I am a beginner and an 3ch aerobird expert!

Comparing the 49" WS Rascal with a .049 to .07 glow fuel engine AND
a 70" ws 40 size rascal with a .40 or higher glow engine, which will be a better trainer with respect to:

Flying time, hand launching ability, Take offs and landings in grass, safe landings every time and Importantly min AIR SPEED to stay airborne in level flt?

Does this .049 come as an ARF? does it have ailerons? ...

If any of you could answer these I 'd apperciate it...Thanks!

.....And If you dont answer I 'll go back to my wife!

No club instructor will be happy to see you show up with an .049 engined plane. And you will spend your time trying to get it running instead of learning to fly. Go with at least a .25 sized plane. Sig has great trainers which I recommend instead of the Rascal- the LT25 and the LT40 cannot be beat.

I have been ready to buy and searching hard for a trainer for the last month.

After talking to a lot of people, and convincing them that I am not a total idiot with the sticks we all agreed that the Sig Kadet Senior was a great trainer. I am putting the new OS 4-stroke in mine, but it is built to run off any old .40 engine.

If you have never touched a sim or tried a club's trainer plane then get one of the basic trainers with massive diehedreal in the wings, but if you are at all comfortable with the sticks then look for something that will grow with you for a bit like the Senior.

At least that is my opinion, and I am sure others will disagree.

Thanks... I am very good with the sticks and am a fast learner. I heard the 40 rascal is a good trainer ( atleast not a "bad" trainer). The thing is I am gonna keep this plane for a long time so why dont I go for a lil more expensive rascal which is stylish , real and a trainer too and is capable of aerobatics in normal configuration. I ve heard of people train in rascal so why cant I? I am definitely not an IDIOT with the sticks ( I strongly believe that not all beginners are same - Its like some people are good with TV remotes ,some can never do things with a remote...see what I mean!)

I was also thinkin about the 49"WS rascal but I think it has NO AELIRONS so I dropped that idea. So...I am going for a 40 size red rascal soon...well unless some one yells at me!

Your going to have alot fun with the 40, I have one with a Saito 56 in it. The plane takes off and lands like a trainer but will Hover, knife edge, Flat spin and harrier. I've had it on floats and skis. It can fly really slow but is quite a screamer at full throttle. Have fun

Wow thanks...you were talkin about the rascal 40 right? Not the LT /senior kadet 40?

Someone told me this:
I haven't seen anyone have ground handling troubles with the Rascal, but the gear is set a bit narrow, so it might be harder to learn takeoffs with.

What does this mean: "...gear is set a bit narrow..."?

747, the Rascal's long tail makes for very good ground handling and yes I was talking about the Rascal 40. You'll be just fine.

Sounds like you have made up your mind.
Some of these guys are just trying to help you.
Now i will try to help you.

The rascal is not all that hard to fly but it is not
as easy to fly as the LT-40. The rascal is a beefed
up trainer i guess thats the way to describe it.
The oliptical wing has its different feel.
For starting out IF I WAS YOU I would start
with the LT-40

I just ordered a futaba 6exa radio which comes with 4 servos.
I am gonna order a red rascal 40 size arf and a OS.46 LA engine from Tower website.

I am also gonna order the following parts:

2 props, fuel tubing, glow plug heater, fuelpump( manual ), Servo Extension: Two, 24" for aileron servos, Y Harness: One for aileron servos, 1 S3004 standard size ball bearing servo and some latex foam rubber.

Do I need a Muffler?

Is there any thing else I am missing before I order? Should I order a few from tower and buy rest in a local hobby store?

thanks.

747,
I just answered your last post but in another thread about the Rascal. I didn't know that you were considering it as a trainer. I wouldn't recommend it as your first "larger" trainer. The rascal is easy to fly, but it is not designed as a primary trainer. It has a semi-symmetrical airfoil, a thin wing, hardly any dihedral, and it's a tail dragger. All these things add up to a more difficult learning experience. I think the tail dragger part is going to be the most difficult to master at first. Taking off with one for the first time might be a series of frustrating ground loops, until you get the hang of coping with P-factor and other things that creep up at take off with a tail dragger. The wing design, thin, low dihedral, eliptical also means it is not a floater, and will need some higher speeds at landing. Where if you had a tricycle-geared, big dihedral flat-bottomed wing trainer, most of these things you would not have to deal with. My .40 size Rascal was my second plane, but not until I had mastered the first trainer, and I also fly many hours on a sim at home. Good luck, and if you do get a Rascal anyway, I like the red one better!

Jesse

I have to completely agree with whstlngdeath, One of the newbies at my field soloed with a kadet trainer and rushed right out and got a rascal thinking it was still a trainer and boy did he get surprised, Needless to say it has been repaired ahh well how many times did he fly it and he is a ace with his slower trainer and if you get it DO NOT GET THE OS LA ENGINE, It is real weak on power and it is better to have extra power and not use it than need more and not have it which WILL happen in the Rascal with a 46 LA for a few dollars more you can get a Magnum 46XLS which is just as powerful as the OS 46FX (Looks just like it too) and will give you a reliable good running engine for some time to come with the best customer service you can get if you ever do have a problem.

