I baught this plane to get my dad started in the hobby. I must say that at 64 dollars, i was skeptical on the quality of this ARF. But when i opened the box i was amazed, the covering has not a single wrinkle, the engine mount is aluminum, everything is predrilled, the hinges went in so easily, and the fuel tank mount had foem glued to it to help with fuel foaming.

Its a pretty good flier as well. However that covering will start to
peel off pretty quick.

Ive trained two guys with this plane and while it does fly very
nicely it has a couple of odd quirks.

First on takeoff as soon as the wheels break ground it wants to
dip to the right. Holding down elevator during the takeoff run to
keep the nose wheel on the ground until it builds up a little more
speed helps a great deal.

And it bounces like crazy on landing. Part of it is due to the springy
landing gear.

Overall its a good trainer. Better than the Nexstars and way loads
better than that terrible Hanger Nine P51 trainer. Ughh.

Mike Hammer

Thanks X-tol, i will look out for that.

That's cool. I had one and the covering looked like one of those wrinkled chinese dogs. A little work with the coverign iron and it was fine. you're right about the value. it is a great plane for the price. I flew mine for a while then sold it to someone else learnign to fly. Hopefully it's still flying.

Just finished the biuld tonight. I am anxious to see how it flies compared to some of the pricer trainers. I also can't wait to get my dad into the air. Got both radios and a instructor cable setup and ready to go. I actually tried teaching him on a GWS slow stick but the thing was so light and so cheap that the trim would always change. Not good at all for a begginer.

I have a tower trainer and Ill give my scope on it.

The plane DOES want to veer to the right upon takeoff and once you are at the speed where the wheels barely lift off, you kinda lose control for a split second so its a bit scary.

The covering on mine stayed on the whole time but I did put a iron to it before I built it.


The landings are SOOOOOO bouncy. Bouncy isn't even the word to use! Some people say its technique but anything landing on 3 wheels with foot long coat hanger landing gear will see. Also, over time the landing gear starts to bend causing the plane to get lower to the ground and eventually becoming a taildragger until you bend them back.


Word of advice, on the bottom of the fusulage, near the very back of the plane. (if you didn't get the ultimate combo version, you had to glue the vertical fin into place.) Anyway if you have that version where you had to glue the fin into place, put some CA or some epoxy on top of the monokote on the last inch of the tail. Just on the fusulage, not the wings or anything. Reason being is that sometimes upon takeoff and landing since the plane is so bouncy, that tail will contact the ground several times. Eventually it strips the monokote away from the fusulage. I got some 30 Minute epoxy and lightly brushed it on the area explained and I never had the problem again. Just a thin layer will be fine, dont wanna throw off the balance.


The tower engine sucks too but you will find that out for yourself the first time you have a crash or a seal breaks. I have the new .55AX from OS powering mine now and it FLIES so fast, almost like a 2nd plane.


~Z

I've taught two people in the past year on the Tower Trainer. Landings are only "bouncy" when not properly executed. The plane is a floater, so you must reduce the throttle early in your approach pattern to allow the plane to sink properly. If you're idle is set to high (I shoot for 2500-3000 rpm with an 11x5) you're plane won't slow down.

Bounces occur when the plane is forced down to the runway before its finished flying. Dropping the nose to force the plane down causes the nose wheel to hit first, spring the nose up, and voila, you're flying again. If you maintain a gentle glide slope, keep the nose level or very slightly up, and allow the plane to sink down to the runway, you'll grease your landings everytime, and won't have to straighten your landing gear.

This is a good technique to learn for landing, because as you advance, many second planes must be flown down, rather than the typical beginner "chop and drop".

Good Luck!

Brad

Thanks for the comments everyone
It sounds like this plane acts like my funtana or groovies (both tail draggers) that veer to the right. That is commen for tail draggers but not realy commen for trycle.
I was training a guy the other week with a brand new nextar. I hadn't flown a trainer for quit some time. When i went to land it i had to make a good 5 approaches to get it right. I could get the plane to stop flying . I am used to comming in at 1/4 throttle and dropping it to idle just before i tuch down. I found letting the plane fly at idle for most of the approach helped in the landing.

I damaged my Avistar in August, great plane by the way. Replaced it with a Tower Trainer. Only took it up for 4 test flights. Had to add a ton of weight in the tail. The ST40 up front was quite heavy. I have the same problem with the model wanting to dip to right when speed increased for take off.

The best way I found to counteract that tendency was to hold full
DOWN elevator while doing your takeoff run. This holds the nose
wheel on the ground.

Build up a little speed and then quickly pop in some up elevator.
The plane should come off the ground quickly and with a lot
less tendency to dart to the right.

It seems that the nose wheel lifts before the plane is quite ready
to fly. So keep it on the ground until it builds up a little more speed.

And on the bouncy landings...yes it IS possible to make smooth
landings with this plane under ideal conditions. But if you are
fighting a gusty cross wind and landing on rough grass fields
your nice smooth landings will be far and few between.

A larger set of wheels seems to help. We used some of the Dubro
low bounce 3 inchers. Help quite a bit.

In the air the plane is very good. It took my last student all the way
up through basic aerobatics.

Mike Hammer