A good 3rd plane
 

So far, I have mastered my trainer and have moved on to a 4*40. I would like to begin work on my third plane while I keep flying the 4*. I am looking for something low/mid wing, aerobatic capability and is nice to look at. In terms of size, I would like something bigger than a .40 but not huge (small car). Maybe a 60 size... Either ARF or kit would work for me.

I have heard the Seagull 300s is nice. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

Try the Black Horse (Graupner) - just make sure its the new batch that are laser cut, Phoenix, World Models stuff. They are all cheap and nice.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I have been flying an edge from pacific aeromodelers for about a month now and I'm very happy with it. It is very easy to land and take off. I have the 40 size but its pretty big for a 40.
They make a 60 size also. Their site has a link to a thread here on rcu.

http://www.pacaeromodel.com/Edge540/Edge540T.htm

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

try an aerobatic plane like a cap 232 or edge 540 or maybe an extra or something.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

a cap 232, edge 540 or extra is exactly the kind of plane I had in mind, however I was hoping for reccomendations on manufacturers and size. It seems like the majority of these type of planes are either .40 size or are 1/4 scale + size. I am trying to find something in between. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places?

The size 60 pacific aeromodelers edge 540 posted by zetor looks like it might be perfect!

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

yellow aircraft maybe, great planes, stuff like that. just stay away from vmar! heavy, heavy, heavy, wood warps like crazy, heavy heavy and weak. or maybe one of those cermark sukhois or something.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I would say that once you've mastered the 4*, you can try a cap or extra. Yellow Airplanes make a few nice aerobatic planes for 60 class. WM has a new 60-class P51 that seems really nice. I am an avid fan of WM quality and ease of assembly, just the selection needs to be more attractive.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I have heard spectacular things about the Carl Goldberg Extra 300. Nice capability, 60 sized, but use a 91 engine or even better a Magnum 1.08 for good power.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I have a Goldberg extra that I got from a club member. Its a good size model that flys good and still has good slow speed manners. I used a 1.08 Mag and it has plenty of power. It needs a good 90 size two stroke or 120 4 stoke. It is my third plane.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

SIG Something Extra for an ARF or the Lanier Stinger in kit form. Both fly very nice on a 46.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

A GP .60 Extra 300 would be really cool. Put a .90 on it and watch it go!

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I don't know about the Seagull 300S, but I do have a couple of suggestions. One is the Goldberg Extra, never heard of one that didn't fly good. Best with a 120, though.

My personal favorite is the Vector Flight Extra, either the big one or the little one. A 60 would probably fly the smaller one just fine, mine flew great with an 80 fourstroke. I also have the larger VF Extra, and it's a dreamboat, with an ST 90.

Now, if you want another 46 size plane, the Sig SE or the Hobbico Super Sportster are fine choices.

Just my 2¢ worth,
Dave Olson

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

if you want a 40 size plane i would reccomend something like the new h9 twist. i have a thread going on it in the 3d forum, that you may find quite useful. it is only about $100 and you cant beat it for the buck! flies absolutely great.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

Wow! Thanks for all of the help. I think I have decided to go with an ARF model. I am very seriously looking at both the Seagull 300s and the Pacific Aeromodeler edge 540. Both are in the size range and seem to offer similar performance. The Edge appears to be a superior kit in terms of quality and lists at $264.99. The Seagull seems to be of less quality (and is less known?) and is priced at $144.99. Decisions decisions.... Not sure if I can justify the huge increase in price.

Does anyone have any strong feelings about either of these planes (positive or negative)? Any other performance ARFs that I should be considering?

Next comes the question of power... .60 - .91 2-stroke or .80 - 1.0 4-stroke for the Edge or a .61 - .78 2-stroke or .65 - 1.00 4-stroke for the Seagull? I have never operated a 4-stroke before, so I am not to familiar with their advantages.

While I certainly want to keep costs as low as possible, I don't want to miss out on some great advantage because I wasn't willing to shell out a few more bucks.

Thanks again for all of the great advice.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

if you want to keep low on the cash but not miss out on any of the fun stuff than i would recommend the twist 3d from h9. it will work really well with a 50 two stroke and have unlimited vertical. it is a smaller model. as you get into the 60 size models, stuff is going to get more and more expensive, and if you want to get into some of the more 3d oriented models you will be needing better servos than just standards. out of all the planes mentioned here, the twist is by far the easiest to fly. it should float better than a trainer but it will do some pretty crazy aerobatics that most of these models here will not do. it also looks kinda cool and it's size is unintimidating when you want to low stall stuff. the twist is only 47 inch wingspan, but i would not just pass it up for it's size. check it out, i highly recommend it. that was my 4th gas plane, but i have flown many models and demo'ed them and i really loved that twist. i am not ruling out the other aerobatic models, but in a 60 size, i think you may be kind of unhappy with them. 60 size models that look like the real ones have a tendency to be heavy and snap-rolly, simply because of their size and all kinds of complicated stuff that i don't know about. while some are better than others, you will never really find one that you can do some extreme stuff later if you want to with. if you don't really care about any particular type of flying and you are just lookin for a new plane, any plane will suit your needs. if you want to do a specific type of flying, certain models will be ideal and certain will never hit your expectations. before we can really answer your question, we kinda need to know what type of flying you want to do to really recommend a plane that is tailored to your needs. different styles like just flying around in circles, sport flying, scale, pattern, racing, 3d, stuff like that. as i said, if it does not mater to you than any old model will do. (with some exceptions, but that is conditional)

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

The GP U-Can-Do 60 has had nothing but good reviews as well.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I have the PacificAeroModel Gee Bee Y.

