Thank you for the info
Seems that even the big rotors are protectet via a tape…
Since the beaches in the Panhandle are closed and my friends and I will not be flying for a while, I decided to make spare net from .7mm Dyneema. (8 knots wide X 50…I can always trim it down.) I used the Hercules Dyneema that Paul (GliderPilot) used, but I ordered .7mm from Amazon for $8.30 for 100M … just wanted a bit heavier line to work with…it is still much thinner that what we already have on the units.
This is the knot that I used…Dyneema is very slick, and this knot doesn’t slip:
This is the net making video that I used but used the above knot for extra security:
Here are a few pictures of tools, Dyneema and finished product… my 3D printer is a bit small, so, I designed 1/2 of a netting needle where I could overlap 2 halves and glue them together:
netting needle.stl (156.9 KB)
It was a fairly enjoyable process, and I now have a Very strong spare net. I hope this is helpful to someone.
Bill
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I wasn’t going to post this, but I do enjoy watching flying videos of all of our OpenPPG members. Since the “lockdown” hit our area, flying is out…I work online, exercise, watch NetFlix, Youtube, read, get slapped for following too close, etc. 
I swear the walls are closing in on me! …and you too probably. Anyway, here are my last two flights on March 14th. I am really missing this…like I am sure that you are too, so, if you have any flights recorded, please thinking about posting links to them. I know that I would appreciate it! Thanks in advance! Bill
Some flights at home…
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_HvjXhWh3/?igshid=1eqbkfksl9ogo
maybe can’t post link here but check my insta @flysurfkite i hace some flights posted there
Hope you enjoy them
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It finally happened…I knew that it would. The other day I aborted a take off at a new LZ and ended up taking a knee. Unfortunately, the thin carbon fiber loops on the bottom right arm end broke. Since I have a batch 3 with the super strong injection molded connectors, I designed a repair to allow me to retain the original hoop connector. I downloaded the .stl of the arm from GitHub and chopped off about the last 3 inches of the end to use as a starting point. (Notice the triangles in the second picture from expanding the bit of arm in TinkerCad to 45mm 
) Here are the results:
Here is my .stl file:
arm retrofit v3.stl (117.3 KB)
The M3 bolts that go through the injection molded hoop connector are 25mm stainless steel, and I purchased them from https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/ For that matter, I have replaced almost all of the M3 and M4 bolts on my X4… the salt water at the beach was causing the steel ones to rust.
Happy flying!
Bill
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Thanks, Phil, I also really like the evolution of your beach cart. Nice!
I have been working on my beach carts for a while and here’s my latest version with 19"balloon tires. It will roll over everything and anything - 3PSI.
It is great but it doesn’t fit the staircase to access the beach🤣
carry the PPG on my back all assembled - pretty light and easy to weak with.
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Thank you so much for this! I exploded a lower prop on friday, which broke one of the plates on one arm. I didn’t want to hack off the good one just to fix a broken one. This looks like a perfect repair for me.
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Hi. Looks great! I’m just half way through my batch 4 build: can I ask where you got the second main switch from? (I presume its the one which has 2 positions so it will operate the pre-charge?? ) but do I see a seperate pre-charge push switch???
This summer my Batch 3 unit developed a problem. It would disarm itself…seemingly randomly. Upon re-arming, all, some or none of the motors would work (this was random too). Fortunately, none of this happened in the air. It took quite a bit of time to troubleshoot the problem, but I managed to track it down to an intermittent short in the throttle cable. I clipped the ends off of the old cable to reuse (it would be nice if the controller and throttle board had solder pads like on my quadcopters … it would make for a more robust build, and we would not be limited to the “plastic” covered wires). I ordered 24 gauge silicone wire…it had good reviews on Amazon and ordered 15mm conductive cloth fabric tape for new shielding. Here is a photo sequence of the build:
The unused IC socket near the bottom of the throttle board helps to hold the new cable tight. I did also add lots of heat shrink, split wire loom (1/8" and 1/4") and a bit of hot glue behind the cable where it goes through the throttle cover. I also added a bit of foam weatherstrip inside of the cover to help hold down the tiny 4 wire throttle connector. For me, solder pads would have been preferable.
I’ll add these photos to my build album for reference.
I’m so excited to have my X4 back! Happy flying!!
Bill
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The new throttle cable works great! My swarm of “angry bees” is back!!! 
I took a short flight from our local airport here in the Delta to test the repairs, temperatures, etc. I really trashed my X4 in early May when I aborted a takeoff at the Florala, AL airport. The throttle seemed to be having problems on that launch.
Here in the Delta, I have to use the paved apron at our airport most of the time, and it is relatively small. 
…but I guess it will eventually make me a better pilot. Now that I think of it, our LZ at the beach is not very large either, but it is way softer that rough asphalt!!
All of the fields had been harvested, and they were all dry around the airport, so I could have put down anywhere…a great place to test the unit. Here is the flight (btw: please post your flights from time to time. I look forward to them on the community forum…I know Phil (Voltair) is good about it.) Thanks!
Is there a new square spaced for the newest version of arm connector? The one with the 2 holes?
Sorry, but I really don’t know. My build is a batch 3, and it is the only one that I am familiar with.
Yesterday I was able to return to beach flying with my X4! I have been doing “inland” flying since April and had almost forgotten how much fun it is at the beach. The wind all but quit on me, but I still managed to make the “reverse” work…the landing was very fast but exciting…still working on them. 
BTW: The new throttle cable continues to work great. It is much heavier duty than the original, and I am much more comfortable with it.
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Here’s a short flight on a beautiful day on the Gulf…just what I needed! The wind was out of the SE…and as you can see from the video…not many people around. It is a great time of the year for beach flying. 
Thanks…in advance … for posting your videos too! Bill
BTW: Over the last year, the X4 has generated lots of questions from ICE pilots and spectators. I personally believe that the SP140 is going to start tipping the scales with the ICE pilots. One of the biggest drawing cards for the SP electric is lack of the usual engine maintenance…the almost instantaneous power, reduced motor noise and hour flight time are big pluses too. It is the future.
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My Thanksgiving X4 OpenPPG flight on the Gulf.
Another great day running into the air!!
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My last day at the beach for a while. It was a good flight but ended in shame when I “turtled” my X4. As I was looking at the sky 
the X4 felt unbelievably solid. Fortunately, it was perfectly fine…YEA!!! The two lower hoop connector mods that I made (above) took much of the pressure first…but everything was good.
When passersby see the electric, they all ask questions…most like what they see. Even my paramotor friends are interested and ask about the SP140 too. Deep down, they know it is the future. 
It was another Great Day!
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I would like to wish everyone in our OpenPPG Community a Very Merry Christmas!! 
I hope we all stay safe and healthy… and I know we all look forward to the new SP140s early in the New Year! It is always good to have something exciting to look forward to.
We finally got to return to my favorite LZ…it is at the beach. No more rotor from trees this week!
Here is my flight from 12/22/20…a warm sunny day with great visibility…really nice laminar air too! Cheers, Y’all!
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Thank-you for sharing. Nice beach for paramotoring. It’s a little cooler here in the great White North. I got a bright sunny and very - refreshing - flight in yesterday. Near freezing at the field and my exposed forhead resulted in a “brain freeze” type headache about a minute into the flight. Unfortunately the GoPro battery was dead. 
Cheers to you and yours and happy holidays to everyone.
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