AzMandella

Although I am not a true beginer as I have had some R/Cglider and boat experience over 25 yrs ago. I also have built and flown many many C/L and free flights. I have done some research and have come to some decisions on new radio and trainer plane. I was thinking of going with a Futaba 6EX and a Sig Kadet Mk IItrainer with an OS engine. I was wondering if anybody had any other thoughts or agrements or disagreementsbefore I purchase.

ES CONTROL

I think u know what u are doing. 

mike109

G'day

I can't comment on your choice of radio except to say that it will almost certainly do what you want. Most of the brand names will.

As for the plane, I have a Sig Kadet Mk 2 with an OS 52 four stroke in it. It was quite nice to build and flies well but not as well as my other Sig trainers. I say this because it is quite small and is also quite heavy in its construction. As a result, it needs to fly faster than the more recent LT-440 which is what I would build if I wanted a trainer with ailerons.

I have several Kadet Seniors - the ones built from a kit. Two have the standard "non aileron" setup and one has a standard wing but with barn door ailerons built to the same size as the ARF version. It also has about half the dihedral of the non aileron version. I love my Seniors and they fly really well. They all have four stroke engines. The oldest has a Saito 62 though it did have a 56 for a long time, the newest has a Saito 90 three cylinder radial which is rather powerless and is still running in, and the middle one has an English Laser 70. This one also has the choice of non aileron or aileron wings. I have flown Kadets with engines as small as a very old OS FS 40 four stroke and as big as a 90 four stroke which was way over powered and would have broken the plane had I left it in place. The Saito 56 and 62 have been my favourites. One of the new OS 62V series should be good too.

All my non aileron Kadets have the rudder connected to the aileron channel so they are very similar to aileron models to fly and the conversion from them to models with ailerons is not a problem. The only problem is that the ground steering is on the aileron stick and it takes a little practice to get used to flying a 4 channel model with the ground steering on the rudder stick after flying the Kadet Senior. I find I can do both these days.

I have also built the LT-25 and had an LT-40 ARF. Both flew really well and I think they both fly better than the Mk 2. They fly more slowly and are just easier to fly generally. My LT-25 currently has the old OS 40 FS in it and it suits it perfectly. It had an ASP 30 four stroke for quite a while too and that was good too. The LT-40 started with a Saito 62 and that was great but the motor needed to go some where else and it has since had an old Enya 40SS (two stroke) which was fine and it now has an OS LA46. I am currently using it to teach its new owner to fly.

In summary, I think your radio choice is fine but I would suggest you at least look at the Sig LT series and the Kadet Senior.

Cheers

Mike in Oz

jester_s1

I can't comment about the plane, but your other choices are top of the line. If you want to save some money, the Thunder Tiger .46 pro is very much like the OS at a substantial savings. I have one on a Kaos (aerobatics plane) and couldn't be happier with it.

Hydro Junkie

Something you could also do is extend the wings by one bay each and change the design from strip ailerons to barn door covering two or three bays and 25% of the wing chord. I'm doing this with a Kadet Jr, a smaller 3 channel version of the MKII that's no longer produced

378

My Feedback: (4)

On the OS engine, get the AX. The LAs are good engines as far as reliability goes, but they're underpowered, a .46 AX will run rings around a .46LA every day of the week.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

AzMandella It sounds like you are buying a used package and just saying its an OS engine is almost useless if you expect any kind of meaningful feedback.

Exactly what displacement (size) is the OS engine and what model?

John

AzMandella

OS .46AX

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

AZM great, The AX is an excellent engine that will indeed serve you well and one I would reccomend.

Now the airplane is also an excellent choice and most of the Kadets of various types I do reccomend. The Kadet Mk11 I beleve Was only a kit and never an arf. So do you plane to build it or is this something someone else has built?

The next point is this radio a 72mHz system? I would never suggest starting out now with a non 2.4 system. You will soon be wanting a 2.4 system at Tucson which can be a busy place.

I always suggest to new folks who are starting out fresh equipment wise to always get the most current and and capable radio system they can possibly afford and that includes 2.4 definately. with the vast majority its a mistake to do otherwise. I have seen this time and agine where if the new folks get the very cheapist will soon be trying to replace their first systems in a short time.

Now if its someone just breezing in and out of the hobby then, well I don,t care but if its someone who may stick around a while and become a future flying buddy then thats who I care about and those are the folks who I always suggest get the best and most capable 2.4 equipment you can afford. I have been flammed many times for making this suggestion but I don,t care, I care about the folks I mentor.

John

jester_s1

Good advice from JohnBuckner. You'll move from plane to plane in the hobby, but the radio is a constant.

378

My Feedback: (4)

Oooh, nice. I love mine. Starts easy, runs great.

