I've just had my first flight with my Sig Kadet Senior ARF. It was a great debut. Some considerations though for those building the Senior ARF:

1. Definitely consider a larger engine than the prescribed .40 or .46. My instructur's Senior uses a .91 and I installed a .61 (O.S. .61 FX). This is a big plane and can benefit from more power, even for a beginner's purposes. I'm able to swing a 12x6 prop on this engine.

2. Definitely reinforce the vertical stabilizer with angled "gussets" made from triangular balsa stock. I put a gusset on each side of the rudder where it hits the fuselage and it is much stiffer now. This works really well with the huge tail!

3. Before you install the nose gear on this plane, THROW AWAY THE FRONT GEAR STRUT! It will bend upon your first "less than perfect" landing. I highly suggest using a double arm, "fork" style strut like that made by Fults. They are available from Tower Hobbies and are much more durable.

Any other suggestions, please let me know.

Here's some suggestions:

1)Use normal size type in your posts.

2) Check the search function out because there are a crap load of threads about this plane.

3) Tell Ron I said hello and my Kadet is nicer than his.


Edit: I see you resized the type, good move.

Who's Ron?

hey great, another ks arf owner here as well, love the plane, my fav. plane of all time i think, just a great way to relax on the weekend.

i wanted to put fults nosegear on mine and it didn't fit, what size of fults gear did you get? did you have to make any mods to the front end?

i think what im going to do is turn it into a tail dragger, ill see how the front end holds up

Everyone should have a Kadet Senior. IMHO....it's a joy to fly and really benefits from a bit more power. I have a magnum .91 in mine...flies great. I never installed the stock gear....it is a bit funny to see wire gear on a plane that size. I can see why SIG uses it, you would have to try to land it hard. With a .91 at idle, you can cut your power about a week in advance of your approach and still not get it down. It's a blimp...I think SIG fills the wings with helium or something.

Flying this plane is like taking 'a break'. It practically flies itself...I just 'nudge' it every now and then to keep it in the same county and to keep it from landing on the freeway. It will do loops and rolls, but keep some altitude. I have not flown it inverted, but I imagine it would do as well as my trainer (uh.. the KS IS a trainer, so ...).

I will be starting a related thread looking for a KS arf for a student at my field...he can't seem to find one.

Later,

Mark

Archcsr,

I've been meaning to get this plane but Tower has been out of stock for over a month [] . Can you post piccies of what you did to the vert. stabilizer to beef it up ? I assume the gussets are external ? How does it look ? Also, can you post piccies of the landing gear you installed ?

Thanks.

Ron is the name of your instructor, a good thing to know.

Here is a Kadet Senior from a kit, not just another ARF. Bombay doors, camera mount, tail dragger and lot's more.

You truly are God's gift to r/c.

Oh lighten up dude. If Ron is too busy one day he just may refer you over to me as he has done in the past. What RCU really needs is another guy who hasn't even soloed yet but is on here telling people how to set up a plane.

What are you doing wasting time in the beginner's area anyway. Go be Chuck Yeager in the jet forum. I still have no idea who the *(&^& Ron is.

Hope to see you crash at the basin. I'll be the one laughing.

If I crash I will be laughing too! Does your instructor have a red walker/wheel chair because of back problems?