roadracer,
i have read all the threads to date, sounds like everyone is have a lot of fun with their aresti. just for fun, try a webra speed .61 with a jtec muffler or os 61fx with tuned pipe. We have 6 aresti's at our club. Mannnn do they fly fast with the bigger power. The favorite is the webra speed .61, lightest engine in its class and huge power, nothing can touch it. this bird will do knife edge snaps till the cows come home and still hold its course. Take it straight up from a low fly by and she'll give ya goose bumbs. Some final thoughts the webra speed .61 is turning around 14000 rr's w/ the jtec exhaust and os.61fx turning about 15500 rr's both with 11x7 apc's. Try a 12x6 for vertical and additional engine breaking is nice too. We all used the stock pushrods and never had one problem. using high torque servs and 11oz sullivans. fly for about 8 minutes at full throttle, 12 minutes at half. Any way, thanks for all the good threads, looks like everyone is having a great time.

go fast then turn!!!

David,
The Macs pipe also adds a little power to the OS .46 FX, at least mine did. I noticed about a 400-600 RPM increase on a 10x7 APC Prop. I have now graduated to the Macs Pre-tuned Pipe. This is a long, more standard tuned pipe. Wow, talk about a power increase, I saw between 1000-1500 rpm increase with this pipe on the FX. It also really sounds cool when it's turning 14000 plus RPMs. and better yet, I think I read somewhere that although the RPMs increase with the tuned pipe, the engine heat doesn't increase so much. I think it has something to do with the fact that the tuned pipe makes the fuel/air/exhaust exchange work more efficiently. Somebody correct me if I am wrong. I am thinking of getting an Aresti and putting this setup on it. I think it should approach a 100 mph. Well if I get this setup together, I will let everyone know how it does.

Allan

Did anyone or everyone seal the hinge lines on their aresti's? I'm trying to decided wether or not it's needed..

Thanks,
Matt

Matt, I have flown mine all season and no problems without sealing , I didnt because I'm a monokote guy and didn't try to seal the Ultracote. It should be fine but if you have the matching colors of covering then go for it. BTW a great plane. Enjoy

Cuda

I've been assembling my girlfriends Aresti today and I must say.. It is very nice for an arf. There's just one thing that really buggs me!!! All of the photos for joining the wing are of the wing upside down on the table. The instructions say to prop one wing up. If you don't see dihedral, then one might prop one end up while it's upside down giving anhedral. I almost did. Luckily I caught it! I wonder if horizon knows of this "error"?

sdt22, did you mount your .72 inverted? I'm seriously considering replacing the .46 FX with a Saito .72 as well as using a lighter engine mount. My Aresti is still balancing in the "nose-heavy" part of the recommended CG range and I'd like a little more zip. The extra power and lighter weight would add some to the knee-knocking blistering speed.

Balsageek, which engine and engine mount will you use? If you use a 46FX with the supplied (heavy) engine mount and install the battery per my notes back a few posts, it should balance in the recommended forward range without any tail weight. This makes the plane docile with great low-speed handling.

Second the "great ARF" comments.

I'll use the SIG composite engine mount. (much lighter and it's not a dang clamp mount) The holes ALMOST line right up. We're talking about maybe 1/8 of an inch. I think if I get all four screws started and distribute that 1/8 to 1/16 on both sides (top and bottom) I may be able to avoid having to drill out the holes. The power is definitely going to be a saito .72. For a 40 size plane there's no better engine!

Has anyone noticed any missing parts? I'm very meticulous when I build so I'm 100% sure I didn't lose them. My Aresti came without a wing bolt and was short on hinges. Also, the manual says to trim out the canopy with trim tape... Is that supposed to be supplied or not?

My issue with the H9 mount wasn't the clamp - I didn't like the weight. But I used it because using the GP would require more build time re-doing the mount holes. I didn't get any trim tape. Some folks install two wing bolts for safety. My fin was badly warped but an iron and some bending fixed it right up.

bgi,

Yes my saito is inverted without any problems as I mentioned above. My only problem was with the 12X8 apc that I was running. The plane hates to bleed speed with that prop and makes for fast landings. I recently switched to a 13X6 and now the plane slows down great. The only disadvantage of the 13X6 is that I lost a bit of top end speed. Welcome to a world of compromise.

Also I read a review of the aresti in RC modeler magazine, and the author mentioned that he found a degree or so of positive main wing incidence. I believe mine has the same problem, because once inverted it dives rather sharply until I can get on the down elevator. If anyone has suggestions of how to fix this I would greatly appreciate it. Great flying plane though!

I've decided over this long winter break that my 2003 plane will be an Aresti. The simple question I would like to ask is a matter of engine selection.

Which engine is the perfect match for an Aresti?

Now before anyone goes running of to the reply button, please hear me out. I will be doing something a *little* different with this plane. No doubt you will or will not be familiar with the RC Toys EyeCam (http://www.rctoys.com/eyecam.php). This miniature CCD camera is powered by a standard 9V battery, and the camera weights only 9 grams. Add to this my plans on attaching this camera to a micro-servo (so it can pan left and right) and you've got an idea of my proposed rig.

Since I plan on flying 1st person (old RCA jacked VR helmets go for $30 on Ebay) as well as recording the flight via my Sony HandyCam, I definitely want to blister the sky....