AzMandella

I will be buying nothing but new equipment and planes. I have never bought an ARF and have always built all my own planes and boats. Infact I am working on 2 Dumas 35" rubberband Freeflights for mykids. This has resparked my lovefor building wether it be a kit or from scratch. I am very proficient with AutoCad and have already been reworking all the DXF's for the Waco YMF1/6th scale. Yes I will get a 2.4 GHz radio. Looking at the Futaba 6EX FASST system. Sure will beat my old Kraft AM 4ch. I have always been a proponent of buying the best. Buy the best once or substandard twice at a cost of more than the best. Hell I probably have more money in flyfishing gear than most here have in R/C gear and planes.

Bozarth

My Feedback: (15)

Regarding radios - don't overbuy. Get what you need now and don't worry about growing into it. Why do I say this - because you will want to buy a new radio in a few years regardless of what you buy now. Purely for the fun/enjoyment of getting a second and new TX.

Kurt

378

My Feedback: (4)

There's nothing wrong with buying used to save some dosh. I bought a secondhand DX5e and AR6110 off RCU and both work fine. I'm using that receiver in my touring car at the moment. The 46AX I got is also secondhand, and like I said it runs like a swiss watch. Has a tendency to start backwards but it resolves that on it's own if you drop the idle low enough.


I still got brand name stuff, but I got it for off-brand prices. Best of both worlds.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

OK AM you have made some excellent choices and its always great to have another builder.

Here is what I did with one of my old units which I purchased at Brookhurst hobbies at fullerton california in 1970, Converted it to 2.4.

John

mike109

G'day again AM

Like you, I prefer to build from kits though I also assemble some ARFs. The Kadet Mk 2 is a kit but so are the Sig Kadet LT-40 and its smaller brother the LT25. Both the LTs are quite a bit larger than the Mk 2 and they also have lower wing loadings which makes them fly better. Being bigger, they are also easier to see.

The Sig kits fall into three groups -

The Mk 2 is in is own group as it is the oldest design. It is quite "robustly" constructed and with a wingspan of 57.25 inches it weighs in around 5 pounds. This kit is made mainly from balsa with a number of the sheets being printed but not cut out. This is no real problem though and the kit builds well.

The LT group has the 25 and the 40. The 25 has a wingspan of 63 inches and weighs in at around 4.25. The 40 has a wingspan of 70 inches and weighs in at around 6 pounds. The LT kits use lite ply for the fuse sides and are quick and easy to assemble. I recently repaired a 40 after quite a serious prang and it went back together surprisingly easily and now flies as well as ever.

Then there is the "Craftsman" series. These are the Kadet Senior and the Kadet Seniorita. These are built up from sticks and are really light for their size. They are really "modern oldtimers". I really like these models to build and to fly. They do not have ailerons. The Senior is 78 inches in wingspan and weighs in at around 6 pounds. The Seniorita is 63 inches wingspan and weighs in around 3.75 pounds. I have flown a Seniorita with a PAW 15 diesel and it flew well.

As I have said before, I have had all of these and the LT series are my favourite for teaching other younger people (under about 40) and the Senior/ita pair are my favourits for teaching older students. I prefer to fly the Seniors when I just want a relaxing day out.

The Mk 2 that I have gets very little use. I just find it needs to fly too fast and it is too small to be comfortable for me.

A look at Sig's website is well worth while too. www.sigmfg.com

The OS AX 46 is a great engine. Easy to handle, reasonable quiet and economical and well made. That said, these days I prefer four strokes for their even quieter operation and even more economy. They are dearer though.

I don't know the Futaba radio you are thinking of buying but I am sure it will be fine. I am currently using a Spektrum DX7 but I am gradually moving over to a Hitec Aurora 9 which is a really nice radio for the price.

Cheers and happy building. I am currently building a Sig Fazer fun fly model. It will get an Enya 40SSBB for noise and be flown on the Aurora 9 radio.

Mike from Oz

The picture is my Kadet Senior, covered in cloth Solatex and with a Laser 70 four stroke. In the photo it has its original non-aileron wing but at the present I am flying it with a modified wing with ailerons.

AzMandella

Thanx JB. I didn't realize how much I missed building. And how much fun it is. I don't tink I will convert my old Kraft. I think I will be very happy with the 6EX for years to come.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Well, Futaba, OS Max, and Sig are my favorite brand names. I have two of the 6EXs and really like them. I've also had AX engines and think they are great. I have even had a Kadet Jr and a Colt, the Sig Bonanza, the Kougar, and I have a Kommander in the box. Great kits, great wood, great flyers.

