Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Ok I put a plane in the trees, partly because I am a bit rusty. Although repairable, thinking of some aerobatic trainer to get back in shape before flying some more expensive planes. Thinking of the Global Right Flyer .60, but maybe too much like a trainer. Maybe a Tower Voyager .40, or World Models .40 Sport. But thinking I want someting slower than the WM Sport.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

stik!!

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Last time I bought a stick, I didn't care for it. Which one? Come to think of it I might have one I can rebuild somewhere.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Here's a winner that's often overlooked:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDTM8&P=0

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Ive had quite a few sticks. Right now I have the Hanger 9 kit. I think they messed up the kit a little bit but it flies really good. I like it because the Ailerons require 2 servos. I have my radio set up for the airbrake function. The other kit I really liked was the Greatplanes Big Stick. This was a great flying plane. I also had a really old Ugly stick, not sure who made it, but it flew well. Sticks are great. I would go with the Hanger 9 Super Stick .60.
You could also get the Aerobat. Its like a Sturdy Birdy but aerobatic...

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

I have the 60 sized easy sport. Good plane but beat up and no longer straight. Also heavy and a .90 uses up some fuel. Great plane, just too much like what I have.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

I'm thinking really cheap. Maybe an Avistar. Less than $100.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

If you're thinking "really cheap" then I guess you're going to put an existing engine in it rather than buy one. In your 1st post you mentioned both 40 & 60 sized planes.... Do you have both engines?

I'm not sure about the Avistar, I've heard that the tail falls off on a hard landing....

A 60 sized equivalent (and a lot stronger) would be the Hobbistar 60 MkIII but its a tad over $100......

The Superstar 60 is getting cheaper every day and was around $97 when I last looked but its a flat bottomed trainer..

The Brightstar might also be worth looking into. They are around $93 right now... (40 size low wing trainer, flat bottom wing)

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

How about this one? A little over $100. I've got a .42 in mine. The landing gear is pretty sturdy too.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAVN4&P=7

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

I have hanger 9 ultra stik 60 size and and great planes dazzler. Second and third planes. Love them both, however been spending most of my time lately with the dazzler. It's actually been great for learning almost any maneuver.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

How about a spad? They don't come much cheaper
http://www.spadtothebone.com

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

QHOR baby, awesome plane. Just built the so-called "40 size" for myself, will be installing an OS 65LA on it. JohnVH has one with a Magnum 75 and it is a blast to fly. After flying and crashing this plane, I see no need to go back to a balsa profile plane.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Wanna cheap plane ... either for the purpose of fun flying or to experiment your own design, SPAD is the way to go.

Yeap, go for SPAD, and I will bet that you will not looking back at balsa plane. It may not be a perfect plane on your first attempt of building it, but sure over the time and after a few designs you will really love it.

One thing for sure, once you have built your own plane from scratch using those coroplast, you are a lot step forward compared to those whom just fly ARFs, in understanding the aerodynamic and "why" plane flies!!!!. Believe me!!!

I myself have built more than 20 ARFs from a trainer to warbirds such as mustang and warhawk, to aerobatic planes such as chipmunk and staudacher, but personally I have more satisfaction from building my own scratch SPAD plane rather than "assembling" those ARFs kits.

Give it a try, you have nothing to lose.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Just what does QHOR stand for anyway?

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Quick Hell on Rails.

Though I spend more time flying it slow anyway, but it'll speed up well.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Try a Magic Fun Fly. Easier to land than a trainer docile as a ***** cat on low throws and hovers like a friendly ghost. Best of all its cheap about 100$. Any bearing .40 or .46 will work well and a piped TT .36 pro is incredible. My magic has an OS .46FX with a Morris mini pipe, five crappy servos and 6 volt battery and it’s a blast to fly. And it fly’s awesome in the wind; in fact it’s almost worth having one around just for those really windy days. Besides for a hundred bucks you can afford not to like it but I'm pretty confident that you would. If you do build one build it light and build it cheap they fly the best that way. Hope you find a great plane.


JW

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

How is this for cheap?

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0001P?&I=LXAHP7

I put one together it flew great 'til I dumb thumbed it showing off.

I made it a tail dragger and threw a TT GP 42 on it.

I covered mine with econocote. Yellow on top and black on the bottom. It was a sweet flying plane. I am working on it's twin right now. At $30 I could not resist and bought two more.

Next week or so I will cut some cores and make a 8' wingspan version. I am going to sheet the foam cores and put a Saito 180 on it.

The small one flew great. The bigger one should be perfect!

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

YZ 250....I have that plane (LT51) and was going to recommend it. I have a LA40 on it and it is very fun. Could use a lil more power though. Its really fun playing in 15+mph winds. I've flown it all last season and still flying it. I bought it after I crashed my trainer. I think that I would have been better off getting the LT51 INSTEAD of my trainer for a first plane. Slows down real nice but is really fun to tumble with. A great first or second plane!

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

This looks intresting.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXZT80&P=7

Except I have a .60 sized one that is about 50% complete. Still, hmmm.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

RCAdd1ct
Do you have to cover the foam, or was that a choice?

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Personal preference. I do suspect that it did strengthen the foam up a lot to have the second skin on it especially with as big of a motor as I had on it.

Second time around I am increasing the surface area of the controls. I want it to roll faster and on the last one it's demise was due to looping to low. If I had more throws/surface I would have been able to save it.

Now before anyone gets any bad notions on the plane stock, I did have the throws set to the suggested minimums for maiden. That is why I said I dumb thumbed it. Had I had more throw it never would have wrecked.

All in all it was a sweet plane once you figured out what to look at in the sky. Nothing bad, just different.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

It says that it should have like an .18 in it how did you squeeze in a .42? also will it be a fast airplane with a .25 fp?

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Sport_Pilot:

Nothing wrong with an Avistar! It's got a semi-symmetrical wing and grooves much better than any of the flat-bottom winged trainers. Mine is rock steady inverted too, and I regularly make inverted passes at around 1-2 ft down the strip with it.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

I have an Avistar and my friend flies the Easy Sport. Both are exceptional planes for the price. I love my Avistar, it has a 40 on it and hums along nicely.

Cheap ARF Ideas.
 

Without the drag of the LG and the extra weight of the econocote it should do OK on a 25. It was going pretty fast on a 10 x 6 prop and I was running it fat as I was still breaking in the engine.

The review I read had an MDS .18 in it and it said it flew great. The Ripmax flight sim has an MDS .38 on it. that is why I got a TT .42. At first I was going to keep it a belly lander, then it started to grow on me. I then added the LG. I am glad I did. The touch and gos were fun!