with this mod, timber x and extra 300. This one seems fun, but would you recomend other two over this one?
The Ultimate is a good intro to 3D flying with the weight reduction mod. We'd highly recommend it. Consider picking it up via the link in the description if you'd like to support what we do!
@@TwoBrosRCThanks for the quick reply, did you set up any mixes like you did with timber x or extra 300 or its not needed? And what prop are you using? I would use the link to support you but Im from europe.
Do you keep the factory CG or where do you move it to? A 4S 2200 fits right between the foam behind the straps without being strapped in, is that what you mean by shoving it back as far as you can get it?
Do you ever have problems with the wings on the ultimate fluttering real bad. Mine does it bad sometimes under like half throttle...like it looks like the wings are about to rip off lol
I removed the weight and installed apc 13x4. Looks like I’ll be keeping this one around! Flies much better. I flew it twice before and noticed it was supper nose heavy. Now she’s dialed in! Thanks again for posting this.
Great video, I had some questions but they are nearly all answerd in the reactions. I like to thank the Two Brothers and al the people in this video and reactions. I know this is about 3d flying but I like also flying low and slow , is removing the weight for and aft beneficial for slow flight?, I just saved 88,4 gram = 3,12 oz , now I can fly one mile futher on a 4s batt. :-)))
Would have been nice to have designed the plane with easily inserted and removed weights. Is it Timber X that allows for either a carbon or a steel tail rod that is easily swapped in and out?
Thanks john -in your opinion is this plane easier to handle on 3s . Or is it always better to have the extra 4s power to get out of trouble? Ps i have learnt so much from your videos. @@TwoBrosRC
Interesting the battery are in good shape I will charge them inside and try it again. I did notice the helicopter also doing this .I guess I will go to glow for now than @@TwoBrosRC
Anyone else experience wing chatter on this plane? Under full speed or high wind conditions the wings flap like crazy! Every time it happens I need to let off the throttle and turn safe on to recover. It scares the crap out of me. Wing is mounted tight. I'm unsure what the heck could be causing this, any ideas?
@@TwoBrosRC I think you'll get a kick out of what the plane is doing lol. I sent this video to Horizon and they had me ship the plane back to them! Its been 6 months since purchase so im shocked they want it back for root cause analysis. ruclips.net/video/T9AZ5nVvakE/видео.html
Take the landing gear off as well. Belly flop land it at your feet. I flew my old Ultimate 2 like that for a year after I broke the gear out after a too-low loop lol. Takes off right out of your hand. AND that was the old 3s version. I really need the new 3D version!!
It's far less likely to experience that issue now. Let us know how it flies for you with the weights removed. Just remember to push the battery further forward, it'll be a lot more pitch sensitive afterward.
Idk I had an ultimate 3d and hated it it flew like a pig.....and then when I took weight off it was all over ybe place.....never put a gyro in it but I heard they fly well with a gyro....but yeah the roll rate was good for Rollin harriers and hovers but just regular flying it was horrible and I tried everytjing.....so it ended up sold and replaced with a 48 inch extreme flight
We've got a gyro in ours, but it's using minimal gains. Roll gains could be turned down slightly. Otherwise it's pretty dialed in. The weight removal makes it very fun to fly.
I did this mod before even flying my ultimate for the first time. It can also be done without cutting any foam. Just remove the cowl and with a long screwdriver dislodge the weights from the fuse, then pull them out of the slots next to the battery tray, they fit through mine perfectly.
Solid idea there - thanks for letting everyone know there's another option!
I wonder if Horizon Hobbies has commented on this weight loss program.
I have the 1st original Ultimate Biplane from E-Flite when it was an ARF only years ago before BNF or PNP was a thing. It has almost the same color scheme. The ARF is much lighter than the BNF and a way better flyer IMO. It is also tough as nails. The ARF was 89 dollars at the time. The electronics were 250 dollars. Lol. Make Tail Heavy Great Again!
Your videos are so informative, bro. I've been learning things from every video. Keep up the good work.
Brother you got skills you’re one of the Best I’ve ever seen on you tube. 👍👍👍👍👍🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Hey I'm late to the party here but THANK YOU!! I've been looking for those damn weights and you made it easy brother!
I sure appreciate it!
There was No way I could crash my original Ultimate and when I got this one I was WAY Disappointed - Can't wait to try it with the mods. Thanks!
Awesome mid-air grab!! 👍
My FMS Pitts also had TWO big weights in the nose. Found them after it crashed due to a ESC failure. They look the same.
V1 or V2?
That's a hard way to find out. Hope all is well now.
@@TwoBrosRC V2. Only had 10 flights on it. RX voltage dropped to 2.5v just before the crash. Telemetry kept logging. 5+ G’s impact straight in. Zero holds and battery was still 24v post crash. First Avian I’ve had fail.
What Avian did you put into it? Was it an 80 amp?
can I find the weight with a magnet in de pitts 1400 ?
