5 things I've learned about the Bixler 2

As the administrator for the INAV Fixed Wing Group (Facebook) we get people of all skill levels coming to the group. Often we get guys who come to us from quads who want more range and longer flight times. It’s not surprising that people’s next quad is often their first plane. The topic comes up of what would be a good INAV plane. Planes such as the Reptile S800 and Sonicmodell AR Wing (900) often come up first because of their ease of use. I like flying wings because they are easy to repair after a good crash or two, or 10. But, many suggest that a good 5 channel plane is what’s best. The name “Bixler” comes up, again and again. This is surprising because the plane is has been out for at least the past seven years. It’s still beloved and still a favorite of many. These are the top five things I’ve learned about the plane.

1) Glider with trainer capabilities- The word “trainer” more or less means “useless” once you learn how to fly. Trainers often go in the corner of the garage, rarely if ever used again. The Bixler 2 is easy to fly and would be a good plane for a first plane. The good news is that you won’t grow tired of it and want to retire it. With glide characteristics like the Horizon Hobby Radian, the Bixler 2 is a plane you’ll enjoy for a long time.





2) Highly stable, but not a speed demon. One of the reasons why it’s so loved is because it can fly smooth and stable even in less than ideal conditions. Some people like stable fliers and others can’t stand them. The Bixler 2 will help you discover the airspace, and drift on wind currents and help you find thermals. The swept up wings make it less than ideal for being a fast flier. The STRIX Stratosurfer is similar to the Bixler 2 with flat wings so that you can get the speed you desire. It also has an injection molded plastic fuselage so it’s very durable,


3) Version 2 has flaps



This is the original Bixler 2.






I didn’t care for the graphics of the original Bixler 2. The newer graphics are a lot more appealing The real change is that the Bixler 2 now has flaps. I have this plane as a LOS flyer for my first plane, and I didn’t use the flaps. I can say that I’ve never wished for flaps when landing. However, I could really use them for taking off.


Flaps can also help for slowing the plane down for catching thermals. At 1500mm the Bixler 2 is a great size for riding thermals. I once got the plane stuck in a thermal and I was barely able to get it down before it floated up to the stratosphere. My thinking now is that catching thermals is fun, but I would like to do this FPV in case this ever happens again. Flaps can also slow the Bixler 2 down for a landing. The 2 is more prone to take its sweet time landing and I can see how having flaps can get it back down safely when it needs to come down quickly.

The flaps are on hinges whereas the ailerons aren’t. Strange, right?


4. Launching is an art.



Mid-fuselage pusher planes like the Bixler and the Volantex Ranger are notorious for dipping under heavy throttle. This means as the Bixler takes off the plane will want to push itself into the ground. The , unfortunately, the result is a lot of failed launches when you're not launching into a mild breeze. For this reason alone I find the Bixler is less than ideal as a trainer. It's a great plane if someone who is experienced can launch it for a new pilot. I find the solution for a good takeoff is a short run with a level launch at around half throttle. This works well 95% of the time. I usually have my hand on the nose so the plane is less likely to pitch when I let go of it.









5 ) Buy the kit- If you're not one to spend your weekends with a bottle of glue and a set of build instructions then the PNP is for you. If you're not afraid to get your hands dirty, by all means, buy the kit. Throw in actual metal gear servos and spend time thinking about which motor to purchase. If this is a plane you’ll hopefully be flying around for at least the next few years then you’ll want to outfit it with good stuff. In my book, motors are a subjective thing. You can run with a strong Sunnysky X2216 motor if you like, or you can get by with one for half the price. I figure if you don’t dig your motor you can always upgrade it when you’re itching for a change. The plane does a lot of floating so you don’t really need an outrageous motor unless you’re loading it up with excessive gear and weight. If you’re coming back from flights and your motor is always hot a change may be needed sooner than later. Though you may not go top shelf first, make certain that the motor offers enough thrust to fly the plane without struggling.


Servos are the main thing that would draw me toward a kit instead of the PNP. My rule of thumb for the plastic servos that come with most PNP planes is to just leave them, and you’ll change then out, eventually. Hopefully, you’ll catch them starting to fail and replace them before the situation turns critical. I’ve gone years flying with plastic servos in certain planes and they haven’t been an issue.

When you build a kit, you’re signing up for customization. The metal gear servos are just a start. There is a lot we can do with this plane to improve the way it flies, how long it flies as well as make it better suited for certain tasks.






Is the Bixler 2 An ideal INAV FPV platform?

We have a number of members of our INAV Fixed Wing Group on Facebook who start out with an AR (900mm) Wing and love it. The only wall they hit is that the flight is over 8-12 minutes later. The Bixler 2 makes a lot of sense because 20 minute flight on a 3S 2200mAh battery are common. Depending on the weather it can be even longer. The Bixler 2 can take larger batteries such as a 3S 3000mAh battery and a bit larger. This can help you hit the half-hour flight windows. But you do have to be careful with the amount of weight you’re putting in the nose. The plane really isn’t designed to hold an extraordinary amount of weight in the nose and doing so increases the likelihood of damage. It also changes the flight characteristics, namely how it glides. The Bixler does like a bit more weight on windy days to help it penetrate but I would be careful with not overloading it. The other issue is that the elevator may have a problem with the extra nose-weight and may force the plane down if you rely too heavily on it doing things like stunts.

Of course with longer flight times you can go out even further, which is a mixed blessing. The risk of you never seeing your plane again goes up the further away the plane gets. Extending your flight range is something you want to ease into, perhaps going out 100 meters further with each circuit you make. When you start taking on mid-range flights you’ll need to consider the range of your transmitter and video transmitter. You may need to start playing with new video antennas to extend the range further. If your dream is long-range FPV the Bixler 2 may be a very good way to work your way up to it. The FrSky L9R maybe a perfect compliment to this plane, allowing you the distance up 6KM if not longer.




If you’re looking into mid-range flights another worthwhile addition is the SmallpartsCNC.com Bixler 2 Motor Mount adapter. With this you can put on larger props and turn the Bixler 2 into a cruiser. What you’re giving up for speed and agility you make up for in extended flight times. This is an all aluminum CNC machine motor mount and well worth the money.



Overall

I did a little research into what the original version of this plane was.  It was the Multiplex Easy Star. That plane is a 3 channel plane, elevator, rudder, and throttle.   It's less than 1400mm which means it's smaller than the Bixler 1.1.    The Easy Star is a well-designed plane but is a trainer.    The Bixler line added ailerons to the design.  The Bixler 2 now adds flaps.

If anything, you can argue that the Bixler 2 is over-engineered.    I say, cost per feature it's perhaps the best value RC plane on the market.    Now with FPV this is a plane that can chase thermals and stay afloat for long periods of time.  I find the Bixler 2 to be like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  It may not be exciting all the time, but it's good and it will make you happy.

There will be more to say about this plane when I get it flying in INAV FPV.