bberan

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Airplane is basically complete. Here is a photo prior to engine run with cowl removed. Later we will run with cowl installed. Also a picture of the engine electronics and fuel tanks

bberan

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Here is fuel system and some of the electronics

bberan

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Here are a few photos of the completed cockpit. Sorry for the glare in some of them.

daveopam

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It may be a couple weeks before I can into my shop and look at my junk.

What a top notch job. Keep up the good work.

David

bberan

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Here is a photo of the intake (Which is functional) and a few cooling holes we have created to help cool the upper/forward section of the cowl which was getting quite hot during engine runs.

bberan

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Here are a few (Not so good) pictures of the completed plane. Will take better ones outside. Total weight turned out to be 37.5 lbs. The cg appears to be right on the money without any additional weight. I suspect I have the long nose of the aircraft to thank for that.

redbiscuits

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Very nice, when and where are you going to maiden the plane? Would like to come out and watch.

t6racer

Great job if you are worried about the heat dissipation don't be I have a wren in a PC6 Pilatus Porter and I thought that at first too, but it dissipates out the exhausts outlets.
That is my next project I have the box sitting in my workshop thanks for the info on the dashboard I will get mine made there.

bberan

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Maiden flight in Waco, hopefully in a few weeks based on my scehdule.

bberan

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Here are a few photos of completed airplane. Maiden flight occurred in Waco this past Sunday. Airplane flew extremely well. No trim changes were required. CG as per the instructions. Wren 44 Turboprop had plenty of power and only 1/2 or less power is required for flight. Take-off weight was at about 41 lbs with full fuel. Flight times of 10 or more minutes should be very doable on 50 oz. of fuel. Will post video as soon as available.

bberan

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Photo file sizes a bit large so can only post one at a time

bberan

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Here's a photo with me to get a feel for size of airplane

bberan

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Cockpit

t6racer

Great job very pleased it flew well for you.

vibi08

Hello Bob,

i am turning nut while looking at the pictures you post on this forum. I never knew it was there. I am probably as happy than you that your test flight went as predicted. It is a large plane but very easy to fly. Since this is the most challenging plane i ever had to design, i am very satisfied when i see such fine results.

i think you guys did a tremendous building job and it has been a real pleasure to help you in this build. All the lessons learned are very precious for any builder who would like to make the AT401 or 402

Say hello to your father for me and happy flying with the 402!

bberan

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Here are links to videos. Some are short because they are just a flyby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW6_2klx6NU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNe9-SzcyU4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddpGFyAoOw8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HjL_LP-b00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xp2wk8Pluc

reyn3545

Very nice videos, and a truly unique airplane!

Would you recommend the air tractor for a first kit build? I've built way too many ARF's, but haven't done a kit. I have a Moki 150 in another plane, and I'm trying to find the right "next" plane to put it in... not a big warbird guy, and an air tractor might be just the right balance of scale and sport capabilities.

vibi08

AMR-RC kits are design to be easy to build and self jigging as much as possible. The AT401 follow the same principle and even if this particular kit have a lot of parts, the same building techniques are used making the build easy. Building the frame is easy,and the finition is where all the long work is. The better it is done, the better the plane will look.

I personnally dont think that putting an ARF together is really building an airplane. It is more assembly of finished parts. A kit is much more work and require patience and time but the final results is true proudness and satisfaction.

What Bob did with his AT402 is extremely well done.

reyn3545

Oh, I agree.. I've rebuilt a couple biplanes.. the Waco in my avatar, and a Lanier bipe several years ago, but I haven't started with a box of sticks and ended up with a plane. There are a few true builders at our field and they turn out some amazing planes. I've always wanted to start a kit, but afraid I would run out of interest before it got airborne... maybe the AMR kits would help me get in the air before the interest fades.

The AT is a unique enough plane, could be just what I'm looking for to mate up to the Moki.

t6racer

AMR-RC kits are design to be easy to build and self jigging as much as possible. The AT401 follow the same principle and even if this particular kit have a lot of parts, the same building techniques are used making the build easy. Building the frame is easy,and the finition is where all the long work is. The better it is done, the better the plane will look.

I personnally dont think that putting an ARF together is really building an airplane. It is more assembly of finished parts. A kit is much more work and require patience and time but the final results is true proudness and satisfaction.

What Bob did with his AT402 is extremely well done.

I agree and disagree with you sure building from scratch is just craftsmanship plus in my eye's but you also must remember and I have seen it when someone builds a kit sometimes with no practical expedrience or just can't grasp it, and can't keep stringers in their cut outs before gluing, ribs vertical ect and there are are quiet a few out there, it does take a certain amount of building experience, craftsmanship to turn out a kit model ie like Bob's plane.

vibi08

I fully agree with you, ARF are necessary for peoples who dont have the equipment, the room or the skills required to build a kit and ARF are also good because they bring a lot of peoples to RC flying. My point is that there is no comparison between assembling an ARF and building a kit.

the problem with kit building is that too many time , peoples select the wrong kit to start. I probably wont suggest to build the AirTractor as a first kit unless the builder has some talent or skill but someone has to start somewhere.

Also, the other problem with ARF is that it is killing the kit manufacturing industry worldwide. Look at the kit offer today compared with what it was 20 years ago and look how many company are still in the business of kits.

but Bob has done a tremendous work!

reyn3545

No doubt, I could build 100 ARF's and it wouldn't qualify me to build the simplest of kits. ARF's get people in the air very quickly and for the most part, they are dependable planes, but they don't compare in workmanship to something that you personally managed through every step of the build process. I wouldn't expect my fist build to compare to the work Bob has done here, but AMR has a great reputatoin for providing a kit that when built as directed, can be a nice looking and flying plane.

A couple of the guys at our field have built AMR sticks. For one of the guys, it was his first kit build. For the other, he is definately a master builder, with a shop full of Top Gun quality warbirds. Both were impressed with the overall quality of the kit and ease of the build. I've accumuated my share of clamps, glues, pins, etc.. along the way, and I've rebuilt my share of wings, fuses, etc.. I've got paint guns and airbrush equipment, etc.... I've just never built a complete kit before. My biggest fear is that I would realize too late that I should have installed a hard point or something several steps back. I think AMR's instructions do a good job of helping you to avoid that.

We'll see. I've wanted to find the right plane for this radial engine for a while, I'm not a warbird guy, and I've wanted to try my hand a a kit build... maybe it's time to give it a try.

Super08

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Just dive right in, I have no doubt that you will get it done.

reyn3545

Hey.. how's everything up your way?

vibi08

the AT401 is not difficult to build since it is self jigging and almost every single parts interlock with its mating parts. The manual is quite good and all you have to do is follow it page by page and as mentionned in the manual, always dry fit. if you want, i can send you a portion of the manual so that you can see. the kit has over 600 parts including the scale flaps and ailerons pivot brackets. it is design for the RCS150 radial so for you, it is a good choice.

Sinces i design the plane, i can help you in the building if you have questions so building support is not a problen and Bob can testify about this.

the other plane we have and that could be suitable for a RCS150 is the AMR 100CC Big Stick but i think the AT401 is much more than tthe Big Stick