Original: Markcp
The plane is nice for the money but it could be so much better, the airfoil is way too thick for one and some of the parts are way too heavy (each boom weighs 10 oz) I sure I could replace them at 5 oz each saving 10 oz total
It seems that for the most part everyone expects this plane to go ballistic when in reality it's not designed to break any speed records or even come close. It's a glow powered sport jet. The booms are constructed with light ply in addition to balsa. To get them down to 5 oz. you would probably have to build them entirely from balsa which personally I would not trust to hold up the stab. IMO, an AUW of less than 8 lbs. for this size and type of plane is pretty good. I will agree, at $99 it does lend itself well to experimentation.