I kept seeing second, third hand info (typical web rumor) about the Giles having a wing incidence problem. Can anyone give first-hand experience / advice about this if it is a problem? A guy in our club has one and it looks and flies great - he reported no such in his plane. What is up?

I assembled mine just as it came out of the box with the exception of the engine thrust-line. It just looked like too much up-thrust so I put a 1\16 ply spacer under the upper motor mount screws, this was using the TLAR formula (That Looks About Right). It flies straight and true with no elevator trim, elevators at dead neutral.

Thanks RJ,

I hope to test fly this weekend- weather permitting.

Chris

Good luck Chris, Just remember, do not take off on your first flight unless you are pretty sure your engine is running reliably and will not quit. This is not the plane you want to make your first landing dead stick. Do not get low and slow, keep up your speed on landing, do not try to float it in or the dreaded tip-stall might get you. Keep your speed up and don't go over the recommended elevator throws for the first few flights.
Have a great day.

Perhaps we're not talking about the same airplane. Your 8.5 lbs. with a .91 doing knife edge loops doesn't sound like the quarter scale Great Planes Giles (73" WS, 13 lbs.) in the original post.

Nice to hear that someone was pleased with it though.

For me - rainy all weekend and no test flight - bah!

If you're having trouble landing a big plane then you better get use to it. Fact is thats how the big planes handle, keep the speed up till 5 feet off the deck then cut and land. Dont flaire it like you would a trainer, because trainers are meant to be dinged around.

A heavy plane also contributes to bad landing tendancies, so remember keep the speed up till about 5 feet off the ground then cut and land and you should have no problems.

The one problem another 1/4 GP Giles owner at my field had was landing with high rates (3D throws) on - it snapped on the turn to final. But, with the high rates and a little extra altitude, he saved it. Just turn off the extreme throws when landing is the lesson.

Finally! Got to test fly last Sun. Takeoff was spectacular - rolled about 8-10 feet and was off and climbing with about 1/2 throttle and minimal elevator. The first landing was about a 10.5 on the spinctometer - dead stick because I set the needle too rich. The Giles made a beautiful approach to a wheel landing right in front of the flight line gallery. The glide was fast but very flat and easily controlled. No worries about powered approaches now! Gonna be a great airplane!