I have been shopping for a new 50cc Yak 54 between 85 and 90 inches. I'm considering a few choices, Thunder Tiger, Magic Hand, Somenzini, Extreme Flight, Aeroworks and the Carden. Anyone own or flown any of these or have any thoughts pro and con on a good choice?

http://www.pilot-rc.us/


I've got a build thread on the 100cc version here. [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8117194/tm.htm]click here for Pilot-RC build[/link]

I have an aeroworks yak ( In fact this is my second) . Excellent ARF Quality, very well crafted , exceptionally strong , light and visiable beautiful. The QB is very complete and goes together very quickly with very little grief.

It flies like a dream . Goes just where you point it . Literally unitl you tellit to do something else.

My first had a OS 120 FS and the second an OS 120 AX . Both had more than enough power to do all of the basic Imac routines - quite easily .

In fact the guys with the 40% Gassers are always asking to fly it . We all agree it is more nimble and agile.

I fly off a grass field, Black Dirt Squadron , and as with any plane of ths size the landgear mount needs strengthening to handle the grass field.

This year the grass is going to be shorter so the stock gear mount would be adequate.

My overall impression is 10 out of 10 .

I will answer questions posted on this forum.

I flying 85' peakmodel yak54,it's great for 3D.
Wing Span: 85"(2160mm)
Length:80"(2035mm)
Wing Area: 1429sq in(92.2sq dm)
Weight: 15-16.8lbs(6800-7600g)

CF tube and Anodized Aluminum long arms

btw I admire their service,7 days arrived.
their website:www.peakmodel.com

Chooch,
You are about to start a major war of brands here...

I'll start. The QQ Yak is about the best of the best. It is the lightest I've seen. Mine weighed 16lbs 6 ozs ready to fly, less fuel, with a DA50R. It is the best quality you can get and is a wonderfully good flying plane. It is the most complete and has the easiest of the easy cannister mount, if you want that. QQ flys one and wins everything he enters with it. Customer service is the best.

I had the AeroWorks Yak also. It is a great plane and equal to QQ in every way but weight. My weighed 18lbs 8ozs. Too heavy for my "thin air". Excellent customer service.

The EF Yak is a great plane, but it's heavy for a 50cc plane. Better suited for a 60CC engine. Most are 17.5lbs to 18lbs from what I can see, but I don't personally have one.

The WildHare Sukohi might also be a choice if you want something similar but different. Wild Hare will be the least expensive and will be a great plane. I have a WH Edge 50cc and a Sukhoi 100CC. Both are very nice planes. Weight is about average. Customer service is excellent.

Thunder Tiger is the same as TOC I think. They are handled by TBM I think. I have a TOC 33% Yak. It was the hardest to build of all the planes I've had but one of the very best flyers. The quality is better than average but less than the QQ and EF and Wild Hare. But, speaking for my self, I was more than pleased with the way mine flies. It's outstanding, so the little things I've had to work out seem to be worth it.

The Carden looks great to me. But it you read about it many think the quality is a bit of a let down. They are expecting "Carden" quality but are getting H-9 quality which isn't bad but not the VERY best. Some are complaining about the way the canopy mounts and the paint match on the cowl, etc.

If I was doing it again...I'd still go with the QQ. Doesn't get any better than that.

Thanks
Barry

TOC, Aviation Models, SD is now ThunderTiger and not carried by TBM. If you like any of those models, you would be comfortable with the Pilot-RC line. Many improvements have been included such as pre hinged, pre glued canopys and pre installed firewall and fuel system. High quality equal to or exceding QQ and EF. Lots of pics on my build thread posted earlier. They have a promotion going on now, [link=http://www.pilot-rc.us/]Look here[/link] TBM will carry this line also.

The Magic Hand Yaks are also nice, TBM has those on sale now also , to your door under $500 !! [link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/newsite/aeroplanes/magichand/magichand_yak54_87.html]MAGIC HAND WOW![/link]

Barry said it best. Its more of a brand war and most will chime in with thier plane that is the best. If you want a 50cc that just flies, any one will do. If you have ambitions of flying competetively you want something that flies like a dream.
My rankings are:
Quique 86" DA 50. Lightest, most competent plane in this size.
Aeroworks DA 50 Very nice quality like the QQ, just more weight.
EF 88" Evolution 58. Again, heavier and needs bigger power.

Chooch what things are you looking for in the Yak to help make your move easier?

Thank you so far for everyones valuable input. What I'm looking for is a well built light plane that will 3d well and will be rock solid in harriers as posible.

I have a EF 87" yak it weighs in at at 17lbs and flies like a dream, rock solid all the way around.