BUT trainers do live a hard life and there is no need to fall in love with a project that you have slaved over for weeks/months just so you can feel too timid to enjoy it. I say go with an ARF for your fist trainer. Just so you have the emotional detachment from it. I really like the Avistar trainer. It is a high wing trainer with a semi-symmetrical airfoil. That airfoil has some pros and cons over flat bottom Kadet wings. The "pro" is that the airplane doesn't get bucked around as much in the wind. This not only makes flying them easier, it makes landing them easier. The "con" is the airfoil will raise the landing speed slightly. I think the improved hadnling in wind more than compensates for the increase in landing speed. I've trained a number of folks on Avistars and the airplane has great capabilities even after you have soloed.

I hope you have fun. good luck and happy landings

AzMandella

Thanx 109. I am actually very framiliar with the Sig web page. I think I will go with the LT-25 with an OS .35AX.

AzMandella

I don't think I'll have any problem with falling in love with a trainer. I have burried enough combat wings and .35 powered C/L's into the ground. Yes a few of them hurt more than others but a trainer is not my eventual goal, and as long as I get the experience I need to move on that will be gratification enough. Stuffing them into the ground is part of the Nature of The Beast.Although to methere is something extra special to your accomplishments when you build it yourself. My goal is aerobatic planes moreso than pylon racing or large military although a P-51 will be on my future list along with planes like the Somethin Extra, Smith Miniplane, and other assorted Bipes and aerobatic planes. BUt I need to take babysteps first. Like I said in my OP I have flown gliders,CG Gentle Lady, and a few 1/2A R/C's.

SeaJay

My Feedback: (6)

My first Plane was the Kadet MkII, I built it when I was 16, and I still have it, loved how it flew..  (have crashed it, but not rebuilt it, so far!)

I may build another one one day, as the one I currently have has probably increased its weight by 25 - 35% from crash repairs..  but it still flew great..  after I got fairly proficient at flying it, people would make comments th me that they had never seen a Trainer "Knife Edge" like mine did..  took some work, but I was able to go the length of the field in a Knife edge..  Was fun to say the least..  wow, now I really want to build a new on!!! 

As for radios, you owe it to yourself to check out the Airtronics 2.4 ghz radios..  I started with the RDS8000, and have moved up to the SD10G, and I can tell you that the Airtronics systems have a lot of "Bang for the Buck".. 

Craig.

jester_s1

+1 for Airtronics. IMO they are the best value today. I love my RDS8000.

You mention wanting a biplane later, so I'll offer a plug of the Balsa USA Phaeton. I have one and it is very easy flying. It has no bad habits on takeoff and landing, and can do any basic aerobatics you want.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

He, he its turning into another ford/chevy thread over radio systems. In one of the more recent one of the fellows protested vigorisly that everyone just votes or suggest whatever he is using at the time. Well good grief swould you want him to suggest otherwise and of course that is the nature of a forum such as this. It is strictly up to the user to cull the information he chooses to use.

AM concerning the radio systems I have not stated any preferrance up until now but will just for the record and that is the Hitec 2.4 system and I use specifically the Aurora (two of them).

I would like to clear one minor thing up concerning the OS AX's and most completely ignor this. It does make a difference. Now while I am and was a fan of all the OS FX series I think I have around 16 various FX's (the numbers seem large simply because I do an awfully lot of multi engine stuff upto six engines).

The very first AX series engine to come along about five years ago was the .46AX and while it seemed to be a fine engine there was no real reason to supplant my .46FX's. The next AX to come along and this was several years later was the .35. I did buy and try one of these when it became obvious this was not at all the same series as the .46AX. The carburation system is completely different with the midrange needle on the opposite side of the carb and there is no more of that nasty remote main needle. The carb has a severe angled back main needle similar to the Thunder Tigers only more and is equipted with a long flex needle up to three inchs long.

These engines all seem to be easier to find that elusive perfect acceleration characteristics a bit better than the FX's and I have found all that I have purchased to date (about thirteen) in addition will idle for extrodinary long periods of time without loading up (up to a half hour) and these are two very usefull characteristics in my book. It is for this reason that I now prefer the AX's over the FX's.

As far as the .46's go I just supplant a .55AX where I want the power and for some others such as the stock Senior Kaydet which I do use for training I use the .35AX. I tend to do all the training both primary and some advanced disciplines using only my equipment airplanes and
radios.

This bit of info on the OS is just for your perusal and info both series engines are great.

John

92ARed1

If you haven't made a decision yet, you may want to look into an electric ARF. Technology has changed quite a bit, and you could refine your skills quickly and maybe start a kit while you are doing that. A simple 4 channel park flyer would do you well. Nothing wrong with old school if that's what you want to start out with.

AzMandella

Alright I have decided to go with a Hobico Avistar 40 with a OS 46AX and a Futaba 6EX.