Just flew mine yesterday, finally got it trimmed right and cg way better than ever , flew good even in to much wind …..haven’t removed weight yet
You made it seems easy
Great video Jon. Have you tried programing in the Spoilerons on this thing yet. They really do work very well on the EXTRA 300 as you've demonstrated in the past.
They're not really useful on this model since it does very stable harriers with almost no wing rock. The Extra benefits from them greatly, though.
I agree with you on the EXTRA 300. I took your advice and installed em on mine. I enjoy the benefits from them mostly on my landings. Comes in very nice, slow and controlled now. THANKS. @@TwoBrosRC
Really appreciate the video and does make the plane fly 10 times better! Question though, what rates and expo are you running when hovering and stick smashing? I thought I heard you switch into 3d rates at one point so figured I’d pick your brain.
150% rates are 3D rates for us (e.g. 150% servo travel, 100% rates), and 50% expo on all surfaces.
So helpful. Thanks again
You mentioned about unlocking rates to get 150% throw? How do you do that? I’ve just bought one and noticed that going above 100% throw on the elevator makes no difference and could definitely use the extra throw, please help aha so I need to change servos or Rx?
ruclips.net/video/F3isbv1U8eM/видео.html is how it's done to get -150 to 150 travel. Hop on Discord with us via bit.ly/TBRCDiscord if you have additional questions so they don't get lost here on YT!
John i love this plane. When you fly it just make me want to buy. Just a thought, instead of cutting out the front weights, could you put weights on a slider to move the cg around as one progresses?
Unfortunately not, there's really no space in there for it.
Do you use the metal stabilizer spar or the carbon spar for the right CG?
Carbon.
Mine didn’t seem to fly as well as this. Did you just use the stock motor and prop? I think I threw like a power 15 and 13x4 on it. Maybe it would fly better with the stock setup.
This was flown on a 12x6 prop, so slightly bigger - another thing we forgot to mention :/ Sorry about that! It is using the stock motor. A 13x4 performs well too.
Does it still fly well for precision aerobatics after removing the nose weight?
It's a 3D airframe. Precision aerobatics aren't its intended purpose.
Gyros do wanders!
Just bought this ultimate yesterday and flew 1 4S pack. It feels ok out of the box but also feels like it has weird stall characteristics(?). If I remove the weight do I need to consider disabling AS3X or does that behave ok?
Taking the weight out will dramatically improve stall resistance and overall flyability, no AS3X changes required. Just be sure to move the battery further forward than you might be used to.
@@TwoBrosRC will do excited to try it! Thanks for the reply.
Hi john - i could use this as normal trainer , not necessarily as a 3d trainer. As it flies so stable.. cheers
Sure, give it a try.
Great video! Thanks to you, I did this mod a while back and I think it's a huge improvement, even for a less aggressive flyer like myself. Before the plane would sink when not under power and now it feels a lot "floatier". Any idea why HH felt they needed to add so much "permanent" nose weight instead of giving the user the option?
We don't speak for HH, but one would reasonably conclude that the nose weight was added to ensure that newer pilots wouldn't accidentally fly a tail heavy airplane. Seems like a solid business decision, but we don't have any info aside from speculation. Either way, it's fortunate that you can easily mod the model to remove the weights.
if you remove weights, the CG change too ! what is the new CG after removal ?
The CG shifts rearward. We can't give you a precise measurement. It should be visible with finger positioning in the beginning.
Does this plane need to cool down the motor between agressive 3D flights, or does it handle back to back flights well?
It handles back to back flying pretty well, but we always let things cool down in summer.
@@TwoBrosRC good to know. About how long would be normal? I've melted my fair share of motors, so I'm now always cautious of overheating when I get a new plane I plan to fly aggressively
Im planing on buying my first 3d plane, Im deciding between the ultimate with this mod, timber x and extra 300. This one seems fun, but would you recomend other two over this one?
The Ultimate is a good intro to 3D flying with the weight reduction mod. We'd highly recommend it. Consider picking it up via the link in the description if you'd like to support what we do!
@@TwoBrosRCThanks for the quick reply, did you set up any mixes like you did with timber x or extra 300 or its not needed? And what prop are you using? I would use the link to support you but Im from europe.
I really enjoy your videos. With the weights removed does the cg balance or is it tail heavy?
It balances further back, but you can adjust the battery to your preference.
Great mod! What battery are you using?
Spektrum 2200 4s
Wow nice title good job to whoever though of that
Do you keep the factory CG or where do you move it to? A 4S 2200 fits right between the foam behind the straps without being strapped in, is that what you mean by shoving it back as far as you can get it?
We never fly on factory CG recommendations most of the time. This is about 30 to 50mm behind the recommended point. Yes, that's what we mean.
@@TwoBrosRC did you have to make a mechanical elevator adjustment. Btw I appreciate the content, it’s nice to have some guidance for us newbies. 😃
@Richard Burton We maxed out throws, that's about it.
Careful! The battery can drop to the rear, happened to me. Had to harrier it down onto the ground to avoid a crash. Strap that battery in!
