Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF?  
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Pattern Flying >> Classic Pattern Flying >> Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF?
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Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/9/2005 6:45:32 PM   
Invertedflyby



Posts: 88
Joined: 9/9/2003
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Which of these planes flies better? They look similar but I don't know how much dihedral they have etc? I think the Skylark looks a little bit bette. I have an Enya 45cx engine to put something in. I want a straight flying point it where you want it plane, and something that's pretty fast. I want something that's easy to maintain, cheap, upright engine, and most importantly something that goes together very quick. I heard the world models go together very quick and have considered the Super Sports 40s but I think these others would be better flying planes. Once I get good enough with one of these planes I will get a real modern pattern plane if I am still interested so please don't recommend any fancy pattern ships anything else unless it's under $150. (The skylark would be $145 shipped and the Kaos $90 shipped from Omni Models) Thanks for any insight
       Post #: 1

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/9/2005 7:30:13 PM   
MHester



Posts: 2415
Joined: 10/27/2002
From: Woodstock, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Out of those 2 the kaos is the better plane.

Seems you're looking for an ARF in the $150 range. If you didn't mind building, a Widebody 40 blows both of them away. It's not a difficult build by any means, but it does take a little time.

-Mike

_____________________________

Owner Custom Airframes of America, Team YS, Mercury Adhesives

(in reply to Invertedflyby)
       Post #: 2

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/9/2005 10:57:12 PM   
Sherman



Posts: 146
Joined: 6/12/2002
From: Dallas, TX, USA
Status: offline 		The Kaos is an excellent plane. It goes together quickly and the construction is excellent. It is a fast plane and very maneuvarable, yet very easy to fly and land. Highly recommended. I think the Skylark would also be an excellent plane, and have thought of getting one. I power the Kaos with a TT 46 Pro, and the performance is great.

(in reply to MHester)
       Post #: 3

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/9/2005 11:28:40 PM   
Invertedflyby



Posts: 88
Joined: 9/9/2003
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the opinions, I think I will go with the Kaos. Haven't heard a bad thing about them (except MHester talking about them compared to current pattern ships ) So that says alot about it compared to the Skylark. I'm sure they are not quite as smooth as the new pattern planes, they don't even look like them. But it's probably a better plane than I am pilot right now and that will work for me, and you can't beat the price!

The Widebody sounds nice but I want something to get in the air soon. I'm building a Sig 1/5 scale cub and I really don't enjoy working on it anymore with the weather being nice. I can't stand it, I have to have something to fly so I'm going to put the radio I bought for it in this Kaos plane.

(in reply to Sherman)
       Post #: 4

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/10/2005 12:00:42 AM   
8178



Posts: 3031
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		For $90 with shipping the Tower Kaos is hard to beat! I have three of them, a old kit in the box, a modified kit flying and an older Monokote ARF version flying. I’m running an Irvine 53 in the ARF and it adds to the ballistic vertical performance. I like the trike gear, one of the few ARFs left with real landing gear. The wing loading makes them fly great in windy weather. Pretty good for fun flying and learning basic pattern stuff.

(in reply to Invertedflyby)
       Post #: 5

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/10/2005 4:10:23 AM   
MHester



Posts: 2415
Joined: 10/27/2002
From: Woodstock, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Invertedflyby

Haven't heard a bad thing about them (except MHester talking about them compared to current pattern ships )


LOL you remember that huh?? Ok then, repeat after me. "A Kaos is a great airplane, a Kaos is a great airplane...ohmmm....ohmmm...."

Ok you can have your robe now. Meetings are on Saturdays, and at all swap meets. LOL

Ok seriously I've said why they don't stack up to current designs, now let me tell you why it's a better airplane compared to the Skylark (I've owned several of both).

The Kaos has a superior wing, area and moment design. It has some slight rudder coupling, but nothing like the skylark. The skylark is a GREAT second airplane, I think seriously I've owned 6 of them. No joke. But when it comes to performace, the Kaos is simply the better plane. No question.

The Kaos has a thick double tapered wing, while the Skylark has a constant chord wing with a crapload of dihedral. It's the ultimate low wing trainer. But for the money, if you can successfully put a low wing through it's paces, a Kaos is a better plane and has more potential. Just fly it semi-fast and keep it light.

The downside, as you've no doubt already read, is that it's a flying bananna box. The wings are great, but the tail is flat planks and the fuse is a square box. Aerodynamically this ain't the optimum setup. Doesn't mean it's a sucky plane, but compared to say a Widebody, it's definitely an ancient design. But for what you're wanting to do, and the money you're wanting to spend, it'll do. Just practice and burn fuel.

