I have a Partner set up with a 140DZ, and I love it. I would like to have Tony fly mine to see what he thinks -- maybe at Riverside? Anyway, the Partner is a very solid airplane. It goes straight up, straight down, rolls beautifully (mine is top hinged), snaps very predictably, slow rolls and point rolls are easy and do not require much rudder. It handles wind very well. Landing in wind is also particularly easy. Knife edge with very little rudder. Knife edge does not have any roll couple, but a slight pitch to the belly. I have yet to mix this out. I just fly with it. Tony -- does yours have any pitch couple?

In my opinion, there is no better kit or design on the market. The Partner is THE pattern plane to which all others should be measured. The combination of design features are found in no other pattern plane in the world as far as I know. These are: 1) small chin piece instead of a long belly pan, 2) light, stiff, all composite canopy instead of a heavy, flimsy clear canopy (I wish kit manufactures would stop using clear canopies), 3) plug in wings, 4) huge fuselage yet probably the lightest of all the big bodied pattern planes available. My bare kit fuse, canopy, chin piece weighed 742 grams. Very large and convenient top access (After building, I have yet to turn mine upside down, and I have had the engine out of it a few times. There is no reason to turn it upside down at the field.) And 6), the best looking pattern plane. While this is subjective, I added it to the list because several people have said this this is the best looking pattern plane they have ever seen.

I have a ZN line Supreme kit and I really like it. But if I had to choose, the winner without any doubt is the Partner. The Supreme has a large clear canopy which is heavy and very flimsy. I don't like clear canopies (anybody have a carbon replacement yet?). The design of the Supreme's side vents are a little annoying. You need to cover those yourself with something like 1/64 ply or thin glass laminate. I am going to make these vents functional; I will probably glue .01 glass laminate to the inside of the vents, and then mount my firewall. But covering the vent channel is an extra step and something that could come unglued later on. The PL side vents are a better design and look nicer in my opinion. The quality of the Supreme fuse is actually better than the Partner however. So dispite my gripes, I do like the Supreme very well. But I have zero gripes about the Partner. It is the perfect kit and plane.

All of the other pattern plane designs have something that I do not like. The Hydeaway has a clear canopy. Same with the Temptation, Focus. The Lazulite has a long belly pan and is ugly. Or the other great designs have one piece wings.

Sorry to run on and be so blunt about things, but hopefully other manufactures will figure out a way to improve on the Partner. Until then, it will remain the best.

David