Hi John, do you use steel rod or the carbon fibre rod on 4s after this mod?
Carbon rod for sure.
Do you ever have problems with the wings on the ultimate fluttering real bad. Mine does it bad sometimes under like half throttle...like it looks like the wings are about to rip off lol
We've never experienced that at all. No idea what would cause it.
Are you using the metal or carbon tube in the tail?
We replaced the metal rod for the carbon one - sorry about forgetting that detail!
No worries thanks for the response
I removed the weight and installed apc 13x4. Looks like I’ll be keeping this one around! Flies much better. I flew it twice before and noticed it was supper nose heavy. Now she’s dialed in! Thanks again for posting this.
@@CompassRC Happy to help!
What spar did you use on the elevator the metal one are carbon fiber one?
Carbon.
Thank you.
Great video, I had some questions but they are nearly all answerd in the reactions.
I like to thank the Two Brothers and al the people in this video and reactions.
I know this is about 3d flying but I like also flying low and slow , is removing the weight for and aft beneficial for slow flight?,
I just saved 88,4 gram = 3,12 oz , now I can fly one mile futher on a 4s
batt. :-)))
Slow flight is definitely improved by reducing wing loading and getting the overall aircraft weight down.
Have you tried it on 3s after the weight reduction? I'm considering one of these but I have many 3s and only 1 4s. Just curious how it performs on 3s.
Nope - but we'd have to swap out the propeller to a higher pitch version in order to do that. It probably performs fine on 3 cells.
What pitch would you recommend I try please?@@TwoBrosRC
@@rjfetz1The stock Prop for 4S is a 12x6 inch. So probably 12x8 would give you enough thrust with 3S.
What’s a good brand of 9g servos? I keep having FMS servos jamming on me …
tinyurl.com/B11DLS is our preferred 9g servo. This is what we're flying in the Ultimate.
@@TwoBrosRC thanks!
@@TwoBrosRC thanks!
Would have been nice to have designed the plane with easily inserted and removed weights. Is it Timber X that allows for either a carbon or a steel tail rod that is easily swapped in and out?
The X has a little pocket in the tail that lets you add or remove weight at your leisure.
This is spectacular -can i use this as a kinda trainer to further ny reaction s?
Absolutely.
Thanks john -in your opinion is this plane easier to handle on 3s . Or is it always better to have the extra 4s power to get out of trouble? Ps i have learnt so much from your videos. @@TwoBrosRC
It wouldn't be much of a 3D airframe on 3 cells. The power to weight ratio wouldn't be there. Happy to help, cheers!
Hello I got this plane. Now it's winter a full charge battery cuts off at 80 percent. I put a new esc in it and still no change do you have any idea?
It's probably because you're flying in sub-zero weather, or because your battery is old.
Interesting the battery are in good shape I will charge them inside and try it again. I did notice the helicopter also doing this .I guess I will go to glow for now than @@TwoBrosRC
So that's why my ultimate flies like a brick 🤔
🧱
Where is your cog?
It balances right behind the wing screw on the top wing.
@@TwoBrosRC thanks!!!
Anyone else experience wing chatter on this plane? Under full speed or high wind conditions the wings flap like crazy! Every time it happens I need to let off the throttle and turn safe on to recover. It scares the crap out of me. Wing is mounted tight. I'm unsure what the heck could be causing this, any ideas?
It's probably the servos. We use upgraded servos (tinyurl.com/B11DLS) and had no issues at all.
@@TwoBrosRC I think you'll get a kick out of what the plane is doing lol. I sent this video to Horizon and they had me ship the plane back to them! Its been 6 months since purchase so im shocked they want it back for root cause analysis. ruclips.net/video/T9AZ5nVvakE/видео.html
Take the landing gear off as well. Belly flop land it at your feet. I flew my old Ultimate 2 like that for a year after I broke the gear out after a too-low loop lol. Takes off right out of your hand. AND that was the old 3s version. I really need the new 3D version!!
The gear are still useful though, not sure we'd want to remove them.
@@TwoBrosRC Understand entirely. Mine weren't actually removed on purpose :) Just might be a little extra weight reduction.
Thanks! I’ve been flying mine stock, and I hate the way it threatens to high speed stall so easily.
It's far less likely to experience that issue now. Let us know how it flies for you with the weights removed. Just remember to push the battery further forward, it'll be a lot more pitch sensitive afterward.
Idk I had an ultimate 3d and hated it it flew like a pig.....and then when I took weight off it was all over ybe place.....never put a gyro in it but I heard they fly well with a gyro....but yeah the roll rate was good for Rollin harriers and hovers but just regular flying it was horrible and I tried everytjing.....so it ended up sold and replaced with a 48 inch extreme flight
We've got a gyro in ours, but it's using minimal gains. Roll gains could be turned down slightly. Otherwise it's pretty dialed in. The weight removal makes it very fun to fly.
very very dumb thing to do. full throttle hand grab!
🆗️