Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

I'm a bit of a neophyte, but I'm getting closer to mastering the Dura Trainer. I searched here for info on this plane, however little was found. So I'm going to donate my $.02:

The plane flies well and is definitely sturdy... Several cartwheel'd takeoffs and landings left only props broke and nosegears bent.

But, to get a lower-maintenance plane, the input of many others was required. I was getting help daily from the wonderful Wichita RC Club members so that now I no longer need to spend 1+ hour in repair time between landings - hence, more FLIGHT time! :D

- Use LARGER wheels. They ask for 2.5", but this resulted in the grass getting mowed even while on a freshly-mowed field, and the engine stopping from the prop hitting the ground on landings (no touch 'n goes). The 3.5" wheels I added is MUCH better.

- Use a 9x7 prop. Going from the requested 10" to 9" gives an extra .5" clearance, and the extra pitch helps make up for the lost length.

- Put two nuts on the rear wheels' axle. Even with the thread-lock, my wheel managed to become very loose. The second nut helps keep the first nut from coming off.

- Don't put the nose gear on backwards. ;) To me, it was all the same. But I learned that the impacts of my landings was uncoiling the spring in the nose gear. This resulted in the nose gear bending in many directions thereby never tracking straight on a take-off (and decreasing the distance the prop has to the ground).

- File the nose gear flat. Do this where the 6x32 1/4" screw goes through the steering arm to meet the nose gear so that the wheel won't turn around on rough landings.

Hope this helps others. Please feel free to add more to my list, inasmuch that what I have now has also been input from others.

-David

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

I've heard that it doesn't fly very trainer like ( meaning slow and gentle). What's your thoughts? Is it a good trainer? I'm not just talking about durability, but flying characteristics as well.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Being my first plane, it is hard to compare it to anything. However, to get it to fly slow and to react slower to turns, I use about 1/4 throttle. One person training me did ask if I felt it was too 'touchy' when responding to my controls, but again - I have no idea what touchy is. Nonetheless, I am very happy with it.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Does the person teaching you to fly think it flies nice for a trainer? I think by "touchy" he meant sensitive or hard to control.

Anyway, good luck and I hope you have many enjoyable years in this hobby.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

I have a duraplane 40, and the plane is of course very durable. I have done many modifications to it with switching it to a taildragger, and back to a nose gear, trying different size control surfaces. Anyways, back to the main point, The plane is a bit heavy for an OS.40 fp, and thus cannot climb well. Stalls are uneventful when balanced correctly. The plane is very responsive with the elevator, but the ailerons are not "touchy" at all when set to normal throw's. I use mine constantly for training new students, and they seem to learn on it quite nicely. The body has never been damaged, but I have ordered 3 wings at $14 a piece. A great 1st plane for those that are worried about breaking their investment. I am about to build a SPAD wing for mine (www.spadtothebone) for greater performance. Hope this helps.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Thanks for the info. My uncle had one and he thought it landed to fast for a trainer. What are your thoughts on this?

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

It doesn't land fast at all. Anything slower would get you into a bad habit of thinking all planes landed that slow.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Tmproff,

Thanks again for the info. If I ever teach someone to fly, I'll get the Duraplane.

Duraplane Opinion
 

I learned to fly with the Duraplane then went to an Avistar.

The Duraplane is quite heavy compared to other balsa trainers. For its weight, I think the wing should be larger. Out of the box, its too short and too narrow. With an OS 40LA (weak, crappy engine by the way) it flies pretty much like a typical trainer. Landings need to be hotter than a typical trainer that practically floats in. Because of the weight of the Duraplane, you have to keep the speed up in order to maintain control.

My overall opinion of the Duraplane, it's durable, heavy and CHEAP ($50 for the kit). I don't think I could recommend this particular model to a beginner. I think a beginner would be better off with the improved flight characteristics of a balsa trainer.

And now a days you can get almost anything you want in an ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) version so there is almost no time lost getting a decent trainer into the air.

Just my opinion,
Vance

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

They ain't called "Dura Bricks" fer nuthin.....but I agree....they are cheap....and DURABLE.....and a good trainer......I like the taildragger version better personally......but whatever one is comvortable with......

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Had one, hated it. Way too fast and heavy to learn on. My instructor warned me that I got the wrong plane, but we tried anyway. After about 3 weeks of trying to get me on the tarmac with it he had enough and told me to get a Super Stunts. 800sq-in 5 lb Stick. I landed it on it's first flight. Next flight went even better and I was soloing that day. Gary told me that the Duraplanes were designed to crash well, not fly well. A theory that I proved many times. I will say this though, it was durable!

Before I joined my club I thought I could handle learning on my own. (not a good idea) I took my new rig to work to show the guys (also not a good idea). Fred says "does it run?" "Yea" I say, "let's take it out back." We go behind our building, fire it up and everybody is Oohing and Ah-hing. Fred says "Taxi it around a bit" "OK." Now I'm zooming around the parking lot. Fred says "See if you can get the wheels off the ground, just an inch or 2" (are you getting the idea that I shouldn't listen to Fred?)

OK picture this: 2 buildings in the same parking lot, long driveway behind them on the north side where we are playing around. Wind is to the south. I start my run behind our building, toward building 2. I have enough speed, but its still on the ground. "Hmmm" I say, "maybe I have to give it elevator?" My rookie thumb buries the right stick ALL the way back and ZOOM, it's 20 feet in the air in an instant. Tunnel vision kicks in, but I can't see my plane, all I can see is -Lexus- -Jaguar- - Mercedes- - Mercedes- -BMW(my bosses car).

As soon as the plane passes in front of the gap between the buildings the wind gets it, picks up the left wing and turns it toward the BGB (big glass building). Deer in the headlights mode kicks in- everything slows down - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAM!!!!!!! It hits the BGB dead center on a window. The window bowed, but didn't break. In the slow motion mode that my brain is in, it looks as if the plane it sliding down the side of the BGB like a snail. Fred calmly walks over, gets my plane out of the bushes, comes over to where I'm standing with a stupid look on my face, and says "Lets get the F*@$ out of here." First good idea Fred had all day.

In any case, all that broke in the whole incident was my wing in half, spinner and prop, and bent nose gear. I glued the wing back together, joined a club, and now I'm teaching people how to fly, well away from buildings.

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Good story JetSD. What makes these things so heavy? Are they heavy or is it just a small wing? Thanks, Dan

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

Wow! Great story!

Albeit I had an instructor take my duraplane off and land it for the first few days of training, I found flying it was smooth. When it came to takeoffs, it needed a lot more runway than other planes on the field. However, flying was easy and could (and is) accomplished at slow speeds. Landings are great, and I'm constantly doing touch-and-goes just to see how slow and low I can get the plane before the wheels touch.

The plane is easily heavier than that of balsa due to it's thick PVC fuselage combined with aluminum u-channel tail. But, as said before, I've never flown anything else so I'm sure I'm biased.

-David

Tips / Tricks for the DuraTrainer 40
 

I got a duraplane after turning two tower trainers into splinters. ajis is right, it could use more ground clearance.
The first time I tested it, I could not get 5 feet away without the servos twitching like crazy when the engine was running.
I replaced the aluminum channel with one built up from #1 pine
(came out lighter than the aluminum) and the radio problems disappeared. It weighs 5 1/4 lbs. and flys great, very stable and predictable, but is not able to fly quite as slow as some other trainers because the wing is smaller. This plane shrugs off minor collisions and is WAY easier to repair than some other trainers after the bigger ones. I like flying it when some of the other guys at the field decide it's too windy to take a chance with their plane. But then, their planes look like they came from a hobby shop instead of the hardware store.