Hello all,

I have a Goldberg Sr. Falcon (ARF) that I'm learning to fly on. It's powered by an OS .46 LA. I've joined a club that has a grass field, and the Falcon has difficulty getting off the ground. Basically I have to hold full up elevator while making the takeoff run. (I have dual-rates set up so on high-rate the elevator throw is what the manual recommends for experienced fliers. My instructors and I have only been flying it on the high-rate.) Anyway, once the thing is in the air I ease off on the elevator and climb slowly until it picks up speed and then I climb out. Unfortunately our field has trees near one end of the runway, which makes me really nervous as I have to turn right away to avoid them. Once in the air it flies fine on 3/4 throttle, but one instructor told me that it'd be better if it had more power so I could power myself out of trouble. (But another instructor said that forces me to learn good flying habits.) Also, when shooting approaches I get nervous about the trees when I go around.

I really wish I had bought the OS .46 AX (which is rated at 1.6 bhp) instead of the LA (rated at 1.2 bhp). Unfortunately, I can't really swap engines now unless I do some major surgery to the front end (it has a plywood engine mounting plate (with blind nuts) that's epoxied to hardwood beams).

I am tempted to install flaperons to try to shorten the takeoff run (it already has two aileron servos). Or maybe I'll buy a tachometer so I can safely lean the engine out as much as possible. Or possibly higher-nitro fuel? (I'm using 10% now.)

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Reassurances?