I'm a bit of a neophyte, but I'm getting closer to mastering the Dura Trainer. I searched here for info on this plane, however little was found. So I'm going to donate my $.02:

The plane flies well and is definitely sturdy... Several cartwheel'd takeoffs and landings left only props broke and nosegears bent.

But, to get a lower-maintenance plane, the input of many others was required. I was getting help daily from the wonderful Wichita RC Club members so that now I no longer need to spend 1+ hour in repair time between landings - hence, more FLIGHT time!

- Use LARGER wheels. They ask for 2.5", but this resulted in the grass getting mowed even while on a freshly-mowed field, and the engine stopping from the prop hitting the ground on landings (no touch 'n goes). The 3.5" wheels I added is MUCH better.

- Use a 9x7 prop. Going from the requested 10" to 9" gives an extra .5" clearance, and the extra pitch helps make up for the lost length.

- Put two nuts on the rear wheels' axle. Even with the thread-lock, my wheel managed to become very loose. The second nut helps keep the first nut from coming off.

- Don't put the nose gear on backwards. To me, it was all the same. But I learned that the impacts of my landings was uncoiling the spring in the nose gear. This resulted in the nose gear bending in many directions thereby never tracking straight on a take-off (and decreasing the distance the prop has to the ground).

- File the nose gear flat. Do this where the 6x32 1/4" screw goes through the steering arm to meet the nose gear so that the wheel won't turn around on rough landings.

Hope this helps others. Please feel free to add more to my list, inasmuch that what I have now has also been input from others.

-David