I am interested in getting a Patern type plane. I have been flying a Brio 10 but would like something larger. The Great Planes Venus 40, Phoenix Sea Bee and Phoenix Laser have my interests but was wondering what would be the best choice as far a s flying chracteristics and quality.
Anyone with experience with these models?

Thank
Doug

Get the Venus II (.90 size) - I promise you won't regret it. It is an absolute joy to fly Big difference between 40 size and 90 size in flight characteristics.

If you absolutely want a .40 size, get the Venus 40. It's a pound and a half lighter in weight than the other two. I've had a couple of Phoenix planes and they are built strong but heavy. All are very good quality.

OS 55AX is a great engine for the Venus 40.

Great
Thanks for the advice. I was looking at the Venus II also but thought I would go a little smaller for financial reasons but will reconsider.
What size motor are you using in the Venus II?
I heard the ax 120 was a little heavy for it. Do you recomend a 4 stroke or a 2 stroke?

I have some video of me flying my Phoenix SeaBee last spring with a Magnum XL .52 RFS onboard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLvbke2moDU

I think the Phoenix Seabee is a terrific flying sport pattern plane and an absolute bargain. It's a great flying design that is easy to assemble, and it will fly well with most any inexpensive .46-size ball bearing two stroke engine.

gaRCfield's recommendation of the Venus II is a good one. The Venus .40 is also a better all around flying plane than the SeaBee, but it's almost twice the price. The World Models Spot-On 50 ARF or Groovy 50 F3A ARF available from http://www.airborne-models.com would also be great choices.

If you're not looking to compete in pattern competitions but you want a good sport/pattern airframe to learn advanced aerobatics with while not going broke, the SeaBee is a terrific choice. It's the only ARF I've actually purchased twice; I've put two of them into the ground and neither time was it a problem with the airframe. I lost my first one stalling it on a landing approach, the second had a servo extension come loose while the ailerons were fully deflected in a roll. The only reason I haven't bought a third SeaBee ARF is because I have a Thunder Tiger Imagine .50 ARF I expect to be flying this spring.

If you want a pattern plane you can compete in sportsman class contests with, invest the extra money and pair a .55 AX or Saito .82 with a Venus .40 or Spot On 50 ARF. If you're not looking to compete and you'd rather spend $175 instead of $350 for an airframe and engine but you still want something that flies great, then pair a Phoenix SeaBee with a Thunder Tiger Pro .46.

Good luck and good shopping!

Thanks for all the advice.
I will ask around at the field were I fly also. There are a couple of Venus II that fly there once in a while and have heard all good things about them. Hopefully I will see one fly in real life one day soon. It seems like guys here are flying them with 2 strokes. Is that the best option. Would a light 4 stroke be better? Such as a Saito or YS, ect?
Nice video of the Sea Bee. It gives me a good idea of how it performes with a 4 stroke on it.
Thanks again
Doug

If you're really interested in the Venus II, there is an exhaustively detailed thread about it in the Pattern forum:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3993257/tm.htm

There is a wealth of information regarding different setup options and engine choices.

Haha. The 120AX is absolutely not too heavy for the plane - it is totally amazing to fly. It is really nice having that much power, and I would MAYBE trade it for a YS110 four stroke. My battery is strapped to the rear canopy former.

There is a night and day difference between the Venus II and the Venus 40. I have both, and after flying the bigger one, the little plane only comes out when there is a problem with my bigger planes. It is like a dream to fly, really.

The 120AX is a lot cheaper than any comparable four stroke and it flies the plane very, very well. It actually makes me laugh and others cry to see how much power there is.

YOU WILL NOT REGRET BUYING THIS PLANE!

There is a video of my first weekend flying the Venus. It is half way through my first season of flying planes and the plane has not been trimmed out and I'm at a new field so it's a little messy, but maybe will give you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQgs4OWmY8s

Nice video, I like how you trimmed the cowling!