What to do with an old trainer?
 

I have a two year old Hobbystar 60. It still flies well but is come to the end of its life. I dont need the trainer anymore as i moved onto more complex aircraft quite a while ago. Im looking for some ideas of what to do with this plane... I dont want to scrap it and its not in any condition to hand on to anyone i know who is still in the trainer stage of flying. I spoken to some people who suggested using it as a test bed for later modeling ideas and im more than happy to do this but im not sure what to do... So, any ideas?

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

donate it to clib for a club trainer

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

I would but its not in the condition. I use it during club events to help train new pilots but its a handlaunch and that makes it a deadstick lander. If it wernt for that and its age i would...

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

I've been flying for almost 11 years now and I still have my trainer that I learned fly on. I take it out to the flying field a few times each summer and fly it around. You would be totally amazed at just how much fun you can have flying your trainer once your skills have advanced on. Also amazing is just how relaxing one or two flights with your trainer can be. I'd say hang on to it and fly it. One other thing, we all have runs of bad luck and there are times that you can find yourself with nothing left to fly. At those time you can at least take out your old trainer. This actually happened to me when I had 4 crashes in 3 weekends and I didn't have anything left flying except for my trainer. I loaded it up and went flying with it and wound up having a total blast that day at the field.

That's my 2¢ worth

Ken

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

How true Ken. I`ve also found myself down to my trainer as the only flying plane. And I go running for my trainer after a crash. It`s my security blanket

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Innsanemoondoggie how you like your great planes ultimate? im building one right now. Can it do any 3d

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

I have`nt finished it yet , crashing and rebuilding have gotten in the way. I assembling a Skybolt right now and am going to maiden it next weekend. Minnflyer is going to help me with it.
I did see one at the field fly but it look like it had seen better days and flew with a nose up altitude. Plane was hard to see, so make sure you cover accordingly. Hope to finish mine by the first of July, just one more wing to go. lol I`m going with a Saito 72 in mine, how about you ?

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Add a bomb bay and fill it with those little rubber parachute gys :)

I picked up a cheep digital video cam on sale at Target for $25..
I'm going to make a wing top pod for it and make a couple flying videos.

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

I flew mine for years after its life as a trainer. In various stages I took the dihedral out of the wing, clipped a rib bay out (both sides obviously), shortened the tail, and converted to tail dragger. In the end it was one fun airplane to mangle air molecules with and not worry too much about.

Have fun!

Bedford

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Offer to your club and see if someone is willing to make repairs.

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

One of our club members uses an old trainer as a camera plane. He buys cheap, fixed focus, auto-wind cameras at Wal-Mart and glues on a mount for a servo to push the shutter release. He attaches the camera under the wing. Bank the plane, cut the throttle to idle, snap pictures. He says sometimes you only get a couple of decent shots from a roll of film; and other times you get lots of good ones. About a dozen of his aerial shots are on our club's web page:
http://www.greenvillerc.com/pages/photo_main.htm

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

N,
Depends on your sentimental side. I've been flying for almost 40yrs, starting back in the early 70's. I still have my old trainer hanging in the garage. It can still fly, but it's just hanging there for sentimental reasons. It's kind of nice to look back at where you'd been, and what you were flying compared to your planes today, or in 10 years from now..... Greg

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

One of our members turned the wing and fins around, slapped on a pusher prop, added some vanes and tweaks to make it work and made a backwards flying plane. He'll hold the thing the normal way until he gets to the taxiway, then place the plane on the ground backwards. First time I saw this, I wanted to yell out that he was turned the wrong way. I have a picture somewhere, I'll look for it if there is any interest. Otherwise, a tow plane is another use that I haven't seen in the thread yet.

Good luck!

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

I wanna see the pic(s) :D

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Here you go Rod;) And yes, it flys quite nicely.

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

That reminded me of another one. Guy made, or should I say re-made a T-34 out of 4 or 5 models out of the garbage. A true Franken plane. One day he was bored, found landing gear...

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

SFSJ,

Very Nice. Those are the types of planes that when you bring em out to the field, everyone is amazed at what they see and what the plane can do, awesome. I bet it develops quite a crowd on its visits to the field.....Just goes to show you, in this sport, with a little creativity, and some brainstorm idea's, anythings possible.... I love it. Thanks for sharing .... Greg

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Do an airshow at the club picnic.....

Announce to everyone to get out their video cameras and drill that sucker into the runway at full speed. OOOOh I always wanted to do that!!!!

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Yes, you guys are right on. The current owner takes it to all of the events he goes to. Even though the last one was an IMAA giant scale event, he got to fly it at the start of the lunch time demos. The plan was the announcer would start yelling over the PA saying it was too small, get it off the flight line...:D

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

That "reversed" plane's a hoot - might have to build one for novelty events. Any tips re CG/incidences?

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

This one's easy....saw off about a whole bunch of the wing. Nuth'n like a little wing loading to turn a trainer into a fighter!!!!

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Candy, I'll ask the builder next time I see him. All I remember is that those vanes on the wing tips were important for stability, and the rudder is free to pivot. Also, I forget the exact set up, but the tailgear, er nose gear(?) the one under the elevator was a small GWS wheel on an acrylic plate "strut", to allow steering yet "invisible" to those a few feet away. There is also a similar piece under the engine, non-steering, with some clearance to prevent dragging on the ground during take off, to simulate the nose gear. Hope this is clear, I'm all confused now;)

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Unless your generosity will prevail, I would use it to try the new radio gears and servos. The biggest misaps I have ever since faced just happened because of brand new defective radios (Eclipse QCPM 7 just to metion a bad one)

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Hi there,

I just picked up a used trainer which I'm going to convert into a float plane. I've always wanted to try float flying and it seemed like a good base If it goes in I won't be too worried (so long as I get my radio and engine back...).

RE: What to do with an old trainer?
 

Ok, Ok........ So there HAS been talk of a closest to the target, intentional pasture dart contest. A fun club event, and lots of crashes...

Greg