Hello guys....

I want to buy the [link=http://www.carlgoldbergproducts.com/airplanes/gbga0061.html]Eaglet 50[/link] for my kid as his first plane. He is 7 years old. I was looking for the OS 15LA for the Engine. I don't want the biggest engine (.25 size) because i want it to land as slow as possible. I don't really like bushing engines but the only .15 with bearings i found are the [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRLG6&P=0]Magnum XLS-15A[/link] and the [link=http://www.osengines.com/engines/osmg0715.html]OS 15CV-A[/link].
The OS 15 CV-A is too expensive for the kid and i have read bad comments about Magnum Engines so i guess i'll go for the OS 15LA.

My question is will the OS 15LA is powerful enough for that plane ? I am open to any suggestion for the plane/engine combo. Again i am looking for something that can land slow for my kid.

Thanks [8D]

A smaller engine size has nothing to do with how slow the plane is going to land. Since engines are usually at idle when landing a 15 sized engine will act the same at the 25 sized engine from that standpoint. Factors such as prop size/shape and the type of plane will have more impact on the landing speed than the engine size will

Ken

Thanks Ken

I tough a .25 would give more thrust than a .15 at idle.
Does the engine weight have any effect ?

Actually, at idle the prop will slow down the plane because the prop will be moving slower than what the plane is. You can actually create a brake to slow the plane down with certain types/brands of props.

A heavier engine can make a difference in the balance of the plane. You might have to add a little bit of weight to the tail of the plane to get it to balance properly with the bigger engine.

Ken

RCKen is telling you right. Most engines idle at about the same speed regardless of size. In fact, a large diameter/low pitch prop will actually act as an airbrake and will allow the plane to slow down nicely.

Get the .25 and use a 10-4 on it. You'll have one sweet-flying trainer for your boy.

When he gets ready for a sportier plane, take half of the dihedral out of the wing, add ailerons (if you didn't in the trainer mode), make it a tail dragger, and change out to a .32 engine. It'll still be docile on landing and slow flight but will be moderately aerobatic and fast.

Dr.1

Is there a particular reason you want to build him a little plane? The only reason I ask is that there is not a lot of cost difference in putting together a smaller plane vs. a 40 size trainer kit. The only real money savings will be in the amount of fuel that you use. The difference in cost between an LA15 and an LA46 is only a few bucks, same with the Eaglet kit vs. the Eagle II kit. The radio gear will cost the same, or be cheaper for the .40 size if you plan on using mini or micro servos in the Eaglet. There will be more covering, but that is about it.

Don't get me wrong, I think that building the Eaglet would be an awesome project for you and your son, and he will love learning to fly on it. I was just wondering if you are building a small plane for him just because he is a small guy. It might actually be easier for him to fly a bigger plane.

Whatever you do, please post some pictures. I'd love to see the little guy with his new plane.

Good luck.

I had an eaglet 50 with a .15 on it. I thought it was an interesting combo. But it was so lame, that someone at the field actually gave me a .25 to put on it. He just coudn't stand watching me struggle to climb above the trees that surrounded our field. Turns out he was right. The plane was much easier and more fun to fly with the .25. It was a bushing .25 , but had plenty of power. Later, the plane had floats on it for a few years. The .25 came in real handy then.

The magnum xls .15 is a great engine, i have 3 of them and other than placing a pc of fuel tubing over the HS needle they are perfect. Lots of the combat guys use them as well, as for performance, mine will turn a 8x3 at 18000rpm.

An Eaglet is a fine plane, and I agree with everyone else that the 25 is a better choice. However, the Eagle II is probably an easier trainer and cost is very little difference.

I have the Eaglet with an OS 25. It will fly at half throttle nicely, go fast when you want, and slow down to a crawl to land. Don't worry about slowing down. This plane started out with a K&B 20 sportster and was a great combo till the sportster got too finicky.

an eaglet with a 25 would be better, a forty size or sixty size plane would be best, a bigger plane would be easier for your boy to see and see the orientation better

Maybe he just likes the Eaglet. I know I do. Maybe his flying space/runway length is limited. Maybe him or his boy is a little scared of a larger plane. Sometimes big, noisy planes, even trainers, can be a little intimidating. The Eaglet will be a fun, easy to build/fly project they'll both get a lot of enjoyment from.

Dr.1

PS A .15 spinning an 8-3 at 18 grand is NOT the engine combo you want on this trainer. It ain't flying combat.

Dr1Driver, i was just stating that this engine will make alot of power and also the new XLS model is better suited to larger props so you could always go up on prop size and lower rpm's. Compared to my OS.40LA, my magnum is almost as powerful, only 20% less.

OS.40la 11x5 @ 10500=.605HP
Mag .15 8x3 @ 18000=.512HP

Yes the eaglet is great, I had one and flew the crud out of it. I started flying again and my 11 yr old is having a hard time with orientaion with a forty size plane. like all kids he can fly the simulator better than us older guys. in real life the plane is alot farther away than on a sim. that is the only reason I sugested a bigger plane. I do feel that the eaglet is one of the best trainers out there.