Then just wait till you get your hands on your first full blown 2 meter...you'll never look back again

-Mike


_____________________________

Owner Custom Airframes of America, Team YS, Mercury Adhesives

(in reply to Invertedflyby)
       Post #: 6

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/10/2005 4:14:48 AM   
stonyZ


 

Posts: 52
Joined: 9/22/2002
From: moosejaw , SK, CANADA
Status: offline 		Hi i have 2 kaos's both fly good but,my first low wing plane was the original skylark mk 2 and i loved it, was a great flying plane! a freind in to pattern at the time remarked that it flew alot like his pattern ships..........either one would be fine

(in reply to 8178)
       Post #: 7

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/10/2005 11:15:46 PM   
Invertedflyby



Posts: 88
Joined: 9/9/2003
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I was doing a lot of research on kaoses (kaoi ?) the night before and then I saw your Dragon picture and remembered you were one of the big posters on them. I haven't found much info about the Skylark and didn't know if it was in the same class or not, that's why I started this thread. Thanks for all of the insight and answers, everyone seems to have the same opinion. Truth be told I have had a kit built skylark and a kaos before, but I was either in elementary school or just starting junior high and I can't remember much about them. I guess my dad had the same thought on the skylark because that is what he built me for my second plane. The Kaos I bought used hanging from the ceiling of the hobby shop. I just got back into it, and I can fly pretty much any kind of airplane and do all kinds of aerobatics but I never learned to fly precisely, I just go all over the sky. I want something to help me improve that. I ordered the Kaos last night, it came up to $90.88 shipped. (had to buy some razor blades for $.89 to bump it up a penny to receive the $10 off coupon.

(in reply to stonyZ)
       Post #: 8

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 1:08:44 AM   
8178



Posts: 3031
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Invertedflyby

I was doing a lot of research on kaoses (kaoi ?) the night before and then I saw your Dragon picture and remembered you were one of the big posters on them. I haven't found much info about the Skylark and didn't know if it was in the same class or not, that's why I started this thread. Thanks for all of the insight and answers, everyone seems to have the same opinion. Truth be told I have had a kit built skylark and a kaos before, but I was either in elementary school or just starting junior high and I can't remember much about them. I guess my dad had the same thought on the skylark because that is what he built me for my second plane. The Kaos I bought used hanging from the ceiling of the hobby shop. I just got back into it, and I can fly pretty much any kind of airplane and do all kinds of aerobatics but I never learned to fly precisely, I just go all over the sky. I want something to help me improve that. I ordered the Kaos last night, it came up to $90.88 shipped. (had to buy some razor blades for $.89 to bump it up a penny to receive the $10 off coupon.



Don’t pay Mike any mind! The Kaos will be a fine flying 40 size aircraft for a very, very low cost. Glue it together with lots of epoxy and it will not fall apart in flight no mater how fast you fly or how many Gs you can pull with it. The Kaos is a small version of the type of aircraft that was flown in the “heyday” of AMA pattern flying in the 70s and 80s. Almost everyone I knew flew pattern back then. On this forum, they all say that the new AMA pattern and 2M ships are way better than the old stuff but the interest in the “new stuff” is a very small fraction of what it was in the “heyday”. Way better, but few want to compete!

Go figure!


(in reply to Invertedflyby)
       Post #: 9

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 1:20:52 AM   
MHester



Posts: 2415
Joined: 10/27/2002
From: Woodstock, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: 8178



Don’t pay Mike any mind!



Correct. I am just an evil bad monkey man

Good choice though. You'll love it.

Then you'll fly a 2 meter and you'll want one so bad you can't stand it. Hehehehehehehehe.

-Mike


_____________________________

Owner Custom Airframes of America, Team YS, Mercury Adhesives

(in reply to 8178)
       Post #: 10

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 2:44:52 AM   
8178



Posts: 3031
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: MHester


quote:

ORIGINAL: 8178



Don’t pay Mike any mind!



Correct. I am just an evil bad monkey man

Good choice though. You'll love it.

Then you'll fly a 2 meter and you'll want one so bad you can't stand it. Hehehehehehehehe.

-Mike



Hay bad monkey man!

They might be great but it looks like a diminishing few flying the 2M stuff now-a-days! Gee whiz we turn pattern over you guys in the 80s and now it is a skeleton of its former self. What gives! Now all we have left is the SPA to have fun with pattern! But thank goodness that is a very good thing!


(in reply to MHester)
       Post #: 11

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 2:50:51 AM   
tommy s


 

Posts: 1190
Joined: 1/14/2004
From: houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		The reason we don't fly Kaos's in pattern now days is the same reason
they don't race Offy powered front engine roadsters at Indy anymore !!

tommy s

(in reply to 8178)
       Post #: 12

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 1:28:46 PM   
8178



Posts: 3031
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: tommy s

The reason we don't fly Kaos's in pattern now days is the same reason
they don't race Offy powered front engine roadsters at Indy anymore !!

tommy s



Exactly! Indy racing is as popular as ever with lots of race cars and spectators. If you are comparing the growth of Indy racing with pattern flying, I would say Indy racing got it right and AMA pattern got it wrong. Look at the incredible growth of NSCAR. When you are leading a group of pattern flyers and you change the rules and few people follow one might ask if you are leading. Or maybe the goal in less flyers, it’s all an amazing mystery to me.

(in reply to tommy s)
       Post #: 13

RE: Tower Kaos ARF or Skylark 56 MKII ARF? - 5/11/2005 1:38:57 PM   
Paternguy


 

Posts: 628
Joined: 3/9/2002
From: East Berlin, PA, USA
Status: offline 		Just watch that 40 sized Kaos, as I remember they were quite willing to snap at slow speeds (approaching stall) all 3 of mine did this. The Venus 40 is also a good choice.

(in reply to 8178)