My experience is the same as yours. I prefer balsa sheeted foam because of the lighter weight and because it's what I'm set up for.
Unfortunately, we are almost fully into an ARF world and modelers that can actually build an airplane are becoming rare. I'm not so sure that it's a matter of laziness rather than convenence in our busy lives. It's a sad trend in my opinion. Here in the USA, local hobby shops rarely stock contest balsa because nobody seems to want or need it anymore. I don't blame the manufacturers for this. They're simply supplying what's being demanded. As a builder, I'm finding less and less kits that fit what I want. I have no answers here, just opinions.
Verne Koester
ORIGINAL: ofremmi
Hi all
I want to state the following, and my question is; do you agree :
Compostite wings for F3A models is only about finish and low effort to get model ready for use. I have yet to see any kit that comes with composite wings that are even close to the light weight possible with balsa build-up or sheeted foam core wings. Eaxample : my Gaudius came with composite wings that with servo is about 450g (15.8 oz) per half, my own foam-core, balsa-sheeted, Monocote covered wings are about 390g (13.7) with servo. Typical kit-weights from other suppliers are 400-450g per half without servo, cables, and control HW.
Light wings are an advantage in every respect, starting and stopping roll movements, stopping spins and snaps etc. all is better with lighter wings.
Why is it then that most new models available come with composite wings, are we really that lazy ?
Ola