ORIGINAL: Jburry
So you'd like a nice high wing large size aerobat with a moderate engine size. Sounds like a Cub/Taylor Craft/Citabria/Super Dec would be appropriate. These are a class of very similar aircraft, originally designed (full scale) as high wing aerobatic trainers. They can be built as clipped wing versions (very common in Cub's) that improve the aerobatic capabilities. These planes are NOT trainers, but can be flown in a very relaxing manner, or run thru beautiful scale aerobatic routines. They also look great on floats.
This class of plane is often a second or 3rd plane. Better as a 3rd, since they're all subject to things like ground loops, and they don't self correct to the same degree as a trainer. Some are also a bit snappy, I hear. Generally, tho, they're quite docile and predictable, especially when flown "scale".
The beauty of a cub type aircraft is also in their size. You can fly a HUGE cub on a .60 size engine. 80" wouldn't be out of the question. Hangar 9 has a 107" (I think) 1/4 scale cub that flies on a 1.00-1.20 size engine, for example.
More trainer time wouldn't hurt you either, but if you want scale, this is where I'd head. Personally, I'd just get another trainer, and take the time to really grow with it instead of just whacking the sticks about until it does something or crashes. Your posts here point to someone who hasn't even nearly mastered his trainer yet. That's why 2 (or is it 3?) are dead. Slow down, fly, fly, fly, and bring it home in 1 piece each day. It'll take you years to truely outgrow a trainer. Most trainers are retired, crashed or forgotten just when the pilot is beginning to be able to learn from it.
I've been flying 3 years now. My 3 channel .25 trainer has tought me a whole bunch just in the last couple outtings.
J
Jburry, I guess you hit it right on the mark. I prematurely crashed my trainer, getting bored and being stupid. I really was bored with the trainers though. I am flying well with my Dolphin, but would like a more relaxing plane in the hangar as well. Something inside me doesn't want to go back to a trainer, unless there's one that looks really great (semi-scale). I think I would be bored with an Avistar. I am curious about going to .60 size, and you mentioned some planes that you know I want to look at, while you know I could also still benefit from a trainer. I really don't understand what I would learn from the Avistar that I won't learn from the Dolphin; it is still a forgiving plane - low wing, but has low wing loading and has some dihedral.
Where I'm at now: Crashed 2 trainers, being bored, being stupid, trying to show off. One thing though is that it might just go with the progression - did you crash planes by the time you were flying inverted patterns and doing some nice aerobatics? Even people with experience can make a mistake and hit down instead of up when doing rolling inverted maneuvers. I was slightly challenged by the Nexstar's tendency to roll, and really dive with rudder input. I could land the Avistar practically sideways in a 15mph+ cross wind. Used rudder to do many things, from turning to landing, just not inverted yet. Now I have the Dolphin. The rudder is much bigger, so I am spending time learning how it affects the plane. I am also working on learning the descent rate, so that I can land a little slower. I am practicing hammerheads and knife edges, as they are moves that require lots of rudder use. I don't like planes that self correct. I can return the plane to level when I am ready; this is a feature that I really don't need or want (self correcting). I am getting very proficient at Cuban 8's, Immelmann turns, and similar moves. I am starting to use rudder to track in a straight line while doing loops. As I write this, I'm thinking about what I really want...something larger so I don't get disoriented as easily, something that might fly a little slower if I want it to, but can still perform like the Dolphin.
I just looked at the Taylorcraft and the Citabria, and the Decathlon, and would LOVE one of these planes. Are any of them available still as ARF?
I guess I'd like to hear why or why not I should get one of these - you think I should go back to a trainer? Why (just curious, not saying you'd be wrong)? I've been without a plane for 2 weeks after a crash, and was even without my Dolphin for 3 days. I want to have another plane for relaxing flight and for these kinds of situations. Looks are very important to me, especially for a high wing plane. Again, I just don't see what I'd get out of another Avistar that I can't get from my Dolphin, so that's why I want a scale/semi scale high wing.