Review by: Nathan Maat (Plane Insane) Email Me

INTRODUCTION PERFORMANCE SUMMARY MANUFACTURER      Construction Ease of Assembly Nice Covering Fun to fly      Instructions Hardware Balance     Phoenix Models Co P.O. Box 9021 Champaign, IL 61826       One of my favorite airplanes since I've been flying is the Giles G-202.  I understand it to be a solid performing full scale airplane and it's not a common airplane at my club, which I like.  From Phoenix Models comes a Giles 202 46 size ARF recommended for model airplane flyers who have had 46 to 60 size trainer airplane experience.  I was immediately attracted to the color scheme and even more attracted to the price so I had to have one. Because Phoenix describes the G-202 as a possible second airplane, there's a strong likelihood the new flier will be able to use the engine from his trainer along with the transmitter, receiver and servo's, leaving very little expense to get into a more advanced airplane.  I'm curious to see how easy the Giles would be for a beginner to assemble, how it will handle in the hands of a newer flyer and whether it would actually make a good second airplane. I'm hoping the Phoenix Models Giles G-202 could also be used by the more skilled pilots who want a simple, yet attractive and well built airplane to toss around the sky.  I'm looking forward to finding out whether this an airplane a veteran r/c pilot would want in their hangar?  Is it built well enough to meet a skilled builder's approval?  Will it stand up to the rigorous flipping and tumbling an advanced pilot is capable of flying? Let's take a look at these questions and more, starting with the specifications.   SPECS & PRODUCTS USED AIRPLANE: Giles G-202 MANUFACTURER: Phoenix Models SKILL: Intermediate to Advanced WINGSPAN: 53.1" FLYING WEIGHT: 6 lbs RADIO: Futaba 8UAPS SERVOS: 5 standard Hobbico ENGINE: OS Engines .46AX  PROP: APC 11x6 FUEL: Cooper Fuels 15% ITEMS NEEDED: One 6" Servo Extension One Y-Harness 2" spinner propeller

Taking a look at construction first I found the airplane to be well built.  There is a level of quality ARF's today are reaching, a level an average to good builder would find hard to match.  I often take into consideration the time, expense and several trips I end up making to the hobby shop for this or that and I just can't overlook some of the ARF's on the market.  The choices are seemingly endless, and for me the short time from bench to air is what I like most.  The Giles made a good first impression on me and I was anxious to get it in the air. After the initial quick inspection of looks, quality and parts I dug for the instructions and started reading.  The instructions are nicely colored and the photos shown are good quality.  My first impression was a good one, thinking the instructions were rather nice and detailed.  After reading through it a few times and slowing down to actually visualize each of the steps I started to see this manual may be more show than go.  While the presentation was strong, I started to realize the content was lacking and I may be in for a bit of a challenge. Wing completion is the first step, from gluing the wing halves together to completion of the servos and linkages.  I did remove a bit of the overlap covering to make sure the epoxy had a full surface to adhere, but other than that it was standard wing assembly found in any ARF.  The wing halves went together well and very quickly. Next was to assemble the horizontal and vertical stabs, then the wheel pants and engine.  Phoenix saw fit to save the modeller a time consuming step by pre-hinging the airplane.  Bravo is all I have to say to that, and I know many of you will agree.  Since that is one of the more time consuming steps in finishing the tail section of an airplane, it was a very simple process to complete things quickly.  You only need to remove the excess covering to ensure proper glue adhesion, spread on some 30 min epoxy and let it set up and cure.  The wheel pants are plastic with fiberglass reinforcement and installation to the landing gear was simple.  This can be seen in the picture below. It's not often I clock my actual time in the workshop, but for some reason I was curious how long this would take after reading the instruction manual.  It took me just under 2 hours to finish the wing completely.  I glued the stabs, attached the wheel pants and landing gear, all the while documenting and taking pictures for the review.  That is however where my good fortune ended.  You see, I am now up to the engine installation and my dream assembly project quickly turned into something else. The instructions had about four sentences and two pictures explaining how to mount the engine, and the four sentences talked about the throttle pushrod.  What's the big deal, right?  All I have to do is screw the engine to the already installed mount and it's done.  First, the cowl was a less than a perfect match for the engine installation.  Second, I had the new OS .46AX, but using the provided engine mount I would come up 1/4" short of the required firewall distance. Another concern was the straps used to secure the engine to the mount.  Instead of mounting the engine directly to the mount, Phoenix has straps that go over the engine mounting bracket and screw to the engine mount.  This is a rather novel idea I have not seen done, but I will go with it for now.  I did a rough installation not worrying about thrust to see how the cowl would fit.  The OS .46AX fits nicely inside the cowl, but the engine does not line up to the cowl openings for the engine shaft very well.  More on that in a minute. I left the cowl alone for now and began working on getting the engine to the proper distance from the firewall.  I'm taking for granted here that the recommended spacing is accurate, so I'll go with that until I can properly balance the airplane and verify it as correct.  Using plywood spacers I began stacking them until I had the necessary 4 3/4" distance to the prop hub.  