gimmefuel72

Hi everybody. Just saying hello. Been into RC for as long as I can remember. I have had cars, trucks, and a boat. Always wanted to fly but have yet to do it!! I have asked for a CG Eagle 2 for Christmas this year. Hopefully my wonderful wife will come thru and this will finally be the time! Anyway, look forward to hearing from you guys out there.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Hey there Gimme please allow me to be the first to welcome you aboard

The Eagle is fine trainer an been around for many years, what engine do you have in mind if any yet and also any thoughts on a radio system yet?

Looking forward tgo hearing of your further adventures

John

gimmefuel72

Hi there John. Thanks for the welcome. : ) The engine I have asked for is the TT GP .42 ABC. The radio I have asked for is the Spektrum DX6i. I haven't even gotten the kit yet and I am already trying to figure out how to put wheel pants on the Eagle. Lol I think it would look good! The Eagle uses a wire type landing gear. I have found that the Great Planes Cherokee does as well, and it has wheel pants. So I was trying to determine if those wheel pants will work on the Eagle.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Cool OK first let me applaud you for going the kit route something you seldom see these days but I do want to caution you that given what ever amount of time you estimate it is gonna take, it will be at least three times that figure. One of the fellows I am currently mentoring a bit also wanted to build but in the interest of time he purchased several other airplanes already flying locally (ones he could watch fly before purchase) and got started with those. That being six months ago he is turning into a fine flyer. So recently I bartered with him for a new Senior Cadet kit (I hate selling).

Anyway he is doing great now and the fuselage is finished and he enjoying the learning process. The TT 42 GP should work well never had one of those in my hands but have worked with many of the "pro" version of the TT's and its a fine engine, I suspect the 42 is as well. For the radio system I am primarily a Hitec user with a sprinkling of futaba
So can't offer anything on spectrum.

If this airplane ends up being your first trainer may I offer up an opinion that wheel pants are a really bad idea as they will take a beating and usually that type of fluff on a trainer does not last long. I can however offer up a direct answer to your last question as to using the Great Planes Cherokee arf wheel pants on the wire gear on your Eagle. Since I happen to have on of those Cherokees in my stash pile waiting for a little refurbishment (one that I bartered for).

Most low wing airplanes with wire type gear feature a gear leg that is vertical from the bottom of the wing to the wheel axle, now if you look at the wire gear on your Eagle you will see that the main gear leg slopes outward and downward to the wheel. Most methods for a low wing wire gear to hold and support a wheelpant are not practical to support a wheel pant that slopes away at a forty five degree angle. So yes most any fiberglass or plastic pant can be adapted but you will have to fabricate your own mount system.

Get involved with you local RC club and start networking now. They usually are an invaluable resource in many ways beyond just a 'runway'.

John

jester_s1

Skip the GP .42 and get the Thunder Tiger .46 Pro or OS .46 AX. Yes, it's more money, but those engines are strong enough to fly any plane on the market that's rated as a .40 size plane later on. The GP .42 is a fine engine for a trainer or for an older lightweight design that was genuinely meant for a .40 engine.

And do listen to John about the wheelpants. Actually, listen to John every time he says anything. But on the wheel pants topic, you will need to keep your trainer simple. Give yourself the best chance of having good ground handling and trouble free flying days so you can learn.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Welcome to the addiction, gimme. The guys have given you good advice. If you really get into this madness, engines will come and go as will airplanes, but the one item that you will probably want to keep for years is your radio. Any of the major brands offer very good equipment and I would advise you to get whatever brand is used by the guys at your field as they will be familiar with them and can give you help with them. A modern computer radio is not the easiest thing in the world to figure out and your buddies at the field will be very helpful with it. Additionally, if you intend to really get involved with airplanes, get the very best radio, whatever the brand, that you can afford because a good radio will allow you to get into bigger and better planes as you advance in the hobby. Many of us, me included, bought cheap radios with limited capabilities when we started, then a little bit better one as we moved forward, and ended up with a half dozen or so radios before the light went on and we finally bought a good one capable of controlling many planes and that is the only one we take to the field with us. The other radios are cabinet queens now that are virtually worthless.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do and the goal is to HAVE FUN.

gimmefuel72

Hey guys thanks again for the sound advice. ; ) Yeah I do want to go with the "kit route." I just think there is something awesome about making a flying machine from a "pile of sticks" and then seeing it fly for the first time. (And also it seems to impress the wife that I have those abilities to build something like that.) lol Me and a friend of mine built an Airtronics Q-Tee back in the early eighties. We were both about 13 - 14 years old. It came out awesome but I never flew that little plane after it was finished and I ended up selling it to a future boss I had. Still miss it though! I have always LOVED aircraft and aviation. Have a passion for the old WW1 & WW2 warbirds. I hope to get the Eagle 2 and I look forward to starting the build. I guess I kinda picked that one over the others because I thought for a trainer, it looks the most like a "real" airplane. PropellerHead built a BEAUTIFUL one here. http://www.propellerhead-online.net/...2_const_p1.htm
What are you guys thoughts on a 2 color covering job?

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

The Goldberg Eagle is a great first trainer, and I too commend you for being willing to start with a kit build instead of an ARF. As to the wheel pants, John covered it well. I would add that if you are flying from a grass runway the pants add drag against the grass and even in short cut grass ( making takeoffs longer and more difficult). They can also fill up with grass clippings and jam the wheel rotation. For your learning plane don't add potential trouble. Save the wheel pants for a later plane. Speaking of grass runways, If you are going to fly off grass I would agree with jester_s1 and go with a little power upgrade, TT.46 pro or OS 46ax are good ones. The grass drag on takeoff deal again! I have seen a 40 size trainer with a 40LA unable to get enough airspeed for takeoff in poorly cut grass. The airplane couldn't be flown that day, A 46 ax in that plane would have had enough poop to cut thru the grass and get flying speed. If you are going to only use a paved runway the TT 42 GP will fly the Eagle fine once in the air and have sufficient power for tale off. Follow all the regular "join a club", "get an instructor" etc advice and you will do fine and your Eagle will survive your training period. Good luck and enjoy.

bpoates25

Welcome gimme. There are a lot of really good people on this forum to help you. I am also glad you are going the kit route. That way when you have some mishaps, you can repair them. I enjoy building as much as flying, and it has helped me repair some planes that at first I thought were terminal. Good luck on your flying, and always come here with your questions. Some really great pilots are here to help.

gimmefuel72

Thanks for all the replies guys. It kinda seems to me that "going the kit route" has gotten to be a thing of the past?? I for one enjoy building things with my 2 hands. I printed out the building manual on the Eagle 2 and I have been reading it. I also read Minnflyers article on kit building and covering. The only thing that kinda worries me right now is the covering procedure. Hopefully it won't be such a big deal once I am "doing it." I hope. Lol