RE: Senior Telemaster flaps and modifications
First - the radio: I run a 5-yr old Tower 6-ch computer radio with all the success in the world. As far as I'm concerned, it's positively GREAT![sm=shades_smile.gif]
Now, the Telemaster. We fly an old Telemaster-40 and it has flaps but they aren't used very much, mostly for fun. The basic TM (probably all variants) is an extreme-high-lift design, it's not very fast under most circumstances but it'll float all day long. Case in point; we regularly lift her off and put her to about 500 ft, then cut the engine and fly her like a glider, landing deadstick within a 30-ft area (and that's WITHOUT using flaps). She'll soar with the best of them if there's any thermal activity at all - 15 minute soaring flights are not uncommon with ours. Using flaps though, she's like a homesick angel on take-offs, will climb at about a 70 degree angle with an Enya .45 (an OLD enya) and about 20 degree flaps, and will almost come to a complete halt in the air with full flaps. We've landed her backwards many many times (5-7 mph headwind).
One note on an item that was mentioned by Rallison (Rick) - spoilers. That might actually be a good idea, she floats in the extreme and there might be occasions when you NEED to get rid of altitude. I'd be tempted to actually build them into the top of the wing - glider style. There have been occasions with ours when we had to run tight spirals to bleed off extreme altitude ((as in "can't hardly see her, she's so high")). Also, and I'm going to be a bit "conservative" here - I haven't seen the plans for the Sr. TM but if they don't include webbing between the top-bottom spars for at least the inside half of the wing, I'd do it anyway to help strengthen them a bit. I HAVE seen Sr. TM's snap wings on occasion - no TM-40's have, that I know of, but the Seniors will.
Also, you might SERIOUSLY think about colors - white or light blue is NOT for this bird, she'll disappear in the sky in a matter of minutes if you get any altitude at all. Ours is white with red stripes, and they're not nearly wide enough at 8". When it comes time to re-cover her we're going with much darker colors.
One rather important item, in my opinion, and I see it's already been mentioned - - dual aileron servos. I wouldn't build/fly her without them, you wouldn't believe how much they help with maneuverability.
The only thing that OUR Telemaster doesn't/can't do is knife-edge flying, and she's not particularly happy with inverted flying, but she WILL do it with enough down-elevator.
Above all, enjoy your bird! She's a great flier.
note: pics below; our TM-40 at about 400 feet. I know they're lousy pics but you can see what little effect those 8" wide red strips have with visibility.
Dave