I'm stepping up from a .40 size low-wing trainer to the Venus II .90 size pattern plane with an OS 120AX engine. OH MY!!!

I received the wrong radio from Tower, twice, and had to borrow a 6ch radio from a very generous club member, so all I was able to do was install the receiver, center the servos, and run a break-in tank of fuel through the engine (need to set up throws, coordinate dual servos, etc.).

As with OS reputation, the engine started right up. I had difficulty with my fueling system due to the different radio and the new setup I have for this plane, and the engine totally didn't care. I flipped the engine with my chicken stick as my little battery/starter wasn't enough to get through the compression stroke (even with the 'running start' method), and it started for the first time within a handful of flips. I followed OS recommended break-in routine of running "4 cycle" then "2 cycle" for 10 second intervals (this is a ringed engine, which I thought would have a different break-in, but I called product support who verified it's the same procedure.) So I got the whole first tank through without having to restart the engine, let it cool down for a few minutes, and started a second tank to see how the engine idled, advanced, etc.

Flawless!!! The low mixture comes rich from the factory as it's set for 15% nitro and I only use 10%, so there was some expected hesitation upon advancing the throttle, but not enough to stall the engine. Ran great at all RPM, and the engine is even mounted at 135 degrees. No problems. With my UVM School of Engineering approved left arm tension scale, I received a measurement of 18lbs of thrust at full RPM. And, the plane was tied down using one of those screw-in steaks used to tie down your dog, and the plane started to move the steak while buried in the ground!

The 120AX is yet another winner from OS, and just reinforces the fact that this series of engines is worth every penny. I say it over and over again - I have been given reason to not even consider another brand of 2 stroke engines. My OS engines are the best running and easiest starting engines out of the 40 members and God knows how many planes in my club.

I was very eager to get right home and finish setting up the plane to maiden tomorrow, but I had to tell someone, or EVERYONE, about my excitement for this engine so here I am telling you. All I could do was smile and laugh at the field, as did the other guys who saw it

Thanks OS! I can't wait to see what happens with the plane in the air!!!

That's one slick looking engine, Gar! Best of luck with it!

What prop are you using? I've heard APC are the better than Master Airscrews and Tower seems to be recommending a 16 x 8 for it.

And what radio did you order?

I received a new 46AX from Hobby Services for the one I returned. I broke it in today the same way you broke in your 120 except I used a starter. Started on the first flip and ran great!

It is a powerful little beast Joe, Pulls my 8Lb plane out of sight in a few seconds, hovers at 1/4-3/8 throttle. I would reccomend it to anyone
for it's ease of use and tuning, not to mention OS reliabilty.

I have seen the 120AX turn a APC 17x10 Narrow, with a tuned pipe on a Zen 90 pattern plane. I use a 16x8 APC when I fly my Yak precision
and a 17X6 for 3D. the plane flies a bit faster with the 16x8 which makes it look a little less twitchy to the judges.

i have a 55 and a 46ax.....great power.... my 55 swings a 12x6 just a hair under my 61fx

Ive got a 15x10 APC as recommended by pattern forum for break in. I think i could fly away with small children if i so desired!

My 46 AX screams with a 12x5 at 13000 rpm.

jim, happy to hear youre up and running!

That's nice, my towers ,tt ,magums...etc starts on the first flick too, Just like my os.

Woah, you have your Venus set up already???? You just aren't very patient are you?

Let us know how it goes.

It's easy. Just replace the learning curve with a credit card.

Uuuh, short memory span is a bless sometimes....
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_77...tm.htm#7787989

I also have the OS 120 AX engine in my Carl Goldberg Ultimate (From kit) it swings a 16 x 8 APC prop by now at nearly 9,000 RPM, the engine has only 5 flights with my ultimate and I can't describe the joy of this combo.
A good friend of mine has the Venus II with a Saito 1.50 but I believe that he is using a smaller prop. It flies great and have great power to climb, he is an advanced pattern competitor and the only down side is that the stock tank can give him only enough time for the advanced routine.
I am using a 16 oz tank in my Ultimate and it gives me more than the necessary time to accomplish the sportsman routine, maybe twice, I do not use this bipe as a pattern plane option but just want to give an idea of the fuel-time consuming.
You will love that plane; it is on my list of purchases, I am glad that I already have the engine.
Congratulations.

amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing ...