This does two things for me.  First, it allows me to remove one or more spacers if the CG is too far forward and second, it's a tried and true method used for mounting engines.  I did spread a layer of thinned epoxy to the surface of the spacer that would mount to the engine for protection against fuel damage. After finally getting the distance required I began thinking about the 2 degree's thrust they recommend.  I can only guess they recommend it because the only clue is a picture showing 2 degrees right thrust.  There is no text on this so your experience and knowledge will have to come into play.  I think this is a pretty big omission as not everyone flying their second airplane understands how or why to add right thrust and may skip this step.  A simple explanation of how to add the recommended thrust would go a long way to helping the second or third airplane owner in making the right building decisions.  To get the necessary right thrust I added a washer to the bottom right screw which pushes the engine to the left if you were looking at it.  This seems to have accomplished the recommended right thrust so I'll go with it until I fly the airplane and know for sure. After setting the distance to the firewall and the right thrust, I found mounting the cowl wasn't going to be as difficult as I thought and should be a quick installation, or will it?  It's obvious Phoenix Models expects the cowl to have variations in alignment as they include stripping for this very purpose.  Despite this, my obsessive compulsive tendencies surfaced and it ended up taking me several minutes... ok, about a half hour to be completely satisfied with both alignment to the fuselage and prop hub before I actually starting drilling for the screws.  Mounting a cowl is not my favorite part of assembly and this one did have me frustrated for a while.  After tweaking and playing around with different possibilities I finally got it where I wanted and am happy I spent the extra time to make sure it was right.  It looks great!  The color match to the covering isn't perfect, but good, and the lines from the fuselage to the cowl line up nicely without the need for the included stripping. Ok, I'm starting to feel good about this assembly again and it was time to tackle the servo and pushrod installation.  Again, the instructions left me with more questions than answers about how they actually wanted it done.  It's became evident to me the instructions are for an older version of this airplane as the parts don't match the descriptions.  I decided to go with the parts they gave me and relied on my experience to make the installation work. The instructions call for two pushrods with threaded wires installed on each side of both rods.  Secure the rods with thread, then heat shrink and run them through the fuselage.  However, my kit came with three threaded connecting rods for the elevator servo pushrod and two threaded connecting rods for the rudder pushrod.  The instructions make no mention of why or what they're for, but it was obvious to me the intention.  For the elevator I installed two connecting rods to one end of the pushrod so it formed a Y.  This would allow me to install the pushrod into the fuselage and have one connecting rod come out of each side of the airplane to the elevator halves.  Even though the elevator is one piece this will ensure there is no variation when deflected.  Phoenix Models also included two control horns and cut-out the fuselage on both sides for this reason.  The rudder is a simple one pushrod, one connecting rod on each end inserted through the fuselage to the rudder.  The whole thing is a very easy process, but the instructions are not helpful.  Hopefully my description and images should go a long way to helping you understand the process better. Well, now all I had to do was tie up the loose ends like installing the fuel tank, battery, receiver, etc. and I am done.  To help with the CG I placed everything as far forward as possible.  The battery lies next to the fuel tank, and the receiver is sitting in between the fuel tank and servo tray.  The Giles 202 looks great fully assembled and I'm very eager to get it to the field!

O.S. 46 AX Displacement:   0.455 cu in (7.45cc) Bore:    0.866" Stroke:   0.772"  Practical RPM:    2000-17000 Power Output:   1.65ps / 16000 Weight / Muffler:   17.2oz Propellers:   10.5x6, 11x6-8, 12x6-7       Distance from remote needle to end of crankshaft:   4.7" Distance from center of engine to drive hub: 2.4" Distance from engine center to end of crankshaft: 3.4" Distance/crankshaft to muffler exhaust outlet: 3.9" Height from crankcase bottom to top of cylinder: 3.3" Height/crankshaft center to top of cylinder head: 2.6" Width including mounting ears: 2" Width not including mounting ears: 1.4" Width between mounting holes same side: .69" Width between mounting holes opposite side: 1.7" Diameter of muffler body: 1.5" Angle of muffler in relation to engine: 4° FEATURES: Redesigned remote needle holder is separate bracket, not part of backplate Advanced Bi-Metallic Liner. This process uses a double layer of plating material rather than one thicker layer. This helps the metal to bond to the cylinder and is more durable. Also, the plating process is more consistent, resulting in a more precise fit between piston and sleeve for better compression, longer life. Side exhaust Newly designed sport muffler with squared-off shape 40G carburetor Ball bearing-supported crankshaft Two-year limited warranty   ¹ VIDEO I started by breaking in the engine at home with the needle set at about 2 turns from closed.  Priming in the OS.46 AX with a little fuel it took very little effort to get the engine turning on its own.  OS recommends full throttle break-in with 10 second intervals of cycling it through "4 stroke and 2 stroke" running.  