I've finally finished my trainer, an old Great Planes Trainer 60. It's been sitting around half finished since 1991.

This will be my third attempt at this hobby, but will only be my first "serious" attempt. My first time I was in the Air Force stationed in England. I got a plane and built it and finished it really nice (first picture), but there was no one around that flew so I attempted to go it alone. BIG mistake! First off, I put the elevator and rudder on the right stick and the throttle and ailerons on the left. PLUS I had set up the ailerons reversed.....and didn't relize it until I took off and the plane started turning to the right. I pushed the stick all the way left to try and correct it but just made it turn harder to the right...right into the ground. Even though the plane looked great, thinking back now I don't think it was built very straight.

My second attempt I was going to use an instructor, but the plane I built, a Goldberg Eagle, was flown into a tree and destroyed BY the instructor. At that point I gave up. A couple of years later my dad went all out and bought a Great Planes Trainer 60, and Airtronics 4 channel radio, electric starter, etc etc etc. He got halfway through the build and lost interest. So he gave it all to me and I just stored it until now.

The Trainer 60 says to use anythign from a .40 to a .60, so since I had the .40 sitting around that's what I put in it. I don't know if it's due to the smaller, lighter engine, but I had to put 14oz of weight under the fuel tank to balance it properly. Which is another thing I knew nothing about doing with my first plane :-) I've got all the servos set up right this time so at least it will "try" to fly right lol. Something that I learned from other pilots in the past but have never seen mentioned in this forum is the proper setup of the throttle servo. I was told to set up the throttle so that when the trim switch is all the way up, and the throttle lever is all the way down, the engine is at idle. that way you don't accidentally kill the engine in flight. And to kill the engine you just slide the trim switch all the way down. Is this the correct setup that everyone uses?

So now I have finally finished it (second picture), I've found a club, and as soon as I receive my AMA membership I'll start flying. Looking forward to just seeing one of the instructors take it up for the first time to trim it out just to see it fly successfully.

The throttle trim should be set up so that you have a good idle with the trim in the center. That way, you can adjust it for different weather / altitude / fuel conditions.

It's a bonus if it will kill the engine when brought all the way down (But a very good bonus to have and a target to shoot for)

As far as the Trainer 60 with a 40...

The "Trainer" 60 is really an intermediate trainer (aka "Second Plane") although there's really no reason why it can't be used as a first (Especially when you have a little past experience). But you didn't mention what "40" you put in it.

If it's a good 40BB, it might pull it ok. Take offs could be difficult if you fly off of grass, and you certainly won't be doing much in the way of aerobatics. But if you can get it off the ground, it should at least pull it well enough for you to learn the basics on. Then, when you're ready, you can go to a bigger engine, or a smaller plane.

I hope you got new tires on the bike, because when you start flying your financial priorities are gonna change....


Andy

The engine is an old OS Max 40FP that I've had for years. Last night while I was running the engine with an 11x6 prop, the tach showed 10.5 at full throttle.

Oh yeah, new Metzler ME880's front and rear . There's a Suzuki VL 800 Volusia sitting there next to the Road King that's for sale. THAT will be my monthly hobby income lol.

Good! When you sell the bike, you can get a nice 91 4-Stroke for that Trainer 60

Uhmmmm isn't that a BIT much for that plane

At least money spent in THIS hobby has some continued usefulness. When I was in to High Power rockets, I certified to fly Level 2 where the motors were about $60 and lasted a few seconds. When I found out that going to Level 3 meant $500 for just one flight and then it was gone, that when I decided it wasn't worth the expense anymore.

A 90 would be just about right IMO.

Dang Connery...thats pretty cool man. How high will something like that go?

The 40 FP (while a great engine) will be pretty anemic for the 60 size trainer. If flying off a grass strip, it is entirely likely that it won't get off the ground. Today, a standard 40 like the FP, is considered too small for even a 40 size trainer by many, but is what I learned with and it worked fine. A standard 60 size engine would work much better.

Selling one of your bikes might provide your first months hobby income, but what will you do for the next couple of dozen years? [X(]

Welcome to RCU and the best hobby in the world!
Dennis-

Depending on the motor used, it would max out at about a mile up.