Well I sold it today! I was just starting to get used to it, and I wouldn't be happy with that plane unless it had a big 4 stroke under the cowl. I don't plan on getting any other 40 size planes in the near future, so having a 55AX laying around would do me no good, and I'm certainly not going to blow hundreds of more dollars on a plane that I don't really like anyway.
Will make transaction tomorrow, and pattern ship will be on order soon!

You know, sometimes that is for the best. Even though problems are always fixable it can be hard to find the motivation if you just aren't into something. I've sold a plane or two because I just wasn't into them like I thought I would be. I've also sold a couple and really regretted it too.

Good for you, Joe! Bet you're feeling all happy inside I had a feeling you didn't really like that plane anyhow! Now what gave me that idea?

Good luck with the pattern ship.

Thanks guys, it was kind of a bittersweet decision, but I am feeling better about it. I know I would love to have the Decathlon down the road one day, though bigger with a four stroke or a gas engine, but right now I have such an immense drive to fly a particular way, so freeing up some time, energy, and money toward a pattern ship (and a huge engine and digital servos and...) feels pretty good.

so today I sold the plane; I took it to the gent's house and helped him install his receiver, then went to the field with him to help him get it in the air. The engine needed some fine tuning, but once we got it set....ahhh.....

The plane is really beautiful. Blue skies, few white clouds, and a nice trail of white smoke behind the red and white plane, engine running great. It was picture perfect. I enjoyed flying the plane today. It really is aerobatic for a scale plane, and I stress the word scale. Nice slow loops, great spins, stall turns, etc. I would love to have this plane in my hangar, probably with a four stroke and smoke system (and a larger size) one day. But, I got most of my money back and will be much happier with something different right now. I enjoyed the experience, well the tail end of it, and the guy really liked flying it (though will need plenty of work with taxiing!).

A happy ending

Well, after flying the Phoenix Decathlon for a couple weeks, another flier now has it to enjoy. He apparently wanted it more than I did. I really did enjoy this plane a lot but when the right deal comes along you take it. It looked vey nice in the sky and sad to see it go. I traded it and my CMPro Yak 54 50 for a Sig Hog Bipe and a World Models Ultimate 40. Love those Bipes, The problem is I just have way to many planes to fly right now (15 flyers) and I am not getting any great amount of stick time on any particular model. I think I will just pick 3 and fly them for a month or so, then pick three differant ones and so on. I would love to keep every plane I ever had but storage and maintenance is getting to be an issue. That being said, I just bought 2 more Arfs... RC Guys Cessna AG Wagon and a Will Hobby Dago Red Mustang. Damn, I always contradict myself.

I can't keep my batteries up on just 6 planes, 15+??? Nope, just couldn't do it.

From your most recent experience, GaRCfield and Sourkraut, how did the Decathlon handle compared to the pattern planes, Yaks, Bipes you two now have? I'm assuming the sport planes would fly faster, land hotter, and be considerably less forgiving. On the other hand, I'm thinking a Dolphin or Four-Star would be smoother, more forgiving, and easier to handle. Correct me if I'm wrong.

NorfolkSouthern

The Decathlon flew great but you had to keep the power on it to make it perform. There is no floating around at 1/4 throttle like my Cub. It landed very nice and stable. The takeoffs can be a little tricky but keep the rudder throws down and it isn't to bad on the takeoff roll. Be careful with the rudder in the air, it is quite effective. The 4*, Dolphin or CG Tiger would be quite a bit easier to fly. You can cut the throttle back on these and they don't drop like the Decathlon will. The CMPro Yak 54 50 that I had was just a bit to sensitve on the elevator for my liking. Would love to snap when to much was applied. I just love Bipes, nothing to be scared of....just differant to fly. Like I said, I would have loved to have kept, it but to good of a deal to pass up.
Every type of plane has its good points and bad points. I don't think there are any real bad planes out there, just pick something in the style that you like to fly and learn to fly it and have a blast.
It is nice to have 15 planes at the ready but all the batteries and motors that I have do require a lot of continued maintenace. I am going to try and get down to about 4-5 battery packs this winter and swap them out from plane to plane. At least I have good intentions... Yeah right, I can see that happening

Curt