A good friend of mine started flying Sportsman this year. She is getting better and better. The plane she flew this year was a Tiger 60 ARF, with an OS 61 on the front. She won a few contests this year and placed well. There were also typical sportsman issues with a couple dead sticks and such that took here out of contention is a contest or two but overall she did really well with that model. She does have a new model setup for next year and a Intermediate.

She has a New Excelleron 90 with a YS 110 on the front. I helped with the construction a little and its a very well built model. I haven't seen it fly yet. A good friend of ours helped finish it up and test fly it for her and said it flew very well.

Should be a really good combo for her to fly. I think its a pretty cost effective way to get going. There is a desire to have the latest and greatest FAI level wide body 2m model but you don't need it. In fact even in Masters class you don't need it. The manuevers that masters class is doing this year ( 45 down snaps and avalanche snap rolls) can all be done very well with older style model like late 90's stuff. The newer FAI models are really geared toward the horizontal and upline snaps, as well as the rolling loops and circles that we have to do in F3A. For all the AMA classes you can get by with a older design that is trimmed well and flying straight.

For Sportsman the key is that your motor works and you have a well trimmed and model that is built straight. There are lots of choices. Any of the sticks, Tigers, UltraSports, or event he 120 sized scale aerobatic stuff like the extra's, Yak's and so on will work great.

Another one to consider is the Quique 72" Yak 54. I have seen the kit and its an impressive little model. Very well designed. On a YS 140 Sport (FZ) it is under 11lbs and should fit the bill. This is another inexpesive alternative.


Troy Newman