ratshooter

Does anyone know if Bridi Planes has any plans to produce the Aircrusier 60 anytime in the future. I sent them an email and they never wrote back or my Spam filter ate it. This looks like a good replacement for a Stik type model without having a plane that looks like the same ARF plane everyone else has.

http://bridiairplanes.com/hangar/aircruiser60.html

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

That is just a standard trainer and not really a replacement to a stick. There are a lot of plans for several styles of sticks on the market or you can do what a lot of the guys at the field have been doing and buy a stick ARF and recovering in the design they want. It's very cheap and easy to do. You can also phone Blue Jay and see when they will have the out of stock kits cut. If you do post there response here, I have seen a lot of there kits out of stock and it would be nice to know if they plan of staying an active kit cutter?

ratshooter

No its not just a standard trainer. It has a semi semisemetrical airfoil. I have the Krafty 60 that has the same wing and it is not a standard trainer. A guy at the field has a Tower Trainer designed by Bridi and flies a pretty good pattern routine with it. It is not a flat bottomed trainer.

And I know I could buy a brand new Stik model and strip it. Or I could just scratch out another Sweet Stik to go with the scratch built sweet stik I fly now. I just like the way the Aircruiser looks and want a kit.

You would think that after being out of stock for at least 6 months they could make a few kits or take them off the website. But thanks for the reply.

My scratch built Stik.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

A lot of the old trainers had a semi foil, it was very popular at one time, the tower Up-Roar and Dazzler still use it. The sticks I have had all had a fully symmetrical air foil.
I'm questioning if Blue Jay is still going to be cutting kits or not. There prices didn't go up too much from when Joe was still cutting them.

ratshooter

I too have wondered if Blue Jay is going to keep making kits. They have some of the best flying planes you can get and the prices are more than fair especially considering the quality of hardware they include. If they are getting out of the kit cutting business I wish they would let us know. There are a few other kits I would pick up. I have the Krafty 60 and a Loadstar in the boxes now.

As far as trainers go I pretty much learned to fly with a Little Stik with the symmetrical airfoil. I didn't know it was not a beginners plane. And I only had the most basic of instructions. Mostly I watched the trainer fly my plane for me. This was way before the buddy box system. After a lesson on the weekend I would go out by myself during the week and fly. I broke lots of props but had no major mishaps. This was about 1978. I have to the best of my knowledge built over 45 RC planes since I started. Several were my own designs. Thats not counting control line planes I built from about 11 years old. I am not an ARF person. Heck building is half the fun.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

That's funny, I just had a buddy on the box with my newest Up-Roar, he didn't really need instruction but he had eye problems and been away from flying for a couple years so it was just a refresher for him. The way I have the roar set up is beyond stupid but after a few mistakes he got back into it. Sure not a trainer but it's all I have now on the box.
There are a number of Bridi planes in the Airage plans section of MAN but I agree, the kits from BJ are fantastic. I had built there Dirty Birdi and liked it better then the Kaos. I was smart enough to make templates of the kit so have been cutting a couple for myself and a friend. I didn't make new templates though so this will be my last one I build. Joe's C-class pattern planes are my favorites of all times.

ratshooter

Hello GB. This is my third time to restart RC. Both times have been after a 10 year layoff. And you know when I did take off for the first time it was like no time at all had passed since I had last flown a plane. I guess its like the riding a bicycle thing. Once you learn you don't forget.

Since trainers were mentioned I should say I really like flying them. My latest build is a Sig LT-25. You don't get much more trainer than that. I don't hot rod much anymore. I just like to watch the plane fly across the sky like its on a cross country flight. I will fly as far away as I can see the plane and then fly back as far away as I can see it going the other way. Plus touch and go's. I love doing those.

Dang it. I haven't flown in 3 weeks, I really need to go this weekend. I spent weekend before last in the hospital. No fun at all.

