...i would prefer balsa but would consider foam - it needs to be an ARf and it needs to hover with ease...and pull vertically out of a hover with power to spare - Northeast Sailplanes has the Flashcat (in the pics, it looks like more of a sport pattern design than a 3D ship) and the Triangle (from the pics, it looks like the rudder doesn't extend through the elevator)...

...Jason Shulman's Exhila looks interesting, but i've seen a lot of them for sale (is there a problem?) - the Freedom 3D that Mega USA carries also looks interesting...

...anyone with any experience with any of these models that could make recommendations?...or at least has seen them fly and could tell me which of these (or another one not listed) is the best 3D/Hoverbatics performer?...

Hi Gary,

What you mean to ask is that you are looking for a good 3D power system not a good 3D ARF. The R/C market is flooded with many good models that can be powered to pull up vertical from a hover.

You need to narrow the scope of your search a bit by stating size, cost, and assembly or material preferences.

My Fliton Flubber has a 2:1 thrust to weight ratio but is also powered by a $200 Lehner 1020/15 power system from [link=http://www.b-p-p.com/Lehner.htm]Bishop Power Products[/link]. My .60-size Graupner Showflyer also has a 2:1 thrust to weight ratio but is powered by a $500 MaxCim geared motor.

Neither of these prices includes the plane or Lithium batteries but both are covered balsa ARFs.

...thanks for the reply - i should have been more specific - i did mention that i preferred balsa...but would consider foam - i didn't mention a size preference...because anything from the size of my avatar on down (The Knife, 40 size fun fly which hovers with ease - i just want to do it with an electric) - size isn't critical - i'd really like to have a couple - something in the 10-25 oz. size range and something in the 2-4 lb. size range - my number one priority is that the plane hovers & harriers easily...

...there's so many choices...it's just hard to tell when you live in an area where you've seen NONE of them fly - you watch their advertising videos and it's still hard to tell how easily a plane hovers...because on the advertising video, you're watching some hot shot kid (who was a former national video game champion, who could fly with one hand tied behind his back) or you're watching Jason Shulman or some other former TOC competitor and he's flying some tricked out setup that i'll never be able to duplicate and he makes hovering the plane look easy - then the plane arrives and you find out the plane is very unstable in hover and you don't have close to enough power to hover, etc...

...that's the kind of problems i'm trying to avoid in making a $500 - $1,000 dollar decision...and i think it's tough - you can buy a fuel fun-fly 40, strap on a Saito .72 (and your whole setup can be ordered from one vendor), and it's relatively easy for an over 55 (that's me) flyer to hover - not so with electric...

...i'd like to be able to order it all from one vendor (probably not possible with electrics) and i'd like HALFWAY DECENT, ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS - and i'd like to be able to set it all up without hours and hours of major modifications to mount the engine, etc...(i know, i ask a lot)...

...with my Firecat, after purchasing multiple battery packs, i had over $700 invested...and the instructions were PATHETIC! - i think it's somewhat of an insult to invest that much and get instructions that are almost non-existent (i've been in the hobby a lot of years (only 3 yrs. in electrics) and i was able to figure it all out and i really like the Firecat - still going with over 200 flights)...but still...do i expect too much?...

...IMO, Global has the best instructions, but they're 3D lineup right now is........well, name one - i read your Filton Flubber review - it sounded real interesting (i still haven't seen any videos of it hovering)...and then i read a post where the elevator joiners were missing out of all the Flubber kits, so that made me wonder about kit quality and how good the instructions would be with it...

...just having a hard time making a decision - any additional input would be appreciated (your Graupner Showflyer sounds cool but it's probably a little too big for my taste in electrics...and a little too pricey)...

Gary,

You may want to try something initially that will give you a confidence boost and some experience in electric flight. The stock Pigi 3D from [link=http://www.hobby-lobby.com/pigi.htm]Hobby Lobby[/link] is an example of a 1.5lb EPP foam design that is cost effective and guaranteed to please.

The Pigi 3D is also easy to modify. The biggest power upgrade is to replace the stock NiMH pack with two 3-cell Kokam 1500HC packs plugged in parallel. You get longer flights with a lighter plane.

Other mods. like new control horn holes closer to the surface will increase your throw range (especially on aileron). Somtimes, replacing the HS-55 aileron servos with HS-85 increase the speed also.

Bigger e-conversions are the next wave in e-flight. You'll see magazines and vendors focusing more on this aspect very soon. For many of us, we have been doing this for years but every show I attend I see people that had no idea.

As prices drop on the larger electric power systems, an electric conversion from .25 to .90 size will become commonplace.

...thanks for the reply - the Pigi just never has got me too excited - i don't know what it is...maybe the name - PIGI!...i viewed Hobby Lobby's video and i didn't think it was too exciting either...

...for plane number one, i've kinda narrowed it down to 3D Foamy's Turbo Raven or Flatfoam's Vortex...

...for plane #2 i'm thinking about the Freedom 3D or maybe waiting on Great Plane's newly announced Sukhoi w/Kontronik combo to ship...i still can't make up my mind, though...