Tower Trainer
 

anybody familiar,,I ordered one ,,my eagle 11 bit the dust a decade or so ago..next a Raidentech $40 trainer, what a brick,,the manual said the cg was 5 mm from the leading edge, knowing that wasnt right I went back to the spar for the cg,,close but it was tail heavy, but the .40LA flew it fine,,fix the cg with 4oz of lead in the nose and now the LA wont take it off from wet grass!!?? so I hand launched it...I hand launch all my 1/2a stuff anyway, long story short, it went in , cartwheeling, the wing looks fine but I dont trust it and the nose is bashed in pretty good so I figure as cheap as they are I'll just get the Tower one...transfer everything from it and trash the raidentech....all this talk about trainers, figured I'd get another one for fun...Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I learned on a Tower Trainer 40 ten years ago. Since then I've taught 5 or 6 others to fly on it including my sons. I still have it now and it goes to the field with me a few times eac summer. Nice flying trainer. You'll do well with it.

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Ken, what engine do you have on yours? I have either the .40LA or a Fox .45 I could put on it, I've never run the Fox but I did send it back in to the factory, they put a new ring (Ithink) and muffler on it and said it ran fine..the time I did fly the raid...it was tail heavy and very difficult to control,, took all I had to bring it in in one piece, and what would be a good prop for the Fox?..Rog
my big props are 7x3 and 6x3

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I have an old OS 40 SF. It's got close to 600 or so flights on it, no compression, almost black from the castor oil burned on to it, won't flip start now, can only be stared with an electric starter, but fires right up and runs like a champ!!!!! :D:D

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

oh man!!! my towers trainer was buy far the best trainer I've ever flown!! although I've only flown two trainers in the process of learning..the towers trainer with an os .46=crazy fun!!!!

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I've got a Tower 40 and a Nexstar. I'm all thumbs but the're dumb thumbs. The Nexstar is bigger and gives you more time to make corrections. It also appears to be easier to land and settles in nicely. The Tower 40 has a different glide angle, or so it appears to me, comes in a little more steeply and gives you a little less time making the landings just a bit less forgiving. Both planes are great for learning the basics. For what ever reason the Tower 40, from my perception seems to be more responsive in flight. Might be due to less wing length or maybe just my imagination. The Tower 40 has a strong airframe. As a beginner I've abused it quit a bit. The main landing gear take a lot of abuse. I made a outline template of the wire gear on plywood so that I can always bend them back to their proper shape - it keeps life simple. For the money, it's a great plane, fun to learn on, easy to fix. "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

enjoy, Bert

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I have the RTF version with the Tower .46 Pro engine & it runs & flys excellent. With an APC 11X6 on it, it pulls real good & with a 10x8 as Tower suggests it still pulls pretty good & has real good top end speed. Given the two choices you put up I think I would try the Fox .45 if it runs good I think you will be happy with the extra little boost. Especially since you already know how to fly & are just looking for a fun type Trainer. You'll like the Tower. It shreds the sky real well & is pretty stout too. It can take some abuse. Have fun with it, I still do.:)

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Bert, It's not your imagination. I have both too & you're right, the Tower is a much more nimble flier imo. I soloed on the NexStar because like you said it is more forgiving & easier to fly I think. Once soled though I began to have a ball with the Tower.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Thanks for the confirmation Grumpy. I'm glad that the two trainers are at differing ends of the spectrum. Hopefully it will serve a useful purpose. I plan to use the Nexstar as a training platform for crabbing and slipping the plane, as well as, landing in moderate crosswinds. Doing things that I'm uncertain of the results or have apprehensions about. Once I learned the technique or maneuver it should be easy to transfer over to the Tower 40. I think, I hope, I pray

Bert

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Got it!!..came in 2 days early too!..the Fox wont fit on the motor mount that came with the plane and since I fly mostly 1/2a I dont have one of those mounts sitting around, dont think anyway..it looks great and I think I could put this thing together with my eyes closed, nice hardware package too....looks like the .40 LA will have to do, I bet this one balances better than the raid..did....Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

xe2, I believe that you will find the NexStar first to be a great choice. For all the things you stated it will work well for you. That is pretty much exactly what I did. Since I had the luxury of 2 different Trainers, I started with the most docile of the 2. After getting quite comfortable with the NexStar then then Tower became much easier for me to handle. In the beginning though I had the Tower first & it seemed really fast & touchy to me, I really wasn't doing very well. Then I picked up the NexStar & started over. After developing a softer touch at the controls with the NexStar I began to have a great time with the Tower & still do!! It is my warm up plane. I fly a hot-lap or two with it everytime I go flying as a warm up before I fly my good planes.;)

