Hey Guys,

For all of you that know me on-line, I'm a pain in the butt. But once I get a plane, i tend to get out of control and write long posts about my experiences. But hey its fun. I like it, and since i suck at english at school, i might get some practice. Anyway, I'm sure none of you read about my FIRST day of flying. THe day that put a landmark in my life, if not check it out first:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_27...tm.htm#2786394

Anyway, i finally, after about 3/4 of a year of flying my trainer, went for the next step up. The Easy Sport from Great Planes .40.

Today, was a perfect day to go flying. I mean, the weather was dry and brisky, unlike the hot and humid days that i had to endure inside, and this was my chance at going to the field, have fun with my trainer and come back with a smile on my face, but i couldn't do that. My parents went off to Europe because my dad is running the Berlin Marathon. GO CHRIS! So im by myself, stuck in an apartment, and was full of cash that was meant

for food. I was starving myself the whole week so i could have enough money to go to the hobby shop today. And i did. Unfortunately, i didn't tell my parents anything. This is gonna be fun finding out what the consequences will be. There is no reason for me to get in trouble since my father promised me a kit build with him sooner or later, but i could wait any longer. I had to purchase a new plane. So off to the Metro i went. Took the 5 Train to Fulton Street and then the A Train to Penn Station at 34 St. The Subway was empty so it was an enjoyable ride. Anyway, i reached 8th

avenue and headed left to enter a beautiful store, Americas Hobby Center 1931. Everyone knows me there because im a frequent visitor, last year. That was the year when i was debating what Electric plane to get. They were forcing me a megatech which i denied and went for a RTF Cessna 180 from Wattage. For those who have not read the post on my very first day of flying, back when i was stupid and had no help, here it is:


http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_24...tm.htm#2480316

Anyway, back to present day. I walked into the store, hearing the little jingle of the door signifying the entrance of a new customer, loaded with cash. I looked on the cashier table and there stood a freshly ordered F4U Corsair .60 from Hangar 9. Some lucky guy is taking it home today and he came in when i did, and with a smile on his face took the box and left. THe good thing about the store is that whatever you needed, they have it, and if they dont, they special order it for you. Unfortunately, the shopkeeper only buys stuff form Great Planes, Megatech (or like, Megadeath, not the band, this company really does suck) and of course Hangar 9. I greeted the manager and went straight to the Plane rows. There they had something beautiful. Something you would see walking down the runway of a fashion Show. But these were not beautiful females dressed up so

sexy, but a piper Cherokee ARF from HAngar 9. It was my object of affection, my beauty, my ***!!! 150$? I asked the manager what would be a good second plane, he pointed at the Cherokee, my heart sank. The plane was beautiful, i have no other way to put it. HE opened the box so i can inspect the goods, and there was nothing but beautiful goods inside ,!QUOT!expertly covered in Top Flite Monokote!QUOT!. It was a dream, but the 150$ price tag? Plus the stupid NY Sales tax? Now thats just silly. I asked if there was anything else fit for me. HE pointed to the Easy Sport, it was

on the top shelf, so i couldn't peak inside, so i asked if he could take it down and show me the inside of the box. As he did that, i looked through a catalogue and asked if they had this plane: THe Modeltech MAgic ARF. HE told me they dont buy anything from Modeltech because the planes are cheap crap. This guy was so ignorant and NEw Yorkish. Just because its cheap they dont buy it, they want the expensive stuff so they can have the customers pay alot more. I came to the store just for the Magic, but i couldnt leave empty handed. So what else was there to do, i asked the shop

keeper how much did the Easy Sport cost after tax, he said 131$ I looked into my wallet, had just enough. I also told him that i had so much trouble with my trainers landing gear, the wire gear is trash, so he added a MEgatech Aluminum Landing gear worth 10$, for free. I expected it to be for free since this monster took nearly all of my wallet away. So as the Sport was being tied up and ready to go home, i talked to him. WE talked about what is better Kits or ARFS. THis was good, because i was set on a kit at first place, but they don't carry any. I asked him why, he had

a smart response. !QUOT!Ironically, Kits cost more than ARFS.!QUOT! This was so true, i mean, here i am with barely enough money for an ARF, and i wanted to get a kit. Which costs 20 less the n an ARF, not including covering, wheels, pushrods, etc? Sorry builder,s but i agree, ARFs are better. But still wont stop me from trying a kit.

So here comes the embarrassing conclusion. How would you feel walking in a city full of people with model plane at hand. People were looking at me on the train and at the street i had no idea how to feel. I mean society thinks these are toys and for a 16 year old holding one, the only excuse

i could think of if anyone asked is, !QUOT!ITs for my little Brothers B-Day.!QUOT! So i walked into the lobby of my building, showed off the plane to the Staff. The staff is cool, everytime i got out with the trainer, they look at it and say how cool it is, so for them seeing the Easy Sport they knew i had to be pretty darn good to have that trainer still in one piece, and going for another plane.

So that pretty much wraps it up guys. After the Sport is done, and i have flown it, im donating my Trainer to the club so if any new comers come by, they can give the hobby a try.

Hope you enjoyed. And since my parents left for a trip, they took the digital camera, so sorry folks, but no pictures, yet.

Michal (AKA Samolot) By the way, !QUOT!Samolot!QUOT! is polish for !QUOT!Airplane!QUOT!

!QUOT!Pozdrawiam!QUOT! <-- !QUOT!WIsh you all the best!QUOT!


PS: BEtter? I mean, after alot of complaints about my writing style, i hope it helps. IF there is anyway i can improve this, ill be glad to do it. How do you write longs posts anyway? ITs kinda tough writing about a day and making it easy to read, the little details are fun. PLus, this web site helped my english ALOT!

