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Fxrs_tim -> RE: Club 40+? Someday? (5/5/2008 4:02:03 AM)
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I don't really think that using the Club40 wings on a Quickee type plane would be much of a step up. With the size of the wing, you'd have to have a fuselage quite a bit longer than a Q500 in order to get the balance and pitching moments correct. Plus, the speed really won't be much higher than the Club40 planes we're flying now.
What would be really nice would be if somebody would introduce more Q500 planes. If WM would introduce a couple of them (say, one v-tail and 1 conventional), then people could move up to an inexpensive 424 type bird. I think that there would be a market for this, as it could double as a quick sport plane. I wonder if there's enough of a market for WM to offer a foam/carbon wing (ala the Viper) as an option?
For you guys that are wondering about moving up to 424, here's my take, from personal experience. The 424 plane uses the engine that you already have for Club40, so no extra $$ there. The Viper is only $20 (on sale) more than the Raider, so the airframe cost is about the same. Most everybody now owns a radio which can mix for v-tails, so that's not really an issue either. In 424 you can even use standard size servos and not have a problem balancing the plane (I did that on my first Viper and had no ballast). The most amazing thing is that a 424 bird actually flies EASIER than a Club40!! Sure, it's a bit faster, but it actually is easier to fly it smoothly than it is a Club40. Plus, with a 424, you still have a throttle if you get a bit out of shape or intimidated.
There is a HUGE gap for 424/428 ARFs. You have the Viper at $110, then it takes a huge jump to the mid $300's for a good 428 ARF. You can find a few kits (mentioned in Jim's original post) which are more affordable, but there's definitely a market for a decent 428 bird that won't break the bank. If Great Planes sells enough of the Vipers to justify continuing production, certainly somebody like WM could step in and offer a similar bird suitable for 424, and able to be strengthened a bit for 428. Heck, WM could probably steal the Viper market if they put out a comparable bird that doesn't have the well-documented incidence problem that the Viper does!
I think that having more affordable options might provide the spark that encourages others to make the jump from Club40 to 424/428 and save pylon.
Let's hope somebody's listening!!
Tim
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