LAST EDITED ON May-13-06 AT 02:42 PM (CST)
This is a follow up to the first thread, which is too long at this point to add to I think.
I was going to work on a Yak 54 for my first Semi ARF but thought I would Google "3D Aerobatic RC". What I found were a number of good candidates to convert to CL. I liked a lot of the Extra's, Edge's, Laser, Etc... I found this Giles 202 that looked OK but the price hooked me, 89.99. After surfing the web a while longer I decided to order the Giles. I had just seen Frank Williams Katana fly and wanted to get a full size ARF for a 61 and the Giles looked like the one I was looking for. I ordered it Saturday night on the web site and was shocked to see it arrive on Wednesday. I jumped right on it and wanted to fly it that weekend. I did not make it for the Sunday flying at my local site but did have it ready in another day or two. I was slowed by my engineering a few things and also photo/video taping what I was doing.
I actually crashed the first one due to a catastrophic failure in the fuse just behind the wing. I had my doubts when I built it but went with the plane the way it was. On number two I fixed the weakness in the design (for CL)and now have 40 to 50 flights on #2 and a contest, all in 2 weeks.
To say I am pleased with it's performance is an understatement! It really will fly with the best of them! I nearly won the first contest I entered, came in second by 5 points. I have changed nothing to the basic plane and flew it with only tail weight (2 ounces!) and some wing tip lead.
The plane after all of my conversions for CL and lead weight added for balance is 60 ounces. Wing area is 660 or 670, can't remember which, and it fly’s with plenty of lift and with a 61(non-piped) it is a very good match.
I have another design (ordered at the same time as #2) that is larger and for a 76 when I have time. I also have my eye on the Fliton Extra for a 90.
I flew the Giles at Texarkana with a muffled 61 and a wood prop just to prove that this set up would be competitive. I was surprised how well it works! Since I started flying Stunt in 2002 I had never flown anything but piped engines in all but my VSC classic planes. The classics were small(40 size) and while I liked them they were not the 60 size Expert style I wanted to try in an ARF.
This is not about BOM just a good flying plane for less money than a kit flown with low tech equipment. While you are building your high zoot front row airplane and want to practice your 5 foot bottoms without wasting a year of your building time, try one of these.
I suggested a few years ago to Kent Tysor to get a cheap plane to practice his bottoms for this very reason and he got a Teosawki. The next time I saw him he was hitting awesome 5 foot bottoms and won Advanced at the Nats.
I can build one of these in 2 days if I push and can be flying before you can clean off your building table for a kit.
Richard Oliver
This is a follow up to the first thread, which is too long at this point to add to I think.
I was going to work on a Yak 54 for my first Semi ARF but thought I would Google "3D Aerobatic RC". What I found were a number of good candidates to convert to CL. I liked a lot of the Extra's, Edge's, Laser, Etc... I found this Giles 202 that looked OK but the price hooked me, 89.99. After surfing the web a while longer I decided to order the Giles. I had just seen Frank Williams Katana fly and wanted to get a full size ARF for a 61 and the Giles looked like the one I was looking for. I ordered it Saturday night on the web site and was shocked to see it arrive on Wednesday. I jumped right on it and wanted to fly it that weekend. I did not make it for the Sunday flying at my local site but did have it ready in another day or two. I was slowed by my engineering a few things and also photo/video taping what I was doing.
I actually crashed the first one due to a catastrophic failure in the fuse just behind the wing. I had my doubts when I built it but went with the plane the way it was. On number two I fixed the weakness in the design (for CL)and now have 40 to 50 flights on #2 and a contest, all in 2 weeks.
To say I am pleased with it's performance is an understatement! It really will fly with the best of them! I nearly won the first contest I entered, came in second by 5 points. I have changed nothing to the basic plane and flew it with only tail weight (2 ounces!) and some wing tip lead.
The plane after all of my conversions for CL and lead weight added for balance is 60 ounces. Wing area is 660 or 670, can't remember which, and it fly’s with plenty of lift and with a 61(non-piped) it is a very good match.
I have another design (ordered at the same time as #2) that is larger and for a 76 when I have time. I also have my eye on the Fliton Extra for a 90.
I flew the Giles at Texarkana with a muffled 61 and a wood prop just to prove that this set up would be competitive. I was surprised how well it works! Since I started flying Stunt in 2002 I had never flown anything but piped engines in all but my VSC classic planes. The classics were small(40 size) and while I liked them they were not the 60 size Expert style I wanted to try in an ARF.
This is not about BOM just a good flying plane for less money than a kit flown with low tech equipment. While you are building your high zoot front row airplane and want to practice your 5 foot bottoms without wasting a year of your building time, try one of these.
I suggested a few years ago to Kent Tysor to get a cheap plane to practice his bottoms for this very reason and he got a Teosawki. The next time I saw him he was hitting awesome 5 foot bottoms and won Advanced at the Nats.
I can build one of these in 2 days if I push and can be flying before you can clean off your building table for a kit.
Richard Oliver
ps:I forgot to mention the final test which I had not given it yet, till today. I flew it in a 15 mph wind and other than getting a little heavy on the hadle it flew great!