In other words, they want you to run it sloppy rich for about ten seconds, then lean it out just enough to get the rpm's raised for another 10 seconds and repeat that process until the tank is empty.  While I didn't time the first tank of gas, it couldn't have been more than a 4 or 5 minute run before it ran out of fuel so I decided to repeat the process again. Satisfied with the engine performance I headed to the field for some flights.  Pre-flight inspection found a loose wheel pant, so after getting that resolved I fuelled it up with Cooper Fuels 15% and tuned the engine a few clicks shy of peak RPM.  The engine was turning the APC 11x6 prop very well with the RPM's peaking around 11k.  After satisfactory performance of the engine was presumed and a decent smoke trail was present it was time for flight. Right away during taxing I noticed the wheels were too small for our grass runway.  That combined with the wheel pants added a lot of unnecessary drag which resulted in my using a little more power than I would normally need to taxi.  My first impressions of the takeoff were good.  The Giles did a nice job holding its line with little rudder input needed, but took an unusually long time to reach lift.  I attribute this to the wheels and pants creating a great deal of resistance, but don't think it would be a problem had I installed larger wheels.  The nice thing about the Giles is the long tail moment does not allow it to nose over even in these circumstances. With full elevator, I apply full throttle a let the airplane build ground speed.  As it picks up speed I slowly let up on the elevator, let the tail rise, and just about when I get the sticks to neutral the Giles gains lift.  I am impressed at how take off doesn't require much of the pilot as do other airplanes.  However shortly after the first take off it was clear the ailerons on high rates would make for a hair raising flight, so they were quickly switched to low rates.  During assembly I set the control surfaces to their maximum throw distance on high rates, and 70% of that for low rates.  Then each of those settings received 30% exponential.  The Giles fly's nice with the ailerons set to low (my low setting) and the other surfaces set to high. Anticipation of how the Giles would fly always went through my mind as I was assembling.  Would the airplane fly well with the engine offset, would the balance be ok, would it be too heavy and fly like a rock, would the engine have enough power, would it be stable in the air and would it track well?  All these questions were quickly put aside shortly after take-off.  I always have a little shake in my thumbs when I fly a new airplane for the first time, but the Giles really allowed me to enjoy the first flight. The Giles has a long tail moment, powerful control surfaces and a swept wing which adds up to a lot of aerobatic fun.  Starting with the basics, I found the Giles to track straight and true.  Loops were nicely executed in large thanks to the OS power, and it didn't matter if it was inverted or upright, I never felt I would run out of control surface or engine.  Inverted flight does require me to hold noticeable elevator input for level flight, but I never felt it was too much I couldn't get out of it if I was in trouble.  On low rates aileron rolls are pretty fast, on high rates they'll snap the wings off the airplane fast... lightning fast!  There is no real surprise here though, roll the length of the field if you want and just throw in small elevator inputs.  It rolls great.  This also means I was able to let loose on snap rolls, whether flying the snap or just banging the sticks in the corners the Giles handles this manoeuver with style!  Knife edge flight does require some inputs to keep it on the intended line as it likes to roll left and turn in toward the gear, but the Giles makes flying the knife easier than I would expect.  It still feels solid even though you have to continually fly the knife edge, but the elevator will hold altitude through a circle or across the length of the field. It seems shortly after the first flight started I was already thinking and concerned with fuel consumption given my break-in sessions, so I decided to land.  I didn't really want to experience a dead stick landing on my first flight, so I greased it in under power using the throttle to help control its decent.  I found the first landing to settle in nicely with a fairly short run out because of the wheels and pants.  I was impressed with the glide slope while managing the power, and landing was really much less of a drama than I expected.  As it turns out I was correct in landing the airplane when I did, because if I had been in the air much longer I would have turned this Giles into a glider.  We all know how much fun it is to fly a dead stick, let alone with a new airplane, so I was pleased with my flight management.  This means I can get just a touch over 7 minutes on a tank of fuel.  Now granted, I'm running the engine rich and it's new.  However, the Giles is too much fun to be limited to 7 minutes so a larger than stock tank will have to be installed.

I like my Giles!  It fly's so nice, straight and true, it really makes flying fun.  One of the best parts of this airplane is the $129.99 price tag.  Now after getting over that shock, I couldn't believe I spent such little time assembling... less than 10 hours.  Then to have it fly like it does not only impresses me, it impresses the others at the field too.  The OS .46 AX is more than enough power with plenty of vertical ability; it starts easily and runs solid right from the first tank.  Cooper fuels 15% fuel creates a rich setting smoke I like to see in my engines, yet somehow clean up after is kept to a minimum. This is one of those airplanes you can be proud to bring to the field.  It won't take long to get flight ready and won't break the bank in the process.  I will be looking to see what other offerings Phoenix Models has available, as the Giles definitely exceeded my expectations.