I'll have to get back to you on the measurements, but about some other things, I installed an Ohio RC tail gear that gets the tail wheel back farther. I do this on all my bibes with shorter moments as the Pitts and Eagle have. This increases the wheel base and ground handeling is no problem. I also use expo on the rudder. Equiped and programed this way, takeoffs are uneventfull. I have a Goldberg Ultimate as well. This plane will fly more like the typical biplane than the Ultimate (more coupling, ect), but still a good flyer and very aerobatic. Assembly takes less than 10 minutes for me without the optional flying wires. I leave the cabanes attached to the top wing, when I disassemble it.
ORIGINAL: jpmodels
Ok. I read most of this thread and it's been a fantastic resource. I'm going to buy one of these planes and put a DA-50 in it. I do have a few questions and I would appreciate input from the current owners of the Eagle:
-Have there been any significant improvements over the years that this plane has been for sale? Do I need to look out for old stock that may have problems?
-I read along the way that take-offs are a bit hairy. What's the collective opinion on that? I've flown things that shouldn't fly, but my only biplane experience was a Goldberg Ultimate... a pretty tame beast. I've developed reflexes for some crazy things, but I don't want to sink $1500 into a nightmare that collects dust.
-Finally, could somebody grab a tape measure and tell me a few heights (fuselage only). While on level ground with stock landing gear, how high is the tail, the fuselage in front of the tail, the canopy and the highest part of the cowling? From time to time I may need to disassemble this thing and wedge it into my car to go to other clubs. I hate to have to make modifications to accommodate... The wife gets angry when I cut our car apart
. On that note, one more question if I may... Is it practical in any sense to disassemble and reassemble this plane, or does it take an hour to make connections and align everything?
Thanks a lot.
Jon