The Avistar is a wonderful plane for a beginner!

It was designed for the OS .40 FP engine, a light engine. The successor to the FP is the LA. With an OS .46 LA and an 11 X 4 prop, the Avistar will do everything but Flip-Flop (some say 3-D).

Pay heed to sscherin: "Balance was perfect with the FP 40 but I had to add some tail weight with the .45"

Note what donhef recomends, if you use the more powerful ball-bearing engines: "I would suggest glassing the wing joint with fiberglass tape and epoxy, as this will add more strength for when you get into aerobatic practice."

The expert can fly an over-powered, nose heavy airplane just fine. The beginner has trouble bringing such a plane to landing.

I once "taught" a relatively new flier to land his Avistar just by taping quarters onto the tail, one at a time, until he was able to land smoothly. Yep, bb 40!

You will soon have more than one airplane and more than one engine. Give yourself a break and put the .46 LA with an 11 X 4 prop on your Avistar. Go Hot-Shot later.

Ken Erickson
30 years helping the airplanes teach people to fly.