Beyond words AMAZING!!!


That 55 wasn't perfect for me out of the box, but I had it running like a top in 3 days, and is still running like a champ for someone else

3 days, sure seemed A lot longer then that, how many help me posts was that one worth??

Ya can't win 'em all. I'm still hooked on AX.

Is that because of all the other engines you have had and tried?? Not trying to knock you but with only the two engines, one really, and the little stick time you really have on your two ARFs plus all the help you needed to get your little AX running correctly {{Or was that A dead stick that ended your Decath flight}} you don't really have A lot to base anything on. I have had MDS engines run great right out of the box too but I never got hooked. I still have A couple but they aren't very good engines. There is A learning curve you seem to be skipping over A lot. Just something I have noticed and seeing all the advice you are now giving??? 3 months on RCU and over 1000 posts??? Makes people that have met you from your start wonder. Just something A few of us have noticed, we do talk you know??

I do ask a lot of questions - maybe I should keep my mouth shut. The Decathlon's issue was plumbing, not the engine. All 3 AX's I've experiences are now starting on the first flip every time, though sometimes the initial startup takes 2. All the guys at my field verbally admire my engines - even at the pattern contest I went to. Guys who are die-hard electric fliers even constantly comment on my easy starting and powerful engines - a 46 pushing 13000rpm with a 12" prop, and starting on the first flip every time?!

This IS a beginner's forum, and I don't try to hide the fact that I'm new at this. When I ask questions I pay attention to who's asking them and try to listen to the guys with experience. As far as people talking about me, I could care less. This is a forum about flying toys, and I spend my time here learning and what I thought was helping other people. When I'm not doing that I'm flying my plane, not talking about other pilots.

I guess I don't regret so many posts - my planes look beautiful in the sky, my engines (are currently) running well, I make all kinds of coordinated turns both right side up and inverted, and my landings look fantastic. All due to the however many posts and questions I've asked. 3 months of flying and I'll most likely even be up into another class in pattern contests by next year. Maybe I'll stop trying to give advice, but I like to help people from the lessons, mistakes, or information I've obtained. And I don't think you'll find many people with the AX series complain about these engines (yeah, sure there are a few, there's always exceptions).

It's a public forum, so take what you like and leave the rest.

A Venus II and OS 12.0 AX. Ok. I'm no pro and never professed to be. But, I waited several years before I stepped up into that level aircraft. The intermediate step was the Venus 40. I also had a Tiger 60 then a Four Star 40 well before the Venus 40 and I suggest you think seriously about that first.. But then, you've never really followed advice before. This will be a fun thread to watch.

CG where have you been? I had a mid-air at a fun fly last week-end. Got my (tail) cut off and watched it sprial down from about 300' only thing I could do was spiral in either direction.

Very interesting (enlightening) Post Gray Beard

Have no fear, gaRCfield, we all appreciate your enthusiasm. It's good to hear that you're having so much fun and progressing through various levels of difficulty so quickly.

I've avoided replying in this thread a couple of times up until now. I think the AX-series two strokes from O.S. Max are terrific engines. They're not exactly bargains, but they're well made and very user friendly.

If you spend the rest of your life flying nothing but O.S. Max engines, well, that wouldn't be the worst thing you could do. Don't be so quick as to declare O.S. as the only brand of two stroke worth considering, however.

Enya engines provide good power and are light weight while perhaps offering the best metallurgy of any RC engines on the market. They last for decades and epitomize reliability and durability. Webra two-strokes are lighter weight and more powerful than comparable O.S. Max two-strokes. They run powerfully and reliably on little-to-no nitro and are very durable as well. Jett, Rossi, Fox, HP, Nelson, and others all have similar virtues that place them above and beyond O.S. Max for a number of reasons.

A great number of specialty glow engine manufacturers enjoy a thriving business despite O.S. Max's high market visibility and lower pricing. If O.S. Max were really the best engines on the market for all categories of flight, then these companies would be folding up.

Other competitors offer similar power and reliability and significantly lower prices. I run Super Tigre and Magnum engines and I think they're terrific products. I can't honestly say that they're as good as O.S. Max with regard to ease of use, but they're very good and not too much more difficult to break in and tune as O.S. Max.

