Re-starting recommendations

Hi all,
I haven't touched a handle in 5 years, nor flown a complete pattern in at least 12. Nothing competitive for 30. I really want to get re-started.

I have a 20-year-old TF Tutor with a pretty good Max .35, and a Flite Streak with an unproven LJ Fox .35 which will get me into the air for a while.

What should my "serious" Stunt Trainer be?

From what I have personally witnessed, the Tutor should do fine. Make sure you have all the methods of "trimming" available.
My son learned the pattern pretty much on a Tutor. I also won a "Beginner" contest about 10-12 years ago with the same one.
After that, a "Fancherised" Sig Twister seems very popular.
Plenty more to choose from, but I think you can get back pretty quick by going through the trimming process with the Tutor since you already have it.
Bill <><

Twister with Ted's mods, You can get the plans from Leonard or get the TwistMaster plans from PAMPA products.

I'd recommend an Impact if you're beyond the frequent-crashing stage.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-06-03 AT 07:06 PM (CST)
 
Ralph,

I would say start where you are. The Tutor is a fully capable basic model to start with. It will get you back into the air (as will the Flight Streak except that a Fox .35 on a profile can require some tuning to get a reliable engine run to fly a full pattern). Getting handle time is the first priority.

The next step after getting back in the air will be to trim your model to fly as well as your skills allow. This is the reason that I find myself constantly building my next perfect model. You will want to find the best engine you can afford for the model you want to build. You will want to build in all the trimming features that allow you to perfect the abilities of the model. (Tip weight box, adjustable leadouts, adjustable controls, adjustable tank height, adjustable CG......) You will want to equip yourself with equipment options (line length, prop size and pitch, prop balance, tach, lap timing, handle adjustments, fuel, glow plug......) You may be able to do many of these things with your Tutor or modify it to incorporate these adjustments.

After equiping yourself, it's time to have fun. Make changes to your model. See what effect the change has. Learn how changes change the way the model flies. Move the CG. Move the line spacing at the handle. Change the tip weight. Move the leadout location and spacing. Change the landing gear location. Line length, engine run, prop sizes,..... Do you fly best with 4.8 second laps or 5.3 second laps? When everything is working perfectly.....CHANGE IT!

Keep a record of what you do. I keep a flight log that I record each flight. I record the date, model, weather (wind, sun, rain...) prop, RPM, lap time, fuel load, flight duration, and observed model flight characteristics ( corner, bobbles, tension, alignment/attitude....) Critique each flight. Concentrate on at least one thing to improve on each flight (Shape, Size, Bottoms, Smooth recovery, Transitions, Intersections, Body position, Maneuver location/placement.....) Work on what effects are pilot and what effects are trim. Fly with a "coach". Go to every contest you can just to get the score sheets from the judges. Have another modeler fly your model and give you an opinion.

CHANGE IT! and HAVE FUN!

Ralph:
I would believe that the Tutor is plenty good. I would do the following, for both safety and further enjoyment of the Sport.
1) Join the AMA
2) Join PAMPA
3) Buy new .015 X 60' lines and a 4" large reel for them.
4) Buy a handle from Ted: the instructions are worth every bit of the price.
5) Buy some real fuel....SIG, Powermaster, Wildcat is local, I believe?
6) Buy a NiCad type glow starter.

Contact a local PAMPA member, meet at the local flying site and have fun.

See Ya

>Ralph:
>I would believe that the Tutor is plenty good. I would do
>the following, for both safety and further enjoyment of the
>Sport.
>1) Join the AMA
>2) Join PAMPA
>3) Buy new .015 X 60' lines and a 4" large reel for them.
>4) Buy a handle from Ted: the instructions are worth every
>bit of the price.
>5) Buy some real fuel....SIG, Powermaster, Wildcat is local,
>I believe?
>6) Buy a NiCad type glow starter.
>
>Contact a local PAMPA member, meet at the local flying site
>and have fun.
>
>See Ya
>Peabody

AH WILDCAT FUEL? CLUE ME IN SHERMAN ?

Scott(watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat)Riese or Where's the way back machine? Whatsamattau

Ralph asked: What should my "serious" Stunt Trainer be?

Brodak Pathfinder or Cardinal with OS .40/.46LA. Either could take you to Expert.

Scott, Wildcat fuel is available up here. The shop in Parkland has it, and Ultimate had some for awhile until they got their order of Powermaster in. Apparently Wildcat comes from a distributor. Randy says the one to get is Ducted Fan mix, 23% oil blend of synthetic and castor. You saying you can't get it in P'land? Ion gets it in Brazil! Steve

Scott:
Wildcat is a fuel blended yon KY or TN. Losts of r/c heli types use it, as do serious car racer types. Several GSCB members have used it with success.

I heard that their Nitro was diferent (better) than the other blenders..... Larry Scarinzi reported that to me.

http://www.wildcatfuel.com/

See Ya

Ralph:

Welcome back, glad to have another flyer in the Houston area!!!!! Contact the local flyers and join us on weekends, several are on this forum. We fly at Scobee field which is on the west side of town, take I-10 west to highway 6, turn left to Westheimer Rd, right to the first redlight (Westheimer Pkwy) turn right, go past the first stop sign (@2miles) you'll see the field on you right. We will be there Sunday 12/07.

You have two very good planes to learn on. Both are capable of taking you to the upper intermediate, possibly advanced level, use them to get the rust off your reflexes. Since your Fox has been reworked it'll probably work fine on the FS, only problem is you'll need a short nose profile tank to carry the 3.5 ounces of fuel needed for @6 minutes of flight. After you get used to flying and decide what direction you want to take, "sport" or competition, it'll be easier to determine the type of equipment you'll need.

Hope to see you at the field, my e-mail is [email protected]

Get a Nobler ARF. It will get you up and flying in no time. It is an awesome flier! Either one of the motors you have will work fine on it. I've seen Dave Cook fly a Fox powered Nobler and it looks like a killer combination!

You have two very capable sport/stunt models, with proven, popular engines. Both will serve as an effective reentry point into CL.