gone.

I really like the Lancair but am not happy with GP being the Mfg. Every ARF I have bought of theirs has had shaky landing gear set-ups. IMO not strong at all for what they are expected to do. Now the GP Kits I absolutely love - like Cap232cm says - quality problems with the ARF's.

ben flyn

I just saw one fly on GP's video for their dealers and was not impressed at all; looked like a hand full to land slowly (with flaps down). It also didn't look very stable either.

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

I got mine from Tower at 299.99.

They did say shipping in Feb when I ordered but as DLT points out that date has slipped. That's fine, I have lots of other projects.

I like the new GP ARFS. Great quality for the price. The only complaint I have is they need to pack the components better. My Patty Wagstaff appears to be one of the few that survived shipping without major damage. I did have a slight break in the wood just in front of the canopy but others have had huge crunches and breaks. If the glass fuselage gets shattered in shipping, it does nobody any good.

Can't wait to get this one.

BTW: Don't rely on the GP videos for evidence of flight stability or performance. After watching "Inside RC" for these many weeks, I'm convinced the Hobbico/GP pilots couldn't hold level flight with a gun pointed to their heads. Twitch here...twitch there....man, just fly the dang thing straight, dude! Must be those high winds in Illinois, yeah, that's the story.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

$299!!!!!!!!!! I checked Tower when this thread started and they showed it at $279. Guess all the interest ran the price up.

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

I ordered it the day it was announced (my order confirmation is dated 5 Dec 2002). Looks like the price has gone down. Guess I'll cancel and re-order.

Update: And that's just what I did. I now have it ordered for 279.99. Guess that's what I get for not checking up on backordered items. Thanks Terry!!

Don

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

So the flight was a bit shaky.. well that could be the pilot or weather. What engine did they have in it? I also have the GP AT6 which was an excellent flier and the quality was pretty good. All in all I like GP stuff but the CS I`m not sure about. You know its a shame the way some companies take customer service for granted. Little do they know thats what kills a business. Thats why I`ll be buying more Magnum engines even though they are not the most powerful 4s out there but my experience with them twice was just remarkable. I sent my Mag. 80 in the last time due to a bent crankshaft that was my fault and was prepared to pay for the repairs. They told me to send the engine back, and here I was waiting for them to call to let me know how much it would cost for the repairs. Next thing know there was a new engine at my door at no cost. I could`nt believe it. I know one thing they will be getting a lot more business from me.

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

I wouldn't mind having one of the RV series of planes... the GP RV-3 looks nice, but I'd like a bigger one. There used to be a kit of a big RV-3 probably 10-15 yrs ago...

ben flyn

91zulu,
They didn't say what engine; they only shown the plane in flight.

MaxThrottle

I'm going for one of these kits but have been crunching some numbers. :stupid:
If they've been recommending .61-.75 2 stroke and .91 4 strokes these support props 13" diam. range.

Unless you go with a tri-blade (less efficient) going with much bigger engine doesn't seem to help but rather hinder??? Right ????
Plus I am wondering what the clearance is since I don't want to go too big on the prop and turn this into a lawn mower (I fly off grass fields).

Bigger engines are only going to add the oz. and with a wing area of 690 sq.in. and a wing load of 28-30 at about 8.5 lbs to 9 lbs (guessing the wing chord must be about 9in root and 8.5 at the tip) this baby will quickly start becoming a bullet (fast in the air and on the landing) without coming close to being able to hover due to the limited prop size.

I'm figuring the OS.91 FX (lite /more power) might be a good combo.

Any comments?

If anyone has the kit yet, what is the clearance from the spinner centre to the nose axle?

______________________________________

Thanks

MaxThrottle
A hat buying stuff to guess the best options.

Flyfalcons

If you want to hover then get something else.

MaxThrottle

True Flyfalcons.

I wasn't imaging one of these in a hover.

I'm just fielding questions for a good fit for the kit?

________________________________

Thanks

MaxThrottle

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

I'll be going with the OS .91 4 stroke. It works in just about everything...LOL.

Don

MaxThrottle

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hattend
[B]

I'll be going with the OS .91 4 stroke. It works in just about everything...LOL.

_____________________________________

What size prop. For the OS FS-91S Surpass II the upper RPM is rated at 11K range.

I don't want to turn this into an engine discussion but, see my concern if the prop clearance is 13", the Surpass will give an operational output of (13.5X8) @ 11KRpm, 12.06 lbs of thrust, 83 mph.