If the other ARFs offered are of similar quality, it is worth the money. The covering on mine was outstanding (1 SMALL wrinkle), the build quality is excellent and the weight is very lite. The only thing I would suggest is to check the fuel lines at the tank. They are color coded and mine were installed wrong.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

Spaceclam - Thanks again for all the advice. Here is some additional info:

I am interested in larger sized models for their increased visibility and better wind handling.

My main goal with this plane is to "continue my progression as a pilot." I would like to move beyond basic aerobatics and into pattern/scale aerobatics. I would also like to take up 3d someday, however, I don't feel that my skills are quite there yet.

I am not necessarily looking for the end all be all plane, just something to get me to the next level that is of good quality, has nice reliable characteristics and is attractive (I do have a liking for scale looking planes). As my skills progress, I will most certainly look into getting a plane that will allow me to move on to the more extreme stuff.

Also, it's not that I am on a shoestring budget, I just want to make sure I get my money's worth with whatever I purchase. Take the pac edge vs. the seagull 300s for example, will the extra $130 really make the edge that much better of a plane and a flyer?

Thanks for the patience and the advice! It is much appreciated!

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I think you should read up on Vector Flight, if you want a slightly larger plane.

http://www.vectorflight.com/

There are several threads on them, too. Pretty much good stuff.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

Ooohh cool. I hadn't seen them yet. Looks nice! I will read up on them. thx!

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I am extremely impressed with the Vector Flight Edge 540. Everything I could find about the plane/manufacturer was excellent! I didn't see a single negative thing (well, one guy didn't like the wheel pants) and it is priced at $169.

I am pretty sure this is the plane for me! I will sleep on it first, then make my order.

Next decision... How should I power it? The website notes that it should take a 0.60 - 0.90 2 stroke or a 0.70 - 0.90 4 stroke.

Correct me if I am wrong, but if the max 4 stroke is a .90, then wouldn't the corresponding max 2 stroke (also .90 size) have a ton more power?

I have never used a 4 stroke before and I am quite curious..

Anyone have any suggestions if I should go with a 2 stroke or 4 stroke? Should I go with the max size engine (either 2 or 4 stroke)? Is there a particular engine that anyone might think is a perfect fit?

I am thinking a Saito FA-91S would be nice (Does this engine come with a muffler?)

Hehe, sorry for the barrage of questions! I guess I am a bit excited over finding this plane!

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

It is the first time I have seen the vector and pretty impressed with it.

If I was not building GP Extra 60 I would get one in a heart beat.

$169 is a great price, I mean my GP extra kit building will cost more than that

$120 kit
$42 Cowl
$35-50 Covering,

+ Paint and will replace the GP engine mount with Dawe Brown anyway. + time and lots of time.

Well the only thing is I will end up lighter.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

You may also want to check out www.yellowaircraft.com, they have 2 Edge 540s, a 60" span and a 72", and Yellow makes very nice airplanes. I am not sure of the prices though, I didn't see any on their site.

I would definitely go with a 4-stroke. More torque and you can swing a larger prop. They sound better too IMO, more realistic.

If it were me and I was picking a Saito for the Vetcor Flight Edge, I would put a 1.20 in it. I think you'll find that most put engines above the max recommended power range for better vertical performance. Usually these airplanes come out a little tail heavy anyways, so the extra weight in the nose doesn't hurt anything. FWIW, I have the FA-91s in my U-Can-Do .46, and it is a great match for the airplane. Wonderful running engine(all Saitos are) but it has to be broken in thoroughly, preferably on a stand. They run rough and vibrate a lot before they start to break in.

And yes, Saitos come with mufflers.

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

VectorFlight makes a very nice ARF. I have the 58" Extra with a Saito 91, seems like a perfect match. Plenty of power for uplines, not too heavy that it ruins the wing loading, etc. I'm very happy with it.

The slightly larger planes (66 extra and edge) would probably prefer the Saito 100. And yes they come with the standard muffler. I used a slimline pitts muffler on mine which looks pretty cool..

-Greg

RE: A good 3rd plane
 

I ordered the Vector Flight Edge 540 tonight:D! I have also decided to go with a 4 stroke. I sent Vector Flight an an email asking their opinion on engine selection - specifically i questioned them about the use of a 1.00 saito vs a .91 saito since the 1.00 is outside of their recommended range. I hear they have amazing customer service and I'll post their response when it comes. I'll also post some pics of the kit when it arrives for those that are curious.

Many thanks to everyone who helped me make up my mind (and put up with my relentless questioning :D)