airlyons

Hi All...

I'm thinking of going to the next step...gas!

Any recommendations? I want an engine with ample power to hover, and ideally an engine that is sized so it can be used for many aircraft. Aircraft wise... nice and stable at slow speeds (no tip stalling!) and good for 3D, hovering etc.

So what size of engine and aircraft should I be looking at? I'm in Calgary... 4000 feet above sea level!

Thanks,

Chris

ps what do you think of any of the following?

Hangar 9 Extra 260 27%:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...ProdID=HAN2750

GreatPlanes Extra 300S 1/4:

http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma1305.html

Zenoah G45 45CC:

http://www.modelflight.com.au/rc_mod...zenoah_g45.htm

Fuji imvac BT-50sb (with butterfly carb) 46.5CC:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDTR8&P=0

3dbob37n

It all depends on what size aircraft you want. I use a Funtana 90 and am getting rid of my Saito 150 and installing one of the new Evo 26 gas engines and according to everything I hear, it will hover the Funtana. There is the new Showcase Roto 25 which will do the same thing. See the current issue of 3D Flyer magazine.
I have a FPE 2.4 in a Sig Extra but it won't hover the model. Plenty of power but just not enough to hover a 14 Lb airplane.
With the advent of the smaller gas engines, lots of folks are going to convert to gas is my guess. I plan to get a QQ 72" span Yak 54 and use a Evo 26 which will hover it.
Anything bigger than that, I would think about some of the really powerful engines like the 3W and the DA engines.

3dbob

BillS

Nobody owns just one engine.

Not likely to be the case with an Extra. Hope you have flying experience since Extra’s are not beginner airplanes.

Bill

rcdude7

My Feedback: (264)

If you want to get in on the ground floor, a ultra stick lite w/G-26 is hard to beat. Built light, it is forgiving yet will perform well. You can spend alot more and not have as much fun.

GeraldRosebery

My Feedback: (14)

"Aircraft wise... nice and stable at slow speeds (no tip stalling!) and good for 3D, hovering etc."

Chris, fundamentally your specification is somewhat contradictory. An aircraft that is good at 3D is going to be somewhat unstable and rather prone (most of the time) to snapping. What is your level of personal expertise?

airlyons

Hi there Gerald...

I've been flying RC for two years now. The most advanced aircraft I've flown was a 60-90 size Cap 232(Breitling). I had a GMS 76 on it. I achieved at least 30 or 40 flights on it until I had a power loss to the receiver which resulted in a complete loss. I liked the Cap but believe its high wing loading contributed to a high approach speed, high stall speed, and poor glide ratio. (It had the glide ratio of a brick!) Right now I have a Sukhoi SU-31(Pheonix Models) with an OS 46FX and a RCAF Chipmunk (Airsail kit) with an OS 70FL. (60+ successful flights on the Sukhoi, 15+ successful flights on the Chipmunk) As an enjoyable scale fly I quite like the Chipmunk. But for full out aerobatics, sport, and 3D the Sukhoi is no longer challenging me. It does awesome snap rolls, spins etc but lacks the power to do precision aerobatics and won't hover. For example, when doing a loop it won't do a nice big circle loop...you have to pull it in tight on the way up to continue the loop.

As for the snapping issue... my Cap 232 liked to snap quickly when in the slow flight regime. Don't some airplanes snap a little slower (ie they wallow back and forth, but it's controllable) as you enter slow flight. I watch guys come in really slow...power just above and the airplanes aren't snapping (violently anyways-they're controllable). Umm I think one at the club is a UCANU3D.

And to answer BillS...

I don't just have one engine. (OS: 46LA, 46FX, 70FL (4 stroke), GMS 76-it didn't survive though!) But I would like to buy an engine that will be suitable for a large number of aircraft so I can have more selection and so that, should I get tired of flying one aircraft type, I can simply buy another airframe and bolt on the same engine!

rcdude7... thanks for your reply! I'm more into the "scale look" airplanes though.

3dbob37n... thanks as well. I do like the look of the Funtana 90. You have me thinking here! But will the Evo 26 be too heavy? .9 cubic ince = 14.7 cubic centimeters so a 26 cc would be a lot...but then again for here in Calgary you need lots of power combined with not too much weight. Hmmmmm you definitely have me thinking!

So should I go for a 25 CC gas engine then? Could I use it in most 90 size airplanes or would that engine be better on a 120 size? And would a 90 size airplane still be flyable for precision aerobatics, 3D, and maybe even smoke if I wanted to add smoke????? Remember...I'm at 4000 feet above sea level!!!!

Chris

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

To get everything you want you will need to spend a lot of money. Don't get any of the engines you mentioned... they will only cause you grief, and they are so heavy you won't have any slowflight ability... especially in the planes you listed... I'd be praying they wouldn't snap the wings off on those planes.

I've heard some good things about the H-9 Extra 260 with a LIGHT MOTOR, but never seen one.
Wildhare 28% Edge or Extra with DA-50 (more durable, decent flight)
Extremflight 87" Yak with DA-50 (less durable, excellent flight)
JTEC 35% Panzl with DA-100 (bad*****)

You can sub in a couple different brands of motor... ZDZ-50, 3W, BME, but I believe the DA is the best and the customer service rocks.

Those are the best and will do what you want... but you will need a lot of dough. You get what you pay for in this hobby.