ORIGINAL: 8178
Some thoughts about ARFs and “classic pattern” flying.
As far as I know there is only one 60 size ARF still available that that might qualify as a “classic pattern” aircraft and that is the Global Kwik Fly 60 L 2nd Edition. One of the guys in our club has one and it doesn’t look much like any of Phil Kraft’s Kwik Flis to me. It is mostly a Kwik Fly in name only. See image below. Plus the covering is coming off and is wrinkled.
You might qualify some of the current 60 size Ugly Stick ARFs as classics but none of them that I know of are the same size as Phil Kraft’s original Ugly Stik. The original Jenson Ugly Stik was a fine flying aircraft but not exactly a hot pattern ship.
The Globe Kwik Fly and Ugly Stiks have not been much of a topic on this forum. The guys at Wing talked about building custom “classic pattern” aircraft last year but the idea apparently died.
Fortunately there are still a lot of great kits (current manufacturers and old ones on ebay/RCU) and plans available for flyers that are looking for a “classic pattern” ship. Most all of them are pretty easy and quick to build especially the glass and foam kits.
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There are as many value systems of ARF versus homebuilts as there are people.
I have never been able to build straight enough for pattern competition. That was one of the biggest reasons that I didn't go anywhere in pattern. Not that I would have been anything great anyway, but at least some of the guys on the circuit would have remembered me.
The folks that could build straight in my area would not follow instructions. They would add their own little twists (too much incidence or dihedral), thinking that they knew better than the designer of the model (me). I flew in a few pattern contests and placed or won in all - lower classes. Nothing high falootin'.
I also had a devining basement in my home. You could take a perfectly straight airframe down there and within two weeks it would be warped. Crooked pattern ships are miserable to fly. Forget building anything straight and having it stay straight down there. <G>
The Tower Kaos is a pretty good ARF for folks piddling around in the lower classes. That is probably what I will fly until I get my Kaos built from plans.