So my question to you, the readers with Arestis, which engine would you put into this plane? The two most often mentioned seem to be an OS 46FX (with MACS pre-tuned pipe) and the Saito 72. It seem the Saito really weights down the nose of the Aresti, but really gets the plane to move. While the OS 46FX w/pre-tuned pipe also scoots (though maybe not as fast as the 72) without the balancing problems.

I'm wondering if the 9V battery would help counter the 72's weight problem... Or if the difference in output between the 72 and the 46FX w/PTP (pre-tuned pipe) isn't enough to fret over. I'm just trying to avoid buying one and then going out and buying the other since I was unhappy with the first choice. I've gathered some excellent advice and reviews on these forums (EX- I've been talked out of the TowerHobbys Kaos ARF), I sure hope that you all can help me once more.

In conclusion allow me to summarize my needs like this: I want speed. I'm not totally interested in the 3D maneuvers. Instead I want rock solid flight characteristics (balance, etc), but drag-racing speed is also a main goal. Any suggestions, insights, or opinions are greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to shooting some cloud burning, stomach churning video!,
-Tink

The .46 FX w/ Pre-tuned pipe should be able to get you more speed than the Saito. You should be able to turn a 10x7 APC around 14,000 RPMs. This should really make it scoot, and keep your weight down, so the addition of the camera, servo, etc., won't matter so much. You should have less trouble balancing, so you probably won't have to add more or as much weight to achieve balance. Less weight=better flight characteristics. I picked up an Aresti, and I am planning on putting this engine/pipe combo in it. Won't be done for a while. Everyone I have talked to though said that this should be a great combination.

Before I put a pre-tuned pipe on mine (46FX), it would scoot pretty good even though the RPM's weren't all that great. I have been running an 11x6 just to keep the speed down. While I personally was considering putting a Saito 72 on my Aresti, I think I'll just put it on a fun-fly instead. The Aresti is pretty quick on the 46FX without a tuned pipe. I'll let you know what the Tower muffler does next time I take it up.

Have a look at the GP Ultra Sport 40+. It has solid flight characteristics like the Aresti, but has a BIG clear canopy which you could easily build a camera mount under, and it has retracts so once it picks up it's feet it should be a real zoomer.

There is a very long thread in the "Kits" forum on this plane and the one flight review that is there is very positive, indicating that the plane is very solid in the air.

The OS .46 and the Saito .72 are equal in weight. Almost right up to the ounce!
O.S. 46 w/ a pipe weighs about 16.42 oz (weighed on a postal scale)
Saito 72 weighs 16.57

thats only a .15 oz difference!!!!! Not enough to worry about

True dat.

Replace the H9 engine mount with a lightweight mount and the plane will be easier to balance.

Ok so maybe I was off on the weight, but I still think that you are going to get more top end speed from a 46 w/ pipe than a 4-stroke.

Saito 72 Specs
(http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/prod...ptab=tech#tabs)
-------------------
Displacement:
11.8 cc
Weight w/ muffler:
470g (16.58 oz)
RPM:
9,800 - 10,200
HP:
1.2

OS 46FX Specs
(http://www.osengines.com/engines/fx.html)
-------------------
Displacement:
0.455
Weight: (not specified as with or w/o muffler)
13.2 oz
RPM:
2,000-17,000
HP:
1.59 @ 16,000


I only submitt these details to raise the issue of horse-power... If the 46FX has roughly 4/10's (almost half a HP more) without the pre-tuned pipe, is the Saito 72 faster after all?

-Tink

True, maybe more horsepower, but the horsepower specs provided by manufacturers are rarely real life figures, they are the best specs that they can manage to squeeze from their engine in a lab(Big HP=Better Marketing). Also the tuned pipe adds quite a bit of punch to the 2-stroke engine. And 1 further point, since we are talking top speed, how many Pylon Racers do you see running a 4-stroke? The higher rpm of the 2 stroke will allow you more top end. The 4-stoke might be able to pull you vertical forever, but for pure speed, your going to want a high pitch, high rpm, prop.

Oops, I was under the assumption(That's what I get for Assuming) that the Saito came out ahead in HP, I guess I better read more carefully next time.

Sorry.

Horsepower is for the birds. If you want to sufficiently test numbers on each of these engines then you either need to measure the static thrust with the best prop combo for each engine or throw the 46 and 72 into the plane and fly it to compare. Horsepower numbers are always being thrown around when power is the issue. Prop size versus rpm is the only accurate way to measure the power of our glow engines when they are in the same displacement category. If they differ in size as above then I guess the only way to answer the question at hand is to throw them in the plane and compare.

Just as a note, I was able to get 83 mph out of mine with the saito 72 running on 30% nitro.

static thrust ain't gonna tell you what it does when it's running 80+mph. RPMs = speed.

Why not try a West 50v1 with Genesis custom tuned pipe? 2.8 BHP @ 21,300 rpm. It gets the Weston Magnum over 200mph.


TX

I dunno, but I bet the typical Aresti would be transmorgified into a kit before it made it to 200mph. The various kit components would rain down across the earth. The user would then be encouraged to collect the kit, return home, and build a new Aresti.

I dunno, I have had my Avistar at 70+ mph. I think the Aresti can make it to 200. As a matter of fact that is going to be my goal a 200 mph Aresti. LOL!!!

My friend you scare me a great deal here.
I am however very interested in seeing how this works out