Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know that I maidened my Kadet Senior ARF this afternoon. I just can't get over what an incredibly sweet flying airplane it is. I'm suddenly a huge SIG fan. :-)

http://www.flightgear.org/~curt/Models/Current/EGN-1/

I was the only one at the field so I don't have any new pictures, but it flew *really* well. We had a bit of a cross wind this afternoon, but that was actually kind of fun because the Kadet lands so slowly, you really have to crab it a lot to hold the runway centerline in even a moderate cross wind ... on the last landing I touched down on the left main, rolled a couple feet, then plunked down the right main, and rolled out the rest of the way ... this plane seems to give you enough control and moves slow enough so you can do those sorts of things. I had no tracking or stabiltiy problems with the tail dragger configuration. In fact, it seemed like it came out just about perfect for 3 point landings.

It will fly level at just a couple notches over idle power ... but for being a big slow trainer type airplane, it does really nice axial rolls. I don't quite have enough power (61-FS) to hover on the prop (I tried a couple times) :-) but I do have enough power to lift off after just a couple feet take off run, and it will climb out very steep. Landings are the opposite though ... even at idle throttle she wants to float and float and float ... and float ... and float some more. I found that I could cross control the rudder/ailerons and slip a little bit to bleed off altitude, although I still need to practice that some more since I'm not very smooth with it ... especially close to the ground where you need to be smooth.

I am just really really really impressed with what a fun relaxing airplane this is to fly. I felt like I needed/wanted to use the rudder *much* more than your typical sport plane. I had to laugh at how slow it will fly. I was puttering around at just a couple clicks above idle throttle and the engine sounded like it wanted to quit at any time it was running so slow ...

It seems like everyon in my club tends to fly hot shot sport planes or extras or warbirds .... bigger, faster, louder, and I've tended to go that direction too, but this plane is a really fun change of pace, and it's a lot of fun to work the rudder and ailerons together and actually feel like you are accomplishing something useful.

Fun, fun, fun!

Curt.