Dr1Driver is right.... i am not limited by the space, the only reason i wanted to buy the Eaglet is because a bigger trainer (like the PT-60) is pretty intimidating for a young kid.
My first plane was a PT-60, but i don't have it anymore...i lost it due to a TX battery failure, and i never bought another trainer.
I bought the mid-star 40 for my 2nd plane and i love it, i also have a corsair with a 50sx that i have never flown yet. I think the Mid-Star is too fast for my kid for his first plane.
After reading all your posts...i know you guys are right...the Eagle 2 would be easier to fly for him, and for 40$ more than the Eaglet kit, i can get the Eagle 2 ARF.
I saw a PT-20 last year flying at our field...it was so cute. It was flying around , at low altitude, very slow and it looked pretty stable.
BTW i don't really care about the cost, i just want him to like this hobby as much as i do.
For the remote...ill use my remote until he can fly on his own...and i have lots of spare servos here.
mclina i will post a pic if that day happens :P I think ill buy the G4 flight simulator for him to train during the winter.
I'll take couples of days to think about it.

I have had two Eaglet 50 trainers with a Thunder Tiger (plain bearing) GP .25 and an OS .25FP. Both engines are discontinued, but a plain bearing .25 with a 10/4 or even a 9/5 is perfect.

My first one was built when I was 11 years old, and I just built another to teach my girlfriend and my 12 year old daughter.

Find a used .25 at auction or on classifeds for song and smile all the way to the bank.

As a general rule of thumb, always use the biggest engine the kit recommends. Wing loading, not power determines the plane's stall speed, (the slowest it can fly). The lighter the plane is, the slower it can land. Usually when you use the smallest engine recommended, you end up adding lead to the nose to get the plane to balance anyway so you really don't save much weight by going to a smaller engine.
I have found that the large engine flying mostly at half throttle or so will usually burn less fuel than a small underpowered engine that must constantly scream at full throttle just to keep the plane in the air.
Underpowered airplanes are harder to fly than overpowered airplanes.

There's nothing wrong with bushing engines. Your car has a bushing engine and modern cars are going up to 300,000 miles before needing a rebuild and it's usually not because the bearings are worn out.

I learned on the Eagle. both are good birds. I would fly an OS la 25 or go on the E*&y and buy a new OS 25 fp. you can hardly wear one out! I have a coule of FPs and love 'em. The airbleed carbs on either are very new pilot friendly.

I find alot of these comments interesting, I learned to fly with the Eaglet as well in '82. Dad got me the HB .15/Eaglet combo(plain bearing engine). It seemed to have plenty of power. I never did change out the motor, just upgraded to a sweetstik. I'm currently completing an eaglet for my 11 yr old and have a NIB HB .15 for it. I do have a couple of ,25 motors if necessary though
Donnie

It is interesting to read back over this old thread. I wonder if Bidule and his son ever built thier plane.

It's funny, because in my original advice above, I indicated that the only real money difference between the smaller trainer and the larger one would be in fuel consumption.

Since that post, I have had my kids training on my Alpha 40 with the .45 Evolution engine. On one training night, with two kids each getting in three flights (10 ounce tank), plus a flight for another kid who just wanted to try it out, plus one flight for Dad, because I just wanted to fly at least once, I burned about 3/4 gallon of fuel.

The .25 size Eaglet starts looking even better at that point

I hope the original poster and his son are having as much fun as we are.

Why do you guys want to make it harder for the little ones?
Don't be a cheap ..get them a regular .40 or .60 trainer.
Bigger will fly better, slower and they can see it better.

The bigger a model is , the better you can see it. Therefore you can fly it further away from you.
Therefore the box gets bigger, Therfore the model has a greater distance to travel , therefore it'll look like it's flying slower.
Therefore it'll give newbies plenty of reaction time.

My .40 and .60 size looks same (in size) during flight becuase I simply fly the .60 further out becuase of depth perception.

A smaller model will required more air speed to fly due to wieght or wing load. A .60 trainer will float all day long
on 1/4 throttle.
If you decide to go mini or micro servo to make up for the weight, it'll cost the same if you had just gotten a .40 size.

I had an eglet. you need to maintain more air speed, plus it's only 3 channels. which will make it harder
on the little ones if you they add too much input using only rudder. Give them airlerons as you would give yourself.lol

I'd hide the glow plug driver and the fuel when I go to work..though.
You know a 7 year old is not just going to stair at it all day long.
Even if you hung it up, he'll bring it down and try to flick it with a spoon in the house.lol

Actually the Eaglet can be built with 3 or 4 channels. Kit comes with instructions and dihedral gauges to build either wing. I find my 4 channel Eaglet to be very relaxing and easy to hand launch (if needed). Mine has a Thunder Tiger GP .25, and required no additional weight to balance. It also slows nicely for landing.

Okay..lets have a 7 year old hand luanch a meat grinder.

I'm posistive the eagle II is exaclty the same model scale down.

Not suggesting a 7 year old "hand launch a meat grinder", that would be quite foolish. Point is that the Eaglet is quite managable to hand launch "(if needed)". I've also flown the Eagle II and have to agree that it looks like a scaled up version of the Eaglet. Fight characteristics are also very similar.

MY son chose to build an eaglet simply because he wanted to BUILD the same plane that I did at his age. 50" wing isn't exactly tiny. The average 40 size sport plane was roughly in that size range just heavier. The wing loading comment doesn't work either, an eaglet has far less than say a SIG Kadet(40 size)