TimC

A discussion at this thread [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4502929/anchors_4521708/mpage_2/key_/anchor/tm.htm#4521708].50/ Trainer[/link] has got me wondering what is the most common size and type engine used in trainers. To keep the list short, this is poll will only cover .40 size trainers.
Multiple answers are OK.

jettstarblue

My first engine was a good old brand new O.S. FP .40- more power than I ever needed, especially the time I wired open the throttle on that 30" span delta....man that was the longest running 12 oz. tank ever!

jettstarblue

BTW, I ran that engine on everything from a PT 40 to a Goldberg Tiger 2 to a bunch of 5+ lb. "homebuilts".

Grass field.

Campgems

I'm running a Magnum 52 four stroke in my Lanier Explorer 40 ARF. The engine runs well and has more than enough power even though it is on the bottom of the list of 4 stroke sizes. My only complaint is that it will not idle down enough to let the plane stop on the runway. It may be that I can tune it out, but I'm running out of options. I did a valve adjustment yesterday and that helped a bunch as well as giving more power across the band. The engine has had about 1/2 gal of fuel through it. I would think it was broke in well by now. I'm going to try one more attempt at mix and see if that will help.

Don

delman

It had an OS 40FP which I replaced with an OS 46SF after I soloed. My one son then learned to fly with the 46SF on it.

delman

Campgems you might have to try a 4 pitch prop if your idle isnt around 2000 rpm on your 4 stroke.

Ken Erickson

My trainer was a Midwest Tri-Squire, with an Enya .19. The radio was 10-channel reed set. 1966. Never did work real well.

About 1970, bought a single-channel Wig-Wag Testors Cherokee with a Wen-Mac .049. It flew much better than the Tri-Squire.

Ken Erickson
San Antonio, TX

Edit - Just remembered. The Enya did not have a muffler. there was a rotating plate over the exhaust, to help low throttle. (it closed).

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

I've seen a bunch of Magnum 52s with this problem as well as the 61 4 stroke. I have a 61 and a buddy of mine ( a few actually) have the 52s. I've got one friend that works for Hobby People and he struggles with his and this problem all the time. He's stubborn and won't listen to reason however. It seems that they a lot of them have shipped with the incorrect needle valve. The one that mine and most I've seen have is the needle valve for the 30 4 stroke which has a very snub nose. So any movement affects the mixture greatly and it's so course that it is hard to get the proper mixture at all. The proper valve is the same as the 91 4 stroke valve. I changed mine to this which is a much finer needle and the mixture was much easier to get correct.

It idles fantastically now.

I recommend this to anyone who has one and is experiencing these symptoms.

Attached are some pictures; the first is the needle valve for the 30 and the second is the one listed under the parts for the 61 and 52 from magnum's website. They are easy to tell apart.


To stay on topic, I currently instruct with a Thunder Tiger - Tiger Trainer 40 running a TT42GP which is a plain bearing engine. It runs well and has decent power too. No complaints really. My personal trainer is a Sig Kadet EP which has a himax 2208-1160 with a 10x4.7 slow fly prop. I fly with a variety of batteries but mostly a 1500mah Kokam 3cell lipo and a 9.6v 800mah nimh. I get about 15 minutes on the nimh and 30 or so on the lipo.

Ideally I would love to get a Sig Kadet and put my magnum 61 4 stroke on it. It's a solid engine with decent power but not overboard and I think it would compliment the Kadet well.

Hossfly

Currently, I keep a Tower Trainer available for newbies and every so often for just some plain fun flying. It is powered by a Super Tigre .40, which is much more than adequate for such machine. I also have a large plain bearing old O.S. 60 powered Trainer that is reserved for shows, special exhibitions, etc.

The ST. .40 is, IMO, the best overall engine available. They just never wear out, have no faults, (*) plenty power to fly that flat-bottom wing in inverted horizontal figure-8s, and a very slow idle permitting smooth nose-high touch-downs.

(*) One design error in the Great Planes Super Tigres is that the .40 and .45 need a restricter in the venturi. That can be fashioned using a very thin tubing drilled and cut to fit within the carb. barrel, and held in place by the spray bar. That eliminates all the difficult-to-set fuel problems that some encounter with this fine engine. At one time, these restricters were furnished with the carbs. Why GP stopped that is beyond me. However it is easy to find management-bean-counters often screwing up good things.

