FLIGHT TEST SEAGULL MODELS PERCIVAL MEW GULL
I was nearly speechless the day we flew it for the first
time. I was nervous and anxious and couldn’t wait
to get it in the air. The takeoff run was straight and
short because, with this much power, it begged to leave the ground. The “P-factor”
is significant and got our attention on takeoff. If you use this system, just be aware of
it, and be ready. This plane is not for beginners. Most of the first flight we never used
full throttle including while doing aerobatics. Wow!
IN THE AIR
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: The plane is as solid as a rock … a very powerful rock! With the CG set at
the factory-recommended settings, it felt a little tail-heavy to me. I ended up moving
it forward 10mm, and it felt much better. It’s stable in cruise upright and inverted.
Tracking: The plane is built very true, and it tracks that way. It doesn’t drop a wing
through the loops and goes where you point it and keeps going that way until you
mess it up.
Aerobatics: This plane will do it all, and with Wayne on the controls with his full-scale aerobatics experience, it’s a thing of beauty to watch. It’s designed to be a
racer, but it will do giant Cuban-8s that catch everyone’s eye, and an inverted pass
down the field just looks spectacular. Power for anything is there, and full throttle is
seldom needed. Spins are impressive due to its size and easily recovered from with
neutralizing controls and some rudder. Very little elevator was required for inverted
flight.
Glide and stall performance: Wing loading is shy of 37 ounces per square foot,
but this is a big plane and feels incredibly solid in flight. The stall wasn’t anything
exciting and just dropped the nose. Recovery was a matter of neutralizing the
controls and flying out with power. This is no glider, and although power-off glide is
better than I thought it would be, I’d hate to risk the plane by flying until the speed
control cuts the power. Save a bit for a go-around, if need be.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
This is a plane I hope to keep for a long time. Every now and then a model comes
along that just speaks to me, and I have to say, this one speaks very loudly. I love the
crowd that gathers whenever it’s at the field. Guys hang around to see it fly before
they have to go home; I think I’ve made some late for dinner. If you’re a giant-scale
fan and want a scale plane, the Mew Gull is a great option. It flies big, and if you
keep the wing in its two-piece form, it fits into a small car quite well. I can put it in
the back of my Saturn Vue and still get my jet and a couple of other planes in, too.
Oh, yeah, and I really love the Mew Gull!
POWER FOR
ANYTHING IS
THERE, AND FULL
THROTTLE IS
SELDOM NEEDED.
removable through the hatch.
The power system worked out by Horizon Hobby for this plane is a great match.
The E-flite Power 110 brushless outrunner
motor and Castle HV ICE 100 electronic
speed control (ESC) paired to the 10S LiPo
pack easily spins an APC-E 17x10 prop at
9000rpm, providing 200 watts per pound
for incredible performance.
I found the landing gear to be an interesting and unique installation. The basic
L-shape base of the strut legs fits into slotted hardwood blocks embedded in the
wing. The mounting pieces are cut to fit
perfectly inside the fiberglass wheel pants
GEAR USED Radio: JR 9503 transmitter and Spektrum AR7600 receiver, JR DS-821 digital sport servos, JR 2700mAh 5-cell NiMH receiver pack ( jrradios.com) Motor: E-flite Power 110 Brushless Outrunner Motor (295Kv) (e-fliterc. com) Battery: (2) E-flite High Power Series 5S LiPo 5000mAh packs in series (10S) Speed control: Castle Creations HV ICE 100 ( castlecreations.com)
