UMX Timber X ... loosing my passion for FPV 

It is, I’m starting to venture into head tracking setups for some planes right now… since I still have all the gear. Maybe that will spark a new passion

Thank you 🙏. I know you what you mean, and I felt the same way until the first flight. 🤔. The only real downsides are the lack of actual flaps, slow speed flight is (as you saw) a tad dicey, and the roll rate is pretty quick even on low rates…. But it doesn’t feel twitchy which is what I was expecting. Now the UMX Pitts, that’s twitchy. If you every wear out the UMX turbo id really give the umx X a serious look as long as the ability to really fly slow circuits isn’t a deal breaker. Once you feel that 3s power surplus and stall recovery it’s hard to go back to something without as many get out of jail free cards.

It’s pretty durable indeed. Yes, horizon sells them as a kit for the NX series of transmitters. It’s kind of a pain to do, watch a few videos first and use a decent heat gun or hairdryer to soften the adhesive. I’d also consider widening the grommet holes on the back and side of the transmitter slightly, the grips have nubs that fit in those holes and it’s incredibly tight, hard to get the grip to lay flat.

I think if you limit the flaperons to maybe 55-65% on full deployment it’s a lot safer. With them deployed at 80 or 100% they’re generating so much lift that when you bank and one of them raises (retracts) to give you the needed differential to roll it also reduces lift massively and creates the stall. On half flaps it’s a dream and flys basically like normal, that’s 35% deployment for me. I like the stability of the high wing, so for me this is the best UMX plane currently available and it’s my go to for after work flying (plus you can fly from pretty rough ground). I’d just about guarantee you won’t regret getting one

I think with the take off flaps setting down around 35% it’s flyable, no noticeable sketchy wing tip stalling, but then they really don’t do a whole lot 😂. I miss the dead slow flying of the umx turbo timber at full flaps but this one’s so much better in every other regard I absolutely love it too. Happy flying !

That’s my next adventure, a small fpv wing. I actually have an old analog nano cam and vtx that’s light enough to go on one of these umx planes so I might just build a Y power cable and double sided tape it on there when I get home. I just enjoy flying winged aircraft more than rotor craft for some reason, just feels more natural and smooth. 30 mph gusts today for me too so I’m just sitting in the hotel while my semi is in the shop, got the planes with me but damn wind is keeping me grounded

I know the feeling. It’s nice for getting back in the swing of things, so light they don’t really damage themselves in a crash and I don’t think you could hurt anyone or anything by running it full speed into something. 🤣

Thank you 🙏. I just hate having to go back and put them in storage, not having much experience with spektrum batteries I’m trying to be as nice to them as possible. I have started pushing them down to 10.8 under load and then once they rest that usually leaves them at 3.7 per cell and gets me another 1-1:30 in flight time. From what I’ve experienced this thing is amazing in dead calm through about 5 mph. 5-10 mph is fine but I’ve aware of it moving around a bit, 10-15 mph is on the verge of being not enjoyable and I did fly in in 15 sustained gusts to 22 … that was basically all about survival 🤣. Some RU-vidr said to fly around dawn and dusk when it’s usually calmer, so for me I’ve been flying after work and it does seem like the wind speed drops by about 50% within 45mins of sundown. The 3s power really makes wind more tolerable, it’s got a more rigid wing than the umx turbo timber as well and that also seems to help it cut through without flopping around like a beached seal.

@@Finalmile_FPV that's wind i wouldn't even put a plane in my car xD i was flying my twin otter at around 20km/h recently. flying was fine, not as smooth as usual but it was fine. landing wasn't enjoyable at all though, i circled 5-10 times and nearly stalled into a cornfield before i finally got a usable approach. i landed and packed my stuff, charged 2 out of 3 batteries for nothing, just to put them in storage again :D

@@RadimentriX better to go home with charged batteries and a plane than just the batteries 🤔🤣. Sometimes I push it a little just to see what the planes capable of, plus I’m spoiled from years of FPV quadcopters that can essentially fly in low grade tornados 😂. I really want a twin engine plane, plus I love the history surrounding the DHC family of planes. Really I just want to fly float planes but my access to calm relatively deserted bodies of water is limited right now.

