.40 size glow powered trainer
09-22-2019, 06:20 AM
#1
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Location: Owensboro, KY
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.40 size glow powered trainer
I have been looking at a lot of different websites that sell RC airplanes and I cannot find any .40 sized nitro ARF trainers. I have switched most of my current planes to electric, and now I’ve got the itch to go back to glow. I’m also going to be teaching my son to fly (he’s already doing well on a simulator), and I want to teach him on both electric and glow motors. But everywhere I look, everything is unavailable or temporary unavailable with no mention of when more will be available. Is everything going to mostly electric now and companies are really cutting back on glow powered planes, or did I just happen to coincidentally catch all this at a bad time and and more will be available later? I was really wanting to get a Avistar Elite ARF or something similar. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
09-22-2019, 07:25 AM
#2
SIG still sells the Kadet ARF in a dual glow/electric version (https://sigmfg.com/collections/sig-a...-lt-40-egv-arf
But generally, there are no "new" glow ARFs or kits. That part of the hobby is dying fast. I saw a posting from a designer at Hangar 9 that they are very close to abandoning any new wood airplanes in the future. Wood flyers will buy foam on occasion, foam guys rarely by wood. So someone learning on an electric foam trainer will tend to stay in that world....
But generally, there are no "new" glow ARFs or kits. That part of the hobby is dying fast. I saw a posting from a designer at Hangar 9 that they are very close to abandoning any new wood airplanes in the future. Wood flyers will buy foam on occasion, foam guys rarely by wood. So someone learning on an electric foam trainer will tend to stay in that world....
09-22-2019, 10:03 AM
#3
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SIG still sells the Kadet ARF in a dual glow/electric version (https://sigmfg.com/collections/sig-a...-lt-40-egv-arf
But generally, there are no "new" glow ARFs or kits. That part of the hobby is dying fast. I saw a posting from a designer at Hangar 9 that they are very close to abandoning any new wood airplanes in the future. Wood flyers will buy foam on occasion, foam guys rarely by wood. So someone learning on an electric foam trainer will tend to stay in that world....
But generally, there are no "new" glow ARFs or kits. That part of the hobby is dying fast. I saw a posting from a designer at Hangar 9 that they are very close to abandoning any new wood airplanes in the future. Wood flyers will buy foam on occasion, foam guys rarely by wood. So someone learning on an electric foam trainer will tend to stay in that world....
If the companies are leaving wood behind, then I suppose the glow engines won’t be far behind. So far, there seems to be plenty of them on the market at the moment.
09-22-2019, 02:42 PM
#4
The other straw-breaking-the-camels-back....check out the price of glow fuel! Between hazmat fees and nitro not being produced in the US any more....
The other day I needed to grab a full jug from my stock, some of which was getting pretty old. I was having a hard time figuring out which was oldest vs new. Considered using the amount of dust on the bottle as a guide. Then realized I could do better by putting them in order via the price stickers still on the jugs.
The other day I needed to grab a full jug from my stock, some of which was getting pretty old. I was having a hard time figuring out which was oldest vs new. Considered using the amount of dust on the bottle as a guide. Then realized I could do better by putting them in order via the price stickers still on the jugs.
09-25-2019, 08:22 PM
#6
Don't blame you one bit. Glow is where it's at for me. I recently got two electrics and have had nothing but problems with them. Either the ESC not working with my RX or the motor burning up. The constant charging is the biggest deal breaker. When I take my electric to the field I fly my glow models many times over while the battery is charging. I can fill up my SIG Senior equipped with a large tank and can stay airborne for twenty minutes, land, refuel in 4 minutes, and go right back up. Try that with an electric.
Is everything going to mostly electric now
I was really wanting to get a Avistar Elite ARF or something similar. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Last edited by AllModesR/C; 09-25-2019 at 08:26 PM.
09-28-2019, 06:02 AM
#12
I had the same problems. I bought a Sig Kadet LT-40 ARF to build as an electric. The instructions explained exactly what LiPo batteries and electric motor to use. I used those specific items and still had problems. I am not even sure the electric motor recommended in the instructions is correct for the LT-40 application.
09-28-2019, 07:34 PM
#13
I had the same problems. I bought a Sig Kadet LT-40 ARF to build as an electric. The instructions explained exactly what LiPo batteries and electric motor to use. I used those specific items and still had problems. I am not even sure the electric motor recommended in the instructions is correct for the LT-40 application.
Here is a Craigslist example. New in box Superstar RTF for $150. Tempted to get it myself.
https://muskegon.craigslist.org/for/...970109609.html
Last edited by AllModesR/C; 09-28-2019 at 07:37 PM.
09-29-2019, 05:11 AM
#14
Speaking of ESC's my Kadet has a Castle Creations ESC. Nowhere in the ESC instructions does it mention you need to calibrate the transmitter throttle/ESC after arming the ESC. You need to move the throttle stick to full for 3-4 seconds, then move the throttle stick back down to off. I only found out about this after talking with Castle customer support.
10-07-2019, 03:28 AM
#15
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It's standard procedure to set up ESC's and motors with your radio WITHOUT a prop attached. Every instruction manual I've ever read for an electric system says this. If a plane came to life unexpectedly and caused an unsafe situation, that was user error, not a flaw in electrics vs. glow.
My club has had a hard time finding trainer planes too. If really makes you wonder what the ARF manufacturers are thinking. How are they going to sell aerobatic and scale planes if new pilots can't get past the beginner stage with a good trainer?
My club has had a hard time finding trainer planes too. If really makes you wonder what the ARF manufacturers are thinking. How are they going to sell aerobatic and scale planes if new pilots can't get past the beginner stage with a good trainer?
10-07-2019, 06:06 AM
#16
Ditto in my club, if we are talking about glow trainers. Members constantly haunt the estate sales, craigslist, etc. to find ones to keep in stock. But the reality is that MOST beginners are being steered to the foam electric trainers - The Apprentice, etc., which make up the bulk of the training where I teach. I'm the outlier, sitting there with my glow trainer....