Best of luck and hope you do good with whichever plane you choose
Dauntae

I'm putting one together now. Get a dremel tool you will find all sorts of uses for it, you will need to grind away some of the front of the plane for muffler clearance.
The fuel tank has some undersize tubing you will need to use wire to clamp on the fuel hose or get a normal tank.
I'm putting in a magnum 61 four stroke in mine. I thought i had an old enya 48 4Stroke but couldnt find it.
Ive been out of the loop for a number of years, There are some nice ARFs out there but I miss the ability to perform some tasks during the construction process. Adding a tank hatch or beefing up a fire wall ( or the landing gear block- hint - hint).
In any case its a nice kit, it should be in the air next weekend. good luck

All you guys putting together the Rascal .40 for the first time, keep an eye on the aluminum straps that hold the engine to the wood mount. These tend to crack in time from the torque and vibration. I replaced mine twice. This may be more of a 4-stroke problem due to the extra weight and torque of a 4 stroker. Also, if your engine doesn't like to run inverted, you may need to add a on-board glow system. I started with a ASP .52 four stroke and it did not like running upside down. It had a lousy idle and would flame out at the lower throttle settings, (landing!). I tried different plugs, and went to a MPI on-board glow system, but didn't like the added weight. I finally switched to a OS .52 four stroke and the problem went away. Great engine and sound!

Jesse

I do not use any of the strap type mounting.
Hanger 9 kits are noted for that.(junk)
Didnt like the rascal engine mount setup neither.

I mount all my engines direct either by bolt and lock nut or
by tap and drill and bolt and backup nut.

747: These experienced guys has tried to guide you in the right
direction. If things dont go like you think they will then
Just do one thing and report back to us when you trash
you new rascal. So we can tell you we told you so. LOL [8D]

Randy41,
"I do not use any of the strap type mounting.
Hanger 9 kits are noted for that.(junk)
Didnt like the rascal engine mount setup neither. "

Rather obvious you haven't built a Rascal as the aluminum straps mount to a wood beam! I've a .46 TT on mine. The aluminum mounting straps will fatigue and break. I've replaced mine with steel.

To all the nay-sayers about using a 40 Rascal as a trainer. With lowered rates the Rascal makes a fine trainer. It depends on the individual. Use an instructor on a buddy box and you will have no problem. It has no bad habits. Flys where you point it. Floats in for landings, and will fly as slow as my LT-40. It sure rolls better than my LT-40.

As far as taking off with a tail dragger, make sure the front wheels are towed-in slightly and that the tail wheel is properly aligned. Make some on the ground passes at slow speed. The aircraft should handle easily. If it doesn't something isn't set up right, fix it. If you can't have your instructor help you. Properly set up tail draggers are not that hard to take off, at least in my experience, a Four Star 40, 60 and the Rascal have been easy.

John

Yes: I have built a rascal and own one at present. You want a pic ?
Go to my web site under neith my signature and look at the blue one.
Like I said I dont use any strap type engine mounts and I didnt,didnt,
didnt,didnt,didnt,didnt, use it on the rascal that I DID BUILD AND DO
HAVE.

The majority here thanks its not a good first trainer. You are
entitled to your opinion.

randy41,

Hey not trying to start WWIII. In a stock Rascal the motor is mounted to the strap with bolts. The strap mounts to a wood beam, the center of which is has been milled to provide clearance for the motor mounting bolts. So I ask you - how did you mount the engine without using the supplied straps? These straps are not like Hanger 9's which mount over the motors mounting lugs, and are use instead of bolts.

By the way, my brother-in-law loves flying the Rascal as a trainer. How many people have you trained.

Just my opinion.

John

I used 1/8 inch thick carbon fiber plating.
How many people have i trained? Well your guess is as good as mine.
Ihave been training people sense i was 18 Iam now 42. Do your
math and you will know i have lost count. If you can count how many
people you have trained than you havent trained to many.

Now before you ask. No I dont train with the rascal(and i wouldnt).
I use my LT-40 For that now. When i first started training i used
the areostar 40 and the sig mark 4. Now that should tell you something.

Hi every one...Hi JNorton, RC_sport...Thanks for your input.
I just ordered the red rascal and .46 OS FX from a hobby store very close who is giving to me at tower rates. I cant wait...to build fly it. I have an instructor in my club so I think I 'll be ok. I do have a big question which is:

Is the wing 2 piece or 1? I know it has 2 servos 1 for each side. after each flight can I remove the 2 pcs? Thanks.

Its a 2 piece when you get the kit but it will be a one piece
if you choose to glue it togeather.

You can make it a 2 piece.(I wouldnt recomend It)

The trainer helping you is a good thing.

Actually, according to the manual, the Rascal wing is designed to be a 2-piece system, which is why it comes with a aluminum spar and steel locating pin. The option would be to glue the two halves together, but now you eliminate the convenience of being able to transport the wing easier as two pieces. It is plenty strong as a two-piece wing.

Jesse

Do you use it as a 2 pc wing everytime you fly? I hope so coz its a WS of 72" and would just fit in my car ...if I can seperate the 2 with ease that would be great for transportation.

Is the OS .46 FX too much for the rascal?

The wing comes apart right in the middle, Great for transportation. The 46FX will be a good match for it. Keep the rates on low and the rascal sure looks good on a fly-by

Dauntae

Wow! ...
Keep Rates low : meaning low speed correct?

[quote]Actually, according to the manual, the Rascal wing is designed to be a 2-piece system, which is why it comes with a aluminum spar and steel locating pin. The option would be to glue the two halves together, but now you eliminate the convenience of being able to transport the wing easier as two pieces. It is plenty strong as a two-piece wing.

Jesse

Had to dig my manual out and check on that one. Yes it does state
that you can make it a 2 piece. I elected to make it a 1 piece wing.
I put all my airplanes through hard times and I guess thats why i
elected to make it sturdier.