Here is my LT-25. Magnum 25 for power. What a sweet running little engine.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

It's funny how new pilots want to get away from there trainer as fast as they can? I have been given several of them over the years and love them on a windy day. I use a friends trainer when I have a new student but I have to change out the engine and set it up for every new student. So old parts are falling off but it still works.
I was given several kits when a fellow passed away not too long ago. The problem was the boxes contained stuff, rolled plans and push rod type of stuff. Then I was given a Goldberg .25 trainer kit, just what I wanted! When I got home and opened the box it too was full of Stuff but no kit? That was a huge let down.
As much as I love trainers I still love the small class C pattern planes. They make me look like a much better pilot then I am. I have one on hand but it isn't a Bridi and I really need a new Kaos or Dirty Birdi so it's my next project.
Rick Stubbs gave me the plans to the Up-Roar, I used the Roar in my Fun Fly days but gave them away when I moved so I built a new one from the plans. It's much lighter then the stock kit built and it put the fun back into flying. The build thread is a page or two back in kit building and there are a lot of us that are in love with the Roar and Dazzler. Sure not a trainer but the most fun you can have with a plane. The kits come up on sale for 40 bucks but they are only 50 bucks anyway. Just something to think about, they are a slow floater or a complete hot rod depending on how you build it and set it up. Mine is a hot rod but it slows down to a crawl.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

I've given it a lot of thought and I suspect that folks get away from trainers as soon as they can because they associate "trainer" with "noobie" and they don't want to be seen as a noobie. However, I also have noticed that really good/experienced pilots have a trainer or two in their hangar. They are past the point of thinking :"noobie" is downgrading in some way. And they also know that trainers can be a real hoot to fly. You can pretty much make them do anything. I have recently been craving a Sig LT40. In one of my buy outs, I got a partial LT40 kit. It has the fuselage less two formers and no wing parts. Eureka Hobbies offers an LT40 wing kit, either built up balsa or foam, for $35.00. I believe I will buy a foam wing and build this thing.

ratshooter

I have looked at the Uproar in the past. My buddy has the Realflight sim and there is a plane called a "Booray" and we both like flying it. No kits or plans for it can be found but I have thought the Uproar might be a close second to the Booray.

The best trainer I have ever owned was a Great Planes PT-40. That plane was a hoot. On calm evenings I would fly it in a circle in front of me until I was so low to the ground I could drag the wind tip through the grass and sometimes even on the ground. Of course I did cartwheel it once. No real damage but I impressed everyone at the field.

ratshooter

Jolly I guess we were posting at the same time. The LT-40 was almost bought instead of the LT-25 that I ended up buying. I don't think you would regret finishing the LT-40. And flying a trainer is fine with me. I don't have anyone I need to impress. Plus I like to let interested people get a little stick time if they are interested. Nothing like a self correcting trainer to make a new flyer get a taste of model airplanes. Plus I just don't like to have to correct a plane constantly or turn around every few seconds because my speed demon has crossed the sky and is getting out of sight.

When Balsa USA came out with the 1/4 scale J-3 cub I had to have one. The kit was $90. (about 1979) That should give you an idea of how long ago that was. I flew it with a Kraft .61 for power. I would trim it to fly in a big circle over the field. I would set the transmitter on the tailgate of my truck and walk around and talk to the other flyers while my plane cruised the sky. That was fun. It would fly like that until it ran out of fuel.

Only once did I have an incident. I forgot about my plane and it was nowhere to be seen. Finally some one shouted "there it is". It had made its way east of the field and was out of fuel and in a thermal. I had to tilt the wings to figure out if it was heading away or toward me. If it had been a smaller plane we would never have seen it. Thankfully I was able to glide it back and landed it right in front of me. I was a little more careful after that.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

