skeeter_ca

My son has worked himself out of his electric trainer and wants to go glow like me. He wants an ARF similiar to a supersportster or escapade for a OS .46ax we have. His one requirement is it must be a trike gear plane. We don't want to have to modify the gear. What would you guys suggest to fill these requirements?

1. ARF
2. Low wing, sport plane
3. Use a OS .46ax engine
4. Trike gear


skeeter

davo580

if you can get them in the usa ... a scanner i think if i remember rightly are made by phenix they are a trike geared plane and they are a good 2nd plane. they are very popular here in australia and the last time i brought one they were $100.00 here. a 46 ax make them fly well

Warbird40

My Feedback: (24)

Most of the good trike sport arf have been discontinued. I have a Carl Goldberg Tiger 2 and it's an excellent 2nd plane. I was able to fly mine after 6 or 7 flights on a trainer, but the ARF is no longer made. IMHO, it's the best, low wing, trike sport plane there is. If you can find one, buy it! Most ARF's are taildraggers, and easy to take off and land. Sig four*, GP Escapade, H9 Pulse are all excellent ARF planes. There are lots of postings on 2nd planes, you might get a suggestion on a trike. Good luck and happy flying.

Ed

P.S. I just thought of one that is highly popular.....Kaos 40! Tower Hobbies makes the ARF version and they are supposed to be excellent fliers! Plus the AX46 would be perfect for it.

biam

Make that two for the tower .40 kaos, they are excellent fliers and trike gear.

dignlivn

The Kaos comes to mind. the trike gear makes landings look easy.


IMO,


Bob

Steve Steinbring

The Kaos 40 from Tower is great flier with a .46AX, more than enough power to perform very well. I took second place in a senior pattern event in my class with mine. Good airplane!

Steve Landron

All the above are great suggestions. I have had the World Models T-34 since 2000 (same Plane) and it has been my favorite plane. I believe it's still available and when it comes to repairs it is not too bad considering it's an ARF. I fly mine with an O.S. .46 FX and she flys great, no bad tendancies and when she hits the deck the plane sticks to the runway like glue. Last time I checked I believe it retails for about $135.

psmith36

Iwould agree with the Kaos. It is a great flying plane and can easily be converted to a tail dragger at a later date if he wishes to do so. I have one with a 55ax that I converted to a tail dragger

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Kaos.

ameyam

There will be a lot of airplanes you can look at. Phoenix scanner, CG/Phoenix (etc.) Tiger 40, Tower Kaos and so on. But you arent really looking for a low wing. So I suggest you have a look at the GP Ugly Stik 40 and Easysport 40. Both are trikes I believe and very good for aerobatics for when he finally catches the bug. My main problem trikes with a wire gear is that the hardwood block into which the gear mounts breaks easily. With a trike with aluminium gear, you wont have that problem

Ameyam

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

My second and third kits were the Kaos, but that was over 30 years ago and I had to build them. They were awesome for a second, but the first one got toasted too quick, some dumb 12 year old hooked the ailerons up backwards. The other one flew great for a long time.

levram1

My Feedback: (1)

And,........ 30 years ago,,who was that 12 year old ? Curious minds would like to know.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

I think I would make the Kaos the third model for your son. It sounds like he really needs a bit more stick time if tricycle gear is a prime requirement. I also don't like tapered wings on planes for low time pilots. So an Ugly Stick with the wing built with no dihedral would be my suggestion. If he is flexible on a tail dragger, then the Sportster or a Pulse would be my top choice.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Blue Jay is still cutting the original Bridi kits and the prices are still really good!! In an ARF the choice is the 40 Tower Kaos or the new Dirty Birdy in 60 size. I haven't seen or flown the DB yet but the last Blue Jay Bridi I built was the Dirty Birdy. Another perfect Bridi Design.Everyone should build and fly at least one!!

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

Tiger two Goldberg!

carrellh

These are the low wing trike models I found in a minute or two
Phoenix tucano http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBGZU&P=0
GP cherokee http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXTXE1&P=0
Phoenix sonic http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBGZK&P=0
Tower kaos http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&P=SM&I=LXZT80
WM super sports 40s http://www.airborne-models.com/html/...p?ProductID=42

skeeter_ca

It seems alot of people recommend the Kaos. While that tells me it is a good solid flyer i have to say it is quite ugly. Not very good lines at all. Very seventy-ish. I agree the wire landing gear leaves something to be desired but i haven't seen any low wingers with aluminum trike gear yet. And yes being low winger is a requirement. He likes the looks of the SuperSportster and Escapade but they only come as tail draggers.

The World Models T-34 looks like a nice looking stand way off scale model. He might really like that. With the constant cord wing it should be stable i think.

skeeter

yellerchamp

My Feedback: (42)

I have had both the tower kaos and the world models t-34 in MY opinion the t-34 is a better all around plane its my choice still for windy days and shooting landings for fun

brockettman

Great list of planes!

I have the Great Planes Cherokee and it flies very good slows down nice and stable with the flaps.

I also picked up a World Models Super Sports this passed summer and it flies great! Not as high of quality as G/P ARFs but for the money you can't go wrong. I prefer it over the Cherokee as a trainer.

sensei

The last time I flew a Kaos or the Dirty Birdy, I was in my late teens, almost 40 years ago now, but I sure haven't forgotten what fantastic flying airplanes those where. My vote is for the kaos.

Bob

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

If the early pattern planes are too ugly then perhaps the T-34 is a better choice. It is an easier plane to fly and it does look like a real plane. It handles so well one of my clubs had a racing class just for the T-34. It was recommended a lot as the second plane when it first came out.
Maybe you should let your son do a search and find a nice looking plane that he would like. In the past I have allowed others to influence my own choice but in the end I bought the planes I liked, I was the one that had to live with it.
I do fail to understand the reason for the trike gear?? After decades of flying I finally built myself a trike geared plane, it's a really ugly old pattern plane from the 60s. It really presents a problem if I want to fly on a rough field. On a smooth hard pack it does ground handle better then a tail dragger though.

RCFlyerDan

My Feedback: (54)

+3 on the Kaos!

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

If you're not in a hurry you might look for an Ultra Sport 40 ARF. They were discontinued by Great Planes but I see them come up for sale from time to time on RCU, RCG and ebay. The US40 is a dressed up version of the Kaos and can be set up as a tail dragger or a trike.

Value Hobby has a copycat version called the Areo Sport for $79.99 but it is designated electric and is a taildragger. It may be possible to convert it to glow/trike like the US 40 ARF.

http://www.valuehobby.com/airplanes/...rt-46-arf.html

If it were me, I would look for an Ultra Sport 40 ARF

gene6029

+1 on the Kaos. Heres a pic of my re covered Tower Kaos thats over 10 years old. Now sports a OS 55AX.....Gene
No bad habbits & a good plane to keep you progressing foreward.

sensei

I agree with Gene, I also believe a tail dragger is easier to setup and makes for an all around better multi surface takeoff and landing conditions aircraft.

Bob