On an OS .91 FX (13x8) @12.1K Rpm, 12.54 lbs of thrust, 91 mph.

On another thread "Stick" advised he put a YS120. Wow. He mentions speeds that you better bolt on your seat belts and batten down the hatches.

_____________________________________

Thanks

MaxThrottle
Still trying to decide.

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

I fly off concrete so I don't have to worry about grass. If I need more prop clearance I'll have 3 choices. 1) Smaller diameter/more pitch , 2) 3 blade prop or 3) bigger front tires.

I'll make the final decision once I get the kit and have all the measurements. Hard to make a choice based on a picture in an ad.

Don

Kevin Greene

My Feedback: (85)

Asking a Lancair to hover is a bit of a stretch, isn't it?!? I, too, am curious about converting this plane to an R/G version. I can't remember or maybe the add didn't say...Is the wing built up or foam core???

There are a couple of Lancair R/G's at the airport where I fly my jets. One is owned by a FedEx pilot and I believe has a 240hp Lycoming under the hood. Going by me at 200mph with that three blade prop it almost sounds like a P-51 going by.....SWEET!!!!!

Kevin

hattend

My Feedback: (20)

Kevin, plan on a September trip to the Reno Air Races one of these years. watch a Lancaire IV go by at 320+ miles per hour Very Impressive. The Sport class of racers is very exciting to watch.

Don

MaxThrottle

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Kevin Greene
[B]
Is the wing built up or foam core???

_______________________________

Tower hobbies list this as
"Wings: (one-piece (all wood, foam core)" creating a bit of confusion.
If you download the PDF manual for the GP Lancair
http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/gpma1347-manual.pdf
its hard to pick this out from the diagrams and there is no mention of Foam in the manual. Added to this, not that this is a conclusive answer but they use CA for the hinges with no warning of getting it on any foam. The pots for the Aileron look more like built up wood.

Oh and I'm still not looking for this plane to hover.
I guess I should have said MaxTorque :drowning:

_______________________________
MaxThrottle

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

Ok whats the hold up.... anyone is flying this beauty yet ????

stesta5074

My dad and I fly a lancair 360, I wish there was an ARF for one of those. It would be a lighter plane, and would have really low drag on the fuselage. Would be pretty cooll....


D

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Stesta there is one that just came out by Greatplanes. Its a 60 size ARF with a glass fuse.

http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma1347a-2.jpg

drj-RCU

...@ my LHS...however - i was told it wouldnt be out till the end of this month...

Johng

My Feedback: (4)

Hey Zulu - That's not a Lancair 360. It's a Lancair ES. Quick review:

Lancair 360 - smaller 2 seat ultra-sportscar
Lancair IV - advanced, xtra fast hi-perf homebuilt
Lancair ES - Same fuse as Lancair IV, but bigger wing and fixed gear, designed to behave like a Cessna, but faster. not as fast as L-IV though.

The GP ARF is a Lancair ES. So, if you wanna convert one of these to retracts, you should really build a new wing to be scale as well.

Hint to GP, offer it as a kit - and offer both the -IV and the - ES. Common molds, different kits.

Johng

My Feedback: (4)

Oh, and those asking for more homebuilts; Byron made a kit of the Glassair 2. It was a taildragger. I don't know if Iron Bay will be making any more.

I've seen one that flat spun, and wouldn't come out, FWIW.

I've also seen the one-off FS Glassair 4 with a 750 Hp Walter Turbine on the front. Yikes, 2 seats, 100 Lbs of fiberglass, and a turbine . You shoulda seen this thing depart. He could litterally fly the thing out of sight, then go into beta pitch on downwind and land back on the runway after a single circuit around the airport that went to 5K+ altiude. woweee

91zulu

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Johnj U`re right the Lancair is an awhsome bird. Yes the Es is the slowest of the series but I so glade that there is an ARF that I get carried away. Yes I know the 360 hall *****, but I know the ES ARF is going to be grooving along real nice . I can`t wait to get mine and let it loose.

I also made the suggestion to GP to do a Glassair. I hope they do because that will also be added to my arsenal. Then they could be a Cirrus, a Falco, Commander ,King Air .........well U get the picture. I think there is enough war birds out there. Its time for some slick home builts and GA speed-dees.

Flyfalcons

Glasair IV? I think they sold it as a III kit with a turbine mod. There were more than one built; at least three that I can think of, including one at my college airport in Florida with a PT-6. The S-H plane had an Allison in it.