I’d go with the X hands down, the wing chord is thicker both front to back and top to bottom. On my umx turbo I’ve cracked the wing 2 times from mild wing stall crashes just like that one ☝️. I think the X is going to hold up much better to repeated crashing, plus it’s got a little more weight to it and handles the wind a lot better. Check out Brian Phillips on RU-vid, he reviews a ton of planes and watch his UMX timber review then watch the UMX timber X review and I think you’ll really notice how much more solid the timber X looks and sounds, and how much less it gets blown around. The unlimited vertical and more solid feel in the air is noticeably better. The only real downside is the flaperons, but if you go with a 30% / 60% take off landing flap mix it’s much more usable. I flew last night and landed with full flaperons (which I never do) and was able to float in and land in a single semi spot. Just out of curiosity what has everyone been saying are the downsides? Since I preordered mine there wasn’t a lot of reviews out and I haven’t kept up with them since.

And the batteries are JST and not those damn PH connectors, basically the same price and longer flight times. Lol. Forgot that, that’s a big one. Plus all the new UMX planes are going 3s so having that setup will reduce the amount of batteries and charging supplies you’ll need going forward.

@@Finalmile_FPV just quite a few people with issues across the board. Ive seen it from numerous sources, but the release thread on rc groups probably documents it best. Im subbed to brian as well, and have watched most(if not all) of the videos on the x. I appreciate the response, I will probably end up waiting for the next re-stock in august and order the x then!

@@Finalmile_FPV From what I have seen its generally some people saying its twitchy and it doesnt like slow flight. But....I have had comments from some saying this is utter rubbish and its peoples piloting skills that are the problem. All I know is that the full sized X doesnt have these issues but....it is a larger plane so its possible any minor issues are just magnified on the smaller plane. Never noticed the wing rock so much on the full sized either but then I am not an expert pilot and tended to use my Timber X as a STOL plane more than anything else. I guess we cant have everything although apart from the non scale looks, the full sized X came close.

@@jjs3287 man your gonna make me buy the full sized X. That’s the plane I originally wanted starting out but I was talked into the evolution (which I do like) but it doesn’t tool around like the umx X does. I just feel like it’s sluggish and I’ve gotta be in high rates to get the amount of roll and elevator I want to corkscrew around and still have some authority at low speed, going to out a 13x4 on her and see if that helps. Trying to limit my RC budget but the full size X and the A10 V2 are both calling my name 🤔😬🤷‍♂️

Yes and no, with safe and the rates dialed down it can be fairly tame. In the other hand, the flapperons are not beginner friendly (you really don’t need them too much though) and the controls can be very sensitive even on lower rates. I believe they re released the UMX turbo Timber, if that is now a 3S powerplant and you’re looking for a UMX class plane for your first go around that’s what I’d recommend. (My first electric rc plane when I got back into this hobby was the 2s UMX turbo Timber, I outgrew it pretty fast but it was a great starter)

@@Finalmile_FPV Perfect, thanks for the clarification, I think I'll go for the apprentice stol S, I already have some experience using cell phone simulators but it won't be the same with a controller in hand, thanks for the help

@@breinertorres5607 it is different once you have the transmitter. The real flight simulator is worth the money, I still use it and any spectrum TX can be used with it.

Yeah, just really spoiled with the stability of a mini quad. Actually but a full 2 axis gimbal and FPV setup in the Pitts 850. Really want to try it in something big and stable

@@Finalmile_FPV thinking of trying myself on my evo install dji cam but not gimbal

@@vracan the gimbal is cool but I don’t really think it’s necessary. Maybe for doing dog fights or in a really capable 3D plane but otherwise I think a straight DJI cam would rock. Timber evo would be a good choice, stable and nice big hatch to mount to

@@Finalmile_FPV apparantly dji caddx cam sys only weighs 25g so maybe my umx evo could do it

@@vracan dooooo iiitttttt 🤘

Heck yeah! It’s a good first plane, keep the rates reasonable and add some expo and you’ll be fine. I also have my safe switch set as a switch that my finger naturally rests on, I practiced a lot in the sim so when I panic I flip it quickly and there’s not a lot of thinking involved. Also, I bought two so that’s why I’m maybe taking a little more risk than I should be 🤣. I hope you enjoy it and thank you 🙏 for the kind words

The Pitts was def fragile, I agree the foam is thin and I hate linear servos but they’re are kind of a blast albeit an overpriced blast 🤣

I find the opposite, most of them are very durable because they're so light usually nothing happens in a crash. Just have to be sure to cut the throttle when going down.