Originally posted by Whirley Bird
.From your past post I didn't expect anything nice from you.
The Super Star Select has been on the market for over 6 years now and is the # 1 selling RTF.
There are few Avistar planes pushing close to 150 MPH with the 46 LX BB engine and giving planes that cost a $1,000.00 or mre a good run for the money.
They climb fast and can do super fast snap rolls.
What do you and your club bembers do ?
Tell them to leave because their trainer is junk?
The plane below has a 6 foot wing span and will do 60+ MPH and climb for the sky like a home sck Angel and that s with a 10X6 prop.
I don't know whats going on here but this bickering you guys are doing is completely ridiculous.
Having said that I'd like to make some comments on the above quote as it pertains to the original posters concerns. I'm not bashing anybody as I don't know you from Joe down the street.
The thing that got my attention is why would anyone want to suggest this type of plane to a beginner??? For the sake of argument lets say this plane is even close to doing 150mph. Would you want a beginner at your field with this type of plane??? It will be harder for him to learn; the instructor will always be taking control back every few seconds. A momemts lapse with a plane like this and it could be all over with disasterous results (i.e. flys into the pits).
I'll agree that the Avistar is a good flying plane but in no way would I recommend it to a beginner. Its about as excellent as second airplane can get. It has a semi-symetrical airfoil and will get you into more precise aerobatics. The other airplanes on the list would be a much better choices but as also mentioned here, I've seen some pretty shoddy work come out of the box.
In this area, during the winter, 90% of the flyers are retired winter visitors. These are great old guys but with reflexes slowing and eye sight fading, the range of suitable planes gets narrow. As such, I've seen and helped with just about every trainer available. A couple of times I have walked to the flight line to seen nothing but high wing trainers some days. By far the best one is the Sig LT-40; hands down, par none. Around here it is the #1 sought after trainer. I can't say enough good things about it. It is a typical Sig high quality product, it assembles very easily, and with a ball bearing .40 is a perfect trainer. Its big, slow yet very controlable, and easy to fly. Later when your more capable, you can put a bigger motor on it. I've seen them used for glider tow (both pull and piggy-back), camera planes, night flyers, candy/parachute droppers, etc.... The funnest is a .91 four stroke, flaperons, max control surface throw, set-up for tail dragger, and an aft CG, its a great club fun-fly plane. It still wont be very fast but it'll still have a light wing loading. You'll be winning time/glide, and spot landing contests all day. One guy uses his set-up this way for a hovering practice plane.
Hope this helps,
Mike