Thunder Tiger is another story. Thunder Tiger engines are, in my experience, every bit as good as O.S. Max with regard to ease of tuning and break in. They come with a better warranty than O.S. Max (3 years vs. 2 years) and will generally last longer than a comparable O.S. Max engine. The only thing that O.S. Max has over Thunder Tiger is a wider variety of available models; Thunder Tiger doesn't offer .55 or .75 two-strokes, for example.

I happily own the TT Pro .46, GP-40, GP-61, and F-91s engines and all of them are terrific, reliable, and easy-to-tune. If I were offered my choice of the TT Pro .46 or the O.S. Max .46 AX for a project, I'd take the TT Pro .46.

There are a lot of great engine brands out there that are at least as good as O.S. Max including Saito, YS, Enya, Webra, Fox, HP, K&B, Jett, Rossi, and Nelson. That having been said, if I had to fly only a single brand of engine, I would fly Thunder Tiger.

Your 1.20 AX is a terrific engine and perhaps one of the best values in the entire O.S. Max lineup. I'm glad you're enjoying it and I hope it provides you with terrific flying for many years to come.

Garc.... We know this is a Beginners forum.... people come here for advice. But the problem is that you don't heed the advice that's been given to you. So many people have told you to take it slow.

After crashing your Nexstar you got the Avistar...which you crashed as well. We told you that you need to stick with a trainer a bit longer but you refused and went with the low wing dolphin which you also managed to crash on ladings because you obviously didn't have enough stick time. Then not long after you decided to build a decathlon to do something that was possibly out of your reach and you also managed to crash that (regardless if it was ok or no, im not sure). Again, we said take a step back, slow down.... you need to spend more time with your dolphin or another semi-trainer because you're moving to fast. and Now you've got a Venus (not exactly an easy plane)...and not to mention it's a 90 size with a 1.20 motor in it.

What's the point of giving you advice?

I'm really interested in how your flying goes with the Venus, I wish you the best of luck.

BigEdmustafa,

You are a smart man.

Oldernut

When I started to fly RC planes there were not internet, or flight sims, only my Instructor and some fellows with advanced capabilities that used to help me in my very beginning. I really listened to them and they were my teachers for a long time. Stepping from a trainer is like a graduation, and when I finally learned to fly the trainer the right way, it suppose to be ready to fly at all times, I had to take of, make some aerobatic routines and land safely in a predestined area all by myself, then I could go and buy a low wing trainer and again fly with the instructor, with the same history as the trainer, if you broke the plane there is not a valid point to go for a harder plane to fly, that was then. Now I can fly almost all kind of planes but I do not hesitate to ask for help when I am arriving at the field with a new model and feel like my knees are shaking. I have helped a lot of guys and beginners at our field and I have received more that what I have given by now. Living in a new era, with many developing technologies, massive information from internet, flight sims, gently trainers with already broken engines, can give me an idea that a student can go faster than I did (I have seen it) but in the other hand I have to say that if someone is stepping from crashed planes, then, there is a lack of education. I believe that many of us are older people that pay their own bills, and if someone wants to go and buy a very nice plane with a great engine and wants to fly it with or with out a good education, then, it is out of our hands to stop him or discouraging him. Some good pilots learned the hard way, others got tired of waste their money and went to look for some other interesting hobby. Let's support to everyone that is in need of help and we will see how this new pilot can grow.
With all my respect to all members.
Alfredo

Ummm... ok, I guess.

All the good, nice words won't do a bit of good when he gets that Venus in a position that he knows nothing about nor how to correct it.

Remember this: The more complex the planes get, the more difficult they are to repair. The trick is not to get into the position that will result in having to repair that fine aircraft.

Step up slowly. Learn to fly. Know what to expect, and how to anticipate what happens next. Do it with something that you are capable of flying.. be it a trainer, or a low-wing aerobatic level aircraft. Not something like a Venus II with an OS 1.20. If you DO decide to move forward, buy two or three of them (Venus II's). Maybe the engine will last through all this. Also buy a stock of $12.00 props.



How many times do we have to repeat this!!!

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If I were offered my choice of the TT Pro .46 or the O.S. Max .46 AX for a project, I'd take the TT Pro .46.

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I agree my TT PRO. 46 has been flawless and even in this months Model Airplane News in the "20 best gas & glow engines" i see the Pro.46 got the nod, no .46AX though.