RE: Tower Trainer
 

The 40LA will fly the Tower Trainer well enough. I learned on that combination. Our filed is grass, and the landowner doesn't want it mowed as short as we would like. There were several hot August days when I wished I had more power for takeoff. Other than that, the 40LA was just fine.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Yeah I remember the .40LA having "Plenty-o-power" in the air, thats why it surprised me that it wouldnt take off in wet grass..the Tower trainer is almost done but for the radio install...probably be next week before I can fly it, but it will be done by tonight or tomorrow...Rog

I dont care much for this motor mount sandwiching the engine in place ..oh and I found a nasty scratch on the piston,dont know where that came from, could have been there all along I guess but I'm not sure...

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Grumpy, our flying experiences have taken similar paths. I had the Tower before purchasing the Nexstar. It appears we have had similar experiences and perceptions regarding these planes. I took the Tower to the field this morning. There was a fair cross wind early morning that require opposite rudder to aileron to do a decent pass over the runway. All went well thanks to the time on the Nexstar. However, I couldn't land the Tower worth a sh#@! The sink rates on the planes are so radically different. During one landing I almost got airsick watching the Tower bouncing down the runway. It looked like a kangaroo being chased by a car. Ho well, hope springs eternal and there's always tomorrow - aka Saturday.

Bert

RE: Tower Trainer
 

xe2, Yes it does sound like we have taken similar roads to get where we are. Not to far apart from each other too. I'm sure you get similar winds in Salinas as we do over here in Tracy. We get the Delta breeze as they like to call it just about everyday. The winds come sweeping down off of the Altamont pretty much unabated to where our flying field is. That's why we like to get up early & be at the field by 6AM if we can. That usually gives a good 3 or 4 hours of flying time before the winds kick up too bad. We still fly though even after the winds have arrived,:D Mostly because we don't know any better.[&:]

Any time you're coming out this way, give us a pm if you want to do a guest fly at our field. We fly regularly so I'm sure we can accomodate ya.;)

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I didn't like the sandwich motor mount either, but it worked out ok for me. The motor does wiggle loose once in awhile and you have to re-align the motor and tighten the clamps. No big deal.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

While it's not the best way to mount an engine, it will get the job done. I learned to fly on a Tower Trainer 10 years ago with the same type of mount. I've still got the plane today and still using the stock mount. And yes, I still take it out and fly it occasionally.

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

If tall/wet grass becomes an issue you can always increase wheel size a little. Also helps if you have gravel. I'll just have to suffer with my asphalt runway [:'(] .

RE: Tower Trainer
 

The wheels on the Tower are a good inch taller than the ones that were on the Raid..trainer so it shouldnt be a problem..its done , hope I get to fly it tues or wed..Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

When I learned to fly with the Tower Trainer I was on a grass field. It didn't have any problems with the grass. As long as the grass is cut fairly short you shouldn't have any problems with it.

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

who you tryin ta kid, aint no grass in Oklahoma!!,,you can watch the grass grow here and they are only concerned about the weekend flyer,,so when I get out there wed,thurs, morning in soppin wet grass, it slows a plane down abit,,the other trainer had 2 " wheels the tower are 2.75 but even so they are dense little sponges that soak up water...Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Yeah, right. I just can't win. I spend all my time at home watering my grass to make it grow. And the dang grass at the flying field I can't get to die!!!!!! Arrrrggghhhhhhh. I wish the flying field would brown out so I didn't have to mow it as often. :D:D

