Gotta get my 2 cents in here. Built my skybolt kit the winter of 2005/2006. I've read all the threads I could find and no one has appropriatly described the virtues of this Bipe. I'm not sure anyone could do it justice, it is just one sweet biplane. All the info these guys give is accurate, I don't think you could make a mistake with what ever engine you put in this plane. Mine is powered with a Saito 100 weighs in at just over 10.0 lbs. is built like a tank (after I framed out the fuselage with the two ply hard balsa sides I used it for batting practice) no extra weight added just moved stuff around to get it on the cg per plans. You can definitly save some weight in the building process. Have one of these know it alls guide you to the thread ( believe me these guys do know it all,don't questiont their knowledge of this plane).
Do yourself a favor just get the plane built pick an engine and go have yourself a ball. It is an honest airplane, no surprises, no bad tendencies. If you read all the threads you'll have all the knowledge you need to handle this bipe. If you have mastered a low wing trainer this is the plane for ya. It is a bit of a build but that was half the fun.
Just as someone said as I finished mine they came out with the ARF. One of the guys showed up with one ( mine was a totally different color scheme) and asked me to trim fly it for him, sure why not I'd love to fly your plane, and of we go. The ARF had a OS90 surpass in it weighed in at 8.0 lbs. and if it wasn't for the color I would not have known the difference. I'm glad to see this as an arf cause a lot more good/ great pilots will get a chance to fly a Great Plane, that otherwise would not or could not build this gem.
The best advice one of these guys gave me was just throw the sticks to the corners any corners and watch what the plane does let go the sticks and she's back. Inverted flats awesome, knife edge you gotta flyit,not unlimited vertical but how high do I have to go, all the basic aerobatics are there the plane is more cabable than this pilot. Second season it is still teaching me.

nough said,
sjack