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

My first trainer was a Stearling fledgling with an OS Max-S .35..
Later I switched it over to an OS FS-40
My 40 telemaster had an OS FS-61

A Falcon 56 with an OS FSR .45 is a blast

GRANT ED

My trainer was a western 40 powered by an Enya 40. It was a good combo that never really let me down.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Falcon 56 w/ Eyna 35 was my first 'real' trainer (took the .35 off my Sterling Piper Tri-Pacer (kit #FS1)....

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

I'm dating myself here: HB .40 PDP on a Sig Kadet MKII.

Strat2003

My Feedback: (1)

My trainer was a Top Flite Schoolboy, powered by a Tee Dee .020. It was guided by a Babcock single channel escapement radio.

Does that make me old, lol?

BigSkyRCFlyer

My Feedback: (36)

Goldberg Eagle 63 with a Magnum .40 GP Plain Bearing, later changed to a nice O.S. .46 SF. I also had a Goldberg Eaglet 50 with an O.S. .25 FP, excellent little engine. Heck, I feel old, and that was in the Mid 80's. HAHAH

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

Tower trainer with an OS 40LA.

mstroh3961

My Feedback: (4)

magnum .46 ball barring and its still going strong on a profile. must have 10 gallons through it.

Steve Collins

My Feedback: (8)

I soloed on a Sig Kadet Mark II with a K&B .40 engine in 1983. I keep a trainer around off and on just for some really relaxed flying. Currently I have a Midwest Aerostar ARF with a Y.S. .63 on it.

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

TT .46 Pro on a Sig LT 40. The motor is still running but the plane is long gone.
John

trioval00

My Feedback: (17)

In my trainer I didnt see my engine listed so I thought i would list it here as well as a pic.

this trainer has a Jetcatp-120. ok so it's a differebt kind of a trainer, but , it's a trainer

Mark

TimC

Mark, how about some more details on Jetcat?

trioval00

My Feedback: (17)

www.jetcatusa.com

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Baby Cyclone model C (1936)

TimC

Like this one ballgunner? How about sharing something about this engine and learning to fly in the '30s?

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I love trainers. I've been flying for 8yrs and I STILL keep a trainer in the fleet at all times. NEVER get rid of your trainer. NEVER. Of course, they are extremely modified now, and wouldn't be any good for a student, unless I set the throttle endpoint for nothing over 1/2 throttle and then turned down the throw on all the control surfaces.

My first trainer was an LT-40 built from a kit and it had a Thunder Tiger Pro 46 engine. Doggy power at 6000' elevation, but it got my wings for me.

2nd trainer was a kit built Kadet Senior with barndoor ailerons, taildragger, and a Thunder Tiger .91 4-stroke. Had a ton of fun with that plane. Strained it through a yukka plant on a deadstick landing. Looked like it went through a cheese grator.

3rd trainer was a kit built LT-40 with an OS 61FX. Flew that one for about 3yrs untill I got mixed up while inverted and only about 6' off the water at a float fly. DOH!![:-]

4th trainer was another kit built Kadet Senior with a 90" wingspan. It was purpose constructed as a long-distance flier. It had barndoor ailerons and flaps. Engine was OS 120 Surpass. 14oz fuel tank behind the firewall and a 40oz tank inside the fuse directly over the CG. Fuel tanks were piggy-backed together. Battery was 3000mah 4.8V. Plane would fly non-stop for 100 miles with about 6oz of fuel in the tank upon landing. Engine was over-propped with a 15-10 APC to allow cruising speed of 60MPH at just a tick over 1/2 throttle. It weighed almost 15 pounds fully loaded with fuel and it took all of a 400' runway with flaps at 20 degrees to get airborne. Flight was very gentle and predictable. Perfect airplane to chase down the highway while sitting in the back of a pickup truck with your riding goggles on. Gave it to a friend after about 4yrs of long-distance flying with it, and he still has it and flies it regularly.

My current trainer is an ARF LT-40 with scratch built ailerons and flaps. It's a taildrager with float and ski mounts. I can switch from wheels to floats or skis in about 5 minutes. Power is Tower Hobbies .75 [>:] I fly it hard, and I'm surprised I haven't folded the wing yet.

Too many fliers get their wings and immediately mothball the trainer. They are missing out on a whole lotta Sunday afternoon fun.