Whether an ARF is better than a KIT or not is a matter of opinion and depends on the ARF, the KIT and the builder and still remains a matter of opinion. ARF's of the same plane are usually less expensive, that is true but IMO are typically of lesser quality if the KIT is properly assembled. Anyone can BUY an ARF but it takes a MODELER to properly assemble a kit.

All that said, I hope you enjoy your new plane. Keep us posted on your flying and your parents response to the purchase.

You should also not be ashamed to walk around with your plane. Lots of those people would probably wish it was theirs.

I really agree. I think my parents will be cool with it, i mean the money that i used to purchase it was all fomr my savings box. I still ended up with 120 for food to sruvive till monday. Way too much, so maybe a few more servos. The build is really easy and quick on this plane. So far it looks great.

good to hear! I like kits my self but arfs have there place.

$120 for a couple of days food? What do they expect you to eat, caviar?

Biggest drawback I find with kits is the time and space for building. I always keep at least one on the table.

Bruce, Thats the thing, i was pretty much eating nothing but lunch at school the whole week so i can buy the plane, and thats how much i have left over. That money is mine and i will use it to buy an sooner or later so i can have my trainer to fly and my sport. Unfortunately i will need to whip out another hundred for a flight pack, damn this hobby is expensive.

Alos, my workshop is my sisters room, shes in college. The thing is, i live in an apratement, so workshops are impossible. I have two desks, a bed to put my stuff on. I made a little hangar in my rom for storage, but its hard. I dont think its possible to build a kit in my place.

Thanks.

Samolot, I used to be in your position of living in an apartment and not having room to build. I learned to only build a wing or the fuse a one time ( lack of room was hard) and later put it all together in teh living room. I personally would not donate my trainer to the club until I had a third plane built and ready to fly. Nothing is worse than going from being fat to zero. As for the building, take your time, make sure everything is straight, and then have someone at your club puth their eyes on it. I know from experience that even the best can get screwed up. A couple of weeks ago a new plane came out to our field. One of the test pilots "checked" it out, he moved the sticks adn the surfaces moved, but he didn't really check them out right. On the takeoff, he wasn't able get airborne. Turns out the elevator was reversed. Needless to say, after the ribbing from the rest of the pilots, everyone now does a once over on preflight.

I was just "funnin" you. I realized you were an apartment dweller when you said some of the other things in your posts. I also used to live in an apartment and it is harder and less privacy too, especially under your parents pervue. You're doing just fine and keep on flying, that's all that really counts. Some day in the future you will have your own place and may then decide to build a kit, or not. Not important overall as long as you have fun.

Hey. You think i should keep my traienr till my third plane? I guess that makes sense, but until i get my next plane, plus enough cash to fund a new engine, radio, its going to be a while. But i see your point. So far, construction is going on GREAT. The easy sport is SO easy to build. IM almost done. THe way the instructions are organized is trash, buty i managed. ITs really good now. THe think im REALLY worried is when they say to strip the covering form the elevator where the rudder will be fitted, they STRESS not to cut the wood because it weakens the wing. I made a little "indent" with my knife. WHat should i do? I mean i already glued down the rudder so i think its to late, but still, anything i can do? THanks alot.

if you think there is a chance you damaged it you could get some triangle stock and reinforce it.

Ohhh, how can i do that? OR can i just attach a piece of wire to the rudder fomr the elvator likeo n some of the aerobatic plane?

Did you cut any wood fiber or just compress it with the knife?

A sharp blade is important when doing these things as you avoid having to press hard to make the cuts.

The say of: "There is nothing more dangerous than a dull knife" is true. Being dull causes you to use excess force for a task instead of making clean cuts. Single edge razor blades are cheap and disposable.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXL448&P=ML and probalby cheaper at Home Depot.

When they say to strip away the covering, all you need to do is just cut through the covering, this should not take any pressure. You might make a small cut in the balsa, but as long are you are using a SHARP blade, it is very little to worry about. Just don't push the blade all the way through the balasa. Also, you can reinforce the "cut"with some thin CA . As for keeping the trainer as a back-up, if you have the stroage space, that's what I would do. I guess I'm lucky that I am currently plane "rich", plus I have storage space.

I dont have much storage space. I have my trainer sitting on top of my closet shleves, the wing in the back. A glider sitting in the middle of my room, and a Easy Sport in construction in my sisters room. I think im going to get those verticle plane hangers. Anyway, it was not a dull knife, it was pretty sharp but heavely used so i wouldnt know, but when i glided gently over the covering, it didnt work, so i pushed it a little until i heard a little "tick" signifying the puncture of the covering. BUt still, as i zipped along, i made little "slits" in the wood. I was considering the stuff the stuff tat joins the rudder to the elevator via a wire, making a diamond shape, it looks cool and i bet beefs up the rear. Where cna i get soem of these things?

If you cut the wood you should probably fix it. Don't mess with wires they are not needed. Get some tri stock and a SHARP single edge blade (new) and either above or below the horizontal stab cut a pice of tri stock the length needed and lay it next to where the fuse meets the stab and mark it so you kow where to trim the covering on both the fuse and the stab and epoxy the tri stock and this will give it added strength. THIS IS ONLY NECESSARY IF YOU CUT THE WOOD. If you did not cut the wood fly and enjoy your new plane. Just remember a sport plane will pull more g's than a trainer so I would fix it even if it is a small cut

Just my 1.5 cents

I think i might try it. But what if i didnt cut the wood. I really dont know, im sorry, because the stab and the rudder are gued down so i wouldnt know. Would it hurt to do it? Just a few more minutes of CG tinkering i would guess.