ICE_MAN

I just got back from the hobby shop and he happened to have a 40 sized funtana. He opened it up and after examining it my dad and i fell in love. And dad said if i raised half the money for it he'd pay for the rest! So my question is will i be able to fly this plane (with a little help) with trainer experience? My other question it how will my ST51 fly it?

John Murdoch

My Feedback: (11)

Good for you (and your Dad). The Funtana can be a docile as you need it to be and it can be wound up to be as wild as you want it. Personally, I see the Funtana as one of the most responsive, yet tame airplanes I've ever flown. If you've had trainer experience, I think you're going to love it's flight characteristics much more than that of a trainer. You can only hang on to the trainer thing for just so long. More than that, you're impeeding your ability to advance. The ST 51 should be just fine. I'm supposing you're not going out to 3D right off the bat anyway, huh? Have a ball with it and good luck.

EXCAP232

My Feedback: (12)

This plane is a considerable jump from a trainer. While you can (and should) minimize the control throws this type of plane would be best suited for a 3rd or 4th plane (in my opinion). The engine is quite adequate for the plane. I use an OS 91 4/S in mine for hovering and KE loops etc. You will need to seek an experienced pilot to help if you want to use this as a second plane. I have some members of my club that are uncomfortable with this plane after flying for quite some time. It can get you into trouble in an instant and you will need reflex inputs to recover.

EXCAP232

Iceman30

My Feedback: (14)

I fly one and it is an awesome plane...however I helped a guy set up a something extra as a 3rd plane today and realized how easy it was to fly compaired to my funtana...i do have a 100 saito on it so power dif was great but the funtana is an experenced pilots plane, IMO...the So extra is good but the best and i beleive most will back me up on this is a 4 star...it will do all you need for a while and then you can clip the last bays off the wing and it's much faster and harder to fly due to higher wing loading...but if you go for the funtana..set up the plane as light as possible and set forward cg...it will snap roll on you with lots of elevator...see big diffrence in trainer and an acro plane is the wing design and location...going to a funtana is a huge step in both directions...if you really want it..i would suggest going on buddy box first couple of flights to get the feel of it and not lose a great flying plane !!!

do a search on 2nd plane recomendations on rcu...don't know how many would recommend the funtana

halfandhalf825

I personally do not think it is a very good second plane. You should aim for a ultra stick or Magic.

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Yeah I agree. It's harder to assemble for a second plane too. I'd go with an Ultra Stick 40. The FuntanaS is NOT a 2nd plane IMO. It was my 5th and it took some work to get it together correctly. The control surfaces are gigantic, you would't be using the full throws for quite a while so why even get it. Wait until a few planes later and then got it, that's what I did at least.

Joe

Funtana_Cody

I completely agree, I have two years flying experience and the Funtana has been my 5th plane also. DO NOT use this as your second plane. Especially if you dont have low wing and tail dragger landing experience.

Shogun

My Feedback: (2)

I second the Sig 4 Star wholeheartedly. IMO it is THE model to move up to as a second plane. I know it may not look as sexy as the Funtana but it is 100% FUN and easy to fly. You simply can't go wrong with one and regardless of which one you buy they basically fly the same. If money is an issue get the .40 but if you can afford it I would say get the .60 because bigger flys smoother.

ICE_MAN

I think im plenty capable of flyin this plane. Im good with my trainer and have some time on a tiger 60 witha 91 fs so i think i could mess around with the funtana.

_WIT_

The FuntanaS is one gorgeous aircraft, no? I had to have one just because it is so pretty

I got mine flying last season, have about 50 flights on it with a Saito91, and am looking forward to flying the wheels off it this season.

I'd say this - don't be scared of trying it, but be advised that while it can be tame if setup up that way, it can certainly be a handful otherwise. If you keep the CG in the recommended range, and keep the throws set NO higher than recommended low rate throws (as mentioned above - this is key), you'll likely do ok. This airplane lands like a dream, and flies honest - if setup correctly. (Don't exceed low rate throws, keep CG in book range)

After you get a good scald on it, THEN crank up the throws and move the CG back.

rino

My Feedback: (121)

I bought the Funtana as my second plane and it has worked out well. My first plane was a Big Stick 60 and I spent about 6 months on it before going to the Funtana. It can be a tricky plane so set the CG at 5 1/2 and low rates (see manual) on the control throws. This plane will roll so fast on high rates that it can get away from you in a hurry. It's very responsive and won't take the beating your trainer will. I have ripped the gear block out twice on landings that weren't that hard. I would recommend beefing up the gear block before you fly it. Also, buy Dubro axles because the stock ones fall apart which equals a ripped out gear block unless you can harrier really well.

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

Get it! you will not be dissapointed. I dont know why the other guys are saying its a tough plane to fly, it is simply not. It will float along at a fast paced walking speed for landing. Due to its thick airfoil, it slows down really quick when you chop the throttle. Landings are a breeze though. Remember to prop it for thrust, with your engine a 12x5 would be great. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A FAST PLANE! If you wanted something faster then your trainer, dont get the funtana. One of my students (well he's soloed now) wanted to try out my funtana, after having only trainer and cub experience, i got it to a safe alt and gave him the Tx. He loved it! He did excellent to. Set your CG to the forward limit (5" i think) and set your throws real low. If you have dual rates, set your high rates to what the manu. sez the low rates shoud be, then set your low rate to about 50% of that, you should be fine. It is best to have a computer radio for this plane to get the most out of it.

My advice, get it. Just make sure to get on a buddy cord until you can takeoff and land with ease.

sean

ICE_MAN

Thanks guys. I have a futaba 6exa radio so ill definatly put the throws way down. And ill have the hobby shop guys examine my building and help me set cg and throws. _WIT_ man it really is pretty sweew the guy at the hobby shop opened it up and its gorgeous man the fuselage and wings are like 1/2 the weight of my trainer!

Shogun

My Feedback: (2)

I don't mean to sound like I'm belittling you so please don't take it that way. I have one of these and have personally watched 4 others get built and flown, all by pilots that have a LOT of experience with many other types of models/flying including large scale 3D flying. ALL of them, including mine, have either been crashed or biffed really hard. Sure you can "mess around" with it but when you do make a mistake there won't be much there to fix since this plane is built very lite and you can break it very easily.

Nobody is saying you won't be able to fly this plane, after all it's a 4 channel plane and pretty much is flown like any other. The big question is, how long will it last and how will that help you to progress in the hobby?

Mine has bit me twice and fortunately I have not destroyed it. Landings are where it will get you. Line up on final and everything looks fine and then WHAM it just falls out of the air and pancakes onto the gear HARD. Happened with mine at about 2 feet, I also watched it happen to 2 other guys that were at about 10 feet which resulted in a total loss of both planes. THis happens so fast that none of us could prevent it, a real eye opening experience to say the leasy. This plane will slow down on you all at once and stall and simply fall out of the sky, if you have the alt that's no big deal but on an approach is can result in a pile of sticks.

I fly mine with a Saito .72 and the maiden flight was with an APC 13 x 6, which was all I had on hand that day. I noticed none of the drop out of that air bad habits that I had heard about that day. I had ordered a pair of 14 x 4W APC fun fly props from the LHS to use since the 13 x 6 just didn't have the pull I was looking for. Well that one change turned my Funtana into a pulling fool but it also resulted in the slowdown/stall on landings, the prop acts like a big airbrake. You will learn a lot from this airplane but you might end up owning 2 or 3 before you get it all figured out.