And the best trainer I ever owned was a Great Planes .60 size. I don't know its' technical name as I bought it already built. It looked awful. I guess it had been through hell before I got it, but it flew beautifully. Tower doesn't offer the plane any more, as far as I can tell, or I would buy another one, I have never had an LT40 but I understand it is as good as or better than the GP.60 was and so I want one. That, plus the fact that I am a great fan of Sig products. I presently have a Four Star .40 and a Four Star .60 as well as a Sig Liberty Sport and a highly modified Kadet. Their plans are almost idiot proof (I need that) and their finished products fly beautifully.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Max, I have used the tower trainer countless times to instruct someone, some of the guys had there own but some were trainers that were given to me. I usually give them to the student to fly until they get there own plane and gear. I have been borrowing a Write-Wright-Right flyer from a friend that bought it from another friend when it was old so we have no idea when it was made. Parts keep falling off of it and there is as much tape as covering. I had a really old trainer someone gave me, I think, not real sure but it maybe was a tower 40 trainer? I trained 6 new pilots with it until one splashed it on a take off. That was the only trainer I lost due to a crash.
The best triner I ever had was the Sr. Telemaster with an old OS 61 on it.
This Wright flyer I use I have to change the engine when I use the plane. It came with a Magnum .91 on it that was worn out, it was rebuilt but the carb is shot. I was the only one that could keep it running so when I get it I put one of my OS 91s on it.
That trainer I had that crashed has a very worn out OS .40la in it, needed every bit of runway to lift off. Really a hoot in the wind though but rudder sensitive!! Bump the rudder stick and it was headed for the ground. I loved that old beast though.
My Roar is set up stupid, touch the sticks and it will react! I have it on the box and took a friend out for a refresher course last week. The fellow hadn't flown in well over a year, I had to take it several times until he figured it out. I love the Up-Roars!! Ricks thread is in Kit Building on the second or third page and he pasted most of the Roars that the guys were posting photos of during the thread, there are a lot of them there.

DBD1

The Bridi Krafty 60 (semi symmetrical) has been "currently out of stock" for a year and a half from Bluejay. I inquired as to an expected date they would be available, never got a reply. Makes one wonder if they are going to continue producing. Eureka offers a kit of the Bridi RCM Trainer (not sure of airfoil).
The Bridi Trainer has many vesions, with differences in airfoil, wingspan and the tail.
The Great Planes version that JollyPopper speaks of was offered by GP in the 80's, has a symmetrical airfoil and a 2 piece (split) elevator. It was offered in .20, .40, & .60 sizes.
Plans for any of the versions can be obtained from various sources.

ratshooter

I think the Tower Trainer you guys are talking about is the same plane I mentioned in post #3. It was a Joe Bridi design and is slightly bigger than the Krafty 60. I have a Krafty 60 in my attic just waiting to be built. I bought it and a Loadstar from BJ models at the same time. I have built two Loadstars in the past. One was bashed into a Cub look a like.

I sure hope Blue Jay ins't going out of business. I still have a couple of kits I would like to get like the Krafty 25 and a Warlord 40. Here are a couple of pics of the loadstars I have built. The "Cub" I sold and the orange and white one was killed in a flying accident.

ratshooter

JollyPopper I believe this is the same as the tower trainer designed by Bridi. I just ordered the plan off Ebay. It might be awhile before I get around to building it but I sure liked the way it flew for the fellow at the field.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-plans-Pat...item20f7a2b340

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

That dumbass married to my wife wrote down the contact number for Blue Jay this morning to phone and see if contact could be made by land line but he decided to take a nap and slept through prime calling time? He will get to it though and give it a shot. If by chance they are going to give up kit cutting then it would be a good thing to buy any remaining kits they may have on hand before it's too late.
I still make templates of all the kit parts so I have them on hand when needed. Cutting your own is easy!! If you have templates!!

ratshooter

I like to make templates too. One of the only ARFs I ever bought was a thunder tiger tiger stik. It flew like a magic carpet for an hour before I dumb thumbed it. I liked it so much I went and bought a second one that same morning. This time I traced around all the parts. I scratch built several planes using the rib profile. I even built a cool low wing using that rib and fuse turned upside down and a top deck added. Now ever kit I build I make patterns. Cutting out your own kit is neat and it impresses guys at the field who have never got past glueing ARF wings together.

Some of the planes built from the Tiger Stik.



If you notice the green and white plane started off as a pod and boom and later I enclosed the tail section and increased the size of the fin and rudder. It was one of the best flying model I have ever owned. And it flew with one of the excellent Tower Hobbies plain bearing 40 sized engines. I don't know who made those for Tower but I wish I had a dozen of them on hand.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

I have been chicken to scratch build my own. The thought of cutting all those wing ribs and getting them right is daunting to me. Gene (GrayBeard) has been urging me to do it for a couple years now and I just can't convince myself that I can and get it right. I really admire the guys that do, though. I love building kits as much if not more than flying, so, someday, I'm gonna take the plunge. Maybe I can find a good kit with only eight or so ribs in the wing. I became the proud owner of an LT40 kit some time back less the wing parts. Maybe I will force myself to scratch build the wing for it as a starter.