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

i learned on a nexstar great plane in general flies like champ when its brand knew however of u crash pretty hard something can get messed up. I just order a new airframe/wing for $100. not a bad price in my opinion. but just practice on the sim for a while and u will get the hangof it pretty fast. also make sure to sequre all screws i found a few loose.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Has anyone else removed some of the dihedrial on the tower trainer? I took about half of it out upon some advice of an old timer. It flies really well now, but I don't know what it flew like before.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Bummer ...I go to the field today,,only have an old hand pump, cause mostly I use a syringe to fill my tanks..well I'm crankin away for what seems like too long,and the tank is only 1/4 full?? so I crank some more,I pick the plane up to look at the tank and the whole front of the plane is full of fuel!!..well it's loaded with baby powder at the moment...tower wants me to send the fuse back!..turns out the tank got a hole from the landing gear mount screw..I looked up the replacement parts and tower doesnt have the tail group until late July...so I tell the guy the plane wont fit back in the box with the tail on it..he says to cut it off..but they dont have any to replace it!!..hopefully I can fix it and got the powder in there in time!!...ony other suggestions are welcome....Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I look in Tower's scratch and dent section a couple times a week. I often see planes that are missing a wing, fuse, tail feathers, etc. I've always suspected they canabilized them for warranty purposes. Maybe they'll do this if you send in your fuse.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Well, I was hoping to salvage the fuse without returning it, first they offered to send me a tank, then I said that the fuse is soaked and likely no good...they've never asked me to send anything back before?..dont get me wrong, I'mn not trying to get over on them,,if the powder trick works, I just put in a new tank and try again...but I wont know until the first landing if its any good or the gear rips out on impact...Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Forget the powder. Get some kitty litter. Fill the fuselage and then put the litter around the outside of the fuselage. Let it sit like that for a few hours. Take out the fuse and brush it off. Now use a heat gun and hit the heat soaked area, as you heat it you will see oil start to seap out. Now put it back into the kitty litter. Keep this up until you get little or none of the oil coming out as you heat it. After you're through doing this paint the area with epoxy to seal it up. Recover and put the plane back together.

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer
 

rog use some denatured alcohol in a spray bottle and some paper towels to soak up the exess fuel the alcohol evaporates fast and breaks the fuel down for easy clean up it will help remove the fuel from the balsa then check your glue joints and if you find some loose ones use some thin CA glue to make sure the fuse is sound and all the joints are solid after finding a leak in my tank in my NEXTAR this method worked great for me. the covering was fine after my leak and clean up the alcohol the plane still lives to fly today.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Ken, I dont have a kitty or its corresponding litter nor do I own a heat gun, but I appreciate the advice..
Bigtim..Denatured alcohol and paper towels I got!,,will try that method and then just hit toweer up for the tank....thanks ..Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Rog, this all works well. I'm sure that you have now learned to fuel proof your tank area of your next plane with epoxy or equivelent??? Sorry for the problems you are having. There is also a product used to clean suede shoes called K2R that sprays on that absorbs oil very well. Spray on, let it soak up the oil and brush off. Repeat until done. Then seal area with epoxy.

http://www.k2rbrands.com/products/original.htm

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Thanks Bruce, I have heard of most of these before but never had to use them,,most of my planes tanks are 8cc to 1 oz so I dont bother fuel proofing the compartments for the tank..I will thin down some epoxy with the denatured alcohol and slather the inside of this one though...It is drying in the morning sun as we speak...thanks again guys.....Rog...the entire area is ply so that should help too, I dont think I'd even try to fix balsa

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Rog, don't thin the epoxy, that weakens it and it cures porous. Instead, mix it and then warm up the wood with a hair drier (hopefully you've got one of them ;)). Pour in the epoxy and use a disposable brush to spread it around. If necessary, give the epoxy another blast with the hot air. The warm wood will soak up the epoxy.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Use 30 min epoxy and your monokote gun. You should have one of those from your 1/2A stuff too.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

:DRog ain't got much hair,probally no dryer either!:D
Roger,stop by and get my heat gun if you need it.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Well now your gettin personal[&o]..na Rog aint got much hair..no hair dryer...no heat gun...thanks BA, I may take you up on that....Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Ok its cleaned up, dried out , and I gotta put it back together but I made a tank out of a 4 oz bottle of nail polish remover..dont know how long it will fly,probably 5 minutes or so with the .40LA but it doesnt matter, one of my favorite flying feats is to deadstick in....no choice, gotta get it right,,[&:]..theres no LHS here that I can get to with my schedule, I did get my dad to pick up a regular 4oz tank for me it was the biggest they had ....Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Finally get the thing in the air today..flew fine...4 oz tank doesnt run very long , maybe 5 minutes and then....Deadstick:D....I flew (glided) it twice around the field and brought it straight down the runway..perfect...this is like the second time that I ever flew a plane with wheels..the glow driver died on me so I only got in 1 flight with it and one with my 1/2a plane, I gotta get better organized[&o], but it was my fault...so anyway,,next week,,many more flights...Rog

RE: Tower Trainer
 

Well, at least it flew. I hear tell there is a place that will sell you a bigger tank. I think they call it a "Hobby Shop". :D
Specs say it comes with a 9 oz (270cc) fuel tank so you got about half of a normal flight.

RE: Tower Trainer
 

I looks like the Hobbico Superstar. If built the same it's a great flying trainer and strong as heck.