TomCrump

I thought the same as you.

My GP Super Sporster 60 needed a new wing. When no wing kit was available, I decided to build one from the plans.

I enjoyed this so much, that I decided to build a Monoprep from a set of plans that my wife had given me as a Christmas gift.

I enjoyed that so much, that I decided to build an airframe from a set of 3 views, and I built my Ryan Brougham.

You get the idea. Cutting your own parts can become an addiction. LOL

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Back in the golden age of modeling when kits were the norm a lot of the plans had all the parts shown in profile on them in case of a crash. The little Up-Roar I just built was like that and Rick gave me a set of plans so I scratch built it instead of buying the kit. A constant cord wing makes it an easy one to cut. I used spray mount glue and cut them 4 at a time and sanded them while they were all still together. This also gave me the option to cut lightening holes in all the ribs and to choose my wood for less weight. I was given a big box of balsa blocks that were 2X8X18 and ripped my own sheeting. This is something most folks don't have the equipment to do but this time I used the shops band saw. Setting up the ripping fence level with the blade got me almost perfect sheets and I cut them over size and ran them through the micro over head sander to get them all to the perfect size. The sander is something most people don't have. By selecting my wood I was able to build this little plane to come in fully loaded at 3.5 pounds and that is with 5 standard servos. My wire landing gear is one of the heaviest parts but I needed it to achieve the CG without the use of any lead.
All the parts fit as well as the kit.
Hear is a problem with building from the old plans that places like Airage sells, not all the parts fit!! The inker may have been drinking or doing drugs?? Those Sukhoi's I built didn't have one part that fit correctly but I was able to sand them to size as I built.
The big Prime Cut I built {outstanging flyer!!} from MAN plans had a perfect fit for every part!! CAD drawn plans.
I made templates of every part in the Bridi Dirty Birdi that was sold by Blue Jay and I'm cutting two kits for it now as wood money finds it's way into my pockets. They are almost finished but I ran out of wood needed for the fuse sheeting.
Max, because I'm cutting two kits I just spray glued 4 pieces of sheeting needed for the wing ribs together. The wing has a taper so it requires two of each rib. The wings were an easy cut and sand but this kit uses a lot of very thick wood for the different parts, nothing hard about it but some of the parts I had to only cut them two at a time.
There is nothing hard about cutting a kit, before I moved here and joined the wood workers club I used my own scroll saw and sander. It was slower but still the same thing. I just couldn't cut my own sticks and sheeting.
Cutting your own is really a lot of fun!!

ratshooter

Jolly cutting ribs is easy. I trace over the rib pattern with a piece of typing paper for each type of rib needed. Then I make several copies on my printer. I cut out blanks of wood the right thickness and just a little larger than the rib. I cut out the paper pattern outside of the line. I glue this to one rib with contact cement. The I use T-pins to pin a stack of 8-10 ribs together and cut them out on my band saw. Its that simple. when all of one size of ribs are cut out I use a piece of wood the same as the spar size and mount them together and final sand to uniform shape.

Tom your models look really nice. If I remember right didn't Joe Bridi design the Sportster?

Like GB said by cutting your own you can shave off weight by better wood selection and by minor redesign of the kit. Its all fun.

TomCrump

Thanks ! Joe may have designed the Sportster, but he sold many of his designs to Great Planes. Sometimes, when the rights are sold, the credits don't follow.

ratshooter

Well here's the reply I got from Blujay models concerning the Aircruiser kit.

Hello, We will email you when the kit is back in stock. Thank you, Bluejay Airplane Kits

So at least maybe they are trying and most of all not closing the doors. I hope as many as possible will support them. There have been way too many kit manufacturers go out of business in the last few years. Like Clancey Aviation's "Bee" series of planes. They were everywhere. I saw them fly but never really wanted one myself, until I couldn't get one. Now I have a walking park/playground 300 yards from my house and a slow flying quiet plane might be a lot of fun.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

The big problem seems to be they are out of stock on way to many items and most people don't want to wait for them to get back in stock to place an order. Having a nice kit is great but there are a lot of plans available and cutting a kit is really easy. I think BJ is a part time job for them and it may take a long time before they ever have a kit ready for you? Good luck on the wait.